In LAC Talks, From Peace to Conflict Prevention

Context: Future relevance of various agreements that were signed between India and China is under scanner amid the ongoing crisis in eastern Ladakh.

Short History of India-China Conflict:

• Post-1962 war: India-China border was loosely controlled by both sides, with a fairly sparse deployment of troops.

• Clash at Nathu La in 1967 continued the border claims.

• China Study Group, 1976: Laid down the patrolling points and guided the scope of military activity along the LAC.

• Change in border management: After Chinese occupation of a post in the Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1986.

Agreements over the years

• Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas, signed in 1993:

• Formalised the LAC concept
• Eschewed the use of force to settle the boundary issue
• Restricted military exercises and air activity close to the LAC.
• Problem with this agreement: India should not have accepted the term ‘LAC’ in this agreement as there was no clarity as to where this line lay on the ground

•  1996 Agreement :

• Reducing or limiting military forces to minimum levels 
• Limiting the deployment of major armaments

• 2005 Protocol:

• Procedure to be adopted when soldiers of the two sides came to a face-to-face situation while patrolling areas where there was a differing perception of the LAC. 
• Agreed to expand the mechanism of border meeting points and exchanges between the two militaries.
• No mention of a reduction in military forces.

•  Border Defence Cooperation Agreement 2013-14:

• Signed during the interim period of the Depsang intrusion in 2013 and the attempted intrusion at Chumar in 2014.

Inadequacy of the Agreements:

• Differences in the alignment of the LAC could not be resolved.
• Agreement on reducing military forces along the LAC to the minimum was neither seriously discussed nor implemented.

Conclusion

• Past agreements may not work: since after Doklam: Greater aggression by both sides

• Fundamentals Ignored: Two fundamentals of the agreements — resolution of the differing perceptions of the LAC and reduction of military forces have been ignored.

• Focus on conflict prevention instead of talking about peace and tranquillity along the LAC.