How solving patrolling problems is the first step towards building trust between India and China – Firstpost

Following diplomatic and military talks that have been ongoing since May 2020, and shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for the BRICS summit where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Vikram Misri announced on October 21 that India and China had reached an agreement agreement for patrolling by both sides along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

In May 2020, at the height of Covid-19, the Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), invaded in large numbers five areas traditionally controlled and patrolled by the Indian Army in eastern Ladakh. This led to a barbaric clash between the troops of both countries and casualties on both sides. Since then, the tense standoff has continued for more than four years and led to a repositioning of our forces, which included a rebalancing and the deployment of troops and weapons into eastern Ladakh.

Resolving Disagreements

During the talks, the two sides reportedly resolved differences over the location of the Line of Actual Control at three friction points: Galwan Valley, Gogra Hot Springs and Pangong Lake area. Apparently, the statement released now on “patrolling activities along the LAC in the border areas of India and China leading to disengagement of forces and resolution of issues arising in these areas in 2020” refers to Depsang and Demchok, the remaining two districts.

Earlier this month, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said India wants the status of the border in the Western Himalayas to be restored to what it was before April 2020, when the standoff began, and until then the situation will remain sensitive. Both sides had settled the “low-hanging fruit” and now needed to resolve difficult situations, adding that there was a “positive signal” on the diplomatic side and execution on the ground depended on the military commanders of the two countries.

While External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the pact was “the product of very patient and very persistent diplomacy” and that it would resume military patrols as they were before the 2020 clash. “I hope we can return to peace and tranquility. And that was our main concern, because we always said: if you disturb the peace and tranquility, how do you expect the rest of the relationship to develop further?!”

On October 22, China confirmed developments that could lead to both countries resolving the military confrontation in the region. Global Times reported that in response to questions about the agreement between India and China on border patrols in disputed areas, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian “confirmed progress.”

“China and India maintain close communication through diplomatic and military channels on border-related issues. At present, both sides have reached a solution on relevant issues, which China views positively. In the next stage, China will work with India to effectively implement the solution plan,” spokesman Lin Jian said. Global Times.

Demchok is located near the southernmost part of the LAC in Ladakh, close to the Himachal Pradesh border. It is located close to critical infrastructure and supply routes such as the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road, which is critical to keeping India connected to remote border areas. The dispute hinges on the exact location of the LAC along the Charding Nullah River (CNN). During the 1962 conflict, the region was a Chinese invasion zone. This is where China objected to India’s moves in infrastructure development.

Depsang is a flat area of ​​Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in the northwestern part of Ladakh. The northern half is flat terrain, allowing for easy movement of troops and vehicles, including tanks, while the southern half is rugged terrain, allowing foot patrols only through a narrow choke point. It is of great importance due to its location near the Karakoram Pass. The area serves as an important gateway to India’s key military infrastructure and supply lines.

The patrol agreement benefits both sides: China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has also restored patrol rights in certain areas that had been restricted since 2020. PLA incursions in 2020 have severely limited the Indian Army’s patrolling at key points in the Depsang Salient and CNN Junction. However, the creation of buffer zones in areas such as Galwan, Hoograng, Gogra Hot Springs and Pangong Tso has helped reduce tensions.

Successful de-escalation will be a decisive step towards normalizing relations between the two countries. If China shows leniency towards Depsang and Demchok, resolution of the Sino-Indian territorial dispute in eastern Ladakh may be possible.

Factors behind

There is no doubt that both countries have always felt the need to bring down the temperature, which reached a boiling point in the summer of 2020, culminating in the Galwan clash. Since then, many rounds of negotiations have been held both at the level of corps commanders and at the diplomatic level.

Prime Minister Modi during a conversation with Newsweek Before the elections, he said that relations with China are important and significant. Stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important not only for our two countries, but also for the entire region and the world. I hope and believe that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, we will be able to restore and maintain peace and tranquility on our borders.

There are analysts who argue that for China, reducing tensions along the LAC will allow it to reduce the deployment of troops there, which will then be available for operations in the South China Sea and against Taiwan.

While Brigadier General Rumel Dahiya believes that “there has been a noticeable decline in India’s relations with the US” and “they are putting pressure on us on several points.” There has been a delay in the delivery of GE aircraft engines, and on top of that, there are issues surrounding India’s purchase of oil from Russia, Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin, the US role in Bangladesh and, of course, the issue involving Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. who is now threatening to blow up an Air India plane. He further states that “the signs of decline (in India-US relations) are too numerous and too obvious to ignore.”

There is no doubt that as far as our land borders are concerned, India will have to fight alone and protect its own interests.

Conclusion

As for India, it claims that status quo in relation to the positions that existed before 2020, it is necessary to restore. Although details have not yet been revealed, patrol rights likely apply to movement in buffer zones. Both sides need to build trust and then move forward with disengagement, de-escalation and dislocation of troops.

Resolving the problems associated with patrolling may seem less meaningful when viewed in the larger context of the contested, undelimited and undemarcated LAC, but it is in our interest as well as the interest of the Chinese for a positive movement to occur. forward.

However, at the same time, we need to continue to enhance our capabilities and capabilities and improve our infrastructure to be able to decisively confront any adversary.

There is no doubt that breaking the LAC was a strategic mistake and in this context, this proliferation is a step in the right direction. Restoring trust is the only path forward to building bilateral relations.

The author is a retired Major General in the Indian Army. The views expressed in the article above are personal and belong solely to the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.