India, China Agree to De-Escalate Himalayan Border Tensions

India and China have agreed on patrolling arrangements and have begun withdrawing troops and temporary structures along their disputed Himalayan border.

This announcement followed a series of talks on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between diplomats and military negotiators. 

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that the discussions had led to “patrolling arrangements along the LAC in the India-China border leading to the disengagements and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in 2020.”

Implementation of the agreement began last week in India’s Ladakh region in the western Himalayas.

While specifics were not disclosed, an unnamed Indian government official told Reuters that troops, vehicles, huts, and tents from each side pulled back from Depsang and Demchok, the remaining points of their deadly military standoff in 2020.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed during a regular press briefing that ”the Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, which is going smoothly at the moment.”

The withdrawal of troops and structures is expected to be completed by the end of October, marking a significant step forward in the decades-long frontier tensions between the two Asian giants.

Decades of Conflict

Border conflicts in the Himalayas trace back to British colonial rule in India, when the McMahon Line was loosely established at the 1914 Simla Conference to separate India from Tibet. 

However, China rejected this demarcation, maintaining that Tibet (and thus the disputed Himalayan region) falls under its sovereignty.

This has led to overlapping territorial claims, with India claiming Aksai Chin as part of its Ladakh region, while China has administered it since the 1962 Sino-Indian War.

Certain areas in Ladakh, like the Galwan Valley, have seen significant military confrontations, particularly during deadly clashes in June 2020.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh, administered by India in the eastern Himalayas, is claimed by China as part of “Southern Tibet.”

This dispute has spurred several skirmishes, including a war in 1962, resulting in a notional demarcation called the Line of Actual Control.

Stretching 3,488 kilometers (2,167 miles), the LAC denotes areas of military presence rather than a formal border. 

Cautious Approach

The border tensions have strained economic and political ties between the two countries.

India has banned Chinese mobile apps, severed direct passenger routes, and blocked major business proposals from entering the country, such as one by Chinese car manufacturer BYD. 

It has also moved closer to Western allies who seek to counter Beijing’s influence. 

Meanwhile, China has supplied military aid to Pakistan.

The recent de-escalation of border tensions has raised hopes for easing economic relations, though Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman affirmed that the government will remain cautious in accepting foreign direct investments to safeguard national interests.

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