Beyond border disputes in India-China relations: time for geo-economics? (original) (raw)

India-China The 'Boundary Settlement' Between India and China: A Dilemma

Following Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to China in May 2015, the Joint Statement that was released by India and China, affirmed that: “an early settlement of the boundary question serves the basic interests of the two countries and should be pursued as a strategic objective by the two governments”. Nonetheless, this joint determination to seek a political settlement to the protracted border issue is tainted by great pessimism and speculations. Despite a strong political will on each side, and incentives, such as various agreements and confidence building measures, the ‘boundary problem’ remains unresolved and rather more complicated. Neville Maxwell rightly notes: “the border dispute between India and China stands exactly where it did when it first emerged half a century ago”. The increased military standoffs between Indian and Chinese troops at the disputed border further delay the political settlement, and add fuel to the stagnancy. Given this, what is noteworthy is that although on the surface, the India-China border remains peaceful, it still serves as a delicate flashpoint in the bilateral relationship. There remains a compounded risk of escalation as a result of miscalculations born out of ‘trust deficit’.

China-India Border Crisis: Causes and Implications 1962-2023

China- India Border Crisis: Causes and Implications 1962-2023, 2024

For more than seventy years, the Sino-Indo border crisis has become an endless imbroglio with no settlement in sight. Relations between the two Asian giants have soured over the last decade, particularly following a 2020 boundary skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan area. The issue of a disputed border emerged in the early 1950s when the People's Republic of China affected her capture of Tibet. This act created for China and India one of the lengthiest undefined boundaries in the globe. The China-India border stretches for approximately 3,488 kilometers (2,167 miles) across the Himalayan mountain range, separating the two countries. The main areas of contention are the western sector (Aksai Chin region administered by China but claimed by India) and the eastern sector (Arunachal Pradesh region administered by India but claimed by China). This dispute has led to several military standoffs and border skirmishes between the two countries over the years. The intricate and protractedness of this border conflict made this work try to find out the causes and implications of this crisis to the Asian region and the world generally. To do this effectively, we employ secondary sources where data was collected from textbooks, diplomatic records, academic literature, newspapers, journals, magazines, and internet materials. The data collected was analyzed through documentary evidence while the contested border and territorial nationalism theory were used as the analytical tool. The work discovered that factors like unresolved border issues, historical crises, strategic concerns, ideological biases, failed diplomatic negotiations, military considerations, the Tibetan refugees crisis, Cold War dynamics, and limited communications were some of the issues that led to the border crisis between the two Asian giants. Furthermore, the work found out that the implications engendered by the China-India border crisis are severe and expansive like heavy militarization of the China-Indian border, strategic instability in Asia, India's more assertive foreign policy, China's global image damage, policy implications, and arms race between the two Asian giants. The work concluded that China and India should strive for a harmonious and sustainable joint boundary commission that will map and mark their boundaries as this option if meticulously and strictly followed will tremendously benefit both and all.

IJRSS Volume 3, Issue 3 A Quarterly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International e-Journal -Included in the International Serial Directories India-China: -Conflict and Cooperation in Future Prospects

This paper will expose the rise of china and India in economic sphere at the regional level with the prospects to become global giants in the decades to come. In spite of their territorial disputes, the two nations are eligible to command the economy and security of world in general and Asia in particular. The last two decade of 20 th century witnessed revival of Sino-Indian relations as 1962 war shuttered their peaceful co-existence dreams.1 st decade of 21 st century witnessed as peaceful with co-operation because the two states are paddling their relations through mutual cooperation on various fronts. South, South East Asia and South China Sea are another arena of competition for the two. Keeping in view the emerging relations, this paper will focus upon Sino-Indian relations through the reflection on conflict, cooperation and competition. Their history of relations revolves around these C 3. Economic reforms in their respective countries accelerate the tempo of their economic relations. In 21 st century they are hoped to be the economic giants with less importance to their long stand unresolved disputes. Their perpetual cooperation led to the emergence of -Chindia‖.

A Study on Territorial Disputes Between India–China

BUP, 2021

India and China are rising giants of Asia. Both are world’s most populous countries and fastest growing major economics. This paper mostly focuses on and reconsiders the intersection of unused archives and diplomatic correspondence in an attempt to demarcate and limit the boundaries between India and China. The focal point of the paper is to determine how the knowledge, beliefs and principles regarding boundaries evolved over time to change the meaning and construction of material reality. This paper also gave a short history of India-China relations based on territorial disputes are being held among two country. Authors basically focus on the impact of territorial disputes which put a great significance towards their bilateral relations. Besides authors tries to bring forward numerous factors to analyze the disputes from various context.

The Tale of the Dragon and the Elephant: A Review on the Implications of Sino-Indian Border Disputes to Political Order in Asia

Contemporary Chinese Political Economy and Strategic Relations: An International Journal, 2017

Asia is sitting on a tinderbox. Tensions such as involving China already grabbed enough headlines. One of which is the border dispute between this Asian Dragon with India. The formation of strong alliances and conflict escalation is very real. Rising aspirations and growing hunger for resources in a depleted continent that has been inhabited for millennia are leading to tension and instability. International system is maintained with its balanced structure, which is based on power. From the beginning of the colonial period to the height of western imperialism, and throughout the course of former colonies' national independence, territorial disputes have been a root cause of war and conflict between states. As China shares a border with more countries than any other state, it exists within an extremely complicated geopolitical environment. The continuing border dispute between China and India, for instance, is a puzzle for many. Despite six decades of attempts at resolution, the ...

The Sino-Indian Boundary Dispute: Sub-National Units as Ice-Breakers

Eurasia Border Review , 2011

Despite being among the fastest growing world economies, interactions between China and India remain limited owing to their unresolved boundary dispute. Tensions have grown over rapid military and infrastructure development by both countries along the disputed boundary but these developments can also be used as opportunities to encourage development in the relatively poor and underdeveloped provinces and countries along their disputed boundary. In this context, it is important to also understand domestic socioeconomic and political developments taking place in these border provinces how they might shape the future contours of the Sino-Indian boundary dispute and relations. Given that in both China and India, years of prioritizing national security considerations over political accommodation and economic development in their provinces have not really led to the fulfillment of any national security objectives, the time has come to examine if prioritizing the latter set of considerations to the benefit of their border provinces can ensure peace and stability between China and India. The solution to both the political and economic discontent of Chinese and Indian provinces as well as the unresolved boundary dispute between the two countries could be to allow their provinces greater freedom to interact with each other in terms of people-to-people and economic contacts.

Conflicts Between States – Rivalry between China and India

This brief draft sketches the possibilities of peacefully resolving the border dispute between India and China regarding the territory of Arunachal Pradesh. The paper uses some of the tenets of Dr. Johan Galtung to suggest ways of rhetorically reframing the conflict to allow for a peaceful solution that transcends mere compromise and achieves a "win-win" for both nations.

The Sino-Indian border issue as a factor for the development of bilateral relations

Asian Journal of Comparative Politics

The border issue between China and India has been prominent since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Depending on time, an internal and external situation has changed, hence the value of disputed territory also shifted. This article shows the development of the border issue, recent rapprochements, and steps taken to settle the issue.

New Trends and Developments in Border Tensions between China and India

WritePeace blog, 2020

The recent tensions between China and India should not be regarded as routine engagements in the disputed areas in the Himalayan region. There are indications that they represent a new stage in the strategic competition between these two nuclear-armed states, with China and India raising their stakes in border disputes and building up their military capabilities.