Editorial: Border stalemate continues

Beijing’s obstinacy on disengagement at sensitive points in the Eastern Ladakh region reflects its strategy of playing hardball

Given the intransigence of Beijing over the border issue, it is no surprise that the latest round of military-level talks, held after a gap of four months, ended without any breakthrough. The two countries have so far held more than two dozen rounds of diplomatic and military level negotiations since the June 2020 Eastern Ladakh stand-off but have failed to find any solution to the border dispute. New Delhi has done well to stand firm on two key demands: early disengagement of troops from all remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh; and the restoration of the status quo ante as of April 2020, before the conflict began. There was a sense of optimism in a section of diplomatic circles that a mutually agreeable solution was on cards in view of the prospect of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Delhi next month for the G20 summit. However, it has turned out to be a misplaced one. A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting of the corps commanders merely said the two sides only agreed to resolve the remaining issues speedily and maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground. Beijing’s obstinacy on disengagement at sensitive points in the Eastern Ladakh region reflects its strategy of playing hardball that has kept the face-off alive even after three years. The unresolved border tension has led to an unprecedented build-up of troops on both sides. Over the last three years, the Indian Air Force is estimated to have airlifted nearly 70,000 troops and heavy platforms, including tanks, artillery guns, as part of efforts to enhance operational preparedness.

An uneasy calm continues to prevail in areas along the LAC, which had witnessed a bloody faceoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan valley. The onus of de-escalation of border tensions and normalisation of bilateral ties now lies with China. It must demonstrate its commitment to de-escalation and disengagement on the ground. India cannot afford to lose sight of Beijing’s propensity for provocation, be it in Ladakh or Arunachal. Displaying an unabashed streak of hegemony and territorial ambitions, China has been quite aggressive over the last few years in building infrastructure along the border while India has a lot to catch up. India is not the only country China has territorial disputes with. It is embroiled in territorial disputes with over 20 countries. Beijing tried another mischievous trick recently when it issued “stapled visas” to Indian athletes from Arunachal Pradesh participating in World University Games in Chengdu, China, in a crude bid to assert its territorial claim over the State. On its part, India has made it clear that the border standoff affects bilateral relations, and only a complete de-escalation will lead to normalcy in the ties. While disengagement at the specific friction points can be achieved, a broader de-escalation will take time.

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