Central Idea

• India needs to take proactive measures to address the ongoing border crisis with China in Ladakh, rather than relying on a status quo approach. The government’s silence and euphemistic language on the issue have given the impression of incompetence and inaction, leading to concerns over India’s capability to handle the situation

Brief background on the Ladakh border issue

• The border dispute dates back to the 1950s and 60s, when China made claims to the region and occupied large parts of it.
• In 1962, the two countries fought a brief war over the issue, which ended in a Chinese victory and the establishment of a de facto border line known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• Since then, the two countries have had several standoffs and skirmishes in the region, with tensions escalating in recent years. T
• he latest border standoff in Ladakh began in May 2020 and continues to remain unresolved.

The Depsang crisis of 2013

• Depsang Plains of Ladakh: The Depsang crisis of 2013 refers to a tense border standoff between India and China that took place in the Depsang Plains of Ladakh in April-May 2013.
• Chinese troops set up a camp: The crisis began when Chinese troops set up a camp in the Depsang Plains, which is located about 19 km inside what India considers to be its territory.
• Strategically important area: The area is strategically important as it overlooks the strategically important Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road that India had built to improve its connectivity to the border areas.
• Negotiations and agreement over the withdrawal: The situation was resolved after three weeks of negotiations, with the Chinese agreeing to withdraw their troops in exchange for a pledge from India to scale down its military presence in the area.
• The crisis led to other standoffs: The crisis highlighted the long-standing boundary dispute between India and China, which has led to several other standoffs and skirmishes over the years.

What is the current situation?

• The current situation at the Ladakh border is that some areas have witnessed disengagement, while two areas, Depsang and Demchok, remain unresolved. Indian soldiers are not allowed to touch 26 of the 65 patrolling points in Ladakh.
• Diplomatic meetings and talks between corps commanders have not elicited any progress since September last year. Regular meetings between Indian and Chinese Ministers, Foreign and Defence, have not yielded results either.
• India needs to find a way to transfer the pressure back to China, as Beijing has never compromised unless it has been forced into an uncomfortable spot.

Facts for prelims

Way ahead: Steps to transfer the pressure back to China

• Bold use of imagination: The political leadership needs to use its imagination boldly to find a way to impose its will upon China.
• Be proactive: India needs to be proactive in dealing with China, as Beijing has never compromised unless it has been forced into an uncomfortable spot.
• Tactful action on LAC: Tactical actions on the LAC need to be daring, and the military needs to be used as an instrument to pursue policy ends and try to impose its will upon the adversary.
• Increase strategic thought: Strategic thought in Delhi needs to be bold and innovative to find a way to wrest the initiative from China.
• Avoid fear of military escalation: India’s fear of military escalation is holding back progress in the Ladakh border issue, and the government needs to overcome this fear to take proactive steps.
• Utilize diplomatic channels: India should leverage diplomatic channels and international forums to put pressure on China to resolve the border issue.
• Strengthen domestic capabilities: India should focus on building domestic capabilities, including military and economic, to match up to China’s strengths and position itself better in negotiations.

Conclusion

• India needs to take proactive measures to address the ongoing border crisis with China in Ladakh. A status quo approach can no longer be the answer, and India will have to wrest the initiative from China. Failure to do so would be a national failure for India, and the government must show boldness and imagination to resolve the crisis.

Mains Question

Q. India is going through the tough phase over the issues of border with China. In this backdrop discuss what proactive measures that India needs to take considering the current developments situation of the border conflicts?

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India-China: Border Management Mechanism

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