India-China: Line of actual conflict

Understanding the India China Border: The Enduring Threat of War in the High Himalayas 

Author: Manoj Joshi

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 256

Price: Rs 599

India-China relations are complex on account of larger geopolitical rivalries, contestations in Asia for supremacy and an unsettled border. Over the past several years, the border has become an active one, with an increase in the number and intensity of incidents leading up to the Galwan crisis of June 2020. That is why more research on the centrality of the border in India-China relations is welcome.

The book overcomes the challenge of juxtaposing multiple actors and catalysts that play a crucial role in defining the direction of India-China relations and the future of the disputed boundary. It is a timely addition to the literature on this topic, offering a nuanced, crisp and highly informative read for anyone interested in understanding the myriad factors and hurdles that determine the future of the India-China boundary question.

What makes it more interesting is that it offers a plausible explanation for the Galwan clash. Developments in the summer of 2020 on the India-China border surprised the world and compelled a revisit of bilateral relations. The border, though disputed, had been peaceful since 1975, and economic relations were expanding at a rapid pace. Galwan and the violence that followed broke the belief in this status quo. The general impression was that both India and China were keen to find an acceptable solution to the border issue. The author, however, argues that, “…. in retrospect, we could say that the Chinese did not want a permanent fix, just something that would stabilize the situation, rather than deal with the problem”.

The author’s argument that this relationship is susceptible not only to bilateral and domestic factors but a number of external factors are also crucial. He underlines three major external factors, the United States, Pakistan and Tibet.

The growing closeness of New Delhi and Washington in recent years definitely makes Beijing uncomfortable. China perceives this closeness as a balancing strategy against its rise and believes that the strengthening military presence at the border is motivated by India’s “growing military ties with the United States”.

Another essential catalyst is China’s all-weather friendship with Pakistan. It is well known that Beijing has not only helped Islamabad with nuclear technology but also related weapons and technologies. In addition to this, for a final border settlement Pakistan’s role would be essential, and Beijing has been proactive in managing Pakistan’s aspirations.

The third crucial element is Tibet, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government in exile and the large number of Tibetan refugees in India.

Another major issue is infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Beijing has been improving its infrastructure in the border regions since the 1950s so it is no surprise that it has a major edge over India today. New Delhi has faced a number of challenges here. As the author states, “Bureaucracy, environmental protection rules, and strained resources, made the process slow and painful, but the direction of India’s endeavour was clear: it was determined, sooner or later, to match China’s impressive road infrastructure on its side of the Himalaya”. China, however, is not ready to accept this kind of “catch-up” by India “…since by 2010, the Chinese saw themselves as a world power in a category quite different from India”. The construction of roads such as Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) have the capacity to change the balance of power in the border region.

The book underscores the argument that Beijing is not as keen to solve the border issue as it would like the world to believe. Time and again China has used the disputed border as a tool to gain leverage on other fronts vis-à-vis New Delhi. The author asserts that “… the issue between India and China and the LAC are less about its location and lack of precision, and more about the use that is being made of its fuzziness by Beijing to periodically heat up the situation so as to keep New Delhi off-balance.” It also helps Beijing in increasing the cost of maintaining peace on the border for New Delhi and limiting its influence in South Asia.

The book explains the complexity of the India-China boundary issue extremely well, detailing every possible cause and effect, which is not an easy task. The author also argues that the issue does have the capability to undermine the peace and stability of not only Asia but the world. Chinese aspirations to be a world player will have a direct impact on how and when the border dispute is resolved. However, the issue of growing domestic nationalism also needs to be put into perspective as it plays a key role in limiting the negotiating capacity of the respective governments.

The reviewer is assistant professor, OP Jindal Global University