India, China and Bhutan trialogue can bring clarity on borders

Source: The post is based on the article “India, China and Bhutan trialogue can bring clarity on borders” published in The Indian Express on 10^th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – India and its Neighborhood Relations

Relevance: Border issues between Bhutan and China

News: The article discusses various issues with the Bhutan and China boundary demarcation and stand of India on the issue.

What are the issues with the demarcation of Bhutan-China boundary?

There are issues over the natural borders. The Chumbi Valley is one of them.

The valley is important for strategic and economic reasons and has a significant relational value given its proximity to the Amochhu river. The valley is also known as the Bhutanese route to Tibet. 

The valley reflects two broad principles guiding the demarcations of borders in the Himalayas:

• The Thalweg Doctrine: It emphasises the idea of map-making by identifying rivers as the central point and measuring the boundary from the lowest point of a riverbed.
• The water-parting principle: It identifies territory with a concerned watershed, where the boundary is determined by the highest elevation surrounding that particular lake or river segment.

These both principles have been merged in the ongoing border negotiations between China and Bhutan.

The dispute in the north-west sector of the China-Bhutan border has revolved around the watershed of the Chumbi Valley, and the height of certain Himalayan ranges such as Mt Gipmochi.

What are the issues over Mt Gipmochi?

China has legally claimed the boundary line from Mt Gipmochi, through the Anglo-Chinese Convention of 1890. The Amochhu river flows adjacent to Mt Gipmochi. 

However, both India and Bhutan have rejected these claims and stated that the boundary line should follow from Batangla, Merugla and Sinchula ranges as these peaks are higher than Gipmochi.

The Chinese have ignored these assertions and have continued to build villages along the west bank of Amochhu river.

Therefore, the Thalweg Doctrine is the compromise formula for solving the disputed claims.

How has India responded to the border dispute between Bhutan and China?

Since, the bilateral relations between Bhutan and China is of strategic importance to India, India has said that the tri-junction would be resolved trilaterally.

In this regard, the 15th round of Sino-Indian Special Representative (SR) dialogue, 2012, becomes significant.

The India-China agreement on the Working Mechanism on Consultation and Coordination was made in SR dialogue of 2012.

However, China has said that the SRs discussed bilateral, regional and global issues. Terms such as “tri-junction” and “consultation with third countries” are absent in the 15th round of SR dialogue of 2012.

China has also said that issue lies more with the 1890 Convention than with the SR dialogue of 2012.

Must Read: India – Bhutan relations and its significance – Explained

What lies ahead?

It is important that a trilogue is initiated. Opening communication channels can minimise uncertainties as questions of peace and conflict cannot be resolved by potential stand-offs (like Doklam) in the future.