Three years after Galwan, disengagement has not been followed by resolution

Source: The post is based on the following article

• “The Stories On China That India Will Miss” published in The Times of India on 19th June 2023
• “Three years after Galwan, disengagement has not been followed by resolution” published in the Indian Express on 19th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 2 – India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Relevance: About India – China border dispute.

News: Three years after the Galwan clash, both India and China are no closer to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Similarly, both India and China are pursuing a tit-for-tat expulsion of journalists from China and India respectively.

About the disengagement between India and China

The disengagement by troops is at five “friction” points. These are Galwan in 2020, on the north and south banks of Pangong Lake in 2021, at Patrolling Point 17 in the Gogra-Hot Spring in August 2021, and PP15 in September 2022. Almost 18 rounds of talks between the area military commanders of both sides have happened so far. But, de-escalation has not taken place.

In the process of disengagement, India stepped back from areas where it was previously patrolling to create a demilitarised buffer zone at the five points where the Chinese intrusion had taken place. In official communication with the Chinese, India has stopped using the phrase “return to status quo” as it existed on April 2020.

Both sides have decided that the intrusions in the Depsang Plains and in Demchok are “legacy issues” and need not be taken up now.

What is the present state of the India – China border dispute?

What are the implications of the expulsion of journalists?

India has not approved visas for Chinese journalists since 2020, leading to a drop from 14 journalists to one. Similarly, China will see the last Indian journalist in China leave this month with the expiry of his visa.

Without reporting from the ground in China, Indian journalists will lack the ground experience that China offers and cannot observe China’s economic policies. Indians will now depend on Western media and the Anglo-Saxon narrative.

What should be done?

India needs intermediates, machinery and equipment from China, as much as China needs a market in India. India-China trade increased from $125 billion in 2021 to $135 billion in 2022, an 8% increase. India’s trade deficit with China continues to grow and stands at $100 billion.

India’s measured actions such as keeping trade channels open and keeping its foreign policy options open show pragmatism in India’s approach. With India’s increased participation with the US and Quad, India should avoid seeing its own problems with China on border issues through the American security lens focussed on the Taiwan Strait.