Solutions towards peace along the Sino-Indian border

By Vanshika Anand
The third placed entry for the UWCSEA-APP Peace Essay Competition.

JUNE, 2, 2022

“India has always given a befitting reply to anyone who has tried to disturb the prevailing atmosphere of peace and progress,” Narendra Modi proclaimed shortly after the 2020 skirmishes between China and India. The longstanding conflict between the two rising powers has fluctuated for the past century, ranging from strong economic ties to aggressive face-offs.

Beginning in the early 1900s, British-Indians proposed a border between the countries that wasn’t passed by China. While India achieved their independence and China was no longer under Mao’s rule, the conflict between the two remained. In the 1950s, the region of Tibet became a source of dispute and failed to be peacefully negotiated. By 1962, a war had begun amongst the two nations, where the McMahon line was crossed by Chinese troops. With casualties on both sides, a cease-fire was declared by the Chinese and what was the original border had been revised. It became the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The second ‘war’ began in 1967 when Indians started placing barbed wire where they perceived the border was, resulting in the Chinese military unit firing at them. India succeeded amid the clash and pushed back on the border, creating a disagreement on where the LAC was. The conflict seemingly heightened after 20 Indian soldiers and at least 4 Chinese soldiers were killed during the 2020 LAC standoff, making it one of the most severe incidents between the countries since 2017.

While both countries have wanted to maintain a level of peace and tranquillity, it remains the longest disputed border in the world. India is one of the very few countries that is willing to oppose China and join the west to weaken China’s rise to power on the global stage. With the creation of ‘The Quad’ – a security dialogue between India, the United States, Australia and Japan – China and India’s relations continued to deteriorate. The group was even accused of wanting to undermine China’s interests and pursue group confrontation. However, the countries still want to steer clear of a war and are aiming to strengthen their bilateral ties, as the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to India for the first time since the Galwan standoff indicates. While the efforts to build the relationship continue, other short-term methods can be pursued which are pragmatic and can assist in improving the conflict.

Firstly, India and China should frequently have summits, either formal or informal. As a whole, the summits will help the leaders of both countries stay on the same page, as they can have meaningful discussions regarding the current standing of their relationship and any new strategies that can be implemented which will benefit both parties. It will also help with combating the border issue as China and India can mutually agree on various aspects which can mitigate an unanticipated rise in tensions. While this is a ‘softer’ approach to the situation, it would be beneficial for both parties to gain more clarity on the LAC and where it stands. Seeing as both countries have different interpretations of it, it is most likely the biggest danger to the peace between the nations, therefore it would be one of the most beneficial solutions.

Secondly, India should unban some Chinese apps. Since June 2020, India has banned more than 220 Chinese apps, therefore if the app passes security and privacy checks, they should be brought back into the country as a symbol of solidarity. With China wanting their rise to power, they need a level of influence to achieve it and India unbanning some of China’s apps can help them take a step in the right direction. In the same way, China should also unban imported goods from India, such as information technology products and pharmaceuticals. Allowing India to sell their products in the Chinese market would help to build trust and could strengthen ties between the countries. Both countries will have a lot to gain from the relationship and are more likely to keep the peace between them.

Lastly, India and China should aim to continue strengthening their economic ties. This can be done through an increase in trade between the two countries. If economic relations are established, it may decrease the chances of border disputes as countries will have more at stake and may not want to put their economy at risk. This can be done through a decrease in tariffs so countries are more incentivised to trade with one another, which would benefit both countries and their economies and could potentially aid the partnership.

Both China and India must strive to create solutions and follow them. They have the largest populations and are considerable powers on the global stage. It would be far more beneficial to have the countries working in cooperation rather than in competition. While these are just short term solutions that can help mitigate conflicts, it is not certain to stop them. There seems to be no one solution to the conflict as both parties want to gain from the border. Therefore, in order to maintain a sense of peace, the two countries will have to continue to strengthen their bilateral ties and upkeep a high level of communication.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore.