China to withdraw PLA from Chumar: Another feather in Modi's diplomacy cap?

In what could be called as a major diplomatic victory for the Narendra Modi Government, just hours ahead of his plane lands in US, India and China have decided to end the ongoing standoff at the Ladakh's Chumar sector.

The resolution came after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday at the United Nations and discussed the border standoff issue. It was during the meet when Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister agreed to resolve the issue and assured the withdrawal of troops from today and be completed by September 30.

What did Sushma Swaraj say?

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj described the resolution of the issue as a "big accomplishment."

"I am happy to tell you that both nations have sat down and resolved the (border-standoff) issue. Timelines have been decided," Swaraj told Indian reporters in Washington.

What was the issue?

Tension in the area erupted last Sunday when some Chinese workers, who were constructing a road on their side, crossed into the Indian side.

The workers also claimed that they had orders to build a road up to Tible, 5-km deep inside Indian territory.

India-China have decided to end ongoing standoff at Ladakh

As per a Hindustan Times report, Army's decision to build a small observation hut, in Ladakh, from where they could watch Chinese soldiers across a disputed border irked China's military that it laid a road on territory claimed by India and demanded that the tin hut be dismantled. India reportedly refused, destroyed a part of the new road and promptly raised troop numbers in the area.

The issue couldn't be sorted out during the Chinese Premier's visit to New Delhi, who blamed the non-demarcated border as the reason for such face offs.

A victory for Modi Government

This development could be considered as a major boost for the Narendra Modi Government's diplomatic knack.

The issue of incursions, intrusions and infiltration by China in the Indian territory could not have been resolved had Prime Minister Narendra Modi not raised it in front of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Throughout Xi's maiden visit to India, Modi had constantly raised the issue and said such issues affect the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Chinese President returned after giving assurances that his government will resolve the issue but nothing much was done immediately.

Modi Govt's diplomatic skill achieves yet another milestone

China's decision of pulling back its troops is a very significant achievement for the Narendra Modi government which has always taken this matter very seriously. Soon after coming to power, the new dispensation had made its intentions clear that it will not compromise on safeguarding its borders and development of the bordering regions.

The decision to give major infrastructure boost along China border by easing rigid environmental norms was in the same direction. The government had also decided to construct schools, roads and hospitals in the areas near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

This decision would translate into the development of 6,000 km of roads within 100 km of the strategically important China borders along Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh region.

This incident has probably sent a strong message to the Chinese leadership that it will not tolerate incursions in its own territory and no one can stop it from carrying out development work within its boundaries, thereby prompting the leadership in Beijing to withdraw troops.

Hence, Narendra Modi's diplomatic knack has once again shown that India is not going to be afraid of anybody when it is right. Now, same will be expected when PM Modi meets the leaders of Obama administration and puts his thoughts on how he plans to tackle the issue of terrorism.