Three Years On, Impasse In India-China Border Talks Still Continues

Though three long years have elapsed since the Galwan attack occurred on this day in 2020, India and China still stand almost at the same position where it had all began, despite hectic negotiations. As many as 20 Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in the violent clashes with Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

In what is possibly the worst incident between the two countries in decades, the clashes came amidst a "de-escalation" process in the Galwan area. Indian Army officer Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu MVC, who was the commanding officer of 16 Bihar Regiment at the time, was among the bravehearts who were killed in action during the skirmishes.

Born on 13 February 1983, Col Babu qas the first Indian Armed Forces commissioned officer since 1967 and among the first Indian soldiers to have been killed in action against Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) since 1975. He was posthumously decorated with India's second-highest wartime gallantry award, Maha Vir Chakra (MVC).

Despite numerous talks at different levels to disengage along the LAC, the stalemate still continues between the two neighbours. Readouts from both sides following the 27th Meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held on May 31 showed no significant headway in the talks moving at a snail's pace.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in remaining areas in a frank and open manner." Both sides have agreed to hold the next round of high-level military talks at an early date for restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas. "Restoration of peace and tranquillity will create conditions for normalising bilateral relations," it added.

However, the statement from the Chinese side made no mention of restoration of peace and normalising relations. Beijing has sought to delink the border from the rest of the relationship and called on India to put it in "the proper place", a stand India has rejected describing current ties as "abnormal". China has also appeared to drag its feet in the slow-moving negotiations to disengage in the two remaining friction areas.

Stating that the reasons behind this deadlock are not far to seek, observers feel three aspects of Chinese machinations are clear. First, the Chinese expansionist policy is unlikely to change and it will keep on looking for opportunities to occupy the areas claimed by it. Its 'superpower' ambitions will not allow itself to be looked at as "weaker or compromising" side in front of the world.

Moreover, typical Chinese character of duplicity would continue, hence agreements have no value. Lastly, China is not interested in the resolution of the border issue as the unsettled border provides opportunities for it to acquire territories through the 'salami' tactics. In view of these factors, the observers see no major progress in the matter in near future and opine that the parleys have hit a dead-end now.