What is it about the nature of the India-China conflict that defies resolution? Premium

Sixty years on from 1962, having forged various peace settlements, the two countries are back to sporadic conflict on the border, still wrangling for every inch of land

Sixty years ago, on November 21, 1962, China declared a unilateral ceasefire to end the India-China war. For much of the time since then, the two countries have tried to arrive at a lasting peace, but this has eluded them. Today, the India-China relationship is once again at a new low, avoiding war but regrettably inventing new ways of confrontation.

Most recently, on June 15, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer of the rank of colonel, died at the hands of soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the Galwan sector in eastern Ladakh. The Indian soldiers were patrolling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to maintain their claim on the boundary. This was the first armed clash between the two militaries since 1975 and underscored the fragility of the peace that had prevailed.

The first ever armed clash between the PLA and Indian armed forces took place in August 1959, when two personnel of 9 Assam Rifles were killed at Longju in the Subansiri Frontier Division in Arunachal Pradesh while patrolling the boundary to establish claim lines. 

Also read: Explained | The disengagement plan between India and China along the LAC

This disputed boundary has remained at the heart of India-China relations since then. And the convention of marking the territory through physical presence has been the trigger for violent clashes.

The escalating spiral of border clashes after Longju led India and China to fight a border war in 1962. A period of quiet following the war created the climate for boundary talks. However, differing perceptions of the LAC meant the border remained contested, with patrols repeatedly jostling over metres of territory. Through the years of dialogue, intermittent skirmishes at Tulung La and Sumdorong Chu (both in Arunachal Pradesh) have shattered the peace.

After China’s intrusion across Sumdorong Chu valley  in 1986-87, soldiers from both armies stood eyeball to eyeball for months. That episode, it seemed, made both sides realise the importance of ensuring a stable border. As a consequence, in December 1988, Rajiv Gandhi became the first Indian Prime Minister in 34 years to travel to Beijing for talks with China.