Context: Recently, India and China have agreed on a five points plan to disengage troops and reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a four and a half month long stand-off.

• The move came after the talks between India’s External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart, on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Russia.

Background of the issue

• The meeting comes amid a fierce standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control, which began in May 2020 and continues, even after multiple efforts to de-escalate.
• A five-point course of action has been agreed upon to disengage and reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
• The immediate task is to ensure a comprehensive disengagement of troops in all the friction areas.

Five-point course of action

• The two ministers agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.
• The two foreign ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
• The two ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
• The two sides also agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed in this context that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs should also continue its meetings.
• The ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Issues Involved

• The joint statement of India and China tries to reduce the tension at LAC, however the separate explanatory comments from both the countries reveal the challenges ahead.
• India insists that the objective of the talks is to “restore” the status quo ante, however there is no explicit Chinese commitment to that goal.
• China wants to separate the border conflict from the rest of the relationship, however India says the two are inextricably interlinked.
• These deep differences continue to complicate the path towards comprehensive military disengagement and de-escalation.

Road Ahead

• Although the change in China’s political tone is welcome, deep differences that continue to complicate the path towards comprehensive military disengagement and de-escalation persist.
• While India insists that the objective of the exercise is to “restore” the status quo ante, there is no explicit Chinese commitment to that goal.
• While China wants to separate the border conflict from the rest of the relationship, India says the two are inextricably interlinked.
• Foreign Ministers’ meeting was to agree on the objectives and principles of disengagement and that had been achieved. Much would depend on the militaries following through on the ground and completing the process quickly.