Understanding India’s border disputes with China and Nepal

11 July 2020

On the night of 15 June, Indian and Chinese soldiers were involved in a bloody confrontation at the Galwan Valley, located at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Union Territory of Ladakh. In the resulting clash, 20 Indian soldiers and (reportedly) 35 Chinese soldiers were killed.

For two months India and China have been involved in a stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. In the weeks leading up to the clash, there had been a few skirmishes between both sides but until that night no casualties. Several days earlier on 6 June, a high-level meeting was held between military officers from both sides in which there was an agreement to de-escalate. As part of the de-escalation, China had agreed to remove its newly constructed post at the LAC. But China did not carry out its side of the agreement. When the Indian delegation went to inquire about this, members of the People’s Liberation Army attacked the delegation in which the Commanding Officer, Colonel Santosh Babu, lost his life. Later Indian soldiers from the 16 Bihar Regiment attacked Chinese soldiers which resulted in casualties on both sides. These attacks took place by way of hand to hand fighting featuring sticks and rocks. The twin agreements of 1996 and 2005 between India and China prevent both armies from carrying firearms along the Sino-Indian frontier but the deaths represent the worst loss of life on the LAC in 40 years.

Since May, the People’s Liberation Army has launched incursions across the LAC at several places such as the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Pangong Tso Lake, Depsang and Demchok. On its side of the LAC, China has been building posts and bringing in a large number of troops. Following recent incidents at the Galwan Valley, India has also increased its military strength at the border. Along with China, Nepal is also involved in a border dispute with India, it is vital to understand how these disputes individually and collectively matter to New Delhi’s strategic position.

The border dispute between India and China

The 15 June confrontation happened in an area referred to as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India shares with China one of the longest borders in the world. At 3,488 km in length, the border spans across one Union Territory – Ladakh, and four states – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The LAC is not a well-defined nor is it well-marked border due to its location in the Himalayas. For this reason, Indian and Chinese troops often cross each others’ path while patrolling. Heated arguments and clashes between Indian and Chinese troops are common along the LAC. Prior to the events of June however, these encounters were resolved through dialogue between senior military officials.

India’s border disputes with Nepal and China have previously been bilateral in nature. But in the current circumstances, these disputes have assumed a much more complex character owing to China's ambitions

In 1962, China invaded India and occupied 38,000 sq km of the territory of Ladakh. The origin of the border dispute is the McMahon Line of 1914 that defines the border between the two countries. China has challenged this demarcation, with past efforts to resolve the issue having failed, increased tensions have previously led to war. While there have been a number of dialogues between both sides the border dispute remains unresolved.

Nepal’s position in the regional constellation

While India has been engaged in a stand-off with China for some two months, Nepal has also chosen to raise a border issue with India. The two countries share a 1,800 km long border and in May, Nepal released a map in which three places – Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura – which are part of India, were shown to be part of Nepal. Despite these places being located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, in June, Nepal’s parliament passed a bill approving the new maps with Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari subsequently ratifying it.

The border dispute between India and Nepal goes back to the early 19th century where the Kali River marks the boundary between the two countries. These three areas are located at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand while Nepal claims these areas are in Dharchula district in Nepal. India’s view is that the demarcation of areas between India and Nepal is the result of the Treaty of Sugauli signed between Britain and Nepal following the Anglo-Nepal War in 1816. However, Nepal refuses to accept these boundaries. This dispute is significant since these three areas are located at the India-Nepal-China tri-junction. Critically this dispute is yet to be resolved.

The struggle for advantage

In the present circumstances, Nepal’s border dispute with India cannot be viewed in isolation from China. Nepal’s status in the mind of India is that of a buffer state – a small country situated between two larger countries. For Nepal, a major challenge for its foreign policy has been balancing its relations between India and China, and for both giants, Nepal is strategically important. In recent years, Nepal and China have grown closer, particularly evident since the Communist Party under KP Sharma Oli came to power in Nepal in 2018. Before this, China had fostered relations through careful investment and in 2017 Nepal became part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. A view common among Indian policymakers and defence planners is that Nepal’s actions with regard to India’s territory are being carried out at China’s behest.

Nepal's landlocked status means it has largely been depended on India for access to seaports and until 2018, all of Nepal’s trade was conducted through Kolkata port. But with the Transit and Transportation Agreement 2018, China has allowed Nepal access to its ports. In addition, China is now also constructing a railway line to Nepal through Tibet. China’s role in the India-Nepal dispute cannot be entirely dismissed. Recently, India has built a link road that connects Lipulekh Pass to Kailash Mansarovar (at present under China’s occupation and located in the Tibet Autonomous Region), a pilgrimage place for the Hindus. This link road is expected to reduce travelling time to Kailash Mansarovar by around 80 per cent. Prior to this, Indian pilgrims had to travel either through the northeastern state of Sikkim or through Nepal.

China has increased its presence among India’s neighbours in an attempt to encircle India through its Belt and Road Initiative. This can be observed with respect to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and now Nepal. China’s actions either directly or indirectly through Nepal are part of a pattern of assertive policies in South Asia, Southeast Asia and across the Indo-Pacific region. India and its immediate neighbourhood should be considered a subset of China’s larger designs as it views India as one of the main challenges to its Belt and Road Initiative project. In this regard India is not isolated, China is currently involved in disputes and tensions with Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, as well as the US, Australia and the UK over Hong Kong.

Yet another reason for China’s current dispute with India is the 255 km Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) highway built by India near the LAC. This road connects Leh (capital of Ladakh) to the Karakoram Pass. Not only does this road give India better and faster access to the LAC it is also situated in close proximity to the proposed ‘China Pakistan Economic Corridor’ which connects China’s Xinjiang Province to Pakistan’s Balochistan Province. India has objected to this corridor for violating India’s sovereignty since it passes through the area of Ladakh currently under Chinese occupation. Construction of the DSDBO Highway gives India a strategic advantage over both China and Pakistan since India can monitor the movements of both more efficiently.

India’s border disputes with Nepal and China have previously been bilateral in nature. But in the current circumstances, these disputes have assumed a much more complex character owing to China's ambitions and an attempt to gain an advantage over India. India for its part needs a combination of strategic, economic and diplomatic tools to resolve these issues. Ultimately, India needs a long term plan designed to reset the situation in its favour and reduce tensions.

DISCLAIMER: All views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of the 9DASHLINE.com platform.

Author biography

Niranjan Marjani is an Independent Journalist and Researcher based in Vadodara. His areas of interest are India’s foreign policy, international relations and geopolitics. He writes articles for various national and international publications. His articles mostly focus on the strategic angle of international politics. This article was first published on The Kootneeti and has been republished with the permission of the author. Image credit: Axel Drainville/Flickr.

South Asia9DLJuly 11, 2020India, South Asia, China, Nepal