The India-China border resolution and what it might mean for the US

Photo via Reuters

ADITHYA KASHYAP: During the last week of October, much of the talk was about the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Now seen as a growing force that seeks to challenge Western economic and political dominance, many wondered what the newly expanded conference, which took place between Oct. 22-24, would pull out of the hat in this much-anticipated meeting. 

Yet, amidst all the chit-chat, India and China, a day before the summit on Oct. 21, startled all by stating that they “have gone back to the 2020 position,” announcing that they had resolved the border dispute along the LAC (Line of Actual Control)- a conflict which had, and perhaps still has, worsened relations between the two countries to a point of no return.

The border dispute has its roots in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, a conflict that took place in the frigid northeast of India’s border with China in the Himalayas. The war was a Chinese victory, with the territorial aftermath being a significant portion of Aksai Chin. Askai Chin is part of the larger Kashmir region, being ceded by India to China. India still claims the area as part of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Since then, this hotly contested and strategically alluring border has been the center of great focus for both India and China. However, all came to a standstill when, in May 2020, violent skirmishes emerged, leading to the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers. Peculiar to this specific conflict was the lack of firearms used, as stipulated by a 1996 agreement forbidding them, with batons, sticks wrapped with barbed wire and clubs being used to cause damage.

In the aftermath, India saw a patriotic response to boycott Chinese products and the banning a slew of Chinese apps, most notable of them being TikTok. This came as a broader position of India attempting to decouple from China. 

Thus the Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, on the eve of the BRICS conference, announced that a “disengagement process with China has been completed,” and that India would “be able to do the patrolling which we were doing in 2020.” 

These comments speak to the round of discussions regarding Depsang and Demchok, which as of the new agreement will no longer have buffer zones. Additionally, given India had reported having lost around 65% of its patrolling area in the strategic area, the deal has restored access to said zones.

Perhaps the broader question at hand is the impact of this deal, especially the speculation of the ties between India and the United States.

While the India-China border resolution releases a weight off of the shoulders of India’s back, it is unlikely that the competitive nature of the relations is to be majorly changed. China, for one, still maintains a provocative grand strategy such as the ‘String of Pearls’, a strategy of increasing influence over key Indo-Pacific countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The BRI (Belt and Road Initiative)is in full steam and has seen constant expansion among India’s neighbors. These measures have, as could be expected, been met with hostility by India and are unlikely to change India’s skepticism of China. Thus, alliances like the Quad have seen growing strength and cooperation among constituent countries, especially the US, and are unlikely to be hindered by the border agreement. 

With the US intending to ‘de-risk’ from China, referring to American companies shifting their companies away from perceived hostile business conditions, many have chosen India as their manufacturing hub, a move which India sees as equally valuable given their desire to become a leader in this space. 

India-US relations are also poised to see new heights with the reelection of former President Donald Trump, whose bonhomie with Indian Prime Minister Modi was evident during his first term. The optimism of Trump’s second term was echoed by Jaishankar who mentioned the ‘opportunity for India’ in the new administration, one in which New Delhi would be hopeful of being more supportive of its geopolitical aims. 

It is of global importance that India and China have reached a critical agreement on the border of LAC, which has created much tension and animosity among the two countries. Yet, it is unlikely that this resolution will significantly impact India-China relations- their competition is far too deep-seated and likely to continue.

Adithya Kashyap is a staff writer for On the Record. He is a freshman planning to study Government and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is from Chennai, India.