India-China border face offs test Modi six years after deadly clash amid thaw
Face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh
India’s armed forces are engaged in multiple ongoing face-offs with Chinese forces along the border in Arunachal Pradesh, according to the chief of India’s paramilitary border force. The reported encounters are in the remote Upper Subansiri region.
The region has a history of conflict: the first clash between independent India and China took place there in August 1959, killing at least two Indian soldiers. The current stand-offs come as the two countries pursue a cautious improvement in relations.
A border without agreement
The dispute stems from the McMahon Line, drawn under the 1914 Simla Convention by British India and Tibet. India considers the line its border with China, while Beijing rejects it, saying it was not involved in the negotiations.
In 1962, the countries agreed to use the Line of Actual Control as a de facto boundary while negotiating their wider differences. The arrangement recognizes the areas each side controls but has not resolved where the Himalayan border lies.
Political pressure after Galwan
International Crisis Group analyst Praveen Donthi described the latest tensions as “part of a pattern” and said they were likely a pressure tactic by Beijing. He said the Modi government presents itself as having zero tolerance for security failures, but may downplay events that reflect poorly because of China’s stronger position.
Arunachal Pradesh Congress leader Bosiram Siram alleged that Chinese troops had advanced nearly 50km into Indian territory in Upper Subansiri. India’s government has not answered questions about claims of lost territory; it has rejected the suggestion that it gave up land after the 2020 clash.
Key points
- India’s border force chief reports multiple ongoing face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The countries continue to disagree over the border’s location and the McMahon Line.
- The 2020 Galwan Valley clash killed at least 20 Indian troops and four Chinese troops.
- The stand-offs challenge Modi’s national-security image amid a diplomatic thaw.