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India and China are expected to maintain their border stand-off throughout winter. Photo: AFP

China-India border row: ‘troops set to stay put’ and tough out winter

  • Stand-off expected to continue despite harsh Himalayan conditions, observers say
  • China keen to play down clash but ‘testing India with MOU with Bhutan’
Troops on both sides of the disputed India-China border are expected to dig in for the winter after the failure of talks between the two countries this week, according to diplomatic observers.
The 13th round of commander-level military talks collapsed on Sunday, with each side blaming the other – Beijing accused New Delhi of making unreasonable demands and Delhi accused Beijing of failing to provide a “forward-looking proposal”.

With winter on its way, the stand-off will continue – and this time the troops will be more used to the harsh conditions, according to Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University.

“Troops from both sides encountered each other last winter, and they were both experienced [in the conditions],” Lin said.

“They are not really worried about the winter snow and cold weather. They both will have made preparations for the continuation of the stand-off.”

01:42

India releases footage of troops at China-India border in July ahead of India-China military talks

India releases footage of troops at China-India border in July ahead of India-China military talks

Conditions leading into the talks in Moldo, on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, were tense, with reports in India suggesting Chinese soldiers were detained by the Indian military.

Lin said one of the frictions between the two sides was India’s proposal for both sides to return to their positions in the western section along the LAC of April last year. But China would only recognise the positions maintained in the aftermath of the 1962 border war.

“From China’s perspective, India has been encroaching on China’s territory since 1962,” Lin said. “China will not accept India’s proposal of clarification of the LAC.”

Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, associate professor at Nalanda University, said posturing from both sides signalled a hardening of positions and little scope for a meaningful talk.

“Both sides are gearing up for winter and in all likelihood the border will remain hot even in chilling winters,” he said.

Chinese PLA runs tank drills on Indian border as Ladakh talks fail

Tensions have been high since deadly clashes in the strategically important Galwan Valley in Ladakh in June last year, when Indian and Chinese forces had their deadliest encounter in more than four decades.

Border talks were held soon after and an agreement was reached in February for both sides to disengage their troops around Pangong Tso, a lake in the disputed area. They also disengaged in Galwan Valley in July and Gogra in August, although points of friction remain.

Ahead of the latest talks, Indian media reported that some Chinese soldiers had been detained for a few hours after a minor face-off near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

But state-run China Daily quoted a Chinese military source rejecting the reports. The source said the Chinese troops were conducting a routine patrol but were “obstructed” by Indian soldiers. The Chinese soldiers took countermeasures and returned after completing their mission, the source said.

On Thursday, Yang Sheng, a journalist from Chinese state-owned Global Times, posted a video on Twitter apparently showing Chinese border troops helping guide captured and blindfolded Indian troops.

01:31

China shares video of deadly 2020 border clash with Indian troops in Galwan Valley

China shares video of deadly 2020 border clash with Indian troops in Galwan Valley

Lin said China wanted to play down the border clash because it was concerned about its tensions with India, and India’s closer relations with the United States, including its involvement with US military exercises.

“Ties between [India and the United States] are already very close now,” he said.

At the same time, China and Bhutan signed a memorandum of understanding to expedite negotiations on their border disputes.

Bhutan is seen as part of India’s backyard and Chinese diplomatic observers said China appeared to be testing India.

Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor in Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said both nations would have to live with an armed stalemate on their border.

Chaturvedy said China needed to recognise that ties with India depended on peace at the border.

“The public opinion about China is very negative in India. Any progress to bilateral relations will only pass through a peaceful border. Other alternatives are almost closed,” he said.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Troops expected to dig in for the winter as border stand-off continues
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