China and India reach agreement on border patrol issue, easing tensions

On August 22nd, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced during a regular press conference that China and India have reached an agreement on resolving their long-standing border patrol dispute through diplomatic and military channels. The two sides agreed on a solution to the relevant issues and China will work with India to implement the agreement going forward, with any updates to be announced in a timely manner.

According to reports from Indian media outlets citing Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, key points of the agreement include:

1. Restoring patrol routes and deployments to their pre-2020 clash positions. In recent years, both sides withdrew forward troops during winters and re-deployed them each spring. Under the new agreement, if implemented as planned, forward troop levels will remain reduced from next spring onwards, limiting military presence in disputed areas.

2. Delineating a new Line of Actual Control (LAC). Previously, China and India held differing perceptions on the LAC, marked by outposts and patrols that were considered to constitute actual control. The new agreement aims to clearly demarcate current control lines as a basis for the LAC, likely requiring withdrawals and dismantling of some posts.

3. Establishing new joint patrol protocols. Rather than each side separately patrolling claimed areas at different times as before, joint patrols will now be conducted near the LAC by small teams from each side simultaneously. Patrols will stop 200-300m from the LAC. The first phase will see no more than 15 personnel per side, patrolling twice a month with prior notification to the other party.

4. Increased communication between commanders at all levels. While previously this was done primarily at the regimental/brigade level, issues like the Galwan Valley clash exposed deficiencies when local commanders acted without informing superiors. The new agreement mandates at least monthly communications to avoid misunderstandings.

5. Focusing talks on key disputed areas in Ladakh, including Depsang Plains, Galwan Valley and Pangong Lake. The strategically important Pangong region is relatively small but includes highland pastures. Depsang and Galwan are the core friction points that saw previous standoffs and the deadly June 2020 clash.

This agreement marks a significant de-escalation and easing of tensions from the tense military standoff that began in May 2020. It restores positions to the pre-2020 status quo and puts in place new safeguards to prevent future conflicts, while deferring the thornier issue of settling rival territorial claims along the 3,500km Himalayan border.

Both sides seem to recognize that with other pressing priorities, now is not the time for conflict and that maintaining peace serves their interests. For India, it provides relief to focus on economic development. China also seeks a stable periphery to concentrate on challenges in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. Though the fundamental dispute remains unresolved, this agreement enables a much-needed détente between the world’s two most populous nations. How long it lasts will depend on political will and events, but it is a welcome development.