The Chinese people have started occupying several of the country’s model ‘Xiaokang’ border defence villages, along its border, Line of Actual Control, with India’s northeastern region.
Key Points on China’s Border Defense Villages Along the LAC
- China has been constructing 628 such Xiaokang or “well-off villages” along India’s borders with the Tibet Autonomous Region for over five years now.
- These have been constructed all along the LAC, including the Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh borders.
- The structures include mostly double-storey, large and spacious buildings. The construction for most of these planned villages has already been completed
- The exact purposes of these villages have remained unclear, but they were understood to be dual-use infrastructure — can be used both for civil and military purposes
- Notably, the exact extent of the LAC has been a source of contention between the two countries for years.
- India considers it to be 3,488 km long, while China says it is around 2,000 km.
New Border Law in China and its Impact on the LAC
- A new law on China’s land borders was brought into effect from January 1, 2022. The law was passed in 2021 by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (which is China’s rubber-stamp Parliament), for the “protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas”.
- Thus, this border law covers the border defence villages programme.
- China has been constantly building infrastructure all along the LAC, including in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang region and the Siang Valley.
- This includes the construction of new roads and bridges to improve connectivity through the passes. China has also been constructing houses and other infrastructure in Bhutanese territory.
India’s Response to China’s Developments on the LAC
- The Indian government announced the Vibrant Villages Programme in 2022 to develop its border villages into modern villages with all amenities and as tourist attractions.
- The programme builds on the existing Border Area Development Programme (BADP) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Under the programme, India plans to develop 663 border villages into modern villages in the first phase.
- Of them, at least 17 such border villages along the borders with China in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, have been selected for development as a pilot project.
- In Arunachal Pradesh, villages in the eastern part of the state and the Tawang region have been identified such as Zemithang, Taksing, Chayang Tajo, Tuting and Kibithu.
Understanding the Line of Actual Control (LAC)
- The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the disputed boundary between India and China.
- The LAC is divided into three sectors: western, middle and eastern.
- The countries disagree on the exact location of the LAC in various areas, India claims that the LAC is 3,488 km long, China believes it to be around 2,000 km long.
- The two armies try and dominate by patrol to the areas up to their respective perceptions of the LAC. This often brings them into conflict.
- The LAC mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where the LAC passes through the water as well.
The India- China Border
- India and China share a 3,488 km long boundary. Unfortunately, the entire boundary is disputed.
- The line, which delineates the boundary between the two countries, is popularly called the McMahon line, after its author Sir Henry McMahon.
- In 1913, the British-India government had called a tripartite conference,in which the boundary between India and Tibet was formalized after a discussion between the Indian and the Tibetans.
- A Convention was adopted, which resulted in the delimitation of the Indo-Tibetan boundary. This boundary is, however, disputed by China which terms it as illegal.
- In 1957, China occupied Aksai Chin and built a road through it. This episode was followed by intermittent clashes along the border, which finally culminated in the border war of 1962.
- The boundary, which came into existence after the war, came to be known as Line of Actual Control (LAC). It is a military held line.
Key Agreements and Initiatives to Resolve the Border Dispute
- Shimla agreement 1914- McMahon line was established and was accepted by Tibet and British Indian authorities. Chinese authorities have been against this from 1914 till today as they believe that Tibet was not a sovereign authority with no power to conclude any treaties.
- Panchsheel agreement 1954- It was a pact to respect each other’s territorial boundaries and sovereignty but since 1962 China has rarely honoured the agreement.
- 1989 CBM- Confidence Building Measure policy was aimed to settle disputes mutually and peacefully.
- Line of Actual Control- India considers Aksai chin as a part of India and China as theirs, both of them follow a different line of control but in 1993 PM Narasimha Rao agreed to maintain peace along LAC which separates Jammu and Kashmir from Aksai Chin.
- 2003 Principles for Relations & Comprehensive Cooperation- It was a three-step process where both sides prepared their maps and exchanged for each other’s approval. China accepted India’s authority over Sikkim.
Conclusion
The situation along the Line of Actual Control remains one of the most significant challenges in India-China relations. While China’s border defense villages along the LAC are strengthening its presence, India’s response with the Vibrant Villages Programme aims to ensure security, infrastructure development, and the well-being of its border communities. The ongoing tensions surrounding the LAC highlight the need for continued dialogue and strategic diplomacy between the two countries to resolve the longstanding border disputes.
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