The decades-old territorial dispute between India and China along the Himalayan frontier remains unresolved. Recent talks between the two Asian giants, India and China, yielded no breakthrough, highlighting the ongoing tensions and the complexities of finding a solution.
What is the dispute between India and China?
The core of the issue lies in the disagreement over the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a poorly defined border separating Indian and Chinese territories. The two main contested regions are:
Aksai Chin in the western sector, administered by China but claimed by India.
Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern sector, claimed by China but controlled by India.
This unresolved India-China border dispute has flared up multiple times in the past. The most significant clash occurred in 1962, resulting in a war with China emerging victorious.
Recent Standoff and Unsuccessful Talks
The latest surge in tensions began in 2020 when deadly clashes erupted in the Galwan Valley within Ladakh. Both sides accused each other of trespassing the LAC and built-up military presence along the border. Since then, there have been ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation.
The recent round of talks aimed to address the complete disengagement of troops from friction points along the LAC. However, the lack of progress indicates continued differences in perception of the border's location and the steps necessary for de-escalation.