'The Chinese are using ambiguity on the LAC and unsettled borders as a pressure point against us' (FORMER INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA UNPACKS THE COMPLEX BOUNDARY DISPUTE), Pg13

Key Highlights:

• China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, referring to it as "Zangnan" or "South Tibet".
• The Line of Actual Control (LAC) emerged after the 1962 war, with differing interpretations by India and China.
• India formally accepted the concept of LAC during the Border Peace and Tranquility Agreement (BPTA) of 1993.
• China is using ambiguity on the LAC and unsettled borders as a pressure point against India.
• China has become more aggressive in asserting its territorial claims through "grey zone operations".

Detailed Insights:

• The McMahon Line, dating back to the Simla Conference of 1913-14, defined the boundary in the Eastern Sector (Arunachal Pradesh), but China never accepted it.
• China's concept of the "LAC of 7 November 1959" was a flexible construct, shifting to India's disadvantage in the Western Sector (Ladakh).
• The BPTA of 1993 incorporated the LAC concept, leading to confidence-building measures (CBMs) to ensure peace until the 2020 clashes.
• Despite agreements, the exchange of maps to clarify the LAC alignment stalled in 2002, with China unwilling to proceed.
• China's claims on Arunachal Pradesh have intensified, including renaming places and asserting territorial claims more stridently.
• China no longer differentiates between the LAC and sovereignty-related issues, emphasizing that it will not cede any territory.
• India takes China's claims seriously and reinforces its deterrence strategy to guard against operations like those in Eastern Ladakh.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Line of Actual Control (LAC): The demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
• McMahon Line: The boundary agreed upon in the Simla Convention of 1914 between British India and Tibet, which China disputes.
• Confidence Building Measures (CBMs): Diplomatic actions taken to reduce tension and increase trust between countries, especially those sharing a border.