India, China and the Contested Border

Abstract

In October, at the 25th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), both parties examined the Line of Actual Control (LAC) situation and appreciated the latest disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 in Gogra-Hot Springs as well as agreed to hold the 17th round of Commander-level talks to resolve the remaining issues at the LAC. Since April 2020, the military standoff along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh has disrupted India-China relations. While disengagement has been completed but to construe that the disengagement will lead to de-escalation is misleading. The fact remains that the border dispute has only become complicated. Thus, the border and the India-China ties have a 'new normal' - that is, 'not normal'.