3 weeks ago
India: Arunachal border state will affect broader China ties
India and China are two big countries that share a mountain border, but they don't always agree about where the border is.
Reports say Indian and Chinese soldiers had several tense face-offs in July in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh, a state in northeastern India.
India's foreign ministry said peace at the border is very important and what happens there will affect the two countries' overall relationship.
India and China are also trying to talk things out, and they held a special meeting about the border in New Delhi on August 6.
Around the same time, India gave official names to 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh.
China was unhappy about this because it claims that the area is "South Tibet" and has long wanted to use its own names.
India says Arunachal Pradesh is a permanent, non-negotiable part of India.
A big summit called BRICS is coming up in New Delhi, and China's president, Xi Jinping, is expected to visit.
Both countries want the border to stay peaceful and hope to keep improving their relationship.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said peace along the Line of Actual Control is of utmost importance and the state of border affairs will affect broader India-China bilateral ties.
A fresh standoff between Indian and Chinese troops was first reported in early July in the Taksin area of Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh, with several face-offs becoming more serious toward the end of the month.
India raised the importance of border peace at the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs in New Delhi on August 6.
India rejected China's objections after the Union home ministry assigned standard names to 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh on August 7.
The developments came about a month before the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive.
- Who
- India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to reports of a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops; External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese President Xi Jinping also feature in the story.
- What
- India said the state of border affairs, including the reported troop standoff in Arunachal Pradesh, will affect broader bilateral ties, and rejected China's objections to India naming 27 locations in the state.
- Where
- The reported standoff occurred in the Taksin area of Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh; the WMCC meeting and MEA briefing took place in New Delhi.
- When
- The standoff was first reported in early July; India raised border concerns at an August 6 meeting, named the locations on August 7, and the MEA spoke at a Tuesday media briefing.
- Why
- India stresses that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control is of utmost importance and that border affairs will reflect on its larger bilateral relationship with China, amid Beijing's territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh.
India's Position
China's Position
Sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh
India's Position
Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable and integral part of India, and nothing can change this indisputable reality; India has the right to assign standard names to locations there.
China's Position
China lays territorial claims over a large portion of Arunachal Pradesh, refers to it as "South Tibet" (Zangnan), and has objected to India's naming of locations in the region.
Handling of the border standoff
India's Position
India says it has always emphasised the seriousness of border matters and the utmost importance of peace at the Line of Actual Control, and that the state of border affairs will reflect on its larger bilateral ties.
China's Position
Reports describe repeated face-offs in the Taksin area that grew more serious toward month's end, while neither India's Army nor the Union government has commented on the reported standoff.
Key facts
- MEA Spokesperson
- Randhir Jaiswal
- Reported standoff site
- Taksin area, Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Reported timing of face-offs
- First reported in early July; became more serious toward the end of July
- Border talks
- 36th WMCC meeting on India-China border affairs, New Delhi, August 6
- Locations named by India
- 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh, named by the Union home ministry on August 7
- China's counter-claim
- Beijing calls a large portion of Arunachal Pradesh "South Tibet" (Zangnan) and has long sought to rename places there
- 2020 Galwan Valley clash
- 20 Indian soldiers and, per China, 4 Chinese soldiers were killed
- Upcoming BRICS Summit
- Xi Jinping scheduled to arrive in New Delhi about a month after these developments
Quotes
Randhir Jaiswal
MEA spokesperson
“In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious and that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in these areas is of the utmost importance.”
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“We have also stated that the state of the border affairs will reflect on the state of our larger bilateral ties.”
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Sources
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