Research Fellow, IDSA, Dr Namrata Goswami’s op-ed on India-China border differences, titled ‘Time to bridge Sino-Indian border differences’ was published in Asia Times on January 25, 2013. Dr Goswami’s op-ed was co-authored by Dr Jenee Sharon, research assistant at USIP.
The Sino-Indian border dispute in India’s eastern sector is one of the most intractable land conflicts. The quarrel has entangled China and India since 1949, and resulted in the 1962 border war which saw India defeated at the hands of China. Both countries have entered negotiations, but “incompatibilities” are constantly stalling the process.
There are three major obstacles. Firstly, India wants to recognize the McMahon line, a line agreed to by Britain and Tibet as part of the Simla Accord signed in 1914, as the permanent border between China and India. However, China views the McMahon line as a legacy of British imperialism, and hence unacceptable to China.