Can India trust China amid talks over disengagement along LAC?
The government's announcement on monday that china and india have agreed to resume patrols at the remaining locations of contention along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, where tensions have remained since the 2020 confrontation in the Galwan Valley, represents a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
Foreign Secretary vikram Misri stated during a press briefing that the deal is a major step toward disengagement, especially in the areas that still cause tension, which include the delicate territories of Demchok and Depsang Plains.
Although this is a big start toward easing tensions between the two nations, experts advise india to remain wary of China's intentions.
Strategist Brahma Chellaney stated that although it's a positive move to ease certain tensions with china, New delhi shouldn't view this as a breakthrough during a debate on india Today TV.
"The Chinese have yet to release their statement on this understanding, and we have to recognize that china is not going to roll back its land grabs in Depsang and Demchok," Chellaney stated.
"What this new patrolling arrangement is, only time will tell, because details keep out slowly, as they did in the case of the buffer zone arrangements," he said.
According to Chellaney, three steps are necessary to break a standoff: disengagement, de-escalation, and de-induction of opposing forces.
"What the indian side has declared today only pertains to the initial phase, which is the pullout of opposing forces. Because china has permanently built new infrastructure connected to warfare along the indian data-border, the second and third phases would be extremely challenging, according to Chellaney.
"A return to status quo ante, both in terms of how the data-border looked before april 2020 or how the territorial control existed along the Ladakh frontier before april 2020 when china made its land grabs on indian territory, is not coming back," he stated.
Chellaney was supported in her case by Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd). "In the previous four and a half years, a lot has transpired in terms of infrastructure development, deployment, and other related things. Without a thorough comprehensive agreement, it might not be able to bring back that entire thing overnight," he stated.
Lt General Hasnain claims that whereas de-escalation frequently takes years, escalation occurs in a matter of seconds.
"Looking at de-escalation, I believe it's basically about pressing the pause button, and things will proceed very, very gradually. It is not appropriate to see it as though everything will be fixed and everything will be OK one day, the speaker stated.
He said that the government's declaration was made in order to set the stage for prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi jinping to meet on tuesday at the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
"The background of this probable encounter is quite optimistic. That's pretty much it," he stated.
Foreign Secretary vikram Misri stated during a press briefing that the deal is a major step toward disengagement, especially in the areas that still cause tension, which include the delicate territories of Demchok and Depsang Plains.
Although this is a big start toward easing tensions between the two nations, experts advise india to remain wary of China's intentions.
Strategist Brahma Chellaney stated that although it's a positive move to ease certain tensions with china, New delhi shouldn't view this as a breakthrough during a debate on india Today TV.
"The Chinese have yet to release their statement on this understanding, and we have to recognize that china is not going to roll back its land grabs in Depsang and Demchok," Chellaney stated.
"What this new patrolling arrangement is, only time will tell, because details keep out slowly, as they did in the case of the buffer zone arrangements," he said.
According to Chellaney, three steps are necessary to break a standoff: disengagement, de-escalation, and de-induction of opposing forces.
"What the indian side has declared today only pertains to the initial phase, which is the pullout of opposing forces. Because china has permanently built new infrastructure connected to warfare along the indian data-border, the second and third phases would be extremely challenging, according to Chellaney.
"A return to status quo ante, both in terms of how the data-border looked before april 2020 or how the territorial control existed along the Ladakh frontier before april 2020 when china made its land grabs on indian territory, is not coming back," he stated.
Chellaney was supported in her case by Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd). "In the previous four and a half years, a lot has transpired in terms of infrastructure development, deployment, and other related things. Without a thorough comprehensive agreement, it might not be able to bring back that entire thing overnight," he stated.
Lt General Hasnain claims that whereas de-escalation frequently takes years, escalation occurs in a matter of seconds.
"Looking at de-escalation, I believe it's basically about pressing the pause button, and things will proceed very, very gradually. It is not appropriate to see it as though everything will be fixed and everything will be OK one day, the speaker stated.
He said that the government's declaration was made in order to set the stage for prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi jinping to meet on tuesday at the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
"The background of this probable encounter is quite optimistic. That's pretty much it," he stated.