On 23 October, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that the situation along the Line of Actual Control with China is periodically disrupted due to Chinese forces deviating from established patrolling patterns. The day before, Shatrujit Kapoor, head of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, reported ongoing confrontations between Indian and Chinese military personnel at several locations in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Briefly about the main points
- India has claimed that the situation along the LAC has deteriorated due to Chinese patrols.
- The head of the ITBP reported clashes in several locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
- New Delhi says that the parties are using diplomatic and military channels.
- The agreement to discuss the interpretation of LAC was already on the table back in August.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ position on patrolling
Spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal stated on 23 October that the situation on the border periodically becomes more complicated when, according to New Delhi, Chinese forces deviate from established patrolling patterns.
According to him, India and China continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations along the LAC. The assessment of the actions of Chinese units is the official position of the Indian side.
What is known about the local clashes
Director-General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Shatrujit Kapoor On 22 October, it was reported that clashes between Indian and Chinese military personnel were continuing at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh. No details were given regarding the coordinates, the number of incidents or the exact timeline of these events.
The available reports do not contain any information that would allow these incidents to be characterised as hostilities. This refers to the situation in Arunachal Pradesh in eastern India, rather than to earlier flashpoints in Ladakh in the west.
Why do negotiations fail to resolve the dispute over the LAC?
The LAC, or Line of Actual Control, runs in the Himalayas between India and China. This is not a fully agreed and demarcated international border, and the parties’ differing views on its course contribute to patrol incidents.
Jaiswal also reiterated the countries’ willingness to discuss a better understanding of the LAC in certain areas for the purposes of border management. Such wording was already included in the conclusions of the 25th round of talks between the special representatives of China and India on 26 August.
Diplomatic and military channels are intended to reduce the risk of misunderstandings; however, their existence does not automatically mean an end to localised clashes along the LAC.
