Explainer: India and China troops disengage at disputed Ladakh border, easing decades-long tensions

The ongoing disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops at two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh – Demchok and Depsang – marks another watershed in the tumultuous relations between the two Asian giants since the late 1950s. The current phase of bilateral ties has been particularly strained since the violent standoff at Galwan in 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an estimated 40 Chinese troops, marking the worst tensions since the 1962 war.

The Sino-Indian War (October 20 – November 21, 1962) marked a turning point in India-China relations, which had previously shared a strong cultural and historical bond, significantly impacting India’s security establishment. Reports of occasional run-ins with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began surfacing as early as 1951, gradually increasing toward the decade’s end.

Following India’s grant of asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959, PLA intensified its activities in Tibet and adopted a more aggressive stance. PLA resumed regular border patrols in previously dormant regions, leading to an escalation in skirmishes along the border.

On October 20, PLA launched simultaneous offensives along the 3,225-km disputed border in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, capturing Indian positions and seizing significant territory. However, on November 21, China declared a ceasefire and pulled back to its pre-October 20 positions. Since then, tensions have persisted along the LAC as both nations maintain conflicting territorial claims.

India became independent in 1947, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established in 1949, which then annexed Tibet in 1950. Chinese maps showed about 120,000 sq km of Indian territory in Aksai Chin and Arunachal as part of China. The then-Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised the subject with Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai, but despite promises, there was no resolution.

In 1954, China and India negotiated the ‘Panchsheel’ or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, by which both sides would settle their disputes. However, China did not acknowledge Indian claims. The construction of roads and military.

The construction of roads and military posts by China in the Aksai Chin region in the 1950s was perceived as aggression by India, prompting India to establish its own posts. China’s 1,200-km road connecting Xinjiang and western Tibet, 180 km of which passed through Aksai Chin, made the region easily accessible from China, while India lacked communication links.

In July 1958, China intruded into Ladakh near Khurnak Fort. Similar incidents occurred in 1959 at Migyitui and Pangong Tso. In October 1959, an Indian patrol was ambushed near Kongka Pass, killing nine Indian policemen.

In 1960, Zhou Enlai proposed that India drop its claims over Aksai Chin in exchange for China withdrawing claims over the North-Eastern Frontier Agency (now Arunachal Pradesh) but India refused. In 1961, India adopted a “forward policy” to counter Chinese activity.

The India-China border disputes have led to numerous incidents and confrontations since 1962. That summer, India directed its air force to avoid direct conflict, despite the potential benefits of close air support for ground troops. In June, a skirmish resulted in significant Chinese casualties, prompting India to advance troops and probe Chinese resolve. The period from June to October saw multiple incidents in the east, including the Thagla Ridge confrontation in Arunachal Pradesh.

Subsequent clashes occurred in 1967 at Nathu La and Cho La, where Indian forces successfully repelled Chinese attacks. In 1975, four Indian soldiers were ambushed and killed by Chinese troops in Indian territory. Another major standoff took place in 1986 in the Sumdorong Chu Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, but was resolved after India’s external affairs minister visited Beijing in 1987.

Despite the absence of armed clashes since, China’s PLA has regularly incursed into Ladakh and Arunachal, sometimes advancing several kilometres into the Indian territory, as seen in the 2013 Depsang Plains incident. Frequent confrontations and face-offs along the LAC have led to scuffles and physical altercations. Approximately two dozen sensitive areas have been identified along the LAC, with 13 experiencing frequent incursions. Seven friction points in eastern Ladakh, including Galwan, Hot Springs, Gogra, Pangong Tso, Depsang Plains, and Demchok, remain contentious since 2020, with ongoing disengagement efforts at Depsang and Demchok.