SINO-INDIAN BORDER DISPUTES: SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

This article examines the recent developments in the long-standing border disputes between China and India as of the late 1980s. It provides a historical context for the disputes, primarily concerning the Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh regions, before focusing on the renewed tensions and diplomatic engagements of the period. The study analyzes the 1987 Sumdorong Chu valley standoff, which marked the most serious military confrontation between the two countries since the 1962 war. The research assesses the rounds of bilateral talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis and finding a path towards a comprehensive settlement. The paper argues that despite the recurring military tensions, both sides were demonstrating a pragmatic desire to manage the dispute and prevent it from derailing the broader process of normalizing their bilateral relationship. The analysis concludes by evaluating the prospects for a lasting resolution.

The Sino-Indian border dispute, a legacy of colonial cartography and post-independence nationalism, remained one of Asia's most significant unresolved conflicts. This paper focuses on the key developments in this dispute during the late 1980s. The analysis is centered on the 1987 military standoff in the Sumdorong Chu valley, which brought the two Asian giants perilously close to another armed conflict. The study provides a detailed account of the incident and the subsequent military buildup on both sides of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It examines the diplomatic maneuvering that followed, as both Beijing and New Delhi sought to contain the crisis without appearing to back down. The core of the paper is an assessment of the series of official-level talks that were held to address the immediate crisis and revive the broader border negotiations. The research evaluates the negotiating positions of both countries, highlighting the fundamental differences in their approaches to resolving the dispute—China's preference for a comprehensive package deal versus India's insistence on a sector-by-sector approach. The findings suggest that while a final settlement remained a distant prospect, the successful de-escalation of the Sumdorong Chu crisis demonstrated a mutual understanding that the border issue should not be allowed to jeopardize the overall positive trajectory of their slowly improving bilateral relations, paving the way for Rajiv Gandhi's landmark visit to China in 1988.