About the Monograph

Following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, bilateral relations have seen a modest thaw. However, underlying tensions along the border persist. While troop disengagement has been formalized in certain areas, a durable resolution demands sustained diplomatic engagement and a carefully calibrated strategy by both governments to prevent recurrent border confrontations. The monograph examines China’s consistent advocacy for a comprehensive resolution—one that includes the establishment of a demilitarized zone without a clearly defined Line of Actual Control (LAC). China’s additional insistence on Tawang being “indispensable” further complicates the dynamics, particularly in the Eastern Sector. Arguing for a sector-by-sector approach, the monograph contends that meaningful negotiations on demilitarization can only proceed once the LAC is formally delineated. Drawing extensively from Chinese sources and strategic assessments, it presents a realistic and pragmatic pathway for India—one that safeguards its core interests and strategic positions. Given China’s control of key territories post-1962, the scope for Indian concessions is limited. The monograph underscores the importance of recognizing the McMahon Line, rooted in a carefully drafted agreement based predominantly on the watershed principle, as a legitimate basis for negotiation. It recommends the establishment of Joint Survey Teams comprising cartographers from both countries to define the boundary in detail, with a cut-off year for identifying settled populations as a key criterion in the process.