India-China border patrolling agreement: It’s too early to shed caution

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The agreement between India and China on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control looks like a breakthrough, strategically announced at the time of the BRICS summit. It not only opens up possibilities for disengagement and de-escalation of hostilities with China, but also for renewed economic cooperation and the space for diplomatic manoeuvring for India, specifically at BRICS, and more broadly with Russia and the US.

However, remember that the patrolling agreement is only the first step. Much still remains under wraps, and India needs to pay closer attention to Chinese strategic thinking to get a sense of how this will influence the trajectory of India-China relations. The patrolling agreement is the first significant step toward a comprehensive border management approach.

Disengagement and de-escalation come next. The public details of the agreement are still sketchy. However, as reported, if there is agreement on the Depsang Plains and Charding Nullah in Demchok, it is a significant step forward.

Until a year ago, the Chinese were reluctant to even discuss these areas while they agreed on disengagement at other friction points. A pre-2020 position will be strategically pertinent from India’s standpoint, but the translation of this position into finer details of patrolling, which includes both deployment and positions on buffer zones, hinges on how both sides are able to build trust. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Can a thaw over the LAC restore India-China ties? While the military-strategic implications will take time to unfold, the agreement does immediately open up the sphere of economic cooperation.