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Reader View: India & China need to pursue diplomatic talks to settle border issues
YourTurn is our new weekly feature in which ThePrint's readers share their views or opinions in response to the question of the week.
by ThePrint TeamNew Delhi: The tensions with China in Ladakh continue even as attempts to resolve the prolonged border face-off are on. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had last week met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet.=
We asked readers: Is war the solution to India-China tensions in Ladakh? Or talks?
Here is what some of them said:
‘PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping should have a dialogue’
Many military and diplomatic talks such as disengagement through special representative mechanism and the recent visit of defence ministry and external affairs ministry officials to Moscow to meet their Chinese counterparts at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is expected to bring some ease to rising tensions between the two countries. But to have total de-escalation and disengagement, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping should have a dialogue to resolve the issue. The Indian government should look back at former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to China in February 1979 to end the chill created by the 1962 war. And act with some conscience before it’s too late.
Salman Negalur, Dhrawad, Karnataka. Twitter handle: @salman64770111
‘Talk is ultimate solution for any type of conflict’
There must be talk, but not only one-way. Talk is the ultimate solution for any type of conflict. Whenever there is a war, it also ends with the talks. But in India and China’s case, the long talk is on without any effective result. As we all know, China is not a democratic country and follows a one-party system. Whenever China faces a domestic problem, they start bullying and troubling their neighbouring countries. China is also currently facing conflicts with ASEAN countries, along with Vietnam and Taiwan, but is not willing to look for a solution. It seems like China is creating chaos all over while dreaming of emerging as a global superpower.
Binni Kumari, Patna. Twitter handle: @BinniKumari9
‘War isn’t an option between an elephant and a dragon’
War is never an option, chiefly when we are talking about a war between elephant and dragon, the two biggest nations on the planet acquiring nuclear power. Even the German envoy has shown his concerns over the tension and said that it’s highly dangerous for the world. It became more horrifying for China when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said to make QUAD group similar to the NATO. Also, China should worry about how its relations with other gigantic nations are deteriorating with time when India’s relation with almost the whole world is getting stronger.
Ishan Sundriyal. Twitter handle: @ishan40792351
‘War is a solution to India-China tensions’
Yes, war is a solution to India-China tensions and the reasons are:
▪ China will keep movie forward if the border is left non-demarcated.
▪ A stable India-China border will allow unhindered development by India there.
▪ If talks happen and both nations decide to create a buffer as we did in Galwan Valley, China will not honour it and occupy the area again.
▪ China wants to become a world power by the year 2049 and India is a blockade.
▪ How do you get a stable border? Fight for it and take over the Chinese side or up to our claim line of Finger 8.
Sachin Panwar, Gurugram. Twitter handle: @Taxman_Sachin
‘Not in the situation to face war, economic stakes too high’
No, war is not the solution to the India-China tensions in Ladakh. In today’s scenario, we are not in the situation to face a war. Also, the economic stakes are too high to risk a war as India already has a major contraction in GDP. The Covid-19 pandemic is at its peak and the economy is suffering. India-China needs to deal with other crises or this war will affect the country’s ability to overcome the existing issues.
— Santwana Singh, Patna.
‘Both sides will have to pursue diplomatic resolution’
Talks will eventually resolve the current impasse between India and China as they did in Doklam. Question is whether the solution is through protracted diplomacy or both sides coming to the negotiating table after a war in the Himalayas. Diplomacy requires commitment. Ground realities in Ladakh indicate a deficit on the Chinese side. Both armies now hold tactically advantageous positions which neither will let go easily. It increases the chances of more violent confrontation than in Galwan. If clashes do happen, terrain and climate will be the final arbiter and force a stalemate. Both sides will have to pursue diplomatic resolution.
— Kaushik Mukherjee, Oxford, MS (USA). Twitter handle: @mail4kaushikm
‘Prepare for war, but keep talks going’
India will need to adopt this strategy found in an old Latin adage: “If you want peace, prepare for war”. With a belligerent China at our doorsteps, talks alone cannot solve the crisis, and war is not desirable for anyone. So, India needs to show deterrence and start preparing for war for China to take talks seriously. It is because the Indian Army was victorious in capturing some heights in the south bank of Pangong Tso, there is some leverage available to India for any diplomatic resolution. If we just relied on talks, the Chinese would come and occupy more territory.
— Vidyuth Chikoti, San Francisco Bay area. Twitter handle: @followvidyuth
‘If war takes place, both nuclear rich countries will suffer’
War is not the solution to any problem. If war happens, both nuclear rich countries will suffer a lot of damage. India will suffer a lot because at this time it is grappling with many problems like Covid-19 and GDP fall of 23.9 per cent and it will have also an impact on export and import of both countries.
In eastern Ladakh, the forces of both countries stand opposite to each other. China is in a strong position on Finger 4 in the northern region of Pangong Tso Lake while India has strengthened its position on the important peaks at the southern end.
Although there has been discussion at every level between India and China, both countries have not found any solution. Recently, the foreign ministers of both countries held talks in Moscow and many experts have said that there was no ambiguity in their talks. Prime Minister Modi is repeating the same mistake that was previously made by Jawaharlal Nehru, because China is negotiating on one side but on the other side it is engaged in changing the status quo on the border. China wants to push India up to Finger 2, while India wants to restore the former position from May.
Heena Rai, Mumbai. Twitter handle: @heenarai7
‘Communication, dialogues and conciliation important factors’
War is not a solution to the current situation on the India-China border and also it is not in interest of either side.
Communication, conciliation and dialogues are important factors to ease the tension. Therefore, India and China should communicate continuously at the bottom as well as higher levels. This can benefit both the countries. War is no solution to any problem; it ends in loss on both sides. Hence, continuous communication, dialogues and conciliation are important factors to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity.
Jay Choudhari, Chandrapur ( Maharashtra). Twitter handle: @jaychoudhari3
‘Both nations need to talk, draw a treaty for long-term peace’
The whole nation is in a state of crisis already. Going to war won’t be a very reasonable choice. If we have learned anything from history, it’s that war brings agony and destruction to both sides. This war could do more harm than good.
But temporary negotiations are not the answer either. Both countries need to “talk” and draw a treaty that could ensure long-term peace in Ladakh. We know that our soldiers are ready for the worst (war being the worst), but not wanting a war is not cowardice but a wise choice.
Geetika Ranjan, Patna. Twitter handle: @RanjanGeetika
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