THE SINO-INDIAN BORDER DISPUTE – IS THERE A WAY OUT?

PEJKOVIĆ Marko (Research Fellow, Institute for Political Studies, Belgrade, Serbia), pejkovic.braman.marko@gmail.com

This paper examines the Sino-Indian border dispute from India’s independence to the present. Although it does not cover all aspects of the Sino-Indian rivalry, resolving the dispute is crucial for long-term Asian stability. The intensity of the dispute has varied, ranging from periods of calm to military posturing, armed clashes, and war. Therefore, the question arises – what escalates this dispute? Some factors that contribute to escalation are rooted in realism, such as the belief that the other side seeks hegemony, or India’s alignment with China’s main rival (USA/USSR) and China’s alignment with India’s (Pakistan). However, not all factors are based on military-economic capabilities. Some crucial factors stem from internal political dynamics. Therefore, a foreign policy analysis is necessary to understand the nature of this dispute. The two sections of this paper offer a foreign policy analysis of all border incidents during and after the Cold War. Based on it, in conclusion, the author succinctly and tentatively proposes Zhou Enlai’s swap plan (modified by Nehru) as a starting point for further conflict regulation (China would make certain territorial concessions to India), but on the additional condition that India would forever prohibit Tibetan emigrants from engaging in political activities related to Chinese Tibet.

Keywords: China; India; Asia; South Asia; foreign policy analysis; MacMahon line; Tibet.