Border Defence Cooperation Agreement
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Border Defence Cooperation
The Indian Defence Secretary, R. K. Mathur and the PLA Deputy Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Sun Jianguo signing the Agreement in Beijing on 23 October 2013. Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh present.
TypeBorder management
Confidence Building Measure[1]
Context
Signed23 October 2013
LocationGreat Hall of the People, Tiananmen Square, Beijing[2]
ConditionRatification by China and India
Parties
CitationsAgreement
Languages
Full text
India-China Border Agreement 2013 at Wikisource

The Agreement between India and China on Border Defence Cooperation (BDCA) covers border stability and security, information asymmetry, smuggling, socio-economic reconstruction, environment and disease transmission along the line of actual control.[1][3][4] It is an incremental addition to the previous border agreements related to the Sino-Indian border dispute.[5][6]

BDCA is one of the growing number of defence cooperation agreements being signed between countries worldwide.[7][failed verification]

Background

Further information: 2013 Depsang standoff

China proposed the BDCA as early as the 5th India-China annual defence dialogue (ADD) in January 2013.[8] The following months saw negotiations and counter-proposals by India.[8][9]

In April 2013, India reported a Chinese PLA incursion at the mouth of Depsang Bulge near the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.[10][11] This three week face-off was one of the border incidents that took place during the drafting of the agreement.[1][12] In July 2013, India also saw PLA movement into Chumar and transgressions in Barahoti and Dichu.[13]

In July 2013, the Indian Minister of Defence met his counterpart General Chang Wanquan, as well as Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi. In a joint statement, with regard to "peace and tranquility in their border areas" both sides appreciated "that border defence cooperation would make a significant contribution in that regard" and "they agreed on an early conclusion of negotiations for a proposed agreement on border defence cooperation between the two Governments".[14]

The agreement was finalized at a meeting of the Joint Working Group a few weeks before it was finally signed in Beijing in October 2013.[8]

Agreements

BDCA mentions the "India-China Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" and four previous border agreements:

Articles

BDCA has ten articles. The agreement outlines ways to implement border defence cooperation "on the basis of their respective laws and relevant bilateral agreements". This includes the exchange of information, joint smuggling efforts, assistance in locating trans-border movement, disease transmission or "any other way mutually agreed upon the two sides". The agreement goes on to elaborate on mechanisms for implementing this border defence cooperation including flag meeting, border personal meetings, hotlines and meetings between representatives at various fora. This agreement goes a step further by saying that cooperation can be enhanced through CBMs such as cultural exchanges, "non-contact" sports, military exercises, and "small scale tactical exercises along the line of actual control in the India-China border areas." Military clauses cover tailing patrols, seeking clarification in areas of differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control and practice military restraint in all ways. The agreement clearly stated that the agreement would be honoured irrespective of the alignment of the LAC. The agreement concludes in an elastic nature, "It may be revised, amended or terminated with the consent of the two sides. Any revision or amendment, mutually agreed by the two sides, shall form an integral part of this Agreement'.[15][16][4]

Aftermath

The BDCA was met with skepticism from a number of Indian analysts.[17][18][19] Monika Chansoria, head of the China-study program Centre for Land Warfare Studies, called the agreement as a Beijing "engineered" with no clear progress or differentiation from previous agreements, adding that the main issue of resolving the border dispute was not part of the BDCA.[17] Jayadeva Ranade pointed out that there was no reference to status quo, ambiguity in the way certain arguments were framed including lines related to infrastructure development.[20] However, D Suba Chandran, director at Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, stated "even the worst critique would not find faults with it [the agreement]".[16]

In a press conference on 24 October 2013, a day after BDCA was signed, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China spokesperson Hua Chunying stated that "Over the past decades, with the concerted efforts of the two countries, negotiations on the boundary question have sustained a sound momentum and the border areas are basically peaceful and tranquil."[21]

During the 2020-21 China-India border skirmishes the BDCA and other border agreements failed in their purpose.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Das, Bijoy (January–March 2014). "Border Defence Cooperation Agreement. The Icebreaker in Making?" (PDF). Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 1 (1): 35–48.
  2. ^ Blanchard, Ben (2013-10-23). Macfie, Nick (ed.). "China, India sign deal aimed at soothing border tension". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  3. ^ "Inter-State Border Defence Cooperation Agreement between India and China". PA-X: Peace Agreements Database. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  4. ^ a b "Ten things you should know about India,China border defence agreement". The Indian Express. Press Information Bureau. 2014-03-14. Archived from the original on 2014-06-12. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  5. ^ Shukla, Ajai (2013-10-24). "India, China sign border defence pact". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  6. ^ Chellaney, Brahma (2013-10-21). "Why India's new border pact with China won't work". mint. Archived from the original on 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  7. ^ Kinne, Brandon J. (15 August 2018). "Defense Cooperation Agreements and the Emergence of a Global Security Network". International Organization. 72 (4): 799–837. doi:10.1017/S0020818318000218. ISSN 0020-8183. S2CID 158722872.
  8. ^ a b c Resilient Sino-Indian Relationship, Indian Foreign Affairs Journal (2013), pg. 389.
  9. ^ "India gives counter proposal for Border Defence Coop Agreement". The Pioneer. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  10. ^ Sawant, Gaurav C. (26 April 2013), "India is No Pushover: Salman Khurshid", India Today, archived from the original on 30 April 2013, retrieved 7 July 2021
  11. ^ Hashmi, Sana (29 October 2013). "Border Defence Cooperation Agreement: A New Beginning?" (PDF). Centre for Air Power Studies. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  12. ^ "China-India reach border defence pact". Al Jazeera. 23 October 2013. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  13. ^ Chellaney, Brahma (2013-07-30). "China's game plan to keep India on the back foot". mint. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  14. ^ "Full Text of Joint Statement by Chinese and Indian Defence Ministers". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of India. 6 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  15. ^ Border Defence Cooperation Agreement between India and China. Governments of India and China – via Wikisource.
  16. ^ a b Chandran, D Suba (27 October 2013). "India & China: An Assessment of October 2013 Agreements: Border Defence Agreement". Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  17. ^ a b Chansoria, Monika (13 January 2014). "India-China Border Agreement: Much Ado about Nothing". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2014-12-07. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  18. ^ Bhat, Lt Col Anil (2014-08-02). "An Ambiguous Border Defence Cooperation Agreement With China?". Salute. Archived from the original on 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  19. ^ Sawhney, Pravin. "The BDC agreement is a win-win for China than India". Force India. Archived from the original on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  20. ^ Ranade, Jayadeva (27 October 2013). "India & China: An Assessment of October 2013 Agreements- No Tangibles". Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Archived from the original on 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  21. ^ "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on October 24, 2013". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  22. ^ Joshi, Manoj (24 June 2020). "There is an answer to Modi's enigma on Galwan". ORF. Archived from the original on 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
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