Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Over the borderline: On the India-China deal

​Over the borderline: On the India-China deal

The agreement between India and China opens new opportunities

China’s confirmation on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) of an agreement to resolve its four-year military standoff with India, as announced by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday (October 21, 2024), is welcome news, given the possibilities it opens up for bilateral (द्विपक्षीय) ties. Since April 2020, when China suddenly transgressed (उल्लंघन करना) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), followed by India’s counter (विरोध करना, प्रतिकार)-deployment, bilateral relations had ground to a halt (रोकना). Anger in India, over the June 2020 Galwan clashes in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, justifiably brimmed (The upper edge or border of a container; to be full to the point of overflowing) over, and despite steps to avoid further violence and disengagement at five friction points, mistrust over whether the PLA would revert to positions prior to 2020 or “status quo ante” remained. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s statement that China has agreed to restore troops (सैनिक दल, टुकड़ी) to pre-2020 levels and positions must be verified, but it is indeed a positive move if true. The announcement of the agreement on “patrolling (गश्त, निगरानी) arrangements” came just ahead of the BRICS Summit in Russia which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are attending, setting the stage for a possible formal interaction for the first time since 2020. Prior to this, the leaders had close engagement in 18 one-on-one meetings from 2014-19 including two intense retreats (पीछे हटना) in Wuhan and Mamallapuram. Since 2020 they have held informal chats, on summit sidelines. Though trade ties remained at record highs, relations in areas including investment, travel and visas were snapped. It remains to be seen whether these will recover.

The government must ensure that the “next steps” Mr. Misri referred to are carried out in as transparent a manner as possible so as to engender (उत्पन्न करना) trust in the process. This is important as even though China insists that its troops are in its own territory and Mr. Modi has said that “no one has come in or taken Indian posts”, the perception is that Chinese troops have in fact occupied more Indian land than before, and have denied Indian soldiers patrolling rights and villagers in Eastern Ladakh access to their grazing lands. The government’s repeated refusal to fully brief Parliament or to allow media access to the forward areas has added to misgivings over the situation on the ground. It is necessary to demonstrate that the Chinese troops have indeed vacated the forward areas. Premature exclamations of success or the chest-thumping witnessed after the 2017 Doklam disengagement (विमुक्ति, विचलन) are best avoided, as China doubled down on its presence on the plateau subsequently. Proceeding with caution while learning from past lessons is the best way forward. The two sides will need to discuss whether the old framework of the 1993 Border Peace and Tranquillity (शांति) Agreement and the 2013 Border Defence Cooperation Agreement still hold, or whether a new modus vivendi (An arrangement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully; a way of living) is needed to manage their differences over the border from this point on.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Bilateral (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - द्विपक्षीय
English Meaning - Involving two sides, typically referring to agreements or negotiations between two parties.

2.Transgress (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन करना
English Meaning - To go beyond the bounds or limits, especially in violation of a rule or law.

3.Counter (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - विरोध करना, प्रतिकार
English Meaning - To act against or in opposition to something.

4.Halt (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - रोकना
English Meaning - To stop or bring to a stop.

5.Troop (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - सैनिक दल, टुकड़ी
English Meaning - A group of soldiers; a group of people or animals.

6.Patrol (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - गश्त, निगरानी
English Meaning - The act of moving around a place or area for security or surveillance.

7.Retreat (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पीछे हटना
English Meaning - To withdraw from a position or situation, especially in a military context.

8.Engender (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - उत्पन्न करना
English Meaning - To cause or give rise to a situation or condition.

9.Tranquillity (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - शांति
English Meaning - The quality or state of being calm and peaceful.

10.Disengagement (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - विमुक्ति, विचलन
English Meaning - The process of withdrawing or separating from an activity or situation.

11.Brim (Noun)

English Meaning - The upper edge or border of a container; to be full to the point of overflowing.

12.Modus vivendi (Noun)

English Meaning - An arrangement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully; a way of living.