The middle path

It is remarkable that India and China have been able to exchange maps on which each has marked out a 545-km section of the international border between them. For decades they have shied away from doing anything so definite as putting their positions on paper. The delineation of maps, followed by discussions to resolve differences, marks a major milestone on the road to resolving the border dispute. The stretch along Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal, known as the middle sector, is a small part of the almost 2,500-km-long border between the two countries and has relatively few disputes compared to the western and eastern sectors. However, even to start the process of settling the easiest, least contentious stretch has taken half a century. The first major step forward was Rajiv Gandhi8217;s ground-breaking visit to China in 1988. This was followed by other high level visits on both sides. Narasimha Rao took the process forward with the agreement in 1993 in Beijing to maintain peace and tranquility on the border.Increased political contacts and agreements in principle were important preconditions to the stage now reached.

Although it is conducive to an eventual settlement that, except for the Sumdurong Chu hiccup in 1987, both sides have kept the peace on the border for four decades, practical gains have been very slow to come. After 12 rounds of meetings, the last in April, the joint working group was no nearer to delineating the border. The agreement this month in Beijing to put on paper their respective claims in the middle sector is significant. First, it moves the talks from broad principle to the practical details of physical features and measurements, and so on. Second, confidence on both sides, among the political leadership as well as the people of India and China, will improve as a middle sector settlement is reached and this will make possible forward movement on settling the eastern and western sectors of the border. Above all, it shows the leaders on both sides understand that standing still is not in their countries8217; interests. In an era when both countries are looking forward to increasing trade and investmentcontacts, it is essential to put the past behind them. And the past can be buried only when the border dispute is finally closed.

The Vajpayee government must ensure that another ice age does not set in prematurely. Progress is necessary at a reasonable pace. Care therefore needs to be taken about the political fallout in this country. The last thing India needs is uninformed political rhetoric on the subject from any political quarter because that is bound to raise old bogeys and queer the pitch for border talks. Settling the border with China is a matter on which the government should enjoy the complete support of the Opposition. But that support will not come automatically. It would be a mistake to take the Opposition for granted. In order to get the support it needs, the government must brief the Opposition fully at every stage and hold regular consultations. A political consensus is essential and will not be difficult to achieve if there is good faith on all sides.