The Sino-Indian Boundary Issue continues .....

In November 1975 India’s Eastern Army Commander (the GOC-in-C Eastern Command), Lieut.-General J.F.R. Jacob , tasked this author to brief the Indian Prime Minister (PM), Mrs. Indira Gandhi, on the Sino-Indian boundary issue in the eastern sector. The briefing was to explain on a current map the original McMahon Line (as defined by the names of places on the original McMahon map and in the written description of the delimitation), the Line of
Actual Control, the Chinese Claim Line, and India’s perception of the international Sino Indian border (i.e., India’s official interpretation of the McMahon Line) as printed on the Indian maps. The briefing took place in the library of the Raj Bhawan in Gangtok, on a marked map showing all the various lines and their inter-relationship with each other.

The validity of each country’s claims, as evidenced from the modern cartographicpositioning of the reference points named in the McMahon Line document on to current maps, was explained and discussed. It was pointed out to the PM that there was some merit in certain aspects of the Chinese claims, and that their point of view perhaps therefore ought not to be rejected out of hand. The only persons present were the PM, the Army Commander, and this author. After this author had briefed the PM, she asked him what he thought ought to be done about the existing anomalies. His reply was that the implications were of such a level that made it a matter for the PM to discuss with her cabinet colleagues and with the Ministry of External Affairs. The PM merely smiled in response and said, ‘I see’.

It is likely that this briefing was an early step in a chain of events and decision-making that led to India’s appointing an Ambassador to China again, after a gap of 14 years. In February 1976, Mrs. Indira Gandhi broke the ice by appointing an Indian ambassador to Beijing. China
reciprocated by sending an ambassador to India after 15 years, and relations improved substantially. Official-level talks on the boundary dispute began in 1981.

To be continued....