Precarious Borders! An account of unending border disputes between the People's Republic of China and India

Abstract: India’s foreign relations with the People’s Republic of China have a gigantic potential to accommodate the legitimate national interest of both the states. Overall the bilateral and multilateral relations between the two states are characterized by the cooperation, competition and containment. Even though, the trade and economic relations are improving, of course with trade deficit for India but the political relations always remained a source of tension due to unresolved borders between the two states. The precarious borders between India and the People’s Republic of China not resolved yet due to variety of factors such as different claims due to colonial legacies, strategic importance of the disputed territories, lack of political will characterized by the sentiments of the people, mutual distrust, systemic reasons and host of other complexities. What is a way forward? There are possible benefits and unavoidable risks associated with each alternative approaches to the meaningful border management between the two states.