‘Both India and China need to step back...maintain status quo’

Lt. Gen. SL Narasimhan, Member, National Security Advisory Board, believes that the India-China military stand-off, which began in June 16, over the tri-junction area near Doklam will be over once both sides step back and decide to maintain status quo. In an interview with BusinessLine , he said this was part China’s track construction activity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Excerpts:

How do you see the recent military stand-off between India and China over the tri-junction area and the kind of war-mongering happening from the Chinese side?

Chinese do develop tracks along the border. It is not the only place. And whenever it gets into disputed areas or areas where we have our concerns we do object. This has happened in the past also. But this time around it appears to be a track construction exercise which seems to have gone wrong. Till the time the Line of Actual Control (LAC) gets decided upon, such incidents are likely to happen and we need to handle them with maturity. But in this case there are a couple of differences.

What kind of difference are you referring to?

The area where we have objected to is, as per our perception, in Bhutan. Secondly, the way we reacted, the Chinese did not expect it. These are the main differences from earlier incidents.

But Doklam is not recognised as a disputed area …

The reason it is disputed is because it lies in the tri-junction area. It is a junction between three countries. What we agreed in 2012 is that we have a status quo. But what the Chinese are doing now will alter that status quo. China is violating that and altering it unilaterally. That is why this issue has been played up.

So will you then label it as yet another aggressive stance of China?

Well what has happened is them not realising that India can also react like this, supported by Bhutan. Therefore, they might have been slightly upset.

But the Chinese are well aware of the strategic importance this region has for India …

I think this was a part of their overall track-plan. Their aim is to build tracks up to the LAC. So, there is a plan by which they do it. Also, we need to understand how construction takes place in those areas. There is a limited period available to do construction activities because of the weather and terrain. That period starts from June and goes on till September-October. So most of the construction activity happens around this time. Till May all those areas are covered in snow and thereafter it starts to melt.

India has recently said China can use the diplomatic channels to diffuse the tensions while China has said it will not sit for talks unless Indian troops move out. So where do you see the solution lies?

The Chinese have quoted the 1890 agreement in this. But if it holds valid, then 1914 should also hold valid. So they have used the agreement selectively. In the 1890 agreement it is the alignment that was agreed upon and not the place where the alignment will start. China is looking at ‘Gimoche’ as the point of tri-junction, but that is not our stance. We are taking the watershed principle based on which the negotiations for LAC are taking place. So, the watershed starts from what we claim to be the tri-junction and it goes through ‘Sinchela’ and further down.

So according to you what could be the solution and how long can the standoff continue?

The solution is both sides have to take a step back and in any case on ground there is nothing flaring up. Yes, there is a face-off but aggressive postures have not been the case. This time they have gone on an offensive and we do not want to flare things up. The aim is that the incident should find its logical conclusion and both sides should disengage and go back to status quo.

But that is a perfect solution and the standoff is continuing for over a month now?

In 1986 there was a standoff that went on for months and nothing happened then. Nothing will happen now. Yes there is a stand-off but I am sure both sides will come to some understanding at some point time. And a logical solution of going back to status quo will be found, which was there before June 16. Eventually, as the boundary talks are finalised then things will be clearer.

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