India and China to start withdrawing troops from border
Troops of the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army are expected to start disengaging from the contested border today.
Following a border standoff since 2020 that saw deadly skirmishes along the two countries’ contested Himalayan border, both sides have now agreed to de-escalate. Starting from today, both armies will follow a coordinated patrolling arrangement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Although they did not agree to establish a buffer zone, Beijing and New Delhi have agreed to adhere to the LAC going forward.
The agreement was made on October 14, just days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The BRICS summit was a big success for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who demonstrated the West’s failure in attempting to isolate him from the rest of the world. He hosted over 30 world leaders, including from China, India, Iran, Turkey, Brazil and Egypt, as well as the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Xi and Modi met at the BRICS summit in-person for the first time in five years and agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and communication. Despite years of frosty diplomatic and military relations, both countries maintained strong trade relations. The current rapprochement is likely to further increase Chinese investment into India and lead to stronger economic integration between the two most populous countries. Prime Minister Modi has followed a pragmatic approach to international relations in recent years, by simultaneously strengthening ties to the US, China and Russia. However, this multipolar approach also causes tensions that could backfire, especially if relations with Beijing become significantly stronger.
