An Archeology of Sino-Indian Border Disputes

Disputes between China and India are a complex historical issue. The 70th anniversary of China-Indian relations in 2020 became one of the most crucial years in the history of bilateral relations. Following the formation of a dispute between the two countries over shared borders and the creation of military posts, Chinese and Indian forces were heavily involved in battles in the Galvan Valley near Ladakh on June 15, which killed Indian and Chinese forces. The question that arises here concerns the causes of the Sino-Indian border disputes as well as their continuation. The hypothesis of the present descriptive-analytical study is that the colonial heritage and the unwillingness of the great powers to accurately determine the common boundaries in the past have led to the formation and persistence of critical conditions between the two countries. The findings of the study show that although the colonial contexts have led to border disputes between China and India, none of the parties took advantage of the opportunities to solve the problem at various historical stages and did not succeed in bilateral negotiations.