Territorial Dispute

between
India and China
Arunachal Pradesh
 “land of the dawn-lit mountains”
 “land of rising sun”
 located in the northeast corner of the India
and bordered on the north by the Tibet
region of China and on the east by
Myanmar.
The Dispute
 Location: Asia, South Asia, India
 Actors: China and India
 Level of Conflict: Interstate
 Type of Conflict: Territorial War
Description: History
 The first ancestors of the tribal groups
migrated from Tibet during pre-historic
period
 Little is known about its history
 The British Christened, originally known as
northeast Frontiers Agency (NEFA,) took
administrative control of Arunachal
Pradesh and it remained under this rule
until 1948.
Cause: Sino-Indian War
 After Chinese Revolution in 1911, Qing
Dynasty fell and the Emperor resigned. Tibet
and Mongolia became equal and separate
countries.
 Tibet and Mongol tried to be approved
internationally as independent states, and
undertook to international society. Han
Chinese Republicans started small war to
subjugate reins of government of Tibet and
Mongol. Therefore, they could not be
independent states at that time.
 1912-1913, the British Raj made
agreements with tribal leaders that defined
the area that was known as NEFA.
 In order to arrange this conflict, in 1913
and 1914, the British administrator, Sir
Henry McMahon, drew up the 550-mile
McMahon Line as the border between India
and China in Shimla, during the Shimla
Conference which also discussed the
Tibetan and Chinese borders
 Regardless of this reconciliation, the
McMahon Line was rejected by the
Chinese government in 1947
 Following this dispute, the Chinese troops
crossed the McMahon Line on the August
26th, 1959. They abandoned this in 1961,
but in October 1962 crossed the line once
again with force. As a result, Sino-Indian
War broke out.
Duration: 1 year
 The Sino-Indian War was started by China
on October 16, 1962 on account of the
territorial dispute against India. However,
the Chinese did not invade farther, and on
November 21, 1962 declared a unilateral
cease-fire. Finally, the Chinese defeated
India in 1962, which as a result led to the
retreat of Indian Army in terms of doctrine,
training, organization and equipment from
the disputed area.
Importance: Economic
 By losing Arunachal Pradesh, either China
or India would receive some damage in
terms of economy. Both China and India
are able to run good business because
Arunachal Pradesh is a very good place for
tourists from all over the world to visit.
Importance: Environmental
 Arunachal Pradesh is known for its forest
resources. Forest products and industries
are considered as a lifeline in Arunachal
Pradesh. Although it was classified as a
territorial dispute, both China and India had
big enough territories on their own. China
and India had a direct conflict over the
fertile land which certainly supports their
economy by agricultural resources.
Outcome: Compromise
 Arunachal Pradesh was part of the state of
Assam until 1987 and was previously
called NEFA. However, Arunachal Pradesh
finally could gain statehood status on Feb.
20th, 1987 after making allowances for the
security consideration in the east and Sino-
Indian tensions (“Arunachal Pradesh.”)
India was satisfied with this outcome of
dispute while China still does not admit the
result.
Status: State of Indian
Union
 Acquired an independent political status in
January 20th, 1972, when it was declared
as Union Territory, an administrative
division of India ruled directly by the
national government, under the name of
Arunachal Pradesh.
 The state of Arunachal Pradesh Bill was
passed by the Parliament in 1986 and with
effect from February 20th, 1987
 Arunachal Pradesh became the 24th state
of Indian Union.
 Even though Arunachal Pradesh is
administrated by India as a state, China
still claims most of it as a part of the Tibet
Autonomous Region.