Rup Narayan Das replies: The Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) is the latest round of Confidence Building Measure (CBM) signed in October 2013 between India and China. There has been a slew of CBMs between the two countries that started in September 1993 with the signing of the Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border, which was followed up in 1996, 2005 and in 2012. The thrust of the latest CBM – BDCA - is to, as the very name suggests, prevent occurrence of border incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which is not clearly defined or demarcated. This at times leads to overlapping claims. The CBMs provide both procedural and institutional mechanisms like the border personnel meetings and the flag meetings between the defence personnel of the two countries to address such overlapping claims and amicably resolve such issues. This is, however, no substitute for the border dispute settlement for which the two countries have the Special Representatives Talks. The BDCA while reiterating provisions of most of the earlier CBMs provides for certain additional mechanisms. The most significant Article in the BDCA is Article VI which stipulates that the two sides shall not follow or tail patrols of the other side in areas where there is no common understanding of the LAC.

China’s ‘Neighbourhood Diplomacy’, by Chinese accounts, means maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in its neighbourhood and to integrate China’s development with the development of the neighbouring countries.

Posted on April 30. 2014

Pushpita Das replies: The seeds of an ‘open’ border between India and Nepal can be found in the Treaty of Peace and Friendship which the two countries signed in 1950. Articles VI and VII of the Treaty specify that citizens of both countries have equal rights in matters of residence, acquisition of property, and employment and movement in each other’s territory; thus, providing for an open border between the two countries. These provisions allowed the citizens of India and Nepal to cross their shared borders without passport and visa restrictions.

In fact, the practice of keeping the borders with Nepal open is a British legacy which was continued by India after the independence. During the colonial times, the British required Gorkhas for their army and the Nepalese market for their finished goods. These requirements necessitated unrestricted cross-border movement of both goods and people. In addition, the rise of an assertive China and the absence of any physical barrier between India and Nepal compelled India to define the Himalayas, lying north of Nepal, as its northern barrier with China. Thus, the open border between India and Nepal not only addressed the mutual security concerns, but also fostered close socio-economic relations between the two countries.

The unrestricted flow of people over the years has resulted in the dissemination of ideas, culture, and settlements of people in each other’s territory, thereby, strengthening the bilateral social and cultural relations. The open border also has had a favourable impact on the two economies. Nepal is a landlocked country and its closest access to the sea is through India. As a result, most of its imports pass through India. As for India, it is the biggest trading partner of Nepal. An open border has also allowed many Nepalese citizens to find employment in India and Indians to open business ventures in Nepal.