Border dispute arose after India recognised Tibet as part of China: CDS Anil Chauhan

Dehradun: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said the border dispute with China followed India's recognition of Tibet as part of the that country in 1954 with the signing of Panchsheel Agreement.

The chief of defence staff (CDS) was delivering a lecture on 'Frontiers, Borders and LAC: The Middle Sector' under the India Himalayan International Strategic Forum think tank at Lok Bhavan here on Friday.

Chauhan said, "In 1954, India officially recognised Tibet as part of China, the two countries signed the Panchsheel Agreement." Following the agreement, "India considered itself to have settled its northern border. This was the only area that we believed had not been settled through a formal treaty," he said.

The CDS said that the legitimacy of this border for India was based on the Panchsheel Agreement, which it believed demarcated by identifying six passes -- Shipki La, Mana, Niti, Kungri Bingri, Darma and Lipulekh -- through which trade and pilgrimage would take place.

He said, "However, China believed that this agreement was only for trade and nowhere reflected China's position on any specific border dispute. Therefore, it became a border dispute." General Chauhan said, "Then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru probably knew that we had a border similar to the McMahon Line in the past, and we had some claims in the Ladakh region, but it was not clearly defined. That is why he probably wanted to proceed with the Panchsheel Agreement." Further, emphasising the need for an integrated and visionary strategic plan in light of the dispute, Chauhan highlighted the growing strategic importance of the Himalayan borders and the government's focused efforts on infrastructure development in the border areas.

He said the sacred origins of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, pilgrimage sites like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, and the region's deep spiritual and philosophical traditions have given Uttarakhand extraordinary significance.

Describing the state as not merely a geographical unit but a vibrant hub of culture, consciousness and civilisational heritage, he said Uttarakhand is an ideal place for strategic brainstorming.

The CDS said a holistic view of the Himalayan perspective is essential to address problems such as climate change, water security, border management, military modernisation and disaster management.

He said that ideas emerging from such a platform can transcend regional boundaries and influence national policy, just as the Ganga river, originating in the Himalayas, flows across the country, sustaining life and progress.