India, China hold 31st WMCC meeting to iron out issues

Context: India and
China had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views” on the
situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to “narrow down the
differences” and find an “early resolution” of the outstanding issues, at the
31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on
India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing on Thursday.

Working
Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC)

·       About: The WMCC
was established
in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and
coordination for management of India – China border areas, as well as to
exchange views on strengthening communication and cooperation, including
between the border securities personnel of the two sides.

·      
Significance: The 26th
meeting was significant as
it took place amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, particularly in the
wake of the 2020 clashes in the Galwan Valley.

·       Purpose: To bring
back normalcy in the bilateral relations between India and China, to restore
peace along the Line of Actual Control.

Key
points

·       Overview: The two countries agree for intensified contact
to narrow down differences, find resolution to issues; India reiterates that
respect for LAC is essential for restoration of normalcy in bilateral ties.

·       India-China border affairs: Both sides
agreed to maintain regular contact through diplomatic and military channels. They
also agreed to promote the transition of the border situation into a normalised phase of control and
management. The India-China Border is not fully demarcated;
this has led to tensions between the countries. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) serves as the boundary separating
Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.

·      
India’s
initiatives along the LAC: Vibrant village
program- the program aims to modernise 663 border villages,
with 17 selected for development along the China-India border in regions like
Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Border Roads Org- it has completed 90
infrastructure projects along the India–China border, worth Rs
2,941 crore. BRO is involved in major highways, including the Trans-Arunachal
Highway, Frontier Highway, and East-West Industrial Corridor Highway,
which are under construction to improve connectivity, particularly in the
eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh and the Tawang region. Border
Area Development Programme (BADP) - it is a
centrally sponsored scheme that aims to meet the special developmental
needs of the people living
in remote and inaccessible areas situated near the international border.