India-China Relations & LAC
International Relations · भारत-चीन संबंध और LAC · 18 facts
India-China border length is 3488 km, the longest disputed border in the world.
Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the de facto border between India and China, not a formally demarcated boundary.
McMahon Line was drawn in 1914 during the Simla Convention; India accepts it but China rejects it.
Aksai Chin is claimed by India as part of Ladakh but is under Chinese control since the 1950s.
The 1962 Sino-Indian War: China invaded NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh) and Aksai Chin; India suffered a major military defeat.
Henderson-Brooks Report is the classified Indian Army inquiry into the 1962 defeat; it has never been officially released.
Wuhan Informal Summit 2018: PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met to reset relations after Doklam standoff 2017.
Mahabalipuram Informal Summit 2019: Second Modi-Xi meeting in Tamil Nadu to maintain diplomatic dialogue.
Galwan Valley clash: June 15, 2020 — 20 Indian soldiers killed (including Colonel Santosh Babu); Chinese casualties estimated at 45+ (never officially confirmed).
Pangong Tso (Tso = lake in Tibetan) standoff: Chinese troops occupied finger areas 4-8 on the north bank in 2020.
Disengagement Agreement 2021: India and China agreed to pull back troops from Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs areas.
Both India and China are members of BRICS (since 2009) and SCO (India full member since 2017).
Doklam Standoff 2017: Indian troops blocked Chinese road construction near the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction for 73 days.
China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): India is the only major country to reject it, citing sovereignty concerns (CPEC passes through PoK).
CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor): $62 billion project connecting Kashgar to Gwadar port, passes through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Arunachal Pradesh: China refers to it as 'South Tibet' (Zangnan); India rejects this claim entirely.
India-China trade (2023): ~$136 billion, China is India's largest trading partner, but India has a large trade deficit (~$85 billion).
Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (Panchsheel, 1954) were first signed between India and China but relations deteriorated leading to 1962 war.