India and China: War wounds

Chinese and Indian negotiators are preparing for an eighth round of talks on contested territory in the eastern Himalayas -- which India calls Arunachal Pradesh -- bordering Bhutan and Tibet.

There is a danger that old grievances will take the shine off a promising partnership between Asia’s emerging economic superpowers. In 1962, China inflicted a heavy blow on Indian forces in this area as well as in disputed territory hundreds of miles to the north, the Askai Chin. The status quo (in favour of China, according to Delhi, but not according to Beijing) has since endured. It was accompanied -- until the broader bilateral relationship improved a few years ago -- by occasional skirmishes and frequent harsh words. Yet China has suddenly reasserted its claims to all of Arunachal Pradesh -- to India’s surprise and dismay. Unhappiness over Delhi’s closer ties with the United States may be partly to blame, but the episode is reminder of the rivalry between the two countries that can easily be disguised by their coordination on issues such as climate change and world trade. The border negotiators, due to meet as part of a regular normalisation process, will find it hard to make much progress.