1. D1-Sino-India: BDCA Pact
  2. D2-Sino-China: Economic Dialogue and IT Pact

D1: Sino-India BDCA Pact

This was signed in October 2013, but topic is in news during April 2014 because Army officers of both sides met each other as per the provisions of this pact.
Q.What are the salient features of Border Defense Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) agreement between India-China? How will it benefit Indian side? (200 words)

Features

Under Border Defense Cooperation Agreement (BDCA), Both sides will :

  1. follow maximum self-restrain,
  2. Will not use military capabilities against each other
  3. Will avoid patrolling along such border areas, where there is no common understanding of LAC (Line of Actual Control)
  4. Will cooperate during natural disaster, anti-smuggling, anti-narcotics, anti-poaching operations
  5. Assist in locating men and animals that mistakenly cross the border.
  6. Information sharing about military exercises
  7. Both can initiate joint-military training exercise=> In Nov.2014, there will be “Hand-in-Hand” counter-terrorism exercise at Barrackpore (West Bengal).
  8. Flag meeting on borders
  9. regular meetings between high officials  & Defense ministers
  10. Invite each other for celebration of any national/ military day/ festival /sports event on LAC
  11. Hold India-China Annual Defense Dialogue.

Benefits to Indian side

  1. Will have to spend less man and material resources to guard Sino-Indian border.
  2. This agreement can smooth path towards peaceful settlement of border disputes
  3. Will improve bilateral relations. This confidence building measure can also expend to economic cooperation
  4. A distant possibility, (since there are no permanent friends or foe in diplomacy) if goodfaith is established, China may stop arming Pakistan against India.
  5. Regular Meetings between defense ministers and officials, will clear misunderstanding on many issues, that otherwise result in random confrontation between patrolling soldiers.

~210 words.

D2: Indo-China: Economic Dialogue and IT Pact

Q. Write a note on  Sino-India Strategic economic dialogue. (200 words)
Apart from border issues, Sino-China relation is plagued by two major issues (1) Trade deficit on Indian side (2) China deliberately restricting the entry of Indian goods and services in its domestic market, via tarrif and non-tarrif barriers

  • 2010: both signed an agreement to hold strategic economic dialogue every year, to resolve these issues. Apart from India, only USA has such arrangement with China.
  • 2014: 3th round of talks in Delhi. It revolved around following topics:
  • Reducing India’s trade deficit with China- giving more market access to Indian Pharma and IT industries in China.
  • Within same week, India-China signed an MoU/IT pact. Under this pact, China agreed to assist Indian IT sector in their domestic market.
  • Infrastructure cooperation: China agreed to assist to infrastructure development in India, especially high-speed rail corridors.
  • improving bilateral investments
  • Developing counter strategy against two-US backed agreements TPP, TTIP because they are designed to keep China, India and other emerging economies from WTO talks.
Sidenotes:
TPP
  • Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
  • Agreement is between US and Indo-Pacific countries like, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Chile, Canada, Mexico and Peru.
  • India has not joined TPP but ASEAN-led RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Partnership) which does not demand labour reforms.
TTIP
  • Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
  • Agreement between US and EU, to boost trade between them.

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