| This dissertation is an effort to dig out the impacts of territorial disputes oninterstate security and cooperation between China-India and India-Pakistan.Historically, territorial disputes between China-India and India-Pakistan are theoutcomes of colonial legacy which have had severe implications on the relations ofthese two dyads in the context of their bilateral security relations and prospects forcooperation. China and India are the two emerging economies. They are the first andsecond largest country in term of population and labor force, respectively. The twocountries have gigantic land mass and share a long border. Keeping in view thegeographical proximity and size, the two countries share a number of areas of mutualcooperation and conflict. Along with China and India, Pakistan is another importantcountry in the region whose population and land mass has no match with China andIndia, but still Pakistan cannot escape the influence of the two states. Pakistanstrategic decision is one way or other get shaped by Chinese and Indian strategicapproaches in the region.Since their establishment as modern nation state in late1940’s, China, India andPakistan got trapped in territorial and border dispute which resulted in the creepingcompetition pertaining to security arrangements among them. In the wake of Sino-India war of1962it was well articulated move by Pakistan to resolve the border issuewith China and border treaty was signed between them in1963which offeredamicable solution to both countries and laid the foundation of peaceful prospects forthe future generations. However, the issue of territorial dispute between China-Indiaand India-Pakistan is still lingering. China-India and India-Pakistan fought wars thathave seriously damaged the dyads. However, in the post-cold war era generally and inthe first decade of21st century particularly, India and China relations got a new twist.Though the territorial issues yet to be resolved, however, China and India set on thedirection of rapprochement and normalization of relations rather than escalation ofconflicts. This provides good omen to the peace of the world as both China and Indiaare states with potential to engage not only regionally but also in globally at political,economic and social level.This study analysis China-India and India-Pakistan relations with the specialreference to their territorial disputes through the prism of constructivism andhighlights the role of ideas, constructed slogans of enmity and figures of invented hostility which are working at accelerated rate in case of India and Pakistan andhampering the cooperation between the neighboring states. On the other hand, in thedyad of China and India these fabricated, self-constructed and cosmetic ideas couldnot impact so harmfully. Thus our main objective is to analyze how the ideationalforces played their crucial role in the relations of these two dyads? What are thereasons of changing patterns of relations between China and India in post-cold war erafrom engagement in conflict only, to cooperation and conflict? Why the change inworld politics and forces of globalization and liberalization could not have the similarimplication for India and Pakistan as they did for China and India? These questionsare well addressed with the employment of constructivism that explains the sameissue with two different outcomes.In international relations, an action cannot be taken without defining the situation.The situation is further characterized by two things about the actors; one their ownidentities and interests which reflects beliefs about how they are in such situations andwhat they think of other actor or actors will do, this define and reflects beliefs aboutopponent actor’s identities and interests. Situation is visible in bilateral relationsbetween India and Pakistan by creating a juncture of doubts and misperception basedboth on the inbuilt legacies of rivalry and long standing clash of identities. Theexplanatory model of the thesis is based on the understanding that identities evolvebetween India and Pakistan are at clashing order because of that which their mutualinterests did not converge due to which ‘Territorial’ Disputes are having severerepercussions on interstate security and cooperation in a decision making process, incase of India and Pakistan bilateral relations the situation is defined by an actor’s ownidentity and interest and its perception of the others, which reflects the understandingof others’ identity and interest.Constructivism explains this phenomenon that how the ideational forces ofnational identity and interest are proving as a driving force between China and Indiafor putting them under one yoke, nevertheless, territorial disputes are difficult to beresolved but they are manageable. In case of China and India, the way of low politicsis used and those issues are brought under frequent discussion which are lesscomplicated and prove as catalysing factor for bringing the two states together e.g.trade and global governance. This phenomenon is not evident in the case of India andPakistan India emphasises on the issues of terrorism, Bombay incident, connectivity, commerce while for Pakistan dialogue process is unacceptable without havingKashmir conundrum.The findings disclose that the reason behind the thaw in the relations of Chinaand India is mainly due to the growing convergence of their national interests,aspirations, status and future prospects. Similarly, the domestic imperatives also bringthem on the same page which compels them not to blow out. A number of otheraspects, such as status of developing country, national identity and economic growthbring them on the same boat. Importantly, both China and India have no historicalbaggage except the1962war. On the other hand, Pakistan, another important countryhas non-enduring peace with India and deliberate efforts to check violence andhostility in mutual relations has been high jacked by the radical forces who served asan irritant in this regard and their appetite for hate and war never fulfilled.India-Pakistan territorial disputes owe a lot to the reckless and hasty eviction ofBritish Raj from India. British Raj left Kashmir as a knotty issue between the twoneighbouring states. Resultantly, India-Pakistan fought three full fledge wars and onelimited war in Kargil and found themselves in a security paradox since their inceptionas modern nation states. In the under observation study period it is found that bothstates are well aware of the hurting stalemate of these territorial disputes but theelement of trust deficit and suspicion along with bitter past memories have not lettingthem to move forward. Coming into power in1997the new government in Pakistanstarted Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) and Lahore Declaration was signed after1998nuclear tests by both India and Pakistan but nothing has been gained due to thedeep rooted inbuilt clashes of identity between both states. Apart from this, in thewake of21st century again efforts were initiated and hypes of hope were at sky inAgra Summit but nothing had been yielded.Witnessing two consecutive years of confrontation, hostility and persistentrivalry at international borders the Comprehensive Dialogue Process (CDP) wasresumed once again in2004, several confidence building measures (CBM’s) weremade, track two diplomacy was launched, enhanced participation of masses in statesponsored efforts for the promotion of people to people contact and active role of civilsociety all went fruitless and roll backed by the Bombay incident of November2008.The problem which persists and aggravates the territorial disputes of India andPakistan and intensify their surface intensity have roots in shared colonization process,bitter past historical memories dating back to the Muslim invasion of India from outsiders, religious radicalization, clashing and embedded national identities. Allthese factors promote enduring rivalry between India and Pakistan and do not lettingthem to come on same side due to which the normalization of relations process orrapprochement is not taking place.Notably the Sino-India bilateral relation emerged amicably when they emergedas independent sovereign states, the notion of “hindi Cheeni bhai bhai” literallymeaning Indian and Chinese are brothers echoed in the region, but in mid1950s theirfraternity turned into enmity because of territorial problem. Efforts were made fromboth sides to come up with the solution for resolving territorial disputes butunfortunately the circumstances did not allow the two states for doing so. Resultantly,they fought a war in1962and laid the foundation of rivalry between two neighbours.However, the intensity of hostility and adverse competition between them could notsupersede the potential of cooperation and despite the prevailing territorial conflict,the two countries have developed coherence on number of issue and gave cooperationan opportunity to grow.Finally the study concludes that in the post-cold war era the relations of Chinaand India witnessed a thaw moved forward because of decoupling of territorialdisputes from the rest of the intestate affairs by putting them in back burner whichhappened during the historical visit of Rajiv Gandhi to China. It is crucial to state herethat China and India have territorial disputes due to which they still have securityproblems which are discussed in this dissertation but these territorial disputes havecomparatively less surface intensity as to that of India and Pakistan, due to which theydo have bilateral cooperation in the fields of political and diplomatic, economics,military, defence and also at multilateral forums. On the contrary, the areas ofinterests and cooperation are overlooked by India and Pakistan owing to the vacuumfor unitary force and both the nations are trapped into the security paradoxes in socomplicated way that they visualize each other from the lens of conflict, mistrust,suspicion and fear. For India historical Khyber syndrome resist any unilateral measureto cultivate peace and for Pakistan security dilemma prevent to get rid of pessimismtowards India. |
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