By: R N Das
The postponement of Sino-Indian border talks between the Special Representatives of the two countries had cast a shadow on the roller-coaster Sino-Indian relations. However, it augurs well that, setting speculations to rest, both Beijing and New Delhi announced that the defence dialogue between the two countries would be taking place in New Delhi on December 9 as scheduled. The defence dialogue between the two countries assumes significance in the context of the military build-up across the Sino-Indian border, suggesting the persistence of the security dilemma between the two countries.
Over the years ever since the path breaking visit of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to China in 1988, when it was decided to set up the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the border issue, there has been reasonably good contacts and engagement between the defence personnel of the two countries at various levels. Although the border talks mechanism between the Special Representatives of the two countries and the Secretary level annual defence dialogue are separate and distinct, and there is no overlapping of their mandate and jurisdiction, one reinforces the other and both work in tandem.
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