Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept 3: Referring to the status quo at the Indo-Tibetan border, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Vinod Bhatia, former Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on Tuesday said that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a construct of China, not India. He asserted that historically, the LAC marked the boundary between India and Tibet, describing it as the “Line of Perceptions” between India and China. He was speaking at the inaugural seminar cum panel discussion titled “Relevance of Tibet to India: Past, Present and Future”, organised by the exile Tibetan government in Delhi.
During the discussion, General Bhatia outlined China’s strategic approach, which he summarised as: “claim, occupy, legitimise, impose, exploit, and integrate.” He noted that the LAC was originally referred to as the Indo-Tibet border. However, starting in the mid-1970s, the terminology began to change, and it became known as the India-China border. By 2005, the term had evolved to India-China Border Roads (ICBR), and eventually, it was designated as the LAC—a term, he emphasised, that was shaped by China, not India. “The Chinese think long-term,” he remarked, “They aim to legitimise their actions while we forget the true historical context.”
He further elaborated on the LAC, characterising it as a “Line of Perceptions,” is not just one line, but rather a set of four distinct lines. According to him, the first is the Line of Actual Control as perceived by India. The second is the Line of Actual Control as perceived by China. The third is the Line of Actual Control as perceived by India, but based on China’s interpretation, where India views the boundary from their perspective. Finally, the fourth is the combined perception—a blend of both Chinese and Indian perspectives on the Line of Actual Control.
“The LAC, if I may put it as Line of Perceptions. It is not one line, it is not two lines, it is not three lines but four lines. One is the Line of Actual Control as India perceives it, the second is the Line of Actual Control as the Chinese perceive it, third is the Line of Actual Control as India perceives it but is the Chinese perception of the Line of Actual Control where we have our own way of seeing of where they come from- so we have that perception and the fourth one is the Chinese perception as well as the Indian perception is the Line of Actual Control,” he added.
General Bhatia also emphasised the importance of keeping the Tibet issue alive, suggesting that India can do so by reframing the narrative around the LAC. He proposed that India should begin asserting that “it is Tibet on the other side,” reminding China that they are an occupier of Tibetan territory.
The panel was part of the ‘Spirit of Tibet: Celebrating Culture and Compassion’ festival, organised by the CTA at New Delhi’s India International Centre from September 3 to 5. The opening panel featured esteemed scholars and experts, including Ambassador Dilip Sinha (Retd.), author and former diplomat; Claude Arpi, a French-born author, journalist, and Tibetologist; and Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the CTA, and was chaired by Dr. Sreeram Chaulia, Professor and Dean at Jindal School of International Affairs. The event was also attended by a distinguished audience, including longtime friends of Tibet, such as Ambassador Ranjit Gupta, Vijay Kranti, and others.
The power-packed panel also explored what more India can do to support the Tibetan cause, the significance of India to Tibet, and how India will continue to be central to the Tibetan issue from a diplomatic perspective.
