[The Tribune]

Shimla, May 12: Increased economic engagement between India and China is the only solution to controversial McMahon Line to demarcate international boundaries between India, Tibet and China. The geopolitical and socio-economic situation, demography, governance and strategic issues has changed drastically in the past 100 years.

This was stated by experts at a one-day international conference on “Re-visiting Shimla agreement 1914” organised jointly by Himachal Pradesh University and the Tibet Policy Institute, Dharamsala, here today.

Tashi Phuntsok, secretary, International relations, Central Tibetan Administration, said, “We have come here not to celebrate the century of the agreement, but to recall the historic time as history is not static. We hope for a better future for our people.”

Tibetan Policy Institute director Thubten Samphel opined Tibet was the key for improving relations between India and China and burial of the Shimla agreement 1914 would not improve relations between the two nations. “Tibet is today what India was 100 years back and situations do change for good,” he said.

The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–Indian (TAPI) gas pipeline and alternate trade route through India are two major economic compulsions of China which could be negotiated to end border disputes between China, Tibet and India. “The trade route through the Indian Ocean to the Bay of Bengal and pipeline from Central Asia via Exchine to Manali, which is the shortest route, could help resolve the century-old issue as China has vital economic interests in the region,” said Prof RS Yadav from Kurukshetra University.

He said three nations had divergent interests as Britain wanted to secure its northern borders, China wanted suzerainty rights (one country’s rule over another) over Tibet and Tibet wanted independence (sovereignty) but international diplomacy, in which Tibet did not have any major say, prevailed and later, India and Britain also accepted Tibet as a part of China.

HPU Vice-Chancellor ADN Bajpai said international mandate on the issue was the need of the hour as Tibetan sovereignty was strategically significant to India.