EVENTS

Abstract:       

Historical factors have played a crucial role in shaping intelligence responses to the national policy challenge on the Sino-Indian border. India has resisted a border settlement through negotiations with China on the ground that the country's borders are sacrosanct and already settled on the basis of internal studies and examination within the country and that there is no need for any negotiations with other stake holders. Talks, short of negotiations have, however, been going on for too long between the two states without a final settlement. India's approach has, however, been deemed otiose in international law. At another level the issue of whether the role of Intelligence agency in reporting on the nature, causes and solution to the border dispute has been constructive needs examination.

The presentation will consider the many hidden aspects of the Sino-Indian border conflict in from 1954 to 1962, relating to the role of key central government institutions such as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Indian Army. The focus will be to find lessons for the future of India’s strategic security in the North and Northeast. The prolonged and increasing militarization with no visible prospect of a peaceful solution to issues between India and China affect the process of peace-building and human development in the region. The speaker will use his professional experience in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and field level observation in the Northeast to explore issues involved.

About the Speaker:

Mr. K.S.Subramanian was a member of the Indian Police Service (1963-1997) and was Director General of Police in Tripura. Earlier, he was Director of the Union Home Ministry’s Research and Policy Division (1980-85). He has held senior fellowships in the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla (1973-75), Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford (1983-84), Institute of Development Studies, Sussex (1989-90), Nehru Memorial Museum (1986-91) and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (2011-12) and Professorships. He is the author of several books including ‘Political Violence and the Police in India’ (Sage 2007) and ‘State, Policy and Conflicts in Northeast India’ (Routledge, forthcoming).