The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies is undertaking a project on “Developing a Framework for Regional Cooperation in Southern Asia” with support from the MacArthur Foundation. The project seeks to sustain and strengthen the process by which India and China are able to cooperate on the key challenges affecting their bilateral relationship and, to involve their smaller neighbors in their economic growth stories.

Lasting a period of three years, the project will focus on the following three principal issues:
1. Strengthening Military Confidence Building Measures on Land and Maritime Issues between India and China
2. Expanding Economic Activity along the Sino-Indian Border Areas
3. Developing Infrastructure for Connectivity between India and China

The project aims at strengthening institutional capacities and inter-institutional linkages besides providing substantive and high quality input for policymakers but also at raising the level of public awareness and interest in crucial issues that affect regional stability.

The objective in each case is to produce policy documents, including interim ones, where necessary that will make specific recommendations to the governments involved aimed at pointing out areas suffering for lack of sufficient attention, addressing lacunae, correcting course or creatively dealing with hitherto intractable problems. Ideas generated during field trips and research will be disseminated periodically through extensive interaction and reporting through the media via, op-ed articles, news reports, interviews and other means of information sharing through the Institute’s enormously popular web site.

As part of this project, the IPCS has held two rounds of Meetings:

1. Planning Conference (Singapore, 8-9 October 2009)

List of Participants

From India:
Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee, Director, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies
Prof Srikanth Kondapalli, Chairperson, Centre of East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Brig Gurmeet Kanwal, Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies
Mr Mohan Guruswamy, Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives
Mr Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee, Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research
Ms Rukmani Gupta, Research Fellow, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies

From China:
Amb Zhou Gang, Director, China Foundation for International Studies
Maj Gen Pan Zhenqiang, Deputy Chairman, China Foundation for International Studies
Prof Shen Dingli, Director, Centre for American Studies, Fudan University
Prof Ren Jia, Vice President, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences
Prof Zhang Guihong, Executive Director, Centre for South Asian Studies, Fudan University
Dr Li Ling, Assistant Professor, Institute of Ecobnomics, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences

From Nepal:
Mr Nishchal Nath Pandey, Director, Centre for South Asian Studies

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
DAY ONE 8 October 2009
Strengthening Military CBMs

1000- 1020 hrs    Introductory remarks 
                          Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee, Prof Shen Dingli
SESSION I
1020- 1040 hrs    Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee
1040- 1100 hrs    Maj Gen Pan Zhenqiang
 
Key Questions:
• Can troop redeployment function as a possible CBM?
• How has this fared until now and how can these measures be made more effective?
• How can strategic dialogue be enhanced?

1100- 1145 hrs   Discussion
 
SESSION II
1200- 1220 hrs    Prof Shen Dingli
1220- 1240 hrs    Brig Gurmeet Kanwal
 
Key Questions:
• Can India and China enter into a bilateral missiles and weapons reduction treaty? 
• Can cooperation be envisaged in the field of outer space and high technology R&D?

1240- 1330 hrs Discussion

SESSION III
1400- 1420 hrs    Prof Srikanth Kondapalli
1420- 1440 hrs    Amb Zhou Gang
 
Key Questions:
• Can maritime cooperation be enhanced in the form of joint patrolling and anti-piracy operations?
• How can current measures on service-to-service and other forms of institutional cooperation in the military field be improved?

1440- 1530 hrs   Discussion
1545- 1645 hrs   Final Outcomes

DAY TWO 9 October 2009
Expanding Economic Activity along Border Areas
 
0900- 0920 hrs   Introductory Remarks

SESSION I
0920- 0940 hrs     Mr Mohan Guruswamy
0940- 1000 hrs     Dr Li Ling
 
Key Questions:
• How can current restrictions on goods traded through land customs stations imposed by the respective governments be done away with?
• How can traditional routes used presently for informal trade be developed to handle formal trade?

1000- 1045 hrs Discussion

SESSION II
1100- 1120 hrs     Prof Zhang Guihong
1120- 1140 hrs     Mr Sanjoy Hazarika
 
Key Questions:
• Is the present physical infrastructure available in the border regions of both countries adequate to handle expanded land trade?
• How can tourist and pilgrim traffic along the Sino-Indian border areas be encouraged and developed?
• What measures need to be taken to improve physical connectivity along and between border areas?

1140- 1230 hrs Discussion
 
SESSION III
1300- 1320 hrs      Mr Nischal Nath Pandey
1320- 1340 hrs      Prof Ren Jia

Key Questions:
• How can countries such as Nepal and Myanmar, through which a large volume of informal goods pass between India and China, be brought into the relationship in a mutually beneficial way?
• How can local border communities be involved in the process of opening up to formal international trade?

1340- 1430 hrs Discussion
1445- 1545 hrs Final outcomes

2. Conference on “Developing a More Propitious Framework for China India Cooperation” (Beijing, 27-28 March 2010) and Track II Meetings with Think Tanks
 
From 26-29 March 2010, an IPCS-led delegation held meetings at think tanks in Beijing which included the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, China Institute of International Studies and China Foundation for International & Strategic Studies (Click here for the report of these meetings). These were in addition to a two-day conference held with the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament on 27-28 March which was titled “Developing a More Propitious Framework for China-India Cooperation.”

List of Participants:

From India
Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee (Director, IPCS)
Brig Arun Sahgal (Consultant, IPCS)
Prof Srikanth Kondapalli (Professor, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Cdr KK Agnihotri  (Research Fellow, National Maritime Foundation)
Prof Swaran Singh (Professor, Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nerhu University)
Ms Rukmani Gupta (Research Fellow, IPCS)

From China:
Mr Niu Qiang (Secretary General, Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament)
Maj Gen Pan Zhenqiang (Deputy Chairman, China Foundation for International Studies)
Sr Col Wang Guifang (Senior Research Fellow, the PLA Academy of Military Science)
Prof Shen Dingli (Director, Centre for American Studies, Fudan University)
Prof Xia Liping (Dean, School of International Relations, Tongji University)
Maj Gen Gong Xianfu (Deputy Chairman, China institute for International Strategic Studies)
Prof Wang Fan (Director, Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University)

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

DAY ONE
27 March 2010
0900- 0920 hrs   Introductory remarks -  
                         Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee; Mr Niu Qiang

SESSION I   INDIA-CHINA STRATEGIC RELATIONS – AN OVERVIEW

0920- 0940 hrs   Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee (Director, IPCS)
0940- 1000 hrs   Maj Gen Pan Zhenqiang (Deputy Chairman, China Foundation for International Studies)
 
Key Questions:
• How are bilateral relations between India and China positioned in the global strategic environment, Asia in particular?
• What are the sources and manifestations of mistrust between the two countries? How do we address them?
• What are the prominent threat perceptions vis-à-vis each other?
• Can India and China cooperate and collaborate on reducing global strategic threats, in nuclear, space and missile defence?

1000- 1045 hrs  Discussion
1045- 1100 hrs  TEA
 

SESSION II  MAINTAINING PEACE AND STABILITY (ENHANCING MILITARY CBMS) 
                  ALONG THE BORDER IN THE EAST AND THE WEST

1100- 1120 hrs   Sr Col Wang Guifang (Senior Research Fellow, the PLA Academy of
Military Science)
1120- 1140 hrs   Brig Arun Sahgal (Consultant, IPCS)
 
Key Questions:
• How can existing CBMs in the border regions be strengthened and better implemented?
• Can CBMs be instituted for the higher echelons of the military, the army and the air force?
• How can existing measures on service-to-service and other institutional military cooperation be improved? Can meetings between representatives of intelligence services be facilitated?
• Can cooperation be envisaged along the border on non traditional security threats?

1140- 1230 hrs  Discussion
1230- 1330 hrs  LUNCH
 
SESSION III  PROMOTING STRATEGIC STABILITY (CBMS IN THE NUCLEAR FIELD)

1330- 1350 hrs   Prof Srikanth Kondapalli (Professor, Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
1350- 1410 hrs   Prof Shen Dingli (Director, Centre for American Studies, Fudan University)
 
Key Questions:
• Why are Nuclear CBMs important to the India-China relationship?
• What process can be envisaged for regular discussions on nuclear issues of mutual concern such as non-proliferation and nuclear stability in Asia?
• What risk reduction measures, nuclear weapons elimination or other stabilization measures be considered at the bilateral level?
• What is the feasibility and advisability of agreements on prior notification of missile tests and of setting up a nuclear hotline?
• Can a CBM, such as that which exists between India and Pakistan, to annually exchange a list of national nuclear facilities be implemented?

1410- 1455 hrs  Discussion
1455- 1510 hrs  TEA
1510- 1555 hrs  Conclusions
 
DAY TWO 28 March 2010

SESSION I   MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL MARITIME COOPERATION

0920- 0940 hrs  Cdr KK Agnihotri  (Research Fellow, National Maritime Foundation)
0940- 1000 hrs  Prof Xia Liping (Dean, School of International Relations, Tongji
University)

Key Questions:
• What are the existing threat perceptions in the maritime field in the Pacific and Indian Ocean theatres?
• What maritime CBMs may be considered, such as doctrinal exchanges, joint exercises, disaster management at sea and anti-piracy measures?
• Can joint security arrangements be considered for the protection of important sea lanes of communication?

1000- 1045 hrs  Discussion
1045- 1100 hrs  TEA
 
SESSION II   ENHANCING ANTI-TERRORISM COOPERATION

1100- 1120 hrs  Maj Gen Gong Xianfu (Deputy Chairman, China institute for International Strategic Studies)
1120- 1140 hrs  Prof Swaran Singh (Professor, Centre for International Politics,
                       Organization and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nerhu University)
 
Key Questions:
• How can cooperation be strengthened on non traditional security challenges such as terrorism?
• What can the two countries learn from each others’ experiences in dealing with extremists/separatists?
• Can policies be formulated to facilitate extradition and mutual assistance in investigating acts of terror, such as intelligence sharing?
• Can cooperation in the form of joint anti-terror drills be envisaged?

1140- 1230 hrs  Discussion
1230- 1330 hrs  LUNCH
 
SESSION III  FACILITATING MEDIA AND THINK TANK INTERACTION

1330- 1350 hrs  Ms Rukmani Gupta (Research Fellow, IPCS)
1350- 1410 hrs  Prof Wang Fan (Director, Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University)
 
Key Questions:
• What has the role of the media been in fostering good bilateral relations?
• How can the media and academia be involved in creating better bilateral ties?

1410- 1455 hrs  Discussion
1455- 1525 hrs  Concluding Session
1525- 1540 hrs  TEA