Territorial Disputes and Crisis Stability in Sino-Indian Relations since 2020

The 2020 Galwan Valley clash marked a critical rupture in the management of the Sino-Indian border dispute and raised significant concerns regarding crisis stability between two nuclear-armed neighbours. This article examines how India and China have managed territorial tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020 and assesses the effectiveness of existing crisis-management mechanisms in preventing escalation. Drawing on the conceptual framework of crisis stability and deterrence, the study analyses post-Galwan military deployments, strategic signalling, diplomatic engagement, and border governance practices adopted by both states. It argues that while large-scale armed conflict has been avoided through calibrated restraint and sustained dialogue, the border remains structurally unstable due to persistent territorial ambiguity, growing militarisation, and deepening mutual mistrust. The findings suggest that existing confidence-building measures are increasingly inadequate to ensure long-term stability, with crisis management relying heavily on ad hoc negotiations rather than institutionalised governance mechanisms. By situating the Sino-Indian border dispute within broader debates on territorial conflicts and escalation control, the article contributes to political science and international relations scholarship on crisis stability in protracted border disputes.