Why has the boundary between India and China in Ladakh remained disputed?

The boundary between India and China in Ladakh remains disputed primarily because the two nations have never reached a consensus on the precise alignment of their border, a situation rooted in historical disagreements over British-negotiated agreements.12

The tension escalated significantly in the 1950s when China constructed a military road through the Aksai Chin plateau to connect Tibet with Xinjiang. India’s discovery of this road and its objection to the Chinese presence led to the 1962 Sino-Indian War, after which China retained control of the northeastern portion of Ladakh.324

Today, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) serves as the de facto boundary, but both countries continue to disagree on its exact path. The dispute is frequently exacerbated by mutual accusations of infrastructure construction and territorial incursions, leading to prolonged military standoffs and violent clashes, such as the 2020 confrontation in the Galwan river valley. Despite various diplomatic and military talks aimed at disengagement, a formal resolution to the frontier remains elusive.1542