So, somewhat as I had expected, Sikkim is back in the news. Indians had interpreted the issue of Sikkim's status as a part of India and its borders with China to be settled.

However, there is a minor dispute over about 2 sq. Km on the Sikkim, Bhutan, and China borders. Apparently, China has been "testing India's perimeter with cross border forays. China has also objected to India troop reinforcements in the Siliguri area according to today's Hindustan Times.

The problems are unlikely to cause a major conflict in the near future. However, they do remind us that the Sino-Indian border is still unsettled. Indian officials have been too eager to paint a picture of progress on these issues rather than letting the Chinese speak for themselves.

I don't really think this issue (which has been in negotiations for almost three decades) will be settled but what I find fascinating is the discourse on "cartographic aggression," in which maps serve as signs of diplomatic achievement or discord. The logic is a legacy of imperial cartography which helped to create this mess.



Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T