NEW DELHI: China violated a key agreement with India when it pitched tents at Depsang Bulge in eastern Ladakh on April 15. But the Indian government has been silent about it, even dismissing the event.

In April 2005, India and China had signed a protocol on “Modalities for the Implementation of Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field Along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas”. This was a successor protocol to the two foundational pacts that govern “peace and tranquility” in the border areas — the agreement for Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the line of actual control (LAC) in the India-China Border Areas signed in September 1993 and Agreement on Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field along the LAC in the India-China Border Areas signed between the two sides in November, 1996.

The 2005 protocol, signed during the visit of the then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao , lays down set procedures on how to deal with different issues in border areas.

Article 4 of the protocol states, “If the border personnel of the two sides come to a face-to-face situation due to differences on the alignment of the Line of Actual Control or any other reason, they shall exercise self-restraint and take all necessary steps to avoid an escalation of the situation.” On April 15, the Indian Army confronted the Chinese who had pitched tents at Raki Nala. The protocol says in such a “face-off” situation, the two sides should “cease activities in the area” and return to their bases.

The Chinese have violated this basic tenet in the agreement. There has been aggressive patrolling on both sides in recent years, but by and large both sides have adhered to the 2005 agreement. However, this was not the case this time around.