IndiaChina Border Trade: A Case Study of Sikkim's Nathu La: A Case Study of Sikkim's Nathu LaBorder trade between India and China was closed shortly before the IndiaChina war of 1962. The growing tensions between the two countries due to border issues along with India’s stand to give refuge to the Dalai Lama added fuel to fire. There was about a decade and a half long Cold War like situation that existed between the two countries. Relations began to normalise from the mid1970’s. On 16 December 1991, India and China signed a memorandum of understanding on resumption of Border Trade. It was decided initially it would be carried out at one point across the Uttar PradeshTibet border through the Lipulekh pass. This was followed by the reopening of Border Trade in 1992. Two years down the line a second trading point was reopened across Himachal PradeshTibet border through the Shipki La. Later in 2006, Nathu La pass was reopened in Sikkim as per the agreement signed between India and China in 2003. In the decade that has followed, few of the expectations that the people in the Sikkim region had from the opening of this route has materialised. This work deals primarily with the nature of the border trade across the Nathu La, the expectations the people had from it, and humble for suggestions for attaining them. |
Common terms and phrases
accessed agricultural based on UNCOMTRADE Bhutias bilateral trade border trade British Buddhist Calculation based Changu China was exporting Chinese Chumbi Valley Code Commodities RCA comparative advantage countries Delhi east district East Sikkim economic expected exports and imports exports to China fibers nesoi Five Yearly Growth four digit level Gangtok Government of Sikkim HS Code Commodities huge imports from China India and China India-China Indian side industrial Jelep Jelep La July June Kalimpong Lama Lepcha Lhasa manufacturing merchandise trade minimum being HS Nathu la border Nathu la trade Nathula Nepal nesoi Rakhee Rangpo Rate of Exports RCA greater RCA>1 maximum reference period reopening Revealed Comparative Advantage road Sherathang Shipki la Siliguri textile Tibet Autonomous Region Tibetan Tina Harris top ten commodities top ten list tourist trade between India trade mart trade through Nathu trading point UNCOMTRADE data Vegetable village West Bengal wool woven fabrics yarn and woven