ABSTRACT
India’s Northeast frontier is one of the closest regions of China’s Southwestern part and its Tibetan territory. Perpetual boundary issue with the Tibetan region, geopolitical location, economic interests of the Southwestern part of China that adjacent the region, and China’s persistent support to Northeast India’s insurgent groups necessarily demand a deeper strategic understanding of the ‘China factor’ in Northeast India. In the modern times, China is perceived as the factory of the world and India as the knowledge centre. The Tawang Tract in western North-East Frontier Agency had been heavily influenced by Tibetan culture, religion and government for centuries and in the 19th century, this tract was an important trade route between India and Tibet and attracted the attention of the British. Arunachal Pradesh has eventually become one of the prime issues in terms of having a high potential for conflict between India and China, which can severely affect and destabilise India’s Northeast to a large extent.
