India-China LAC

Why in the News?

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to intensify efforts for expeditious disengagement and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Disengagement along the LAC:

1. 19th round of India-China military talks outcome: There is a possibility for limited disengagement at certain mutually-accepted points along the boundary.
2. Corps Commanders of India and China have been discussing resolution of the flashpoints along the LAC since 2020.

3. Both sides have agreed to pull back troops and dismantle temporary structures from
   • Galwan Valley,
   • The north and south banks of Pangong Tso
   • Patrolling Points in the Gogra and Hot Springs area.
4. Disengagement in many areas has led to the creation of buffer zones hindering troops of both sides from accessing areas which they patrolled earlier.
5. The legacy issues of Depsang Plains and Demchok which predates the 2020 incursions by the Chinese PLA still continue.
   • Chinese troops have been blocking Indian access to Patrol Points 10 to 13 from a bottleneck known as the Y-junction in Depsang plains (located close to the strategically important Daulat Beg Oldie.).
   • In Demchok, PLA has been stopping Indian graziers at the Saddle Pass at the Charding Ninglung Nullah (CNN) junction, well within India’s perception of the LAC.

About:

Line of Actual Control (LAC):

1. McMahon line acts as a boundary line between Indian and China.
2. The tripartite Conference of 1913, between the British Indian government and Tibet led to delimitation of Indo-Tibetan Boundary. But this has not been accepted by China.
3. LAC is a line of demarcation between the Indian-controlled territory and the Chinese-controlled territory that was agreed on post Indo-China War, 1962 that was stated with China’s occupation of Aksai region and built a road through it.
4. India considers LAC to be 3488 km long stretch while China claims it to be only 2000 km long.
5. It is divided into three sectors
   1. The eastern sector which spans Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
   2. The middle sector in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
   3. The western sector in Ladakh.

Infrastructure developments along LAC (Line of Actual Control):

1. To improve the connectivity and accessibility to the rough terrains along LAC, extensive construction of Roads has been carried on which includes strategic Indo-China Border roads (ICBRs) entrusted to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

2. Trilateral highway aimed at connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand that also acts a connectivity route to Southeast Asia.
3. Connecting roads between Mizoram and Port of Sittwe in Rakhine Province of Myanmar and construction of 69 bridges.
4. Roadway to connect India and Nepal can facilitate easier connectivity between the two countries and bolster bigger business opportunities. The Raxaul-Kathmandu Rail link project can facilitate in greater people-to-people connectivity.
5. The connectivity projects will enable timely and smooth supply of essential commodities and ammunitions to border forces present in remote locations.
6. It shall also enable to reduce instances of Ceasefire violations and infiltration due to continued monitoring and patrol facilitated by the infrastructural development projects.

Hurdles that hinder the infrastructural projects along LAC:

1. Delay in execution of road projects due to:
   1. Delay in obtaining Forest/Wildlife clearances
   2. Hard rock stretches
   3. Limited working season
   4. Difficulties in availability of construction materials
   5. Delay in land acquisition
   6. Natural calamities such as earthquakes, flash floods, etc.,
   7. Strategic security consideration.
2. The Military junta in Myanmar has resulted in volatile conditions in the Chin and sagaing regions of Myanmar that has halted further talks on the Trilateral highway project.

MCQ: Arrange the following places from West to east: Depsang Plains Hot springs Daulat Beg Oldie Galwan Choose the correct option from below: a)3-1-4-2 b)1-3-4-2 c)3-2-4-1 d)1-4-3-2   Ans: a) Explanation: Daulat Beg Oldie-Depsang plains-Galwan-Hot springs