Why in news?

In a major diplomatic breakthrough, India and China have agreed to resume patrolling at key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This agreement follows years of military standoffs since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which had left both nations in a deadlock.

What’s in today’s article?

• Galwan attack and situation thereafter
• Key highlights of the recent patrolling agreement along the LAC
• Significance of this agreement

Galwan attack and situation thereafter

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• Galwan Clash
  • In May 2020, Indian and Chinese troops clashed at various points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
    • These points included: Pangong Tso, Galwan Nalah and Demchok in Ladakh and at Naku La (a mountain pass at an altitude of over 5000 metres) in Sikkim.
  • Later, a violent clash at Galwan Valley started between Indian troops and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on the night of June 15, 2020.
  • After this incident, both sides deployed a large number of troops in the area along with heavy weaponry.
• Corps Commander level talks
  • Since then, India and China have held multiple rounds of the talks at Corps Commander level on the LAC in Eastern Ladakh area to resolve the standoff.
• Friction points
  • There are seven friction points in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops have had confrontations since May 2020.
  • These include PP 14 (Galwan), PP 15 (Hot Springs), PP 17A (Gogra), north and south banks of Pangong Tso, Depsang Plains (the Chinese had cut off Indian access to the PPs there) and Charding Nullah.
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Key highlights of the recent patrolling agreement along the LAC

• Restoration of Patrolling Rights in Depsang Plains and Demchok
  • India and China have agreed to restore patrolling rights in the Depsang Plains and Demchok regions of eastern Ladakh, addressing long-standing "legacy issues" that predate the 2020 Chinese incursions.
  • Indian troops will now be able to patrol up to Patrolling Points (PP) 10 to 13 in Depsang and Charding Nullah in Demchok.
• Agreement on Patrolling Protocols
  • Both sides will patrol up to the old points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), with Indian patrols occurring twice a month.
  • The strength of each patrol will consist of 14-15 troops to avoid clashes.
  • Patrol programmes will be coordinated, with any clashing dates being mutually modified to prevent misunderstandings.
• Eastern Theatre and Other Friction Points
  • While agreements have been reached on Depsang and Demchok, friction points like Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso remain unchanged.
  • Discussions regarding the eastern sectors, particularly sensitive areas in Arunachal Pradesh, are still ongoing.
• Confidence-Building Measures
  • The pact aims to restore trust between the two countries through monthly commander-level meetings and case-specific talks.
  • Both sides aim to reduce the overall deployment of troops along the LAC, a process already planned for winter.

Significance of this agreement

• Rekindling hope
  • The pact has rekindled hopes of early restoration of diplomatic and bilateral political ties.
  • This agreement assumes significance since the Chinese side, until a year ago, showed reluctance to even discuss them while it agreed on disengagement at other friction points.
• Depsang Plains is significant
  • The Depsang Plains is 30 km southeast of the strategically important Daulat Beg Oldie post near the Karakoram Pass in the north.
  • Also, in the midst of mountainous terrain, it offers a flat surface which can be used by either of the two countries to launch a military offensive, similar to the Spanggur Gap in the Chushul sub-sector.
  • Bottleneck, a rocky outcrop about 7 km east of Burtse (an Indian Army base), connects key areas in the Depsang Plains.
    • Located on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road, Bottleneck is also known as the Y-Junction due to its forked track.