Jaishankar meets Wang Yi, says LAC must be respected

• Since April-May 2020, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC), occupying Indian territory.
• The Indian government has been cautious in addressing the China issue.

Why in News?

• During the 15th BRICS Summit, the Indian PM and Chinese President agreed to intensify efforts for disengagement and de-escalation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
• Attention is now on the plans being devised by military commanders for troop pullback.

What is the Line of Actual Control (LAC)?

• Separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
• Divided into three sectors: eastern (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh), and western (Ladakh).
• India claims LAC is 3,488 km long; China claims around 2,000 km.
• India’s official boundary (Survey of India) includes Aksai Chin and Gilgit-Baltistan.

LAC vs Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan:

• LoC established post-1948 ceasefire, formalized in 1972 under the Shimla Agreement.
• LAC is not internationally recognized or demarcated, unlike the LoC.

Disagreement over the LAC:

• Major disagreements in the western sector, stemming from 1959 Chinese PM Zhou Enlai’s letters to PM Nehru.
• India rejected China’s 1959 and 1962 LAC claims post-1962 War.
• Doklam crisis (2017) highlighted China’s assertion of the "1959 LAC."

Controversy in Ladakh:

• Aksai Chin was not part of British India; boundary undefined in western Ladakh.

Current Arrangement:

• India accepted LAC conceptually in 1993.
• Signed Agreement to Maintain Peace and Tranquility at LAC.
• Joint Working Group tasked to clarify LAC alignment.

Plans for De-escalation in Eastern Ladakh:

• Details of troop withdrawal and disengagement phases under discussion since 2020.
• Corps Commanders dialogue resulted in limited disengagement and creation of buffer zones.

Legacy Issues:

• Depsang Plains and Demchok issues predate 2020 incursions.
• PLA incursion in Depsang Plains (2013) near Daulat Beg Oldie unresolved.
• Demchok issues at ChardingNinglung Nullah (CNN) junction persist.

Prelims Takeaway

• LAC