75% of LAC Disengagement Issues Resolved: EAM Jaishankar
Why in the news?
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that around 75% of disengagement issues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China have been resolved.
The statement was made during a speech at the Global Centre for Security Policy in Geneva.
Impact of Galwan Valley Clash:
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted the significant impact of the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash on India-China relations.
He noted that border violence is deeply interconnected with the overall bilateral relationship between India and China.
About Galwan Valley :
Location:
Situated between Ladakh (west) and Aksai Chin (east).
The Galwan River flows from Aksai Chin to the Shyok River in Ladakh.
Significance:
Strategic due to control of the Shyok route via the river’s ridgeline.
Notable flashpoint in the 1962 India-China war.
2020 Clash:
June 15, 2020: Violent confrontation between Indian and Chinese soldiers.
India lost 20 soldiers; China reported four casualties, with some estimates suggesting up to 40 PLA deaths.
Line of Actual Control (LAC):
Definition:
Demarcates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
Not officially agreed upon or delineated.
Length:
India: Approximately 3,488 km.
China: Around 2,000 km.
Sectors:
Eastern: Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Middle: Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
Western: Ladakh.
Claims:
India: LAC is not its claim line; India claims Aksai Chin and Gilgit-Baltistan.
China: LAC is its claim line except in the eastern sector, where it claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet.
Disagreements:
India rejects LAC, viewing it as a Chinese construct.
The Chinese LAC lacks clarity and leaves room for territorial adjustments.
Historical maps and agreements, such as the 1914 Shimla Agreement, play a role in the dispute.