India and China reach agreement on patrolling arrangements along disputed Line of Actual Current (LAC)

Posted 22 Oct 2024

2 min read

Agreement seeks to resolve military standoff that started in April 2020, addressing issues in areas of Indo-China western border along eastern Ladakh e.g. Demchok and Depsang.

Tensions in 2020 arose from China's objections to India's infrastructure projects, especially a road in the Galwan Valley (Ladakh) connecting to a key airbase.

The image depicts a map of the northern part of India, highlighting areas along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Key locations such as Aksai Chin, the Siachen Glacier, the Galwan Valley, Daulat Beg Oldi, and the Pangong Tso Lake are marked. The map outlines disputed territories between India, Pakistan, and China in the Ladakh region.

India China Border Dispute

India’s 3,488-km border with China is not clearly demarcated and there is no mutually agreed LAC along certain stretches.
India-China border is divided into three sectors:
- Western Border (Ladakh): dispute focuses on the Johnson Line from 1860s, which includes Aksai Chin in India whereas China considers MaCartney-MacDonald Line as border.
- Middle Sector: In Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, boundary dispute is minor.
- Eastern Sector: In Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, dispute centers on the McMahon Line established in 1914 Simla Convention.
  - China rejects MacMahon line.

Border Dispute Settlement Mechanism:

India and China have signed five agreements to manage disputes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC):

Agreements	Focus
1993 Agreement	Focused on maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC
1996 Agreement	Established confidence-building measures in military operations
2005 Protocol	Detailed implementation of military confidence-building measures
2012 Agreement	Created a Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC)
2013 Agreement	Enhanced border defense cooperation