Saturday, June 6, 2020

India-China Dispute: Pangong Lake


The current eye-to-eye confrontation between China and India is at the Pangong Tso site. The countries have ramped up their troops in the region since May.

Highlights

  • India recently set up twin commands headquartered at Chandigarh and Guwahati and has deployed 90,000 troops. 
  • The troop personnel are all well trained mountaineers. 
  • The issue began in the patrolling of Indian troops in the border. 
  • This is an on and off issue where one country crosses the border while patrolling. 
  • This happens as the border dispute is unsolved and certain border areas are not yet demarcated.

What is the issue?

  • The disputed area between India and China mostly passes in the land. 
  • However, the Pangong Tso lake is unique where the disputed border passes through the water.
  • The lake does not have major tactical significance. 
  • However, the lake lies in the path of Chushul approach. 
  • It is the approach that China uses to offend territories held by India.

What are the Fingers of the Lake?

  • The barren mountain called Chang Chenmo has palm like formations called ‘fingers’. 
  • India claims that LAC (Line of Actual Control) starts from Finger 8. 
  • On the hand, China claims that it starts from Line 2. 
  • India physically controls up to Finger 4.

About the lake


  • The Pangong Tso lake is a long deep narrow lake that is situated at a height of 4,350 metres in the Ladakh region. 
  • The lake is 134 km long and 5 km broad. It is a brackish water lake. 
  • It freezes in winter and is ideal for polo and ice skating. 
  • It is not a part of the Indus river basin. 
  • Also, it is not a Ramsar site yet. 
  • However, the process to identify it under Ramsar Convention is on.

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