‘No-patrol’ Zones in Eastern Ladakh

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India and China have completed troop disengagement from the Gogra area or Patrolling Point-17A (PP-17A) of eastern Ladakh, after several months of a “sensitive face-off”.

About

• The disengagement in this area came over five months after the two sides withdrew their troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong Lake areas.
• However, the details of a temporary no-patrol zone differ from location to location.
• The suspension of patrolling is not permanent, however, patrolling from both sides has been suspended till the standoff throughout eastern Ladakh is resolved.
  • This means not only disengaging from the friction points, but also de-escalation.
  • De-escalation means both sides will pull back the additional troops that have been stationed in the region since last year.

What is a ‘no patrolling or ‘buffer’ zone?

• When two forces disengage from a face-off point where they had been eyeball-to-eyeball or in close proximity to each other, one way to prevent new face-offs is to create a no-patrolling zone.
• It is a zone in which troops from neither side are allowed to patrol for a certain length of time.
• Inception:
  • The idea of the no-patrolling zone between India and China can be traced back to the border war of 1962.
  • China created a sort of buffer zone extending from where its forces were to where the LAC was after declaring a unilateral ceasefire on November 21, 1962.

Importance of Patrolling

• In the case of an undecided boundary like the one between India and China, where the two countries do not even agree on the alignment of the LAC in places, forces patrol the region to assert their control over the territory.
• To manage the situations arising at borders effectively.

Patrolling Points

• PPs are patrolling points identified and marked on the LAC, which are patrolled with a stipulated frequency by the security forces.
• They serve as a guide to the location of the LAC for the soldiers, acting as indicators of the extent of ‘actual control’ exercised on the territory by India.
• The patrolling points for India are decided by a body known as the China Study Group (CSG).
  • China Study Group (CSG) was established in 1975, is a secretary-level official group that is the sole adviser to the central government on matters related to China.
• Patrolling Points in India:
  • There are over 60 patrolling points in eastern Ladakh.
  • At all places barring the Depsang Plains, the patrolling points are on the LAC.
  • In Depsang, the limit of patrolling is considerably inside Indian territory from the LAC.
  • Some of the PPs are prominent and identifiable geographical features, such as a pass, or a Nala junction where no numerals are given.
  • Almost all the Patrolling points are on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) except PP10, PP11, PP11A, PP12 and PP13 i.e. from Raki Nala to Jivan Nala which do not fall on the LAC.
  • Disputed Patrolling points: PPs 10 to 13 in the Depsang sector, PP14 in Galwan, PP15 in Hot Spring, and PP17 and PP17A in Gogra are currently being disputed by both sides.
• Location of No-Patrol Zones:
  • The PP17A will become the third region where Indian troops used to patrol before the standoff began in May 2020, and will not do so now.
  • On each side, the forces were allowed to have around 30 troops at a distance of about 1.7 km from PP14, and another 50 troops each a kilometre further behind.
  • The area between Finger 3 and Finger 8 has been a no-patrol zone.

Source: IE