India and China confirm withdrawal of troops from PP-15 in Ladakh

India and China confirm withdrawal of troops from PP-15 in Ladakh

Subject : Geography

Context:

India and China have carried out verification to confirm withdrawal of troops from Patrolling Point (PP) 15in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh, marking the completion of the disengagement there.

Details:

• Since the beginning of the stand-off there has been heavy Chinese presence in the Depsang plains, at a crucial area called the Bulge and PLA troops have also been blocking Indian Army patrols from reaching the PPs 10, 11, 11A, 12 and 13, located on the Limit of Patrolling which lies much before the LAC.
• While the disengagement process was completed, sources explained that the road ahead is long. They said the main objective now would be to ensure that the situation in Depsang Plains, where the Chinese have blocked Indians from accessing five patrolling points, is brought back to normal.
• Depsang Plains saw massive deployment changes and build-up by the Chinese since May 2020.
• The same holds true for Demchok, where the Chinese have set up about three to five tents across ChardingNilong Nallah, a territory claimed by India.

Pangong Tso lake:

• Pangong Lake is located in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
• It is situated at a height of almost 4,350m and is the world’s highest saltwater lake.
• Extending to almost 160km, one-third of the Pangong Lake lies in India and the other two-thirds in China.

Galwan Valley:

• The valley refers to the land that sits between steep mountains that buffet the Galwan River.
• The river has its source in Aksai Chin, and it flows from the east to Ladakh, where it meets the Shyokriver on India’s side of the LAC.
• The valley is strategically located between Ladakh in the west and Aksai Chin in the east.

Hot Springs and Gogra Post:

• Hot Springs is just north of the Chang Chenmo river and Gogra Post is east of the point where the river takes a hairpin bend coming southeast from Galwan Valley and turning southwest.
• The area is north of the Karakoram Range of mountains, which lies north of the Pangong Tso lake, and south east of Galwan Valley.

Chang Chenmo River:

• Chang Chenmo River or Changchenmo River is a tributary of the ShyokRiver, part of the Indus River system.
• It is at the southern edge of the disputed Aksai Chin region and north of the Pangong Lake basin.
• The source of Chang Chenmo is near the Lanak Pass.

Depsang Plains

It is close to the strategic Indian base at Daulat Beg Oldie (historic trade route between Ladakh and Central Asia, It also has one of the world’s highest airstrips), near the Karakoram Pass.