India-China deal on Gogra and Hot Springs likely soon

India-China deal on Gogra and Hot Springs likely soon

Subject : International Relations / Defence

Context : India and China are set to hold the 12th round of Corps Commander-level talks aimed to resolving the standoff in Eastern Ladakh soon and an agreement for disengagement at Gogra and Hot Springs is likely to be reached

Concept :

• China had proposed the 12th round of Corps Commander-level talks on Monday, but India, which observes July 26 as Kargil Day to commemorate the victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil War, asked for the discussions to be postponed by a few days.
• The Corps Commander-level talks are now likely to take place in the first week of August, or perhaps earlier, sources said.
• The last Corps Commander-level talks to discuss the disengagement and eventual de-escalation in eastern Ladakh, where India and China are involved in a stand-off since May 2020, were held in April this year.

Kargil Vijay Diwas

• The Kargil Vijay Diwas is marked on July 26. It is celebrated in the honour of Kargil war heroes. The Kargil conflict is also referred to as Operation Vijay.
• There were three major phases in Kargil war. First, Pakistan captured the Indian controlled section of Kashmir at various high points.
• In the second phase, India responded by capturing several strategic high points. In the third phase, India succeeded in pushing the Pakistani forces back to the Line of Control.
• During the war, the Indian Air Force launched Operation Safed Sagar.
• The war was fought with great difficulties. This is because Kargil, the site of conflict is located at a height of around 16,000 to 18,000 feet above the sea level.
• Thus, the aircrafts were required to fly at 20,000 feet. At these heights, the density of air is 30% less as compared to that of the sea level.