LINE OF ACTUAL CONTROL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Security)

Context: In a significant move set to redefine the geopolitical dynamics of Ladakh, India is nearing the final stages of a major infrastructure project aimed at bolstering connectivity to a crucial and isolated outpost near the disputed line of Actual Control (LAC). 

• This initiative comes as a response to China's assertive actions and military aspirations in the region, which have exacerbated an ongoing border dispute.

Line of Actual Control (LAC)

• About: The LAC is the demarcation that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory known as Mc Mohan Line.
• Three Areas: Western (Ladakh, Kashmir),

o Middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and

o Eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).

• As LAC is not fully and officially demarcated, it has led to differing perceptions regarding the alignment, with China making territorial claims in the following areas.
• The countries disagree on the exact location of the LAC in various areas, so much so that India claims that the LAC is 3,488 km long while the Chinese believe it to be around 2,000 km long.