Context
During the 11th round of discussions the two nations India and China has resolved the standoff between them but China had refused to vacate two of the four original friction points namely Patrolling Point 15 (PP15) in Hot Springs, and PP17A near Gogra Post.
What are PP15 and 17A?
- Indian Army has been given some locations for patrolling in some of the areas under its control on LAC.
- These points are known as patrolling points or PPs that were decided by the China Study Group (CSG)
- These points are assessed on regular basis to assert their control over the territory.
China Study Group (CSG)
- CSG was set-up in 1976 under the leadership of Indira Gandhi government.
- It is the apex decision-making body on China.
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- It is an important exercise since the boundary between India and China is ambiguous.
- At present there are around 65 patrolling points in Ladakh along the LAC and PP15 and PP17A are two of them.
- PP15 is located in an area which is known as the Hot Springs, while PP17A is near an area that is called the Gogra post.
- Both of these areas are close to the Chang Chenmo river in the Galwan sub-sector of the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
- Hot Springs is located just north of the Chang Chenmo river and Gogra Post lies east of the point where the river takes a hairpin bend and come southeast from Galwan Valley and turns in southwest.
- The area is north of the Karakoram Range of mountains.
Strategic significance of this region
- The area lies close to Kongka Pass, one of the main passes which mark the boundary between India and China.
- India’s claim of the international boundary lies significantly towards east which also includes the entire Aksai Chin area as well.
- Hot Springs and Gogra Post are close to the boundary between two of the most historically disturbed provinces of China.
- Both PP15 and PP17A are in an area where India and China largely agree on the alignment of the LAC, which comes southeast from Galwan Valley, turns down at Konga La and moves towards Ann Pass before reaching the north bank of Pangong Tso.
- China has a major post of the People’s Liberation Army at a few km east of Kongka La, while Indian posts lie southwest of it.
- Hot Springs had also been an important post during the 1962 conflict.
