India and China withdraw troops from Daulat Beg Oldi sector

May 9, 2013

India and China ended their stand-off in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector in eastern Ladakh after a series of flag meetings and diplomatic talks with both countries ordering their troops, facing each other 300 metres away, to dismantle their tents. The talks were supplemented by recently created Joint Mechanism established after two years of deliberation for precisely this purpose and daily conversations b/w MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and the Chinese Foreign Office.
What was the issue?
India had alleged that about 40 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops had intruded 19 km into its territory across the line of actual control (LAC) on April 15, 2013. They set up tents in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector and were matched by an equal strength of ITBP (India) troops being asked to set up tents 300 metres away.
Where is Daulat Beg Oldi?
Daulat Beg Oldi is located in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies at the easternmost point of the Karakoram Range in a cold desert region, just 8 km south of the Chinese border and 9 km northwest of the Aksai Chin Line of Actual Control b/w China and India. It is a historic camp site and current military base located on an ancient trade route connecting Ladakh to Yarkand in Xinjiang, China. The Chip Chap River flows by Daulat Beg Oldi from east to west.