Why Soldiers do not keep arms on India-China LAC

(Kajal Singh journalist): New Delhi: India China Border Tension: During the conflict in the Galvan Valley between the soldiers of India and China, the soldiers did not have weapons. The question raised in the minds of all the people of the country, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, what was the reason that the soldiers did not carry weapons with them. The foreign minister S.K. Jaishankar has given the answer to Rahul Gandhi. He said that there is a long tradition (under the 1996 and 2005 agreements) not to use weapons during the deadlock.


However, it is important to know in detail what are the agreements under which the Chinese along with India do not keep arms on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Let us know how many agreements have been reached between the two countries on the boundaries and what these agreements mean for both countries.
Several agreements between the two countries to resolve the border dispute:


Foreign Minister S.K. Jaishankar mentions two agreements in this context, which took place in 1996 and 2005. However, five agreements were reached in 1993, 1996, 2005, 2012, and 2013 to settle the boundary dispute between India and China. PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister at the time of the 1993 agreement. This agreement was common, which went out of the way due to subsequent agreements. Article 6 of the 1996 agreement states that neither side shall fire within a two-km radius of the LAC. Also, dangerous chemical weapons, guns, explosions are not allowed in this area.

According to the 2013 Border Defence Cooperation Agreement, if troops from both sides come face to face, they will not use force and shootout or armed conflict. The 2005 agreement is more a guiding principle from the point of view of resolving the border dispute.


The number of soldiers also determined:
1996 agreement between India and China was signed while HD Deva Gowda was the Prime Minister. The agreement is the most comprehensive of the protocols followed by the armed forces of two nuclear-powered countries on LAC. It not only determines the number of troops to be deployed from both countries but also limits the maximum number of troops to 15 thousand for military exercises for both countries. At the same time, it also stipulates that the direction of the main force involved in military exercises will not be towards the other side.

The 2013 agreement clearly mentions that LACs in the India-China border area where there is no common understanding between the two sides should not be pursued by the other party.


Prohibition on large arms deployment:
The 1996 agreement calls for the least deployment of field artillery to the armies of both countries. This includes battle tanks, infantry combat vehicles, cannons (including howitzers) of 75 mm or larger, mortars of 120 mm or larger, ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missiles, and no deployment of any other weapon system. But both countries have agreed. Also, the agreement prohibits airforce flights within 10 km of the Line of Actual Control, unless advance notice of the flight and complete flight plans such as aircraft type, time, latitude and longitude to the other party. Be given. At the same time, only helicopters and transport aircraft are allowed to fly.