China says ‘never recognised’ U.T. of Ladakh; India hits back, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• India and China recently sparred over India's decision to standardize the names of 28 geographical features in Ladakh.
• China's Foreign Ministry stated it has "never recognised" the Union Territory of Ladakh and called India's naming "illegal and void".
• India's External Affairs Ministry rejected China's claims, asserting that the U.T. of Ladakh is an integral part of India.
• This marks the first significant diplomatic spat between the two nations in two years, despite recent efforts to normalize relations.

Detailed Insights:

• The standardization of names was carried out by the Survey of India for features including peaks, mountains, glaciers, and passes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• China's objection is linked to India's 2019 decision to bifurcate the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories and dilute Article 370.
• The newly named features include areas abutting Patrolling Point 15 (PP-15), a site of past military stand-offs and disengagement between Indian and Chinese forces.
• Both India and China have historically used official maps and administrative jurisdictions as cartographic tools to reinforce their territorial claims.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Line of Actual Control (LAC): The demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory in the Sino-Indian border dispute.
• Union Territory (U.T.): An administrative division in India directly governed by the central government, unlike states which have their own elected governments.
• Article 370: A provision in the Constitution of India that granted special autonomous status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.