Line of Control (LoC)
Legal Status and Security Framework
The Line of Control is not an internationally recognised boundary but a de facto ceasefire line between India and Pakistan, demarcated following the 1972 Simla Agreement after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. It stretches approximately 740 km through Jammu and Kashmir. Under the Simla Agreement, India and Pakistan agreed to resolve their differences through peaceful bilateral means and to respect the LoC. The LoC is subject to a Ceasefire Agreement (CFA); India and Pakistan restored the 2003 CFA in February 2021 after years of violations. The LoC is patrolled and guarded by the Indian Army, with posts at regular intervals; it is not fenced in all sections due to difficult mountain and forest terrain.
- The Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) is being deployed along sensitive stretches of the LoC and International Border — includes sensors, cameras, floodlights, and intrusion detection systems
- Border Fencing: India has fenced the International Border (IB) with Pakistan to a greater extent than the LoC; the LoC fencing was damaged during the 2014 and 2019 floods and has been progressively rebuilt
- India-Pakistan LoC CFA restoration (February 2021): both sides committed to strict observance of the 2003 CFA; cross-border firing incidents declined significantly but drone activity escalated
- Military operations along the LoC fall under the purview of the Indian Army (Northern Command); Intelligence inputs are shared among the Army, CRPF, J&K Police, and Intelligence Bureau
● Tracked since February 28, 2026 · last seen August 29, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes