‘No amount of denial can change the fact’: MEA's firm message to China on Ladakh

India has officially recognized and standardized the names of 28 geographical features in Ladakh.

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday reiterated that the Union territory of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. The ministry said that no amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact. The statement came after a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry opposed the naming of certain strategic locations in Ladakh. Rejecting the claims, the MEA said: "The announcement mentions that the twenty-eight (28) places/features located in the UT of Ladakh have been identified with standard place and feature names on the official map of Survey of India, and it has been done in consultation with the Union Territory of Ladakh and local stakeholders. Identifying these places formally on the Survey of India map of UT of Ladakh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large." On 2 October, India formally identified 28 strategic locations and geographical features in Ladakh on its official map, including key border friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), such as Gogra and Hot Spring. The move, undertaken in consultation with the Ladakh administration, aimed to improve official mapping, ensure precise identification and raise public awareness of the sensitive border region.

Gogra and Hot Spring were among the friction points during the 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese troops and remain important for patrolling along the LAC. The standoff began on 5 May 2020 after a clash near Pangong Lake. Disengagement efforts began in 2022. Other locations include Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir mountain, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik Glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley, Zorawar Peak and several other geographical features.