Ladakh integral part of India: MEA

New Delhi, Oct 13: After China objected to the naming of 28 strategic locations and geographical features in Union Territory for official mapping, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday reaffirmed that Ladakh is and will always remain an integral part of India.
The MEA said that the exercise was aimed at ensuring accurate identification of geographical features and improving public awareness of the strategically sensitive border region.
“The UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the ministry’s weekly briefing.
The government had announced standardised names for 28 locations on October 2 after consultations with the Ladakh administration. The locations have been incorporated into India’s official maps.
Among the places identified are Gogra and Hot Spring, which emerged as major friction points during the 2020 military standoff between Indian and Chinese troops. Both locations are significant for patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Other locations on the list include Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik Glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley, Zorawar Peak, Dehra Compass and Drak Karpo.
The list also includes Jolmori, Kumarayana Point, Panglung, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyasri Giri, Guru Rinpoche, Shamal Lungpa, Yangpa River, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshwara Ri.
Shamal Lungpa has been described as a patrol and staging route dating back to the 1950s.
According to the MEA, the standardisation of names on Survey of India maps would help facilitate the accurate recognition of these places and improve public understanding of the region.
China has opposed India’s move, maintaining its objections to Ladakh’s status as a Union Territory and disputing India’s territorial claims in the western sector of the India-China boundary.
The latest exchange comes amid continuing differences between the two countries over the disputed frontier, where both have accused each other of attempting to alter the status quo.
Pertinently, the boundary dispute escalated into a deadly military confrontation in June 2020, when Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.
At least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed in the clash, the first deadly military confrontation between the two sides since 1975.
The incident had triggered a prolonged military standoff, with both countries deploying additional troops and equipment along the LAC.
Several rounds of military and diplomatic talks subsequently led to disengagement at multiple friction points. However, the boundary dispute remains unresolved, with territorial claims and military deployments continuing to influence bilateral relations. (KNO)