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39-512: The " Khurnak Bridges " are the twin adjacent bridges over the Pangong Tso/lake, one smaller and a bigger one for the heavier vehicle, built by China to connect Khurnak Fort on the north bank to Rutog in southeast via a new road which will reduce the distance between two locations by 150 km. India claims that this bridge is illegal as it lies in the area claimed by India. It lies 20 km east of the point [Finger 8] which India perceives to be

78-506: A PLA border patrol company of the Western Theater Command was stationed nearby. Pangong Tso#Khurnak Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake ( Tibetan : སྤང་གོང་མཚོ ; Chinese : 班公错 ; pinyin : Bān gōng cuò ; Hindi : पैंगोंग झील , romanized :  Paiṅgoṅg jhīl ) is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and West Tibet situated at an elevation of 4,225 m (13,862 ft). It

117-471: A connection with the village of Noh. The Khurnak Plain is accessible from both Ladakh and Rudok via multiple routes. Strachey noted two access routes from Ladakh, one via Marsimik La and the other via the Chang Chenmo valley and Mipal. These were usable in the summer. A third route from the south, crossing the narrow channel of the lake, shown in later maps as a ford, would have been the easiest route to

156-480: A large plain called Ot or Ote at the centre of Pangong Lake on its northern bank. In recent times, the plain has come to be called the "Khurnak Plain", after the fort. The plain divides Pangong Lake into two halves: to the west is the Pangong Tso proper and to the east are a string of lakes called Nyak Tso , Tso Ngombo, or other names. The Khurnak Plain is 8 miles long and 3 miles wide. It is, in fact,

195-612: A winter grazing area for the Changpa nomads. The snow never stayed for long on the Ote Plain, even when the lake itself froze. The Changpa nomads of Noh (also called Üchang or Wujiang) and Rudok camped out at the plain during the winter. To protect the tents against the wind, walls of stone and earth were built, and the floors were dug 3 feet deep. Strachey also labels the Khurnak Plain as "Uchang Tobo", which might indicate

234-608: Is 134 km (83 mi) long and divided into five sublakes, called Pangong Tso , Tso Nyak , Rum Tso (twin lakes) and Nyak Tso . Approximately 50% of the length of the overall lake lies within Tibet administered by China, 40% in Indian-administered Ladakh, and the remaining 10% is disputed and is a de facto buffer zone between India and China. The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. All together it covers almost 700 km . During winter

273-581: Is Tibetan, meaning "high grassland lake", however travel books say Pangong means "hollow". Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo is Tibetan that is interpreted to mean various different but similar meanings -- "long, narrow, enchanted lake" by Chinese media sources, "female narrow very long lake" by early European explorers, and "long-necked swan lake" by other modern sources. Pangong Tso is surrounded by three mountain ranges: Changchenmo Range and Pangong Range sub-ranges of Karakoram Range , and Kailash Range (Gangdise Shan range). Changchenmo Range runs along

312-633: Is a popular location for bird-watching for tourists in Ngari . Skakjung Skakjung or Kokzhung is 45–kilometer long pasture land along the right bank of Indus River valley in Southern Ladakh . It is traditionally used by nomads of nearby villages such as Chushul and Nyoma as well as Rupshu . The Skakung pasture land can be used year-round because it rarely snows in the Indus Valley. There have been several incursions by

351-598: Is mostly in Ladakh. The main lake on the Tibetan side is called Tso Nyak (the "middle lake"). It is followed by two small lakes called Rum Tso . The last lake near Rutog is called Nyak Tso again. The whole lake group was and is still often referred to as Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo ( Tibetan : མཚོ་མོ་ངང་ལྷ་རིང་པོ ) in Tibetan. There are different interpretations of the meanings of both Pangong Tso and Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo . The Ladakh government website says "Pangong Tso"

390-574: The China in this area. India has Patrol Points (PP) 35, 36 & 37 in this area, and China tries to block access to these. Due to the different perception of the border India and China and continuing Chinese incursions in Chushul , Chumur , Dungti , Phobrang , and Demchok has adversely affected the life of local Changpa nomadic herders. In January 2024, the Chinese troops tried to stop and pushed out

429-511: The Indian side of the lake, except for some small crustaceans . On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, the bar-headed geese and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here. The region around

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468-758: The Khurnak Fort by 1958. On 20 October 1962, Pangong Tso saw military action during the Sino-Indian War , successful for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). The area remains a sensitive border point along the LAC. Incursions from the Chinese side are common. In August 2017, Indian and Chinese forces near Pangong Tso engaged in a melee involving kicking, punching, rock throwing, and use of makeshift weapons such as sticks and rods. On 11 September 2019, PLA troops confronted Indian troops on

507-624: The Khurnak Fort, but the 1960 claim line included the Khurnak Fort. In 1963, Khurnak Fort was described by the US National Photographic Interpretation Center as follows: Location--33-44N 78-59E, 20 nm north-east of Chushul, on the north shore of PangongTso. Facilities--one large barracks-type building, 2 large storage-type buildings, and 9 smaller buildings; dry moat on three sides; six AW positions and several individual firing positions. Served by natural surface road; no vehicles observed. As of 2019,

546-421: The Khurnak Plain (Map 3). The ability to ford the lake here was found erroneous in later British testimonies. From the Tibetan side, a route along the northern shore of Pangong Lake was available. Sven Hedin witnessed it being used as a trade route by Ladakhi traders going to Rudok. The route was difficult to traverse in parts because of cliffs jutting into the lake. However, this was no impediment in winter when

585-503: The LAC and overlook Chinese camps. India chose to pull back from these positions as leverage for larger disengagement. Both the Chinese and Indian militaries have vessels stationed on the lake. Since 2022, China built a bridge across the lake near the Khurnak Fort. The construction of the 400-meter bridge was completed in July 2024. Following roads provide the access within the Indian held area: Following roads provide

624-742: The LAC runs west till the Finger-4. The overlapping LAC claim area between Finger-4 and Finger-8 is considered a buffer zone by India and China. Indian Military has a permanent base near the Finger-3, named as the Dhan Singh Thapa Post , and the Chinese Military has a permanent base to the east of Finger-8. Pangong Range has several important features, from northwest to southeast: Harong peak, Merag peak , Kangju Kangri peak, and Kongta La pass. Kailash Range on

663-584: The Pangong Tso, from centre of Pangong Tso at Lukung to the west to Phursook Bay and Mount Kailash . Changchenmo Range has several glaciated spurs which slope down and jut into the northern bank of Pangong Tso, and these spurs are called as the fingers . From west to east, these are named as the Finger-1 to Finger-8 . The Indian claim of LAC runs east till the Finger-8, and the Chinese claim of

702-567: The access within the China held area: On the Indian side, an Inner Line Permit is required to visit the lake, as it lies on the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control . For security reasons, India does not permit boating. Groups are permitted, accompanied by an accredited guide. The past few years have seen a remarkable increase in Indian tourists flocking to Pangong Lake. However, this surge has presented environmental challenges due to inadequate infrastructure to accommodate and manage

741-470: The alignment as the China-Claimed-LAC via Spanggur Gap, Rezang La, etc. India-Claimed-border runs further northeast of India-Claimed-LAC via Khurnak Fort on north bank of Pangong Tso to Mumkun peak on south bank, to Laban peak , Matung Nyungtsa , Spanggur Tso, Dage peak, Rechihlong and Bapi peak . Pangong Tso is disputed territory. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) passes through

780-515: The boundary between India and China was considered to be at the Khurnak Fort and Indian forces visited it from time to time and had a post there. China wrested its control since around July 1958, according to most sources. During the 1960 talks between the two governments on the boundary issue, India submitted official records, including the 1908 Settlement Report, which recorded the amount of revenue collected at Khurnak, as proof of jurisdiction over Khurnak. The Chinese claim line of 1956 did not include

819-620: The eastern and northern bank of the Pangong Tso, and contains spurs Finger-1 to Finger-8. Pangong Range , along the southern bank of the Pangong Tso, runs from Tangtse in west to Chushul near the centre of southern bank of the Pangong Tso. According to the Britannica , the Changchenmo Range and Pangong Range are sometimes considered easternmost part of the Karakoram Range . Kailash Range , runs along southern bank of

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858-494: The growing number of visitors. In 2023, on the Indian side the tourists are allowed to visit only the eastern and southern bank, access to the north bank is not yet open for the tourists. The eastern part of the lake is fresh, with the content of total dissolved solids at 0.68 g/L, while the western part of the lake is saline, with the salinity at 11.02 g/L. The brackish water of the lake has very low micro-vegetation. Guides report that there are no fish or other aquatic life on

897-464: The lake freezes completely, despite being saline water . It has a land-locked basin separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge, but is believed to have been part of the latter in prehistoric times. Historically, the lake is viewed as being made up five sublakes, which are connected through narrow water channels. The name Pangong Tso only applied to the westernmost lake that

936-655: The lake from the Indian side, forming marshes and wetlands at the edges. Strand lines above current lake level reveal a 5 m (16 ft) thick layer of mud and laminated sand, suggesting the lake has shrunken recently on the geological scale. On the Indian side, no fish have been observed, however in the stream coming from the south-eastern side (Cheshul nalla), three fish species ( Schizopygopsis stoliczkae , Tibetan stone loach and Triplophysa gracilis ) have been reported (Bhat et al., 2011). The low biodiversity has been reported as being due to high salinity and harsh environmental conditions (Bhat et al., 2011). Bird Islet

975-518: The lake froze. In addition, a longer route from Noh via Mipal was also available. (Map 3) Godwin-Austen mentioned the Khurnak Fort, whose ruins stood on a low rock (elevation: 4,257 m) on the northwestern side of the plain. Judging from its site, he believed that it belonged to Tibetans who presumably built it "years ago". But its proximity to Leh and the strength of its Thanadar (governor), he thought, placed it in Kashmiri territory. The Khurnak Plain

1014-474: The lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang and the marmot . The lake hosts large quantities of fish, especially Schizopygopsis stoliczkai and Racoma labiata . Freshwater snails of the genus Radix also live in the lake. Formerly, Pangong Tso had an outlet to the Shyok River , a tributary of the Indus River , but it was closed off by natural damming. Two streams feed

1053-512: The lake. A section of the lake approximately 20 km east from the LAC is controlled by China but claimed by India. To the south is the smaller Spanggur Tso lake. The eastern end of the lake is in Tibet . After the mid-19th century, Pangong Tso was at the southern end of Johnson Line , an early attempt at demarcation between India and China in the Aksai Chin region. Khurnak Fort lies on

1092-630: The latter due to the "old fort standing on a low rock on the north-western side of the plain" previously built by the Tibetans. Godwin-Austen remarked that the Kashmiri authorities in Leh had recently exerted their influence in the region such that Khurnak was effectively controlled by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir . According to Alastair Lamb , the majority of British maps published between 1918 and 1947 showed Khurnak as being in Tibet. Prior to 1958,

1131-650: The local Indian herders who were grazing their livestock in their traditional grazing area. The Indian herders challenged the Chinese petrol in the Tibetan language , "Why have you come here? Why have you brought your vehicles here. This is our ancestral land. We graze our livestock here" . Chushul Councillor Konchok Stanzin said, "Livelihoods of locals have been taken away in the name of buffer zones and patrolling points. Our nomads are struggling for their land" . According to Ladakhi Indian diplomat Phunchok Stobdan , Skakjung went from being an Indian-administered area until

1170-490: The location of LAC . Though the ruined fort itself is not of much significance, it serves as a landmark denoting the middle of Pangong Lake. The fort lies at the western edge of a large plain formed as the alluvial fan of a stream known as Chumesang , which falls into Pangong Lake from the north. The plain itself is called Ote Plain locally, but is now generally called the Khurnak Plain . The Khurnak Fort stands on

1209-501: The mid-1980s to a completely Chinese-administered area by 2008. India's opposition party Congress claims that the Narendra Modi -ruled government of India is covering up "territorial setbacks" in this area, while the ruling government has denied the charges as "politically motivated" . Traditionally, it was a grazing area. The Indus valley here is about four miles wide, and sandy with a thin layer of grass. That, coupled with

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1248-483: The mouth of a valley called Chang Parma (meaning "northern middle", also called "Chang Barma", later "Changlung Lungpa"). The Chumesang stream that flows through the valley—about 40 to 50 miles long—brings down waters from numerous glaciers lying between Pangong Lake and the Chang Chenmo Valley . The plain is formed by the alluvial deposits of the stream encroaching into the bed of the lake. The growth of

1287-545: The northern bank of the lake, about halfway up Pangong Tso. The dispute over the fort was discussed in a 1924 conference, which remained inconclusive. After the conference, the British government decided that Tibetans had a better case and not only Khurnak Fort but also Dokpo Karpo and Nyagzu were part of Tibet. In 1929, following the protests of Kashmir Durbar, they decided to drop the British claims made in behalf of Kashmir state. The Chinese established their military presence in

1326-450: The northern bank. On 5–6 May 2020, a face-off between about 250 Indian and Chinese troops near the lake resulted in casualties on both sides. On 29–30 August 2020, Indian troops occupied many heights on the south bank of Pangong Tso. The heights included Rezang La , Reqin La, Black Top, Hanan, Helmet, Gurung Hill , Gorkha Hill and Magar Hill. Some of these heights are in the grey zone of

1365-472: The plain over the millennia has reduced the lake in its vicinity to a narrow channel "like a large river" for about 2–3 miles, with a minimum breadth of 50 yards. The constrained flow of water from east to west makes the lower lake to the west (Pangong Tso) considerably more saline than the eastern lake (Tso Ngombo). The top of the Chang Parma valley is marked by a grazing ground called Dambu Guru . Here,

1404-808: The southern bank of Pangong begins from Lukung , runs eastward via Thakung Heights, Helmet Top , Phursook Bay , till India-claimed-LAC at Bangong Co . Other important features in this range are Helmet Top , Black Top , Gurung Hill , Spanggur Gap , Spanggur Tso , Rezang La , Rechin La , Rezang La II , etc. China-Claimed-LAC runs via Finger-4 in Changchenmo Range on north bank of Pangong Tso to Phursook Bay on south bank, then via Helmet Top, Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La (1962 battle), Rezang Top, Rechin La, Rezang La II, Mount Sajum . India-Claimed-LAC runs further northeast of China-Claimed-LAC via Finger-8 in Changchenmo Range on north bank of Pangong Tso to Bangong Co on south bank, then via Black Top and Gurung Hill, and then along same

1443-476: The valley branches into two valleys, one going northwest to the Marsimik La pass and the other going northeast to the grazing ground of Mipal (or Migpal/Mitpal). Mipal is connected via mountain passes to both the Chang Chenmo Valley in the northwest and the well-watered village of Noh in the southeast. H. H. Godwin-Austen noted in 1867 that all of Ote Plain had considerable growth of grass and formed

1482-520: Was a "disputed ground", according to Godwin-Austen, which was claimed by the Ladakhis as well as the Tibetans of Rudok. Evidently, the purpose of the fort was to guard against Ladakhis crossing to the Khurnak Plain from the south, crossing the narrow channel of the lake. Such activity was witnessed during the times of the British Raj as well. The Khurnak Plain, being a prized winter pasture ground,

1521-520: Was the preserve of the shepherds from Noh, the only permanently inhabited place on the north shore of Pangong Lake. Ladakhis, who lived south of Pangong Lake, had their winter pastures in Skakjung , much further to the south. In 1863, British topographer Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen described Khurnak as a disputed plain claimed both by inhabitants of Panggong district and Tibetan authorities from Lhasa. He personally believed that it should belong to

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