India rejects China’s claims on Ladakh, says UT is integral part of country

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday reiterated that the Union Territory of Ladakh is an "integral and inalienable part" of India after China opposed the “standardised names” publicised by New Delhi.

Responding to the recent comments made by the Chinese side on Ladakh, the MEA said, "No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact."

Also read: India standardises names of 28 Ladakh locations, draws Chinese protest


The ministry referred to a recent official press release mentioning that 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, it added.

In a recent press briefing, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said, "China has never recognized the so-called “Union Territory of Ladakh” unilaterally and illegally established by India, and firmly opposes the so-called “standardized names” publicized by India. This move by India is illegal and void and does not change the fact that the western sector of the China-India boundary belongs to China."

India had formally identified 28 strategic locations and geographical features in Ladakh, including key border friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) such as Gogra and Hot Spring, on the official Indian map released earlier this month.

The government took the step in consultation with the Ladakh administration, aiming to streamline official cartography, facilitating precise identification, and fostering better public awareness of the sensitive border region.

Gogra and Hot Spring are among the major strategic locations and were two of the friction points during the 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese forces. The two locations are crucial for Indian patrolling along the LAC.

The other locations identified by India include Alisha Giri, a high-altitude peak; Brangsa; Chapchingal Pass; Kanishka Peak; Karun Pir mountain; 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 (a patrol and staging route in the 1950s), Yangpa River, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshwara Ri.