India assigns standardised names to 28 Ladakh features

India has standardised the names of 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh for inclusion on the official Survey of India map, the government said. The names were identified in consultation with the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The government said the formal recognition was intended to ensure accurate identification and increase public awareness of the region’s geography.

The list includes 11 peaks, five mountains, six land areas, two glaciers, two passes, one valley, one river, one lake and another water body. Among the named peaks are Atisha Giri, Kanishka Peak, Martand Giri, Zorawar Peak, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyasri Giri, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshvara Ri. The mountains include Karun Pir, Drak Karpo and Jolmori.

Brangsa, Kuksel, Dehra Compass, Gogra, Kumarayana Point, Panglung and Shamal Lungpa have been designated as land areas. Parpik and Skamri are listed as glaciers, while Chapchingal and Shachmirk are identified as passes. Other features include Shkorga Valley, Yangpa River, Guru Rinpoche lake and Hot Spring, classified as a water body.

The government said the updated Ladakh map can be viewed on the Survey of India website. The move follows India’s recent standardisation of names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, another region contested by China. The decision comes against a backdrop of continuing military tension along the Line of Actual Control.

The source material says China’s People’s Liberation Army has maintained troops and equipment in eastern Ladakh and other areas since April 2020. It also records earlier clashes, including the June 15, 2020 confrontation at Galwan, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.