China claims 28 Ladakh locations as its own:India had renamed them; list includes Gogra-Hot Springs, site of 2020 India-China troop clash

China has claimed 28 places in Ladakh as its own. On Tuesday, China also objected to India’s decision to assign names to these places. China said the areas belong to it and that changing or assigning new names would not alter territorial ownership. India officially named these places on October 2. They include areas such as Gogra and Hot Springs, where Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a standoff in 2020. China says it does not recognise Ladakh as India’s Union Territory Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that China does not recognise Ladakh as a Union Territory created by India. Calling India’s move illegal, China said the areas in the western sector of the border belong to it. According to Mao, India’s decision cannot change China’s claims over the areas in the western sector of the border that it considers its territory. Ladakh an integral part of India, no Chinese denial can change that: MEA MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. He said the 28 places and geographical features in the Union Territory have been identified with standard names on the official Survey of India map in consultation with the Ladakh administration and local stakeholders. Why did India name the 28 places? India’s Ministry of Home Affairs officially named 28 places and areas in Ladakh on October 2. India’s decision was a response to China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh in 2023. China has referred to Arunachal Pradesh as ‘Zangnan’, meaning southern Tibet. The Indian government said its aim was to ensure consistent identification of these places in official maps and documents. This would also make it easier to identify these sensitive areas. Gogra and Hot Springs are sensitive areas in eastern Ladakh The places named by India include Gogra and Hot Springs. These are sensitive areas in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops have been involved in border tensions. Indian troops also patrol these areas. In May 2020, the border dispute between India and China escalated in eastern Ladakh. On May 5, troops from both countries were involved in a violent clash near Pangong Lake. In June 2020, the two armies also engaged in a violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley. Following this, the two countries began talks to reduce tensions along the border and withdraw troops. The disengagement process began in 2022. Which names are included among the 28 places? The 28 names designated by India include mountains, passes, glaciers, stretches of land, valleys and water bodies. Mountains and peaks: Atisha Giri, Kanishk Peak, Karun Pir Parvat, Martand Giri, Drak Karpo, Jolmori, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyashri Giri, Marpa Lotsawa Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiv Ri, Zorawar Peak and Maheshwar Ri. Passes and glaciers: Chapchingal Pass, Shachmirik Pass, Parpik Glacier and Skamari Glacier. Land areas: Brangsa, Kuksel, Dehra Compass, Gogra, Kumarayan Point, Panglung and Shamal Lungpa. Valleys and water bodies: Shkorga Valley, Guru Rinpoche Lake, Yangpa River and Hot Spring. The aim of designating these names and including them on official maps published by the Survey of India is to establish the places’ identities clearly. India and China engaged in a violent clash in Galwan In June 2020, Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a violent clash over a border dispute in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. According to India, military officials from both countries agreed on June 6 to withdraw troops, but another confrontation broke out on the night of June 15. During the clash, soldiers fought with stones and batons. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the confrontation. China acknowledged the deaths of four of its soldiers in February 2021. The incident heightened tensions between the two countries and led to an increased deployment of troops along the border. India and China also have a dispute over Arunachal Pradesh India and China have been engaged in a long-running border dispute over Arunachal Pradesh. China claims a large part of the state and refers to it as ‘Zangnan’, meaning southern Tibet. As part of this claim, China has issued Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh several times since 2017. China released names for 11 places in 2023 and around 30 places in 2024. India has protested against these moves each time. India maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country and that China’s renaming of places cannot change the situation on the ground. For India, the issue is not merely about names but also concerns China’s territorial claims over Indian territory.