Depsang Plains

This article is about plains at the north of Aksai Chin. Not to be confused with Depsang Bulge.

Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains is located in Karakoram
Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains is located in Ladakh
Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains is located in Southern Xinjiang
Depsang Plains
Depsang Plains
Floor elevation17,400 ft (5,300 m)[1]
Length25 mi (40 km) east-west [1]
Width12–13 mi (19–21 km) north-south [1]
Area310 sq mi (800 km2)
Geography
CountryIndia, China
StateLadakh, Xinjiang
RegionAksai Chin
DistrictLeh district, Hotan County
Coordinates35°19′N 77°59′E / 35.32°N 77.99°E / 35.32; 77.99 
RiverChip Chap River
Tributaries of Karakash River
Tributaries of Burtsa Nala
Depsang Plains
Traditional Chinese達普桑平地
Simplified Chinese达普桑平地
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDápǔsāng píngdì

The Depsang Plains, a high-altitude gravelly plain in the northwest portion of the disputed Aksai Chin region of Kashmir, divided into Indian and Chinese administered portions by a Line of Actual Control.[2][3] India controls the western portion of the plains as part of Ladakh, while the eastern portion is controlled by China and claimed by India.[4] The Line of Control with Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan is 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of the Depsang Plains, with the Siachen Glacier in-between.[5] Ladakh's traditional trade route to Central Asia passed through the Depsang Plains, with the Karakoram Pass lying directly to its north.

The Depsang plains are also part of the area called Sub-Sector North (SSN) by the Indian military.[6] The area sees frequent tension between China and India. Major standoffs between the two countries occurred in 2013, 2015 and 2020.

  1. ^ a b c Filippi, The Italian Expedition (1932), p. 308.
  2. ^ "Ladakh incursion: India turns to diplomacy to counter belligerent China amid border stand-off", India Today, 25 April 2013
  3. ^ Manoj Joshi (7 May 2013). "Making sense of the Depsang incursion". The Hindu.
  4. ^ "Khurshid to visit China on May 9, no date for flag meet", Hindustan Times, 25 April 2013, archived from the original on 25 April 2013
  5. ^ Kaushik, Krishn (17 September 2020), "No ground lost in Depsang but India hasn't accessed large parts for 15 years", The Indian Express, retrieved 18 September 2020
  6. ^ Singh, Rahul (8 August 2020), "Indian, Chinese armies hold talks on Ladakh's Depsang plains", Hindustan Times