Rezang La

Rezang La
Rechin La
Elevation	5,500 m (18,045 ft)
Location	Leh district, Ladakh, India - Rutog County, Tibet Autonomous Region, China
Range	Himalaya, Ladakh Range
Coordinates	33°25′08″N 78°50′58″E / 33.4188°N 78.8494°E / 33.4188; 78.8494

Rezang La^[1] is a mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between Indian-administered Ladakh and the Chinese-administered Spanggur Lake basin. The pass is located on the watershed ridge of the Chushul Valley, on its east. China claims that the ridge is the boundary between the two countries, while India's claim line is further east.

About 3 km southeast of Rechin La (33°24′52″N 78°52′29″E / 33.4144°N 78.8748°E / 33.4144; 78.8748 (Rèzàng Shānkǒu)) on the same ridge is a pass leading to an adjacent valley, which China recognizes as Rezang La (Chinese: 热藏山口; pinyin: Rèzàng Shānkǒu).^[2]

About 3 km northwest of Rechin La (33°26′38″N 78°49′48″E / 33.4440°N 78.8300°E / 33.4440; 78.8300 (Rezang La (1962))) is a pass that was the site of a major battle of the 1962 Sino-Indian War.^[3] The "C" Company of India's 13 Kumaon battalion, made of Ahir soldiers, fought to the last man in an effort to block the Chinese PLA troops from crossing the ridge into the Chushul Valley. Indian sources state 120 men killed over 1500 PLA troops out of 3000. The battle was the last event of the Sino-Indian War, as the pass was the Chinese claim line and upon overrunning the ridge, a ceasefire was called.^[4]

During the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, Rezang La was again the site of conflict between the two nations.