Siachen Glacier is situated to the

“Main Glaciers of the Himalayan Region • Name of The Glacier: Siachen; Location: Karakoram; Length (Km): 76; Altitude (M): 5400; Important Features: Largest in Nubra Valley of the Himalaya and second longest glacier outside the Polar region • Name of The Glacier: Biafo; Location: Karakoram (Baltistan region of Ladakh); Length (Km): 60; Altitude (M): 5128; Important Features: Flows into Shigar River • Name of The Glacier: Chogo Lungma; Location: Karakoram; Length (Km): 50; Altitude (M): 5016; Important Features: Located in Gilgit Baltistan • Name of The Glacier: Gangotri; Location: Uttarakhand; Length (Km): 28; Altitude (M): 3415; Important Features: Originates below the Chaukhamba Peak and it is also known as 'Gomukh' • Name of The Glacier: Rimo; Location: Siachen Area of Ladakh; Length (Km): 40; Altitude (M): 7385; Important Features: Drains in the Shyok River • Name of The Glacier: Hispar; Location: Gilgit-Baltistan; Length (Km): 63; Altitude (M): 5128; Important Features: World's longest glacial system • Name of The Glacier: Zemu; Location: Sikkim/Nepal; Length (Km): 26; Altitude (M): 300; Important Features: Largest glacier in Eastern Himalaya and it feeds River Teesta • Name of The Glacier: Drang Drung; Location: Himalayan Range; Length (Km): 23; Altitude (M): 4780; Important Features: It lies in the Zanskar range in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir • Name of The Glacier: Shafat; Location: Eastern Himalayan Range; Length (Km): 14; Altitude (M): 4400; Important Features: Gives rise to the peaks of Nun and Kun The melted water flows into Suru River • Name of The Glacier: Sonapani; Location: Chandra Valley of Lahaul and Spiti region; Length (Km): 15; Altitude (M): 4000; Important Features: Longest glacier of the Pir Panjal range near the Rohtang Pass”

“Indian troops use the Nubra valley route KhardungLa (Pass) to reach the Aksai chin glacier. The glacier has four passes. Of these, Gesar, Broom, Saltoro, and Vilafondala are under the possession of India and Gyong under Pakistan. The Siachin glacier attracted the attention of India when Pakistan permitted some Japanese tourists for skiing in this area and scaling some peaks under India possession. Moreover, Pakistan established an observation post on the Saltoro Range. To counter this move, India launched Operation Meghdoot on April 3, 1984. Since then both the countries are maintaining troops in this inhospitable environment”

“• Name of the Pass: Burzail Pass; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >5000 m; Location: Srinagar with Kishan-Ganga Valley; Significance: It connects Kashmir Valley with the Deosai Plains of Ladakh It remains closed for trade and transport during winters • Name of the Pass: Chang-La; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >5270 m; Location: In Greater Himalayas Ladakh with Tibet; Significance: Road leads to town of Tangste Pass has a temple dedicated to Chang La Baba • Name of the Pass: Debsa Pass; Altitude Above the Sea Level: 5270 m; Location: High Mountain Pass in Greater Himalayas between the Kullu and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh; Significance: Pass provides easier and shorter alternative to the traditional Pin Parbati Pass route between Kullu and Spiti • Name of the Pass: Dihang Pass; Altitude Above the Sea Level: 4000 m; Location: Situated in Himachal Pradesh; Significance: It connects Arunachal Pradesh with Mandalay (Myanmar) • Name of the Pass: Diphu Pass; Altitude Above the Sea Level: ; Location: Situated in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh; Significance: Connects Arunachal Pradesh to Mandalay (Myanmar) It remains open throughout the year • Name of the Pass: Imis La; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >4500 m; Location: Ladakh Union Territory and Tibet in China; Significance: It connects Ladakh to Tibet (China) It has difficult terrain and steep slopes • Name of the Pass: Khardung La; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >6000 m; Location: Near Leh in Ladakh region; Significance: It connects Leh with Siachen Glacier Highest motorable pass • Name of the Pass: Khunjerab Pass; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >5000 m; Location: Karakoram Mountains in Ladakh; Significance: Connects Ladakh to Sinkiang Province of China Snow covered from November to mid May • Name of the Pass: Likhapani; Altitude Above the Sea Level: >4000 m; Location: Arunachal Pradesh; Significance: Joins Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar Open for trade throughout the year • Name of the Pass: Lipu Lekh; Altitude Above the Sea Level: ; Location: Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand; Significance: Connects Uttarakhand to Tibet Facilitates the pilgrims for Manasarovar lake India's important border post for trade with China”

“Further south-east, the boundary runs along the watershed across Lanak La, Kone La, the Pangong Lake and the Kailash Range. Here the boundary constitutes the watershed between the Indus System in India and the Khotan System in China. In this area, China claims the Aksai Chin District, the Changmo Valley, Pangong Tso (lake), and the Spanggar Tso (lake) areas of Ladakh, as well as a strip of about 5000 sq km down the entire length of eastern Ladakh (Bains, 1962). Since 1954, the Chinese have repeatedly intruded deeper and deeper into the western sector. By 1962, the Chinese had penetrated far deeper and the Chinese occupation line now runs from 16 to 240 km west of the international line The Chinese army penetrated in this region repeatedly in September and October, 2009.”

“Before 1984, neither India nor Pakistan had any permanent presence in the area. However, in order to reinforce their claim on the area, the Pakistanis encouraged expeditions to the glacier on the basis of permits given by their government. Becoming aware of this in about 1978, an Indian Army expedition was also sent to Teram Kangri peaks as a counter-exercise. To free the glacier from Pakistani domination, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984, and Siachen became the world's highest battlefield. India was victorious in the conflict; two passes, namely, Sia La and Bilfond La, were secured by India while Pakistan retained control of the Gyong La pass.”