New Delhi: The Government of India has formally identified and standardised the names of 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh for inclusion on the official Survey of India map, in a move aimed at ensuring consistent identification of the locations and improving public awareness.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs said the exercise was carried out in consultation with the Union Territory administration. The 28 features include peaks, mountains, passes, glaciers, valleys, rivers, lakes, water bodies and land areas. Their standard names will now be represented on the official Survey of India map of Ladakh.
The move comes against the backdrop of continuing sensitivities along the India-China boundary, particularly in eastern Ladakh. Among the locations included are Gogra and Hot Spring, which have figured in the India-China border tensions since 2020.
28 Ladakh features added to official map
The government has listed the 28 locations along with their geographical classifications.
The identified features are:
- Atisha Giri — Peak
- Brangsa — Land area
- Chapchingal Pass — Pass
- Kanishka Peak — Peak
- Karun Pir — Mountain
- Kuksel — Land area
- Martand Giri — Peak
- Parpik — Glacier
- Skamri Glacier — Glacier
- Shachmirk Pass — Pass
- Shkorga Valley — Valley
- Zorawar Peak — Peak
- Dehra Compass — Land area
- Drak Karpo — Mountain
- Gogra — Land area
- Jolmori — Mountain
- Kumarayana Point — Land area
- Panglung — Land area
- Rinchen Zangpo — Peak
- Sakyasri Giri — Peak
- Guru Rinpoche — Lake
- Shamal Lungpa — Land area
- Yangpa River — River
- Hot Spring — Water body
- Marpa Lotsava Ri — Peak
- Milarepa Kangri — Peak
- Shiva Ri — Peak
- Maheshvara Ri — Peak
The complete list and classifications were published by the Press Information Bureau.
Peaks named after historical and cultural figures
A significant portion of the list consists of peaks and mountains carrying names associated with historical, religious and cultural figures.
The peaks include Zorawar Peak, Kanishka Peak, Atisha Giri, Martand Giri, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyasri Giri, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshvara Ri.
The list also includes the mountains Karun Pir, Drak Karpo and Jolmori.
The inclusion of these names provides standard references for the geographical features in official cartographic records. The government has said the broader purpose is to facilitate accurate recognition of the locations and create greater awareness among the public.
Gogra and Hot Spring included
Two of the locations in the list have particular significance because of their association with the India-China border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Gogra and Hot Spring have been included among the 28 features, with Gogra classified as a land area and Hot Spring as a water body. Both locations were among the areas that figured in military tensions between India and China following the 2020 border crisis.
Their inclusion on the Survey of India map provides standardised official names for these geographical locations. The mapping exercise itself, however, is primarily a cartographic and nomenclature exercise; the government’s stated objective is accurate identification and greater public awareness.
Dehra Compass and Aksai Chin
Another location attracting attention is Dehra Compass, which the government has classified as a land area.
Reports have noted that Dehra Compass is situated in the disputed Aksai Chin region claimed by India and controlled by China. The location’s inclusion in the Survey of India map reflects India’s official cartographic position on the territory.
The broader territorial dispute between India and China remains separate from the standardisation of geographical names. The latest exercise establishes how the identified locations are to be represented in India’s official mapping system.
Passes, glaciers and valley also identified
The list extends beyond mountains and peaks.
Chapchingal Pass and Shachmirk Pass have been formally identified as passes, while Parpik and Skamri have been classified as glaciers. Shkorga Valley has been included as a valley.
Other land areas identified by the government include Brangsa, Kuksel, Gogra, Kumarayana Point, Panglung and Shamal Lungpa.
The inclusion of different types of geographical features means the exercise is broader than simply assigning names to mountain peaks. It establishes a standard reference for a range of locations and landforms across the Union Territory.
River, lake and water body among 28 features
The list also includes three notable water-related features.
Guru Rinpoche has been identified as a lake, Yangpa River as a river and Hot Spring as a water body.
These classifications are part of the official list released by the government and will accompany the standard names on the Survey of India map.
The government said formally identifying the locations on the official map would help facilitate their accurate recognition and improve awareness among the public.
Why official naming matters
Standardised geographical names are used to maintain consistency across government maps, official documents and public references.
Without a common nomenclature, the same geographical feature can sometimes be referred to using different names or spellings across sources. Establishing a standard official name provides a consistent reference for government agencies and the public.
The Survey of India is India’s national mapping agency, and its official maps serve as an important reference for geographical information.
The government therefore sees the addition of the 28 features as an exercise in improving the consistency and visibility of geographical information relating to Ladakh.
Mapping exercise comes amid border sensitivities
Ladakh has remained an important area in India’s security and foreign policy landscape following the 2020 India-China border tensions.
The inclusion of Gogra and Hot Spring has consequently received attention because both locations have been associated with the border standoff. However, the official announcement does not describe the exercise as a change in the status of the disputed territory.
Instead, the Ministry of Home Affairs has framed the initiative around standard place and feature names, accurate identification and public awareness.
This distinction is important because cartographic representation and territorial control are separate issues in an unresolved boundary dispute.
Survey of India map updated
The additional places and geographical features have been incorporated into the official Survey of India map of Ladakh.
The government has made the updated map available through the Survey of India’s official state maps section.
The exercise gives official standard names to 28 locations spanning several categories, from peaks and mountains to glaciers, passes, valleys and water bodies.
For Ladakh, where geography and border sensitivities intersect, the standardisation provides a consistent official reference for these locations.
The move does not by itself alter the underlying territorial disputes in the region, but it establishes how the identified features are officially named and represented on India’s national mapping records.