Actual Ground Position Line

The Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) divides current positions of Indian and Pakistani military posts and troops along the entire long frontline in the disputed region of Siachen Glacier. AGPL generally runs along the Saltoro Mountains range, beginning from the northernmost point of the ( LOC) at Point NJ 9842 and
ending in the north on the Indira Ridge at the India-China-Pakistan LAC tripoint near Sia Kangri about northwest of Indira Col West, with peaks in excess of and temperatures ranging to around . India gained control of of disputed territory in 1984 because of its military operations in Siachen. A cease-fire was announced in 2003.

India has at least 108 forward military outposts and artillery observation posts in this area where temperature goes down to during winters with icy 300 km/h () blizzards. Bana Top () is the highest post and requires an trek that takes up to 20 days for troops to reach. Pahalwan Post (), and Indira Col (), are other high posts. India has two major bases, each with a brigade strength of five to eight battalions supported by additional artillery, air defence, engineer and other logistic units: Thoise which serves the southern Siachen sector, and Siachen Base Camp which serves the northern and middle sectors of Siachen. Kumar Post, a logistics subbase of Siachen Base Camp, is a 9-day return trek from Siachen Base camp towards Indira Col.Siachen Glacier open to tourists! Everything you must know before visiting world’s highest battlefield
Financial Express, 26 October 2019. India has significant tactical advantage as it occupies most of the higher peaks on the Saltoro Mountain Range in the western sector of Siachen. The Pakistani Army hold posts at lower heights on the western slopes of the spurs of the Saltoro Ridge. Pakistan has not been able to scale the crest of the Saltoro Range occupied by India.30 years of the world’s coldest war
The Tribune, 13 April 1984. Each post has an artillery officer who are deployed in the rotation of 45 days.Haryanvi Meghdoot who defended the most challenging post in Siachen
The Tribune, 9 Nov 2019. The average temperature is between minus 25 °C during day and minus 55 °C during the night.Everyday is a story: Army officers recall their time at Siachen Glacier
Indian Express, 14 Feb 2016. As of 2013, Siachen operations cost INR 3,000 crore annually where over 850 Indian and over 1,800 Pakistani soldiers have died, mostly not in combat, but due to the weather conditions.

The actual India-Pakistan boundary is divided into four types of borders: disputed Sir Creek (SC) riverine border, mutually agreed India–Pakistan International Border (IB) from north of ''Sir Creek'' to north of Dhalan near Jammu, LoC across disputed Kashmir and Ladakh regions from north of Dhalan in India and west of Chicken's Neck in Pakistan to Point NJ9842, and Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) across Siachen from ''Point NJ9842'' to Indira Col West. Siachen lies south of the Shaksgam ceded by Pakistan to China via the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Agreement but also claimed by India and Aksai Chin held by China since 1962 but also claimed by India. The Shaksgam Tract, controlled by China, is located north of the Saltoro mountain range from the Apsarasas Kangri Range to northwest of K2.R Baghela and M Nüsserab, 2015
Securing the heights: The vertical dimension of the Siachen conflict between India and Pakistan in the Eastern Karakoram
Political Geography (journal), Volume 48, Pages 24–36.

AGPL alignment

AGPL alignment, from south to north, runs near the following features of the Saltoro Mountains subrange of Karakoram: AGPL runs through the western side of the Saltoro Mountains Range, of which western slopes are held by Pakistan and separated by the AGPL the higher peaks and passes are held by India - all of which remain snowbound throughout the year. Five passes in the Saltoro Mountains Range provide access to Siachen Glacier to its east, i.e., listed from south to north are Chulung La (5,800m), Yarma La (6,100m), Gyong La (5,640m), Bilafond La (6,160m) - also called Saltoro La, and Sia La (7,300m).Ghazanfar Ali and Hassan Akhtar Ghani, Siachen-The world's highest battlefield; Military Technology; Bonn Vol. 22, Iss. 3, (Mar 1998): S15-S17. To the east of AGPL is Siachen Glacier which falls from the height of 18000 ft at Indira Kol to nearly 11000 ft at its terminus near India's Siachen Base Camp.

* AGPL Starting Point is NJ9842 peak (?); the Line of Control ends and the AGPL begins here and runs northwards.
* Chulung Glacier, AGPL runs east of this Pakistan-held glacier while the higher peaks around the Chulung Glacier including Bahadur Post are held by India.
* Chulung La (5,800m), held by India.
* Chulung Peak (also called the "Bahadur Post") (6,100 m or 20,000 feet), held by India.
* Gharkun peak (6620 m), AGPL runs southeast of this Pakistan-held peak.
* La Yongma Ri (6828 m), AGPL runs west of this India-held glacier.
* Yarma La (6,100m) near La Yongma Ri glacier, both held by India.
* Northeast of Pakistan-held Gyong Glacier.
* 5770 (Naveed Top/Cheema Top/Bilal Top), held by India.
* Gyong Kangri peak (6727 m), held by Pakistan.
* Gyong La pass (5,640m), held by India.
* East of Gyari (valley) Pakistani army base camp.
* Chumik Kangri (peak, 675 4m), held by India.
* K12 (peak, 7,428 m), held by India.
* West of Bilafond La (6,160m), held by India.
* West of Bana Top peak (6,400m or 21,000 ft), formerly Quaid Post of Pakistan, the highest post in the region at 20,500 ft two km south of Bilafond La, held by India since 1987 after the Operation Rajiv. Sonam post sits between Amar and Bana posts.Sonam a Legend whose Legacy will Go On: A Tribute to Legends of Siachen
Indian Defence Review, 11 Feb 2016.
* Saltoro Kangri I (7,742 m or 25,400 ft), 10 km northwest of Bana Top, twin peaks of ''Saltoro Kangri I'' to south and ''Saltoro Kangri II'' at a lower height to the north. It is the highest peak in the Siachen sector,"The story of how the Siachen Glacier was won – As told by Narendra 'Bull' Kumar"
''Times Now'', 16 January 2019. India controls the area around the peak but Pakistan also claims the territory.
* Sherpi Kangri (7,380 m), twin peaks 6 km south of Ghent Kangri (7,380 m) and 10 km northwest of Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m). Sherpi Kangri I is the higher, western summit at 7380 m. Sherpi Kangri II at approximately 7100 m is further east, it is on AGPL, held by Pakistan.
* West of Ghent Kangri (7380 m), held by India.
* West of Sia La (5,589 m or 18,336 ft), held by India.
* East of Baltoro Kangri (7312 m), peak itself lies in the Pakistan administered area with no Pakistani post on the peak while Indian Army holds some of the offshoots of this peak.
* West of Tiger Saddle, 6.5 km northwest of Sia La, held by India.
* West of Conway Saddle (6044 m), west of and opposite to Tiger Saddle, the saddle has a Pakistan post called "Leghari Observation Post" (Leghari OP).
* East of Sia Kangri (7,422 m or 24,350 ft), west of Tiger saddle, held by Pakistan.
* West of Indira Col West (7,422 m or 24,350 ft) on Indira Ridge, on the border of Indian and Chinese controlled territory.
* AGPL End Point: AGPL ends on the Indira Ridge at the India-China-Pakistan LAC tripoint near Sia Kangri 4 km northwest of Indira Col West.

While AGPL runs through the Saltoro Mountain Range, the line which separates disputed China-held Trans-Karakoram Tract (also called Shaksgam Valley, gifted by Pakistan to China and also claimed by India) from the India-held Siachen area runs through the following features of Karakoram range as follows (from west to east):

* Indira Col
* Turkestan La, Turkestan La North and Turkestan La East.
* Singhi Kangri (7,202 m or 23,629 ft).
* Teram Kangri I (7,462 metres or 24,482 feet), Teram Kangri group is a mountain massif in the remote Siachen Muztagh subrange of the Karakoram range, Teram Kangri I is the highest peak.
* Apsarasas Kangri ( 7,245 m or 23,770 ft), has multiple peaks.Siachen glacier Historical Review
Harsh Kapadia, accessed 14 Feb 2025.
* Shaksgam La
* Karakoram Pass (5,540 m or 18,176 ft), in Depsang Plains.

Background context

Borders

The borders of India-Pakistan and their tri-junction with Tibet are:

* India–Pakistan International Border (IB)
* Line of Control (LoC)
* Line of Actual Control (LAC)
* Sir Creek (SC)
* Borders of China
* Borders of India

Conflicts

The major conflicts involving India-Pakistan and their tri-junction with Tibet are:

* Kashmir conflict
* Siachen conflict
* Sino-Indian conflict
* List of disputed territories of China
* List of disputed territories of India
* List of disputed territories of Pakistan
* Northern Areas
* Trans-Karakoram Tract

Military operation

Military operations undertaken by India and/or Pakistan in this area are:

* Operation Ababeel/ Operation Meghdoot, failed Pakistan's Ababeel Operation and successful capture of Siachen by India in 1984.
* Operation Rajiv, successful operation and capture of Quaid Post (Bana Post) by India in 1987.
* Operation Qaidat/Operation Vajrashakti, by Pakistan and successful counter by India in September 1987.
* Operation Chumik/Operation Ibex, by Pakistan and successful counter by India in 1989.
* Operation Trishul Shakti, India successful thwarted Pakistani attempt to capture Bahadur post in Chulung area in 1992.
* Battle of Tyakshi Post: Pakistan Army NLI attack on the Indian Tyakshi post at the very southern edge of the Saltoro defense line was repulsed by Indian troops in May 1995.
* Battle of Point 5770 (Naveed Top/Cheema Top/Bilal Top): Indian Army under Brig. P. C. Katoch, Col. Konsam Himalaya Singh snatched control of Pt 5770 (called Naveed Top/Cheema Top/Bilal Top by Pakistanis) in Gyong La area from Pakistan troops in the southern edge of the Saltoro defense line in June 1999.

History

Karachi Agreement and Shimla Agreement

The Karachi Agreement of 1949 created the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, but this line ended at a location called Khor in Nubra. The only additional relevant text for the Saltoro – Siachen area in either the 1949 or the superseding 1972 Simla Agreement was "thence north to the glaciers." The countries interpreted that differently, leading to the Siachen conflict.

1972 delineation

As part of the Simla Agreement signed on 2 July 1972, prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto agreed that "the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of December 17, 1971, shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognised position of either side".

In November–December 1972, the military delegations of the two sides met in Suchetgarh to delineate the Line of Control. After delineation, signed maps were exchanged by the two sides and submitted to the respective governments for ratification. Scholar Brian Cloughley remarked that the delineation represented remarkable territorial precision. However, it terminated at the grid reference NJ9842, leaving undelimited 60 to 75 km to the border with China.

1984 capture of Siachen by India

In 1984 by India's successful captured the disputed Siachen Glacier through its Operation Meghdoot, and subsequently continued with Operation Rajiv. India took control of the Siachen Glacier and its tributary glaciers, as well as all the main passes and heights of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier, including Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La. Pakistan controls the glacial valleys and slopes immediately west of the Saltoro Ridge.

Current status

Army deployment

Indian soldiers, following the often-internationally accepted principal of the highest watershed (mountain peaks and ridges) as the border, have held all of the Siachen Glacier and all its main passes since 1984. India launched Operation Meghdoot in 1984 during the Siachen conflict, and took control of the Siachen Glacier.

Indian Army posts are along the Saltoro Ridge, west of the main Siachen glacier, along a line roughly connecting Gyong La, Bilafond La, Sia La, and Indira Col. Pakistan controls the region west of Saltoro Ridge. India has more than 50 military posts across the length of AGPL which are located almost 3,000 ft above Pakistani posts,How India realised it was at risk of losing the Siachen glacier to Pakistan
The Print, 12 April 2018. with 80 km line of sight visibility range in the clear weather. The Indian soldiers hold on to the heights on the ridge, preventing the Pakistani soldiers from climbing up to the Saltoro Range heights.

The Pakistan Army has base camps at Goma and posts at its Gayari subsector in the sub glaciers southwest of the Saltoro Range, and access on the Baltoro Glacier to the Conway Saddle in the northern extremes of the region. The peaks and passes under Pakistan's control such as Gayari Camp, Chogolisa, Baltoro Glacier, Conway Saddle, Baltoro Muztagh, and Gasherbrum lie west of the AGPL.

Tourism

India allows several tourist and civilian activities in Siachen area. To exploit the potential for tourism, the government is making ongoing efforts to improve connectivity. "Siachen, world's highest battlefield, now open for tourists"
''Economic Times'', 21 October 2019. There is a recurring planned annual civilian expedition from Siachen Base Camp to Indira Ridge, Indira Col and other features. India has opened up the entire area from ''Siachen Base Camp'' at 12,000 ft to Kumar Post at 15,000 ft for the regular tourism for the civilians. Bana Post at 20,500 ft will remain off limit to tourists. Temperatures drop to below minus 60 degrees Celsius during the winter.

Until 2010, civilian tourists were permitted only in the Nubra Valley up to Panamik. Since 2010 tourist have been permitted in Nubra Valley up to Turtuk and beyond to Tyakshi on the LAC; both of these villages were captured from Pakistan by India in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. From 2019, medically fit civilians below the age of 45 are allowed up to Kumar Base (16,000 ft) on a 30-day trek organised by Army Adventure Cell in August–September, during which tourists go through the highly altitude conditioning at Leh Base, Siachen Base and forward staging posts, at the end of which they undertake an extreme adventure 9-day return track from Siachen Base to Kumar Base 60 km away.

In 2018, five road routes and four trails with a night stay in Ladakh were opened for the tourists by the Government of India (GoI), all located above the altitude of 14,000 ft, and the maximum limit of travel permit was raised from 7 days to 15 days:"5 new routes, 4 trails in Ladakh to open for travellers; permit limit also increased"
''India Times'', 19 December 2018.

In the popular culture

Books on the topic are:
* Beyond NJ 9842: The Siachen Saga
* Meghdoot : The Beginning of the Coldest War

See also

* Awards and decorations of the Indian Armed Forces
* Bana Singh, after whom Quaid Post was renamed to Bana Top
* List of extreme points of India
* Sino-Pakistan Agreement for transfer of Trans-Karakoram Tract to China

References

{{Reflist

Borders of Pakistan
Politics of the Kashmir conflict
India–Pakistan border