The Galwan River flows from the disputed Aksai Chin area administered by China to the Union Territory of Ladakh, India.

It originates near the caravan campsite Samzungling on the eastern side of the Karakoram range and flows west to join the Shyok River.

The narrow valley of the Galwan River as it flows through the Karakoram mountains has been a flashpoint between China and India in their border dispute.

In 1962, a forward post set up by India in the upper reaches of the Galwan Valley caused an "apogee of tension" between the two countries.

Harish Kapadia notes that this is one of the rare instances where a major geographical feature was named after a native explorer.

[6][7][a] The Galwan river runs across the entire width of the Karakoram range at this location, for about 30 miles (48 km), where it cuts deep gorges along with its numerous tributaries.

[10] At the eastern edge of this 30 mile range, marked by the Samzungling camping ground, the main channel of the Galwan river runs north–south, but several other streams join it as well.

To the west of Samzungling lie numerous mountains of the Karakoram range, the majority of which are drained by the Galwan river through a multitude of tributaries.

[11] The narrow gorge of the Galwan river prohibited human movement, and there is no evidence of the valley having been used as a travel route.

One reaches Samzungling from the Changchenmo valley by following the channel of the Changlung river and crossing over to the Galwan river basin via the Changlung Pangtung La[b][12] Beyond Samzungling, one follows the Galwan channel to one of its sources, after which the Lingzi Tang plain is entered.

[15] In modern times, the Chinese Wen Jia Road (温加线) traverses this route up to the Galwan River.

[21] The Chinese said little by way of justification for this advancement other than to claim that it was their "traditional customary boundary" which was allegedly formed through a "long historical process".

[h] They established a post on a ridge overlooking the valley from the south, on the bank of a tributary that China calls "Shimengou".

[j] The Indian government warned China of "grave consequences" and informed them that India was determined to hold the post at all costs.

[34][35] The Central Intelligence Agency opined that the presence of the post temporarily blocked any further movement of the Chinese troops down the Galwan Valley.

[38]The commanders at the front were ordered to report any unexpected situation arising, and ask for instructions without taking initiative on their own accord.

[k] The elimination of the sole Indian post in the Galwan Valley (near the tributary called Shimengou) implied that they had control up to their claim line.

The Indian post at the confluence of Galwan with the Shyok River was intact throughout the war and the Chinese never made any contact with it.

India also commissioned a road link to Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) at its northern frontier in 2001, scheduled to be completed by 2012.

[49] China is said to have initiated the construction of a large number of "supporting facilities" in the Galwan Valley in September 2019.

According to Zhao Lijian, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Indian forces started "unilaterally" building roads and bridges in the "Galwan region".

[61] To create a roadway through the narrow valley, the Chinese bulldozers dug out earth from the cliff sides, and used it to dredge the river bed.

[64][65] The causes of the clash remain unclear, but there had been reports, starting 10 June, of a "limited pull-back" agreed by the two sides by 1 to 2 kilometres from the confrontation site.

[66] According to a detailed report published by India Today the Chinese had reneged on the agreement and reinstated a post at PP-14, which led to a series of brawls on 15 June, lasting till midnight and causing deaths on both sides.

[71] China extended its road till India's PP-14 by 26 June, in addition to erecting a full-blown post at the location.