Gogra, Ladakh

Gogra[a] (also referred to as Nala Junction)[4] is a pasture and campsite in the Ladakh union territory of India, near the Line of Actual Control with China.

During the times of the British Raj, Gogra was a halting spot for travellers to Central Asia via the 'Chang Chenmo route', who proceeded through the Changlung river valley and the Aksai Chin plateau.

About a mile upstream from the mouth of the stream is a camping ground of the same name, which was regarded as the next stage from Gogra for travellers.

[14][26] After India became independent in 1947 and China took control of Tibet in 1950, both the countries laid claim to the Aksai Chin plateau.

In its 1956 border definition, China claimed the Chang Chenmo Valley up to the Kongka Pass, near Kayam Hot Springs, but excluded the majority of the eastern Karakoram range.

In particular, the Changlung valley, Shamal Lungpa campsite and the Wenquan hot spring were all left as Indian territory.

[18] Finding telltale signs of Chinese activity, the border police decided to strengthen outposts by stocking them with essentials at Kayam Hot Springs and Shamal Lungpa.

Even then, the "approximately" described coordinates, 34°22′N 78°53′E / 34.367°N 78.883°E / 34.367; 78.883 (China's declared border point), are problematic in that they lie within the Kugrang river valley, dropping below the watershed.

The Gorkha Rifles likely used an alternative route through the Kugrang valley to Galwan, setting up a post in its vicinity on 5 July.

[e] Despite a seriously threatening posture by the Chinese troops, the post held firm and remained intact until the beginning of the war in October 1962.

So the commander sent two men to the Hot Springs base to report the firing, and a reinforcement of a section of troops arrived on 25 October.

[39] The Line of Actual Control resulting from the war remained on the dividing ridge between the Kugrang and Changlung valleys.

In April 2020, Chinese forces amassed on the border of Ladakh and started intruding into previously uncontrolled territory at several points.

[43] The Indian Army moved troops to the border in a counter deployment effort, which was completed by early June.

[44] On 6 June 2020, the senior military commanders of the sides met at the Chushul–Moldo Border Personnel Meeting point, and agreed to a "disengagement" of forward troops, to be followed by an eventual "de-escalation".

At the Galwan valley, the Chinese forces continued to remain at the disputed border point, leading to a clash between the two sides on 15 June.

[45] It took several months and 10 rounds of talks between the military commanders to agree on the first pull-back in February 2021, viz., at Fingers 4–8 on the bank of the Pangong Lake.

It was reported that troops of both the sides dismantled all temporary structures and allied infrastructure and moved back from forward positions.

India has demanded the status quo ante April 2020 to be restored, while China is believed to insist upon imposing the "1959 claim line", either by physical denial or via a "buffer zone".

Map 1: Changchenmo Valley, with its branch valleys of Kugrang and Changlung (Survey of India, 1916). Gogra (unmarked) is at the confluence of Kugrang and Changlung rivers.
Map 2: Changchenmo Valley and its branch valleys (US AMS , 1955)
Map 3: Travel routes through Ladakh, showing Pamzal, Gogra and Shamal Lungpa en route to Aksai Chin ( Henry Trotter , 1878)
Map 4: Chinese claim lines near the Chang Chenmo Valley: Green line in 1956, dark brown/orange in 1960 (US Army HQ, 1962)
Map 5: The Line of Actual Control near Gogra and Hot Springs: the blue line as marked by the US Office of Geographer in 2013, green line as marked by the OpenStreetMap in 2020, with the extended claim of China near Gogra during the 2020–2022 standoff.