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Rezang La
Rezang La (site of 1962 Sino-Indian War), Rechin La, and Rezang La II, listed west to east, are mountain passes on the watershed ridge which lies east of Indian-administered Chushul Valley in Ladakh and west of Chinese-administered Spanggur Lake basin. China claims that the Line of Actual Control between the two countries passes along the top of this ridge, while India's LAC and border claim lines are further east.
About 3 km southeast of Rechin La (33°24′52″N 78°52′29″E / 33.4144°N 78.8748°E) on the same ridge is a pass leading to an adjacent valley, which China recognizes as Rezang La (Chinese: 热藏山口; pinyin: Rèzàng Shānkǒu) [labelled as the "Rezang La II" in some sources].
About 3 km northwest of Rechin La (33°26′38″N 78°49′48″E / 33.4440°N 78.8300°E) is a pass, [labelled as the "[Old] Rezang La", "Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)" in some sources], that was the site of a major battle of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The "C" Company of India's 13 Kumaon battalion under Major Shaitan Singh, fought to the last man in an effort to block the Chinese PLA troops from crossing the ridge into the Chushul Valley. Indian sources state 120 men killed over 1500 PLA troops out of 3000. The battle was the last event of the Sino-Indian War, as the pass was the Chinese claim line and upon overrunning the ridge, a ceasefire was called.
During the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, wider Rezang La area was again the site of conflict between the two nations.
The watershed ridge (Map-1 and Map-2), a subrange of 60 km long Kailash Range, is located on the LAC, west of Spanggur Tso and east of Chushul Valley. From west to east, has the following features: Spanggur Gap (4,900 m or 16,100 ft), Magar Hill, Mukhpari peak (5,545 m or 18,192 ft), Refan Pass (5,144 m or 16,877 ft), Rezang La (5,005 m or 16,420 ft), Rechin Top (5,204 m or 17,073 ft), Rechin La (5,005 m or 16,420 ft), Rezang La II (5,500 m or 18,045 ft). Refan Pass, Rezang La, and Rechin Top are served by the Indian patrol road from the Gualchung Barma campsite. Rechin La and Rezang La II are served by a separate Indian patrol road from the Tsaka La in the south.
To the north of Rechin La along the LAC are various strategic hill peaks (Map-2), Mukhpari, Magar Hill, and north of Spanggur Gap is the Gurung Hill. To the south of Rezang La is Mount Sajum (6,064 m or 19,895 ft).
The confusion about the "Rezang La" ("Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)") and "Rezang La II" arose due to the old 1954 survey map (Map-1) of region by the American Army, which labeled two adjacent valleys leading to the Spanggur Lake as "Rezang Lungpa". The pass at the head of the western valley (33°25′08″N 78°50′58″E / 33.4188°N 78.8494°E) at an elevation of 16,420 ft (5,000 m) is labelled "Rezang La". The pass at the head of the eastern valley (33°23′20″N 78°55′44″E / 33.3888°N 78.9290°E), unlabelled in the survey map [now labelled as the "Rezang La II" in some sources], is at a much higher elevation of 20,670 ft (6,300 m). The streams from these two passes (Map-1 and Map-2), which flow into Spanggur Tso, are both named as "Rezang Lungpa" on the American survey map. In 1963, the Government of India used the name "Rezang La" for pass marked on the American survey map, the one at the head of the western valley. References to "Rezang La" ["Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)"] in the literature on 1962 Sino-Indian War in English language, refer to this pass.
Chinese sources use the name "Rechin La" for another saddle between the western pass ["Rezang La", "Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)"] and eastern pass ["Rezang La II"], which has also been adopted by the Indian news media in 2020.
Rezang La
Rezang La (site of 1962 Sino-Indian War), Rechin La, and Rezang La II, listed west to east, are mountain passes on the watershed ridge which lies east of Indian-administered Chushul Valley in Ladakh and west of Chinese-administered Spanggur Lake basin. China claims that the Line of Actual Control between the two countries passes along the top of this ridge, while India's LAC and border claim lines are further east.
About 3 km southeast of Rechin La (33°24′52″N 78°52′29″E / 33.4144°N 78.8748°E) on the same ridge is a pass leading to an adjacent valley, which China recognizes as Rezang La (Chinese: 热藏山口; pinyin: Rèzàng Shānkǒu) [labelled as the "Rezang La II" in some sources].
About 3 km northwest of Rechin La (33°26′38″N 78°49′48″E / 33.4440°N 78.8300°E) is a pass, [labelled as the "[Old] Rezang La", "Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)" in some sources], that was the site of a major battle of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The "C" Company of India's 13 Kumaon battalion under Major Shaitan Singh, fought to the last man in an effort to block the Chinese PLA troops from crossing the ridge into the Chushul Valley. Indian sources state 120 men killed over 1500 PLA troops out of 3000. The battle was the last event of the Sino-Indian War, as the pass was the Chinese claim line and upon overrunning the ridge, a ceasefire was called.
During the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, wider Rezang La area was again the site of conflict between the two nations.
The watershed ridge (Map-1 and Map-2), a subrange of 60 km long Kailash Range, is located on the LAC, west of Spanggur Tso and east of Chushul Valley. From west to east, has the following features: Spanggur Gap (4,900 m or 16,100 ft), Magar Hill, Mukhpari peak (5,545 m or 18,192 ft), Refan Pass (5,144 m or 16,877 ft), Rezang La (5,005 m or 16,420 ft), Rechin Top (5,204 m or 17,073 ft), Rechin La (5,005 m or 16,420 ft), Rezang La II (5,500 m or 18,045 ft). Refan Pass, Rezang La, and Rechin Top are served by the Indian patrol road from the Gualchung Barma campsite. Rechin La and Rezang La II are served by a separate Indian patrol road from the Tsaka La in the south.
To the north of Rechin La along the LAC are various strategic hill peaks (Map-2), Mukhpari, Magar Hill, and north of Spanggur Gap is the Gurung Hill. To the south of Rezang La is Mount Sajum (6,064 m or 19,895 ft).
The confusion about the "Rezang La" ("Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)") and "Rezang La II" arose due to the old 1954 survey map (Map-1) of region by the American Army, which labeled two adjacent valleys leading to the Spanggur Lake as "Rezang Lungpa". The pass at the head of the western valley (33°25′08″N 78°50′58″E / 33.4188°N 78.8494°E) at an elevation of 16,420 ft (5,000 m) is labelled "Rezang La". The pass at the head of the eastern valley (33°23′20″N 78°55′44″E / 33.3888°N 78.9290°E), unlabelled in the survey map [now labelled as the "Rezang La II" in some sources], is at a much higher elevation of 20,670 ft (6,300 m). The streams from these two passes (Map-1 and Map-2), which flow into Spanggur Tso, are both named as "Rezang Lungpa" on the American survey map. In 1963, the Government of India used the name "Rezang La" for pass marked on the American survey map, the one at the head of the western valley. References to "Rezang La" ["Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)"] in the literature on 1962 Sino-Indian War in English language, refer to this pass.
Chinese sources use the name "Rechin La" for another saddle between the western pass ["Rezang La", "Rezang La I" or "Rezang La (1962)"] and eastern pass ["Rezang La II"], which has also been adopted by the Indian news media in 2020.