Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh in India and Ngari Prefecture in Tibet. Situated at an elevation of 14,200ft (4,300m), it occupies an area of approximately 604km2 (233sqmi). It stretches for 134km (83mi) and is 5km (3.1mi) wide at its broadest point. It is located in a landlocked basin and is separated from the Indus River basin by an elevated ridge. The water is saline, and the lake freezes during winter.
Approximately two-thirds of the lake lies within the area administered by China, with the remainder controlled by India. The Line of Actual Control, which demarcates the Sino-Indian border, passes through the lake. A section of the lake is claimed both by China and India, and has been part of the wider Sino-Indian border dispute. As a result of the dispute, the region saw conflict during the Sino-Indian War in 1962 and 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes.
Etymology
Historically, the name Pangong Tso only applied to the westernmost of the five sub-lakes that was in Ladakh. On the Tibetan side, the two larger parts of the lake, called Nyak Tso (the "middle lake"), sandwiched the twin smaller lakes of Rum Tso. The whole lake group is often referred to as Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo (Tibetan: མཚོ་མོ་ངང་ལྷ་རིང་པོ) in the Tibetan language.
There are different interpretations of the meanings of Pangong Tso and Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo. As per the Government of Ladakh, "Pangong Tso" means "high grassland lake" in Tibetan. However, other literature states that "Pangong" means "hollow" or "concave". Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo is interpreted to have various similar meanings in Tibetan. Chinese media sources state that it means "long, narrow, enchanted lake", while it has been described as "female narrow very long lake" by European explorers, and "long-necked swan lake" by other sources.
Pangong Tso spans the Leh district in the Indian union territory of Ladakh, and the Ngari Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The boomerang-shaped lake, is situated at an altitude of 14,200ft (4,300m), and is one of the highest brackish water lakes in the world. The lake stretches for 134km (83mi), and is about 5km (3.1mi) wide at its broadest point. The lake is surrounded by several mountain ranges–the Changchenmo Range to the north, Pangong Range to the west, and Gangdise Shan (Kailash Range) to the south. The Changchenmo and Pangong Ranges form the easternmost parts of the Karakoram. Mountain spurs of the Chang Chenmo range extend into the lake, forming several "fingers".
Pangong Tso is located in an endorheic basin, separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge. Formerly, the lake had an outlet to the Shyok River, a tributary of the Indus River, but it was closed off by natural damming. Five streams feed the lake from the Indian side, forming marshes and wetlands along the western edges of the lake. Strand lines above the current lake level reveal a 5m (16ft) thick layer of mud and laminated sand, suggesting the lake has shrunk recently on the geological scale.
The eastern part of the lake has a relatively low salinity, with the total dissolved solids (TDS) content of 0.68 g/L, and is highly alkaline, while the western part of the lake is more saline, with the TDS of 11.02 g/L. Despite its high salinity, the lake freezes in the winter.
Traditional customary boundary of China declared 1960
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Ane La Boundary of China declared 1960
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Changlung Lungpa
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Spangmik
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Merak
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Traditional customary boundary of China declared 1960
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Khurnak Fort
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Sirijap
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Chinese post at Sirijap
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Indian post
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Traditional customary boundary of China declared 1960
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Map showing the Line of Actual Control and important features and locations along the Pangong Lake.
Approximately two-thirds of the lake lies within the area administered by China, with the remaining controlled by India. The Line of Actual Control (LAC), which demarcates the Sino-Indian border, passes through the lake. India claims the Johnson-Ardagh Line as the official boundary, while China recongises the Macartney–MacDonald Line. There are two disputed areas– the Aksai Chin, and the Ladakh-Tibet boundary extending from the Changchenmo Valley, north of Pangong Tso.
Khurnak Fort lies on the northern bank of the lake, and the dispute over the control of the area was discussed in a 1924 conference between the British Raj, on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir and Tibet, which remained inconclusive. Although, the British later felt that the Tibetans had a better case, they dropped further claims in 1929, following protests from the Kashmir state against the British. The Chinese established their military presence in the Khurnak Fort by 1958.
On 20 October 1962, Pangong Tso saw military action during the Sino-Indian War, which resulted in a decisive win for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The dispute is along the eight fingers (mountainous spurs) on the lake, located close to the LAC. Traditionally, three of these fingers are within the Indian controlled territory. While India claims the other five fingers as part of its territory, it has been jointly patrolled by the Indian and Chinese forces since the end of the 1962 war. After the war, the area remained a sensitive border zone, with frequent incursions by the Chinese.
In August 2017, Indian and Chinese forces engaged in a fight near Pangong Tso. As prior agreements prohibited the use of firearms near the LAC, the melee involved kicking, punching, rock throwing, and use of makeshift weapons such as sticks and rods. On 11 September 2019, the Chinese troops confronted the Indian troops on the northern bank of the lake. In early May 2020, the Chinese occupied positions up to Finger 4, and obstructed Indian patrols that had previously reached Finger 8. On 5–6 May 2020, a face-off between about 250 Indian and Chinese troops near the lake resulted in casualties on both sides.
On 29–30 August 2020, Indian troops occupied higher positions on the south bank of Pangong Tso such as Rezang La, Reqin La, Black Top, Hanan, Helmet, Gurung Hill, Gorkha Hill and Magar Hill. Some of these are located in the grey zone of the LAC and overlook the Chinese camps on the other side of the lake. Both the militaries also stationed vessels on the lake. In February 2021, both the sides agreed to withdraw from their positions on the north and south banks, with China pulling back eastwards of Finger 8 and India to Finger 3, and the intermediate zone was designated as a no-patrol buffer zone.
On the Indian side, a motorable road connects Phobrang with the border outpost of Hot Springs in the Chang Chenmo Valley via Marsimik La, which then extends till "Finger 4" on the northern bank of the Pangong Tso. A 32km (20mi)-long road connects Lukung with Chartse near the "Finger 1" on northwest bank of Pangong Tso. The Chushul-Lukung road was extended 5.8km (3.6mi) to connect to the Thakung post on the south bank of the lake.
On the Tibetan side, the China National Highway 219 passes along the eastern end of Pangong Tso. In August 2021, China began building a bridge spanning the narrowest part of the lake, near Khurnak Fort. The first bridge was completed in April 2022, and bypassed the 180km (110mi)-long route from Khurnak to the south bank of the lake. China started building a second higher bridge across the lake, which was
515m (1,690ft)-long and 9m (30ft)-wide, in 2022. The second bridge was completed in July 2024. India opposed the construction of these bridges,s stating that they were built on illegally occupied territory. A road connects to the village of Shandong on the south bank.
Pangong Tso is part of the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative of the Indian Armed Forces, aimed at boosting local infrastructure and tourism, and providing information on historical battleground locations. An Inner Line Permit is required to visit the lake on the Indian side, as it lies on the Sino-Indian border. Groups are to be accompanied by an accredited guide, and no boating is permitted for security reasons. However, a surge in Indian tourists has presented environmental challenges due to inadequate infrastructure to accommodate and manage the growing number of visitors. The Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon is held annually in February to promote winter tourism at Pangong Tso.
On the Chinese side, tourists can rent a boat on the lake, while landing on islands is not allowed, to protecting avian breeding grounds. There are a few restaurants located along the shore.
Due to its extreme salinity, there is no vegetation in the deeper parts of the Pangong Tso. There are grasslands along the margins and marshes in the west, and sedges and grasses along the northern and eastern shore. Low thorn scrubs and herbs cover the surrounding hills and raised ledges.
On the Chinese side, the lake hosts certain fish species such as false osman, and Kunar snowtrout. Freshwater snails of the genus Radix have also been noted in the lake.
↑The Line of Actual Control (LAC) displayed in the map is as marked by the OpenStreetMap editors, and reflects the traditional customary boundary line marked in the Chinese maps. There Sino-India border along the LAC is roughly divided into three sectors, western, middle and eastern. It runs from Ane Pass southwards, along the mountain ridge and passes through peak 6,127 (approximately 78° 46' E, 38° 50' N) and then southwards to the northern bank of the Pangong Lake (approximately 78° 49' E, 33° 44' N). It crosses the lake and reaches its southern bank at approximately 78° 43' E, 33° 40' N. Then it traverses in a south-easterly direction along the watershed dividing the Tongada River and the streams flowing into the Spanggur Lake until it reaches Mount Sajum. The "fingers" are mountain spurs jutting into the lake.
References
↑Hedin, Sven Anders (1907). Scientific Results of a Journey in Central Asia 1899-1902: Central and West Tibet. Lithographic institute of the General staff of the Swedish army. p.521. From Noh to Bal Rawling followed the same route that I did along the northern shore of the Tso-ngombo, which he calls the Tso Mo Gualari, dividing it into the sections: Tso Nyak, the twin lakes Rum Tso and Nyak Tso. He says that it consists of a string of five lakes 120 m. in length, the four most southern of which are fresh, and Pangong, the most northerly, salt. They are joined together by channels about 60 feet in width and 15 feet deep, the current running at nearly 1½ mile an hour.
↑Saward, M. H. (1878). Routes in Asia: Routes in the territories of the Maharaja of Jummoo and Kashmir, and adjacent countries. Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. pp.31–33. Only the lower lake (the Pangong Tso proper) lies in Ladak, the middle (Tso Nyak) and upper lakes being in Rudok territory. ... The waters of the western end are much more salt than those of the eastern end near Ot. in the stream connecting the Pangong Tso with Nyak Tso the water becomes drinkable, and rich grass is found on the banks.
↑"Ngari prefecture". Geographical names of Tibet AR (China). Institute of the Estonian Language. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
12"Pangong Lake". Government of Ladakh. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020. Pangong Lake, one of the most famous lakes in Leh Ladakh, derives its name from the Tibetan word, "Pangong Tso", which means "high grassland lake".
↑"Pangong Tso Lake in Tibet". China Daily. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020. Pangong Tso Lake is a trans-border lake extending from the Ali prefecture of China's Tibet autonomous region to India. About 155 kilometers in length, the geographic features of the lake are indicated in the name which in Tibetan means "long, narrow, enchanted lake".
↑"Pangong Tso Lake in the Northern Tibet". Kangba TV. 6 March 2017. Pangong Tso Lake, at an altitude of 4,200 meters, is also called Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo Lake, which means "a swan with a long neck" in Tibetan.
↑"班公错" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
↑Wang, M.; Hou, J.; Lei, Y. (2014). "Classification of Tibetan lakes based on variations in seasonal lake water temperature". Chinese Science Bulletin. 59 (34): 4847–4855. Bibcode:2014ChSBu..59.4847W. doi:10.1007/s11434-014-0588-8.
↑Chang Ya-Han 張雅涵, ed. (10 March 2020). 中國在西藏地區軍演頻繁 牽動中印未來危機應對[China's military exercises in Tibet frequently affect China and India's future crisis response]. Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
↑費風 (11 May 2020). 中印邊境再爆衝突 150士兵毆鬥釀12傷[Another 150 soldiers in the Sino-Indian border conflict caused 12 injuries in a fight]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 消息指，第一起事件發生於5月5日至6日，在中印邊境的班公錯湖（Pangong Tso ）地區，當時解放軍的「侵略性巡邏」（aggressive patrolling）被印度軍方阻攔。「結果發生了混亂，雙方都有一些士兵受傷。」{...}2017年8月，兩國軍隊曾於拉達克地區班公湖附近爆發衝突，當時雙方擲石攻擊對方，雙方均有人受傷，最終兩軍在半小時後退回各自據點。
↑黄慧英 (4 August 2018). 一措再措 邂逅高原湖泊的绝美[Take measures to meet the beauty of plateau lakes]. Tibet.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
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