Actual Ground Position Line

India has at least 108 forward military outposts and artillery observation posts in this area where temperature goes down to −55 °C (−67 °F) during winters with icy 100 km/h (62 mph) blizzards.Bana Top (6,200 metres (20,500 ft)) is the highest post and requires an 80-kilometre (50 mi) trek that takes up to 20 days for troops to reach. Pahalwan Post (6,100 metres (20,000 ft)), and Indira Col (5,800 metres (19,000 ft)), 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 60-kilometre (37 mi) 9-day return trek from Siachen Base camp towards Indira Col. 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. Each post has an artillery officer who are deployed in the rotation of 45 days. The average temperature is between minus 25 °C during day and minus 55 °C during the night. 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 90 km (56 mi) northwest of K2.

AGPL details

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). 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. India and Pakistan have nearly 150 military posts in Siachen along AGPL with nearly 3,000 soldiers each. Nearest road is to the Indian Military Base Camp at Dzingrulma, with 5G mobile and internet connectivity, which is 72 km from the beginning of the Siachen glacier at Indira Col. Nearest civilian village is Warshi in India, 16 km (10 miles) downstream from the Indian base camp on the Dzingrulma-Khalsar Road.

Subsectors of SGPL, so named by the Indian Army, are listed below.

Southern Saltoro Ridge subsector

Southern Sector, so named by the Indian Army, is approached by via the Nubra Valley.

• 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 (6,965 m), lies near Gyong La pass at the southern end of the Saltoro Ridge, it guards the approach to the Siachen Glacier from the south, held by India.
• Gyong La pass (5,640m), held by India.</ref name=saw1>

Central Saltoro Ridge subsector

• East of Gyari (valley) Pakistani army base camp.
• Chumik Kangri (peak, 675 4m), overlooks Chumik Glacier sector, held by India.
• K12 (peak, 7,428 m), held by India (east face) and Pakistan (west face).
• West of Bilafond La (6,160m), held by India.
• West of Bana Top peak (6,400m or 22,143 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. In the same Bilafond La sector, also lie the India-held Sonam post (21,000 ft or 6,400 m elevation between Bana and Amar posts is slightly northwest of Bana Post, was established by Havildar Sonam in 1984, has world's highest helipad), and India-held Amar Post (south of Bana and Sonam Post on the slopes of the Saltoro Ridge at a higher elevation than Sonam Post but lower than Bana Post).
• 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, India controls the area around the peak but Pakistan also claims the territory.
• Turtle (6,363 m) saddle/pass, key observation post held by India.
• 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 India.

Northern Saltoro Ridge subsector

• West of Ghent Kangri (7380 m), held by India.

• West of Sia La (5,589 m or 18,336 ft), one of three key passes in the area held by India.
• West of Chogolisa (7,665 m) peak, held by Pakistan.

Baltoro-Gasherbrum subsector

• 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 Gasherbrum Group (Gasherbrum II 8,035 m, Gasherbrum III 7,952 m, and Gasherbrum IV 7,925 m) peaks, held by Pakistan.
• Gasherbrum I held by China (north face), Pakistan (west face), and India (east and south face).

Northern subsector

• 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 and near India-Pakistan-China trijunction, held by Pakistan (southwest face) and India (northeast face).
• 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.

Trans-Karakoram LAC alignment

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.
• Shaksgam La
• Karakoram Pass (5,540 m or 18,176 ft), in Depsang Plains.

Military posts along AGPL

India maintains at least 108 forward military outposts and artillery observation posts along the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), which runs along the Saltoro Ridge. Pakistan has around 50 posts, mostly at lower elevations west of the Saltoro ridge. Some of the well-known bases and posts are:

India

Listed south to north:

• Southern Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Siachen Base Camp at Partapur: serves as the main base for the 102 Infantry Brigade (Siachen Brigade) includes Siachen Battle School for training and acclimatization, reachable from Leh via Khardung La.
  • Kumar Base (Kumar Base): Named after Colonel Narendra "Bull" Kumar, who played a key role in mapping Siachen. Serves as a battalion headquarters, located 60 km from Siachen Base Camp toward Indira Col.
• Central Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Pahalwan Post:
  • Gyong La Post: Provides tactical dominance over surrounding areas.
  • Bilafond La subsector: Site of multiple Pakistani counterattacks, including one led by Brigadier Pervez Musharraf, all repelled by India.
    • Bilafond La Post:
    • Amar Post:
    • Bana Post (Quaid Post - former name by Pakistan): Captured by India in 1987 during Operation Rajiv. Requires an 80-km, 20-day trek from Siachen Base Camp.
    • Sonam Post: The highest permanently manned post in the world, located between the Amar and Bana posts. Used for logistics and observation.
• Northern Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Sia La Post: Provides control over northern access routes.
• Northern subsector
  • Indira Post: near Indira Col, named after the Workman expedition (not Indira Gandhi). One of the northernmost posts, critical for monitoring the India-China-Pakistan tri-junction.

Pakistan

Listed south to north:

Pakistan controls the glacial valleys west of the Saltoro Ridge, at lower altitudes, with posts located on the western slopes of the ridge’s spurs.

• Southern Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Goma Base: at lower elevation than Indian posts, is a logistical base west of the Saltoro Ridge, supporting Pakistani operations in the region. Connected by road networks, providing a logistical advantage over India’s helicopter-dependent supply lines.
  • Gayari Base Camp (~4,500 m or 14,764 ft): in the Gayari subsector, southwest of the Saltoro Ridge. Devastated by an avalanche in 2012, killing 129 soldiers and 11 civilians. Rebuilt and operational.
• Central Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Naveed Post (~6,750 m or 22,158 ft):
• Northern Saltoro Ridge subsector
  • Conway Saddle Post (~6,032 m or 19,790 ft): at the junction of the Karakoram and Saltoro Ranges, near the Baltoro Glacier. Blocks Indian access to K2 and provides strategic oversight of surrounding peaks.