copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-10-06): Saltoro Kangri is located in the northernmost part of the Karakoram Range, which spans the borders of Pakistan, India, and China. The Saltoro Range forms a major ridge line to the west of the Siachen Glacier, one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions. The peak itself lies on the line of control (LoC) between India and Pakistan, in the contested Kashmir region. [...] Saltoro Kangri holds a strategic position along the western flank of the glacier, making it a key point of interest for both India and Pakistan. Indian forces currently occupy the higher ground along the Saltoro Ridge, including posts near Saltoro Kangri, while Pakistani forces control positions on the lower slopes to the west. The Line of Control (LoC), which separates Indian-administered Kashmir from Pakistani-administered Kashmir, runs along the Saltoro Ridge. India claims sovereignty over the entire Siachen Glacier and the surrounding areas, including Saltoro Kangri, while Pakistan disputes this claim. The two countries have engaged in numerous rounds of negotiations over the years, but no permanent resolution has been reached.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-05-07): Saltoro valley is the highest valley in Pakistan and is located within the region of Baltistan.[1] This valley is under the administration of Pakistan and is situated near the Saltoro Mountain Range which includes the prominent Saltoro Kangri peak and the Saltoro River. Saltoro Valley is in proximity to the Siachen Glacier, which is the world's highest battleground and a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.[2][3] The Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) divides the region held by India and Pakistan in the disputed Siachen area, running through the Saltoro Mountain Range. In this area, higher peaks and passes are held by India, while Pakistan occupies the lower peaks and valleys.[4] In 1984, India conducted Operation Meghdoot, capturing most of the contested Siachen area.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-03): In 2012, Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army General Bikram Singh said that the Indian Army should stay in the region for strategic advantages, and because a "lot of blood has been shed" by Indian armed personnel for Siachen.[37][38] The present ground positions, relatively stable for over a decade, mean that India maintains control over all of the 76 kilometres (47 mi) Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as all the main passes and heights of the Saltoro Ridge[39] immediately west of the glacier, including Sia La, Bilafond La, Gyong La, Yarma La (6,100m), and Chulung La (5,800m).[40] Pakistan controls the glacial valleys immediately west of the Saltoro Ridge.[41][42] According to TIME magazine, India gained over 1,000 square miles (3,000 km2) in territory because of its 1980s military operations in Siachen.[43] India has categorically stated that India will not pull its army from Siachen until the 110-km long AGPL is first authenticated, delineated and then demarcated.[44][45]
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-12-28): - Saltoro Kangri is situated in a region that Pakistan currently administers. The area is a subject of territorial dispute between India and Pakistan. [...] - Saltoro Kangri is in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, and Pakistan currently administers it. However, the territorial status of the region is disputed, with India also claiming sovereignty over the area. Saltoro Kangri holds its lofty throne within the Saltoro Range, a sub-range of the more extensive Karakoram Range. Picture, if you will, a landscape where vast icefields meet dramatic rock formations, and the panorama extends to neighboring peaks. It’s within this challenging terrain that Saltoro Kangri asserts its dominance, beckoning climbers with its sheer grandeur.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2014-04-12): India immediately dispatched troops to the Siachen, beating Pakistan by a week. By then they had already got control of the glacier and the adjacent Saltoro ridge, using Col Kumar's maps. One of the key Indian installations on the Siachen today is named Kumar Base after him.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-03-24): The region surrounding Saltoro Kangri has been the subject of territorial disputes between India and Pakistan since 1947. Owing to its strategic location, control over this area is seen as crucial by both countries. However, the inhospitable climate and rough terrain make it difficult for either country to establish a permanent presence. [...] Neighboring Peaks: Saltoro Kangri is located deep in the Karakoram in a remote area. It stands on the Actual Ground Position Line between India’s Siachen region and Pakistani territory west of the Saltoro Mountain Range. Its closest neighboring peaks are Sherpi Kangri 6.2 miles away, Ghent Kangri 8.5 miles away, and K12 9.4 miles away. [...] Despite the ongoing territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, Saltoro Kangri remains a place where nature thrives undisturbed. It stands as an example of how life can adapt to the most extreme conditions, offering a unique window into a largely unexplored ecosystem. However, it is essential that efforts are made to conserve this fragile ecosystem and protect it from potential threats. As more exploration takes place and human activity inevitably increases, it will be crucial to maintain a balance that ensures the survival and prosperity of the unique flora and fauna found within Saltoro Kangri.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-08-27): It is the highest peak of the Saltoro Mountains, also known as the Saltoro Range, a part of the Karakoram. It is the 31st highest mountain in the world, but it is in a very remote location deep in the Karakoram. This pristine and glaciated terrain is a part of the larger Himalayan landscape that has captivated explorers since the early 20th century. The Saltoro Range serves as a natural border between the Indian-administered territory of Ladakh and the Pakistani-administered region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Its highest peak, Saltoro Kangri, at 7,742 m (25,400ft), is a challenging ascent, drawing adventurers worldwide. Beyond its physical grandeur, the Saltoro The range holds geopolitical significance, with the Siachen Glacier, a point of contention between India and Pakistan, lying in its proximity. India claims the Saltoro Range as part of the Ladakh region and as part of the Gilgit–Baltistan region by Pakistan. It is Situated in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir; Saltoro Kangri commands attention with its strategic position on the Saltoro Range. The peak lies near the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) between India and Pakistan, adding an extra layer of intrigue to its captivating allure. Accessible from both the Indian and Pakistani sides, the journey to Saltoro Kangri is as much about cultural exploration as it is about conquering the summit.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-12-25): Ghent Kangri, also known as Mount Ghent, is a magnificent peak situated in the Saltoro Mountain Range, located in the disputed territory between India and Pakistan. It is a part of the larger Karakoram Range that extends from Afghanistan through Pakistan and into India’s Ladakh region. The majestic Ghent Kangri stands at an impressive height of 7,401 meters making it the 22nd highest independent peak in the world. [...] The first successful expedition to Ghent Kangri was carried out by a Japanese team in 1961. The mountain has been relatively less explored due to its challenging terrain and hostile conditions. This peak is part of the strategic Saltoro Ridge, which acts as a natural barrier between India and Pakistan in this disputed region.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2019-12-26): - Saltoro Ridge: The Saltoro Mountains mountain range is a subrange of the Karakoram Heights or of Saltoro Ridge. They are located in the heart of the Karakoram, on the southwest side of the Siachen Glacier.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2021-11-29): India today has over 80 posts on the Saltoro ridge after the AGPL starting stabilising by late Eighties. This means that troops are well dug-in and it is virtually impossible for either side to make territorial gains on the Saltoro ridge, Infantry assaults to dislodge the opponent and moves to occupy adjoining un-held crests and heights with the aim to dominate opponent’s location are no longer possible. Military strategy adopted by both nations has been two-fold: use of artillery to hit known dug-in-locations and moves to make tactical gains in the sensitive and vulnerable Sub-Sector West or Southern Sector, which requires a correct mix of artillery, small arms, and an employment of troops. The artillery has emerged as the main mass killer. As terrain and weather peculiarities were overcome with time and experience, a mix of artillery guns and mortars wrought most casualties second only to those by weather.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-29): Siachen Glacier, piedmont glacier located in the Karakoram Range. It lies in the heavily glaciated Himalayan region known as the "Third Pole," because mountain glaciers in this region contain more fresh water than is found anywhere else on Earth except for the polar ice caps. The Siachen Glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge, a subrange of the Karakorams, to the west and the main Karakoram Range to the east. It is 75 km (47 miles) long, which makes it the second longest nonpolar glacier in the world, after Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan. It is believed to have been up to 165 km (103 miles) long in the past, on the basis of evidence of glaciation events that occurred some 145,000 years ago.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2018-06-24): The Siachen Glacier is part of a larger territory dispute between India and Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan have had a significant military presence here (mostly along the Saltoro Ridge) since April 1984. The conflict has been called, The Highest Battleground in the World". Pakistan and India spend upwards of $1 million dollars a day to keep troops amassed along such demanding and inhospitable terrain. [...] Around the same time, Pakistan had also started to grant climbing permits to K2, the Himilayan mountain known as the hardest mountain to climb. When the Indian Army learned of this, they immediately assembled a military expedition to the Siachen Glacier. The glacier and the surrounding mountains range from 19,000 to 22,000 feet above sea level. The whole area is extremely cold and heavily glaciated. It is sometimes called The Third Pole. Never-the-less both Pakistani and Indian troops have chosen to remain amassed along the Saltoro Ridge.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-12-04): There has been considerable talk in Pakistan about the recent avalanche in Gyari west of the Saltoro Ridge and it is shown as having occurred in the Siachen area. Pakistan is nowhere near the Siachen Glacier. Please everybody, let us get the facts right. The glacier is at least two-three days march away from Gyari and is attainable after first climbing the heights of Saltoro. It lies to the East of the Saltoro Ridge which is manned by Indian troops at those heights and is lower than the Saltoro. It is therefore not visible from the forward most posts on the Pakistani side. Saltoro overlooks, in a manner of speaking, the land to the west that is the Skardu Astore regions of Gilgit and Baltistan which we assert is ours. Siachen’s northern tip is close to Shaksgam, a slice of J&K territory ceded by Pakistan to China, while its southern tip is the source of water to the Nubra.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2022-02-14): Download Solution PDFWhere is Saltoro Ridge located? [...] Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Karakoram Ranges. Key Points - The Saltoro Mountains are a subrange of the Karakoram Range.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2014-05-05): The decision to de-militarize or rather withdraw from Siachen has been taken arbitrarily at the highest political level disregarding strong objections by successive army chiefs including the current chief, Gen Bikram Singh. He has even made a statement to the media opposing demilitarization of the glacier. The agreement mainly includes: setting up a joint commission to delineate the line beyond NJ 9842, the map coordinate south of the incompletely demarcated disputed territory; joint authentication of present ground positions; determination of places for redeployment; disengagement and demilitarization in mutually acceptable time frame, and cooperative monitoring of activities to ensure transparency. The agreement states that re-occupation cannot be done speedily. This is absurd as it negates India’s ability to use helicopters for lightning occupation. This gives Pakistan a huge advantage because the western flanks and glacial valleys of the Saltoro ridge are controlled by Pakistan. They do not have snow during summer and can be reached under cover of darkness and of bad weather on foot. The provision for technical surveillance is a red herring because of the tough terrain and extreme weather.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-07-30): It is necessary to understand the strategic importance of Siachen glacier. Significantly, it is the most crucial source of fresh water in the region. Nubra valley, located in the Ladakh region, receives water from the Nubra river, which is traced to Siachen glacier. This river joins the Shyok river and which further meets the Indus river. The Saltoro Ridge serves as a division between, Pakistan administered Kashmir and China which gives India advantageous position to safeguard Kargil and Leh bases from Pakistan and China. India’s position on Siachen helps in protecting the Karakoram highway, which connects the Aksai Chin and the Khunjarab pass. India has forward bases on the ridges of Saltoro, namely Indira Col (22,000 feet), Pahalwan (20,000 feet), Bila Top (18,600 feet) and Kumar (16,000 feet). These posts act as a watch tower, eyeing the activities in Pakistan administered Gilgit and Baltistan as well as the Shaksgam region, which was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China. National highway-1D (NH-1D), which is known as the Srinagar-Leh highway, has been instrumental in connecting the region of Ladakh with Jammu and Kashmir. In the light of this, Siachen further provides a strategic position in protecting the highway.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2015-12-24): d. Pakistan is willing to bilaterally negotiate with India as it considers Siachen Glacier disputed territory, especially since it falls outside the demarcated Line of Control. It was willing to accept Siachen as a no man’s land, till India unilaterally occupied the Saltoro range. [...] India’s stand is that delineation of boundaries be carried out along the watershed in accordance with the accepted international watershed principle. India insists that it should extend along the Saltoro ridge-line connecting point NJ 9842 with the Sia La, Sherpa Kangri, and on to K2, merging with the international boundary agreed in the 1963 Sino-Pak Border Agreement. By stating its stand based on the watershed principle, India hopes to apply this position to its territorial dispute with China as well. [...] India is likely to continue to hold its entrenched positions (which are militarily stronger) on the Saltoro range in the absence of a negotiated settlement. The region has seen a ceasefire in effect since 2003, as a result of which combat related casualties no longer occur. Over a period of time, India has advanced its medical support resources deployed in the area and weather and terrain related casualties have dropped. Though the costs in money terms of maintaining the army at such altitudes is prohibitively high, India is capable of continuing to do so.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-04-14): Forty years ago, on April 13, 1984, a fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters flew an Indian Army platoon, one soldier at a time, to the Bilafondla Pass on the Saltoro Ridge, towering over the Siachen Glacier at an altitude of 5,450 metres (17,880 ft). [...] Soon, about 300-odd Indian troops were positioned on the strategically important peaks and passes of the Saltoro Ridge. By the time the Pakistan Army reacted by sending its troops to dislodge them, Indian soldiers had already occupied crucial peaks and passes, snatching an invaluable tactical advantage. [...] Ukraine says situation in East worse as Russian troops step up attacks "We began establishing a territorial claim to this area, through mountaineering, to counter Pakistan’s cartographic aggression," said Kumar. "My report on the expedition said, "The Line of Control should run along the Saltoro Ridge, so that we can overlook and dominate the Pakistanis."
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2020-04-14): For India, expenditure and effort to regain the Saltoro Ridge, if demilitarised, would escalate as a geometric/logarithmic progression. In fact, cost escalation for India would begin the moment any unfortunate decision to demilitarise from Siachen is taken. This will happen in terms of building a new line of defence further down which will require more infrastructure and troops involving prohibitive expenditure. As and when the conflict escalates, the money saved will go down the gutter in nanoseconds. A much larger number of soldiers will be called upon to sacrifice their lives than the few who are becoming unfortunate victims of the weather at present. More dangerous is the fact that this may well trigger a scary sub-continental conflict. Hence, domination of Saltoro Ridge by India has been a strategic imperative since Operation Meghdoot.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-28): The Indian army controls all of the 76 kilometres (47 mi) and 2553sq km area long Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as all the main passes and heights of the Saltoro Ridge[51] immediately west of the glacier, including Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La—thus holding onto the tactical advantage of high ground.[52][53][54][55][56] Indians have been able to hold on to the tactical advantage of the high ground... Most of India's many outposts are west of the Siachen Glacier along the Saltoro Range. In an academic study with detailed maps and satellite images, co-authored by brigadiers from both the Pakistani and Indian military, pages 16 and 27: "Since 1984, the Indian army has been in physical possession of most of the heights on the Saltoro Range west of the Siachen Glacier, while the Pakistan army has held posts at lower elevations of western slopes of the spurs emanating from the Saltoro ridgeline. The Indian army has secured its position on the ridgeline."[This quote needs a citation]
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2012-09-03): On the map, Saltoro ridge appears like a dagger and in geopolitical terms it is indeed a dagger, sturck deep into the territories held by Pakistan and which belonged to erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state of British India. Saltoro mountains are perhaps not high as great spurs of Saser Muztagh range, but still most of them in the north, have heights around 20 to 22K range. The Indian Army posts on Saltoro range, give them a commanding position as they can look deep into territory held by Pakistan towards west and north. In fact the entire region north of Saltoro is mountainous and inhospitable right up to the Hunza valley, where Pakistan and China have built a road jointly. [...] Saltoro ridge, though consisting of a series of formidable snow clad spurs, have three mountain passes through which an invading army can come down to Siachin valley and then continue towards Nubra valley. Out of these two passes namely Sia La and Bilafond La are completely controlled by India. Approach to the third pass known as Gyong La is controlled by Pakistan. Controlling the passes is of paramount importance to India as these passes are the only possible routes through which any invasion of Ladakh is ever possible.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2019-08-23): Why was the LC not defined beyond this point? Perhaps, in 1972, there were no military engagements beyond NJ 9842, the area was inhospitable due to the Siachen Glacier and still largely unexplored. However, the peaks on the Saltoro Ridge (Saltoro Kangri, K12, Ghent Kangri, Sherpi Kangri) became mountaineering objectives, for international expeditions. In the 1970s and 80s, Pakistan began granting permission, even providing logistic support and military liaison officers, to expeditions in this area. In 1984, India executed OP MEGHDOOT, using the Ladakh Scouts and 4 KUMAON. In early April, Indian troops physically occupied the Saltoro Ridge; including all the three passes at Bilafond La, Sia La and Gyong La. Pakistan objected to India’s occupation of the Saltoro Ridge stating that it was a violation of the Shimla Accord. In their perception, the LC should follow NE directly to Karakoram Pass, without the norm of crest lines and watersheds. In 1987 and 1989 Pakistan launched attacks to evict Indian troops but the attempts were foiled and Indian positions have been further consolidated.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-05-03): The report said that although the current road construction is a patch between two possible alignments in the long term, it is quite evident that China wants to link Lower and Upper Shaksgam valley through road and military outposts in order to pressurize Indian Army positions on Siachen Glacier and Saltoro Ridge.
Claim: Saltoro Ridge is a territory of India (Saltoro Ridge, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-06-06): The icy wilderness of the Siachen Glacier, once uninhabited, is now home to armies of two neighbouring nuclear states. The conflict over Siachen began in April 1984, when India launched Operation Meghdoot, a military operation to capture most of the Siachen Glacier. This operation was launched under the pretext that the Line of Control (LOC) runs from NJ9842 along the watersheds formed by the Saltoro Ridge, which places the entire Siachen Glacier within Indian territory. India relied on the Karachi Agreement (1949), where beyond NJ9842, the LOC was to run "thence north to the glaciers". Since then, it has been the world’s highest and coldest battleground. However, before 1984, Pakistan exercised authority over the terrain of the Siachen Glacier, issuing mountaineering expedition licenses for the area and allowing travellers with Pakistani visas to visit the site. Interestingly, India, before 1984, never contested Pakistan’s administrative control over the Siachen Glacier. This historical context is crucial to understanding the complexity and urgency of the Siachen conflict and its environmental impact.