India formally names 28 places and objects in Ladakh on official map amid pressure from China | Why it matters | Today’s news
The Center has formally identified and mapped 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh on the official Survey of India map, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday.
The MHA said the exercise was conducted in consultation with the Union Territory administration and is aimed at facilitating “accurate identification” of these sites and improving public awareness about them.
The move comes after the Center standardized the names of 27 places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh in August this year.
How did India name 28 places?
The newly standardized names include Zorawar Peak, Kanishka Peak, Atisha Giri, Martand Giri, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyasri Giri, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshvara Ri.
Also on the list are Karun Pir, Drak Karpo and Jolmori mountains; Chapchingal Pass and Shachmirk Pass; Parpik and Skamri glaciers; and the Shkorga Valley.
Other geographical features identified include Brangsa, Kuksel, Dehra Compass, Gogra, Kumarayana Point, Panglung and Shamal Lungpa.
The 28 elements also include Guru Rinpoche Lake, Yangpa River and a hot spring.
The government said these names would now be represented on the official Survey of India map of Ladakh and the aim was to facilitate accurate recognition and greater public awareness.
Why does mapping matter?
China routinely assigns Mandarin names to places in Indian territory as part of its aggressive push to strengthen its territorial claims.
Since 2017, Beijing has released several lists of such names – starting with six sites, followed by 15 in 2021, further batches in 2023 and 2024, and another 23 sites in April 2026.
In subsequent rounds, the total number of renamed posts increased to more than 80, Modern Diplomacy reports.
Analysts cited by Firstpost described the practice as a form of “cartographic aggression” and psychological warfare, saying the renaming aims to strengthen China’s territorial claims and influence how disputed areas are depicted on maps.
Beijing refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “Zangnan”, or southern Tibet, and has repeatedly announced new Chinese names for places there. Tibet was occupied by China in 1950 using brutal force that drove thousands of indigenous people to India and Nepal.
India rejected these moves and made it clear that China cannot change the status of Indian territory simply by giving it a different name.
The exercise in Ladakh follows the Centre’s decision in August to standardize 27 places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh on Survey of India maps.
The Arunachal list included places like Thag La, Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Jaswant Garh among others.
India has consistently rejected this practice, saying that changing local names does not change their status or India’s sovereignty over them.
