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Bilafond La
Location in Gilgit-Baltistan Show map of Gilgit Baltistan Bilafond La (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan
Elevation	5,450 m (17,881 ft)
Location	India, Siachen Glacier, Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan, India^[1]^[2]
Range	Eastern Karakoram Range
Coordinates	35°23′N 76°57′E / 35.383°N 76.950°E / 35.383; 76.950

United Nations map of Siachen Glacier showing *"Point NJ980420"* (Point NJ9842) as starting point of *"Actual Ground Position Line"* (AGPL), Goma military camp of Pakistan, Nubra River valley and Siachen glaciers held by India; Bilafond La and Sia La north of NJ9842 are also held by India. Masherbrum Range, Baltoro Glacier, Baltoro Glacier, Baltoro Muztagh and K2 are held by Pakistan.

Bilafond La (meaning "Pass of the Butterflies" in Balti language, also known as the Saltoro Pass, is a mountain pass situated on Saltoro Ridge, sitting immediately west of the vast Siachen Glacier, some 40 km (25 mi) directly north of map point NJ 980420 which defined the end of the 1972 Line of Control between Pakistan and India as part of the Simla Agreement. Bilafond La is on the ancient Silk Route linking the Indian Subcontinent and China.^[3]

Bilafond La was a prominent feature during the 1984 start of military action in the Siachen Conflict between India and Pakistan. The Indian Army captured the pass in 1984 along with Sia La to the north and, in 1987, Gyong La to the south.^[2] India currently maintains a fortified military base at Bilafond La.^[4]

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Geopolitical issues

Bilafond Pass, as well as nearby passes Sia La and Gyong La, were scenes of military activity starting in 1984 during Operation Meghdoot, part of the Siachen Conflict, itself being part of the larger Kashmir conflict.^[5] Due to the strategic location of the pass west of the Siachen Glacier and near the current Actual Ground Position Line between India and Pakistan, the Indian Army maintains a presence to defend their position.^[6]^[7]

Notes

^ Baghel, Ravi; Nusser, Marcus (17 June 2015). "Securing the heights; The vertical dimension of the Siachen conflict between India and Pakistan in the Eastern Karakoram". Political Geography. 48. Elsevier: 31–32. doi:10.1016/j.polgeo.2015.05.001.
^ ^a ^b Wirsing, Robert (15 November 1991). Pakistan's security under Zia, 1977-1988: the policy imperatives of a peripheral Asian state. Palgrave Macmillan, 1991. ISBN 978-0-312-06067-1.
^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Opinions". Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ Child, Greg (1998). Thin air: encounters in the Himalayas. The Mountaineers Books, 1998. ISBN 978-0-89886-588-2.
^ Barua, Pradeep P. (30 June 2005). The State at War in South Asia (Studies in War, Society, and the Military). University of Nebraska Press. pp. 253–255. ISBN 978-0-8032-1344-9. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
^ See "BHARAT RAKSHAK MONITOR – Volume 6 (1) July-August 2003". 14 June 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2017. for perhaps the most detailed treatment of the geography of the conflict, including its early days, and under section "3." the current status of control of Bilafond La, contrary to the oft-copied misstatement in the now-corrected error-plagued old summary formerly posted at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/siachen.htm
^ See http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2304/stories/20060310001704400.htm Archived 11 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine for a detailed, current map.

References

Close C; Burrard S; Younghusband F; et al. (1930). "Nomenclature in the Karakoram: Discussion". The Geographical Journal. 76 (2). The Geographical Journal, Vol. 76, No. 2: 148–158. Bibcode:1930GeogJ..76..148C. doi:10.2307/1783980. JSTOR 1783980.
"A Slow Thaw". Time. 7 November 2005. Archived from the original on 11 September 2005. Retrieved 26 April 2010.

External links

Siachen Peace Park

Mountain passes of India

Rail

Mountain railways	Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Kalka–Shimla railway Kangra Valley Railway Matheran Hill Railway Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Rail mountain passes	Bhor Ghat Braganza Ghats Budhni-Barkhera Ghat Palakkad Gap Shindawane Ghat Thal Ghat

Road

Ladakh	Bilafond La Chang La Fotu La Gyong La Indira Col Jianan Pass Karakoram Pass Khardung La Kongka Pass Marsimik La Sasser Pass Sia La Spanggur Gap Tanglang La Umling La Zojila Pass
Himalaya	Auden's Col Banihal Pass Bara-lacha la Bhaba Pass Bum La Pass Borasu Pass Chanshal Pass Cho La Debsa Pass Diphu Pass Dongkha La Goecha La Indrahar Pass Jelep La Kepang La Kunzum Pass Lipulekh Pass Lungalacha La Mana Pass Nama Pass Namika La Nathu La Pangsau Pass Pensi La Pin Parbati Pass Rezang La Rohtang Pass Rupin Pass Saach Pass Sela Pass Shingo La Shipki La Sin La Sinthan Pass Traill's Pass Tulung La
Western Ghats	Agumbe Ghat Amboli Ghat Amba Ghat Ambenali ghat Balebare Ghat Bisle Ghat Bopdev Ghat Bhor Ghat Bhoste Ghat Chandanapuri Ghat Charmadi Ghat Chorla Ghat Dive Ghat Ganesh Ghat Goa Gap Thal Ghat (Kasara Ghat) Kashedi Ghat Kamthe Ghat Katraj Ghat Khambatki Ghat Kumbharli Ghat Mahur Ghat Malshej Ghat Naneghat Palakkad Gap Parshuram Ghat Pasarni Ghat Phonda Ghat Sampaje Ghat Shiradi Ghat Tamhini Ghat Varandha Ghat
Vindhya	Bheru Ghat Budhni Ghat Manpur Ghat
Others	Asirgarh Ghat Goran Ghat Haldighati Pass

Union Territory of Ladakh

Capital: Kargil; Leh

State symbols

History

Pre-Independent India	Maryul Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war Treaty of Tingmosgang Dogra–Tibetan War Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir
Post-Independent India	1947–1948 India-Pakistan War 1948 military operations in Ladakh 1971 battle of Turtuk 2010 Ladakh floods 2019 Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reorganisation
Conflicts	Demchok conflict India–China conflict India–Pakistan conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict

Administration

Geography

General	Four types of Himalayan ranges Geology of the Himalaya
Ranges	Baltoro Muztagh Ladakh Range Saltoro Mountains Zanskar Range Kailash Range
Plateau	Depsang Plains More plains Sirijap Teram Shehr Plateau
Valleys	Leh Rupshu Salt Valley Mushkoh Valley Padum Shyok Suru Valley Nubra Zanskar Aryan valley
Glaciers	Chumik Glacier Drang-Drung Glacier Machoi Glacier Parkachik Glacier Shafat Glacier Siachen Glacier
Lakes	Tso Moriri Pangong Tso
Rivers	Sutlej Beas Ravi Shyok Chenab Drass River Indus Zanskar Tsarap Doda Yapola Suru River Markha Galwan Chip Chap
Passes	Bilafond La Chang la Fotu La Gyong La Indira Col Karakoram Pass Khardung La Kongka Pass Lachulung La Taglang La Marsimik La Namika La Pensi La Rezang La Rimo Sasser Pass Sia La Shingo La Spanggur Gap Zoji La
Mountain peaks	Bana Top Chumik Kangri Ghent Kangri Gurung Hill India Saddle K12 Saltoro Kangri Sherpi Kangri Tiger Saddle

Human
settlements

Culture

General	Music of Ladakh
Languages	Ladakhi Purgi Balti Zangskari Changthang Brokskat
Festivals	Bono-na festival

Tourism and
wildlife

Wildlife	Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary Hemis National Park Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary
Tourism	Khurnak Fort Ladakh Marathon Shanti Stupa, Ladakh Siachen Base Camp
Indo-Tibetan Buddhist monasteries	Alchi Bardan Basgo Chemrey Diskit Hanle Hemis Hundur Korzok Karsha Lamayuru Likir Lingshed Mashro/Matho Monastery Mulbekh Namgyal Tsemo Phugtal Phyang Rangdum Rizong Sani Sankar Saspul Shey Monastery Spituk Stakna Stok Stongdey Takthok Thikse Tserkarmo Tonde Wanla Zangla Zongkul

Transport

Airports	Kargil Airport Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh) Military AGLs
Roads	Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road India-China Border Roads Leh–Manali Highway NH1 Leh–Kargil–Srinagar Highway Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) Sasoma–Saser La Road
Railway	Bhanupli–Leh line (Planned) Srinagar–Leh line (Planned)

Infrastructure

General	Indian Astronomical Observatory
Dams and hydroelectric project	Chutak Dumkhar Salal
Education	Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Defence Institute of High Altitude Research Druk White Lotus School Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh Government Degree College, Kargil Phuktal Monastic School Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh University of Ladakh

Bilafond La

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