Bilafond La | |
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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 |
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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]