---
title: "Karakoram Pass: Location, History & UPSC Notes"
description: "The Karakoram Pass is a 5,540 m gap on the India–China watershed linking Ladakh to Xinjiang. Trade route turned strategic flashpoint near Aksai Chin."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/karakoram-pass"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Karakoram Pass is a 5,540-metre mountain pass on the China–India watershed in the eastern Karakoram range, historically linking Ladakh with Xinjiang.
- How does the Karakoram Pass differ from the Khunjerab Pass?
- Why was the Karakoram Pass strategically significant in the 1962 Sino-Indian War?
- Is the Karakoram Pass currently open for trade or travel?
- Why is the Karakoram Pass relevant for UPSC General Studies?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 2019 India completed the strategic Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldi road in the Shyok valley below the Karakoram Pass, sharply improving troop access toward the Line of Actual Control near Aksai Chin.

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