evidence: When Britain hastily ended its imperial occupation of South Asia, the resulting Partition of India in 1947 left unresolved religious conflicts and ill-defined borders between India and Pakistan. While some borders were settled upon, others were left up to dispute. This is the case in Kashmir where the Line of Control, or former ceasefire line, acts as a de facto border. Siachen is located north of Point NJ 9842, the Line of Control’s northernmost agreed-upon point. The ambiguity of the glacier’s location has made it prone to territorial claims by both sides, who consider its possession "a matter of national prestige," according to the study’s author, Kristin Smith, an independent researcher and journalist. Smith explains in the study that disputes over Siachen’s territoriality first arose in 1975 when American maps marking the glacier as part of Pakistan provoked sharp backlash from India, who considered the maps "cartographic aggression." By 1984, the situation had turned violent. The Indian army launched Operation Meghdoot to occupy the glacier and cut off Pakistan from key ridges and passes. Until a ceasefire in 2003, armed conflict continued for nearly 40 years, causing an estimated 2,700 deaths. Battles have not broken out since, but neither have troops from either side withdrawn. While soldiers are no longer at active risk of combat, they still face the dangers of Siachen’s treacherous glacial terrain and harsh climate.