evidence: New Delhi: Amid the ongoing tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a 972 square kilometer area at over 16,400 feet — the Depsang Plains — continues to be a source of major friction, with India ramping up its defence and the Chinese increasing their presence in the area. The Depsang Plains come under India’s Sub Sector North (SSN) and as elsewhere, the LAC here is disputed. The SSN is sandwiched between the Siachen Glacier on one side and Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin on the other. [...] The importance of the Depsang Plains lies in its geographical location. The strategic and military threat to the plains is the greatest along the eastern Ladakh, which is also part of the SSN.