Based on the geographic “hotspot” criteria (remoteness, broad sightlines, open water or playa, military/aviation ties, low light pollution) and actual reported cases, here are five Indian locations where UFO‐type phenomena have most often been claimed:
Pangong Tso & Kongka Pass (Ladakh)
High‑altitude, shallow lake with a flat horizon and heavy Army/ITBP patrols. Between August and October 2012, over 100 “luminous objects” were reported by troops stationed near Pangong Tso and Kongka Pass—many filed formal reports up to the PMO
India Today
Hindustan Times
.
Samudra Tapu (near Chandratal, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh)
A desolate glacial valley at ∼17,000 ft. In September 2004, an ISRO research team claimed to see a “snow‑man‑like” white object on an adjacent ridge—later speculated to be a drone or balloon
Wikipedia
.
Banni Grasslands (Rann of Kutch, Gujarat)
Seasonal marsh/desert fringes with virtually no population. Local “Chir Batti” or “ghost lights”—ball‑shaped phosphorescent glows moving at high speed—have been reported for centuries by BSF patrols and villagers
Wikipedia
.
Thar Desert (Rajasthan)
Vast sand‑plains and salt‑flats, minimal light pollution, border‑area test ranges nearby. UFO reports in Rajasthan (e.g., in the Jaisalmer/Bikaner region) are comparatively frequent in civilian databases—second only to Ladakh in some compilations
The Times of India
.
Imphal Airport (Manipur)
Though not remote in the strictest sense, on 21 November 2023 a “UFO” over Imphal airport disrupted flights and led to two Rafale interceptors being scrambled (no object was found)
Wikipedia
.
