From the accounts: an ISRO glacier team watched a white object about a metre tall glide down a slope toward their camp on 27 September 2004. · Illustration for uaptrail.com
When27 September 2004, about 06:45–07:25
WhereSamudra Tapu glacier, Chandratal, Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India
Backing1 independent
Evidenceofficial records
On the morning of 27 September 2004 an ISRO glacier expedition in the Himalayas watched a white object about a metre tall, with balloon-like parts, glide down a slope toward their camp, climb a steep ridge, hover over them and fly off north, over about 40 minutes. They photographed it and reported it to the police and army. In December the government confirmed the account in Parliament, saying the object's nature could not be determined.
Evidence, in date order (1)
1 Dec 2004Government of India, Lok Sabhaofficial
confirmed the sighting, the photographs and the reports to police and military LS Unstarred Q.133
How plausible · High
Named ISRO and university scientists watched and photographed an object, and the government confirmed it in Parliament; the photos are unpublished.
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Access At the camp.
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No gain sought Science expedition.
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Character record ISRO scientists.
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Independent convergence A team.
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Checkable details check out Parliament answer.
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Cost of speaking Named scientists.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
Claims
'A team of scientists from ISRO and the Government college, Dharmashala … sighted one unidentified object of 3 - 4 feet size, which had a set of balloons attached to it … moving down the mountain slope with ease, and later retreated vertically to the ridge top and moved upwards in the air … The object was photographed, but being at a very high altitude, the exact nature of the device could not be concluded.'firsthandOn the recordGovernment of India (MoS PMO Prithviraj Chavan), Lok Sabha Unstarred Q.133, 1 Dec 2004
A 'bright white object moving towards our camp at about 7 am'; it floated a few inches above the ground, climbed a 70° slope, hovered over the camp for 3–5 minutes and left north; about 40 minutes in all.firsthandSourced, unconfirmedDr Anil V. Kulkarni (SAC/ISRO) with geologists Sunil Dhar and Rajesh Kalia, Hindustan Times (2 Oct 2004)
'I thought it was a helium balloon, but Kulkarni's description indicates an object with ahead-of-age technology.'analysisSourced, unconfirmedR.N. Sarwade, director, SASE (DRDO)
An SAC report describes 'complex manoeuvrability'; it was circulated to ISRO, Army HQ, SASE and the Kullu authorities, and shared with the DGMO.secondhandSourced, unconfirmedIndia Today
Where
Samudra Tapu glacier, Chandratal, Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India
