Indus-Tsang-po Suture Zone

The Indus-Tsang-po Suture Zone is a geological region in Asia that marks the boundary where the Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian plate. This collision, which began around 50 million years ago, is responsible for the formation of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.1

The suture zone itself is characterized by a jumble of volcanic and sedimentary rocks that have been folded and thrust over one another. These rocks represent the remnants of the ancient Tethys Ocean floor that once separated the two continents. North of this zone, a belt of granites forms the Trans-Himalayan range, intruded into the crust before the final collision. The ongoing convergence of these plates continues to shape the region, making it geologically active.12