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We report the first geochemical record in two drill-sediment cores from a buried channel in the Ghaggar Plains of NW India, which are used to infer variations in provenance, paleoclimate, and paleovegetation in the locality during the Late Quaternary. Aeolian sediments (similar to 150 ka) in both the cores are overlain by fluvial sediments (similar to 75 ka-recent). Major oxide compositions of the core sediments (n = 35) generally vary between that observed for the modern-day Ghaggar/Sutlej and Yamuna river sand. The isotopic composition (Sr-87/Sr-86: 0.7365 to 0.7783 and epsilon(Nd):-14.6 to -19.0) of core sediments (n = 18) suggest binary mixing of sediments from compositionally distinct Higher Himalaya (HH) and Lesser Himalaya (LH) endmembers in the catchment, and support involvement of a river system originating in the Himalayan hinterland. Distinctly higher Sr-87/Sr-86 and lower epsilon(Nd) in the core sediments during glacial periods can be explained by increasing sediment contribution from LH (high Sr-87/Sr-86 and low epsilon(Nd)) due to an increase in glacial cover over HH. Whereas relatively less glacial cover over HH during interglacial periods resulted in more erosion and sediment contribution from HH. The down-core Sr-Nd isotopic variability clearly reflects climate-controlled sediment erosion in the Himalayan catchment. Temporal variations in delta O-18 and delta C-13 of carbonate nodules (n = 27) are consistent with that reported from the Ganga interfluves. The delta C-13 variability (-4.1 parts per thousand to 1.2 parts per thousand.) in carbonates is mainly controlled by the extent of silicate (HH) versus carbonate (LH) source weathering due to significant climatic shifts. The delta C-13 of sediment organic matter -27.4%. to-232 parts per thousand, n = 24) suggests dominantly C-3 plants in the catchment during the last similar to 75 ka. More negative delta C-13 values in sediments during glacial periods relative to those during interglacial periods can be explained by increasing C-4 abundance during interglacial periods characterized with both higher summer rainfall and mean annual temperature. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.