China-India border: PLA ramps up infrastructure along LAC, say reports

China has ramped up border infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) despite a military standoff with India, said reports. The build-up by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China includes connecting roads to highways, construction of housing units and deployment of heavy weaponry.

The PLA has built at least eight roads towards the LAC from China’s G219 highway, according to latest reports. These run from the salt water lake Tianshuihai in the Xinjiang region towards Galwan valley and from Kangxiwar in China’s southwestern Xinjiang region to the Karakoram Pass. Connecting roads have also been constructed north-south along these lateral roads.

Sources told ANI that the Chinese were also constructing new airstrips apart from the main bases in Kashgar, Gar Gunsa and Hotan.

According to News18, a road has been constructed connecting Sirijap at Finger 8 at the north bank of the Pangong Tso lake to the G219 highway.

Added to this, China has built a highway from Rutog County in the Tibet Autonomous Region to the Spanggur lake south of Pangong tso. Another road runs from south of Shiquanhe to Chumar in eastern Ladakh.

The three regions -- Tianshuihai, Rutog County and Shiquanhe – lie close to the G219 highway.

“These additional road constructions and upgradation of existing roads will ensure that China will have a direct road connectivity to areas opposite important Indian military posts along the LAC, from Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in the north to Galwan valley, Pangong tso and Chumar in the south,” a government source told News18.

The ANI report said the Chinese were better placed in the area in terms of shelters, road connectivity and acclimatisation this winter, compared to last year.

Rockets and missile regiments have been placed in Tibet Autonomous Region, while drones have been deployed for surveillance in the sector, sources told ANI.

News18 corroborated the ANI report on airstrips, saying the Chinese were constructing heliports at Xaidulla, Tianshuihai, Shiquanhe and Domar regions.

Though the Chinese have not built bridges over the Pangong tso, there are small crossings at certain points for troops to cross when the lake freezes.

There is also a new jetty at Finger 8 in Pangong tso with 50 patrol boats.

The Indian defence ministry has launched five major road projects in Ladakh by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), including the Hanuthang-Handanbroke-Zungpal-Turtuk road between the Indus valley and the Shyok valley.

The BRO will also build a connecting road from Pooh in Himachal Pradesh to Chumar in Ladakh. It will also complete an alternate road for Daulat Beg Oldie from Sasoma connecting Saser La and Gapshan and merging with the existing route to DBO.

The BRO will also construct multiple roads and bridges in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh along the LAC.

Earlier, the US Department of Defense said China had built a 100-home civilian village in disputed territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Media reports had claimed the Chinese had stepped up activities along the Tsari river near Migyitun town. The report said discussions between the two nations to resolve border disputes failed to progress as the Chinese claimed India provoked them with "increased infrastructure development" near the LAC.

A series of confrontations between the two armies along the border culminated in the violent clash in June last year in Galwan valley. At least 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number from the Chinese side were killed in the clash.

Earlier this month, New Delhi communicated its concerns over the infrastructure build-up to Beijing in the latest Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination of India-China Border Affairs meeting.

While both nations agreed to resolve the border issues, they are yet to decide on the date for the next round of military talks.