Senior Indian military sources who have analyzed satellite imagery of a new Chinese base on the northern bank of Pangong Lake say the site is ”unlike any other site” located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control. Is.
The site in question, photographs of which are published in this report, is located 36 kilometers east of the LAC in China-occupied territory. It is about 15 km east of a new bridge that China has built over the high-altitude Pangong Lake in Ladakh and marks Beijing’s latest effort to increase pressure in areas near the Line of Actual Control that were previously empty.
Military sources say the site, which consists of more than 70 permanent structures, “is spread over a wide area.” This has been done to reduce the potential impact of missile attacks.” The site appears to have two primary functions – to accommodate soldiers and porters who are involved in China’s construction activity in the area. and stockpiling logistics for possible transfer to locations along the LAC with India. “Each structure can hold 6-8 soldiers or up to 10 tonnes of supplies,” military experts say, adding that this could include ammunition, including artillery shells.
“It appears that a major development initiative is underway in this village, as evidenced by the presence of heavy machinery, including cranes, and substantial supply depots,” says geospatial imagery expert Damien Simon. “The settlement also houses rural administrative offices. And emerging city centers are seeing the development of many two-storey buildings as well. Electrification efforts are in progress as power lines are drawn from the southern highway. Additionally, to secure the water supply, a possible pumping station is being constructed in the north, which will draw fresh water from the nearby river bed. Thanks to these preparations, once established, the village will be well protected from the extreme and adverse climate of the area.”
In April 2022, the site was cleared. However, construction began in March 2024.
Former Northern Army commander Lt Gen DS Hooda (retd), who led India’s surgical strikes on Pakistani territory, says the under-construction site has dual uses. ”This enables China to say they are only improving facilities for the civilian population, but this is clearly dual-use infrastructure that will be used by the military in a conflict.”
The construction of this site also changes the ground facts. Article VII of the 2005 Agreement between India and China on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Boundary Question states that ‘In reaching the boundary settlement, both parties shall safeguard the legitimate interests of the population inhabiting the border areas’ ”However, by building these villages in areas claimed by India where there was no inhabited population, China is attempting to strengthen its claims and weaken our bargaining position,” Lt Gen Hooda They say. “It’s a long game.”
An NDTV report published in July showed Chinese vehicles crossing the Pangong Lake bridge, 15 km from the new site.
The report also identified fortified sites north of the bridge, including a possible air defense site that could house a surface-to-air missile battery. This site will likely protect this new Chinese base from air attacks.
“The issue of concern is the size and scale of the bridge at Pangong Tso as well as the construction and infrastructure so close to the LAC, which connects the North and South coasts,” says Lt Gen Satish Dua (retd), former chief of the LAC. ” Integrated Defense Staff. “The bridge allows lateral switching of forces and this dual-use village can be used as a logistics hub. We have to keep a close watch on their activities in the area, which should give us advance warning of any malicious activities “
Damien Simon, perhaps the closest international observer of the latest developments on the India-China border, says construction activity at the new site appears to replicate similar activity in Chinese-occupied areas on the southern bank of Pangong Lake. “Similar construction activity has also been seen recently near the eastern sector of Spanggur Lake, where another large settlement is under construction, about 18 km from Rezang La, where Indian forces outmaneuvered the Chinese during the 2020 border standoff Was.”
The Ministry of External Affairs, to which NDTV sent the photos last week, has decided not to comment specifically on the new Chinese construction activity. However, India has dramatically increased infrastructure development along the China border. This includes construction of roads, tunnels and other military facilities to ensure that Indian forces are well prepared and can rapidly respond to any challenges posed by Chinese actions along the LAC.
India’s Vibrant Villages Programme, for which Rs 4,800 crore has been allocated from 2022-’23 to 2025-’26, aims to comprehensively develop villages along the northern border. The project, which promotes infrastructure development, livelihood opportunities and cultural and heritage, targets a total of 2,967 villages. The broader strategic goal of the project is to maintain Indian presence along the border, which is seen as a deterrent against territorial encroachment.
