Indian Army Chief says China’s border infrastructure development continues at a rapid pace, need to keep a close watch

Since conducting several incursions into eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020, the PLA has maintained a forward-deployed force of about 50,000 soldiers and heavy equipment

PGurus Newsdesk

March 18, 2023

Since conducting several incursions into eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020, the PLA has maintained a forward-deployed force of about 50,000 soldiers and heavy equipment

Indian Army Chief states situation along the northern border stable but unpredictable

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande said China continues to build border infrastructure development at “a very rapid pace” and has not reduced troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), amidst the three-year military confrontation in eastern Ladakh. “Overall, the situation along the LAC is stable but we need to keep a close watch as it develops,” he said.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed around 50,000 troops forward, along with heavy weaponry, since making multiple incursions into eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. The Indian Army, too, has a “robust” deployment in all three sectors of the 3,488-km long LAC, stretching from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, with a “high level” of operational preparedness.

“We have adequate reserves to deal with any contingencies. With new technology and weapon systems infusion, our capability development is an ongoing endeavour. We are focussing on infrastructure development, especially in forward areas like roads, helipads, etc,” Gen Pande said.

The Army chief hoped the diplomatic and military talks with China would resolve the remaining “friction points” at the strategically-located Depsang Plains and Demchok in eastern Ladakh.

“Only through dialogue and talking to each other can we find a solution. In the balance friction points that is what our aim and endeavour are. Until it happens, our deployment of forces and alertness level will remain at a high level,” Gen Pande said.

About Pakistan, he said while the infiltration levels across the 778-km Line of Control (LoC) have reduced due to the Army’s “robust” counter-infiltration grid, attempts across the international boundary (IB) and the use of drones there to drop arms and drugs have shown an increase.

Moreover, “no major reduction in the terror infrastructure” exists in Pakistan. “Notwithstanding the domestic situation in Pakistan, be it the political instability, the economic downturn, and the internal security situation, I think we have to be extremely alert about what happens along the LoC and IB,” Gen Pande said.

India and China have thousands of square miles of disputed borderlands between them, from the Ladakh region, which is triangulated with Pakistan’s Kashmir claims, to Arunachal Pradesh to the east of Bhutan. Border conflicts are a permanent fixture of India-China relations, as the countries do not have a marked border but rather the LAC, created after the 1962 border war between the nations.

The tensions in Ladakh between the two nations escalated in May 2020. Following several conflicts in the area of Pangong Lake, Beijing’s actions prompted New Delhi to increase its military presence on the border.

In an attempt to reduce tensions, New Delhi and Beijing launched disengagement consultations in early June 2020, with the first phase of disengagement on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Lake completed in February 2021.

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