India and China increase infrastructure near Pangong Tso lake: Report

Ties between India and China worsened since the 2020 Galwan clashes when in the month of May, troops of both nations engaged in aggressive face-offs resulting in the deaths of soldiers on both sides.

Diplomatic talks keep happening from time to time to pacify the situation but tension continues to simmer as it emerged that there has been increased activity in the area around the Pangong Tso.

On one side, China has amped up activities to complete a bridge across the Pangong Tso, which will connect the north and south banks. On the other hand, India is constructing a road on its side on the north bank. Development of infrastructure has been increased from both sides.

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In a report by The Hindu, an official source was quoted as saying that the "construction of a black-topped road towards Finger 4 on our side is on and is expected to be completed by 2025".

"There is a major impetus on infrastructure, road networks, advanced landing grounds and so on," the source added. While speaking to the outlet on the condition of anonymity, the source said that the construction work is at an advanced stage on the alternate axis to the critical Darbuk-Skyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road through the Saser La.

Mentioning the Chinese construction, the report, quoting the source, stated that work is now underway on the main bridge, while the second bridge has been completed and large-scale construction activity, along with construction materials, was observed on the north bank recently.

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Recent satellite images

In a report by ChathamHouse, which was published last month, it was mentioned that satellite images taken in the six months from October 2022 show a region increasingly in a state of flux.The report mentioned that an established Chinese presence can be seen in the area where once there were just a few People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The report added that in that particular region, China has built an extensive set of installations, establishing an ecosystem to support its deployments of PLA troops. The satellite images also showed the expansion of roads, outposts and modern weatherproof camps. They have the facility of parking areas, solar panels and even helipads.

Last month, India's Border Roads Organisation(BRO) claimed that its personnel restored connectivity along the damaged Ditte Dime-Migging Road in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh within a record 72 hours.

Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) commanding officer O Taki said that despite heavy rain, the BRO personnel completed road diversion and opened the road for all types of traffic on June 23.

Overall, India has responded well to the Chinese infrastructure work with several crucial projects as the report mentioned that the nation's Northern Command has deployed blocking forces that match the Chinese activity and will prevent any further incursion.

Notably, the ChathamHouse report mentioned that the Indian Army has also occupied the peaks of several mountains resulting in Chinese withdrawals from sensitive locations, most of them around Pangong Tso.

China increasing construction on an Antarctic station

In April, a report showedthat Beijing is increasing its Antarctic footprint. A Washington-based think tank has gathered information based on new satellite imagery, which suggests that construction has resumed for the first time since 2018 on China's fifth station in the southern polar region.

The report released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) showed that China is making "significant progress" in Antarctica after a several years-long gap in construction.

(With inputs from agencies)

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