Itanagar, Sept 05: The Chinese army has been steadily increasing its troop deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh-Sikkim sector, raising concerns within the Indian security establishment.
Sources indicate that Chinese troops have been encroaching further into territory claimed by India, mirroring similar actions that led to territorial disputes in eastern Ladakh.
One security official from the Union Home Ministry expressed concerns, stating that there is a fear that China aims to alter the status quo in the region, much like it did in eastern Ladakh, where it has occupied nearly 2,000 square kilometers of territory claimed by India since May 2020.
Beijing recently released its 2023 edition of the “standard map,” which asserts Chinese sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, the latter of which was occupied by China during the 1962 war with India.
The security official further explained, “The Chinese army has been continuing to increase troop deployment along the LAC in the eastern sector over the past 8-10 months. Chinese soldiers have been coming increasingly deeper into India-claimed territory and showing brazen aggression. Our army is keeping a close eye on the movements of Chinese patrolling teams.”
An official from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), responsible for guarding the LAC, confirmed a significant increase in Chinese troop deployment along the frontier in the eastern sector over recent months. The official expressed concern over China’s intention, stating, “It’s evident that they are planning to repeat the modus operandi witnessed in Ladakh. The Indian side too has made enough deployment in the eastern sector to scuttle their plans.”
In December of the previous year, over 500 Chinese troops reportedly crossed the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and vandalized Indian military posts, leading to a clash at high altitudes in the Yangtze, northeast of Tawang. The clash resulted in injuries to approximately 15-20 Indian soldiers, marking the first such confrontation since the Galwan Valley incident in eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
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India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed Parliament that Chinese soldiers had attempted to “transgress” the LAC and “unilaterally change the status quo” in the Yangtze but were thwarted by the Indian army.
India has strongly protested China’s release of the 2023 “standard map” and reiterated that these claims have no basis. Such actions by the Chinese side only complicate efforts to resolve the boundary question, according to the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson.
Both India and China have been undertaking significant infrastructure development projects in the eastern sector near the LAC, including the construction of roads, tunnels, highways, airbases, heliports, and air defense sites.
“To counter this, India has also accelerated construction of highways and roads along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh,” noted the ITBP official.
The situation along the India-China border remains a matter of concern and underscores the need for continued diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and resolve disputes peacefully.
