(TibetanReview.net, Oct25’25) – Even as it speaks of peace and tranquillity and restoration of normal ties with India, China continues to be busy preparing for war on a massive scale just across the border in occupied Tibet, according to a number of Indian media reports Oct 24. The latest reports are based on satellite images of such ongoing preparations taking place near Pangong Lake, not far from the Galwan valley cross-border clashes in India’s Ladakh Union Territory in mid-2020, and nearby Gar County.
The development highlights Beijing’s continued efforts to strengthen its military posture along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), even as diplomatic engagement between India and China resumes, noted moneycontrol.com.
Satellite images from the OSINT arm of India Today and US-based space intelligence provider Vantor show command and control buildings, barracks, vehicle sheds, munition storage, and radar positions on the eastern edge of Pangong Lake. The area is approximately 110 kilometres from the Galwan Valley standoff, the reports said.
The first evidence of construction near Pangong Lake was spotted in late July by geospatial researcher Damien Symon, though the existence of covered missile bays emerged only later, noted newsx.com.
Defence analysts have identified covered missile launch positions, featuring sliding or retractable roofs. These are believed to be designed for Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicles – systems capable of carrying, elevating, and launching missiles.
“This covered missile launch position features a roof with hatches, allowing the launchers to remain concealed and protected while firing through the hatches when opened,” US-based geospatial intelligence firm AllSource Analysis has stated.
This configuration of the buildup allows for concealment, rapid deployment, and protection of TEL systems, reducing their vulnerability to reconnaissance and precision strikes. The complex is also connected through a wired command-and-control network, integrating radar feeds, communication hubs, and missile batteries into a unified air-defence grid, noted oneindia.com.
A second, almost identical complex has reportedly been identified in Tibet’s Gar County, around 65 kilometres from the LAC and directly opposite India’s strategically crucial Nyoma airfield.
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The rapid expansion of such fortified sites aligns with China’s broader strategy of militarizing its Himalayan frontier. Over the past two years, Beijing has constructed airfields, heliports, and missile batteries along the border belt, enhancing logistical and defensive depth against potential adversaries, said the oneindia.com report.
By deploying the HQ-9 system in Tibet, China seeks not only to secure its airspace but also to project deterrence across the LAC. Analysts note that this evolving network of protected launch positions and radar complexes represents a shift from reactive defence to sustained readiness, signalling a long-term consolidation of power in one of the world’s most militarily tense regions, the report said.
India’s military infrastructure build‑up along the border with Chinese ruled Tibet has emphasised mobility and logistics, but this latest imagery highlights that China is now investing in deeper air‑defence and hardened launch architecture in front‑line zones, the report noted.
The reports said that from India’s perspective, this development is significant because it demonstrates that China is continuing to modernise and conceal advanced missile capabilities close to the border.
While diplomatic ties are improving, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meetings with President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Summit in Tianjin and resumption of Kailash Mansarovar yatra, New Delhi cannot afford to overlook China’s strategic moves, the reports said.