(TibetanReview.net, May29’20) – India and China say they are using diplomatic channels to deflate border tension but are still undertaking heavy movement of troops and vehicles to prepare for possible conflict, reported sputniknews.com May 28.
Although all sorts of speculative reasons have been cited for China’s new provocative moves that gave rise to the present situation, the immediate reason appears to be Beijing’s anger over India’s development of infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the border between the two sides.
Satellite images show strategic movements of Indian and Chinese troops, the upgrading of air bases and aircraft movements along the 4,057 km LAC, the report said. The images were stated to reflect the work of digging trenches and preparing bunkers above Pangong Lake and at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh.
Satellite image published by open source intelligence firm ShadowBreak Intl was stated to show heavy vehicular activity from China’s People’s Liberation Army over the past three weeks near the Hotsprings Sector, which is 15km from India’s Gogra base and 6km from the LAC – the de facto border that divides the two nations.
The report noted that China has also been rapidly developing military its airbase at Ngari Gunsa in (occupied) Tibet. A large area parallel to the 4,500 metre runway has had earthworks going on since Apr 2020, probably a second runway. The base is 200km from Pangong Tso and 340km from the Galwan River, the report added.
The high resolution images were reported to show four Chinese J-11 and J-16 fighter jets at the high altitude Ngari Gunsa base.
India has been constructing 61 highways along the LAC and several passes in the Himalayan region to improve access to the border. The country’s defence minister Rajnath Singh had directed the army to continue the ongoing infrastructure development projects while chairing a high level meeting with three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, the report added.