China building helipads, storage facilities, roads on LAC

Amidst the ongoing border tension with India, China has increased its military presence and infrastructure construction on LAC. This claim has been made in a report of America's Pentagon. According to the 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China' report 2023, underground storage facilities, new roads, a dual-purpose airport and several helipads are being built along the LAC to boost Beijing's infrastructure.

The report said that amid the ongoing tension on LAC between India and China from the year 2023, there are different perceptions regarding border demarcation between India and China.

Recent infrastructure construction by both sides has led to several clashes between the two. At the same time, military deployment on LAC is also being considered a major reason for the deadlock between the two.

The report said that in response to the Galwan Valley skirmish, China's Western Command has implemented large-scale mobilization and military deployment along the LAC.

This deployment is likely to continue till this year. 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in the Galwan clash.

The report also indicates that there has not been much progress in the talks between India and China because both sides do not want to give up their respective claims on the border.

Listing Beijing's infrastructure build-up along the LAC, the Pentagon report said that in 2022, China continued to develop military infrastructure along the LAC. China's efforts include underground storage facilities near Doklam, new roads in all three sectors of the LAC, construction of new villages in the disputed areas as well as areas in neighboring Bhutan, a new bridge on Pangong Lake, a dual-purpose air base near the centre area, The base and several helipads are also included in this.

On military deployment, the report said China deployed a border regiment supported by two divisions from the Xinjiang and Tibet military districts along with four combined arms brigades in reserve in the western sector of the LAC in 2022. China made similar deployment from other theater commands in three light-to-medium CABs in the eastern sector and an additional three CABs in the central sector of the LAC. Most of the deployed forces are still present on the LAC.

In June this year, while responding to the opposition's allegations against the Narendra Modi government, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had said that India was talking to China at both military and diplomatic levels to resolve the issues.

The government will never allow the sanctity of India's borders to be violated. He said that there have been some activities on the LAC since 2013.

The Pentagon report also says that China has more than 500 operational nuclear weapons and by 2030 this will increase to more than 1,000. The Chinese Navy, already the largest in the world, is growing rapidly.