A 400-meter bridge linking the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso has been built by China, cutting the travel time between both banks by several hours (50-100 km in distance).
According to an NDTV report, a satellite image shows an open defensive position, a likely site of a Chinese surface-to-air missile launcher, erector and transporter. It also shows an air defense site with a road parallel to the bank of Pangong Lake to transport troops and equipment.
The bridge is located in Chinese-held territory since 1958, about 25 km from the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. It enables Chinese forces to move troops speedily between the north and south bank of the Pangong Lake.
The recent images from July 22, 2024 show vehicles traversing the newly built, black-topped bridge across Pangong Tso, the report said.
The satellite images show four structures on the northern side of the lake, it said.
Located on the northern shore of Pangong Tso, Khurnak Fort has been under Chinese control since 1958.
Earlier, the boundary between India and China was considered to be at Khurnak Fort, but China has since taken control. According to the report, the current construction at Khurnak does not represent an incursion into Indian-held territory.
The satellite imagery accessed by the NDTV also shows a Chinese fortification along with two helipads at Khurnak Fort. During the Indo-China war in 1962, Khurnak Fort served as China’s forward headquarters for operations in Ladakh.
Additional satellite images show an active artillery site and a network of protective trenches running from north to south. An exposed defensive position is visible, likely accommodating a Chinese surface-to-air missile launcher, along with an air defense site. The report also notes a road running parallel to Pangong Lake, which facilitates the movement of troops and equipment.
“This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation,” External Affairs Ministry was quoted as saying when questioned about the latest development.
The ties between India and China nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in May 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
In the Galwan Valley, north of Pangong Lake, 20 Indian soldiers were killed, while China claimed four of its soldiers were killed, though reports suggest the true number was closer to 40.
India has intensified its infrastructure development following the clashes with China. The government has made efforts to construct of tunnels to provide year-round access to the region.
In 2021 alone, 87 bridges were built in Ladakh. In 2022, the government allocated over Rs 2,000 crore for infrastructure projects along the China-India border, with 18 major initiatives specifically planned for Ladakh.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on July 29 that the resolution of India's border dispute with China should be found by the two neighbors themselves, without any third-party intervention.
"We are not looking to other countries to sort out what is an issue between India and China," Jaishankar said during the Quad foreign ministerial meeting in Tokyo.
Jaishankar acknowledged that India's relationship with China is not good and it's not doing well.
So far, both nations have held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.
India has been pressing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to withdraw from the Depsang and Demchok areas.
The two sides held the last round of high-level military talks in February.
