India-China Border Tensions: China Increases Military Presence Along LAC; Army Denies Reports Claiming Detention Of Indian Soldiers

In satellite images that have surfaced, it can be seen that Chinese military has pitched around 80 tents near the valley, bringing in heavy equipment for construction of bunkers.

New Delhi: As tensions have escalated along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Chinese Army has increased its troops in areas around Pangon Tso and Galwan Valley. In satellite images that have surfaced, it can be seen that Chinese military has pitched around 80 tents near the valley, bringing in heavy equipment for construction of bunkers, sending clear signal that it is not ready to end the ongoing skirmish. In the satellite images Indian camps, though fewer in number, can also be seen. As many as 60 tents of Indian Army can also be seen . However the camps of both the armies have been set up at a considerable distance from one another. The satellite images have been released by an individual associated with ASPI (Australian Strategic Policy Institute), an Australian thinktank. The Defense line of the Indian Army is also visible in satellite photographs on DBO Road near Galvan Valley, over which the Chinese Army has a strong objection. Recently, the two parties have had face-offs on at least two occasions, amid a number of reported transgression incidents by the Chinese side. Reports claim Army & ITBP personel detained by Chinese forces, Army denies Several media reports had claimed that personnel of Indian Army and and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force were briefly detained by Chinese forces last week after the face-off in Ladakh. The reports claimed that it was a brief detention and the personnel were set free and their weapons were also handed back soon after. However, as per news agency ANI, Indian Army has denied reports about patrol being detained by Chinese forces in Ladakh as “inaccurate.” On Friday, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General M M Naravane visited the headquarters of the 14 Corps based in Leh in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh amid growing tensions between the Indian and Chinese armies at multiple locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the mountainous region. In the midst of the escalating tension, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane paid a quiet visit to the headquarters of 14 Corps in Leh on Friday and reviewed with the top commanders the overall security scenario in the region including in the disputed areas along the LAC, the de-facto border between India and China. Previously, the troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.