Chinese settlement near Pangong Lake raises concerns

New Delhi, , Oct 14: New satellite imagery has revealed significant Chinese construction near the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake across the Ladakh border.

According to a report by India Today, this settlement, though outside India’s territorial claims, is strategically located approximately 38 kilometres east of one of the flashpoints from the 2020 military standoff between the two nations.

Pangong Tso, a high-altitude saltwater lake, straddles both India and China-administered Tibet. It has been a frequent source of tension, with parts of the lake’s northern bank lying along the contested border.

This region has been the site of multiple confrontations between Indian and Chinese forces, particularly during the 2020 standoff, which escalated into the Galwan Valley clash.

The latest satellite images, captured on October 9, 2024, by Maxar Technologies, show rapid construction in an area covering around 17 hectares.

The settlement is situated near Yemagou Road at an elevation of 4,347 meters, and the imagery depicts extensive earth-moving and building activity. According to India Today, more than 100 buildings are currently under construction, including residential and administrative facilities.

Professor Y. Nithiyanandam, Head of the Geospatial Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution, told India Today, “The presence of open spaces and flattened areas indicates possible future development of parks or even sports facilities.” He also highlighted a 150-meter-long rectangular strip in the southeastern part of the settlement, which could potentially be a helicopter landing zone. Some reports suggested that this could be used for military purposes by China.

The settlement appears to have been divided into two distinct zones, likely serving administrative and operational purposes. According to military sources, the staggered layout of the buildings suggests an effort to minimise vulnerability to long-range attacks, a strategic consideration given the region’s history of military tensions. Shadow analysis of the structures indicates that many of the buildings are either single- or double-storied, with smaller hut-like structures possibly serving as accommodations for personnel, India Today reported.

Experts suggest that the location of the settlement, shielded by high peaks, provides China with a significant strategic advantage. The peaks limit visibility from land-based surveillance equipment, making the site difficult to monitor. “The surrounding high peaks obscure the settlement from direct observation, giving it a tactical edge,” Nithiyanandam noted.

Military analysts believe that the settlement could potentially serve as an “ad-hoc forward base” for Chinese forces, reducing reaction times in case of future confrontations along the LAC. Given the ongoing tension between India and China, such developments are cause for concern in New Delhi, where there is growing awareness of China’s infrastructure buildup along the border.

Tensions between India and China along the LAC have simmered for decades, on territorial claims in the Ladakh region. The Pangong Tso area became a focal point during the 2020 standoff, which saw thousands of troops deployed on both sides. Although disengagement talks have taken place since then, both countries continue to maintain a heavy military presence in the region.

In recent years, China has ramped up infrastructure development along its side of the LAC, building roads, airstrips, and settlements, which India views as a direct threat to its territorial integrity.

Despite several rounds of diplomatic and military talks aimed at de-escalation, there has been limited progress in resolving the core issues surrounding the LAC.

This latest development could further strain relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, as India continues to closely monitor Chinese activities along the border.