Extensive Chinese construction activity between fingers 4 and 5. High resolution photo here
New Delhi:
Satellite images of the Pangong Lake region in eastern Ladakh show further consolidation of Chinese construction activity on the north shore and the creation of new Chinese outposts near the actual control line on the south shore, where the Indian and Chinese forces find themselves in the middle of a dangerous confrontation.
The new images accessed by NDTV and presented here show limited areas in the disputed area on both shores of Lake Pangong and do not present the entire area at the center of the India-China tensions.
Images from finger 4-5 show the extent of Chinese construction between June and September 2020. Click here for a high-resolution image.
Images from the North Bank of Pangong show a substantial consolidation of Chinese construction activity in the Finger 5 region, but no effort to resume construction activity in Finger 4 from where Chinese forces were partially disconnected after military talks in the last months. However, the Chinese forces are believed to have strengthened their ground positions higher up the ridge line here, along the de facto Line of Control in this area. These positions have not been captured in the images shown in this report.
There are no new Chinese constructions on finger 4, near the shores of Pangong Lake. Click here for a high resolution image.
Since early May, Chinese forces have physically prevented Jawans from the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police from patrolling the region between Finger 4 and Finger 8 on the north shore of Lake Pangong. The “fingers” refer to the easily identifiable foothills of the Chang-Chenmo Range that extend to Pangong Lake along its shores. Indian forces have traditionally patrolled up to Finger 8, where New Delhi believes LAC is located. China insists that LAC is on finger 4 and dominates the area to this point. The area between finger 4 and finger 8 is in dispute. Hundreds of Chinese structures have been installed between Finger 4 and Finger 8 since the beginning of May.
The images of the southern shore of Pangong Lake shown here indicate the presence of Chinese tents and trucks within a kilometer of the Royal Control Line near Pangong Lake in this region. These camps are in the vicinity of Thakung, an Indian army position from where India is believed to have sent soldiers the night of August 29-30 in anticipation of any Chinese effort to unilaterally alter the status of LAC in the region.
New Chinese position established in LAC near Thakung in South Pangong. Click here for a high resolution image.
Most of the Indian and Chinese positions in southern Pangong were further west, on the ridges or along the valleys near Spanggur Tso Lake. While India continues to occupy key positions on the ridges that offer it a tactical advantage, the satellite images this correspondent has seen indicate the presence of hundreds of Chinese shops in the valleys along these ridges, indicating the presence of more than five thousand Chinese soldiers. Sources have also indicated to NDTV that both India and China have extensive tank force deployments in the area that can be used in flat areas like Spanggur Gap and the wider Chushul Valley. Artillery and rocket forces on both sides have been deployed to hidden “deep” positions in case of a major conflict.
Extensive locations of Indian and Chinese soldiers in the South Pangong region. Click here for a high resolution image.
On Wednesday, the Indian army released images of Chinese infantrymen armed with spears approaching the army position in Mukhpari, which is right in LAC. These soldiers were warned that any effort to cross LAC would be strongly resisted. As they turned to leave, a Chinese soldier fired a few rounds into the air, warning shots, the first use of firearms along the Chinese border in 45 years.
India and China have had multiple rounds of talks at the diplomatic and military level since the crisis in eastern Ladakh began in early May, when Chinese soldiers invaded Indian areas and did not return to their original positions. China and India have different perceptions of the route of the Royal Line of Control through Ladakh. The inability to outline LAC is at the center of the border crisis between the two nuclear-armed nations.
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