New Delhi: A satellite image has revealed that China is building a new heliport near Arunachal Pradesh. The location where China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is constructing the heliport is barely 20 kilometres from the boundary with India in Arunachal Pradesh. This comes amid simmering tension between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Prominent OSINT analyst Damien Symon shared on X the latest satellite image showing China’s ongoing construction of a heliport near Arunachal Pradesh. The heliport is being constructed in Nyingchi in the southeast of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. The facility is likely to bolster China’s ability to swiftly mobilise troops to forward locations and would improve its patrolling in the border areas.
China is constructing a new heliport near Arunachal Pradesh’s ‘Fishtails’ sector, merely 20 kilometers from the Indian border, this facility will likely enhance China’s ability to swiftly mobilize troops to forward positions & would improve its border patrols pic.twitter.com/xpSSQGLkS4
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) September 16, 2024
China strengthening military presence along LAC
Though India and China have been trying to the mend their strained ties and maintain peace in the border areas, Beijing continues to enhance its military presence and infrastructure in the vicinity of the disputed regions. In July last year, some reports suggested that the PLA was constructing a helipad opposite the Kameng area of Arunachal Pradesh to expand its infrastructure along the LAC.
Recently, some reports claimed that the PLA troops allegedly entered inside Indian territory in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh and were camping in the Kapapu area of the district for some time. Pictures of bonfires, painting of rocks and Chinese food materials found at the site were shared on social media. Reacting to the reports of alleged incursion by PLA in Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had said the mere painting of marks in undemarcated locations doesn’t mean the areas have been encroached upon.
