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After India-China standoff in Doklam, Beijing doubled its air bases, air defences and heliports near LAC: Report

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIEdited By: Nikhil PandeyUpdated: Sep 22, 2020, 09:45 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

Story highlights

China has more than doubled its air bases, air defence positions, and heliports near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since the 2017 Doklam crisis, indicating its intent to increase military posturing in border disputes with India in the future.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation during India-China standoff in several disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control in past.

Also read | India occupies six new major heights along LAC, Rafales conduct 'familiarisation sorties'

Post-Doklam India-China standoff, the Chinese started revising their strategy, and PLA is now reassessing, re-examining and reformulating its anti-India strategy.

In pictures: India-China standoff: How India's T-90 Bhishma battle tank is outflanking China's PLA at LAC

According to a new report by Stratfor, a leading global geopolitical intelligence platform China has more than doubled its air bases, air defence positions, and heliports near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since the 2017 Doklam crisis, indicating its intent to increase military posturing in border disputes with India in the future.

“China is expanding and upgrading a large number of military facilities along its entire border with India as tensions continue to run high in the wake of the bloody clash between Indian and Chinese forces in June, followed by the reported exchange of gunfire in late August," the report says.

China has ''started constructing at least 13 entirely new military positions near its borders with India". This includes three air bases, five permanent air defence positions and five heliports. ''Construction on four of those new heliports started only after the onset of the current Ladakh crisis in May," it says.

The author of the Stratfor report Sim Tack has warned that “By forcing India to respond in kind, China’s aggressive strategy is leading to a greater concentration of military assets in heavily disputed areas along the border that could raise the risk of potential escalations and sustained conflict.”

Nikhil Pandey

Nikhil Pandey is TEAM LEAD - DIGITAL CONTENT with WION. He follows politics, sports and entertainment.He tweets at @Nikhil_Pandey04.