India-China troops face off again along Arunachal border

Shatrughit Singh Kapoor, director general of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), said the face-offs began in July and tensions continued in areas claimed by China.

According to British newspaper The Independent, a report published last month first highlighted the renewed tensions. The Indian Army had denied the allegations at the time.

The latest developments come despite diplomatic and military efforts to ease tensions following the deadly June 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley, which killed 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers.

In Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, China's growing military presence has reportedly restricted local residents' access to traditional grazing grounds and ancestral lands.

The Independent reported that satellite images showed new Chinese infrastructure near the disputed border, including roads, buildings and helipads. Local residents also alleged that Chinese troops had advanced towards Indian-claimed territory.

Kapoor called for modernising ITBP weapons and equipment, warning that many of its weapons were nearly 50 years old. He also highlighted the growing importance of drones in modern warfare, citing the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

India and China share a disputed border stretching approximately 3,440 kilometres along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two countries have long disagreed over its precise alignment.

Despite several rounds of negotiations, border tensions have continued. The two countries reached an agreement in 2024 to ease tensions in some disputed areas.

India's opposition Congress party criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over its silence on the latest developments.

Senior leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the government's response, while party president Mallikarjun Kharge described the situation as deeply concerning.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said tensions sometimes rise when Chinese forces deviate from established patrolling patterns. China, however, said it was complying with existing agreements and conducting routine patrols to protect its territorial sovereignty.

Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, estimated that border crossings or incursions occur between 380 and 430 times annually.

He said differing perceptions of the LAC and attempts to establish control over disputed territory could lead to face-offs, potentially escalating into deadly clashes.

Source: The Independent (UK)

-AJM