Pangong Tso Lake: China is constructing a new bridge

In eastern Ladakh, China is building a second bridge near the strategically important Pangong Tso lake, which, according to satellite imagery and people familiar with the development, could help the Chinese military quickly mobilize its troops in the region.

Over the past two years, the Indian and Chinese militaries have been engaged in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh.

There is no official reaction or comment by the Indian defence establishment on the new construction.

After Indian troops captured strategic peaks on the southern bank of the Pangong Lake in August 2020, the Chinese PLA attempted to intimidate them in the area, China has been focusing on strengthening its military infrastructure. Similarly, India is building bridges, roads, and tunnels in the border regions to improve military preparedness.

According to reports, China has just completed the first bridge in the region.

Bridge construction is taking place in an area more than 20 kilometers from the Line of Actual Control, according to the people cited above (LAC).

On Twitter, geospatial intelligence researcher Damien Symon posted satellite images of the new construction, which he monitors for Chinese activity along the LAC.

According to @detresfa_, Symon, the developer of the “larger bridge,” the goal of the construction is to allow for “larger/heavier movement” (of military personnel) over the lake.

Both sides of the bridge appear to be being constructed at the same time in a satellite image posted by Symon.

The distance between Rudok’s depths and Pangong Tso’s LAC region will be greatly reduced once the bridge is completed.

On May 4-5, 2020, the eastern Ladakh conflict began.

As a result of the standoff, India has insisted on a return to the pre-standoff situation.

The dispute over eastern Ladakh has been the subject of 15 rounds of military consultations between India and China.

The disengagement process was completed on the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake and in the Gogra area last year as a result of the negotiations.

For India, maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC is critical to the overall growth of bilateral ties.

Nearly half of the troops on the Line of Actual Control (LOAC) are from each side.