RNS: China has constructed a new village, consisting of 101 homes, in Arunachal Pradesh, about 4.5 km “within Indian territory of the de facto border”, NDTV reported while citing satellite imagery from Planet Labs, a private US-based imaging company.
The village is located on the banks of Tsari Chu River in Upper Subansiri district, an area along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This was the same area where five people were detained by Chinese troops last September.
Comparing two satellite images provided by Planet Labs, NDTV reported the village had been built sometime in the past 15 months. The first image, from August 26, 2019, did not show any construction activity, while the second, from November 1, 2020, has been analysed by several experts, who confirmed that the construction, approximately 4.5 kms within Indian territory of the de facto border.
Though this area is Indian territory, according to official government maps, it has been ineffective Chinese control since 1959. However, earlier only a Chinese military post existed, but this time a full-fledged village that can house thousands has been built.
According to the Hindustan Times report, the external affairs ministry did not address the issue of the particular village referred to in the report but said: “Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security and takes all the necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The ministry said in a statement that India had “seen recent reports on China undertaking construction work along with the border areas”. It added, “China has undertaken such infrastructure construction activity in the past several years. In response, our government too has stepped up border infrastructure including the construction of roads, bridges etc, which has provided much-needed connectivity to the local population along the border.”
The government is committed to creating infrastructure along border areas to improve the livelihood of citizens, including in Arunachal Pradesh, the statement said.
The Indian security organization claims that the emergence of this village is a breach of many agreements between the two nations. The agreements specifically state that both countries should “safeguard the proper interests of their settled populations in the border areas” and decree that the two sides should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and work together to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas until the final settlement of the border question.
According to the expert, the village appeared to be several kilometers “inside the Indian claim” and noted that China has had a “small presence” in this area in the form of a military outpost since about 2000.
“So, the Chinese presence is not necessarily new, but what is new is the building of a village to settle people in the area,” he said.
“China has been preparing infrastructure on its own side for a long time but now the infrastructure is being created in disputed regions in Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. It would appear China is applying such infrastructure to strengthen its territorial claims,” said the expert.
