India eyes more skirmishes with China in Ladakh: report

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LAHORE(Nadeem Abbas) Indian forces deployed in the Himalayan region of Ladakh expect more skirmishes with Chinese troops on the border there as Beijing boosts military infrastructure in the region.

A security assessment by India is part of a new, confidential research paper by the Ladakh Police that was submitted at a conference of top police officers held from January 20 to 22.

The conference held in New Delhi was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s defence and foreign ministries also did not respond to requests for comment while China’s foreign ministry said the situation along the border is stable.

The report said the Indian police assessment is based on intelligence gathered by local police in the border areas. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said China was maintaining close communication and dialogue through various channels with India.

“Aksai Chin is an inseparable part of China’s territory,” the ministry said, referring to a disputed region that lies at China’s Xinjiang and Tibet and to the east of Ladakh in India.

Since the start of confrontation in 2020, China has ramped up infrastructure along the Himalayan frontier, building facilities for its soldiers deployed there, storehouses for ammunition and helipads, among others.

 The Indian research paper said, “Given the domestic compulsions in China and their economic interests in the region, Liberation Army would continue to build up its military infrastructure.”

India and China share a 3,500 km border that has been disputed since the 1950s. The two sides went to war over it in 1962.