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HomeDefenceFresh provocation: China's building a 36-km long road in strategic J&K valley...

Fresh provocation: China’s building a 36-km long road in strategic J&K valley near Siachen

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New Threat Spotted: China’s 36-km road, troop locations in PoK’s Saksham valley gifted” by Pakistan. Gives Chinese Army access to Line of Actual Control near Siachen. 

New Delhi: In new construction activity that is expected to be seen by India as a fresh provocation, China has begun building a road and military posts in the strategic Shaksgam Valley, located north of the Siachen Glacier in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, satellite images accessed by ThePrint show.

The opening of a possible new front by Beijing in the western Himalayas follows confrontations between Indian and Chinese troops further east on the disputed border in Doklam and Tuting over the last six months.A satellite image showing where China is building a new road near the Siachen Glacier

These new posts and the new 36-km road in Shaksgam Valley open up an additional avenue of approach for Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control.

Shaksgam Valley is part of PoK and borders China’s Xinjiang Province, as well as the Siachen Glacier. It was ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963, when they signed a boundary settlement agreement. However, India does not recognise this and considers the valley to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Although this Shaksgam Valley project is not a direct military threat yet to Indian troops holding Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, the construction there by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could be considered “provocative”, a former Indian Northern Army Commander said.

Google Earth satellite imagery of September and October 2017, and earlier, suggests that the road construction started in 2017. It probably started after the Doklam stand-off in the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction area that saw troops from both sides in a face-off that lasted more than two months starting in mid-June.

Satellite imagery showing the new road being built by China near the Siachen glacier

Chinese Border Defence Personnel—now part of the PLA—have also been observed patrolling the area along the newly constructed road that has come up in the last few months. At least two military posts are also visible now.

Older satellite imagery of 24 October, 2016 has no roads or posts in this entire area of Shaksgam Valley.

Reached for his comment, former Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda raised concerns about the increased military presence in the area.

“Shaksgam Valley is disputed. Article 6 of the Pakistan-China agreement states that the boundary agreement would be renegotiated after the Kashmir dispute is settled,” he told ThePrint. “Therefore for China to increase its military presence in the area could be considered provocative.”

The Road & Bridges

The alignment of the new road is along the northern edge of the river. The road is being constructed with the compressed earth technique China uses in Xinjiang. Although the road is yet to be black-topped, it is expected to be completed before summer this year.

The new road needs several bridges to be built over rivulets in the area. Although no major bridge construction work is seen in the satellite images, this is also expected to start soon.

Satellite imagery showing likely bridge near road at Shaksgam valley

The Posts

Satellite images show that this new road is linked to two Chinese military posts outside Shaksgam Valley. One of the posts is thought to be the headquarters of the PLA unit operating in the area.

These two posts have a dugout fighting trench overlooking the river, and a training area behind.

There are also at least two military posts seen in Shaksgam Valley. One of them has double wire fencing as well as a double bund around it, with the wire fencing extending right up to the river.

China military post in Shaksgam valley

The first post is at the northern end of Shaksgam Valley and the second is 20 km to the south along the new road.

China new military post in Shaksgam valley

The base structure for a third post is apparently being prepared about 1.5 km southeast of the second post along the new road. A number of earth-moving and road construction equipment are observed very close to this third post.

 

China military post in Shaksgam valley

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5 COMMENTS

  1. Hi there to all, how is the whole thing, I think every
    one is getting more from this web page, and your views are good in favor of new visitors.

  2. chinese activity in shaksgam bordering north of siachen are a possible new front for the Indian Army on the glacier. it may face a double front threat soon. earlier reactions to the article have not thought through this perspective

  3. So the ex Colonel has taken up sensational journalism as the next career?

    The place indicated in the all the above maps has been under complete Chinese control for decades, after Pakistan gifted it away to China. How come does some construction activity in that region become India’s concern? By that token, India should have objection to any and every activity being carried out in PoK, Aksai Chin? How come so many governments of India have kept quite on all the construction activities for decades?

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