- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA on Thursday (6) slammed China for constructing a bridge across the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh with its ministry of external affairs saying it was being built in areas “that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now”.
“Regarding reports of a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong Lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now,” ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a press briefing.
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“As you are well aware, India has never accepted such illegal occupation and the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure our security interests are fully protected,” he added.
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The official said the steps being taken by New Delhi included a significant rise in funding for development of border infrastructure to provide better logistical support for the country’s armed forces.
On Monday (3), Indian news channel NDTV reported on a satellite imagery which was accessed by geo-intelligence expert Damien Symon, which suggests that China may be building the bridge across the lake.
Media reports of #PangongTso allege a new bridge is under construction connecting the north & south bank of the lake, in turn enhancing road connectivity for #China's troops in the area, GEOINT of the area identifies the location & progress of the alleged structure https://t.co/b9budT3DZZ pic.twitter.com/IdBl5rkDhR
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) January 3, 2022
The bridge is being made across a part of the lake which falls within China’s territory but it connects both the banks of the water body and gives the Chinese the ability to mobilise soldiers and heavy weaponry.
According to a tweet by Symon, the bridge is almost in place.
Both India and China have deployed several thousands of troops since their violent face-off in the Galwan river area since 2020 in which soldiers on both sides have been killed.
The construction of the bridge has also led to a political spat in India with Rahul Gandhi, a top opposition leader, slamming the Narendra Modi government saying the prime minister was silent over the matter.
“The PM’s silence is deafening. Our land, our people, our borders deserve better,” Gandhi, who has been critical of Modi’s China policy throughout, tweeted.
The external affairs ministry in the press conference also dismissed as “antics” that China has named 15 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, the north-eastern-most state.
“We had seen reports of the Chinese side naming some places in Arunachal Pradesh. We conveyed our views on such a ridiculous exercise to support untenable territorial claims,” Bagchi said.
