 "Is China building a heliport near Arunachal Pradesh? Should India be concerned?")
Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that 75 per cent of disengagement issues with China have been resolved in their border talks. “We did not have an easy relationship in the past. What happened in 2020 was in violation of multiple agreements, the Chinese moved a large number of troops to the Line of Actual Control. We, in response, moved our troops up… Some progress on border talks with China. Around 75 per cent of disengagement problems are sorted out. We still have some things to do,” Jaishankar said during his conversation with Ambassador Jean-David Levitte at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy last Thursday.
However, it seems that China is in no mood to relent on the border dispute and is up to its old, sneaky ways. New satellite imagery reveals that the Xi Jinping-led country is strengthening its military presence by constructing a massive heliport, just 20 kilometres east of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh.
What do we know of this new construction? How is India responding to it? We get you all the information.
What heliport? Where?
Geospatial analyst Damien Symon, who goes by the account @detresfa_ on X, recently shared images on the social media platform, showing ongoing heliport construction by China near Arunachal Pradesh.
The satellite images show that the construction is taking place near Arunachal Pradesh’s ‘Fishtails’ sector, with NDTV reporting that the heliport lies on the banks of Gongrigabu Qu river in the Nyingchi Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Notably, there was no construction in the region until December 2023. However, visuals from September 16 show a facility in an advanced stage of construction.
What are the features of China’s heliport?
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe under-construction heliport, as per visuals, will have a 600-metre runway, which will allow helicopters to manoeuvre bit more easily. It appears that multiple hangars are also being built around the runway, which will enhance China’s flying capabilities in the region.
Military sources speaking to various media outlets said that the heliport once constructed will serve both military and civilian purposes.
Why this heliport matters?
The construction of the heliport, according to Damien Symon “will allow the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to intensify intelligence-gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities.”
What this means is that Beijing’s air capabilities in the region will increase, putting a strain on India.
Symon also noted that “this facility will likely enhance China’s ability to swiftly mobilise troops to forward positions and would improve its border patrols”.
Other military experts note that with the construction of the heliport it will be easier for China to increase their presence along the LAC as well as transport troops in case of an emergency, perhaps like the Galwan incident of June 2020.
Lt General Pravin Bakshi (retired), who headed the Eastern Command of the Indian Army, explained why this heliport should worry India. “This heliport will be a threat to key areas which are considered ‘sensitive’ here. “I would take serious note and look to orchestrate a suitable response, if ever required, in concern with the Indian Air Force so as to prevent any ‘grey-zone’ warfare being efficiently prosecuted by the Chinese here,” he was quoted as telling NDTV.
The timing of the construction of the heliport is also significant. China is constructing the heliport at the same time it is attempting to increase its ‘Xiaokang’ villages along the border of India. Xiaokang villages are a cluster of structures along the LAC, which, according to defence experts, can be used both for civil and military purposes and have thus been a concern from a defence perspective.
The late Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had once called these villages a Chinese tactic to assert territorial claims and alter the status quo along the LAC, also known as “salami slicing”.
What about China’s other constructions along LAC?
China’s increasing presence around the LAC has become a growing concern for India. Since the 2020 Galwan clash, Beijing has been ramping up its military presence in the area by constructing villages, bridges and military camps.
Earlier in July, China completed the construction of a 400-metre bridge connecting the north and south banks of Pangong Lake, which is situated near the LAC between India and China in Ladakh.
The PLA has also been building tunnels, helipads, bridges and bunkers in other stretches of the LAC. Furthermore, China has deployed additional fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft in the region.
A UK think-tank in a previous report also highlighted how China was ramping up infrastructure work at Aksai Chin, which would help them in future troop deployments. The report stated that China had “expanded roads, outposts and modern weatherproof camps equipped with parking areas, solar panels, and even helipads” in the region.
Additionally, the report stated that the Chinese side was building a new heliport in the disputed territory that comprised 18 hangars and short runways for use by helicopters and possibly drones.
How has India responded?
When it comes to this heliport, there’s no reaction from the Indian side in an official capacity.
However, India, too, has been fortifying its presence along the border. In response to the Xiaokang villages, India has undertaken the ‘ Vibrant Villages’ project , aimed at developing 3,000 villages in Northeastern border states, including Arunachal Pradesh, with an initial budget of ₹4,800 crore. Additionally, a 2,400-kilometer trans-Arunachal highway is under construction to improve connectivity and reduce travel time to frontline Army posts.
In August, reports also emerged that New Delhi had approved the construction of five more roads along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
It is further reported that India is building high-tech bunkers along the India-China border, which are designed to accommodate at least 120 troops each and ensure their readiness even in sub-zero temperatures.
With inputs from agencies
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