Notwithstanding the troops’ disengagement on the contentious India-China border, Beijing has continued to boost infrastructure in the border region.
As per the latest reports, it was revealed that the People’s Liberation Army has extended the power supply to border outposts in the Himalayas, a move that will boost its capabilities in border defense, including improving the living conditions of troops and the deployment of advanced, power-consuming weapons and equipment.
The border outposts in Xaidulla in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Ngari prefecture in the Tibet autonomous region – strategic areas along the contested China-India border – were completely covered by the national power grid, the official Chinese military newspaper, the PLA Daily reported.
“The electricity and renewable energy used by the vast majority of border posts provide strong support for troops to stay warm and safe through the winter. This marks a structural change in the energy security of all high-elevation border defense outposts in the military,” it said.
“This initiative has alleviated long-standing problems for high-elevation border troops, including access to drinking water, heating, bathing and oxygen.”
The Chinese military has long been interested in improving power supply to remote border outposts. As part of that push, the military and the National Energy Administration launched a project in late 2016 to build power grids for the military and connect them to the national energy service network.
By January 2024, more than 700 border posts were already covered by the national grid, the PLA Daily reported at the time.
“This has further elevated the Chinese military’s border management and control capabilities by making the power supply to military equipment more secure and reliable, border defense energy consumption cleaner and environment-friendly, in addition to improving living conditions for troops stationed along border areas as well as their combat readiness,” the PLA Daily report said.
Earlier in January, the PLA Daily reported that the Chinese troops stationed in the harsh conditions of the Tibetan plateau now have access to better supplies of oxygen as part of efforts to strengthen equipment, training, and logistics along the border with India.
Ngari prefecture, an area in western Tibet bordering India, is rich in mineral resources. It is also a strategically important transport and logistics hub, serving as a bridgehead to South Asia.
Xaidulla, at an elevation of about 3,700 meters (12,139 feet), is located near Aksai Chin, an area claimed by India that is under China’s occupation.
Notably, Xaidulla is also close to the Galwan Valley, which saw one of the deadliest India-China border clashes in 2020. At least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers died in the clash. The casualties on the Chinese side are believed to be higher than what Beijing acknowledges.
The skirmish plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades.
Following multiple rounds of military-level talks, India and China agreed to disengage troops on the border in October 2024. The two sides also reached an agreement on military patrols along the frontier. The thaw in the relationship came just ahead of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
India Should Tread Cautiously
The October breakthrough in India-China tensions was unexpected and welcomed by both sides. Since then, New Delhi and Beijing have maintained steady communication and followed up with other confidence-building measures.
Earlier this week, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri was on a two-day visit to Beijing, where he met with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi and foreign vice minister Sun Weidong.
Following the talks, India and China decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (Holy Trek for Indians) and agreed in principle to resume direct flights between the two countries.
A statement from India’s foreign ministry said foreign secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing had yielded an agreement “in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries.”
“The relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date,” it said.
However, it must be noted that despite making all the right noises, substantial friction points remain between India and China, and New Delhi must tread cautiously.
For instance, just as India and China were getting ready for comprehensive talks, Beijing announced its plans to build a US$137 billion hydropower dam in the autonomous region of Tibet. The project is planned to be built on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows into India and is called Brahmaputra.
This dam could be a significant irritant in the bilateral relationship. New Delhi has already expressed its concern about the plan, which has the potential to adversely impact the water channel on the Indian side. The dam could also lead to periods of severe drought and colossal floods, affecting the lives of millions of Indians.
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, also expressed serious reservations about the dam project. “If China uses it as a water bomb, it will completely affect the Adi tribe (who reside in the Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh) and millions in Assam and as far as Bangladesh. It’s a matter of big concern,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar.
“China’s construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River poses significant risks to the water security, ecology, and livelihoods of millions of people downstream in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh. The potential disruption of water flows, flooding, and ecosystem degradation could have far-reaching consequences on us,” the chief minister added.
Significantly, while Beijing has tried to allay Indians’ fears, it has not substantially addressed any of India’s concerns.
Also, strictly speaking, even the border disengagement is not complete.
Indian Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said on January 14 that India and China are still locked in a “degree of standoff” at the border.
“As far as the status of the standoff (with China) is concerned…we have to see what all has changed since April 2020. Has the terrain been doctored over a period of time? Yes, both sides have doctored the terrain. Have both sides carried out constructions? Yes. Both sides have carried out some stocking and deployment. Yes. Therefore, what it means is that there is a degree of standoff,” General Dwivedi said.
Earlier on December 3, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar told the Parliament that “disengagement has now been achieved in full in Eastern Ladakh through a step-by-step process, culminating in Depsang and Demchok. With the task of disengagement completed, it is now our expectation that discussions would commence in regard to the remaining issues that we had placed on the agenda.”
While India must strive to have friendly relations with China, it must tread cautiously and stay on high alert as the situation on the border is still ‘fragile’ and can witness a flare-up at any time.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from The University of Sheffield, UK. He is interested in studying Geopolitics from a historical perspective.
- He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com
