China has reportedly ramped up construction of reinforced bunkers and underground tunnels in Aksai Chin, a territory that it holds illegally but that India claims. The construction is taking place in a narrow river valley, and the tunnels and bunkers are being carved out of the rock.
The development comes after China released a “standard map” on Monday that showed parts of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh under its jurisdiction. India has lodged a strong protest with China over the map, calling it “absurd” and saying that it does not change the fact that the territories belong to India.
The release of the map and the construction of the bunkers and tunnels are seen as a sign of China’s growing military presence in the region. The two countries have a long-standing border dispute, and tensions have been rising in recent years.
Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his “concerns over unresolved issues along LAC and other areas along the India-China border” to Chinese President Xi Jinping during an informal conversation at the BRICS summit in South Africa.
It remains to be seen how China will respond to India’s protests and concerns. However, the recent developments suggest that the border dispute between the two countries is likely to continue to be a source of tension in the years to come.
