Huge increase in Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh

New Delhi: Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said on Saturday said that the Chinese troops have been deployed in "considerable numbers" across all eastern Ladakh and northern front, right up to India's eastern command.

Calling it a "matter of concern", the Army Chief said there has been an increase in the PLA's deployment. Naravane was in Leh town where world's largest Khadi national flag was installed on October 2, on the occasion of 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Naravane visited several forward areas in eastern Ladakh and carried out a comprehensive review of India's operational preparedness in the backdrop of its prolonged military standoff with China in the mountainous region.

He was given a detailed briefing about the overall situation in the region at the headquarters of the 14 Corps, popularly known as the 'Fire and Fury Corps', that takes care of guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the Ladakh region, officials said. On the first day of his two-day tour of the region, Gen Naravane visited the strategically sensitive Rezang-La area and visited a war-memorial there to pay homage to the soldiers who laid down their lives in defending the country, they said.

The Army Chief also called on Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Radha Krishna Mathur, and discussed the prevailing security scenario in the Union Territory.

Several reports had recently quoted sources as saying that China has put in place new modular container-based accommodations for its troops in several high-altitude forward areas on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in response to Indian deployment in the region. The shelters were installed in locations near Tashigong, Manza, Hot Springs and Churup among others, in reflection of simmering tensions between the two sides in the region, they said.