Chinese bridge on Pangong lake operational, to be used by PLA troops, tanks

The Chinese bridge connects the two banks of the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh and will help Chinese troops and tanks to access areas on the lake's southern banks

China has completed and operationalised a bridge connecting the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh that allows the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to significantly reduce the time needed to mobilise its troops and tanks, the Hindustan Times (HT) reported on Tuesday, citing satellite images.

China has been strengthening its military infrastructure, with reports about the construction of the nearly 400-metre bridge, which will reduce troop mobilisation time, first emerging in early 2022, about two years after the start of the India-China military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). A clash between Indian and Chinese troops on the banks of the Pangong lake had marked the start of the standoff, which has taken bilateral ties between New Delhi and Beijing to a six-decade low.

 

According to the HT report, there was no immediate response from Indian officials to the operationalisation of the Chinese bridge. However, citing people familiar with the matter, the report added that the Indian side has taken a wide range of actions to bolster military infrastructure and match steps taken by the PLA. Furthermore, when reports of the bridge's construction had first emerged, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that India has never accepted such illegal occupation of its territory.
 

Why does the Chinese Pangong Tso bridge pose a challenge for India?

Based on satellite images, ThePrint had reported earlier this month that China had made PLA's troop movement and logistics easier by completing the construction of the bridge, located near the LAC in the disputed Aksai Chin area that is claimed by India and has been occupied by China since at least 1960.

The bridge, which has been built over the narrowest part of the lake, will reduce the time needed by the PLA to launch a quick military operation and help Chinese troops and even tanks to access areas on the lake's southern banks, including Rezang La, where Indian forces had outmaneuvered the Chinese in 2020.

The Indian Army had captured several strategic heights on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso lake in 2020. Speaking to HT, Air Vice-Marshal (Retired) Manmohan Bahadur, who served in the Ladakh region, said that the new Chinese bridge has been built as a response to that Indian military action.

An analyst for BlackSky, a US-based firm that captured the satellite images cited by HT, told the national daily that the bridge's completion "significantly reduces travel time" for Chinese equipment and personnel, along with providing another route linking surrounding PLA facilities.

The bridge, which is located about 25 kilometres (Km) from the LAC, will reportedly strengthen the PLA's Moldo Garrison on the Pangong lake's southern bank by cutting down the travel time from the northern bank and another key PLA base at Rutog.

Moreover, the bridge will also enable the PLA to rapidly reinforce the Moldo Garrison by deploying motorised brigades based in Rutog. It could also reduce the travel time between PLA bases in the two sectors from 12 hours to about four.

How have the Chinese been using the Pangong Tso bridge?

Citing rapid revisit satellite images captured by BlackSky in the early morning, midday and late afternoon of July 9, the HT report said that the paved bridge had been completed and put to use by Chinese vehicles.

According to the report, automated vehicle detection was used to identify a number of Chinese vehicles that were positioned at different locations on roads accessing the bridge from both the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso lake. At least one vehicle was also seen travelling on the bridge itself.

Vehicles were also spotted at a facility, suspected to be a fuel station, on the bridge's northern access road.

How can India counter the Chinese bridge?

Citing experts, the HT report said that the bridge would become a target for Indian artillery or air strikes in the event of hostilities.

However, Air Vice-Marshal (Rtd) Bahadur told the national daily that while an air strike could destroy the bridge, the PLA would deploy air defence systems to protect it.

Bahadur said that possible vulnerability to air strikes didn't reduce the importance of the bridge for moving troops and logistics during both times of peace and war. He added that the PLA has built a "vital asset", which will be of "tremendous help" in maintaining its deterrence posture.

What other military infra has been built by China?

According to a separate report from earlier in July, another batch of satellite images showed that the PLA had constructed underground bunkers for storing weapons and fuel and hardened shelters for protecting armoured vehicles at a key base in the area around the Pangong Tso lake.

The PLA base at Sirjap, located on the northern shore of the Pangong Tso lake, has been built in an area claimed by India and is located about 5 km from the LAC. Built during 2021-22, the PLA base serves as the headquarters for Chinese troops deployed around the lake. Till the start of the standoff at the LAC in May 2020, there was almost no human habitation in the region.

The PLA base is reportedly located a little over 120 km southeast of the Galwan Valley, which was the site of the deadly June 2020 skirmish that resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops.

WATCH: Why does the Chinese Pangong Tso bridge pose a challenge for India?