Pentagon exposes China, says it still has 1.2 lakh troops, Howitzers, missiles and even tanks near Indian border
China has maintained its substantial military presence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India since the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, according to the latest Pentagon report released on Wednesday. Despite some troop disengagements in certain areas, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has not scaled back its positions or numbers. «PLA has not drawn down its positions or troop numbers since the 2020 clash and has built infrastructure and support facilities to maintain multiple brigade deployments along the LAC,» the report states.
The Pentagon's annual assessment indicates that China has kept approximately 120,000 troops stationed along the 3,488-km-long LAC, which stretches from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to the soldiers, the PLA has stationed heavy weapon systems, including tanks, howitzers, surface-to-air missiles, and other advanced military equipment. The report further highlights that over 20 combined arms brigades (CABs) remain in forward locations across the western, middle, and eastern sectors of the LAC.
Strategic Focus on the Western Theatre Command
The Pentagon report further elaborates that China's Western Theatre Command, which oversees the border with India, has been prioritising the security of its frontier with India. «In recent years, differing perceptions between India and China regarding border demarcations have facilitated multiple clashes, force build-ups, and military infrastructure construction,» the report noted. Despite some CABs having returned to base, the «overwhelming bulk remain there,» the source added, indicating that China remains firmly entrenched in the region.
