Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 2: Newly analysed satellite imagery has revealed China is expanding its road network in a disputed sector of Arunachal Pradesh that has remained under Beijing’s control since 1959, linking two Chinese-built settlements and further entrenching its infrastructure footprint in territory claimed by India.
According to an NDTV analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery, the newly constructed road links a village first identified by the broadcaster in 2021 with another settlement located approximately 9.4 kilometres to its west. The area lies within India’s claim under the McMahon Line but has remained under Chinese administration for more than six decades after the occupation of Tibet.
The latest imagery shows extensive development at the newer settlement, including multiple buildings, roads, two helipads, a cement-mixing facility, solar panels, and a basketball court. Several vehicles, including trucks and construction equipment, are visible at the site, indicating that work is ongoing while parts of the settlement appear to be operational.
The new road significantly improves connectivity between the two settlements, reinforcing China’s growing infrastructure network in the frontier region. NDTV reported that the western settlement is connected by a motorable road to the older village, facilitating movement of personnel, equipment and supplies.
The report noted that while most of the newly developed infrastructure appears to lie in territory under Chinese control, a construction plant and two helipads seem to fall within India’s original claim line. However, it cautioned that this could not be independently verified because India and China have never jointly delineated the boundary in the area, and both sides maintain differing perceptions of the frontier.
The findings come days after a welfare organisation representing the Nah tribal community in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district alleged that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had occupied portions of their traditional grazing and hunting grounds over the past six years while constructing roads, camps, and other infrastructure. The Indian Army has rejected reports of any fresh Chinese encroachment in the sector.
The findings also come amid continued Chinese efforts to strengthen infrastructure along the disputed Himalayan border through the construction of roads, villages, and support facilities. Such projects have drawn increasing attention from Indian security observers, who view them as enhancing Beijing’s ability to sustain administrative control and improve logistical access in strategically sensitive areas.
China claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of what it calls “Zangnan” or “South Tibet,” a claim consistently rejected by India. New Delhi maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India and has repeatedly objected to Chinese infrastructure development and administrative measures in disputed border areas. However, the latest satellite imagery, observers say, appears to reinforce that assessment, highlighting Beijing’s continued efforts to aggressively encroach in disputed Himalayan border regions.
