China is reportedly expanding and upgrading a large number of military facilities along the border with India

• China has not just expanded but doubled the number of military facilities along its shared border with India, according to a report by Stratfor.
  
• Security and military analyst Sim Tack estimates that at least 13 new military positions have appeared since the 2017 Dokhlam standoff.
  
• After fresh tensions sparked in May, China initiated the construction of four new heliports.
  

Over the last four months, experts, politicians, the Indian Army, and others have often reiterated that the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China is unlike any other face off in the past.

That may well be true with China changing tactics and doubling down on building military infrastructure along the border. Not only has this increased the number of friction points between two of the largest countries in the world, but it has also forced New Delhi to rethink its take on the issue of national security, according to security and military analyst Sim Tack’s report in Stratfor.

After fresh tensions sparked in May, China initiated the construction of four heliports. But, this is only the latest tranche of its military infrastructure.

China’s military posturing has been the works for a while
India’s Asian neighbor has been doubling down on the number of air bases, air defence positions, and heliports on its side of the shared border since the 2017 Dokhlam standoff. Tack estimates that China has started building up at least 13 new military positions after the clash.

According to the Stratfor report, China’s developments ‘long term developments’ indicated its future intent to ram up ‘Chinese assertive military posturing in border disputes with India’ — not unlike what it’s already doing in the South China Sea.

“China’s strategy aims to confront India with an insurmountable challenge in territorial disputes by leaning on broad support capabilities that provide Beijing with a tremendous ability to mobilise forces into disputed border areas,” said the report.

Even though the latest skirmishes are near Ladakh, the tensions along the India-China border are likely to drive future expansion of Indian military infrastructure. Especially in other regions like Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh as well.

“By forcing India to respond in kind, China’s aggressive strategy is leading to a greater concentration of military assets in heavily disputed areas along the border that could raise the risk of potential escalations and sustained conflict,” warned the report.

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