Is China building a second bridge at Pangong Tso? Here’s what we know

Amid the border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is constructing a second bridge on their side at the Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.

An official from the home ministry was quoted as telling The Telegraph, “The latest ground assessment has revealed increased infrastructure activity by China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, including the construction of a second bridge on the Pangong Lake. We are keeping a close watch.”

The news of the bridge comes as India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks to resolve their faceoff in Ladakh, which began in May 2020. India has been insisting on the restoration of status quo ante prior to the standoff.

Here’s what we know so far.

‘Bigger, broader bridge’

Damien Symon, a geospatial intelligence researcher, who keeps track of Chinese activities along the LAC, recently posted satellite imagery of the new construction.

Symon in his tweet wrote that the new bridge was a “larger one” and was being developed parallel to the first one. He added it appeared that the aim of the bridge was to “support larger/heavier movement” over the lake.

An NDTV report said that the new bridge had been constructed in an area that is over 20 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Incidentally, the construction of the first bridge built by the Chinese troops began in the end of 2021 and was reportedly completed by the beginning of 2022.

A source told The Print, “The first bridge is being used by the Chinese to station their cranes and bring over other construction equipment. The new bridge, right next to it, is bigger and wider than the one they finished construction of in April this year.”

Reports state that the second bridge will have a width of 10 metres and will be 450 metres long when completed in July.

Sources have been quoted as saying that the two bridges will cut the distance between Chinese troop positions on the north bank to a key PLA base at Rutog, on the eastern end of the lake, by around 150 km.

Konchok Stanzin, who represents Chushul in the Ladakh Development Council, corroborated the satellite imagery and confirmed the construction of a second bridge. He tweeted that the presence of a second bridge was “a concern for the nation’s security”.

On the significance of the second bridge, a source told The Print, “The earlier bridge could only bring in soldiers and lighter vehicles. The new one is actually bigger in size and wider. This means that they are looking at faster induction of not just troops and vehicles but even armoured columns.”

What the government said

On Thursday, India reacted to the news of the second bridge, saying it considered the area to be “occupied area” for decades, and that it monitors such developments.

At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the situation was being monitored.

As per a PTI report, Bagchi also indicated that there was a lack of clarity on whether a second bridge is being built in the area or it is the expansion and widening of the first bridge.

The spokesperson also added that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had conveyed to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi during his visit to New Delhi in March about India’s expectations regarding the military face-off.

While the Ministry of Defence didn’t issue a statement on the matter, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, who had visited the forward areas in Ladakh last week, had said then that China intended to keep the boundary question alive while the Indian Army aimed to re-establish the “trust and tranquillity” between the two sides. “But it cannot be a one-way affair.”

With inputs from agencies

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