India-China border dispute: New Delhi expects more clashes with PLA troops in Ladakh

A confidential research paper by the Ladakh police said the skirmishes ‘may or may not follow a pattern’ as Beijing ramps up military infrastructure in the region

It also said India has been slowly losing ground to China in Ladakh as the border has been pushed inside Indian territory through the creation of buffer zones

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Indian soldiers stand on a snow-covered road near Zojila mountain pass that connects Srinagar to Ladakh, bordering China. File photo: AFP via Getty Images/TNS

Published: 3:56pm, 27 Jan 2023Updated: 4:01pm, 27 Jan 2023

A security assessment by Indian police in the Himalayan region of Ladakh says there could be more clashes between Indian and Chinese troops along their contested frontier there as Beijing ramps up military infrastructure in the region.

At least 24 soldiers were killed when the armies of the Asian giants clashed in Ladakh, in the western Himalayas, in 2020 but tensions eased after military and diplomatic talks. A fresh clash erupted between the two sides in the eastern Himalayas in December but there were no deaths.

The assessment is part of a new, confidential research paper by the Ladakh police that was submitted at a conference of top police officers held from January 20 to 22 and has been reviewed by Reuters.

The report said the assessment was based on intelligence gathered by local police in the border areas and the pattern of India-China military tensions over the years.

The Indian army did not respond to a request for comment but the assessment assumes significance as it was submitted at a conference attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s defence and foreign ministries also did not respond to requests for comment.

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