Indian Authorities Caught Off-Gaurd: Satellite Images Show China Digging Underground Bunkers

China’s military is fortifying its presence around Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh by constructing underground bunkers for weapons and fuel storage and hardened shelters for armored vehicles at a key base in the region, according to satellite images.

The base, developed during 2021-22, includes underground bunkers that can store weapon systems, fuel, or other supplies, as revealed by images from BlackSky, a US-based firm. Situated on the northern shore of Pangong Lake at Sirjap, this People’s Liberation Army (PLA) base serves as the headquarters for Chinese troops in the area, which is claimed by India and located about 5 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Before the standoff on the LAC began in May 2020, this region was nearly uninhabited.

Images provided by BlackSky show eight sloping entrances to a large underground bunker and a smaller bunker with five entrances near it, captured on May 30. These structures indicate a significant effort to secure weapon systems and supplies.

In addition to several large buildings for the headquarters, the base includes hardened shelters to protect armored vehicles from airstrikes using precision-guided munitions, according to experts. An analyst from BlackSky noted that the base hosts extensive facilities for armored vehicle storage, test ranges, and buildings for fuel and munitions storage. The current developments at the base include reinforced artillery and defensive positions connected by a network of roads and trenches not visible on public maps.

The base is located over 120 km southeast of the Galwan Valley, the site of a deadly skirmish in June 2020 that resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops.

There has been no immediate response from Indian officials regarding the images. A former Indian Army commander who served in the region around Pangong Lake, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that China’s construction of underground facilities is a logical military strategy. He noted that modern battlefields rely heavily on satellite and aerial surveillance, making underground shelters essential for protection against airstrikes. He emphasized that China’s expertise in tunneling requires basic civil engineering skills and funding, contrasting with India’s need to invest in more air defense equipment.

India has been enhancing its border infrastructure since the 2020 standoff, building roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields, and helipads to support military mobility and logistics. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed 125 infrastructure projects worth ₹3,611 crore during 2023-24, including the Sela tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

Developments at Pangong Lake coincide with increased activity by the Chinese military at the Shigatse air base in the Tibet Autonomous Region and at the disputed Doklam tri-junction, where a 73-day standoff occurred in 2017. Recent satellite images from BlackSky showed six J-20 stealth combat jets and eight J-10 multi-role combat jets at the Shigatse base. This base is about 300 km from the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Hasimara base in West Bengal, which houses Rafale combat jets. Experts believe the deployment of J-20s is a countermeasure against India’s Rafales.

Most J-20s were previously stationed in China’s coastal and inland provinces, with their deployment in Tibet marking a strategic shift. A more recent satellite image from June 30 revealed at least two J-10 jets at the Shigatse air base.

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In the Doklam plateau, satellite images show an elaborate network of roads connecting military infrastructure close to the disputed border with India, with a significant number of military vehicles detected at rear and forward positions in an image from April. China’s military is fortifying its presence around Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh by constructing underground bunkers for weapons and fuel storage and hardened shelters for armored vehicles at a key base in the region, according to satellite images.

The base, developed during 2021-22, includes underground bunkers that can store weapon systems, fuel, or other supplies, as revealed by images from BlackSky, a US-based firm. Situated on the northern shore of Pangong Lake at Sirjap, this People’s Liberation Army (PLA) base serves as the headquarters for Chinese troops in the area, which is claimed by India and located about 5 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Before the standoff on the LAC began in May 2020, this region was nearly uninhabited.

Images provided by BlackSky show eight sloping entrances to a large underground bunker and a smaller bunker with five entrances near it, captured on May 30. These structures indicate a significant effort to secure weapon systems and supplies.

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In addition to several large buildings for the headquarters, the base includes hardened shelters to protect armored vehicles from airstrikes using precision-guided munitions, according to experts. An analyst from BlackSky noted that the base hosts extensive facilities for armored vehicle storage, test ranges, and buildings for fuel and munitions storage. The current developments at the base include reinforced artillery and defensive positions connected by a network of roads and trenches not visible on public maps.

The base is located over 120 km southeast of the Galwan Valley, the site of a deadly skirmish in June 2020 that resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops.

There has been no immediate response from Indian officials regarding the images. A former Indian Army commander who served in the region around Pangong Lake, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that China’s construction of underground facilities is a logical military strategy. He noted that modern battlefields rely heavily on satellite and aerial surveillance, making underground shelters essential for protection against airstrikes. He emphasized that China’s expertise in tunneling requires basic civil engineering skills and funding, contrasting with India’s need to invest in more air defense equipment.

India has been enhancing its border infrastructure since the 2020 standoff, building roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields, and helipads to support military mobility and logistics. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed 125 infrastructure projects worth ₹3,611 crore during 2023-24, including the Sela tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

Developments at Pangong Lake coincide with increased activity by the Chinese military at the Shigatse air base in the Tibet Autonomous Region and at the disputed Doklam tri-junction, where a 73-day standoff occurred in 2017. Recent satellite images from BlackSky showed six J-20 stealth combat jets and eight J-10 multi-role combat jets at the Shigatse base. This base is about 300 km from the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Hasimara base in West Bengal, which houses Rafale combat jets. Experts believe the deployment of J-20s is a countermeasure against India’s Rafales.

Most J-20s were previously stationed in China’s coastal and inland provinces, with their deployment in Tibet marking a strategic shift. A more recent satellite image from June 30 revealed at least two J-10 jets at the Shigatse air base.

In the Doklam plateau, satellite images show an elaborate network of roads connecting military infrastructure close to the disputed border with India, with a significant number of military vehicles detected at rear and forward positions in an image from April.