India Adopts Proactive Posture as China Steps Up Activity Along Middle Sector of LAC

Amid rising Chinese assertiveness and PLA activity, the Indian Army has adopted a proactive posture along the middle sector of the LAC in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, strengthening surveillance, infrastructure, and civil-military coordination.

New Delhi: Amid rising Chinese assertiveness, accelerated infrastructure development across the border, and increasingly unpredictable behaviour by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) patrols, the Indian Army has sharpened its focus and adopted a more proactive posture in the middle sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which separates India and China in the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Such developments have raised serious concerns about quicker mobilization and sustained deployment capabilities on the Chinese side, prompting Indian forces to recalibrate their preparedness.

The LAC in the middle sector covers about 545 km, and is generally considered the least disputed part.

Unlike Eastern as well as Western sectors, the middle sector has unique challenges that include difficult terrain, dispersed population, limited infrastructure density, environmental vulnerabilities and increasing frequency of grey-zone activities.

In this regard, the Indian Army has planned to organize a seminar – ‘Fortifying Himalaya – A Proactive Military-Civil Fusion Strategy in Middle Sector’ on January 7` to explore how the civil military integration is redefining India's frontier defence architecture in Uttarakhand.

Being conducted under the aegis of Indian Army’s 14 Infantry Division in Dehradun, the military leaders, academia and experts will share their perspectives and insights on the issues.

Over the years, the Chinese activity in the region has shown a marked shift, with increased patrol movements and rapid construction of roads, tracks, and logistics facilities in the middle sector. Asianet Newsable English had reported in 2022 that India has been bolstering its military preparedness and infrastructure in the middle sector in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Prior to 2020 Galwan Valley violent clash between the troops of Indian Army and China’s PLA, the middle sector was always been considered the settled border but the things have changed after then.

In response, the Indian Army has strengthened surveillance, improved infrastructure on its side of the border, and enhanced coordination between forward units.

Additional emphasis is being placed on real-time intelligence, quicker troop rotation, and better logistical support in high-altitude areas.

Besides, border infrastructure push and change in PLA’s patterns, the Chinese has also been building dual-use facilities, cyber probing, and rapid militarisation of border villages on its side.