A day after reports of China building a second bridge on the Pangong Tso(lake)in Ladakh emerged, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said here the government is monitoring the situation. “We always felt it was occupied,” it added.
This reaction came as China is building a second bridge at the lake to enable its tanks and armoured columns to move speedily.
The stand-offs in Ladakh started from the Pangong lake in May 2020 leading to a major crisis. Face-offs are some flashpoints that are still on for the last two and half years.
Fielding questions on the issue after some satellite images highlighted the bridge, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said here, “We have seen reports on this bridge or a second bridge. We are monitoring the situation. Of course, we always felt it was occupied.”
He also said talks are on with the Chinese side and “We will continue to remain engaged both at diplomatic and military levels.”
Damien Symon, a geospatial intelligence researcher, who keeps track of Chinese activities along the LAC, posted satellite images of the new construction on Twitter.
Symon, who uses the handle @detresfa_ said a "larger bridge" is being developed parallel to the first one, adding the likely aim of the construction is to "support larger/heavier movement" (of the military) over the lake.