News Reporter
Reports have emerged that Chinese troops have advanced approximately 60 kilometres into Indian territory, in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, sparking concern amid ongoing border tensions. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is said to have set up camp in the Kapapu area, an incursion that allegedly occurred about a week ago.
This recent activity coincides with the unresolved case of two missing individuals from Arunachal Pradesh, who vanished nearly two years ago. Their families believe they were taken into custody by the PLA, adding to the growing tension in the region. Dishanso Chikro, the brother of one of the missing men, revealed, "We have been informed that they were detained by the Chinese army. While the Indian Army has raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts, there has been no official response."
Anjaw's local MLA and Minister for Women and Child Development, Dasanglu Pul, confirmed the men’s disappearance but assured the public that they were alive. However, Pul declined to comment on the recent incursion, choosing not to provide an official statement on the escalating situation.
Sources indicate that local villagers reported the incursion after being informed by porters employed by the Indian Army. These porters are said to have witnessed the PLA’s encroachment near Hadigra Pass, a point along the disputed McMahon Line. The nearest Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp is stationed at Hadigra Pass, while Chaglagam, the nearest Indian settlement, lies about 90 kilometres away from the point of the incursion.
The area has been a hotspot for border tensions in the past. In August 2022, PLA soldiers were reportedly involved in infrastructure development near Hadigra Lake. Previous instances include a transgression in 2020 when Chinese forces entered the Dibang Valley district, and in 2019 when a wooden bridge was constructed by the PLA around 40 kilometres inside Indian territory at the Amako camp.
Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,126-kilometre border with China, a significant portion of the 3,488-kilometre-long Sino-Indian border, making it a vulnerable region for incursions and disputes. Local villagers, fearing the loss of their land, are living in uncertainty as the standoff between India and China in the region persists.
This latest incursion further highlights the fragile nature of relations between the two nations, where border disputes continue to strain diplomatic efforts aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the region.