New satellite images show that China has constructed a second enclave or cluster of at least 60 buildings in Arunachal Pradesh, reported NDTV.
According to the images, the report claimed, there was no such enclave in 2019. However, after more than a year, the new enclave is now visible.
A Pentagon report recently confirmed new encroachment by China 93 km east of a China-constructed village in Arunachal Pradesh.
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“China has undertaken construction activities in the past several years along the border areas, including in the areas that it has illegally occupied over the decades,” an NDTV report quoted Indian officials as saying while reacting to the encroachment.
“India has neither accepted such illegal occupation of our territory, nor has it accepted the unjustified Chinese claims,” the report added.
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Also read: US defence report mentions Chinese village in Arunachal Pradesh
It has been reported that the new enclave lies 93 km east of a China-constructed village in Arunachal Pradesh.
The encroachment was confirmed by a Pentagon report just a few days ago.
According to the NDTV report, the second enclave lies approximately 6 km within India in the region between the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the international boundary.
The images, however, do not offer any clarity on whether the enclave has been occupied.
Reacting to the emergence of the new enclave, the report quoted the Indian Army as saying: “The location corresponding to the coordinates mentioned in your query lies to the North of LAC (Line of Actual Control) in Chinese territory.”
This Indian Army statement did not refute the fact that the construction of the enclave seems to lie between the Line of Actual Control and the international boundary.
The report also quoted a senior Army officer as saying that there is no change in their response:
“The area indicated is North of LAC,” the official said.
NDTV said it sought comments via written questionnaires from top government authorities in Arunachal but no response has been received so far.
The new enclave has been established through images from 2 of the world’s premier satellite imagery providers, Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs.
The images of the Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh show dozens of buildings, including a structure with a flag of China painted on a rooftop, large enough to be spotted by imaging satellites.
“Based on GIS [Geographic Information System] data obtained from the official Survey of India website, the location of this village indeed falls within Indian territorial claims,” the report quoted Sim Tack, Chief Military Analyst at Europe-based Force Analysis as saying.
Force Analysis provides data and analysis on armed conflicts and defense policy.
“An examination of Bharatmaps shows that the point is well within 7 kilometres of the International Boundary, as defined by the Survey General of India under whose jurisdiction the boundaries of India are depicted in all official maps,” the report quoted Arup Dasgupta, a satellite-imaging technology expert, as saying.