China appears to have renewed its focus on India’s Arunachal Pradesh, with fresh reports suggesting that the Chinese military is steadily expanding its presence in disputed border areas.
A special investigation by the UK-based The Independent, which compared satellite imagery from 2022 with recent images, has found evidence of new Chinese construction activity in the region. According to the report, new buildings and roads have appeared in the Upper Subansiri Valley, Jarih, and Lungye areas of Arunachal Pradesh, with construction levels notably higher than in the earlier imagery.
Analysts describe China’s approach as a textbook case of “salami slicing” — a strategy in which, rather than attempting to seize large tracts of territory outright, a military expands its footprint through a series of small, incremental steps that gradually consolidate its presence on the ground.
The Independent also cited accounts from tribal communities living along the border, who allege that Chinese troops have begun restricting their access to traditional hunting grounds and grazing areas. Residents told the outlet that such restrictions have become markedly more frequent since June.
This is not the first time such reports have emerged regarding alleged Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Indian Army has in the past refuted several similar allegations. Officials have repeatedly stated that security forces are keeping continuous watch over the border situation, with surveillance systems actively tracking Chinese movements in the area.
Meanwhile, India has been accelerating its own infrastructure push along the frontier, building roads, bridges, and other facilities — fuelling what has effectively become an infrastructure race between the two countries along the contested border.
The report’s emergence coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to India for the BRICS summit, adding a layer of political sensitivity to the findings. With the border dispute remaining a persistent flashpoint in India-China relations, the latest developments in Arunachal Pradesh have once again drawn national attention.