An analysis of satellite imagery from Gosthana (Aksai Chin) shows the Chinese side has ramped up the construction of reinforced bunkers and underground facilities, Hindustan Times has reported.

A comparison of satellite images from December 2021 and August 2023 shows the Chinese side has built reinforced bunkers and underground facilities at six locations within an area of roughly 15 sq km in Gosthana (Aksai Chin). The satellite images were provided to Hindustan Times by Maxar Technologies.

The area is located about 70km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and while troops were deployed in the region following the start of the standoff in May 2020, most of the land was barren and with few signs of construction activity, apart from some overground facilities to host equipment.

As per the report, the latest images from August 2023 show considerable construction activity, including the presence of earth-moving machinery, new roads, and multiple entrances for underground facilities.

The report comes at a time when China officially released the 2023 edition of the “standard map of China” that claimed the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh and Gosthana (Aksai Chin) as its own.

India on Tuesday lodged a strong protest with China over the map and said such steps only complicate the resolution of the boundary question.