China Begins Construction of Strategic Railway Line Near LAC, Sparks Security Concerns in India
China has initiated the construction of a strategically significant new railway line in Tibet, connecting Lhasa and passing extremely close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This development has raised fresh military and security concerns for India.
According to experts, the railway will significantly enhance China’s military mobility and logistical capabilities. The project is expected to be completed in five years and is part of Beijing’s 5,000-kilometer-long high-altitude railway expansion plan.
The region is particularly sensitive due to the ongoing India-China border dispute in Aksai Chin. Tenzin Dorjee, a researcher at the Tibet Policy Institute, stated that China views the construction of railways and highways near the border as a response to recent security developments. He added that while China aims to control water resources near Arunachal Pradesh, it is simultaneously building new railway lines near Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
He also mentioned that the highway being constructed between Nagchu and Ngari will further enhance China’s military flexibility.
Parallel Railway to the Himalayas
Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue described this as one of China’s "most provocative and ambitious projects." The railway will pass through Shigatse, near Mount Kailash and Ngari, with some segments running just 20–30 kilometers from India’s Demchok region in Ladakh — deepening India’s strategic concerns.
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