At the time of the clash, a month after PLA intrusions were detected along the Line of Actual Control in 2020, the Indian military infrastructure in the region was sparse, with just a division strength of around 15,000 troops of the Leh-based XIV Corps guarding the LAC there.
Three years later, winds of change have swept this Union Territory in terms of sheer troop density and the scale of infrastructure developed there.
Nearly 50,000 additional troops – more than the population of Leh itself – were deployed to eastern Ladakh in the immediate aftermath of the Galwan Valley clashes.
A satellite image taken of the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. (Source: Planet Labs)
While earlier, just one of XIV Corps’ two divisions were specifically tasked with looking at the border, there are now more than two divisions of troops deployed at the LAC including a Rashtriya Rifles force that was moved from J&K. Additional reserves have been deployed in the depth areas, including elements of a Strike Corps. This was done after the Army carried out a reorientation of all its Strike Corps in 2021.
The last three years have also seen the deployment of a plethora of modern equipment for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) in eastern Ladakh and deployment of additional mechanised and armoured regiments, up from 4-5 regiments to 10-12. Additional repair and recovery elements have been put in place for armoured vehicles, and cater to wear and tear.
To facilitate quick deployment of soldiers to the LAC and their accommodation and living, the last three years have been devoted to aggressive construction of military infrastructure – additional roads, tracks, bridges, permanent defences, habitat and shelters for troops in areas unoccupied earlier. This is a sea change from the past when troops were mostly responsible for patrolling and monitoring the borders.
While tensions had been building up since May 2020 with the increasing presence of Chinese troops near the LAC and instances of a few minor confrontations that month, the deployment of additional troops and equipment, and the rapid boom in military infrastructure began after the Galwan Valley incident.
India and China have held 18 rounds of military talks and 27 meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) so far. The talks have led to disengagement of troops at the post 2020 friction points with the creation of buffer zones, but legacy issues such as Depsang Plains and Demchok continue to fester, leading to limited or no patrolling by Indian troops at these points.
The last three years have seen a massive push towards infrastructure development which includes creation of military posts, living habitat and gun positions, apart from new roads, bridges, tracks, tunnels and helipads.
According to data accessed by The Indian Express, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed 19 infrastructure projects in 2021 and 26 in 2022 in Ladakh alone. It has set a target of completing 54 projects this year. These include roads and bridges among other miscellaneous projects.
A high priority project which the BRO is expected to complete soon is the construction of an alternate route to Daulat Beg Oldie, which will begin from Sassoma along the Nubra river and traverse through Sasser La and Gapshan before joining the main 255-km long Durbuk-Shyok-DBO road running along the LAC.
Other important strategic projects include the Saser-Brangza bridge, the Shinku La tunnel linking the pass connecting Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh.
Roads connecting Khalste to Batalik, Kargil to Dumgil and Khalsar to Shyok and Tangtse to Lukung and a tunnel at Hambotingla and a tunnel on the DS-DBO road are the other projects. Additionally, bridges on the DS-DBO road are being upgraded to Class 70 specifications, which can carry vehicle weight up to 70 tonnes.
Development and improvement of helipads and advanced landing grounds at several strategic locations of Ladakh, including those existing at Chushul and DBO, Nyoma, Hanle and Thakung, have also been carried out in the last three years.
To boost border infrastructure, particularly along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore was made this financial year, up from Rs 3,500 crore in 2022-23.
Communication networks right up to forward posts, logistics bases, underground shelters to meet the needs of the enhanced troop density, secure and robust supply chain, and adequate stocking facilities have been developed in recent months.
Habitats to house 22,000 troops and technical storage for 450 armoured personnel carriers and guns have also been constructed closer to the LAC.
Permanent defences and protective shelters are being constructed so that troops living close to the LAC can react quickly to any contingency.
With no immediate clarity on moves towards de-escalation of troops from either side, Defence officers say the focus will remain on construction of more military infrastructure to sustain troops in the Ladakh region. This, they underline, has significantly eased supply chains and boosted operational logistics.
Three years later, winds of change have swept this Union Territory in terms of sheer troop density and the scale of infrastructure developed there. File 
A satellite image taken of the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. (Source: Planet Labs)
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