China building air defence positions across the LAC?

NEW DELHI: Open source satellite imagery suggests China is developing two new air defence positions that cover sensitive stretches of the disputed border in the Doklam and Sikkim sectors, including an area where Indian and Chinese troops clashed in May.

The satellite imagery, shared by the open source intelligence analyst who uses the name @detresfa on Twitter, shows what appear to be two sites at which the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing surface-toair missile facilities. Both these sites are near what have been described as “suspected early warning radar sites” opposite Sikkim.

Experts said the location of missile air defence facilities close to radar installations would help the Chinese side to pick out possible targets with greater accuracy.

There was no immediate reaction from Indian officials to the reported development of missile sites by the Chinese.