The Indian Defence Ministry has reported a reduction in Chinese military deployments along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) last year. This decrease is attributed to ongoing diplomatic engagements between India and China, which have fostered stability along the northern borders of India. These sustained interactions are seen as contributing factors to the improved situation in the region.
Xi travelled to India for the first time in seven years to attend the Brics Summit, setting up the meeting with Modi to take forward the normalisation of bilateral ties amid lingering tensions on the border. The two leaders last met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin a year ago. The inability of the local industry to offer niche products in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS)/ counter-UAS/ loitering munitions domains came to the fore during Operation Sindoor, the report pointed out.
The Chinese PLA had positioned 10 combined arms brigades along the LAC, with another 10 stationed in traditional training areas away from the frontier, the 2025-26 report said. The annual report also delved into Operation Sindoor , and the lessons learnt from the four-day military confrontation with Pakistan in May 2025.
“The year 2025 witnessed a significant reduction in the deployment of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces opposite the northern borders,” the defence ministry said in its latest annual report, reviewed by HT. Also Read I China’s Xi Jinping calls for stronger Global South ties, puts forth 5 initiatives at BRICS Summit “The bilateral interactions between India and China at political, diplomatic and military levels facilitated positive developments along the northern borders,” it said. The Indian Army’s deployment in all sectors along the LAC is robust, and the force is prepared to deal with any emerging contingency, it said. India on Saturday emphasised that peace and tranquillity in the border areas remain the “essential basis” for developing ties with China, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping welcomed “steady progress” in bilateral relations during a meeting on the margins of the Brics Summit in New Delhi. “After the operation, India undertook a comprehensive review of capability voids with a clear focus on force restructuring, enhancing jointness and integrating emerging technologies,” it said.
