NEW DELHI:
China significantly reduced the deployment of People’s Liberation Army troops along the Line of Actual Control in 2025, according to the Ministry of Defence’s annual report for 2025-26.
The report said the year witnessed a “significant reduction” in PLA deployment opposite India’s northern borders. It noted that 10 Combined Arms Brigade-sized forces were deployed in areas along the LAC and in traditional training areas.
The report, however, said the Indian Army’s deployment across all sectors along the LAC remained robust and prepared to deal with emerging contingencies.
India-China relations had come under severe strain following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. The two countries have since taken a series of measures aimed at improving bilateral ties and maintaining peace along the frontier.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held meetings in recent years, including talks on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin last year.
The two leaders also met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi. During the latest interaction, Modi stressed that peace and tranquillity along the border remained an essential basis for the development of India-China relations.
The Defence Ministry report also referred to Operation Sindoor, describing it as an operational success and a strategic statement. It said the operation had led to a comprehensive review of India’s capability gaps, with emphasis on force restructuring, jointness and integration of emerging technologies.