India says China laying cables to bolster communications at border flashpoint

An Indian fighter plane flies over a mountain range in Leh, in the Ladakh region, September 14, 2020. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

Two Indian officials said Chinese troops were laying a network of optical fibre cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint with India, suggesting they were digging in for the long haul despite high-level talks aimed at resolving a standoff there.

Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso Lake in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, a senior government official said.