Chinese deployments along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) thinned last year, the defence ministry has said, noting that sustained engagements between India and China contributed to positive developments and stability along the country’s northern borders.
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. “Theatre-isation is imperative to meet future challenges and pave the way for seamless synergy between the services. The integration initiatives are focused on operational readiness to include capability development, maintenance, administration, human resource management and legal aspects,” the report added.
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. With accomplishment of 29% deliverables and completion of 35% joint doctrines, time has come to achieve all jointness and integration initiatives in a timely manner.
“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. “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. Operation Sindoor highlighted the importance of jointness among the armed forces, it said.
