In another act of aggression towards India, China has reportedly deployed bomber aircraft close to the LAC. According to a South China Morning Post(SCMP) report, the People’s Liberation Army has deployed at least one long-range strategic H-6K bomber to its borders with India. The report says that state broadcaster China Central Television(CCTV) aired footage on the occasion of PLAF’s 72nd anniversary that showed an H-6K bomber flying with what appears to be the Himalayan peaks in the background, indicating its close physical proximity with the Line of Actual Control(LAC).
The report cited military a source who informed that the bomber is temporarily deployed in the Xinjiang region that comes under the Western Theatre Command of the PLA that is responsible for the front with India. The source also stated that the H-6K are usually based out of the Shaanxi province.
According to the report, Zhou Chenming, a military scholar pointed that the CCTV footage did not include images of the long-range CJ-20s which the H-6K is capable of carrying. Zhou called it a “careful warning from the PLA” to India.
There has been a considerable military buildup on both sides of the LAC since the border conflict between India and China flared up in Ladakh in 2020. India deployed L70 anti-aircraft guns, Swedish Bofors guns along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh in October, shortly after the 13th round of military commander-level talks failed between the two countries.
