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India and China are once again facing questions over military activity along their disputed Himalayan border.
The latest developments have drawn attention to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district.
On October 24, India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that the situation along the Line of Actual Control becomes disturbed when Chinese forces move away from established patrolling patterns.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Director General, Shatrujeet Kapur, also acknowledged face-offs between Indian and Chinese personnel at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
China subsequently responded on October 26, claiming that it was adhering to relevant border agreements and conducting normal patrols to safeguard its sovereignty.
The two countries therefore continue to maintain different positions regarding the nature of military activity along the border.
Why is Arunachal Pradesh strategically important?
Arunachal Pradesh occupies an extremely important geographical position in India's northeastern security architecture.
It shares an international boundary with China and is connected to India's broader eastern Himalayan defence network.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of what it calls South Tibet, a claim firmly rejected by India.
India considers Arunachal Pradesh an integral and inalienable part of the country.
The Siang mega-dam issue
Another major development is the controversy surrounding India's proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
The project has two strategic dimensions.
First, it is intended to generate electricity, improve water management and strengthen infrastructure.
Second, it is viewed in the context of China's proposed massive hydropower project upstream on the Yarlung Zangbo River, which enters India as the Siang.
However, the project has triggered protests among local communities, particularly the Adi tribal population, who fear displacement and the submergence of ancestral land.
On October 27, Reuters reported that hundreds of additional security personnel had been deployed in the Siang Valley following violent protests.