China has started building a new missile base on the eastern shores of Pangong Lake in Tibet, about 110 km from the 2020 border clash sites. Satellite images from India Today’s OSINT team and US space intelligence firm Vantor show the facility under construction.
The base includes command-and-control buildings, barracks, vehicle sheds, radar positions, and ammunition storage. Its standout feature is the covered missile-launch positions with sliding roofs, designed for Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicles. Each bay can hold two launchers and keeps them hidden until firing.
US-based AllSource Analysis suggests these shelters could house the long-range HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system. The setup protects the launchers and makes it harder to detect their exact location. A similar complex exists at Gar County, roughly 65 km from the Line of Actual Control, opposite India’s upgraded Nyoma airfield. Recent satellite images even show one launch bay roof open, possibly revealing TELs.
Analysts note that while India focuses on mobile border infrastructure, China is investing in hardened launch sites and deeper air-defence along the frontier. This move mirrors the protective missile facilities China already uses in the South China Sea, signaling a new level of military preparedness along the India-Tibet border.
