In a strategic move echoing China’s efforts across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India has decided to establish new villages closer to the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.
This initiative, according to the defence experts, aims to integrate security and civilian infrastructure while fostering local development along the sensitive border region.
Reports indicate that existing villages in Arunachal Pradesh, located 50 to 60 km from the LAC, have benefited from infrastructure under the Centre’s ongoing Vibrant Villages Programme.
However, their distance from the LAC presents challenges for seamless integration into dual-use security-civilian frameworks.
To address this, the government plans to establish new habitations closer to the LAC.
These new villages will leverage infrastructure, including roads reaching forward military locations along the LAC, and cater to adventure tourism.
A similar initiative in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran sector has successfully attracted tourists to the Kishanganga riverbanks opposite Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Unlike Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where Indian villages are closer to the LAC, Arunachal Pradesh’s sparse population necessitates the creation of new habitations.
This effort aligns with the Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to upgrade 662 villages with a focus on infrastructure, renewable energy, high-speed telecom connectivity, and tourism promotion.
In contrast, China has established 628 “prosperous villages” along the LAC, including areas opposite Arunachal Pradesh, reinforcing territorial claims and military readiness.
These villages potentially serve a legal defence under the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement-2005, safeguarding settled populations during future delineation exercises of the LAC.
Follow us
