China scales back troops along LAC amid thaw in ties with India; down to 10 Arms Brigade

NEW DELHI: China has significantly reduced the deployment of its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in 2025, the ministry of defence said in a statement.The ministry said the year witnessed a “significant reduction in deployment” of PLA forces opposite India’s northern borders. It said 10 Combined Arms Brigade-size forces remained deployed in areas along the LAC and in traditional training areas.At the same time, the Indian Army’s deployment across all sectors of the LAC remained “robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency”, the ministry said.The reduction in Chinese troop deployment came amid increased political, diplomatic and military engagement between India and China, which the ministry said helped bring greater stability along the Northern Borders.India and China resumed several mechanisms for dialogue during the year. The 33rd and 34th rounds of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) were held in March and July 2025 respectively. Special Representatives’ talks on the boundary question also resumed, with rounds held in December 2024 and August 2025.The ministry said the improvement in bilateral ties was further reinforced by PM Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin in August 2025. Military-level engagement also continued, including the 23rd Corps Commander Level Meet in Eastern Ladakh on October 25-26, 2025.“Border Personnel Meetings continue with the PLA in all sectors in a cordial and friendly environment to resolve issues of concern,” the ministry said.The latest developments come as India-China ties continue to show signs of stabilisation following years of tensions along the disputed border.PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting lasting more than 50 minutes in New Delhi on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Brics Summit. Welcoming Xi, PM Modi said the two countries now had an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation.Xi said China viewed India-China relations from a “strategic and long-term perspective” and called for both countries to work together on shared development.“In the face of a complex international landscape marked by intertwined changes and challenges, China and India, as the world's two most populous countries and important members of the Global South, shoulder significant responsibilities,” Xi said.