China is populating its vacant border villages built along the Line of Control. In the last few months, many Chinese nationals have started moving in at a couple of "defence villages", as it is called, on its side of the border across India's northeastern states, the Indian Express newspaper reported citing sources familiar with the matter.
However, it is unknown whether the occupants residing in these double-storey, large and spacious buildings are civilains or military personnel.
For the past five years, China has been constructing 628 such villages along India’s borders with Tibet.
India, too, has been ramping up border infrastructure. Under the Vibrant Villages programmes, India plans to modernise at least 17 villages that share borders with China.