In 2025, the presence of Chinese military forces along the northern borders of India experienced a notable decrease. This shift followed the Indian Army’s strategic decision to deploy 10 brigade-sized formations in key areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and in traditional training zones. This information was detailed in the Ministry of Defence’s annual report for 2025-26.
These are self-sustaining military formations comprising different combat arms, including infantry, armour, artillery and air defence, operating under a common structure. On Jammu and Kashmir, the Defence Ministry said the overall security situation remained firmly under control due to the sustained and relentless efforts of the Army. The Defence Ministry said the 10 formations deployed by the Indian Army were Combined Arms Brigade-sized forces. The situation stabilised to a large extent following talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGsMO) of India and Pakistan on May 10 and May 12, 2025, according to the ministry.
On the overall security situation along the northern front, the ministry said 2025 saw a “significant reduction” in the deployment of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces opposite India’s northern borders. The Defence Ministry said the Indian Army continued to secure the northern borders, while political, diplomatic and military-level interactions between India and China contributed to positive developments and helped maintain greater stability along the frontier. The ministry said developments in bilateral relations received further momentum following high-level political engagement between the two countries. “The positive developments in bilateral relationships between both countries were further reinforced during Hon’ble Prime Minister’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin in August 2025,” the report said.
