Indian Army Report Says China Cut PLA Deployment Along LAC in 2025

China cut its troop deployment along India’s northern borders in 2025, with about 10 Combined Arms Brigade-sized formations positioned opposite the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and in traditional training areas, according to the Indian Army’s Annual Report 2025-26. The assessment says the reduction in the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) presence, together with continuing political, diplomatic and military engagement, helped improve stability along the border after the long standoff that began in eastern Ladakh in 2020.

At the same time, the Army has made clear that the easing of China’s deployment has not altered India’s own posture. The report says Indian forces remain “well-poised” across all sectors of the LAC to respond to any emerging contingency, indicating that operational readiness has been maintained even as conditions on the border have become more stable.

The annual assessment places the border management effort in the context of renewed military and diplomatic contact between the two countries. Dialogue between India and China resumed in 2025, including the 23rd Corps Commander-level/Senior Highest Military Commander-level meeting in eastern Ladakh in October 2025. Border Personnel Meetings with the PLA also continued across all sectors during the year, and the Army said these interactions took place in a cordial atmosphere, giving both sides a channel to raise and address matters of concern.

While the Northern Borders saw signs of relative calm, the Army’s report also points to a broader transformation in India’s security outlook. It says the lessons from Operation Sindoor showed India’s multi-domain capability, intelligence dominance, technological edge and joint operational readiness. Following the operation, the Army reviewed capability gaps and identified force restructuring, greater jointness and the induction of emerging technologies as key priorities.

The emphasis on technology and inter-service coordination reflects the changing nature of warfare, the report suggests. Recent operational experience has reinforced the need for integrated intelligence, faster decision-making, technological absorption and closer coordination among the three services and other national security agencies.

Westward front remains active

Even as the border with China became more stable, the Army’s annual review records a more complex and volatile picture along the western front, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border.

According to the report, the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir remained firmly under control in 2025. Violence levels declined, protests reduced and there were no incidents of stone pelting during the year. The Army also noted greater participation by local people in government and Army-led development initiatives.

However, the situation along the LoC remained unpredictable. After talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan on May 10 and 12, 2025, the situation stabilised to a large extent, but the Army said the environment continued to be uncertain.

The report says six infiltration attempts were made by terrorists along the LoC during 2025, and 12 Pakistani terrorists were neutralised while trying to cross the line. Although infiltration attempts were lower than in previous years, the Army believes terrorists are increasingly shifting attention to the International Border, especially for moving narcotics and war-like stores.

Ceasefire violations rose sharply after Operation Sindoor. The Army recorded 163 such violations along the LoC in 2025, compared with just two in 2024. Of these, 124 took place during Operation Sindoor, reflecting the intensity of the security environment during that period.

A separate concern flagged by the Army is the growing use of drones along India’s western border. The report records 863 drone intrusions during 2025, including nine along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir and 854 in Punjab and Rajasthan.

To counter the threat, Indian security forces used spoofers and jammers and brought down 237 drones during the year. Of these, five were carrying war-like stores, 72 were carrying narcotics and 161 had no payload.

The forces also recovered two AK-47 rifles, 75 pistols and 281.41 kg of contraband near the International Border. The Army assessed that these consignments were likely delivered through drone-assisted means, underscoring the growing use of unmanned systems not only for surveillance but also for smuggling weapons, ammunition and narcotics.

The report says the drone threat, especially in Punjab, has made India’s western-border security environment more complex. Low-cost unmanned platforms give adversaries a relatively difficult-to-detect means of reconnaissance and clandestine delivery, which in turn demands a mix of electronic warfare, kinetic counter-drone action, intelligence inputs and strong border surveillance.

Preparedness and dialogue continue in parallel

Overall, the Army’s Annual Report 2025-26 presents a mixed security picture. On the northern frontier, reduced PLA deployment and resumed military dialogue have helped create greater stability, while India continues to keep its formations ready across the LAC. On the western front, however, the LoC and the International Border remain active security challenges, with ceasefire violations, infiltration attempts and drone incursions shaping the threat environment.

The report also shows the Army’s continued adaptation to recent conflicts and emerging technologies. Force restructuring, enhanced jointness, intelligence dominance, technological absorption and counter-drone capabilities are becoming increasingly central to India’s preparation for future contingencies.

China’s reduced deployment is therefore important, but the Army’s assessment does not treat it as a fundamental change in the strategic situation along the LAC. India’s continued forward preparedness, infrastructure development and focus on technology suggest that New Delhi remains committed to credible deterrence while also supporting dialogue and stability mechanisms.

In that sense, the Annual Report 2025-26 portrays an Army that is balancing de-escalation with vigilance: engaging where possible, maintaining readiness where necessary, and preparing for a security environment that remains fluid on both the northern and western fronts.