India Opens Bridge Capable of Handling Fighter Jet Over ‘River of Death’ Near China Border

The river bridge is crucial for troops and military equipment deployment in the Eastern Ladakh region – a contentious region between China and India. China had recently upped its ante in the area calling the entire region disputed after India declared Ladakh a separate administrative zone under the direct control of Delhi.

In a significant boost to Indian defence capability near the Ladakh region, the country’s government has opened a strategic bridge over Shyok River which connects Ladakh with the China border.

The construction work on the bridge has been completed in record time on the river Shyok, which rises in one of the branches of the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram. The name of the river ‘Shyok’ also means “The River of Death” in the local Ladakhi/Yarkandi language.

The bridge, in eastern Ladakh, will enable the military to speed up the dispatch of forces to the Line of Actual Control- a loosely demarcated border between India and China.

This bridge will provide all-weather connectivity to the Indian armed forces as it links Durbuk in Leh to the world highest Advance Landing Ground – Daulet Beg Oldie (DBO) – located at an altitude of 16,000 feet above sea-level.

The bridge has been designed to bear the weight of India’s heaviest 69-tonne battle tanks. Besides, any fighter jet can land on the bridge.

“This bridge has been completed in record time. It will not only provide all-weather connectivity in the region but also be a strategic asset in the border areas,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said while dedicating the nation the ‘Colonel Chewang Rinchen Bridge’ at Shyok River in Ladakh on Monday.

As per the Indian Defence Ministry, the bride measuring 1,400-feet long is at an altitude of around 13,000 feet. It will cut the journey from 14 hrs to 6.5 hrs.

Indian Defence Minister was delighted to dedicate the newly constructed ‘Colonel Chewang Rinchen Bridge’ at Shyok River in Ladakh to the nation.

“This bridge has been completed in record time. It will not only provide all weather connectivity in the region but also be a strategic asset in the border areas,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said while dedicating the nation the ‘Colonel Chewang Rinchen Bridge’ at Shyok River in Ladakh on Monday.

As per the Indian Defence Ministry, the bride measuring 1,400-feet long is at an altitude of around 13,000 feet. It will cut the journey from 14 hrs to 6.5 hrs.

​In September, Indian armed forces carried out massive war games in the area which included the deployment of mechanised forces with force multipliers integrating high technology platform.

Ladakh is a contentious region between the two Asian giants and recently Indian and Chinese soldiers were involved in a run-in. It had occurred when Chinese troops objected to the presence of an Indian Army patrol in the northern bank of Pangong Tso Lake.

India and China share a nearly 4,000 km border and, aside from the middle sector, most of the region has a disputed border, including Arunachal Pradesh, which China calls “South Tibet”.