New Delhi is doing major work on Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road while also building alternative route with minimal exposure to Chinese patrols

The Tribune, an Indian media outlet, reported last month that the country’s only land access to the Galwan Valley – known as the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road (DSDBO) – was undergoing a major upgrade to accommodate tanks and specialised trucks capable of carrying long-range missiles.

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Meanwhile, a 130km (80-mile) alternative route to the road, west of the existing road, was also in the final construction stage and was expected to be completed next year, several Indian media outlets reported last month.

The route – which Indian media said had minimal exposure to Chinese army ground patrols and surveillance near the border – is seen as a way to reduce dependence on the DSDBO Road.