Washington

China's military buildup near the Line of Actual Control with India has sparked concern in the United States defence establishment  but there is optimism among experts and officials that India will be able to stand its ground against the People's Liberation Army, according to a report in Foreign Policy.

The buildup fits the pattern of Chinese regional aggression seen elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, such as in the Philippines, where Beijing's coast guard vessels moved to block Manila's supply boats in November, Foreign Policy quoted a senior Pentagon official as saying on condition of anonymity. Last month, Beijing deployed long-range strategic bombers to the area. However, experts and officials believe that India will be able to stand its ground against the Chinese Army.

India has put up more diplomatic and military resistance than China's antagonists in other territorial incursions, such as in the South China Sea, Foreign Policy quoted experts as saying.

Jeff Smith, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Centre, said that it is just clear that [China has] become more assertive all across their territorial fault lines.

Smith also said that arguably India is the one where they (Chinese) have met the most resistance stressing that Indians will not be cowed, coerced, or intimidated.