'From DF-26 to DF-27...' Why has China prepared a new missile base near the Indian border, what is Dragon's plan?

Satellite images have revealed that China has built a new missile base near the Indian border. China has deployed many of its destructive conventional and nuclear missiles at this new base. British newspaper The Diplomat, citing satellite images, made an important revelation about China’s rocket power. The newspaper reported that since the discovery of a Chinese missile silo site in Gansu in 2021, the world has been closely monitoring the situation of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) in western China. Experts have linked the discovery of missile silo sites in Yumen, Hami and Jilantai to China’s nuclear deterrent capability. In 2024, the Pentagon estimated that China will have 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030, while Beijing is developing new types of missiles to launch these weapons. China demonstrated intercontinental ballistic missiles during its military parade on September 3, including new silo-based DF-31BJ and new DF-61 missiles. China’s missile base near Indian border The Diplomat, citing satellite images and open-source analysis, claimed that China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) has developed new missile facilities in the Golmud area of ​​Qinghai province, near the Tibetan plateau. Located at an elevation of about 9,000 feet above sea level, the area has long been an important hub of China’s military logistics. Satellite imagery now shows new launch sites and storage structures there. This shows that China is developing this area as a big missile brigade. This new deployment is believed to target both India and Taiwan. According to the diplomat, these bases near Golmud are linked to the PLARF’s base 64, which is headquartered in Lanzhou and is responsible for missile operations in northwest China. Satellite images show new high-bay garages, concrete launch pads and support buildings, typical of China’s deployment of mobile missile brigades. Citing experts, The Diplomat writes that China’s DF-26 medium-range ballistic missile system could be deployed here. This missile has a range of 4,000 kilometers and can carry both nuclear and conventional weapons. Some analysts even believe that China may deploy DF-27 missiles there in the future. Building a missile base in Golmud, a major strategic challenge for India, will give China an opportunity to challenge India from there. The strike capability of the DF-26 missile enables it to target almost all major air bases and logistics centers of India from Qinghai, be it Thoise in Ladakh, Dehradun in Uttarakhand, or the supply chain in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The missile’s dual capabilities—both nuclear and conventional—complex India’s strategic response. In such a situation, it would be extremely difficult to detect any Chinese missile launch. This means that it will be extremely difficult to determine whether China has launched a conventional missile or a nuclear missile. In such a situation, if war breaks out, the situation can be disastrous. Moreover, India also runs the risk of accidentally launching a nuclear missile. India is already extremely cautious about China’s military activities on its northern border. However, this expansion in Golmud makes India’s strategic position extremely sensitive. The new base, located about 600 km from the Ladakh border, provides China with a buffer zone from which it can launch missile strikes while remaining out of direct range of Indian radar surveillance. The biggest challenge for India now will be to strengthen its missile defense system in both the Western Command and Northern Command. In addition, the new brigade will offer China flexibility in missile rotation during a war, meaning that if it needs to send missiles to Taiwan or the South China Sea, it can deploy its units from Golmud. Message for both US and India The establishment of the missile base at Golmud is a big signal not only for India but also for the US and its Asian allies. The DF-26 missile is often called the Guam Killer Missile because it can attack the US base in Guam. By deploying these missiles in high altitude areas like Golmud, China is expanding its strategic reach not only against India but also in the Pacific region. This expansion shows that Beijing is now making western China the center of its long-range deterrence framework. It is important for India to further modernize its “multi-layered air defense system” to deter the enemy.