A Chinese military aircraft reportedly entered Indian airspace over Sikkim on 12 November and remained in the area for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, according to reports citing a source familiar with the incident.

The reported airspace breach occurred in a strategically significant region overlooking the Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as India's "Chicken's Neck". The narrow land corridor links the country's north-eastern states with the rest of India and is regarded as one of the nation's most sensitive strategic areas.

According to the report, the Indian Air Force detected the aircraft at around 8 am while it was operating at an altitude of roughly 25,000 feet. The aircraft was reportedly warned several times and instructed to return to Chinese territory. Despite these warnings, it allegedly continued hovering in the area for an extended period.

Details regarding the aircraft's type, its precise route and the exact time it exited Indian airspace remain unclear. No official confirmation regarding the reported intrusion had been released at the time of reporting.

The incident has drawn attention because Sikkim borders China's Tibet Autonomous Region and lies close to the Doklam plateau, the site of a major India-China military stand-off in 2017. Security analysts closely monitor activity in the area due to its proximity to several strategically important sectors along the frontier.

The reported development comes amid continuing scrutiny of security conditions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where India has significantly strengthened its military posture since the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in eastern Ladakh in 2020.

Addressing the HT Leadership Summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India's frontier with China had become "more alive" and now required a much greater sustained commitment of troops. He noted that India had substantially strengthened its military capabilities and operational readiness along the LAC in recent years.

His remarks came as New Delhi and Beijing continue efforts to stabilise relations following a prolonged military stand-off in eastern Ladakh that strained bilateral ties for more than four years.

Highlighting improvements in frontier infrastructure, Jaishankar pointed to the accelerating pace of work on tunnels, bridges and airfields.

"Just think about the last few years. How often do you now read - a new tunnel has been built, some new bridge has been built, another airfield has been commissioned. You're getting this news with greater and greater frequency," he said.

"What has happened today is the border with China has become more alive in a way. It has required a much greater commitment of troops on a sustained basis."

"The fact is that the work we had already done allowed that kind of numbers to be deployed out there, and the work we continue to do will maintain those numbers," he added.

The reported incident also recalls earlier episodes of heightened aerial activity along the India-China frontier.

Previous encounters near eastern Ladakh and other sensitive sectors prompted monitoring and response measures from Indian forces, underlining the importance of air surveillance and rapid reaction capabilities in border regions.

While the latest report remains unconfirmed officially, the location and duration of the alleged intrusion have ensured close attention from both strategic and security observers.

Agencies