Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 20 (HBTV): China’s military expansion in Tibet is severely harming the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and posing risks to climate and water security across South and Southeast Asia, according to a new report released on Monday by the Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), Phayul reported.

The report, “The Ecological Cost of Security: Military Development and Environmental Change in Tibet”, highlights that the rapid militarisation of the Tibetan Plateau — home to Asia’s largest reserves of glaciers and permafrost — has triggered environmental disruptions with impacts stretching far beyond military zones. ISDP warns these changes threaten biodiversity and the water security of millions downstream.

“The Chinese military presence in Tibet has evolved from early deployments in the 1950s into a complex military network tied to China’s defence strategy and economic framework,” the report noted. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed between 70,000 and 120,000 troops on the Plateau, with about 40,000–50,000 stationed in the Tibet Military District.

Satellite images and field studies cited in the report show that extensive construction of roads, tunnels, airstrips, and bases in permafrost areas is accelerating land degradation. The Tibetan Plateau contains about 1.06 million sq. km of permafrost, the world’s largest high-altitude frozen zone and a critical carbon sink. Ground temperatures there have risen between 0.1°C and 0.5°C annually over the past 30 years, destabilising permafrost. Military activity, the report cautions, is worsening this degradation, releasing stored greenhouse gases and disrupting fragile water systems.

ISDP stressed that “the placement of military facilities throughout Tibet represents both defensive measures and power projection, but each comes with ecological repercussions.” It added, “This degradation not only impacts local ecosystems but also contributes to global climate instability.”

The study identified around 35,000 sq. km of highly vulnerable terrain that should be shielded from heavy military activity. Recommended reforms include:

• Establishing ecological preservation zones around glaciers and water sources

• Enforcing stricter construction standards

• Restoring damaged ecosystems after exercises

• Investing in sustainable infrastructure such as waste treatment and permafrost-protection technologies

The report also urged Beijing to increase transparency and cooperate with international NGOs, warning that Tibet’s militarisation has “extensive cross-border repercussions.”

“The ecological stability of Tibet, particularly in safeguarding Asia’s water security, depends on balancing military expansion with environmental preservation,” ISDP concluded. “While some environmental initiatives show progress, the speed and scale of military-driven change remain alarming.”

Analysts suggest Beijing’s military buildup in Tibet is driven by both external and internal considerations. Externally, Tibet serves as a strategic buffer amid worsening ties with India, including border disputes and confrontations such as the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Internally, a strengthened military presence helps Beijing assert tighter control over Tibetans, whose cultural and religious freedoms have long faced restrictions, Phayul reported.

(ANI)