Tensions have increased since the end of April with Chinese troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC).  disputed Sino-Indian boundary remain high. Incidents have been reported, and confirmed, at Pangong Tso and the Galwan Valley in Ladakh on May 5 and 6 and another at Naku La in north Sikkim on May 9. Retired Colonel Ajai Shukla writing in the Business Standard (May 23) said that "more than 5,000 Chinese soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have intruded into five points in Ladakh – four along the Galwan River, and one near the Pangong Lake." Citing sources, he added "This is not shaping up like a routine patrol confrontation, or even a temporary occupation of disputed territory of the kind that took place in Depsang in 2013, or in Chumar in 2014. This time the PLA soldiers are digging defences, preparing bunkers, moving in heavy vehicles and have reportedly even moved artillery guns to the rear (albeit in their own territory) to support the intruders". "The Chinese have pitched close to a hundred tents at four points on the Galwan River between Patrolling Point 14 (PP 14) and another location called Gogra." He said also that  72 Indian troops had been hurt, and the Chinese were digging in for the long haul on Indian land.

Manu Pubby (Economic Times) reported separately: “what started off as one of the many face-offs that occur between troops patrolling the disputed border has taken a more serious turn after the Chinese side brought in troops and heavy equipment from a military exercise that was being conducted in the region this week. It is believed that Chinese troops have also taken up positions along the Pangong Tso Lake in the finger area and are conducting aggressive patrols with motorboats to deter Indian forces in the region.” The report adds: “Some temporary structures put up in the finger area are also said to have been damaged. At the Galwan flashpoint, Chinese troops have maintained their presence and are being countered by Indian reinforcements that have also moved in large numbers. Reports coming in suggest that the face-off position at Galwan (valley) is being broadened by the Chinese to almost four kilometres as it rushed in additional troops this week. Sources said that a possible target could be the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) Road that was constructed last year and is a lifeline for Sub Sector North (SSN)." Sudhi Ranjan Sen in Bloomberg said talks between local commanders on May 19 ended in a deadlock.