Indian Army Deploys Soldiers On LAC : Thousands of Indian soldiers have been fully deployed on the high snowy peaks on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) amid tensions with China. Indian soldiers are facing winter for the second time in a row in the harsh conditions of this harsh area.
Before long deployment in cold terrain, troops were equipped with modern Finnish Sako sniper rifles, Israeli Negev light machine guns, M777 ultra-light howitzers (ULH), American Sig Sauer assault rifles as well as indigenous K9 Vajra T-guns. It has been equipped with class drones. Senior defense officials told News18 that a massive military exercise is underway to provide special rations and several kiloliters of kerosene oil and special fuels as well as new accommodation and additional sets of weather-friendly clothing to the troops deployed along the LAC.
India has made remarkable improvements in infrastructure especially along the LAC in eastern Ladakh with the construction of temporary shelters, roads and bridges for faster mobility of troops when needed. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has increased the number of godowns in the Ladakh region to store large quantities of ration. The paramilitary force supplied food and rations to its troops earlier this year in the backdrop of border tensions.
India has been making long preparations in the region after last week’s 13th round of military talks along the LAC and India and China failed to reach a consensus on the withdrawal of troops. The military standoff between the two countries along the LAC in eastern Ladakh continues since May last year.
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Indian Army Deploys Soldiers On LAC : It was expected that recent talks between India and China would lead to more displacement of troops at least at Patrolling Point 15 (PP15) in the larger Hot Springs area, even as any such in the Depsang plains The development process is expected to take longer. China is blocking Indian patrols at the Y-junction and reaching PP10 to PP12. But with talks deadlocked, Indian troops will continue to capture new posts at high altitude along the LAC. Which were empty before the Galwan Valley conflict in June 2020. Both India and China are improving their infrastructure along the LAC, especially to strengthen military positions in the Ladakh region.
Defense sector sources said the Chinese have formed around three infantry military divisions and six to eight combined arms brigades, with around 450 tanks and an equal number of artillery guns, along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, they said. That they have deployed short and medium missiles close to the LAC.
Earlier this month, Air Chief Marshal VR Choudhary said that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is still stationed at the three airports that face eastern Ladakh and is developing infrastructure at a rapid pace. The PLAAF is also building an airfield in the Tibet Autonomous Region along with a helipad close to the LAC.
The Army is also augmenting its logistics infrastructure to meet the maintenance of thousands of soldiers deployed along the LAC. Large-scale purchases of fiberglass huts, over a thousand accomodation and store-worthy shelters, and hundreds of specialty tents are underway. More than 10,000 sets of special clothing, footwear and 40,000 sets of extreme cold weather clothing will also be procured. Methanol based battery chargers are being tested in the area and snow mobiles are also being procured for the soldiers.
ITBP also plans to build 40 integrated border posts in the Ladakh region with running water at minus-degree temperatures and freeze-proof toilets. But even after starting about six years ago, this project has not been completed yet.
