India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

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shaun
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by shaun »

Pratyush wrote:WRT, the surveillance copter, why not build that many Rustum for surveillance?
......
How can you ask Rustum for surveillance only ??!! It have to fire mizziles while doing so , born Archer !!
Manish_P
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Manish_P »

NRao wrote:...

India operates the black hornet drone, a rather high-end mini copter that costs around $192,000.

It is just shy of 6", can fly for about 30 minutes, and weighs a few ounces. Two per unit, with a controller, and a charger.
....
Wait... what... :shock:

Nice. Had wished for it for some years (for COIN ops especially in Kashmir), ever since i saw the prototype.

Would love indian made of course... in the thousands.

Added - Also wish for units of compact remotely controlled 'weaponised' room clearance units.
They may be not as maneuverable as canines like Zoom who was KIA last week but they would help a lot.

Image
NRao
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by NRao »

^^^^^ Bacha party stuff.

Well, the best drones are made by the Chinese (DJI). So much so the US had China promise not to provide Russia with any DJI drones. DJI stopped exports and support of drones to both Russia and Ukraine (so they could export to their biggest market - the US)!! Their latest drones are a marvel. For their capabilities please check the website - it improves on a monthly basis.

I would consider Chinese drones to be a major threat along the LAC. China is #1 in drone techs as we type.

The 2nd picture I posted has a "blue" UV (drone in this case) - that is a certified drone that has no Chinese items - none, zip, zilch, ... One reason why India could be eyeing such techs - the US has done the donkey work.

This field is advancing at a very rapid rate - drones that understand 64 languages, autonomous drones (submarine too - think of Ukraine trying to blow that dam) that make very intelligent decisions, able to operate in extremely noisy environments (receive voice commands), amphibious, .......

And, the ever-present - EW
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by mihir.mehta »

https://www.dw.com/en/indian-and-chines ... a-63181455

It appears the whole of the Kugrang Valley has been converted to Buffer Zone. An area where we not only had some posts but also used that post to patrol further up towards the source of Galvan. As per this report - some of our existing posts have been removed and now our last post is at the Karamsingh Hill.
Now, the whole Kugrang Valley has been surrendered," he said. "The biggest surprise is that the government allowed removal of barracks of Indian border guards at PP-16, which had been there since 1962, and moved back to Karam Singh Hill.
So the next round of salami slicing and we'll have Chinese posts right ahead of us and won't be even able to see the Kugrang River.

I won't be surprised as the Govt is completely silent on the specifics of the deal with the Chinese. It they had negotiated a respectful settlement - MODI woundn't remain silent.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Manish_P »

NRao wrote:^^^^^ Bacha party stuff.
...
Which is why i wish there were some toy makers in Desh itself... churning out good numbers of these toys.

Maybe auto giants like Mahindra and Tata can get into the field... with future export possibilities.

Hopefully competing/collaborating with DRDO - Indian Army wants 500 Anti terror robotic vehicles in kashmir
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Dilbu »

Army installs aqua jammers, multi-shot guns on LoC to check Pakistan drones
“The Army has installed quadcopter jammers, called aqua jammers, on the Line of Control and they are supported by multi shot guns. The aqua jammers have an efficacy up to a height of 4,900 metres. These aqua jammers snap the connectivity of enemy drone with its operator across the border before freezing it. The subsequent action is followed by another by multi shot guns mounted on multi weapon platform to bring it down. The two machines are operated by as many soldiers,” said defence sources.

The aqua jammer can detect drone signal up to a range of 5km.
About multi weapon platform, sources said, “Three guns mounted on it fire nine shots at a time in a triangular format leaving no scope for the enemy drone to escape fire. The two systems have been deployed around 400 metres behind the LoC.

The surveillance centres are equipped with cameras and thermal imagers and work 24x7 to detect any mischief by the adversary, said sources.

The two systems are backed up by surveillance centres located around 2.5km behind the LoC.
ramana
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by ramana »

Grp Capt. Hari Nari, A good article using mathematics to do an analysis of Chinese incursions.

https://phys.org/news/2022-11-chinese-i ... cally.html

Will discuss in Strat Forum
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by mody »

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/artic ... ne.0274999

A very good and detailed analysis of all Chinese incursions into Indian territory. Must read. The actual analysis and report as was reffered to in the above post. Posted on PlosOne.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by SSridhar »

^ Excellent, Thanks, mody, for posting.
ramana
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by ramana »

I posted them in the Strat Forum India response thread.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Vips »

Amid Chinese buildup, Indian Army built infra for 450 tanks, 22,000 additional troops in Eastern Ladakh.

Amid reports of Chinese buildup across the Line of Actual Control, the Indian Army has built infrastructure for housing 450 tanks and over 22,000 troops in the Eastern Ladakh sector opposite China, defence sources said.

The sources said that to counter the Chinese aggressive movements in the Pangong Tso lake which is both in India and China, Indian Army's Corps of Engineer has inducted new Landing Crafts in both Eastern Ladakh which has given a huge impetus to the patrolling capabilities and induction in men and material. The assault craft can carry 35 troops or one keeps with 12 men.

"Habitat and technical storage to include assets for 22,000 troops and approximately 450 A vehicles/guns have been constructed in the last two years. Focus has now shifted to undertake the construction of Permanent defences and infrastructure to improve defence preparedness in extant working season apart from completion of ongoing projects," defence sources said here.

Speaking about the permanent defences being built along the borders, Indian Army's Engineer in Chief Lt Gen Harpal Singh said: "3D-printed permanent defences have been constructed for the first time by Indian Army's Corps of Engineers in the desert sector. These defences were trial tested against a range of weapons from small arms to the main gun of T90 tank."

He added that such defences are able to withstand blasts, can be erected within 36-48 hours, and can be relocated from one place to another.

"With this, trial for similar permanent defences have also been carried out at eastern Ladakh and found to be useful," he said.

Highlighting the infrastructure development being done by the Border Roads Organisation along the China border, defence sources said that presently nine tunnels which include a "2.535 Km long Sela tunnel, which will be the highest bi-lane tunnel in the world once completed. 11 more tunnels are also under planning."

"The BRO has been entrusted with the task of constructing one of India's highest airfields at Nyoma which is very close to the China border and will boost Indian capabilities there," they said.
Prem Kumar
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Prem Kumar »

Thanks SBajwa! What I found fascinating was that these 3D printed bunkers can withstand a direct shot from the T-90 main gun at 100 meters!

Plus we have the ability to print them in hours & the existing ones are modular and can be lifted/shifted to a new location easily.

To destroy these bunkers would need a direct hit from a precision guided artillery shell, a bunker busting bomb or an ATGM/drone that is precise enough to come through a port. All these options are hard, except maybe for the drone.

So, a single bunker with machine-gun ports, a couple of ATGMs and 4 soldiers can hold off an advancing tank + infantry column for a very long time. If they have adequate ammo & food/water. We can also dynamically print/relocate these bunkers as per the changing situation on the war-front
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Pratyush »

It is indeed remarkable what has been done.

But me being me. I can't help but being a Debbie Downer.

Those shelters can be observed by the PLA. I am sure that PLA observed those when being built by Indian Army.

The guided MLRS available with the PLA will have the range to hit those shelters.

What happens to the tanks, if the shelter is hit by a rocket with a 100kg shaped charge from above and a T90 is residing in the shelter at that time?
shaun
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by shaun »

There are lots of caves there , why not make them habitable and also creating tunnels to house man and equipments. These prefabricated shelters good for placing them rapidly at strategic locations where no such natural formations like caves not avaliable or tunnels not feseable. If any short skirmishes happen , they will try to soften our postions using heavy munitions .
Prem Kumar
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Prem Kumar »

Lets not look at these bunkers as only having wartime use. They are a good mechanism to establish ownership/dominance of a parcel of land during peacetime.

Pratyush: the T-90 housing structures are different & they are also built in large numbers. These bunkers are for soldiers

Btw, a great picture of the cross-section in Shiv's tweet

https://twitter.com/HariRam42245512/sta ... 6190977024
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Manish_P »

^ Noob question

Can not this tech be used (modified suitably) to quickly (and economically) make HAS shelters for the IAF birds..
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Pratyush »

Good question.

We don't know if the technology behind these shelters is scalable for the structural strength needed for HAS.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by VinodTK »

November 18th, 1962 battle of Battle of Rezang La narrated by Major Gaurav Arya

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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Anoop »

Paul
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Paul »

PLA has moved three combat brigades opp to Sikkim and AP per twitter.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by mody »

MoD approves IAF proposal for 10,000 crores worth of additional radars for the LAC and along the eastern front.
The plan is to induct upto 20 Ashwini Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR) and a few High Powered radars. Which High high powered radar will be procured is not mentioned, nor the quantity of the same. All to be under buy Indian category, so has to be an indigenous radar only.

Any idea with High Powered Radars would fit the bill?

https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstor ... 5f5347a277
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by VinodTK »

From:telegraphindia.com

Facility with 63 hangars gives strategic advantage in region
India faces new Chinese border threat as Beijing builds massive heliport in northern Tibet: Report

China is building a giant heliport at Golmud in northern Tibet within striking distance of its borders with India.

The enormous heliport which is said to have 63 hangars is reckoned to be one of China’s biggest, and even larger than another one facing the Taiwan Strait, according to The Drive/Warzone, an online magazine that looks closely at defence issues.

Golmud’s massive heliport will be part of a string of smaller bases in Tibet and helipads in Aksai Chin and Ladakh that come all the way upto the Line of Actual Control are aimed at strengthening China’s military position in the region.

Helicopters can perform a range of functions from regular patrolling to airlifting troops and munitions quickly to smaller outposts that need speedy reinforcements. “A very large heliport here (in Golmud) would greatly enhance China’s ability to improve training or execute troop movements and rapid logistical operations towards any section of the Sino-Indo border if the need arises,” says The Warzone.

Golmud already has a large airbase. But work on building the new and entirely separate heliport started in 2020 and is now nearly complete. The heliport also has its own barracks and support facilities.

A network of smaller heliports is also being set up in different parts of Tibet like Rutog, Gerze, Nyima and Seni. Though these are much smaller than the new base at Golmud they are also quite substantial operations with around 18 hangars each, says The Warzone.

It adds: “These smaller heliports, in conjunction with pre-existing airbases, and the large master heliport in Golmud, when mapped, also spell out a clear aerial logistics network being realized across the plateau which could benefit military, armed police, and emergency work.”

Lhasa heliport, reports The Warzone, is one of establishments undergoing, “renovations and expansion activity”. It adds that Lhasa heliport is being reorganised to also make space for UAV launches.

At the other end of the network China’s also building small helipads in places like Aksai Chin and at key conflict points like Doklam. All these together, says The Warzone: “Stands to significantly enhance Beijing’s ability to quickly project power and sustain military operations throughout the tense region, even independent of runways.”

It adds: “These heliports would also greatly enhance troop movement for the Chinese forces allowing for rapid response and support in case of any future clashes. During a major conflict, they would be essential forward operating and resupply points.”

China now has helicopters like the Z-20 which have more powerful engines and can operate at higher altitudes. Helicopters need huge amounts of power to operate in regions like Ladakh where even the valley floors are at around 14,000ft.

India’s Prachand, made at HAL, is also designed to be operational at heights of upto 19,000ft. Besides that we have several helicopters that can operate at heights like the Mi-17

The Indian Air Force also has 22 formidable AH-64E attack helicopters and the army has just acquired another six. The AH-64E is described by Boeing as, “an advanced multi-mission helicopter with the latest technology insertions, maintaining its standing as the world’s best attack helicopter”. Also, India has 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters that are crucial for operations in Siachin and also Ladakh.

After the Kargil War the Indian armed forces realised the need for helicopters that could operate at Himalayan heights.

China’s also strengthening its airbases and road network in Ladakh, Aksai Chin and the entire Tibetan Plateau. It’s even building better roads that will extend to remote villages that are not far from the Sino-Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.

India is also moving to enhance airbase capabilities in the Ladakh region. It is upgrading its base at Nyoma, 50km from the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. It’s also being made ready for fighter operations. Besides that we also have an airbase at Fukche and our highest landing strip at Daulat Beg Oldi. Fukche is near the disputed Depchok region.

However, both helipads and airbases close to the actual LAC run the risk of coming under fire from enemy guns or planes.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by NRao »

My gut tells me that the IAF, by the end of this decade, will thank the XPLA (Xi's PLA) for this kind gesture.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Maria »

NRao wrote:
My gut tells me that the IAF, by the end of this decade, will thank the XPLA (Xi's PLA) for this kind gesture.
I love the way you think, inshallah!
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Vips »

India’s forgotten land at Mt Kailash.

People barely know that India legally owned a territorial estate, Menser, deep inside Tibet at Mt Kailash until the 1960s. It was the only land that Ladakh’s king retained after having lost half of Ladakh — extending up to Rudok and Nepal junction — to the Tibetan-Qing invaders in 1683.

The 1684 Treaty of Tingmosgang divided Pangong Lake. Lhari Tokpo (near the Demchok river) was fixed as the southern Ladakh-Tibet boundary, but the treaty obliged Ladakh to pay lopchak (tribute) to Lhasa comprising gold dust, Kashmiri saffron and Yarkandi cotton in return for free entry to Ladakhi traders into Tibet for Pashmina trade. However, Ladakh was allowed to govern the territories of Menser located on the banks of the Mansarovar and Rakastal.

About 160 years later, when Dogra general Zorawar Singh launched his Tibet campaign in 1841, Chinese and Tibetan troops first cut off the supply routes, lulled his army, and beheaded Zorawar at Mayum-la, the mouth of the Sutlej. The remaining Dogra troops were chased off to Leh. The British opposed the Dogra military campaign, refused military support and, instead, played the classic game of checks and balances, fearing it might offset its interests in China’s eastern seaboard.

Dogra-Ladakhi troops later defeated the Tibetan forces in the Chushul battle. The 1842 Chushul Treaty agreed to maintain the status quo ante, and not to transgress on each other’s frontiers. It marked the end of Dogra expansion in Tibet, as it equally brought to an end the recurrent Tibetan invasion of Ladakh. The Traditional Customary Line between Ladakh and Tibet was established.

Fearing a similar Dogra misadventure, the British set up two Frontier Commissions in 1847 to fix a boundary with China. But no Chinese or Tibetan official showed up. The commission returned after drawing an arbitrary boundary marked with imaginary points that Cunningham and Strachey called frontier posts, as they still exist today — undemarcated.

The 1842 treaty allowed Gulab Singh to inherit Ladakhi-owned territory in Tibet as his jagír. When Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, he referred himself as: ‘Shriman Inder Mahinder Rajrajeswar Maharajadhiraj Shri Hari Singhji, Jammu & Kashmir Naresh Tatha Tibbet adi Deshadhipati’; that he is also the ruler of western Tibet.

The Maharaja’s wazir in Leh collected revenue from Tibet until the 1960s. Wazir Mehta Basti Ram collected Rs 56 in 1853. It went up to Rs 297 in 1905. The 1911 and 1921 census mentioned Menser with 44 households. According to the 1958 J&K settlement, Menser (under China’s occupation) was included among the 110 villages in Ladakh tehsil.

The 1684 Tingmosgang Treaty, however, carried a tricky component of Ladakhi tribute to Tibet. Ladakhis insisted on paying lopchak even during the Dogras reign, but the 1842 treaty stipulated that Ladakhi lopchak will have no political overtone.

Why did India forego its sovereign rights over the Maharaja’s jagír in Tibet? Nehru is usually blamed for it, but he was opposed to surrendering it ‘without the Kashmir Government’s assent’. But Nehru was perhaps caught in a dilemma after receiving two telegrams from Lhasa in October, 1947, asking India to return the (lost) territories of Tibet extending from Arunachal to Ladakh. Nehru concealed the telegrams from Parliament, but in 1959, Chou En-lai reminded India about Lhasa’s 1947 correspondence. He also raised China’s non-ratification of the 1842 Tibet-Ladakh Treaty.

Nehru’s strong rebuttal came in 1959 when he raised objections to discrepancies in Chinese maps showing a sizeable part of the Sikkim and Bhutan boundaries at the tri-junction (Doklam) as part of China. New Delhi also sought the restoration of Bhutan’s rights in Tibet. But there isn’t any record of India raising its own sovereign claim over Menser. The 1961 Official Report provided a full account of India’s historical, administrative and revenue rights over areas near Kailash.

Some points still need to be raised, even if they are of academic interest. If China never challenged India’s rights in the Mt Kailash area — and India didn’t raise the issue with China — does that mean the area still legally belongs to India?

If India was competent to take up Bhutan’s territorial rights in Tibet, what prevented it from raising Ladakhi rights in Tibet with Beijing? If surrendering land of J&K wasn’t approved by Srinagar, does that mean that Menser still remains an open-ended issue?

If J&K had kept the issue under wraps so far, will the new Ladakh UT be allowed to raise the matter now? If India decided to forego the Maharaja’s territory, why did it not seek a quid pro quo?

Clearly, the Menser question has not been negotiated or settled legally so far. British historian John Bray wrote, ‘The matter is no more than a minor footnote, but one that has still to be cleared up.’ It is an issue of India’s relinquishing its extra-territorial rights in Tibet before 1947, and recognising Tibet as China’s part, without having the Chinese give up Tibetan territorial rights in the Himalayas. This is where the problem lies.

China avoids any discussion on it, knowing that the area holds spiritual and political significance for India; for it is in the foothills of Mt Kailash (the holy abode of Lord Shiva) — the very core of Hinduism. In contrast, China enforces its claim on Tawang for its spiritual importance to the Tibetans.

Menser held a vital trading and pilgrim outpost for India for over 300 years — yet no Indian strategist could imagine its importance.

Reintegrating Gilgit-Baltistan would be hypocritical unless New Delhi equally reopens the Menser question and enforces a residual sovereign claim, for the Kailash-Mansarovar is more critical than even Aksai-Chin’s relevance today.

Indian footprint here is critical to offset Sino-Tibetan expansionism in the Himalayas. It could pre-empt the Chinese or Tibetans possibly manoeuvring lopchak and the 1842 treaty to their advantage. The dispute over Demchok has an underpinning in this. We need to rethink.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by mody »

The Indian government has reportedly approved a mega road building proposal for AP, all along the border. The total cost maybe as much as 40K crores. Once completed, we have full connectivity all along the McMohan line. IAF is looking at procuring additional Chinook helicopters and the numbers could be more than the option clause of 7 nos. Both the projects should be pursued vigorously.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Prem Kumar »

Yes. Swarajya is providing very good coverage of the NE road/infra building. Modiji is doubling down on it like there is no tomorrow
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by shaun »

How Modi’s India is revamping Ladakh to deal with the not-so-peaceful rise of Xi’s China
Incidentally, is it not a paradox that one of the most peaceful spots on earth has witnessed the bloodiest conflicts since independence? However, rapid changes are likely to continue in the years to come, hopefully taking care of the fragile environment

Claude Arpi
December 04, 2022 16:58:01 IST


I still remember my first visit in 2002. There were hardly any roads outside Leh and the approach from Manali in Himachal Pradesh or Zoji-la in Jammu and Kashmir was not an easy one; only a few flights were landing at the Bakula Rinpoche airport and it was always tricky to get a seat in a plane.

Three years ago, I had the chance of visiting Leh again; it was a few months after the mountainous region became a Union Territory (a long-time demand of the Ladakh Hill Development Council, the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the people in general).


By that time, Leh and a few selected areas had tremendously developed. But all this was before what the historians will one day call ‘the BC era’ (‘before Covid’) and perhaps more importantly before the confrontation with China in several places on the northern boundary.


Incidentally, is it not a paradox that one of the most peaceful spots on earth, with its high-perched monasteries, its innumerable stupas and prayer flags floating around everywhere, has witnessed the bloodiest conflicts since independence? It is only due to the belligerence of the neighbours.

History

At the time of Kashmir’s accession to India in October 1947, political and economic power was offered to Sheikh Abdullah’s National Conference government in Srinagar despite the fact that Ladakh covered 70 per cent of the area under India’s administration.


Dominated by the successive Kashmiri governments for several decades, practically Ladakh was deprived of any say in its development.

Soon after the signature of the Instrument of Accession in October 1947, raiders from the North West Frontier Province began pouring into the valley, looting and burning villages; Ali Jinnah and his colleagues’ motto was: “Let us liberate our Muslim brothers from the yoke of the Dogras”.

But the Pakistanis leaders’ greed had no limit. Their ‘two nations’ theory, according to which the Muslim dominated areas of the subcontinent were to become part of Pakistan and the Hindus, Sikhs and others were to remain with India, was thrown into the wind when Karachi decided to ‘liberate’ their Buddhist brothers in Ladakh.

The motivation for Operation Sledge, which aimed to take over the vast Ladakh plateau, was not ideological: the treasures of the Buddhist gompas (monasteries) were a great lure for finance-starved Pakistan.

In February 1948, Brig ‘Bogey’ Sen, the brigade commander in Srinagar was in a fix; how to save Ladakh. The formidable Zoji-la pass was an uncrossable barrier between the valley and Ladakh and there was no way to airlift reinforcements to Leh.

It was then that Captains (later Colonels) Kushal Chand and Prithvi Chand, two young Buddhist officers from Lahaul offered their services; they told the brigadier they were ready to cross Zoji-la in winter with a small caravan of men and mules carrying arms and ammunitions.

Though Buddhists and believers in ahimsa, these men were ready to risk their lives and fight their way through the weather, the altitude and the raiders to defend their co-religionists in Ladakh. Nobody thought the mission feasible, but there was no other solution. They succeeded and saved Ladakh (and were awarded Mahavir Chakra or MVC).

One should also mention the Ladakhi, Col Chewang Rinchen, who was twice awarded the MVC — first for having stopped the advance of raiders in the Nubra Valley in June 1948 and the second for the bravery he displayed in the Turtuk sector in December 1971.

More recently, Col Sonam Wangchuk (another Buddhist soldier to be awarded the MVC) and his Ladakh Scouts recaptured some of the crucial peaks occupied by Pakistan during the Kargil war in 1999.

These Buddhist heroes had to first conquer their own non-violent Buddhist principles before they could take on the invaders; they knew the survival of their dharma was at stake.

From the start, the Ladakhis took the stand that their future was linked with India, though culturally, racially and linguistically they had in the past been close to Tibet.

In May 1949, the first delegation of the Young Men’s Buddhist Association of Ladakh led by Kalon Chhewang Rigzin met Nehru in Delhi and presented him a memorandum: “We seek the bosom of that gracious Mother India to receive more nutriment for growth to our full stature in every way. She has given us what we prize above all things — our religion and culture.”

Creation of a Union Territory

Things started moving faster after the Central government decided to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution on 5 August 2019; the Parliament of India voted in favour of a resolution tabled by the Home Minister to revoke the temporary special status, or autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh could finally become a Union Territory (UT).

Then in early 2020, the Covid wave swept Ladakh, stopping tourism, the newly created UT’s main revenue. A few months later, the northern borders were subject to armed attack at several locations by the People’s Liberation Army. It was a turning point in the history of the relations with China, but ironically the development of the border region got a boost due to the new requirements of the Indian Army and large-scale infrastructure projects started to reach the remotest parts of the UT for the first time.

During a recent visit to Rezang La and Chushul, I could personally witness the changes over the last three years.

But, let us first remember the events which took place 60 years ago.

The battle of Rezang La

On 18 November 1962, the ‘Charlie’ Company of the 13th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment fought at Rezang La Pass at the incredible height of 18,000 feet, one of the greatest battles in history; 114 soldiers of the 124-strong company led by Maj Shaitan Singh, lost their lives, heroically defending the nearby Chushul airstrip, the last defence before Leh.

Shaitan Singh was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military decoration; his battalion received eight VCs (Vir Chakras), four SMs (Sena Medals) and one Mention-in-Dispatches, making it one of the highest decorated companies of the Indian Army.

A recent book on the battle says: “The valour of the Charlie Company not only successfully stopped China’s advance, but it also resulted in the Chushul airport being saved, thereby preventing a possible Chinese occupation of the entire Ladakh region in 1962. According to reports, a total of 1300 Chinese soldiers were killed trying to capture Rezang La.”

Visiting the War Memorial, one has a feeling of super-humans defending the Indian territory against the Chinese onslaught; it is deeply touching; remember that most of the soldiers of the Charlie Company who fought the battle at this altitude had come from the plains of Haryana.

Local people benefiting from development

One of the greatest changes in the region is the opening of the area to Indian visitors, something which was not possible during my last visit in 2019.

It is necessary to mention the exemplary role of the Indian Army, which has not only encouraged these changes, but due their own strategic requirements, have built dual-use roads, facilitated the construction of schools and the erection of communication towers (one gets 4G Jio connection in Chushul, nearby the Rezang La Memorial).

During an encounter with some local herders, they unanimously agreed that their lives had definitively changed, they have better access to education (though they would like the school in Chushul to go up to Class 12), health services and communications have greatly improved.

The local population has benefited from the many changes brought by the Indian Army and the UT Administration; they can now provide taxi services (thanks to the opening of the area and better roads); they can open homestay which helps them to add to their poor pastoral revenue and contrary to what has been said in some poorly-informed media articles, the grazers are able to take their yaks till the LAC (except for a small area which has been demilitarised in the vicinity of the Spangur Gap, north of the Kailash Range). The rapid changes are likely to continue in the years to come, hopefully taking care of the fragile environment.

It remains striking that these majestic mountains remain the theatre of an armed conflict, some sixty years after the Battle of Rezang La.

Looking at the snowy peaks, one wonders what are the objectives of President Xi Jinping when he speaks of ‘the peaceful rise of China’? However, Beijing’s belligerence has indirectly brought a better life to these deprived populations.

The writer is a noted author, journalist, historian, Tibetologist and China expert. The views expressed are personal.

https://www.firstpost.com/opinion-news- ... 49001.html
Prem Kumar
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Prem Kumar »

Nice to see a Claude Arpi article after a long time
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Vips »

As trust deficit with China stays, India beefs up LAC deployment.

The shadow of the trust deficit between India and China has pushed for troop and infrastructure beef-up across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including the most peaceful Middle Sector. It has seen not just the re-organisation of the troops but also the beef-up of arms, equipment and commensurate infrastructure continues.

Multiple sources on the ground confirmed that “our troops now reach the passes which are most important access points often in mountains, and they can do it even before the Chinese ground troops come for patrolling. It has been possible due to the fast construction of roads”.

“Movement in this terrain is difficult thus we are using All Terrain Vehicles, Snow Scooters. Also, we have strengthened our defences to bear the enemy fire. In addition, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has also beefed up its presence into the areas which were otherwise thinly manned,” added another source. The ITBP is a Border Guarding Force which manages the LAC with the Army.

There are around 22 Passes in the Middle Sector dotted on 545 kilometres and includes the boundaries shared with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, the total length of LAC stands at 3,488 km divided into Western Sector (Ladakh), Middle Sector and Eastern Sector (Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh).

The Middle Sector is considered the least disputed, but Barahoti valley in this sector is one of the eight mutually accepted disputed areas on which both countries have overlapping claims. Also, it is the only sector in which there has been a broad agreement and where India and China have exchanged maps. But, now this area also is in the shadow of the doubts raised by China which breached all agreements and Memorandum of Understandings signed in 1993 and thereafter between the two countries. China carried out a massive force deployment in Eastern Ladakh after the PLA soldiers clashed with the Indian Army troops at Finger 4 in May 2020.

Indian Army since then has affected a precautionary deployment all along the LAC and it included the Middle Sector. The Middle Sector and especially Uttarakhand is made of four valleys, starting with Harshil, Mana, Niti and Barahoti.

A third source confirmed that lessons were drawn from the mobilisation carried out by the PLA in Eastern Ladakh and one of them was the “quick mobilisation of armoured vehicles including their tanks into the areas which were not expected.”

“Indian Army has drawn a major readiness plan to defend its borders and Armoured elements have been deployed in every sector, including the middle sector, as per the requirements,” he said. Another development on the ground included the reorganisation of the military formations carried out along the LAC with the troops under the Western Command.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Vips »

Face-off between Indian and Chinese troops along LAC in Arunachal last week; injuries on both sides.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh over the weekend resulting in some jawans suffering minor injuries, sources said on Monday.

"On December 9, 2022, PLA troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and
resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. Both sides immediately disengaged from the area," sources said.

Following the incident, sources said that India's commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to "restore peace and tranquility".

This is the first incident of its kind after the deadly Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh in 2020.

On May 5, 2020, Chinese and Indian troops engaged in aggressive melee, face-offs, and skirmishes at locations along the Sino-Indian border, including near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and near the border between Sikkim and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Additional clashes also took place at locations in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control. The clash led to the death of around 25 Indian troops and over 45 Chinese soldiers.
SSridhar
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by SSridhar »

More from the above,
The Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but did not expect the Indian side also to be well prepared, said sources in the military.
At least six injured jawans were brought to Guwahati for treatment, sources said, adding that there were twice as many injuries on the Chinese side.
NRao
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by NRao »

I bet this is related to Xi's very successful visit to Saudi Arabia. Xi never thinks in terms of isolated, individual incidents - no "pole" does.
williams
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by williams »

some details
More than 300 Chinese soldiers had attempted to get access to the top of 17,000-ft peak and were thwarted by Indian Army jawans, sources said. The area is now under snow. The Chinese troops wanted to uproot an Indian post, but the attempt was successfully thwarted by the Indian side.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/i ... 2022-12-12

Looks like a winter probing exercise? 300 troops are quite a large number for one post.
Vips
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by Vips »

Tawang clash: China's PLA sent 300 soldiers, suffered more injuries.

The Indian troops deployed in the area of face-off on Friday in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector gave a befitting response to the Chinese troops and the number of Chinese soldiers injured in the clash is more than the Indian soldiers, sources said on Monday.

Sources said the Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but did not expect the Indian side to be well prepared.
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The Indian Army said on Monday that Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9 and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides".

The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place last Friday amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

"On December 9, PLA troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector which was contested by own (Indian) troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to few personnel from both sides," the Army said in a statement.

"Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. As a follow up of the incident, own (Indian) commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity," it said.

The Army statement did not mention the number of troops involved in the face-off and those injured in the incident. The Army said there are areas of "differing perception" along the LAC in the Tawang sector.

"In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh there are areas of differing perception, wherein both sides patrol the area up to their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006," the Army said.

It is learnt that the injuries on the Chinese side could be higher.

It is the first major clash between the Indian and Chinese armies since August 2020 near Rinchen La in eastern Ladakh.

Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brief face-off near Yangtse in October last year as well and it was resolved following talks between local commanders of the two sides as per established protocols.

The ties between India and China nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by VKumar »

We should stop imports from China.
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Re: India's Border Security with China and Pakistan-2020 - Part 2

Post by SidSoma »

VKumar wrote:We should stop imports from China.
Wow, This will hurt us more than it will China.

On an aside, I feel Indian mechanisms should do a better job of leaking/releasing details to the press.

Even to this date we have no idea what the estimated Chinese casualty on Chinese side. (if Indian govt has agreed to keep it confidential, and toed the line. It is worse. We need to learn to stab the chinese in the back too. Openly)
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