The Indian Army has recently held a discussion with NTRO on how to bring a secure network in the region through mobile and microwave towers. Currently, the Indian side along the border automatically picks up a Chinese network in the area. While military communication is said to be strong, widening the mobile network will ensure faster means of sharing and passing instructions during emergencies

KIBITHU (ARUNACHAL PRADESH): India is planning to enhance its mobile network in the eastern-most regions of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian Army has recently held a discussion with the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) on how to bring secure network in the region through mobile and microwave towers. Currently, the Indian side along the border automatically picks up Chinese network in the area.

Scientists from NTRO recently visited Kibithu, the eastern most sector of the LAC, ET has learnt. The army informed them about the need for mobile network. While the scientists agreed to raise the matter at the government’s highest level, they said that only mobile towers or microwave towers that need only small power supplies and project network can be setup along the border.

Since only Chinese network is available on the Indian side, the security of mobile network in the area is in question. “NTRO was informed about the spill over. They explained that higher the quality of the network, the more secure they are. They also suggested that microwave towers which can project network to areas such as Walong (about 25 km from Kibithu) can be installed,” an official explained.

The move is expected to largely benefit the army. While military communication is said to be strong, widening the mobile network will ensure faster means of sharing and passing instructions during emergencies. It will also provide soldiers an opportunity to connect with their families; they often stay out of touch for months, resorting to hand-written letters.

Officials said there is a lack of adequate mobile phone towers in the region. A BSNL mobile phone tower exists in Walong, but it doesn’t provide data network, officials said. “Its network comes only at certain places,” an official said.

Officials added that other service providers are reluctant to come to these locations due to the lack of economic viability. “There are barely more than 500 locals staying in the area,” an official said.

India is also building other defence infrastructure in this region with double laning of a national highway between Tezu and Kibithu and constructing strategic bridges in the region that would drastically reduce time taken in sending troops.

The double laning is being done in phases, with a focus on a 50km-long stretch between Hayuliang and Hawai, likely to be completed by the end of 2020. Once the entire highway is double-laned, travel time for military convoys will reduce by half, officials said. Currently, it takes two days to cover over 350 km between Kibithu and Dibrugarh in Assam. The double-laning will also ensure faster deployment of artillery guns.

About 30 to 40 bridges that exist between Tezu and Kibithu will be upgraded to bear heavy loads, such as of an artillery gun. “Additional bridges will be constructed over the Lohit River to connect its west and east banks,” an official said.

While the state of Indian roads is relatively bad as compared to those of the Chinese, officials said that it will take about the same amount of time for both sides to mobilise troops to the border in case of a conflict. “Chinese don’t have defences that are manpower centric like we do and instead focus on quickly mobilising forces to the border when there is a requirement,” an official said.