The latest skirmish with China has shifted focus on whether India is prepared for an escalation at the LAC

by Kushal Dev Sharma

One of the most important factors that decide the result of a war is the optimum and swift deployment of men and machines in the action zone.

The current Ladakh standoff which resulted in the death of over 20 Indian troops including a commanding officer is a stark reminder of India’s fragile relationship with China.

The incident has put the volatile nature of the LAC back in focus. With lack of trust hitting a high point after China's latest border transgression, the spotlight has shifted to how prepared India's military is to handle things in case the situation spirals out of control.

One of the most important factors that decide the result of a war is the optimum and swift deployment of men and machines in the action zone. So, what has India done over the years to ensure it is not caught napping?

The Line of Actual Control (LAC) that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory is 3,488 km long. The line is divided into three sectors: the eastern sector covers Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the middle sector has Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and the western sector covers Ladakh. Here we take a look at India's preparedness in each of these sectors.

Ladakh

It was one of the most ignored areas until the 1999 Kargil war, which brought home the necessity of raising a dedicated force to face challenges concurrently at both western and eastern fronts. Right after the Kargil War, India raised the Fire and Fury Corps and specifically tasked it with ensuring the security of the LAC in Ladakh.

It is part of the XIV Corps, which is headquartered at Leh. It comes under the Northern Army Command and has the 3rd and 8th Infantry Divisions under it.

Uttarakhand And Himachal Pradesh

This sector comes under the protection of the 6th Mountain Division. It was reraised by the Indian Army in 1962, and was earlier known as the 6th Infantry Division under the British Raj. Headquartered at Bareilly, the division is part of the Central Command.

Sikkim

Sikkim comes under the protection of XXXIII Corps, which has 3 divisions. Its headquarter is located in Sukna in North Bengal, near the city of Siliguri.

India gave a bloody nose to the Chinese in 1967 in Nathu La sector in Sikkim, which resulted in the death of 400 Chinese soldiers. To further bolster the defences in this sector, Indian Army has specifically raised its Mountain Strike Corps, which is part of the XVII Corps, headquartered in Panagarh, West Bengal.

At the time of need, this strike force can undertake offensive operations against China on LAC.

Arunachal Pradesh

Indian Army has two corps that have been assigned to maintain the sanctity of Arunachal-China border. The first one is the III Corps, which is headquartered in Dimapur, in the state of Nagaland. The other one is the IV Corps, which has its headquarter in Tezpur, Assam. Each of these Corps have three mountain divisions, which can be swiftly deployed at the Sino-Indian border.

Air Power

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force has operationalised six advanced landing grounds (ALGs) comprising Mechuka, Walong, Passighat, Ziro, Tuting, and Along. All these ALGs can be used to undertake special and heliborne operations. In fact, IAF’s SU-30 fighter planes can be operated from these ALGs.

IAF reactivated the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airstrip in 2008 in eastern Ladakh. It is one of the highest landing grounds in the world, which can be used for big aircrafts of the IAF like the C-130J Super Hercules and the AN-32. There is a plan to have a full-fledged Air Force base in Ladakh in near future.

With possible air challenges from China in mind, the Tezpur Air force station (Assam) has been specifically fortified with the right resources. It is located at a distance of 172 km from the China border and has two SU-30 MKI squadrons. A squadron of Akash Missile has also been inducted at this base and there is a plan to induct Brahmos missiles soon.

Well-Trained And Acclimatised Troops

India has immense experience of mountain warfare and time and again Indian Army has proved its mettle at the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen. Indian Army has set up Kargil Battle School in the Dras sector of Kargil district in J&K, which trains soldiers in mountain warfare.

The Army follows a well-designed and tested soldiers acclimatisation programme before deploying them in forward locations, where they have to tackle frequent blizzards and sub-zero temperatures. On a regular basis, warfare exercises are conducted in the mountain region to keep them war-ready.