New technologies, systems included
Aimed at quick response to conflicts
Sanjeev Pargal
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JAMMU, Aug 7: Amidst ongoing conflict with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, India has launched major military exercises with all armed forces involved in it. The exercises will further boost morale of the armed forces which is already very high with four plus years of huge deployments in conflict areas of Eastern Ladakh.
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Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi is also scheduled to visit Ladakh shortly to watch the exercises and review preparedness of the troops along the LAC with China.
“The exercises will further prepare the armed forces for quick response to the conflicts, check preparedness to meet with any kind of challenges in the hilly terrain of LAC and plug shortcomings, if any,” the officials said, adding focus of the troops is on trouble spots though the exercises are covering entire Eastern Ladakh.
“The ongoing exercises will include new technologies and systems to counter Chinese advancements, such as loitering munitions, swarm drones, counter-drone systems, and improved surveillance technologies,” they said.
Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are engaged in eyeball-to-eyeball positions in many areas of Eastern Ladakh since May 2020. Though disengagement has taken place from some of the areas, troops from both sides remained deployed in other conflict zones. A series of meetings at different levels have failed to ensure further disengagements.
The 1 Strike Corps is now responsible for operations in Ladakh.
The Strike Corps has been attached to the Northern Command in recent years and has been working towards developing new war fighting concepts required in the high latitude areas.
The exercise will help the Indian Army validate the new concepts and technology infusion in modern-day war fighting, they said.
Over the past four years, the Indian forces have built important infrastructure, like housing, all-weather roads, and communication systems, to support operations in harsh winter conditions which persist in Eastern Ladakh especially during the winters.
A large number of heavily armored units have been stationed close to the LAC in Eastern Ladakh including T90 and T72 main battle tanks, K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery guns and different missile systems. Over 500 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles are deployed in the area since 2020 and infrastructure has been built at a very fast pace there.
The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a 3,488 km-long border between India and China.
The exercises are being regularly conducted by the armed forces in the Eastern Ladakh to test operational preparedness of the troops to meet with any kind of challenges from the PLA though no major incident has been reported on the LAC for past quite some time now. However, the Indian Army is not taking any chances
Meanwhile, as per the officials, Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi is also scheduled to visit Eastern Ladakh in next few days to witness the exercises being conducted by the armed forces. However, a date of visit of the Chief of Army Staff hasn’t been finalized so far. The visit is expected to take place this week itself, they said.
Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar today visited a military station in Ladakh and reviewed the operational preparedness of the force.
The Army commander visited the Nanak Hill military station in Ladakh and commended the formation, army officials said.
He exhorted all ranks to maintain a high state of professionalism, they said.
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