4 more Army Brigades being deployed in Ladakh to effectively counter China

[micky]

Thursday, January 16, 2014
By : Mohinder Verma
Courtesy : Daily Excelsior
The Ministry of Defence has ordered deployment of four more Army Brigades in the region which include one full-fledged Armoured contingent to effectively counter the China threat.

To effectively counter the threat of China, whose troops have repeatedly been adopting aggressive postures and intruding into this side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh sector, the Ministry of Defence has ordered deployment of four more Army Brigades in the region which include one full-fledged Armoured contingent. The Brigadier-level officers have already been posted to personally supervise the creation of infrastructure for these new Brigades, which has taken off at a fast pace.

Highly placed Defence sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to beef up India’s defence against China and take care of operational gaps along the entire Line of Actual Control in Ladakh sector, the Ministry of Defence has ordered deployment of four more Army Brigades in the region.

The decision about strengthening India’s defence along the Line of Actual Control with the China was taken last year when the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had given nod to the ambitious proposal of the Army to raise Mountain Strike Corps for acquiring an offensive capability on the northern borders stretching from Arunachal Pradesh in the east to Ladakh in the northwest, sources said while disclosing that the implementation of the CCS decision has now been taken off at a fast pace.

“The deployment of four more Army Brigades assumes much importance in the wake of increasing Chinese aggression in the Ladakh region”, sources said, adding that during the past few years Chinese Army has frequently been adopting aggressive postures in different areas along the Line of Actual Control. During the past some months, Daulat Beg Oldi Sector, Demchok in South of Aksai Chin, Chumur and Pangong areas have witnessed major incidents of Chinese incursions.

In Daulat Beg Oldi sector, the Chinese Army had adopted aggressive posture in the month of May 2013 and even pitched tents while as in Demchok area the Chinese troops got work on link-road stopped. In Chumur area, the Chinese Army ingressed 200 meters and even stopped Indian Army from patrolling the area. In the most recent incident, Chinese Army refused to return horses and three civilians after they inadvertently crossed the LAC via Chumur sector.

Disclosing that four additional Army Brigades would be stationed in Ladakh region within next few months, sources said, “Brigadier level officers have already been posted in the region to personally supervise the creation of infrastructure required for each of these Brigades. Three Brigades will be stationed in Leh district and one in Kargil district”.

In Leh district, one Brigade would be stationed near Patharsahib Gurdwara, which is situated around 20 kilometers from Leh town while as second Brigade will have the Headquarters in Durbuk, which is one of the points where Indian and Chinese troops have frictions after regular intervals. The third Brigade will be stationed in Nimo village, sources said while disclosing that infrastructure for these Brigades would be completed during the upcoming working season.

Disclosing that one of these Brigades is full-fledged Armoured Brigade, sources said, “this is for the first time that Armoured contingent is being deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. Mainly, there are Infantry and Artillery Brigades”, adding “this is for the first time that Ministry of Defence has shown such a fastest reaction towards the increasing Chinese aggression”.

According to the sources, with the deployment of additional Brigades in the Ladakh region Army would be able to effectively thwart the nefarious designs of the Chinese Army.

 

[cirr]

It looks though the 2 mechanized brigades and a few frontiers regiments stationed along the Sino-Indian border are attracting maximum attention。

The 15000 men and women of the PLA are face-to-face with at least 150000 Indian soldiers。

 

[HariPrasad]

One indian Soldier is enough for 10 Chinese.

‘Nobody believed we had killed so many Chinese at Rezang La. Our commander called me crazy and warned that I could be court-martialled’ – at Rezang La 114 indian Jawans killed 1400 chinese soldiers ! | defence lover

 

[Roybot]

It looks though the 2 mechanized brigades and a few frontiers regiments stationed along the Sino-Indian border are attracting maximum attention。

The 15000 men and women of the PLA are face-to-face with at least 150000 Indian soldiers。

There are more than 15,000 Chinese soldiers in Tibet, plus the fact that China can deploy huge numbers in very short time given the better infrastructure.

 

[janon]

There are more than 15,000 Chinese soldiers in Tibet, plus the fact that China can deploy huge numbers in very short time given the better infrastructure.

The fact is that Tibet is a plateu, so mobility is easy on the Tibetan plateu. We need to position soldiers on the border, since the region is mountainous.

The advantage we have is that all the soldiers deployed there will be well acclimatized and battle ready in case hostilities erupt, whereas the Chinese soldiers who are rushed in will need time. That was the reason for raising a mountain strike corps, permanently deployed in the mountains. We can pump battle ready troops anywhere in the region, at any time.

 

[Contrarian]

The advantage we have is that all the soldiers deployed there will be well acclimatized and battle ready in case hostilities erupt, whereas the Chinese soldiers who are rushed in will need time. That was the reason for raising a mountain strike corps, permanently deployed in the mountains. We can pump battle ready troops anywhere in the region, at any time.

We cant.
Mobility of those troops in the Mountains is severely constrained along the border because of lack of infrastructure.

The current road infra being built up is inadequate. Unless MoD ramps up the roads heavily. The troops will remain as point/small area defence forces.

 

[janon]

We cant.
Mobility of those troops in the Mountains is severely constrained along the border because of lack of infrastructure.

The current road infra being built up is inadequate. Unless MoD ramps up the roads heavily. The troops will remain as point/small area defence forces.

That is why the proposed mountain corps is supposed to have integral helicopter assets, and to be much more heli-portable than other infantry units. Also why its artillery is also heliportable.

Also, it is precisely because mobility is constrained in comparison to the Chinese (platuea v/s mountains as I noted earlier), that we need to station so many divisions and brigades near the border. Otherwise we could have built a few rail lines upto the border, and stationed all our troops in the hinterlands, like China does. But building dense road and rail infra in the mountains is not as easy as building it in the plains of Tibet, and not as cost effective. We will have to spend a lot more than China did to build comparable surface transport capability, and it will not bring comparable economic benefits. Connecting Tibet brings in more economic activity than conecting sparsely populated mountains on the borders.

Therefore it is better for us to have permanent mountain formations near the border with integral aviation assets, than to try and match the Chinese infrastructure in the Tibetan plateu. The area defense formations will be fully trained and acclimitazied for mountain warfare, which is not something you can say about Chinese troops transported from the plains. It will take several weeks for those troops to get battle ready in the mountains, which will give us ample time to bring in reserves. Permanent mountain warriors therefore serve as a way to blunt China's ability to bring in troops.

Another point to note is that China's ability to bring troops into the borders is dependent on the rail and road network, which is very vulnerable to air interdiction. There is a reason we have stationed MKIs in Tezpur and other bases in the NE. If the air force can delay their surface mobility for a few hours by knocking out the main rail and roads, it gives ample time for our permanent troops to achieve local superiority. If the mountain formations are raised properly, and all the equipment and doctrines are formed wisely, we can very well hold off China in future conflicts.

All this is not to say we don't need better roads in the north east. That is a seperate issue. But connecting the population centers in the north east is one thing, connecting the mountainous regions on the border is another - the latter just does not make economic sense, and will only have military value.

 

[kurup]

Good to know that our babus are finally waking up from the slumber .

 

[PARIKRAMA]

all said and then done where are the armaments for such mountain corps.. light howitzer, apaches AH 64D longbows, Anti tank shoulder fired missiles etc etc where are these.. we don even know if government will sign few deals in cmg months..

I would be rather happy to send a fully prepared contingent there to handle things from Day 1 then to give news bites.. the placing of brigades will see more infrastructure, armaments and even proposed stationing of few squadrons in or near tibet expedited..

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

That is why the proposed mountain corps is supposed to have integral helicopter assets, and to be much more heli-portable than other infantry units. Also why its artillery is also heliportable.

Also, it is precisely because mobility is constrained in comparison to the Chinese (platuea v/s mountains as I noted earlier), that we need to station so many divisions and brigades near the border. Otherwise we could have built a few rail lines upto the border, and stationed all our troops in the hinterlands, like China does. But building dense road and rail infra in the mountains is not as easy as building it in the plains of Tibet, and not as cost effective. We will have to spend a lot more than China did to build comparable surface transport capability, and it will not bring comparable economic benefits. Connecting Tibet brings in more economic activity than conecting sparsely populated mountains on the borders.

Therefore it is better for us to have permanent mountain formations near the border with integral aviation assets, than to try and match the Chinese infrastructure in the Tibetan plateu. The area defense formations will be fully trained and acclimitazied for mountain warfare, which is not something you can say about Chinese troops transported from the plains. It will take several weeks for those troops to get battle ready in the mountains, which will give us ample time to bring in reserves. Permanent mountain warriors therefore serve as a way to blunt China's ability to bring in troops.

Another point to note is that China's ability to bring troops into the borders is dependent on the rail and road network, which is very vulnerable to air interdiction. There is a reason we have stationed MKIs in Tezpur and other bases in the NE. If the air force can delay their surface mobility for a few hours by knocking out the main rail and roads, it gives ample time for our permanent troops to achieve local superiority. If the mountain formations are raised properly, and all the equipment and doctrines are formed wisely, we can very well hold off China in future conflicts.

All this is not to say we don't need better roads in the north east. That is a seperate issue. But connecting the population centers in the north east is one thing, connecting the mountainous regions on the border is another - the latter just does not make economic sense, and will only have military value.

That's very nice analysis, it certainlt deserve to get my attention, it seems you have put alot of effort on this but you have forgot to mention Indian's big disavantage is that all your vital economy, Industries and political center such New delhi are all within our artilleries and fighter bomber range as well. you think you can bomb our rail and roads and we will just sit idlely there? PLA will certainly pound your cities to cut off the supply as well, with the first few weeks of intensive artillerie exchange and bombarment will be the devastation effect to your inland cities include New Delhi, the imminent concequence is the collapse your economy and Industries infrastrcture in these bombarded area...India will surrender in matter of weeks.

Keep dream on how you can and will defeat us in Tibet...

 

[kbd-raaf]

That's very nice analysis, it certainlt deserve to get my attention, it seems you have put alot of effort on this but you have forgot to mention Indian's big disavantage is that all your vital economy, Industries and political center such New delhi are all within our artilleries and fighter bomber range as well. you think you can bomb our rail and roads and we will just sit idlely there? PLA will certainly pound your cities to cut off the supply as well, with the first few weeks of intensive artillerie exchange and bombarment will be the devastation effect to your inland cities include New Delhi, the imminent concequence is the collapse your economy and Industries infrastrcture in these bombarded area...India will surrender in matter of weeks.

Keep dream on how you can and will defeat us in Tibet...

Attacks on civilian infrastructure will just invite more of the same on your own cities.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

Attacks on civilian infrastructure will just invite more of the same on your own cities.

We have done that to Vietnam, India won't be an exception, you can try...if you can massively bombarde our coastal cities with your conventional , but any of our cheap 350 km unguided rockets and artilleries will flatterned any cities within range include New Delhi...unless you want to go nuke with us. ..oh by the way it's not intentional to bomb your cities...it's just a collateral damage if we use American's term

 

[kbd-raaf]

We have done that to Vietnam, India won't be an exception, you can try...if you can massively bombarde our coastal cities with your conventional , but any of our cheap 350 km unguided rockets and artilleries will flatterned any cities within range include New Delhi...unless you want to go nuke with us. ..oh by the way it's not intentional to bomb your cities...it's just a collateral damage if we use American's term

So you plan to move rocket artillery to the border hey? You have heard of counter battery?

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

So you plan to move rocket artillery to the border hey? You have heard of counter battery?

We will expect that, there is alway an defense and offense game, try to catch our ball when we hit hard...good luck

 

[kbd-raaf]

We will expect that, there is alway an defense and offense game, try to catch our ball when we hit hard...good luck

Indeed there is.