The Hindustan Times reported on Feb. 8, citing Indian national security planners and Indian army sources, that the Chinese military is showing no signs of military de-escalation along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) and is reinforcing artillery, self-propelled howitzers and road-based missiles in three areas along the LAC. The Chinese military is also redeploying and increasing its forces in the 4-finger to 7-finger area on the northern shore of Bangong Lake in eastern Ladakh and building a defensive parapet, sources said.
Although India and China have conducted nine rounds of military commander-level talks on the border standoff between the two armies, Indian national security and military sources said that the Chinese side in the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control as no signs of cooling down, but increased the deployment of artillery, self-propelled howitzers and road-based missiles. The report said Indian national security planners said that the PLA not only in the north shore area of Bangong Lake to build a new defensive line retaining wall, but also in the south shore of the area near the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control 82 kilometers of Tibetan Ali region Geji County Shizhuanhe military camp, the deployment of 35 heavy military vehicles and four Type 83 152 mm self-propelled howitzers.
The Indian military also observed in January further PLA deployments of heavy military vehicles, heavy equipment and construction of new fortifications, including four new tents and troop living quarters, near surveillance facilities in Ritu town in Tibet’s Ritu County, 90 kilometers from the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control, the report said. Both Ritu and Shigatse are located in the Aksai Chin region.
The report quoted anonymous Indian Army commanders as noting a small increase in PLA deployments, including new fortifications and new deployments, between the 4th and 7th fingers on the north shore of Lake Bangong. The Indian side said Chinese forces launched an “aggressive” operation on May 5 last year against the fourth finger on the north shore of Lake Bangong, leading to an escalation of military tensions along the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control. An Indian officer said the PLA also deployed more firepower and troops to strengthen its positions near Spanggur Tso in late December last year. The PLA has been deployed for a long Time along the 1,597-kilometer Line of Actual Control between India and China in Ladakh, and the fortifications near Spanggur Lake are aimed at supporting the dominance of the Moldo Garrison battalion in the Chushul area while Indian troops occupy strategic high ground in the Kailash Ranges.
The Indian military said surface-to-air missiles were also deployed from the Liberation Army camp in Lhasa, Tibet, 228 kilometers from the Indian border. This is mainly because the Chinese side fears that the Tibetan hinterland will be attacked by the Indian Air Force, so they are deploying ground-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft guns in major towns throughout the area along the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control. In addition, India alleges that China is also constructing new military bunkers at the Lipulekh Pass in the central section of the Line of Actual Control and deploying PHL-03 self-propelled rocket launchers at the Rubinkha barracks, just 23 kilometers from the triangle where India meets China and Bhutan.
Recent Comments