Monthly Archives: August 2018

http://

Kasowal Bridge in Punjab on river Ravi inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Monday | By special arrangement

http://

http://

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing tensions between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Monday inaugurated eight major bridges in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh each along with 28 other bridges located across different border sectors.

The 44 major bridges are located at strategic locations along the western, northern and north-eastern borders. The defence minister also laid the foundation stone for Neciphu tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

The bridges across seven states and union territories have been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) functioning under the defence ministry. The BRO built close to 10 bridges last year in eastern Ladakh alone.

Out of the 44 bridges, eight are in Ladakh, 10 in Jammu and Kashmir, two in Himachal Pradesh, four in Punjab, eight each in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, and four in Sikkim.

Their lengths range from 30 metres to 484 metres. They were constructed under challenging conditions such as steep slopes, difficult approaches and little working space.

Director General of BRO Lt Gen. Harpal Singh said in a statement the bridges will not only facilitate faster movement of heavy civil and military traffic in the border areas, but also provide connectivity to the border population and aid in the faster deployment of troops when needed in sectors of strategic importance.

Also read: India to press for early & complete disengagement at Monday’s military talks with China

‘Bridges will meet logistics requirements of armed forces’

In a tweet, the defence minister said the inauguration of 44 bridges will improve connectivity in the far-flung areas of western, northern and north-eastern sectors, and fulfill the aspirations of local people.

“They would also meet the transport and logistics requirements of the armed forces throughout the year,” he said, calling it a significant achievement.

In a statement, the minister said this has been possible despite the challenging times of Covid-19, and the border tensions and disputes caused by Pakistan and China.

According to available data, the BRO had completed the construction of 28 major bridges last year, while 102 major bridges are under construction, of which 54 have already been completed.

The BRO has also completed construction of 60 bailey bridges to meet immediate requirements of the armed forces and border population.

The BRO’s budget was nearly stagnant at Rs 4,000 crore between 2009 and 2015, before jumping to Rs 5,400 crore in 2017-18. It has now reached Rs 11,000 crore for the 2020-21 fiscal.

Nechiphu tunnel 

The defence minister also laid the foundation stone for the Nechiphu tunnel on the road to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the government statement, the 450-metre-long, two-lane tunnel would ensure an all-weather connectivity across Nechiphu Pass besides providing a safe and secure passage through accident-prone areas.

A senior Army officer, who had served in Tezpur, told ThePrint the tunnel, once constructed, will connect Tezpur in Assam, which is the logistics base of the Army, to Tenga Valley where one of the forward divisions of the Army is located.

The officer explained that from Tezpur to Tawang, there are three passes — Bomdilla, Nechiphu and Sela.

“Nechiphu being the boundary between the high humidity Brahmaputra plains and the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh is known to be perennially foggy and prone to landslides. The tunnel will provide a direct link between the Tenga Valley and plains of Tezpur,” the officer said.

Tawang lies further ahead to Tenga Valley at a distance of around 200 km and are connected by inhospitable roads.

Also read: Ready for Ladakh winter, Army also preparing summer strategy, eyes more troop deployment

New Delhi: As India and China meet for the seventh corps commander-level talks Monday, efforts are on to ensure that every Indian soldier deployed in eastern Ladakh gets all the necessities required to stay put at forward positions where temperatures have already started dropping below zero degrees Celsius.

Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that another important area of focus was ensuring the rotation of troops.

They said that while advance rations for the next 14 months have been bought and have reached Ladakh, a big logistical push is being made to create space to house the 40,000 additional troops deployed to the region since May this year.

“A lot of logistics have been set up. There would be some teething issues, but they are being taken care of in time. The best is being given to soldiers,” a source said.

A second source said what is needed is “Siachen-like” preparations as another pointed out that in any operation, the herculean task is not deploying soldiers to the front, but providing the logistical back-up.

The Army has gone in for emergency procurement of high-altitude clothing and pre-fabricated tents, among other items, in India’s worst border stand-off since the Kargil battle in 1999.

Army Vice Chief Lt Gen. S.K. Saini had said Saturday that while a large number of the troops are deployed in extremely high-altitude areas, where the temperature touches -50 degrees Celsius, India is still importing cold-weather clothing and equipment for them due to “lack of viable indigenous solutions”.

Also read: Underground fuel dumps, freeze-proof fuel, mobile ATCs — How Army is prepping for Ladakh winter

Central security agencies’ assessment

An assessment was carried out by central security agencies on the state of logistical affairs in late August and early September, to find what could be done to overcome any lacunae.

Sources said several issues were flagged by the agencies and the logistics work was then sped up to ensure all preparations were completed before the winter settled in.

“The Chinese aggression along the LAC has resulted in creation of 4-5 mini Siachen-like logistical challenges. And hence what is needed is Siachen-like logistics planning to cater to the troops,” a source said.

The source added that getting rations is one thing, and setting up kitchen is another.

This source also said another important aspect was the rotation of troops, to ensure they remain fighting fit and don’t fall prey to the high altitude and extreme cold.

“The rotation process is being worked out. The Indian Air Force has been roped in for all logistics issues, and is a doing stellar job,” the source said.

ThePrint had reported earlier that one likely fall-out of the current tensions could be increased permanent deployment of forces in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in what could be termed as the “LoC-isation” of the LAC.

With higher deployment, some vantage points could get physical posts instead of being left open to the risk of possible incursion by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

And with no immediate resolution in sight to the ongoing tensions, the Army has also started drawing up a strategy for next summer in Ladakh.

Also read: In –35°C, the Indian soldier at LAC is 50% less efficient but 100% ready to fight China

Lt. Gen. P.G.K. Menon has been in Leh since the beginning of this month, and also took part in the military talks held between India and China Monday.

New Delhi: Amid the continued tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon will take over as the new commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, also known as the Fire and Fury Corps, Wednesday.

He will replace Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh, who completed his one-year tenure as the corps commander, and will take over as the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.

Son of Subedar S.K. Menon (Retd), Lt Gen. Menon has been in Leh since the beginning of the month and also took part in the military talks held between India and China Monday.

He had also been a part of the 21 September meeting, which was the first-ever joint military and diplomatic-level meeting between India and China.

The Fire and Fury Corps has the dual task of dealing with China in Ladakh and also Pakistan in the Drass-Kargil-Batalik and the Siachen sector.  soldiers at LAC get all they require

Prior experience of dealing with China

A senior Army officer told ThePrint that Lt Gen. Menon did not come with the “1962 war mental block” because he was born in 1964.

Lt. Gen. Menon was commissioned in the 17th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment and is also the colonel commandant of the Sikh Regiment.

A big factor that works in his favour is that he has prior experience of dealing with China in the 14 Corps and in the Eastern Command.

In 2008, he was the Colonel GS (General Staff) in the 3 Division of the Army that looks after the LAC in Ladakh, and is currently embroiled in the standoff with China.

He returned to the 14 Corps in 2014 after this tenure as the Brigadier General Staff in charge of operations.

As a major general, the officer commanded the 71 Division in Eastern Tawang in the Eastern Command.

Sources noted that the officer has been actively involved in the deliberations on the situation in Ladakh and the Army’s response to China.

In the Army circles, Lt. Gen. Menon is seen as an operations-oriented person with a thinking cap.

“The officer has been born into the Army as the son of a Subedar. He has now risen to the top and is a proud moment for us as the Army,” said the senior Army officer quoted above.

He added that Lt. Gen. Menon’s experience of dealing with China in the past will help him make decisions faster and smoothly.

Also read: China can’t get better of us, ready for even a two-front war, IAF chief says

India-China positioned in forward areas for first time

Known for carrying along his junior officers in decision-making, Lt. Gen. Menon takes command of the 14 Corps at a critical time when the winters are settling in and troops from both India and China will be positioned in the forward areas, for the first time since the 1962 War.

India and China have never deployed troops at locations that are this far forward along the LAC in winter, when the temperature drops to minus 30 degrees Celsius, along with very strong winds.

As reported by ThePrint earlier, the Army is already working out its summer deployment plans for Ladakh as the current standoff is likely to continue.

With higher deployment, some vantage points could get physical posts instead of being left open to possible incursion by China.

Sources said temperatures have already started dropping down to -20 degrees Celsius at several locations in Eastern Ladakh.

Also read: 7th India-China military commanders’ meet on 12 October, MEA rep will attend too

Special emphasis has been laid on ensuring there are no civilian casualties during the operations since 5 August 2019, when the Modi government scrapped Article 370.

Khrew, Kashmir: In a first, the Army has introduced a compulsory psychological training module for all soldiers posted in Jammu and Kashmir where they are heavily involved in anti-terrorism and anti-infiltration operations.

According to Army sources, the module has been introduced at the elite 15 Corps Battle School (CBS) in Khrew in Awantipora area of Pulwama district. The institute trains all soldiers — irrespective of the rank — under a reorientation programme after they are posted to the Line of Control (LoC) and in Jammu and Kashmir.

The reorientation programme for those posted at the Line of Control (LoC) lasts 14 days, and 28 days for those sent into the hinterland. The new psychological training module has been introduced as part of this regular programme.

A senior officer involved in the induction of troops into J&K and at the LoC said the psychological training period was introduced for the first time early this year.

The Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has designed this module. The lab conducts research in psychology for armed forces personnel.

DIPR officials had visited the CBS last year. Accordingly, specialised training was introduced for combat stress management in the CBS, with a focus on operations in Kashmir.

The institute spread over 150 acres has multiple firing ranges, obstacle courses and even a model village for the soldiers to get a sense of what to expect, and the sensitivities to be kept in mind, while operating in the hinterland.

Every month, about 3,000 soldiers undergo training at CBS.

Also read: Ladakh’s ‘Fire & Fury’ corps gets new commander in Lt Gen PGK Menon amid China tensions

Focus on ‘just conduct’

Sources said the Army has been focusing on not just people-friendly operations in the hinterland but also on overall “just conduct” in soldiers’ dealing with the civilian population.

“While of course the soldiers undergo an initiation process and get physically trained for dynamics in the hinterland and the LoC, the idea is to increase the cognitive memory of the subconscious mind of the rules of engagement and just conduct,” said a second officer.

Sources said the Army conducts about 30,000 operations in the region annually, but even a single case of misconduct or violation of rules of engagement can be blown out of proportion casting aspersions on the other 29,999 operations.

These operations include not just encounters but also dominance patrol and search operations, besides others.

The sources said the five tenets of training at the CBS are — good faith, minimum force, impartiality, necessity of force and just conduct.

Avoiding collateral damage

Since 5 August 2019, when the Narendra Modi government scrapped Article 370 and divided the erstwhile state of J&K into two union territories, special emphasis has been laid on ensuring there are no civilian casualties during the operations.

“We have been extremely cautious of the dynamics in play. Every soldier has been told not to allow any chance of civilian casualty or undesired damage to property even at the cost of terrorists escaping in an operation,” a third officer said, adding that “not a single civilian should die due to security forces”.

The sources said 30 civilians have been killed in Kashmir since 1 January this year, of which 22 were killed by terrorists. Five were killed in ceasefire violations while three were killed in crossfire during encounters with security forces. None died in Army operations.

They said the Army is not looking at killing of a raw recruit as a kinetic success, adding that the focus is on ensuring more surrenders, which are often dubbed as arrests to ensure safety of the subject concerned.

Also read: ‘Siachen-like’ logistics planning key to ensure Indian soldiers at LAC get all they require

What is different here is a reactive-turned-proactive Indian Army, which will not only give as good or better than it gets, but also not shy away from battle. Thirty-four years ago, PLA first had such experience at Sumdorong Chu in Arunachal. At Doklam, the Indian Army, for the first time, stepped on foreign soil to confront the big bully from the north. However, eastern Ladakh is Indian territory and Aksai Chin our claimed territory. The gloves are now off.

Lt Gen Pradeep Bali (retd)

Ex-Commander, Sikkim-based 33 Corps

Due to its distinct culture, a language difficult to pick up and the iron-fisted control of its regime, China has remained little known over the ages for a country of its size. The perception of China in the past few decades has been shaped mostly through the Western prism and as the developed world views it. Somewhat surprising indeed, as India and China have existed on either side of the Great Himalayas, as ancient civilisations for a few millennia. This understanding is somewhat flawed and may best be described as ‘lost in translation’. A clearer view would emerge by interpreting and analysing the Chinese behaviour, spoken and unspoken, from what has been expressed by their leadership and executed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

A peculiarity is the transliteration of complex characters and utterances of Mandarin, which tends to over-simplify it. To quote a few, the naked aggression against India in 1962 was labelled as ‘counter-attack in self-defence’. Closer to the present, the Central Military Commission spelt out the strategy of ‘active defence’. Well, there is nothing defensive about this strategy. Simply put, it means an aggressive posture which may involve reaching out militarily across the existing boundaries (temporary or permanent), to enhance the security of perceived Chinese territory.

In the maritime domain, we have Deng Xiaoping’s famous ‘Nine Dash Line’, which carved up a major portion of the South China Sea as Chinese property. The claims on Senkaku islands in the East China Sea and creating artificial islands to extend territorial waters, to the detriment of its neighbours, have been the hallmark of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) strategists.

Coming to the ongoing conflict and standoff in eastern Ladakh, it’s apparent that the Chinese Western Theatre Command and its subordinate formations have interpreted the active defence of territory in a very proactive approach at the tactical level, bordering on brashness. A backdrop to this, influencing the military leadership, would be the galling action of the Indian Army in stopping the PLA juggernaut in Doklam in June 2017.

On May 27, 2020, Xi Jinping was quoted by state news agency Xinhua as saying, “It is necessary to explore ways of training and preparing for war because epidemic control efforts have been normalised.” Was this to be interpreted as a green signal for the stalemated ground troops of the PLA in Aksai Chin?

Two distinct traits of the CCP leadership and PLA troops, at two ends of the Chinese authoritarian spectrum, make for interesting examination. At the government level, China always takes a maximal position in staking its territorial claims, however misplaced their veracity and however suspect their legitimacy. This possibly gives the CCP leadership and the Chinese diplomats and negotiators a vantage position to start with. This approach of the Chinese has to be firmly and patiently countered with an unyielding stance, as they play every trick in the book and outside it to wear down the opponent.

At the ground level, the PLA troops always try to display great belligerence and rampant indulgence in bullying, while facing an adversary. The old truism of standing up strongly to such behaviour and in fact bullying them right back holds good, as can be seen from the way events unfolded in western Bhutan three years ago and as things now stand in Ladakh. Even during various small-scale face-offs and physical brushes with the PLA, on the LAC, this is the one language that they respect and understand.

This brings us to the present imbroglio and the major question it throws up. Will China go to war with India, in the conventional sense as we understand it? What happened in Doklam and its aftermath and what is now happening along a few parts of the LAC in Ladakh is an aggressive planting of the flag, quite akin to staking claims on small islets in South China Sea. Physical occupation of territory, at times leading to aggressive jostling, is not how well-equipped and well-trained modern armies, with a lethal array of weaponry, go to war.

So what is CCP’S China looking at? It very definitely appears to be a long-drawn strategy of creeping forward, at places even risking scuffles which can turn nasty, to take the PLA flag further west. After protracted confabulations, militarily and diplomatically, the Chinese may at best concede minor adjustments to lower the rhetoric and belligerence. With time, a new line will emerge defining the ground realities, whatever be the perceptions of the LAC. After a suitable pause, the same shenanigans may be re-enacted as PLA hopes to continue fighting for land grab with this completely new form of non-conventional contact warfare.

However, what is very different here is a reactive-turned-proactive Indian Army, which will not only give as good or better than it gets, but will also not shy away from battle. Thirty-four summers ago, PLA had the first such experience at Sumdorong Chu in Arunachal’s Kameng sector, where it was effectively checkmated by the Indian troops in a game of counter deployment. Doklam was a different ball game where for the first time, the Indian Army stepped on foreign soil to confront the big bully from the north. While India may well claim a tactical and operational victory of sorts at Doklam, the fact is that the PLA troops continue to be in semi-permanent structures, less than 200 metres from the red line of the Torsa Nallah. However, eastern Ladakh is Indian territory and Aksai Chin is our claimed territory. The gloves are now off and the CCP may have to do some serious introspection about how to employ the PLA for furtherance of its revisionist and expansionist policies, without getting into a contact battle, in which it will have too much at stake. Its carefully cultivated image of an emerging superpower and challenger to the US may not survive even a limited clash of arms in Ladakh or anywhere else along the LAC with India.

New Delhi, October 12

India on Monday insisted on restoration of status quo ante of April and comprehensive disengagement of troops by China from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh to resolve the border standoff, government sources said, as the two countries held a seventh round of military talks.

The Corps commander-level talks began at around 12 noon in Chushul on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and continued beyond 8:30 PM, they said.

As the border standoff entered the sixth month, an early resolution to the row appeared dim with close to 100,000 Indian and Chinese troops remaining deployed in the high-altitude region and showing readiness for a long-haul.

There is no official word on the talks yet but sources said the agenda was to finalise a roadmap for disengagement of troops from all the friction points.

The Indian delegation is led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and includes Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA). It is learnt an official of the Chinese foreign ministry is also part of the Chinese delegation.

The sources said India pressed for an early and complete disengagement of troops by China from all the friction points besides demanding immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April. The standoff began on May 5.

The China Study Group (CSG) comprising Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs on Friday finalised India’s strategy for the military talks. The CSG is India’s key policy making body on China.

Ahead of the talks, sources said India will also strongly oppose any demand by China for withdrawal of Indian troops from several strategic heights on the southern bank of the Pangong lake to kick-start the disengagement process.

During the sixth round of Corps commander talks on September 21, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) insisted on withdrawal of troops by the Indian Army from several strategic heights in Mukhpari, Rezang La and Magar hill areas around the southern bank of Pangong lake.

Indian troops had occupied the strategic heights after the PLA soldiers attempted to intimidate them in the southern bank of Pangong lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.

India has been maintaining that the disengagement process has to start simultaneously at all the friction points.

At the talks, the two sides were expected to further explore steps to maintain stability on the ground and avoid any action that may trigger fresh tension in the region where troops from the Indian army and the PLA will be facing difficult conditions in the next four months due to harsh winter, the sources said.

Following the sixth round of military talks, the two sides announced a slew of decisions including not to send more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters.

The military talks were held with a specific agenda of exploring ways to implement a five-point agreement reached between Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) conclave.

The pact included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC.

Days after the military talks, the two sides held diplomatic parleys under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, but no concrete outcome emerged from the negotiations on September 30.

After the diplomatic talks, the MEA said it was agreed that the next round of the meeting of senior commanders should be held at an early date so that both sides can work towards an early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with the existing bilateral agreement and protocols.

Naveen Srivastava, who has been leading the Indian side at the WMCC talks, also attended the military parleys on September 21 for the first time.

It is Lt Gen Singh’s last round of talks with the PLA in the current standoff as he is due to take charge as head of the prestigious Indian Military Academy(IMA) this week. His successor at the 14 Corps Lt Gen PGK Menon is also part of the Indian delegation.

At the previous six rounds of military talks, the Indian side insisted on complete disengagement of Chinese troops at the earliest, and immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated following at least three attempts by the Chinese soldiers to “intimidate” Indian troops along the northern and southern bank of Pangong lake area between August 29 and September 8 where even shots were fired in the air for the first time at the LAC in 45 years.

As tensions escalated further, the foreign ministers of India and China held talks in Moscow on September 10 where they reached a five-point agreement to defuse the situation in eastern Ladakh. The agreement was the basis for the sixth round of Corps commander-level talks.

In the last three months, the Indian Army rushed tanks, heavy weaponry, ammunition, fuel, food and essential winter supplies to various treacherous and high-altitude areas of the region to maintain combat readiness through the harsh winter of around four months starting around mid-October. PTI