The line of actual control (LAC) between India and China. (Unofficial map via Quora for approximate idea. Not to scale.)
New Delhi: Going by recent developments, the Indian Army looks set to significantly enhance its military posturing along the line of actual control with China. As reported by India Sentinels, India is going to operationalize its Bareilly-headquartered Uttar Bharat Area under the Central Army command to a full-fledged operational corps in the middle sector overlooking the security of the middle sector of the LAC in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
Now, the Army is fast-tracking its long-range offensive artillery capabilities along the LAC by raising and deploying two new regiments of Pinaka multi-launch rocket system. This long-range rocket system, designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), can deliver high-volume firepower swiftly and precisely deep into enemy positions.
This move is seen as a counter to China’s People’s Liberation Army – Rocket Force (PLA-RF). India Sentinels has learned from its sources in the defence establishment that the Army is planning to raise these two Pinaka regiments this year, which will be accomplished within the next few months.
It may be mentioned that in the artillery, a unit is also referred to as a regiment, with each regiment consisting of three batteries of six Pinaka launchers. A battery of six Pinaka launchers can fire a salvo of 72 rockets in 44 seconds, neutralizing enemy assets in an area of 1 kilometre x 800 metres. Moreover, a modern version of Pinaka rocket can hit a target 75 kilometres afar with deadly precision.
China unamused
With India bolstering its defence capabilities along the 3,488-kilometre LAC in response to China’s belligerence in the last four years, starting with its land grab in eastern Ladakh, in May 2020, which subsequently led to casualties on both sides, Beijing expressed its concerns.
On Friday, during an interaction with reporters, Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, said, “China is committed to working with India to safeguard the peace and stability of the border areas. We believe that India’s practice is not conducive to safeguarding peace and is not conducive to easing tensions.”
Mao further said, “India’s increase in military deployments in border areas does not help to calm the situation in those areas or safeguard peace and security there.”
China’s doublespeak
Although Beijing talks and seeks “peace” with New Delhi before global media, its actions have far little to show that its words have the weight of their actions behind their words. So far, China has frustrated India’s push for troop disengagement from the stand-off points in eastern Ladakh, where Chinese troops have encroached and squatted, even after 20 rounds of corps commander-level and diplomatic talks between the two countries.
This is a far cry from India’s legitimate demand of restoring the status quo of the LAC to pre-March 2020.
Apart from this, China continues to provoke India in other parts of the LAC, including the “peaceful” middle sector in Uttarakhand, and tense eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh.
