The Diplomat – by Zachary Keck
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is expected to approve a proposal to deploy 40,000 additional troops along the 4,057-km line of actual control (LAC) that acts as the border between China and India, theTimes of India reported Saturday morning.
“The Army has proposed a mountain strike corps, two independent infantry brigades and two independent armored brigades to plug its operational gaps along the entire line of actual control (LAC) with China, as well as to acquire offensive capabilities,” the newspaper report said.
It continued:
“The proposed mountain strike corps, with over 40,000 soldiers and headquartered at Panagarh in West Bengal, will for the first time give India the capability to also launch offensive action into Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in the event of a Chinese attack.”
The new forces would be part of a larger plan to strengthen India’s defenses along its northern border with China and western border with Pakistan. Between 2009 and 2010, India beefed up its LAC presence by raising two new infantry divisions consisting of 35,000 troops.
The government is also planning on spending around US$4.6 billion building infrastructure on the Indian side of the LAC, and will deploy more mechanized elements and restructure troop formations to achieve greater mobility. The mountain strike corps would be part of India’s goal of having a rapid response force along the border.
The CCS’s approval of the plan will come after the Ministry of Defense (MoD) responds to questions raised by the Ministry of Finance, the Times of India report said. Previously, the MoD had said raising the extra 40,000 troops would cost $14.3 billion, which would be spread across India’s 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) and could even stretch into the 13th Five Year Plan (2017-2022).
Back in March, India’s Defense Minister AK Antony told Parliament the army also intended to raise 30 infantry battalions during the 13th Five Year Plan, although these wouldn’t necessarily be stationed along the LAC. According to The Indian Express, the cost of raising these 30 infantry battalions would be similar to the US$14.3 billion that raising the 40,000 troops for the LAC will cost.
Indian officials maintain that their decision to beef up forces along the LAC is a response to what they perceive as China’s military modernization in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). In particular, Indian lawmakers and officials have previously expressed alarm with the infrastructure modernization in the TAR, including the construction of five airbases, new rail networks and 58,000 km of new roads.
India’s concern is that the PLA could use this new infrastructure to mobilize large numbers of troops along the LAC more rapidly. According to Indian press accounts, with the new roads and railways the PLA can amass 30,000 troops in around 20 days compared to the 90 days it previously would have taken them.
Although the plan to deploy an additional 40,000 troops along the LAC has been under consideration for some time now, moving forward has taken on a greater sense of urgency for many Indian officials in the wake of the three week standoff along the LAC that began in April.
http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2013/06/01/india-to-approve-troop-buildup-on-china-border/
This is all about control of the Himalayan water supply. India and
China have been fighting over water control seemingly forever. All hell could break loose at any minute over this.
Article I wrote 1 1/2 years ago.
China seems to be asking Pakistan to help them scam one of the largest water supplies on the planet. China wants India’s water..
And here are the latest jets China is sending Pakistan as of 7/30/2011.
The satellite will supply “multifarious data” to Pakistan, the report said.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was on a visit to China, said both sides had agreed to increase defense cooperation and China had assured Pakistan of help in enhancing the capacity of its armed forces.
China is starving for water people. They want the easy route to one of the most significant water supplies in the world. Pakistan is the easy inside tract to big water and China is kissing some major ass. Why, because they want fly-over rights if and when things get ugly. They are telling Pakistan that they will guarantee water for Pakistan.
“Beijing: China has agreed to immediately provide Pakistan 50 new JF-17 Thunder multi-role jets under a co-production agreement even as talks are on for more fighter aircraft including those with stealth technology.
China will immediately provide 50 JF-17 Thunder aircraft to Pakistan, an unnamed official was quoted as saying by the Dawn daily.
“We will get these planes in weeks,” he said, adding that a formal agreement to that effect was likely to be signed today.
The official said Pakistan and China were already jointly producing the JF-17 aircraft, but these 50 planes would be equipped with more sophisticated avionics.
He said the war planes to be fully funded by China would help bolster Pakistan’s defence and add to tactical capability of its air force.
The News daily reported that it is likely that these planes will be supplied by June next year.
It added that the two countries are also discussing the supply of Chinese J-20 stealth jets and Xiaolong/FC-1 multi-purpose light fighter aircraft to Pakistan.
They are discussing the mode of payment and the number of planes to be provided to Pakistan, the report said. With the supply of the new fighters, Pakistan Air Force will now have a total of 260 Chinese jets, making them the mainstay of the force.
Meanwhile, in a sign of greater cooperation between the two countries, China will also launch a satellite for Pakistan on August 14.
The satellite will supply “multifarious data” to Pakistan, the report said.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was on a visit to China, said both sides had agreed to increase defence cooperation and China had assured Pakistan of help in enhancing the capacity of its armed forces. “
“ISLAMABAD: Taking bilateral defence relations to a new high,China will givePakistan a squadron of the advanced J-10B fighter aircraft, a media report said.
The offer was made by senior Chinese military leaders to visiting Pakistan Army’s Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen.Waheed Arshad, the Urdu daily Jang reported on Saturday, quoting defence sources.
The J-10B fighters are equipped with the latest weapons and Pakistan will be the first country, after China, to have these advanced aircraft, it said.
During his visit, Lt.Gen.Arshad was assured that the defence relationship between the two countries will reach new heights and China’s efforts for the safety and security of Pakistan will be never-ending.
During his visit, Waheed called on General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of People’s Liberation Army and other officials including Lt. General Ren Haiquan, the vice president of the National Defence University.”