14 Corps becomes more bulky with induction of one more division
Slowly things are moving in such a way that soon there will be full two Corps sized formation in Ladakh. Army is already considering inducting additional troop strength of up to a division along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in response to the constant troop build-up by China.
So now accommodation /tentage and all other logistic will have to be catered fir additional troops to the tune of almost 15000 personnel moving to eastern Ladakh for acclimatisation and subsequent deployment. Basically these will act as reserves for launching of offensive or blocking any unexpected move of the PLA.
“As the Chinese build-up increases, there is a requirement of corresponding increase of troops on our side. It is being discussed if another division of troops should be inducted in eastern Ladakh,” said a source.
This firmation will be over and above the existing troop deployment of over three divisions in eastern Ladakh since May when the standoff with China began and intensified with the Galwan Valley clashes, before taking a fresh turn with Indian troops taking over heights at the southern bank of Pangong Tso late last month.
“The Chinese have brought in heavier-calibre artillery guns and tanks, which would enhance their range for deeper targeting of Indian territory to support their additional troops,” said the source quoted above.
“So a corresponding increase of Indian troop levels and weapons would provide adequate reserves and enable the field commanders to match any belligerent action by the Chinese in an appropriate manner.”
Late last month, the Chinese brought in tanks and artillery guns near the Spanggur Gap, prompting India to move up its armoured brigade to forward deployment areas to counter the PLA deployment.
China has been constructing a surface-to-air missile site as well as other infrastructure on the banks of the Mansarovar Lake in the India-Nepal-China tri-junction area near the Lipulekh pass.
Sources said there has also been some redeployment of missiles with higher ranges by China.
Such increase in the number of troops at the LAC was anticipated along with the corresponding planning for stocking of all logistics including habitat.
Temperatures at the extreme high altitudes in Ladakh have already started dipping and the troops have to live for long winter when the temperature reaches up to minus 30 degrees Celsius. So necessary clothing, tentage etc have also been catered for.
Though Considering the limited road spaces, induction of additional troops has stretch the infrastructure.
The planning for the logistics starts in Northern Command well before opening of Zozila. The Army becomes busy making preparations for the stocking. This time they had to cater for thousands of tons of ration items, special winter clothing and arctic tents for habitat for the additional troops too numbering over 45000.
In an interview in July, former 14 Corps commander Lt Gen. P.JS Pannu (Retd) had said there is a case to keep an additional division permanently in Ladakh, but added that the LAC could end up becoming more like the Line of Control with Pakistan where troops are eyeball to eyeball round the clock on all days of the year.
“To go in for a force accretion is easy, but the consequences would amount to asking your adversaries to build up,” Pannu had said. “So, when the build-up happens on both sides, you are militarising the area as mirror movements will happen.”
He, however, said with two nuclear armed nations, “it is not desirable” to militarise the borders to a point that could result in a military accident and disaster more easily.
In fact now time has come to let 14 Corps concentrate fully on to the Chinese front. A new Corps can look after the Kargil ….Turtuk front.
