After the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley, more than 68,000 Army personnel, 90 tanks, and other weapon systems were airlifted to eastern Ladakh by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for quick deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to top defense and security establishment sources.
Following the clashes on June 15, 2020, which marked the most significant military conflict between the two sides in decades, the IAF deployed its Su-30 MKI and Jaguar jets for round-the-clock surveillance and intelligence gathering on the enemy build-up, in addition to placing several squadrons of combat aircraft in “offensive posturing,” they claimed.
The sources noted how the force’s strategic airlift capability has grown over time, saying that the troops and weapons were transported by the IAF’s transport fleet in a “very short period of time” for quick deployment in various hostile areas along the LAC as part of a special operation.
They added that the IAF has also stationed a sizable number of remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) in the area to keep a close eye on Chinese activities in light of the growing tensions.
The Indian Army and IAF have been keeping a high level of combat preparedness to meet any challenge from the opponent as the lingering border dispute persists in a number of flashpoints, according to the sources.
After the fighting in Galwan, they claimed that IAF planes airlifted various Indian Army divisions, totaling more than 68,000 soldiers, more than 90 tanks, over 330 BMP infantry combat vehicles, radar systems, artillery weapons, and a variety of other equipment.
The IAF’s transport fleet, which includes C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster planes, was able to carry a total of 9,000 tonnes of cargo, demonstrating the IAF’s expanding strategic airlift capabilities, they continued.
A number of fighter jets, including Rafale and Mig-29 aircraft, were sent on a combat air patrol, while several IAF helicopters were called upon to transfer prefabricated buildings, ammunition, and military equipment spare parts to sites located in hilly regions.
According to the sources, the Su-30 MKI and Jaguar fighter jets’ observation range was approximately 50 km, and they made sure that Chinese forces’ positions and movements were precisely tracked.
They added that the IAF immediately improved its air defense capabilities and battle preparedness by sending a variety of surface-to-air guided weapons to frontline bases along the LAC in the area and installing multiple radars.
According to the sources, India’s overarching policy was to enhance its military posture, keep forces that were credible, and keep an eye on the enemy’s build-up in order to deal with any eventuality successfully.
The IAF platforms operated in incredibly challenging conditions and achieved all of their mission objectives, according to a source who declined to provide any specifics.
According to a different source, the total operation showed how the IAF’s airlift capabilities had improved since “Operation Parakram.” India began “Operation Parakram” in the wake of the terrorist attack on Parliament in December 2001, mobilizing a sizable number of troops along the Line of Control. Following the conflict in eastern Ladakh, the government has been heavily promoting infrastructural growth along the approximately 3,500 km long LAC.
The Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in eastern Ladakh will soon have its overall infrastructure improved by the defense ministry so that it can accommodate all types of military aircraft.
Since the fighting in the Galwan Valley, the Army has also implemented a number of measures to improve its battle readiness.
In mountainous areas along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh, a sizable number of the easily transportable M-777 ultra-light howitzers have already been deployed. The Army now has the ability to swiftly move the M-777 from one location to another according on operational requirements since it can be transported in Chinook helicopters.
The Army has sent a sizable quantity of 7.62mm Negev Light Machine Guns from Israel, US-made all-terrain vehicles, and several other deadly weapons to its soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh.
Even though the two sides completed the disengagement from various regions after protracted diplomatic and military talks, the Indian and Chinese troops are still engaged in a more than three-year-old conflict in some flashpoints in eastern Ladakh.
Following the violent altercation in the Galwan Valley, relations between India and China dramatically deteriorated. There are presently 50,000–60,000 soldiers on either side along the LAC in the area.
On Monday, there will be a new round of high-level military negotiations between the two parties. India is to push for quick troop withdrawal from the remaining hot spots during the conversation.
Ajit Doval, the national security adviser, and Wang Yi, the senior diplomat of China, met on July 24 in Johannesburg at a BRICS summit.
The LAC situation in the western sector of the India-China border has “eroded strategic trust” as well as the social and political foundation of the relationship, according to a statement on the meeting from the Ministry of External Affairs.
According to the report, the NSA stressed the significance of continuing efforts to thoroughly settle the issue and restore calm and peace in the border regions in order to remove obstacles to regular bilateral relations. Following a bloody altercation near Pangong Lake on May 5, 2020, the eastern Ladakh border standoff broke out.
