/Hu Yidao
After a period of silence, the Indian media hyped up the topic of the Sino-Indian border on the 27th, and also threw out two "hot news."
On the one hand, "The Hindu" published an article that day saying that according to "intelligence" obtained by India, China has significantly upgraded its firepower and weapons systems within about 100 kilometers of the actual control line in the western region, and has also expanded Accommodation facilities for the troops.
also hyped that "the People's Liberation Army is upgrading weapons and equipment in the Sino-Indian border areas", making excuses for India to further upgrade its weapons and equipment along the actual control line.
On the other hand, Indian Air Force Chief of Staff General Vivek Ram Chaudhry suddenly mentioned the concept of "two-front warfare" in an exclusive interview with Press Trust of India .
Chaudhry claimed that India’s improved military operation plans and enhanced capabilities, as well as related training, are always aimed at “simultaneously dealing with a wide range of threats from either or two aspects.”
Why is the Indian military hyping up the military topic on the Sino-Indian border at this time?
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The Hindu reported that within 100 kilometers of the actual line of control in the western region, the Chinese army has significantly expanded its accommodation facilities for troops, upgraded long-range artillery and rocket systems, air defense systems , and expanded runways and Hardened the hangar bunker facility to deploy more fighters . The
report claimed that this was part of what some intelligence data showed. Since the confrontation between the Chinese and Indian troops in the eastern part of Ladakh more than two years ago, the People's Liberation Army has carried out a number of major upgrades on the Chinese side.
In terms of details, The Hindu quoted an unnamed official source as saying that before the face-off began in 2020, Chinese army camps in the western sector of the LAC could accommodate 20,000 troops. Now, it has been expanded to provide temporary accommodation for 120,000 people.
The source also claimed that based on the so-called "intelligence" obtained by the Indian side, Chinese personnel have also established self-contained solar energy and small hydropower projects near the actual control line. In this way, the winter maintenance capabilities of the Chinese border defense forces have been enhanced in many aspects.
Moreover, the source added that these facilities are different from the model villages built by China along the Line of Actual Control. The
report also mentioned that when the confrontation began in 2020, originally four divisions under the Xinjiang Military Region of the People's Liberation Army were deployed in turn in the area. "Now, all these divisions have been converted into combined arms brigades (CAB), and the equipment upgrade is almost complete."
In terms of weapons upgrades, the Indian source said that an armored regiment under one of the People's Liberation Army divisions has installed Type 15 third-generation modern light tanks to replace the current ZTZ-88 main battle tanks. The Type 96 A main battle tanks and other equipment deployed by some troops remain unchanged.
Moreover, it has also been upgraded in terms of technical performance. Sources in India said that the People's Liberation Army troops have also made improvements to the fire control system of these tanks.
Similarly, the mechanized brigade wheeled armored personnel carriers of the PLA troops deployed on the border have also been updated with equipment. Indian intelligence personnel discovered that the latest one uses ZTL-11 armored personnel carriers. Due to deployment in plateaus and mountains above 15,000 feet, the new equipment has more advantages, so later the Indian Army also issued a tender contract to purchase light tanks.
In terms of air defense firepower, Indian sources quoted intelligence reports as saying that the People's Liberation Army's air defense and air force bases in areas close to the actual control line have also been upgraded, including hangar reinforcements and runway extensions. Another Indian official said that Chinese troops have added helicopter airfields in some places.
The Indian media also highlighted that the PLA’s weapons and equipment upgrades in border areas focus on enhancing firepower, increasing strike range, and having better mobility.
For example, in the upgrade of artillery , the towed howitzer will be gradually replaced by a vehicle-mounted howitzer with a range of approximately 50 kilometers. Indian military officials said the upgrade provides better mobility, shorter strike preparation time and a higher degree of automation.
Moreover, the Indian side also highlighted that the People's Liberation Army troops seem to have deployed the PHL-3 Multiple Rocket Launch System (MRLS) in the border area, with a strike range of more than 100 kilometers and better targeting capabilities than earlier versions. This has put great pressure on the Indian border forces.
In terms of air defense missiles, the People's Liberation Army has already implemented the combination of HQ-17 surface-to-air missiles and long-range HQ-9 air defense missiles. The HQ-9 is believed to have a range of approximately 100 to 300 kilometers. poses challenges to India’s aircraft movements in border areas.
In addition, "The Hindu" earlier reported that Chinese troops have increased the use of drones in the area along the actual control line and formed a drone network, which is used to perform various tasks, including intelligence, Surveillance and Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), and even logistics support.
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The Indian media used "sources" and "military intelligence" to exaggerate the upgrade of weapons and equipment of the Chinese troops in the border areas. In fact, the larger goal is not only to win eyeballs and obtain more traffic, but also to help the Indian army. The Indian side can get a bigger share of the "funding cake" domestically, giving the Indian army more funds to purchase and develop new weapons.
For example, the Indian media also mentioned that since the confrontation, India has also significantly expanded its military capabilities and enhanced infrastructure on the Indian side of the actual control line. At the same time, India has also deployed Buran multiple rocket launchers and BrahMos land-attack cruise missile systems in some areas close to the actual control line.
In an exclusive interview with the Press Trust of India, Indian Air Force Chief of Staff General Ram Chaudhry also confidently mentioned that India has the ability to complete "two-front operations."
Local Indian media reported on the 27th that Chaudhry said that India should understand the situation on its unstable western and northern borders as a "double-front" emergency and prepare accordingly. 's so-called "dual-front" emergencies refer to "challenges from China and Pakistan that may suddenly join forces to launch military threats."
Chaudhry said that India may be attacked in all fields in the future, from military confrontation to information manipulation and blockade, and India's security doctrine and capabilities must cater to this possibility.
He said, "We face different adversaries on the western and northern borders, both in nature and quantity. As the defense force, we are always vigilant to respond to any threats and defend national sovereignty at all costs."
This is not the first time that senior Indian military officials have mentioned "two-front warfare." Previously, several senior military officials, including India's first Chief of Defense Staff Rawat and former Army Chief of Staff Naravane, have expressed concern about the northern and expressed concern about possible coordinated threats on the Western Front.
The latest reports from Indian media stated that this is the first time that a senior commander in active duty has called for the development of a detailed plan to deal with the threat of "two-front warfare". "There is a need to be prepared for a short-term event-based operation, which requires rapid planning, rapid deployment of assets and rapid action," Chaudhry said.
He claimed that the Indian Air Force was undertaking complex work on all these fronts, To establish a reliable force to deal with all emergencies.
When asked by the media about the People's Liberation Army's rapid deployment along the actual control line in the so-called "Ladakh" region and the upgrading of air force equipment and facilities, Chaudhry declared, "The Indian Air Force can be ready in a very short period of time , provides the needed hit”.
He believes that the formulation of Indian army action plans, capability upgrades and corresponding training can meet the needs of simultaneous operations from one front or two fronts.
Chaudhry revealed that the infrastructure of the second French Rafale fighter squadron and subsequent operation and maintenance facilities have also been completed in the eastern sector, while the existing forward landing sites (ALGs) in the northeastern region have been upgraded. The Indian Air Force can deliver strikes at a very short notice.
Regarding China’s expansion of military infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control, including air defense weapons and related equipment, Chaudhry said that the Indian Air Force will continue to monitor the development of the People’s Liberation Army’s cross-border capabilities and take actions to mitigate any threats that such developments may pose.
Chowdhury said: "I am pleased to see that our infrastructure is being upgraded at a rapid pace to meet our new deployment requirements and operational requirements." He added that, for example, the "Chinook" helicopter deployed by the Indian Air Force has begun to be deployed at one of the two designated bases in the east, and the infrastructure construction of the second base is nearing completion.
Of course, many outsiders know very well how "watery" the Indian military's statement is.
Just like, India has always paid special attention to France's "Rafale" fighter . Indian media and some analysts even believe that India's "Rafale" fighter can fight against China's fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter.
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Qian Feng, director of the Research Department of the National Institute of Strategic Studies at Tsinghua University, told "Buyi Dao" that as the top general of the Indian Air Force, Chaudhry's statement represents the Indian military's views and stance on the "two-front combat" theory.
Moreover, the Press Trust of India is not only the largest news agency in India, but also the only news agency with a semi-official background, which has a certain degree of authority. Therefore, judging from this interview, the concept of "two-front operations" has now become the operational concept of the Indian military, especially the Air Force.
Qian Feng believes that Choudhury’s mention of “two-front warfare” at this time has two main meanings:
First, in India, we can continue to create a positive image of the Indian military, including the air force, and the military is still the backbone of national security. Defender. This is an attempt to alleviate and dispel the recent concerns of the public due to dissatisfaction with the conscription reform and doubts that the military reform may weaken national security.
Secondly, the current international security environment is more complicated due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. At the same time, India's military reform continues to advance. Against this background, the Air Force's unique capabilities in modern combat are high-profile, with the purpose of differentiating the Air Force from the competition among the three services. Get more cake for more resources and support.
Chaudhry's statement also clarified the future construction goals, development priorities and direction of the Indian Air Force to the international community, and conveyed the Indian Army's determination to continue to strengthen the so-called "deterrence capability" to deal with China and Pakistan, the two traditional security rivals.
An anonymous military expert told "Bi Yi Dao" that "The Hindu"'s exaggeration of the weaponry and equipment upgrades and related infrastructure construction of the Chinese troops on the Sino-Indian border are all the methods and methods that the Indian media have used in the past, and we have become accustomed to them. .
The Chinese military has advantages over India in this regard, but we have no intention of provoking new frictions. China has been very restrained. The Indian side should be able to feel this. Because in terms of our own weapon design and production capabilities, we have strong manufacturing capabilities in basically all main weapons and equipment, and we produce them completely independently.
However, India cannot do it yet. India still needs to purchase many important weapons and equipment from abroad. However, the current manufacturing efficiency of Western countries is not high, so India depends on others. At this point, India is at a disadvantage compared with China. We adjust our production and manufacturing plans entirely based on our own needs. The production speed of
is also among the best in the world.
"Buyi Dao" also noticed that on June 22, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the new Indian Ambassador to China Luo Guodong. Wang Yi said that the common interests between China and India far outweigh their differences, and they should achieve mutual success rather than deplete each other.
China and India are two ancient oriental civilizations, two major emerging developing countries, and even more so, two neighboring countries.China-India relations attract global attention and concern the people of the two countries. They are related to the well-being of the 2.8 billion people in the two countries and whether the world can truly realize justice, equality and harmony. China and India should strengthen cooperation instead of guarding against each other, and enhance trust instead of suspicion of each other.
Wang Yi said that both sides should meet each other halfway, promote China-India relations to maintain the momentum of recovery, return to the track of stable and healthy development at an early date, work together to cope with various global challenges, and safeguard the common interests of China and India and the vast number of developing countries. Foreign Minister Jaishankar has recently publicly expressed his disapproval of " Eurocentric theory " and does not want external forces to interfere in Sino-Indian relations, which reflects India's tradition of independence.
Therefore, we still hope that India can do more things that are conducive to the restoration and development of Sino-Indian relations. In the current turbulent international situation, it is even more important for the two major countries of China and India to maintain stable relations.
Thanks to Guo Yuandan for providing help with this article.
The pictures are from the Internet.
