From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: India cannot match China in building military infrastructure bordering Northeast, but it will have a massive mountain strike corps which can counter the communist might in case of eventuality.
Most importantly the Indian Air Force (IAF) will now be part of the proposed mountain strike corps that will be based in Northeast and Uttarakhand.
The proposal reinforces the need for setting up the corps at the earliest with air elements including combat helicopters to provide cover to advancing troops from enemy and destroy its fortified positions and gun locations.
Moreover, the new plan also gives details of the deployment of frontline IAF fighter jets in forward bases in the North-East and Uttarakhand and requirements to upgrade these bases to aid the proposed corps, reports said.
The precise objective was to launch a counter-offensive in Tibet if China carries out a Kargil-type adventure. Moreover, rapid modernisation of China’s armed forces and its vastly superior infrastructure in Tibet and other areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) opposite Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh regions was another reason for this strike corps as China has carried out offensive exercises in Tibet Autonomous Region in the past few years.
The Army has already started raising the 10,000 strong second mountain division. The first division, brainchild of former Army Chief VK Singh was raised a year back for Arunachal Pradesh and these two divisions will form part of the strike corps, the report said.
On the other hand, China has improved its military infrastructure backed by excellent sensors and radars and therefore, did not need to have troops on the ground to guard its territory. Enjoying this advantage over India, China has not increased its troop strength in the last few years.
But India lacks infrastructure including roads, rail and airfields and has to maintain its presence in the Ladakh region and Arunachal Pradesh throughout the year. While China has built more than a 10,000-km long rail network and airports in the Tibet region and can rush troops and maintain logistical support in case of an eventuality, India is way behind and troops have to be physically present there.
This move for more mountain strike corps and ancillary infrastructure costing a whopping 60,000 crore rupees was first returned by the Government on the grounds that it was too Army-specific and that the three Services should jointly put up the proposal.
Hence, the new proposal sent to the Defence Ministry by Chairman Chief of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne 10 days back projects requirements for combat helicopters, radars, anti-aircraft and anti-missile guns and electronic surveillance equipment.