The Army conducted an exercise with armoured elements in the Super High Altitude Area (SHAA) of Ladakh under the aegis of the Leh based 14 Corps.
This comes in the backdrop of the Army’s renewed focus on beefing up armour in high altitude terrain following the deployment of tanks by India and China during the last year stand-off in Eastern Ladakh.
“Lt Gen PGK Menon, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Fire And Fury Corps reviewed the operational preparedness of Snow Leopard Brigade on Thursday through integrated manoeuvre and live fire exercise in SHAA of Ladakh,” the Defence PRO in Srinagar said on Twitter.
The Snow Leopard Brigade is located at Nyoma, which is very close to the Chushul range, according to a defence source.
During the last year stand-off, India and China deployed tanks at SHAA on the South Bank of Pangong Tso (lake) at very close proximity, just few 100 metres apart, with their barrels facing each other.
First phase of disengagement
Snow Leopard Brigade: Army conducts an exercise with armoured elements in the Super High Altitude Area (SHAA) of Ladakh, September 2, 2021
As part of the first phase of disengagement from Pangong Tso in February last, tanks and armoured elements on the South bank were withdrawn along with frontline troops and other equipment.
After a major reorganisation in 2017, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was all mechanised, a second defence source said. “The terrain here permits use of tanks and mechanised elements as there are lots of plains in Eastern Ladakh,” the source stated, pointing to the possibility of tank battles in this area.
Over the last decade, India has significantly augmented its infrastructure and deployments in Ladakh. For instance, since 2012, the Army began deploying troops on longer tenures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) instead of loop batallions, which were on six-month short tenures, which meant availability of more acclimatised troops and more patrols in the claim areas. In addition, beginning 2014, India started deploying tank regiments consisting of T-72s in Eastern Ladakh. One tank regiment was deployed in 2014, the second one in 2016 and a third one later, completing the full brigade.
Additional five friction points
In Eastern Ladakh, India and China have two mutually agreed disputed areas, Trig Heights and Demchok, and 10 areas of differing perception. Officials said that since the stand-off, additional five friction points have emerged. These are Km 120 in Galwan area, Patrolling Point (PP) 15 and PP17, and Rechin La and Rezang La on the South Bank of Pangong Tso, a second official said.
Last few years, India had increased its overall troop presence and after the stand-off, the Army has retasked several formations from the Pakistan front towards the China front. As part of this, key elements of the Army’s 1 Strike Corps facing Pakistan have been reoriented and brought under the Northern Command.
In 2002, India and China exchanged maps of the LAC in the middle and western sectors. While middle sector happened smoothly, in the Western sector, the Chinese saw the map of the Depsang bulge and said ‘we are expanding our claim lines’ and the exchange failed, the official observed.
While Demchok is one of the two mutually agreed disputed areas in Eastern Ladakh, Depsang is one of the eight friction points in the area. In Demchok, where there are claims in the Charding La area, China has set up tents on this side of Charding nala.
“The presence remains and we want them to go back behind the Charding nala, for which we have been negotiating,” the official stated.
