The looming confrontation over Arunachal

[Sridhar]

When did that "shooting down" (read crash) of the AN-32 take place??

9/6/2009

http://www.defenceforum.in/forum/showthread.php?t=1546&p=25346&viewfull=1#post25346

 

[black eagle]

China's first air-ground exercise with live ammunition in Tibet

BY: TOI

Months after it stepped up military activities in Tibet by pressing Su 30 fighters into action from newly renovated airbases, China has announced that it has carried out its first air-ground exercise in the region that involved live ammunition.

While the dates of the live ammunition exercise have not been revealed, an article in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Daily — the official publication of the Chinese military — says the drill was conducted 'recently' at an altitude of over 4,700 meters.

Though details have not been revealed, very few countries have carried out accurate live bombing at such high altitudes, mainly due to the rarefied atmosphere and low performance of aircraft at such heights.

The Indian Air Force (IAF), which was pressed into service to attack enemy positions at similar altitudes during the Kargil conflict, had to retrofit aircraft and modify ammunition for accurate delivery of weapons.

The PLA Daily report says that the exercise was conducted 'near the foot of the snowcapped mountains on the Tibetan Plateau' under the Tibet Military Command. "Troops of air force, armour, artillery and electronic warfare divisions participated in the exercise," the report says.

The article goes on to say that the exercise will have a significant role in "exploring training patterns in mountainous and cold areas as well as improving combat capabilities".

"They (soldiers) overcame the effects on their physical and mental health caused by coldness and oxygen deficits and finished the first joint training and exercise," the report says.

The exercise comes months after the Chinese PLA carried out a major exercise in Tibet with its Air Force that saw Sukhoi-30s being pressed into action for the first time.

India believes that seven airfields in Tibet can be used to operate Su-30s, which are the most advanced fighters in service with the Chinese air force. Two of these have been built recently.

The Tibet Military Command has been holding exercises and testing the Tibet railway for carrying military equipment since the beginning of the year.

http://idrw.org/?p=1063

 

[vikramrana_1812]

Unsure of China's motives, but 1962 repeat not possible: VK Singh


​

Read more: Unsure of China's motives, but 1962 repeat not possible: VK Singh - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...K-Singh/articleshow/6882711.cms#ixzz14gfMHEMn
NEW DELHI: Army Chief General V K Singh has said India was "not sure" of China's intentions for developing infrastructure along the borders, but a repeat of the 1962 aggression was "never" possible.

Describing the regional security situation as "fragile," Singh said Pakistan Army's India-centric posturing and diversion of US counter-terrorism military aid against India were matters of concern.

"China is doing a great amount of infrastructure development, which it says is for locals of the area. No bones about it, no crib about it. But our problem is we are not very sure about the intentions. And when intentions change, with this capability, things can go wrong. And that is what is a matter of concern," he said.

"But, there is going to be no 1962. Never," he said, referring to the Chinese aggression of Indian territory that year.

Singh reasoned that he did not see the kind of signages of 1962 at present, as there were no military build up or territorial claims that were witnessed just before the only time the two countries went to war.

"Absolutely, with full conviction," he said, when asked if he was confident there would be no repeat of history.

"Things are better than what it was in 1962," he said, noting that situation along the borders was peaceful "to an extent" and the stand-offs were within the known parameters governed by Confidence Building Measures, with "nothing going astray".

There were also mechanisms between the two countries now to take care of such stand-offs. But there was a question mark over the intentions of China's infrastructure development, he said.

On regional security, Singh said, "Any country which has unsettled borders, which are undemarcated and with problems, the security situation in the overall calculus remains fragile. It remains a cause for concern and that is what it is."

On Pakistan, the Army Chief told the 'Devil's Advocate' talk show on CNN-IBN that "the major problem is that the terrorist infrastructure is intact (across the border)".

Pointing to Pakistan Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani's remarks that his whole Army was India-centric, Singh said, "when you combine this (with the economic condition, terror and political uncertainty there), it means the following: That the proxy war will carry on. And they will keep looking for an alibi. And this is a matter of concern."

On the $2 billion American military aid to Pakistan for war against terror, Singh said all aid that were ever given to Pakistan were diverted against India and there were credible inputs to support this charge.

"Historically, all aid that has ever come to Pakistan, for whatever purposes, despite the assurances, have been used against India. We have credible inputs to say that out of this assistance to fight terror in Afghanistan and coalition support, a fair amount is being funnelled for upgrading capability against India," the Army Chief said.

But, Singh said, India was not concerned over build up of capabilities of the Pakistan Army by inducting new technology and that it was ready to meet the challenge.

"Pakistan is doing the same and we are doing the same. I am not really much concerned about where they have gone. But what I am concerned is that I should be able to meet the type of threat that comes up. Let me assure you, we are prepared to meet any challenge that comes to our nation," Singh said.

On the possibility of a two-front war with Pakistan and China, Singh said the Army was capable of meeting any threat that the country may face, whether on one side of the border or on two sides.

"But time will decide. I am quite sure our political and diplomatic initiatives will be able to mesh in with what we want to do militarily and achieve right type of results that is required by the country," he said.

Read more: Unsure of China's motives, but 1962 repeat not possible: VK Singh - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...K-Singh/articleshow/6882711.cms#ixzz14gfMHEMn​

 

[black eagle]

2 mountain divisions to counter China
Rajat Pandit, TNN, Nov 22, 2010, 02.40am IST

NEW DELHI: With China's "assertive" behaviour showing no signs of abating, India is fast-tracking new troop formations for the North-East. Apart from the two new infantry divisions, this includes the interesting experiment of new Arunachal and Sikkim Scouts battalions.

Defence ministry officials said the two fresh infantry mountain divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers, should be "fully-operational with specialised equipment" by next year. Similarly, the first battalion of Arunachal Scouts will be up and running by May 2011.

While the new 56 Division has its HQ in Zakama (Nagaland) under the Dimapur-based 3 Corps, the 71 Division at Missamari (Assam) falls in the operational command of the Tezpur-based 4 Corps. Both the new formations are primarily tasked with the defence of Arunachal Pradesh.

"The two divisions are now virtually in place, with officers and soldiers already being posted for them. They are in process of getting new equipment, which includes armoured personnel carriers and light howitzers," said an official.

While this conventional troop-building continues, the experiment of Arunachal Scouts is also underway with the training of its first battalion beginning at Assam Regimental Centre at Shillong earlier this month.

"As of now, the government has approved one battalion of Arunachal Scouts. Sikkim Scouts is in the pipeline," said an officer. Patented on the Ladakh Scouts, which was elevated to a full-fledged infantry regiment after its sterling role in dislodging Pakistani intruders during the 1999 Kargil conflict, Arunachal Scouts are also based on the "sons of the soil" concept.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/2-mountain-divisions-to-counter-China/articleshow/6966941.cms

 

[Rama]

peace is only possible when you have strength CHINA ONLY UNDERSTANDS THIS GOOD GOING INDIA

 

[sandeepdg]

It is for this reason that we are buying the M777 howitzers for the 2 new mountain infantry battalions being raised in the Northeast.