Jammu: The Indian Army is fully prepared to fight a full-blown war even in the winters in eastern Ladakh and if China creates the conditions for war, they will face better trained, better prepared, fully rested and psychologically hardened Indian troops said Brig (retd) Hemant Mahajan.
The retired army officer’s assessment titled “Operational Logistics Readiness of the Indian Army” was included in a statement distributed to the media by the PRO Army Northern Command in Udhampur earlier in the day. In evening emails to the media, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) said the statement “does not represent the views of either the Northern Command or the Indian Army” and could be treated as “canceled. “.
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In separate WhatsApp messages, the PRO further stated that the statement was the opinion of Brig (retd) Hemant Mahajan and was “wrongly transmitted” as a statement from the Northern Command. According to Mahajan, compared to Indian troops physically and psychologically hardened by battle, Chinese troops mostly come from urban areas and are not used to hardships or prolonged deployment in field conditions.
The retired officer’s comments came in the context of a report by China’s official media outlet Global Times that India’s operational logistics are not adequately prepared and will not be able to fight effectively during winters. “This can best be attributed to ignorance. The Indian army is fully prepared and more than capable of waging a full-blown war even in winters in eastern Ladakh,” said Brig (retd) Mahajan.
“India is a peace-loving country and wants to have good relations with its neighbors. India always prefers to solve problems through dialogue. While talks are being held to solve border problems with China in eastern Ladakh, at the level military is well prepared for the prolonged confrontation, “he said. He said altitudes in Ladakh range from ‘high to very high altitudes’ and that there is a lot of snowfall of up to 40 feet after November.
“Along with this, the temperature dropping to minus 30 or 40 degrees Celsius is a common phenomenon. The wind chill factor makes things even worse for the troops. Roads are also closed due to snow. But despite everything This, the most encouraging part of India is that Indian soldiers have a lot of experience in winter warfare and are psychologically tuned to operate on short notice, “he added. While these facts are known to the world, he said, adding that the operational logistics capabilities, however, are hardly known.
Logistical capacity relates to mobility, habitat and accommodation, quality health services, special rations, repair and recovery, heating systems, high-quality weapons, ammunition, quality clothing, etc. While much of these capabilities existed before and the troops could just plug and play, it has also been boosted a lot since May this year when China showed the first signs of aggression, “he said.
The retired brigadier said it is important to understand that the Indian army has the experience of Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world, where conditions are much more demanding than the borders with China.
“Traditionally, there were two routes to enter Ladakh, via Zojila (Srinagar-Leh highway) and Rohtang (Manali-Leh) passes. Recently, India commissioned a third highway from Darcha to Leh, which is much shorter. in terms of distance and less prone to closure, “he added. He said the completion of the Atal tunnel on the Rohtang route has forcefully multiplied logistics capabilities.
“In addition, we have a large number of air bases with the help of which we can maintain the Army well. Modern snow clearing equipment has also been placed on these routes to keep them open beyond November, which gives us more time to the daily maintenance of the troops, “he added.
Mahajan said fuel and special lubricants for tanks and armored personnel carriers have also been properly stored, including spare parts for maintenance. “Water points and tube wells have been established for troops and animals such as mules and yaks. Living barracks have also been prepared that are comfortable and warm,” he said. He said that facilities such as the central heating system are some of the high points of these facilities.
“Ammunition of various types, including small arms, missiles and ammunition from tanks and artillery, has also been adequately stored. The medical system is also ready for any eventuality.” He further said: “China’s concept has always been to win wars without fighting, therefore if they create the conditions for war, they will find better trained, better prepared, fully rested and psychologically hardened Indian troops. These concerns have been been seeping into the minds of Chinese troops and are visible in the Chinese media. “
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