Sensing Chinese threat, India tests rapid response ability at over 14,000 feet in Ladakh

Amid continued tension along the Line of Actual Control in the eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army has carried out an airborne exercise to validate its rapid response capabilities along the northern borders in the Ladakh region. Army sources said that airborne soldiers were parachuted into a drop zone located at an altitude of over 14,000 feet. 

Sources said that pre-acclimatised troops, missile detachments and specialist vehicles were transported through AN 32 and C-130 transport aircraft from five different mounting bases to validate precision stand-off drops, rapid grouping, inter-theatre move and capture of designated objectives with surprise.

The exercise, which was conducted under the Shatrujeet Brigade of the Indian Army, also involved conducting integrated battle drills by airborne forces, mechanised columns and attack helicopters, oxygen combat free fall jumps and validating capabilities and seamless integration. The exercise is being carried out under challenging circumstances, including low temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees and a rarefied atmosphere in super-high altitude terrain. 

The timing of the drill assumes significance as the two neighbouring countries are locked in a border standoff in the region since 18 months. The exercise also comes after the two sides, three weeks ago, held their 13th round of Corps Commanders-level talk that ended inconclusively. Recently, China passed a new boundary law, which New Delhi has called as a "unilateral" move with implications on the bilateral border agreements.

Since the border tension began in May last year, the Chinese have increased their frequency and duration of exercises along the LAC. About two weeks back, in an interaction with a group of journalists from Delhi at Rupa, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Pande had said that, unlike the previous years when the Chinese forces were exercising in their traditional areas, this year they had increased the scale of their wargaming and the duration of their exercises.

Earlier this month, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane had said that if China's PLA is going to stay in the Ladakh region so is the Indian Army. In September too, the Indian Army had conducted an integrated manoeuvre and live-fire exercise in the region at an altitude of over 15000 feet. The drill was also reviewed by Leh-based XIV Corps Lt Gen PGK Menon.

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