With the approaching winters, the problem of severe cold has started for the Indian army that is protecting the border day and night amid a standoff between India and China in Ladakh.
But to tackle the problems the Indian Army has started its preparations. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is 826 kilometer long and India is planning to deploy more troops there. From clothing, rations, fuel, tents to heating appliances all have reached the troops. The region of Ladakh witnesses around minus 40 degree temperature during winters.
The Union territory of Ladakh gets cut-off from the entire nation in the winter season due to snowfall.
Indian Army has already received the packs of hand securing gloves, well-knitted sleeping bags, leather boots, and double-layered jackets which will help the army in extremely cold conditions. The army has also equipped themselves with destructive armories that will last through the winter season.
As per the reports from experts, the expenses of maintaining regular supply chains of material to the Indian Army will be going to increase and that will be a challenge for the central government. The Indian army has already prepared bunker beds with heating appliances for ten thousand troops and with some additional troops, the Army is also working on the first plan for the soldiers.
The central Government has already decided to provide the Indian Army with new sleeping habitats like arctic tents and a high-nutrient diet to 30,000 soldiers who have been guarding the border since May with heavy equipment to respond to any action from the Chinese side. Earlier in winters, the Indian army usually decreases its numbers from the border in the Ladakh region but this year because of rising tension with China along the LAC the army has deployed more soldiers on the border.
According to the army, the shelters will be made in two stages one right at the front, closer to the LAC to immediately react to the actions by the Chinese army and other in the deeper areas of the border where there can be chances of infiltration by Chinese soldiers and to provide backup to the frontline soldiers.
The forward troops are provided with extra stocks to meet the requirements for more than 15 days, while the other troops are provided with extra stocks to meet the requirements for more than a week. Also, the stocks are placed in such a manner that they can be transported to the troops within 24 hours.
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Indian Army is fully prepared in terms of soldiers, ammunition, and equipment to tackle the winter season. Currently, there are more than forty thousand soldiers being deployed at the border by both countries. In the coming months, the Atal tunnel and the Darcha-Nimu-Padam link will connect Ladakh with the Country and both these routes will make Ladakh open for traveling for the entire year.
While talking to Financial Express, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Manoj K Channan said that the current standoff between India and China has become a nightmare for the operation and logistics staff, as the modern army requires much more than a piece of bread and soup. He said that because of the super high altitude, desert terrain, and limited vegetation the items needed to be transported both by rail and air. He also said that while the winter stockings have to be carried out the logistic staff has also to look for the communication to be opened irrespective of the border.
There is a need to ensure that the troops should be given rest so that the mental fatigue of deployment in the cold region should not affect the morale of the soldiers. He concludes by saying that the military is well-sized for the challenges they have to face in extreme conditions and they should have solutions for the problems with years of experience of being deployed in such areas.
Another senior army officer said the army has deployed more engineer troops to meet the complete all the operational requirements and also have temporary experience of guarding the area along the Line of Actual Control.
He said that the arctic tents have been set up to meet the extreme conditions of high altitudes and minus temperatures.
For faster needs in such situations the Director-General of Military Operations (MO), Military Intelligence (MI), and Vice-Chief of Operations and Logistics (OL) give direction to other directorates. Military Intelligence gets the information, Military Operations makes the operational plan, and Operations and Logistics provide support to the army officials and soldiers at the border. All the warehouses of the OL are completely full to the brim.
According to Major General Arvind Kapoor, chief of staff of the Fire and Fury Corps the stockings either be it rations, fuels, oils, tentage, heating appliances, or ammunition we are in good numbers. Whenever these things are required to transport, they will be supplied immediately. He said that the system is working smoothly that in the coming days it will give excellent results.
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