India Fortifies Border With China, Deploys US Made Weapons: Report

In view of increasing concerns about Chinese assertiveness, these weapons have been acquired in the past few years as the defence ties have strengthened between Washington and New Delhi.

Representative Photo: Getty Images

New Delhi: Amid increasing border tensions, India as part of a new offensive power to bolster its capabilities has deployed recently acquired United States-made weaponry along its border with China.

According to a Bloomberg report, the United States-manufactured Chinook helicopters, ultra-light towed howitzers and rifles as well as domestically made supersonic cruise missiles and a new-age surveillance system will now back the Indian troops in areas bordering eastern Tibet.

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In view of increasing concerns about Chinese assertiveness, these weapons have been acquired in the past few years as the defence ties have strengthened between Washington and New Delhi.

The buildup in the country’s north-east is centered on the Tawang Plateau adjoining Bhutan and Tibet, a piece of land claimed by China but controlled by India.

Stating that boots, armor, artillery and air support were being combined to make the force “agile, lean and mean so that we can employ faster”, Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Pande had earlier said the “Mountain Strike Corps is fully operationalised”.

“All units, including combat and combat support units, are fully raised and equipped,” he added.

This move by New Delhi comes as at least 20 Indian Army personnel and four Chinese soldiers were killed last year after the worst fighting along the border with China in decades.

Despite engaging in talks to disengage, India and China have yet to agree on pulling back from a key flashpoint in another border area near Kashmir.

Dr Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation, however, criticized New Delhi’s move stating India's deployments show a frustration with the lack of progress on talks with China.

“That we are looking at a second winter engaged at the border explains why India needs to work on building its capabilities and infrastructure at the border and source more equipment from partners like the U.S.,” she said.