Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Bellum_Romanum said:

Of course that's always the caveat or conditions to gauge any country's military capabilities including logistics. But the comparison being made between IA and the PLA isn't exactly under different conditions; these recent exercises were done under relatively peaceful conditions and the stark contrast is clear as night and day, unless you have a different opinion.

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The Indian exercise was at 4000m+ in Ladakh whilst the PLA one was in the middle of a city in the lowlands with I guess plenty of road access. Also we don't know how long it took to complete the bridge in each case. I expect the Indian army could build a bridge as long as the PLA one, given sufficient time and equipment.

Another handy hint the Russians (re)learned to their cost - never underestimate your opponent.

Maikeru said:

The Indian exercise was at 4000m+ in Ladakh whilst the PLA one was in the middle of a city in the lowlands with I guess plenty of road access. Also we don't know how long it took to complete the bridge in each case. I expect the Indian army could build a bridge as long as the PLA one, given sufficient time and equipment.

Another handy hint the Russians (re)learned to their cost - never underestimate your opponent.

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In what universe has the PLA or even most of us here, myself included that underestimate IA when it's actually the opposite. You want proof? Read, watch, any of the IA retired general officers and almost all will tell anyone willing to listen that Indian military is ahead of the PLA not only in qualitative training, doctrine, bravery, tactical acumen, equipment etc..not to mention if you wade into any pro-Indian defense forums the level of jai Hind and China racist bashing is next level. So I don't get where you're coming at, and if am being blunt here, you're response is actually quite irritating and annoying to be exact.

Like, what's your angle here in the first place? Are you trying to contend that IA is better than the PLA on what area, be specific, since you seem to give the IA claims beyond more than a benefit of the doubt despite their history replete of boasting and chest thumping.

Lastly, China ain't Russia, and Taiwan isn't Ukraine. The only way Taiwan and Ukraine is comparable in some meaningful sense is that both are being used as geopolitical tools/weapons to enrage and goad a violent reaction from Russia with their current so-called special operations a.k.a. Invasion of Ukraine, while the other has been poking, trolling China to force it's hands in armed reunification with Taiwan. Ukraine is a sovereign state, while Taiwan isn't unless you're also one of this persistent westerners who love to insist otherwise international law be damned.

Bellum_Romanum said:

In what universe has the PLA or even most of us here, myself included that underestimate IA when it's actually the opposite. You want proof? Read, watch, any of the IA retired general officers and almost all will tell anyone willing to listen that Indian military is ahead of the PLA not only in qualitative training, doctrine, bravery, tactical acumen, equipment etc..not to mention if you wade into any pro-Indian defense forums the level of jai Hind and China racist bashing is next level. So I don't get where you're coming at, and if am being blunt here, you're response is actually quite irritating and annoying to be exact.

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Yes I am aware of the J-H- tendency. People here were laughing at the Indian bridge vs the PLA bridge. I was putting in some context.

Bellum_Romanum said:

Like, what's your angle here in the first place? Are you trying to contend that IA is better than the PLA on what area, be specific, since you seem to give the IA claims beyond more than a benefit of the doubt despite their history replete of boasting and chest thumping.

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When did I do that? As I said, people laughed at the Indian bridge, I pointed out that the contexts were in fact quite different and we did not have enough info (i.e. how long each bridge took to build) to make a judgment, that's all.

Bellum_Romanum said:

Lastly, China ain't Russia, and Taiwan isn't Ukraine. The only way Taiwan and Ukraine is comparable in some meaningful sense is that both are being used as geopolitical tools/weapons to enrage and goad a violent reaction from Russia with their current so-called special operations a.k.a. Invasion of Ukraine, while the other has been poking, trolling China to force it's hands in armed reunification with Taiwan. Ukraine is a sovereign state, while Taiwan isn't unless you're also one of this persistent westerners who love to insist otherwise international law be damned.

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I did not mention Taiwan. I mentioned that the Russian army had (re)discovered that RCOs under fire are very difficult, and you shouldn't underestimate your opponent.

I don't know what your point is, actually. Don't bother, you are obviously easily offended and I have better things to do with my time.

Maikeru said:

The Indian exercise was at 4000m+ in Ladakh whilst the PLA one was in the middle of a city in the lowlands with I guess plenty of road access. Also we don't know how long it took to complete the bridge in each case. I expect the Indian army could build a bridge as long as the PLA one, given sufficient time and equipment.

Another handy hint the Russians (re)learned to their cost - never underestimate your opponent.

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You don't want to go down this road. Seriously, you don't.

siegecrossbow said:

You don't want to go down this road. Seriously, you don't.

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Yeah I get that now.

Maikeru said:

Yes I am aware of the J-H- tendency. People here were laughing at the Indian bridge vs the PLA bridge. I was putting in some context.


When did I do that? As I said, people laughed at the Indian bridge, I pointed out that the contexts were in fact quite different and we did not have enough info (i.e. how long each bridge took to build) to make a judgment, that's all.

I did not mention Taiwan. I mentioned that the Russian army had (re)discovered that RCOs under fire are very difficult, and you shouldn't underestimate your opponent.

I don't know what your point is, actually. Don't bother, you are obviously easily offended and I have better things to do with my time.

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My apologies for responding like a cranky old bastard, and I appreciate your more reasonable response than what I provided from my previous comment. I am guilty of casting or inferring meanings unto your posts where none existed.

siegecrossbow said:

You don't want to go down this road. Seriously, you don't.

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Indulge us. I'm not arguing against you, but I do want to know more.

If you have time and are willing, could you explain why the IA's achievement of building that bridge at 4000m+ in Ladakh isn't quite as much of an achievement (compared to PLA capabilities) as it might seem?

Abominable said:

The fact that the government wastes billions on pointless vanity military projects and space programmes while it's people are starving and can't poo in the loo?

It's a cultural factor. Indians value the life of a cow more than they do their own people. While I think colonialism was bad, India was one of the few places in the world that actually benefitted from it. The British outlawed barbaric practices (or at least tried to) and built institutions which you have run into the ground. India today is undergoing a slow reversion to animism.

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Ironically enough, I'm actually British. I'm not Indian, nor have I ever been to India (but I have been to China and follow it on the news, hence my interest in this forum).

I get that my comment looked defensive for India (and that can get some more reactionary members to go straight to assuming my nationality, or maybe that was just a typo?), but it isn't. I'm not defending India, partly because I don't know enough about it in the first place. I try to be as neutral as possible and ask questions about the situation so I can learn more. I presented a fact (people did once believe that China would collapse under its own weight; many still do) and asked for further information and arguments to support presented claims. The coming collapse of a nation is a big claim, so it needs equally "big" evidence in support of it, otherwise it'll end up like those YouTube videos racking up millions of views by saying China will collapse on, checks notes, the 11th September 2022. Whoops, it seems to be the 14th September today. I imagine China is still a thing.

Looking through all those answers, I now have a lot more stuff to read through. Thank you all for providing sources and data that I requested, as well as additional theories (such as by user Nobo). If anyone has anything else to add, please do. I'm interested in learning more about the China/India dynamic.

Aval said:

Indulge us. I'm not arguing against you, but I do want to know more.

If you have time and are willing, could you explain why the IA's achievement of building that bridge at 4000m+ in Ladakh isn't quite as much of an achievement (compared to PLA capabilities) as it might seem?

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Because China has exercises building pontoon bridges under the same or worse conditions way more often? Or how about high altitude testing of guided MLRS, combined arms exercises, artillery fire to cover the other side of the hill. Exercises with tanks traversing water logged terrain that could even entrap a relatively light tank like the type 15. Exercises where tanks with damaged tracks are quickly swapped with maintenance vehicles, or entire engine swaps done under an hour.

Or how about rotating troops from the Eastern or Central Theater Command in and into Tibet or Xinjiang where they not only have to quickly adjust to altitude sickness but conduct exercises immediately after acclimation. Use of drones for scouting, transport, and guidance of PGMs fired by attack helos so manned assets are not harmed.

The funniest thing is that none of this is secret. All of it is available in video form on CCTV 7 YouTube. But very few people watch them.

Aval said:

Looking through all those answers, I now have a lot more stuff to read through. Thank you all for providing sources and data that I requested, as well as additional theories (such as by user Nobo). If anyone has anything else to add, please do. I'm interested in learning more about the China/India dynamic.

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This is the CCTV 7 Youtube channel

Another recently created official channel (don't know why they setup another one)

A few exercises that look to be taken in Tibet