Indian Military News

Finally found some photos of the Indian Navy's Sea Harrier LUSH upgrade. Not an F/A 2, but nonetheless impressive:

According to China's news, India will be launching a test for another anti-missile defense system this month. Here's a quick background on India's anti-missile defense system: .

New Indian Army Strike Corp's to face China

The Indian government is planning to raise 50.000+ troops to be deployed along Indo-China border. If the Indian Army plan is implemented, in my opinion they will have the conventional edge along the border, especially if war is short and Chinese army has little time to mobilize. Since Strike Corp's are solely offensive in nature, its interesting to see how this will be viewed in Beijing.



Army to induct 'offensive' corps along China border

NEW DELHI: The Indian security establishment is considering the largest-ever upgrade of military capabilities along the China border as it tries to catch up with the militarily advanced neighbour.

Sources told TOI that the defence ministry has proposed the setting up of a Mountain Strike Corps and two Independent Brigades along the China border. The proposed corps would be India's fourth strike corps and the only one dedicated for offensive operations in mountainous terrain.

When contacted, a senior Army official looking after media affairs denied any such move. However, authoritative sources said the Cabinet Committee on Security is set to consider the proposal in the coming weeks. Once approved, the proposal would lead to a massive upgrade in India's military capabilities, and would be a huge step-up of Army presence along the border.

A senior official in the security establishment told TOI that the entire proposal was part of Army leadership's "vision" to catch up with China in military capabilities. The entire effort was "defensive in nature", he said.

Presently, Indian Army is engaged in raising two mountain divisions along the border with the giant neighbour. The proposed strike corps and two independent brigades would be separate from the two divisions being raised, he said.

The Army proposal, now under consideration at the highest levels of the government, envisages an expenditure of Rs 9,500 crore. The cost is primarily for new equipment such as ultra light howitzers and helicopters required for creating these highly mobile units. Units of the strike corps, to be based somewhere in the northeast, would be capable of operating like rapid reaction forces. The strike corps would have two divisions and other support troops, TOI has learned.

The Army proposal includes raising of an independent brigade in Ladakh, and another brigade in Uttarakhand. Sources within the security establishment have for long been worried about India's military weaknesses before China's intimidating military modernisation. Coupled with a weak infrastructure, India's situation has been worrying to security experts.

After the defeat of 1962, India abandoned infrastructure development along border areas with China for decades.

Baibar, I moved your post to this thread as a precautionary move to prevent any flaming.I'll keep an eye on this article.

bd popeye super moderator

Bltizo said:

Hooray for the Astra missile!

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Indian news article remind me of the Great Leap Forward, with all its non-sensical proclamations of achieving 'firsts' and downright sloppy journalism on what other countries have achieved.

The first country outside of NATO and Russia? What the hell kind of 'first' is that? Might as well make a list of all the countries that have already developed 'sophisticated supersonic AAMs' and then claim India is the first since them.

If they were to make such a list, then they may wish to add Taiwan, South Africa, Israel and China to it, as they have all successfully developed medium range ARHAAMs before India, and non of them are NATO or Russia last time I checked.

Baibar of Jalat said:

The Indian government is planning to raise 50.000+ troops to be deployed along Indo-China border. If the Indian Army plan is implemented, in my opinion they will have the conventional edge along the border, especially if war is short and Chinese army has little time to mobilize. Since Strike Corp's are solely offensive in nature, its interesting to see how this will be viewed in Beijing.

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Army to induct 'offensive' corps along China border

NEW DELHI: The Indian security establishment is considering the largest-ever upgrade of military capabilities along the China border as it tries to catch up with the militarily advanced neighbour.

Sources told TOI that the defence ministry has proposed the setting up of a Mountain Strike Corps and two Independent Brigades along the China border. The proposed corps would be India's fourth strike corps and the only one dedicated for offensive operations in mountainous terrain.

When contacted, a senior Army official looking after media affairs denied any such move. However, authoritative sources said the Cabinet Committee on Security is set to consider the proposal in the coming weeks. Once approved, the proposal would lead to a massive upgrade in India's military capabilities, and would be a huge step-up of Army presence along the border.

A senior official in the security establishment told TOI that the entire proposal was part of Army leadership's "vision" to catch up with China in military capabilities. The entire effort was "defensive in nature", he said.

Presently, Indian Army is engaged in raising two mountain divisions along the border with the giant neighbour. The proposed strike corps and two independent brigades would be separate from the two divisions being raised, he said.

The Army proposal, now under consideration at the highest levels of the government, envisages an expenditure of Rs 9,500 crore. The cost is primarily for new equipment such as ultra light howitzers and helicopters required for creating these highly mobile units. Units of the strike corps, to be based somewhere in the northeast, would be capable of operating like rapid reaction forces. The strike corps would have two divisions and other support troops, TOI has learned.

The Army proposal includes raising of an independent brigade in Ladakh, and another brigade in Uttarakhand. Sources within the security establishment have for long been worried about India's military weaknesses before China's intimidating military modernisation. Coupled with a weak infrastructure, India's situation has been worrying to security experts.

After the defeat of 1962, India abandoned infrastructure development along border areas with China for decades.

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The Indians are still so spooked from '62 that they have not developed any decent infrastructure up to the boarder regions in case the Chinese attack and get to use the fancy new roads and railways and stream all the way down.

However that puts them at a terrible disadvantage logistically as its a royal pain to get fresh troops and supplies up to the boarder with terrible roads.

The Chinese OTOH has built railways and superhighways right up to the boarder. Fresh troops, equipment and suppliers could travel over from Beijing directly by train and be at the boarder in a matter of days. In realistic terms, the PLA could move massive amounts of men and materials to the boarder within hours of the start of conflict, and keep doing it for as long as the war lasts or the men and materials last.

As things stand now, the Indians can raise as many dedicated mountain divisions as they like, but the PLA can get more men to the fight faster and keep them better supplied almost indefinitely.

Not only does India lack the means to get men and materials to the boarder as quickly, they frankly lacks the materials to send in even if they had the infrastructure. Far too much of India's weapons and munitions are imported. That means smaller inventories because of prohibitive costs, far longer waits to re-stock munitions and even the possibility of running out of key munitions if foreign suppliers hesitate to send in replacements.

Based on the above, it can be seen that The Indians cannot hope to win a long war against China, so their only hope is a quick decisive blow. But there is nothing to strike that could achieve such a blow unless the Indians start getting halfway across China, and I don't think even the most insanely optimistic Indian fanboy would expect India to be able to penetrate anywhere remotely as far before the full might of the PLA is brought to bare against them.

Its like they are preparing to strike pearl harbor when there is no pearl harbor to strike.

I don't see the Chinese getting overly concerned by this move if it does happen. They might make some noise and decide to boost troop strengths on the boarder, but this does nothing to change the underlying dynamics of the balance of power on the boarder.

If the Indians start building roads and railways up to the boarder, then the PLA strategists might take more interest.

Re: New Indian Army Strike Corp's to face China

plawolf said:

The Indians are still so spooked from '62 that they have not developed any decent infrastructure up to the boarder regions in case the Chinese attack and get to use the fancy new roads and railways and stream all the way down.

However that puts them at a terrible disadvantage logistically as its a royal pain to get fresh troops and supplies up to the boarder with terrible roads.

The Chinese OTOH has built railways and superhighways right up to the boarder. Fresh troops, equipment and suppliers could travel over from Beijing directly by train and be at the boarder in a matter of days. In realistic terms, the PLA could move massive amounts of men and materials to the boarder within hours of the start of conflict, and keep doing it for as long as the war lasts or the men and materials last.

As things stand now, the Indians can raise as many dedicated mountain divisions as they like, but the PLA can get more men to the fight faster and keep them better supplied almost indefinitely.

Not only does India lack the means to get men and materials to the boarder as quickly, they frankly lacks the materials to send in even if they had the infrastructure. Far too much of India's weapons and munitions are imported. That means smaller inventories because of prohibitive costs, far longer waits to re-stock munitions and even the possibility of running out of key munitions if foreign suppliers hesitate to send in replacements.

Based on the above, it can be seen that The Indians cannot hope to win a long war against China, so their only hope is a quick decisive blow. But there is nothing to strike that could achieve such a blow unless the Indians start getting halfway across China, and I don't think even the most insanely optimistic Indian fanboy would expect India to be able to penetrate anywhere remotely as far before the full might of the PLA is brought to bare against them.

Its like they are preparing to strike pearl harbor when there is no pearl harbor to strike.

I don't see the Chinese getting overly concerned by this move if it does happen. They might make some noise and decide to boost troop strengths on the boarder, but this does nothing to change the underlying dynamics of the balance of power on the boarder.

If the Indians start building roads and railways up to the boarder, then the PLA strategists might take more interest.

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The issues you raised about Indian capability are not set in stone, meaning them problems wont last forever. If you take a medium to long term view, roads and railways can be built up. The PLA due to focus on Tiawan has led to relative neglect, particularly in Tibet area, in terms of military modernisation. India might not have capability to wage a long term war but it has put up a big force along border, resulting in IA having a significant deterence and offensive capability. Overall I suspect CCP and PLA will just watch, instead of deploying more troops in area.

BEIJING: China said on Saturday that military ties with India remained on track, despite a visa row that some reports said led to a freeze in defence contacts between the two big neighbours with sometimes testy relations. An Indian defence source and some Indian news media said on Friday that defence ties with China were suspended after Beijing refused a visa to an Indian general from disputed Kashmir, where Pakistan and China also hold territory.

But the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony said "ties with China will continue", and now China's Ministry of Defence has also denied any freeze in ties with the Indian military. "China has not suspended military exchanges with India, and nor has it received any notification from India of any such suspension," the press office of the Chinese ministry said in a statement faxed to Reuters.

India and China have limited military ties, focused on visits by military chiefs and defence officials and occasional, small joint exercises. But the official Chinese statement indicated that Beijing did not want the quarrel to curtail those contacts or seriously damage the overall relationship. "China takes seriously developing military ties with India, and we are confident that both sides will stay focused on the broader picture of bilateral ties between our two countries, acting in a spirit of consultation and unity to promote the healthy development of military ties," the statement said. China is now India's biggest trade partner and the spat, one of several over the last few years, is unlikely to snowball. Friction is, however, also unlikely to abate entirely.

Border disputes and mutual wariness remain. India holds 45 percent of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, while Pakistan controls a third. China holds the rest. Last year, India protested against a Chinese embassy policy of issuing different visas to residents of Indian Kashmir. New Delhi bristles at any hint that Kashmir, where a separatist insurgency has raged for two decades, is not part of India. Distrust between the two economic powerhouses dates back to a 1962 border war, partly over the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh that China claims in full. China's support for India's foe Pakistan, which backs the Kashmir separatists and also claims the region in full, has exacerbated the tensions with Delhi.

The order comprises of 20 missiles and 4 exercise missiles, plus containers; training devices; spare and repair parts; supply/technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. These missiles will replace the Jaguar's current Sea Eagle missiles, and enhance their maritime and land attack capabilities. No word yet if the Indians plan on purchasing additional Harpoon missiles for their Boeing P-8I fleet.

bingo said:

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BEIJING: China said on Saturday that military ties with India remained on track, despite a visa row that some reports said led to a freeze in defence contacts between the two big neighbours with sometimes testy relations. An Indian defence source and some Indian news media said on Friday that defence ties with China were suspended after Beijing refused a visa to an Indian general from disputed Kashmir, where Pakistan and China also hold territory.

But the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony said "ties with China will continue", and now China's Ministry of Defence has also denied any freeze in ties with the Indian military. "China has not suspended military exchanges with India, and nor has it received any notification from India of any such suspension," the press office of the Chinese ministry said in a statement faxed to Reuters.

India and China have limited military ties, focused on visits by military chiefs and defence officials and occasional, small joint exercises. But the official Chinese statement indicated that Beijing did not want the quarrel to curtail those contacts or seriously damage the overall relationship. "China takes seriously developing military ties with India, and we are confident that both sides will stay focused on the broader picture of bilateral ties between our two countries, acting in a spirit of consultation and unity to promote the healthy development of military ties," the statement said. China is now India's biggest trade partner and the spat, one of several over the last few years, is unlikely to snowball. Friction is, however, also unlikely to abate entirely.

Border disputes and mutual wariness remain. India holds 45 percent of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, while Pakistan controls a third. China holds the rest. Last year, India protested against a Chinese embassy policy of issuing different visas to residents of Indian Kashmir. New Delhi bristles at any hint that Kashmir, where a separatist insurgency has raged for two decades, is not part of India. Distrust between the two economic powerhouses dates back to a 1962 border war, partly over the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh that China claims in full. China's support for India's foe Pakistan, which backs the Kashmir separatists and also claims the region in full, has exacerbated the tensions with Delhi.

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Personally I think what Beijing is trying to do is say, if you continue to support the Dalai Llama and to a greater extent undermine Chinese authority in Tibet, by housing Tibet exiles, then we in turn will not recognize your authority on Kashmir.

In4ser said:

Personally I think what Beijing is trying to do is say, if you continue to support the Dalai Llama and to a greater extent undermine Chinese authority in Tibet, by housing Tibet exiles, then we in turn will not recognize your authority on Kashmir.

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Yup ... these are your personal views.

Officially, neither China nor India have ever linked the Tibet and Kashmir issues. They are un-related.