NEW DELHI: Amid rapid troop mobilisation by China in Tibet Military District in the face of Doklam standoff, India has undertaken precautionary measures. Armed forces, including Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), have deployed men, machine, and ration on tactical points in the Sikkim sector.
Inputs reaching the field areas suggest that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has deployed tanks and artillery guns in large numbers in the Tibet Military District. But 200 tank commanders had to be replaced due to high altitude sickness and problems in acclimatisation.
“The Indian forces like the ITBP are in an advantageous situation as a single soldier with a well-placed light machine gun can stop a Chinese Battalion for more than 12 hours in the strategic narrow passes of the Tibetan Borders,” an ITBP official said.
“In mountain warfare, the defender is at an advantage. In desert or plain warfare, you require a 1:3 ratio for the attacker. In mountains, the ratio is 1:12. This means for one defender you require 12 attackers,” an ITBP official said.
Chinese Special Forces have not seen action for decades. Veterans of 1962 have retired and the younger PLA soldier is afraid to die. “All these factors will act in our favour,” the official said.
“If China goes for air envelopment of ITBP positions, it’ll give a free license to IAF to go for carpet bombing of their exposed positions on the Tibetan plateau,” another official said. “ITBP’s Animal Transport wing has stocked second, third, fourth and fifth line ammunition from Dipu La to Lipukekh for our grenade launchers, 81mm mortars, LMG, MMG and Rocket Launchers.”