NEW DELHI: In order to beef up the capability to wade through the water obstacles in Eastern Ladakh, the Army will soon add the indigenously developed Landing Craft Assault, which will help the troops in patrolling.
There had been aggressive patrolling by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the past.
“There are boats operating in Pangong Tso. However, they have limited capabilities. The Landing Craft Assault has enhanced our capacity to operate across the water obstacles in Eastern Ladakh,” the Army said.
The boats have been indigenously developed by Aquarius Shipyard Limited, Goa. Similar boats will be deployed towards the Creek area in our Western Borders.
It is a 96-km-long tidal area and is uninhabited between the India and Pakistan border at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and is disputed, sources said.
This newspaper had earlier reported regarding the Chinese beef up at Pangong Tso. China had boosted its capability to mobilise troops and surveillance in the Pangong Tso lake area in north bank, which was the starting point of protracted stand-off in Eastern Ladakh in May last year.
Indian forces have beefed up their capability with modern boats with steel hulls, which will not get damaged if rammed by the Chinese boats. India has ordered 12 boats for surveillance and 17 to mobilise troops using the lake to save the time of reaction in case of troop requirement.
The northern bank of Pangong Tso is divided into eight hilltops.