According to a report in Hindustan Times, the Marine commandos have been asked to be deployed with the Army’s special force in Ladakh and Navy has been asked to focus on Chinese movement in Andaman and Nicobar Islands amidst the India-China standoff. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat asked all the services to be ready in case of a worst-case scenario.
Marine Commandos (MARCOS) is planned to be deployed in East Ladakh along with the Indian Army as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to gather around the Gogra-Hot Springs and both banks of Pangong Tso lake. While the navy is asked to focus on Andaman and The Nicobar Islands and monitor any strategic Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean.
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Gen Rawat asks tri-services to curb peace-time activities: Key Points
- According to senior military commanders, Gen Rawat has made it clear to all the three services that these are not normal times with troops, artillery and tanks deployed along the 1597 km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and hence all peace-time activities must be curbed.
- “As the situation in east Ladakh can get worse any time in case of an accident, the armed forces must be ready for any scenario. It cannot be that while the entire northern army command and western air command is battle deployed in frozen condition, the rest of us are celebrating the festival season and playing golf. Let nobody forget there is a war on in Ladakh,” said a South Block official.
- The deployed troops are waiting for the last shipment of polar winter clothing and face masks, which are expected to arrive from US Army own reserve stocks by the first week of November. Just like the PLA, the Indian Army is prepared for a long haul and is in no mood to cede an inch of territory to the aggressive Chinese Army.
- In lieu of this, the Indian Navy has been asked to focus on Andaman and Nicobar Island to monitor Chinese warship activity in the Indian Ocean rather than get concerned about PLA Navy deployments off the coast of Africa.
- Indian Island territories of Lakshadweep and ANC are the key to national maritime security as they dominate the most important shipping lanes - from the Persian Gulf to Malacca Straits—in the world.
