Ladakh temperature drops to sub-zero, focus shifts to countering Chinese Navy

With the onset of first snow and sub-zero temperatures in East Ladakh, the Indian Army troopers, geared up with US-made blizzard masks, have settled down for the winter in opposition to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with the main focus of nationwide safety planners now shifting to beefing maritime safety.

While the four-nation QUAD multilateral workouts below Malabar start subsequent Tuesday, the Indian navy planners have determined to provide prime precedence to Eastern Naval Command and island territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep to counter any risk from PLA Navy in Indian Ocean. The Western Naval Command has additionally been requested to unfold out its belongings with Karwar base in Karnataka as focus.

The plan follows a safety evaluation that pitched concern round China’s PLA Navy method over the maritime risk from the Pakistan Navy.

In this context, the nationwide safety planners are contemplating elevating one other amphibious brigade, one for jap and western seaboard, for offensive operations sooner or later. As of now, India has one devoted amphibious brigade, whose components are unfold between Thiruvananthapuram and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Command in Port Blair. The amphibious forces are specialised in launching a counter-offensive from sea utilizing touchdown ship tank (LST) vessels reminiscent of INS Jalashwa and projecting energy within the area and past. The planners are contemplating having one full brigade in Thiruvananthapuram, and the second stationed both at Visakhapatnam or AN Islands.

India’s island territories are on the coronary heart of Indian Navy’s operational plan within the Indian Ocean as they dominate the foremost delivery lanes from Suez Canal and Persian Gulf to South-East and North Asia through Malacca Strait. The Indian Air Force fighter jets, armed with Brahmos missiles, can strike at any shifting goal in and round Malacca, Sunda or Lombard straits within the worst-case situation. These three straits are the one option to entry the South China Sea from Indian Ocean. Shipping prices mount manifolds if the ships need to be diverted from the Malacca Strait to different two straits.

Despite the strategic leverage that the island territories signify, the Indian Navy continues to be largely centered on Mumbai and Visakhapatnam with the AN Command left to the tri-services headquarters. With the navy theatre instructions within the offing, each AN Islands and Lakshadweep are going to be the hub of India’s maritime strike capabilities. Lakshadweep lies on the Nine Degree Channel, probably the most direct route for East Asia-bound ships from the Persian Gulf.

Given that India and the US have tied up for Indian Ocean Region with institutionalised tie-ups with American Indo-Pacific, Central Command and African Commands, the QUAD international locations will challenge maritime surveillance and dominance of their area with belongings speaking and sharing info via safe navy communication channels amongst air, floor and underwater combatants made attainable by the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement signed in 2018.