MMRCA 2.0 : Latest Dassault Rafale F4 for IAF

 

The Dassault Rafale is a French Twin-Engine,Canard Delta wing,Mulitrole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation for wide range of short and long-range missions, including ground and sea attacks, reconnaissance, high-accuracy strikes and nuclear strike deterrence.

Dassault Aviation announced on 22 March last year that French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has authorised development of the new RAFALE F4 standard.

Dassault underlying philosophy of the RAFALE programme is continuous development through a succession of standards to adapt the aircraft to changing operational and technical needs. A first version of the new F4 standard could be in evidence as early as 2023, the company stated, following the F3-R standard, currently scheduled for qualification in 2018 and that India will be getting.

IAF Rafale

India’s Rafale will deploy the in-development BrahMos NG missile in either a twin or single weapon load-out when the system is ready from 2021. The MBDA Scalp and BrahMos will provide planners with unique subsonic/supersonic stand-off attack options available to no other air force in the world. The Rafale deal also includes assurances for coding extensions to other in-development Indian weapon systems, including the Astra BVRAAM.

The Indian Rafale will sport the fully internal SPECTRA electronic warfare system, billed as the ‘cornerstone of the Rafale’s outstanding survivability against the latest airborne and ground threats’.

Rafale also makes extensive use of radar-absorbent material (RAM) in the form of paints and other materials. RAM forms a saw-toothed pattern on the wing and canard trailing edges, for instance. The aircraft is designed to, so that its untreated radar signature is concentrated in a few strong “spikes,” which are then suppressed by the selective use of RAM.

The Rafale is equipped with an RBE2 passive electronically scanned radar developed by Thales, which has look-down and shoot-down capabilities and it can track up to eight targets simultaneously and provides threat identfications and prioritisation.

Active electronic scanning makes it possible to switch radar modes quickly, thereby enabling operational functions to run simultaneously.

In short, the Rafale can carry a wide range of weapons, and perform air to air, air to ground, and air to sea combat well.

INDIA’S CASE of F4 RAFALES:

India is not going to place an order for next set of 110 jets before the end of 2020, if the recent Boeing statement that India will take two years to complete the trials of various aircrafts and vetting of the offers, is to be taken at face value. The current order of 36 aircrafts will be completed by middle of 2022. And from next year i.e. 2023 India can have delivery of Rafale F4 standard. Possible France has begun to work eagerly on F4 standard with Indian order in sight. Any future enhancements can be taken as part of the offer. By 2025 Rafale 5th tranche will be fully ready. If current order and delivery schedule is to go by, even that fits the bill perfectly.

What F4 standard will have :

The Standard F4 will include a whole new generation of sensors and weapons helping boost the fighter’s already fearsome air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities.Additional radar functionalities will be introduced for the detection of threats in challenging environments, notably a Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) mode.

Rafale F4 will also upgrade Scalp stealth cruise missiles of the Scalp / Storm Shadow family and improved and heavier Hammer (Highly Agile, Modular Munition Extended Range) precision weapons. The Mica family of air-to-air missiles will be upgraded too, to guarantee operational relevance against a whole range of emerging threats. With all these improvements on the horizon, the battle-hardened Rafale will remain a lethal combat tool for the foreseeable future.

Rafale F4 will also include weapon integration modifications to include new variants of air/air Mica, Scalp and the nuclear cruise missile ASMP-A (currently deployed exclusively on Mirage 2000N). However, due to the relatively short span of the program, it is likely to focus mainly on capabilities based on software and limited hardware upgrades.

More powerful engines will be installed from current Snecma M-88 that produce 75kN of thrust each. Likely new capabilities would mean Rafale will be further made stealthier

Upgrades could include cockpit redesign or introduction of low-observability modifications to better position this 4.5 generation fighter against modern and future fighters.

BharatRakshak

India's bid for permanent UNSC membership matter of discussion: Biden's UN ambassador nominee

 

US President Joe Biden's pick for the ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, on Wednesday did not explicitly commit the support of the new administration for India to be a permanent member of the Security Council.

Three previous administrations, that of George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, had publicly said that the United States supports India's bid to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

However, Thomas-Greenfield, who has spent more than 35 years in foreign service before being nominated to the position, during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told lawmakers that this is a matter of ongoing discussion.

"Do you think India, Germany, Japan, should be (permanent) members (of the UN Security Council)," Senator Jeff Merkley from Oregon asked during her confirmation hearing for the position of the US Ambassador to the UN.

Biden has named it as a Cabinet-ranking position.

"I think there has been some discussions about them being members of the Security Council and there are some strong arguments for that," she said.

"But I also know that there are others who disagree within their regions that they should be the representative of their region. That, too, is an ongoing discussion," she said in an apparent reference to the Coffee Club or United for Consensus.

Comprising countries like Italy, Pakistan, Mexico and Egypt, the Coffee Club has opposed the permanent membership bid of India, Japan, Germany and Brazil.

President Biden in his campaign policy document last year had reiterated its promise of supporting India as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

"Recognising India's growing role on the world stage, the Obama-Biden Administration formally declared US support for India's membership in a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council," Biden Campaign's policy document on Indian-Americans had said last August.

Thomas-Greenfield, in response to another question, favoured reforms in the UN Security Council. India is currently its non-permanent member for a two-year term that began in January this year.

"I think there is general agreement across the board that reforms are needed in the Security Council. What those reforms will be and how they will be implemented, I think remains to be decided but you know changing the number of members that happened we move from 11 to 15 some years ago and there are efforts to push for more permanent members, and those discussions are ongoing," she said.

She was responding to a question from Senator Merkley.

"I wanted to start by asking about the Security Council itself. At the same time that China and Russian often stymie actions in the Security Council. The Security Council is decreasingly representative of the geopolitical landscape with key powers like India, Germany, Japan not included as permanent members," he said.

"How do you approach the question of the Security Council? How do you consider that perhaps it needs to be reformed? How do you believe it can be made more effective and functional," Merkley asked.

ET

Khalistani Supporters Wanted to Turn January 26 into Jallianwala Bagh 2.0. Delhi Police Didn’t Fall into the Trap

 

The unfortunate violence near the Red Fort on Republic Day is an eye-opener and it holds lessons for the law-enforcement agencies and the police.

Any crowd has the potential to turn hostile, more so, if it is leaderless and there is no uniformity in command.

In this case, adding fuel to the fire were the irresponsible statements made by certain leaders for political advantage.


Tuesday’s violence comes in the backdrop of undesirable elements infiltrating the protests—earlier, posters of Umar Khalid, among others, were seen at a protest site—and that should not have gone unnoticed.

I fail to understand why no preventive arrests were made, no proactive action taken under Sections 107 and 116(3) of The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

It was imminent that violence would break out, especially if the protesters were allowed inside Delhi. The Delhi Police’s 37-point directive to the protesters was issued only on January 25. These could not be implemented at a short notice for an agitation of such magnitude.

The rallies should have been escorted by police volunteers, that way the farmers would not have lost their way (as some unions have claimed). FAQs should have been circulated, and a contingency plan should have been in place.

Red Fort should have been turned into a cantonment, although the wake-up call came late.

I, however, would like to compliment the Delhi Police for showing exemplary restraint, not using lethal weapons against the protesters.

It would have opened a Pandora’s Box and the criticism against the action would have lasted decades, which was the game plan of Pakistan and Khalistan supporters. They wanted to turn January 26 into another Jallianwala Bagh and brand the police commissioner General Dyer.

Kudos to the Delhi Police for not falling into that trap. The Delhi Police acted as mature force and did not open fire.

I would also like to compliment the mahila contingent of the Delhi Police. In the face of great and sudden provocation and imminent danger, they stood their ground and braved the heavily armed and violent agitators.

THE WAY FORWARD

I believe 22 cases have been registered in connection to the violence unleashed in Delhi, and the investigation has been assigned to the Crime Branch. All the scientific tools for investigation must be harnessed—facial-recognition software, big data analytics and software-driven CCTV footage—to identify the key ringleaders. Heavy rewards must be announced on them and dedicated teams formed to go after India’s most-wanted. They should be taught a lesson: the sanctity of the Republic Day and the Tricolour are non-negotiable.

Lakha Sidhana and Deep Sidhu delivered incendiary speeches, which are on record; provisions under the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) must be invoked to confiscate all their movable and immovable property. Affiliation to any political party does not help criminals.

The administration must learn lessons from this incident—these include preventive arrests, systems to provide actionable and quality intelligence and timely action based on them. The deployment pattern for such protest rallies should include a police party in front of the rally, at the rear, and in-between where police personnel in plain clothes can provide real-time monitoring.

Finally, I would like to question those who are calling the tractor driver, who succumbed to his injuries, a shaheed. The entire nation has seen his reckless driving, ramming into police barriers because of his own indiscretion and dying as a consequence. Let us not glorify that which is criminal and anti-national.

news18

Boeing gets United States government approval to offer F-15EX to India

 

Boeing has received a licence from the U.S. government to offer its F-15EX fighter jet to the Indian air force, a senior executive said on Thursday.

Boeing will compete with Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale among others for the Indian air force's plan to buy 114 multi-role aircraft to replace its Soviet-era fleet.

Ankur Kanaglekar, director, India Fighters Lead, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, told reporters discussions on the F-15EX had taken place earlier between the two governments.Now that we have the marketing licence it allows us to talk to the Indian Air Force directly about the capability of the fighter. We have started doing that in a small way," he said, adding conversations were expected to gather pace during the Aero India show next week.

India and the United States have built close defence ties, with the Indian military buying over $20 billion worth of weapons in the last 15 years.

Lockheed Martin is also pitching its F-21 fighter to the Indian air force, offering to build the plane in the country to win the deal estimated to be worth more than $18 billion.

Boeing is bullish on India for both its defence and commercial aviation businesses, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has hit demand for air travel, forcing airlines to first get their finances in order before ordering new planes.

Boeing expects domestic passenger traffic to return to 2019 levels by the end of this year, Salil Gupte, the company's India head said, adding international traffic would return to pre-COVID levels only by 2023.

One of the planemaker's biggest customers is Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet Ltd, which has a large order for its narrowbody 737 MAX planes.

Boeing on Wednesday got the green light from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to return its 737 MAX planes to service after a 22-month ban and Gupte said it was working to get approvals from the Indian regulator.

ET

India Receives 6000 Negev LMGs Guns from Israel

 

India had signed a contract with Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) on March 19, 2020 to procure 16,479 LMGs under Fast Track Procedure.

With the disputed border with China and Pakistan active at the same point of time, the guns will add more firepower to the deployed frontline troops. The Negev 7.62X51 mm Light Machine Gun is a combat proven weapon and currently used by several countries around the globe.

This LMG will greatly enhance the lethality and range of a soldier vis-a-vis the presently used weapon.

Indian Army received first lot of consignment of 6,000 quantities in mid January this year in Mumbai. The guns have been shifted to Jabalpur and is undergoing proper inspection. The rest of the guns is expected to arrive by March end of this year.

Under government's 'Make in India' initiative, rest of the requirement of the Indian Army is being met by Indian industry and currently is at pre-trial stage. "Field Evaluation Trial (FET) scheduled this month," sources said.

On March 19, 2020, Indian Armed Forces' long-standing requirement of a modern state-of-the-art Light Machine Gun (LMG) was fructified with approval of Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence then had signed the capital acquisition contract with Israel Weapons Industries for procurement of 16,479 LMGs at a cost of Rs 880 crore.

The Defence Minister had said provisioning of this operationally urgent and very critically needed weapon will boost the confidence of the frontline troops and provide much needed combat power to the Armed Forces.

IANS

More firepower to IAF, 3 more Rafales to be added to fleet

 

Three Rafale combat aircraft will arrive in India on Thursday after flying non-stop from France, an Indian Air Force official said on Wednesday. The three new additions will add to the current fleet of eight Rafale jets.

The three Rafale combat aircraft, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation, took off from Istres in France on Wednesday.

The Indian Embassy in France tweeted that three more Rafale jets have taken off from Istres for a non-stop flight to India with mid-air refuelling.

"Adding more strength to India's air power. Wishing our amazing pilots a smooth flight and safe landing with superb fighter jets," the Indian Embassy said.

With three more aircraft, the IAF will now have 11 Rafale jets in service. Further, Indian Air Force pilots are being trained in batches at the Saint-Dizier air base in France.

India received the first batch of five Rafale aircraft on July 29, 2020 which were inducted into the 17 'Golden Arrows' Squadron on September 10 at the Ambala Air Base.

Second batch of three Rafale combat aircraft arrived in India on November 4, 2020 after flying non-stop from France.

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

Rafale is a 4.5 generation aircraft and has the latest weapons, superior sensors and fully integrated architecture. It is an omni-role aircraft which means it can carry out at least four missions in one sortie.

The fighter jet has HAMMER missiles. It will also be armed with beyond visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP and MICA, increasing its ability to take on incoming targets from a distance.

ET

India sticking to S-400 deal with Russia despite threat of possible US sanctions

 

India is sticking to its guns on the $5.4-billion deal with Russia for S-400 air defence systems despite reports of possible US sanctions, an issue with the potential for becoming an early irritant with the new Biden administration.

India’s decision to acquire the S-400, instead of other air defence systems offered by the West, was based on a thorough evaluation and national security requirements, including already delayed plans to create a ballistic missile defence shield over key cities, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.

The lingering standoff with China in Ladakh has seen India deploy a raft of weapons and systems in the sector, including hardware bought from the US, Russia and France, to strengthen its military deployments.

“India’s strategic interests are supreme and it is for us to decide what weapons we buy and from whom to pursue those interests. If the US has concerns about procurements from Russia, the latter is also upset over military equipment we are importing from the US,” a senior government official said on condition of anonymity.

“We buy platforms factoring in the security threats we face,” the official said, adding the US and Russia understand India’s complex security challenges.

A second official, who too declined to be named, acknowledged India is walking a fine line in defence cooperation with Russia and the US, which are both strategic partners.

“But the more important point is the country’s independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy to decide defence purchases in line with national security interests,” the second official said.

Though India has been procuring US military hardware in growing numbers, including Apache and Chinook helicopters and P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, about 60% of the inventory of the three services continues to be of Russian-origin.

The US has sanctioned its NATO ally Turkey under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for taking delivery of the S-400, and this was mainly due to concerns that Western platforms operating in the same environment as the S-400 would provide Russia valuable data on how to defeat those systems, said Vipin Narang, associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“The fact that Turkey didn’t escape CAATSA sanctions suggests the US is very concerned about the S-400 system, and it's probably not just junk. India's insistence to take delivery of its first S-400 batteries later this year therefore sets the Biden administration potentially on a collision course on the sanctions question with India,” Narang said.

Russia is set to train the first group of Indian military specialists in operating the S-400 and the first batteries are expected by September.

Air Vice Marshal (retired) Manmohan Bahadur of the Centre for Airpower Studies said no other country, no matter how friendly, can have a veto on India’s defence purchases. “The US is a valued partner and would, rather should, understand India's interests. Washington's geo-political necessities cannot override India's imperatives and one is sure no action would be taken that hurts New Delhi's position,” he said.

There are also concerns that US sanctions, even if seen as a slap on the wrist, will revive old concerns about America’s reliability as a defence partner and bring back memories of punitive sanctions after India’s 1998 nuclear tests that set back several defence programmes, including one to develop the light combat aircraft (LCA). The US had then held back engines to power the LCA.

Narang said it may be “very hard” for the US to apply different standards to India than it did to Turkey, which hosts American nuclear weapons. “If India does not receive a waiver, it is possible the basket of sanctions – over which there is some leeway – may be simply symbolic, and not painful,” he said.

“Applying even symbolic sanctions, it seems to me, would be counterproductive. It would not only fail to deter India from purchasing Russian military equipment, it would likely accelerate it and empower those in Delhi who have been sceptical of the reliability of the US as a defence partner,” Narang said.

Hindustantimes

India starts licensing production of the Russian AK-203

 

India is about to launch licensed production of Russian Kalashnikov’s AK-203 assault rifles. The manufacturing process will be conducted at a plant in Korva (Uttar Pradesh).

General Manoj Naravane, Chief of Staff of the Army of the Indian Armed Forces, stated that negotiations with the Kalashnikov Concern are close to a deal and he’s confident the agreement for the production of automatic weapons will be signed in the near future.

And according to the Russian side participating in the negotiations, the project for the licensed production of Russian AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles in India is indeed at the final stage of implementation. “The project is at the final stage. All technical and commercial issues have been agreed,” a source said.


According to the deal, India will produce as many as 671,427 AK-203 assault rifles.

According to The Economic Times of India, the cost of one AK-203 produced in India under license will be 70 thousand Indian rupees (approx. $958), which is significantly less than the cost of American-made assault rifles purchased under an accelerated procedure for 89 thousand rupees (approx. $1,218) per unit.

What’s an AK-203?

The AK-203 is a 7,62x39 mm assault rifle created specially for the Indian military.

It has a number of ergonomic improvements compared to previous AK versions that are required in modern warfare. These include a new ergonomic handle that perfectly imitates the user’s grip, a left-folding and retractable stock, the possibility for installation of modern sighting systems and accessories, such as optical and/or optoelectronic scopes, thermal imaging and collimator sights.

Now, Indians will also be able to mount infrared illuminators onto their AKs that allow to use them in conjunction with night vision devices, laser sight, weapon lights and others, both domestic and foreign production, with a universal Picatinny rail integrated in the receiver on top, bottom and both sides of the rifle.

What is extremely important is that the 200-series assault rifles have improved shooting accuracy. Sighting devices are mechanical, but as mentioned above, you can now mount all kinds of optic devices on an AK-203.

The barrel is equipped with a slit flame suppressor-compensator, also different from the 100 series. If necessary, the 200-series assault rifles can be equipped with quick-release tactical silencers.

The strength of the butt allows a person to use the weapon with an under-barrel grenade launcher or use it in hand-to-hand combat with a standard bayonet knife.

Russiabeyond

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Taiwan Reports Large Incursion by Chinese Air Force

 

Eight Chinese bombers and four fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone Saturday, and Taiwan's air force deployed missiles to monitor the incursion, the island's Defense Ministry said.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted almost daily flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea in recent months.

However, the flights have generally consisted of one or two reconnaissance aircraft.The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on this mission — Taiwan said it was made up of eight nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets — is unusual.

A map provided by Taiwan's Defense Ministry showed that the Chinese aircraft, which also included a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, flew over the same waters where the most recent Chinese missions have been taking place near the Pratas Islands, though still well away from mainland Taiwan.

Taiwan's air force warned away the Chinese aircraft and deployed missiles to monitor them, the ministry added, using standard wording for how it responds to such activities.

"Airborne alert sorties had been tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems deployed to monitor the activity," it said in a brief statement.

The U.S. State Department urged China to stop pressuring Taiwan and reaffirmed its commitment to the island and desire to deepen ties.

“We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected representatives," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

"We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability."

There was no immediate comment from China. In the past China has said it has been carrying out exercises to defend the country's sovereignty and security.

Beijing has watched with growing concern the increasing U.S. support for democratic Taiwan, especially during Donald Trump's administration, which left office Wednesday.

Last year during visits by senior U.S. officials to Taipei, Chinese aircraft briefly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer.

The flight by the Chinese bombers and fighters Saturday came just days after Joe Biden assumed the U.S. presidency.

Emily Horne, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said the U.S. commitment to Taiwan was "rock-solid" after the island's de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, attended Biden's swearing-in on Wednesday.

voanews

Indian army presents new upgrade of ZSU-23-4 Shilka 23mm anti-aircraft tracked armored

 

During the Indian army day parade, which was held on January 15, 2021, the Indian army has presented a new upgrade of the Soviet-made ZSU-23-4 Shilka mobile air defence system based on tracked armoured chassis. According to the military balance 2020, the Indian army has a total of 75 ZSU-23-4 air defence vehicles.

New upgraded of ZSU-23-4 Shilka 23mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system mounted on tracked armoured

The ZSU-23-4 is a Soviet-made self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system produced by Russia in 1965 and unveiled the same year during the annual parade held in Red Square, Moscow.The armament of the ZSU-23-4 Shilka consists of four 23mm gas-operated cannon with a vertically moving breechblock locking system, which drops to unlock and has a cyclic rate of fire of 800 to 1,000 rds/barrel/min. The ZSU-23-4 can engage targets using only one or two of the four cannons.

The weapons have a maximum effective range of 2,500 m against aerial targets and can be also used against land targets. A total of 2,000 rounds of 23 mm ammunition is carried in 40 box magazines containing 50 belted rounds each.

The RPK-2 radar mounted at the rear of the turret is used to perform search, detection, automatic tracking, and range to target and angular position. It has a maximum detection range of 20 km.

The ZSU-23-4 is based on the GM-575 tracked armoured vehicle chassis, which used components from the PT-76 light tracked amphibious tank. It can run at a maximum road speed of 50 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 450 km.

The ZSU-23-4 was upgraded in India by the company BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited), one of the main new features, is the replacement of the old RPK 2 radar with a new 3D Active Phased Array Radar mounted at the rear of the roof turret. The upgraded Shilka offers more accurate identification, acquisition, and tracking of targets while operating in an ECM (Electronic Counter-Measure) environment. It can now engage aerial targets during day or night as well as in all weather conditions.

The upgraded ZSU-23-4 Shilka also features multiple target tracking due to electronic steering in elevation, new air conditioning, user-friendly operator displays, a new engine with a drastic reduction in fuel consumption, and a new CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) protection system.

Army Recognition

China breaks September pact, quietly makes troop positions stronger in eastern Ladakh

 

Acrucial confidence building measure proposed by the Chinese Army in order to defuse tensions in eastern Ladakh has been violated by the Chinese side.

The Chinese Army has consolidated its positions in eastern Ladakh and quietly, gradually increased troop numbers at the friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) despite specifically proposing four months ago that the two sides should refrain from sending more troops to the troubled front. The latest ground assessments confirm that the PLA has not only reneged on the joint statement issued following the sixth round of talks on September 21 last year, but done so with attempted stealth.

A day after that round of talks last September, the two sides had issued a joint statement that was seen to be substantive forward movement after months in a deadlock. The two sides had, according to their joint statement, "agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgements, stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground, and avoid taking any actions that may complicate the situation."

Four months later, that most crucial confidence building measure is practically useless. Top Army sources confirm that the Indian Army has had no choice but to mirror the gradual build-up on the Chinese side. In some sectors, foreseeing fresh Chinese concentrations, the Indian Army has conducted preemptive actions. As a result, despite the deep winter chill, opposing troops, tanks and armoured personnel carriers are nearer to each other than they have been in the past four months.

As India Today reported last September, China has also been steadily consolidating its positions in northern Ladakh's Depsang plains, with new positions emerging even closer to Daulat Beg Oldie. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria recently paid a visit to this high altitude air base to review security and arrangements. The Indian Army has been forced to mobilise in a historically big way in this sector owing to Chinese hostile postures here.

The ninth round of talks is currently on at Ladakh's Chushul sector, an area south of the Pangong lake that is now dominated by Indian Army infantry, Special Forces and armoured positions. China continues to enjoy tactical advantages at many of the other friction points, though the Indian Army's inevitable counter-mobilisation has led to the very definition of a deadlock, with entrenched positions at high altitude. One assessment within the government is that the Indian Army's unyielding stance has jammed the Chinese calculus, with the PLA still figuring how to handle the abrupt distribution of leverage between both sides in Ladakh.

Elsewhere on the India-China frontier, permanent defences have been constructed across the border from Sikkim's Naku La, an escalation from the troubled status quo in the area, which has involved large training PLA contingents conducting high level training exercises close to the Sikkim border.

Indiatoday