A look at China’s Heavy weapons in border dispute with India

As India and China move to diffuse yet another flare-up along their 3488 km border, experts acknowledge that this time the Chinese ‘intrusion’ is backed up by heavy weapons build-up over the last few months.

“The present intrusion .. appears more as a sign of aggression against India’s construction of its infrastructure, the Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi Road,”- Lt Gen Abhay Krishna (Retd) speaking to Indian Express.

In October 2019, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Col Chewang Rinchen Setu at an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet. This bridge and runs close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) the unofficial border between the two countries marked by border posts rather than fences.

Satellite images released by open source satellite experts indicate the presence of Chinese tents near the road close to the Galwan River basin and heavy weapons build-up deeper on the Chinese side.

Chinese PLA tests weapons in Tibet for ‘Plateau warfare’

“Since the Doklam standoff with India in 2017, the Chinese military has expanded its arsenal with weapons like the Type 15 tank, Z-20 helicopter and GJ-2 drone that should give China the advantage in high-altitude conflicts should they arise,”- Global Times on May 31, 2020.