China, frightened by the vigorous preparations of the Indian Army in Ladakh and after the retort in the Galwan Valley, has now deployed its first ever “flying hospital” in the high-altitude area of Tibet. According to sources, the Chinese military has taken this step to save the lives of soldiers during any possible conflicts with India. With the help of this “flying hospital”, China will be able to transport its wounded soldiers to hospitals located thousands of kilometres away. China fears that if there is a conflict with India, it may urgently need medical help.
In the meantime, to make things further uneasy for the Dragon, American warship NIMITZ, which is also included in the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, has arrived at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Sunday and will now patrol the Indian Ocean near the Indian islands.
Top sources say, the Chinese military’s health facilities in the area bordering India are very poor and it has been forced to deploy Y-9 medical aircraft. According to the South China Morning Post, three officers were seriously injured during a Chinese military exercise and the injured officer was sent to a hospital 5,200 km away for better treatment by a Y-9 medical aircraft. The officer was taken to Shijing Hospital later on.
According to experts associated with Chinese defence, lives have to be saved in a skirmish like Galwan and hence, the purpose of this plane is to improve the health facilities in the highaltitude areas, especially on the Indian border. India and China have thousands of kilometres long border, but without any clear border line.
On 15-16 June, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a bloody clash in the Galwan Valley, while more than 40 Chinese soldiers were believed to be killed, although China has not disclosed any details about the exact numbers of casualties. International agencies also say that more than 40 Chinese soldiers were killed. Senior Chinese military officials believe that the lives of many Chinese soldiers could have been saved if medical facilities had been provided.
According to sources, in case of a clash like Galwan, it is necessary to improve the health facilities so that the death toll can be kept to a minimum. The senior Chinese official said, “Y-9 is a flying hospital and it will prove to be very helpful in saving the lives of seriously injured soldiers. In addition, several hospitals in the Himalayan region bordering India have been equipped with Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers for first aid. China is modernising all its hospitals in the region. This plane is equipped with a cardiogram monitor, respirator and other devices.”