The Indian Army formations conducted drills in Eastern Ladakh to cross the Indus River and attacks on enemy positions after deploying a significant number of tanks and armoured vehicles in the world’s highest river valleys.
According to sources, the Indian Army’s tank formations, which included the T-90 and T-72 tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles, conducted special drills to cross the mighty Indus river, which originates in Chinese-controlled territory in Tibet and flows through the entire Ladakh sector before entering Pakistan.
Army officials said that such drills are carried out to prepare for contingencies where they have to take action against the adversaries if they try to capture Indian areas by using the routes of valleys in this area.
Indian Army is one of the very few armies in the world that operates tanks at high altitudes up to 16,000 feet, and in large numbers.
#WATCH | Indian Army tanks and combat vehicles carry out drills of crossing the Indus River in the eastern Ladakh sector to attack enemy positions. pic.twitter.com/ZXInSqkSZv
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023
After the Chinese forces started showing aggression in the Eastern Ladakh sector by diverting its training exercise troops, the Indian Army brought in a large number of tanks and armoured combat vehicles in the eastern Ladakh sector that has large open valleys which are very conducive for tank battles.
Earlier, the Indian Army used to carry out such drills in a big way in the Punjab sector along the Pakistan front as it was believed that only plains and deserts would see tank battles but the mindset changed later.
The brigades and other formations with tanks started getting inducted into the force in Eastern Ladakh in 2013-14 onwards but the numbers increased manifold after the Galwan Valley clash incident in 2020.
The Indian Air Force’s C-17 and Ilyushin-76 transport aircraft brought in tanks and BMPs from deserts and plains in large numbers after that incident.
The armoured strength in the area has been strengthened by the Army to an extent where they can tackle any misadventure by the adversary.
