The Northern Command of the Indian Army has recently purchased 49
miniature unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol its border region with
China and Pakistan, according to the Mumbai-based Daily News and
Analysis.
The Indian Army will deploy the drones to carry out reconnaissance
mission over its disputed border areas after 50 soldiers from China's
People's Liberation Army were found setting up camp in the remote region
of eastern Ladakh, which is also claimed by India, on the night of Apr.
15. The PLA soldiers were located 10 kilometers inside the Line of
Actual Control, a de facto border that runs across the Himalayas between
China and India. An official border between the two countries was never
drawn following a border conflict in 1962.
The drones are the true "game changers" in India's territorial
dispute with China, the paper said, adding that a 72,000-strong Mountain
Strike Corp has been established in the region to prevent a potential
Chinese attack under the permission of the Indian cabinet committee on
security. In a demonstration of India's strength, the military-run
Indian Defense News also reported that a C-130J cargo plane of the
Indian Air Force had landed at Daulat Beg Oldi — the world's highest
airstrip — in the Ladakh region.
The Israel Homeland Security stated that India's 49 drones based in
the Leh-Ladakh sector will be unarmed and used mainly for surveillance
purposes to keep an eye on Chinese activities and check terrorist
infiltration from across Pakistan's Kashmir province bordering India.
India does not yet have any real experience of operating miniature
unmanned aerial vehicle, although it currently operates two types of
regular drones, the Searcher-II and Heron, both of which were purchased
from Israel.
No comments:
Post a Comment