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January 15 is Army Day for the Indian Army. On January 15, the Indian Army released "Indian Army 2022". As a propaganda film, the Indian army showed a number of advanced weapons in the propaganda film, including the Indian army's newly purchased SIG-716 assault rifle, the "Akash" medium-range air defense missile, the "Arjun" main battle tank and the "Pinaka" rocket launcher, etc. In addition to conventional domestic weapons, India also showed some of its progress in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence.
The TMP and SIG-716 rifles imported by the Indian Army are from Indian propaganda films if not described in this article
The "Pinaka" rocket launched by the Indian Army Image source: social media
However, as a "propaganda film", this Indian propaganda film shows a "muscle" and shows the pictures of a variety of new weapons deployed by the Indian army on the snowy plateau in the indian-controlled area of the western section of the China-India border.
In the propaganda film, the Indian army showed the locally assembled South Korean K-9 self-propelled gun driving in the so-called "Ladakh region". In addition to the K9 guns, the Indian army also showed the WhAP wheeled armored vehicle of the Indian Tata Company driving on the plateau lake, and the Indian-made amphibious landing craft sailing in the Pangong Lake area. In addition, India also showed the deployment test of India's domestic gunship "LCH" and India's domestic "Polaris WSI" light helicopter in the highland area.
K-9 self-propelled guns deployed by India in the so-called "Ladakh" region
The amphibious landing craft in the Indo-controlled Pangong Lake area is equipped with an off-road vehicle in the Indo-controlled Pangong Lake area
India's Tata Company's WhAP wheeled armored vehicle was tested in the highland lake (suspected Pangong Lake).
Indian LCH helicopters are deployed on the plateau
Since 2020, India has been deploying its newly arrived advanced weapons in the so-called "Ladakh" region close to the Sino-Indian border. According to indian media New Delhi TV reported in June 2020, the Indian Air Force deployed three newly arrived Apache helicopter gunships and MiG-29 fighter jets in the direction of Ladakh Leh city in June 2020. In addition, in 2021, the Indian Army also deployed an entire armored brigade (theoretically 120) T-90S main battle tanks, replacing the old T-72M1 tanks.
This is also the Indian army's second display of the K-9 self-propelled artillery on the Sino-Indian border after a year. In May last year, Mohanty, deputy chief of staff of the Indian Army, visited the eastern region of the so-called "Ladakh". Subsequent photos released by the Indian military confirmed that the Indian army has deployed the South Korean K-9 self-propelled gun authorized by India in the Sino-Indian border area, and the Indian army released a message that the K-9 deployed to the Sino-Indian border area to receive more altitude tests.
The K-9 self-propelled gun is a 52-caliber 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries of South Korea, which weighs 47 tons, has a maximum range of 40 kilometers, and a maximum rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute. In April 2017, India and South Korea signed a contract to introduce 100 K-9 self-propelled howitzers for $646 million. The first 10 K-9 self-propelled howitzers were produced by South Korea, while the last 90 were assembled locally in India. In 2019, the Indian Army received the first batch of Indian-made assembled K-9 self-propelled guns, deployed at the Indian Army's Western Command near the Pakistani side.
K-9 self-propelled guns deployed by the Indian army in the Indian-controlled area of the western section of the China-India border Image source: Indian Army
The K-9 self-propelled gun uses a 1000 hp German MT881Ka-500 engine and the X1100-5A3 hydraulic mechanical transmission of the American Allison Company, as well as liquid gas suspension, so it has become the best vehicle for the power transmission of the Indian Army's mechanized weapons. The Indian military has always hoped to take advantage of the strong maneuverability of the K-9 self-propelled gun and deploy it on the plateau to make up for the backwardness of its highland troops' artillery.
At present, the tense confrontation in the western section of the Sino-Indian border is still continuing, and it is worth mentioning that the "Indian Army 2022" was just released after the 14th round of military commander-level talks between the Chinese and Indian armies was also over.
On the evening of 13 July, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense issued a joint press release on the 14th round of Sino-Indian talks at the military commander level. The Indian and Indian armies held the 14th round of military-level talks on the Chinese side of the Mordo/Chushul meeting point, with the participation of representatives of the defense and foreign affairs departments of the two countries. The two sides continued to have a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the settlement of relevant issues in the area of the Line of Actual Control in the western section of the China-India boundary. The two sides agreed to follow the guidance of the leaders of the two countries and resolve the remaining issues as soon as possible.
Observer Network military commentators believe that since the sino-Indian border situation has become increasingly tense in 2020 and local conflicts have emerged, the PLA's large number of new generation equipment in the Xinjiang Military Region, especially the artillery units, have been greatly updated. These new equipment appeared on the side of our army in the western section of the Sino-Indian border, exposing many shortcomings of the Indian army.
New long-range modular rocket launchers and Type 99A main battle tanks deployed by the Xinjiang Military Region Source: Military report
Regarding a series of "small moves" by the Indian army, Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of Mainland Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, has responded many times. Wu Qian said at a regular press conference held by the Ministry of National Defense that China's position on the Sino-Indian boundary issue is clear and unambiguous. The determination and determination of China's border defense forces to safeguard national sovereignty and security are unswerving, and at the same time they are committed to maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas and making great efforts to promote the relaxation and cooling of the situation.
There is an old Chinese saying: with copper as a mirror, you can wear a crown; with history as a mirror, you can know the rise and fall; with people as a mirror, you can see the gains and losses. As a neighboring country, we hope that the Indian side and the Chinese side will go in the same direction, jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas, and jointly safeguard the benign development of bilateral relations.
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