Although the conflict between China and India has remained high this year, the closest China and India have come to war is definitely the clash on the border between the Chinese and Indian armies in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. This incident was well known at the time, and there were casualties on both sides, and although the Indian army was more severe, the casualties of our soldiers were even more painful.
But what is less known is that shortly after this conflict, in early September 2020, the Chinese and Indian armies met again, when both sides pushed tanks, and the mainland's Type 99 versus India's T-72 seemed to be on the verge of war.
According to the retired former chief of staff of the Indian Army, Naravane, in his own memoirs after retirement, the situation was critical, the guns of the tanks on both sides were facing each other, and the Indian army occupied four commanding heights at that time.
The memoirs also made it clear that the front line had asked Naravane more than once to open fire, and Naravane said: As long as he gave the order at that time, the Sino-Indian war would have begun. Moreover, Naravane believed that the Chinese Type 99 tanks at that time could not defeat the T72 tanks deployed by the Indian army on the front line.
Since Naravane believes that the Type 99 cannot defeat the T72 tank, and the Indian army occupies 4 commanding heights, why did Naravane not give the order to open fire? Wouldn't this just satisfy India's ambition to encroach on China's territory?
The Indian army applied to open fire, and the T72 was not afraid at all in the face of our Type 99 tanks and Type 15 light tanks
Judging from the content of the memoirs, on September 7, 2020, that is, the third month after the conflict in the Galwan Valley, the Indian army launched a large-scale operation, codenamed "Operation Snow Leopard", with the 254th Armored Brigade of the Indian Army as the main force, besieging the vicinity of the Rechin Pass and using it as a commanding height, overlooking the entire Spangul Highway.
The reason why we want to overlook this road is because our support and material transportation depend on this land line of communication. Except, of course, in the air. In other words, the Indian army wanted to cut off our aid at that time.
At that time, the two sides faced off in the Gangdis Mountains, and it is said that the muzzles of the Type 99 and T72 were only about 500 meters apart at that time, and the two sides could open fire at any time.
It should be noted that the Indian army sent several elite mountain divisions and hundreds of main battle tanks here. In addition, the Indian army had previously built fortifications here. In addition, it occupies 4 favorable vantage points. It can be said that all the deployments of the Indian army are in preparation for war.
Naravane said that at that time, the Indian army on the front line had already made it clear that the purpose of occupying the commanding heights was to fight a war with the PLA, so that the PLA could form a vision and suppress firepower.
As for the People's Liberation Army, it is moving towards the Chutichanla area until it stays only a few hundred meters away from the Indian army's position. At the beginning, the PLA promoted the Type 15 light tank. When Naravane saw the PLA tanks clearly, his first reaction was that the Type 15 could not defeat the T72. Even later in his memoirs, Naravane insisted on this view. But in fact, in front of the Type 15 tank, the T72 of the Indian army is not worth mentioning at all.
Although our Type 15 tank is a light tank, its initial development orientation is to combat on the plateau, equipped with a 132HB two-stage adjustable supercharged engine that adapts to the plateau environment, to ensure that the engine will not only have no problems in the plateau environment, but can also be guaranteed in terms of power.
The Indian army's T72 may be able to exert its power in the plains, but it is simply a tank full of problems on the plateau. It's good not to strike when fighting, and the Indian army is still counting on using it to defeat the PLA.
And later, we also deployed the Type 99 tank to the front line, which is even more powerful, and the armor protection ability is also first-class. In the face of the 99-style sitting, the T72 of the Indian army exploded.
The reason why Naravane did not dare to give the order to open fire was related to the military gap and domestic problems
In the face of the confrontation between the two sides, the Indian troops on the front line kept applying to Naravane to open fire. At that time, Naravane was also entangled, and he spoke to Modi several times, but Modi only said that he should make the decision that he thought was right.
Naravane finally ordered the forward line, resolutely not to fire the first shot! Although he whitewashed it several times in his memoirs, saying that the combat effectiveness of the Indian army was stronger than that of the PLA, even if the PLA moved out the 99 tanks, it was useless, and it still couldn't beat the T72 of the Indian army. But this still can't hide the panic in Naravane's heart, if the first shot is fired, he wins the military merit, but if he loses, the reason for the defeat will be borne by Naravane.
Leaving aside the military gap between China and India, it was during the pandemic, with a frighteningly high infection rate and a general decline in GDP. A war at this time would only make India's domestic situation worse, and Narawane could not afford such consequences.
What's more, don't look at India, which is always very confident and proud, boasting that its military strength is stronger than the PLA, but if it really goes to war, the Indian army can only get a batch.
Just like what our fighters who participated in the conflict said: once the fight starts, the Indian troops behind will begin to retreat non-stop, and they will not support the people in front at all.
Although this mode of operation can easily be fought by a small number of people chasing them and the majority, the combat effectiveness of the Indian army itself is inferior to that of the PLA. However, we must not underestimate the enemy, otherwise we will certainly fall on the battlefield. You must know that although India does not have the ability to independently develop weapons and equipment, they have also bought a lot of good things from Western countries, and India, as a large country with a large population, does not have to worry about conscription if it enters wartime. So no matter how you look at it, India is an opponent that needs to be faced.