(TibetanReview.net, Sep25’24) – As China continues its military and strategic infrastructure buildup in occupied Tibet while refusing to pull back from eastern Ladakh to restore the pre-2020 border situation, India has sought to make clear its readiness to defend its territorial integrity. On Sep 22, the Indian Army troops displayed multiple tactical tank exercises in the icy heights of Nyoma in eastern Ladakh, reported newindianexpress.com Sep 24.
The exercises, carried out by the armoured unit, saw modern war horses T-90, T-72 and BMP-2 pass through rapid enemy assault in the undulating surface of the valley. Nyoma stands at a height of about 13,700 ft and is around 30 km inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the report said.
Speaking about the T-90 tank, soldier tradesman Manoj Kumar has said, “We are fully prepared to destroy our enemy at this altitude. It can be deployed anywhere and remove its obstacles to cross the area. It is capable of deep-fording (a technique used to cross deep water by driving a vehicle on the riverbed, lakebed, or seabed).”
“This is one of the best tanks in the world. We are very proud that this tank is being manufactured in India,” he has said, adding, it is effective in any weather condition, day and night.
Also, this tank, which is fitted with a 1000-hp engine, can cross any obstacles anytime. It can be deployed in deserts and marshy land.
Speaking about the tank’s combat capability, the report said India’s front-ranking Bhishma T-90 tank is equipped with ‘hunter killer’ capabilities — combat power, reconnaissance capability, and survivability.
The LAC runs through eastern Ladakh for 832 km and is dotted with open valleys. The Indian Army had to induct a significant number of T-72 and T-90 tanks in operational areas, gaining tactical surprise over the adversary, forcing it on the back foot, the report noted.