Types, special features of Indian Army's weapons deployed against China at LAC | Tawang clash

China's latest misadventure at the border has confirmed that it wants to keep the disputed boundary with India boiling. However, China's stunts in Ladakh in 2020 have meant that the Indian military has been continuously stepping up its preparedness along the Line of Actual Control.

Let's take a look at some of the most destructive weapons that the Indian Army has placed at hotspots along the China boundary.

The Indian Army's assets at the LAC include both airborne and land-based platforms.

One of the newest acquisitions by the Army's Aviation Wing is the LCH Prachand. It is a light combat helicopter whose specialties include high-altitude operations, and attacking enemies on both land and air. It will be placed along the LAC in eastern Ladakh when the first unit is deployed in 2023.

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The next explosive weapon is the K-9 Vajra. It is a tracked, self-propelled Howitzer gun. Its special features include its high speed allowing quick deployment. Also, it can destroy targets at up to 50 km in the rarefied air of high-altitude areas. The K-9 Vajra is meant to counter China in Ladakh, Uttarakhand, and the Northeast. It has already been deployed in Ladakh, and the Army reportedly plans to acquire 200 units for the other locations.

Another important weapon in the Army's artillery is the M777, an ultra-light Howitzer gun. Since it is lightweight, it can be easily deployed in hard terrain, and can also be carried by Chinook helicopters. It is strengthening the Army in the eastern sector, with 3 regiments deployed in the Northeast.

To boost its airpower, the Indian Army is also looking at loitering munitions, which are suicide-attack drones. They will give a boost to the Army's capability to track targets and conduct precision strikes. They will be placed along the LAC with China, and the process of procurement is already underway.

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For explosive firepower at long distances, the Army has the Pinaka, a multiple rocket launcher system. It can fire a variety of ammunition. Its new version has a longer range and better accuracy. It has been placed along LAC in Northeast, with one regiment deployed in Arunachal Pradesh. The Army reportedly plans to get 6 more.

A major addition to the Army's arsenal in the near future will be the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, or ATAGS. Its special features include rapid and sustained rates of fire with longer range. It will be deployed along the LAC. The ATAGS is in its final stages of testing and induction is expected soon.

While the Army waits for its newer guns, some legacy weapons are still in use, like the Bofors Howitzer. Its newer version is more precise and faster in firing rounds. In forward areas along the LAC, the upgraded Bofors guns are a big boost for the Army.

The other legacy weapon is the L70, an air defence gun. It has been upgraded for automatic tracking of aerial threats. It has been added to the arsenal along the LAC in the eastern sector. The upgraded guns were deployed around 15 km from the disputed border in 2021.

Apart from firepower, intelligence-gathering is an important task near the hot border. For this, the Army is looking at surveillance drones with a range of 80 km, and endurance of 4 hours. These will improve surveillance in difficult and mountainous terrain along the LAC. The Army is currently assessing different options before acquisition.

The military's arsenal is expected to get deadlier as more and more made-in-India weapons are developed and finalised, like the Dhanush gun system.

Beijing appears to be playing a double-game, trying to continue military aggression, even as both sides sit at the negotiation table. In such a situation, the deployment of potent and effective weapons at the border are a necessary deterrent.