As Eastern Ladakh witnesses its first snow and sub-zero temperatures, the Indian Army soldiers, armed with US-made blizzard masks, have become all prepared for the winter against the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The concentration of the national security planners is now completely directed towards beefing maritime security.
Though, the four-nation QUAD multilateral exercises under Malabar will commence on the forthcoming Tuesday, the military planners have made the decision to shift the priority to Eastern Naval Command and the island units of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep to respond to any threats directed by the PLA Navy in Indian Ocean. The Western Naval Command is urged to disperse its assets to Karwar base in Karnataka as the target.
The plan adheres to the security review raised over China’s PLA Navy further ahead than the maritime threat from Pakistan Navy.
Regarding this context, the national security planners are deliberating on inching another amphibious brigade, each for eastern and western seaboard, ready for any offensive operations. Presently, India has one assigned amphibious brigade, whose parts are across Thiruvanathpuram and Andaman and Nicobar Command. The security planners are deciding for one absolute brigade in Thiruvanathpuram, and another to be based in Visakhapatnam or Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Though the islands have a strategic leverage, the Indian Navy is still inclined to Mumbai and Visakhapatnam with the Andaman and Nicobar Command on the left to the headquarters of the tri-services.
