Newsletter 13 April

April 13, 2021
 Team

National

Sino-India Standoff: China is significantly increasing troops and military power near Gogra-Hot Springs areas

China is deploying large numbers of short and medium-range missiles along the LAC in Eastern Laddakh. Constructing bunkers and wartime infrastructures. An increase in the movement of other military equipment was also observed. Counter majors are being taken by the Indian Armed Forces.

As per OSINT analysts, the area at the junction of Chunlung Nala Nala Kugrang River has been occupied by the PLA last year, in Gogra. More importantly, 30-35 km of Kugrang River Valley is also denied to us due to this intrusion.

The key changes Army has made in Ladakh to counter China in summer

Even as China drags its feet on further disengagement in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army has put in place a new summer strategy for Ladakh.

The force has also implemented key changes in the Order of Battle (ORBAT) to counter the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with whom it has been locked in a face-off for nearly a year, ThePrint reported.

the Army has retained a higher number of troops and equipment in Ladakh, besides the 3 Div, in charge of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and the 14 Corps Reserve including some of the formations pumped in last year, besides new elements brought in for summer deployment.

However, the sources said that while various rejigs have taken place, one key element is the focus on the ‘field peace turnover’ issue, because the Ladakh stand-off has put a lot of pressure on this aspect.

‘Field peace turnover’ important to maintain the mental and physical fighting capability is a term used for the policy to rotate the troops, (posted in a battle zone get peace postings after a particular period, and vice-versa).

Also, the Army’s focus is on the presence of “adequate” troops to counter any Chinese aggression.

Key changes in ORBAT

Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane, in Jan this year, had outlined his broad plans for rebalancing from the western theatre to the north.

  • However, details couldn’t be revealed due to security reasons.
  • The corps has had to let go of some of its formations while retaining others.
  • The armored division of the strike corps has now become the Army Headquarters Reserve Division.
  • Another division, drawn from a different pool and which focuses on mountain warfare, has now been attached with the strike corps, they said, adding that the existing artillery division under the strike corps will get specialized equipment more suited for mountain warfare.
  • The 17 Mountain Strike Corps (MSC), which had been operating till now with only one division, has now received another division from the east, which will be used for both eastern and northern sectors with a new HQ Reserve Artillery Brigade with specialized equipment.
  • “The changes effectively mean that instead of three strike corps focused on Pakistan, we now have two. The 17 MSC will get two divisions besides reserve formations,” a source said.
  • Some of the other formations have changed in terms of command and control, besides having more units attached to them for operational effectiveness.

India and China both maintain additional troops

  • The situation in Ladakh is now such that the 14 Corps has more troops on the ground and in reserve, giving the Army more deployment options.
  • While one of the reserve divisions of the Army was pulled out as tensions stabilized, large elements from another one remained in Ladakh, besides the 3 Div. Other elements have also stayed put.
  • Sources said the numbers under the 3 Div, which has 3 brigades, are more than sufficient to counter any Chinese aggression along the LAC.
  • Besides, the 14 Corps itself has independent artillery, armored and infantry brigades.
  • China has also maintained a large number of troops about 60-70 km from the LAC, who can be brought back in just a few hours.
  • Interestingly, as part of the troop push into eastern Ladakh, several units from JnK were also pumped in last year.
  • Following the Galwan clash, a Rashtriya Rifles (RR) sector was moved to the Galwan Valley area while units under Uniform Force, a formation in J&K, were also brought as a backup because, at that time, the focus was on pushing in large numbers of troops since India was not sure where the conflict was headed
  • Elements from the 17 MSC were also deployed beside the Special Frontier Force (SSF) and the Para SF. Most of these have now been withdrawn, with regular soldiers holding the fort.

14 Corps has enough troops to counter China

Former Northern Army Commander Lt Gen. D.S. Hooda (R) said the 14 Corps has enough troops to counter China. He cited what happened in Aug last year on the southern banks of Pangong Tso when Indians occupied the Kailash Range,” Hooda said.

Gen Hooda welcomed the rebalance and hoped that a lot of thought has gone into the process since this also meant that conventional deterrence capability against Pakistan has reduced a bit.

Future Options with India: Indian aim should be not to concede the Chinese attempt to redraw LAC as LAC-2020.

Maj Gen S B Asthana, a Defense expert said that the actual worth of disengagement agreement is yet to be seen in the light of trust deficit and past track record of Chinese in junking Agreements, when it suits them, as the LAC, as well as border, remains un-demarcated.

With both armies preparing for annual summer exercises and stepping up deployment along LAC in high altitude region, in addition to the troop deployment in ‘Other Areas’ doesn’t promise de-escalation.

In light of no breakthrough in the 22nd round of China-India border talks, one can’t expect any worthwhile development on delineation, delimitation for demarcation of LAC, which, is necessary to prevent repeated standoffs, even if the present one sees some resolution. The demarcation issue will not address by China till the time the political cost of not settling it, becomes higher than doing so, for the CCP.

India must be prepared for ‘Two Front War’ as a worst-case scenario, and continuous capacity building in all domains, including the maritime arena.

Ongoing infrastructure development along borders should lead to settling of locals in villages along LAC with better facilities, to ward off Chinese design of developing hundreds of new villages along LAC.

Strategic partnerships with like-minded democracies and collective naval posturing to create a multifront situation for China are efforts in the right direction.

US bipartisan legislation lays out a new strategy to counter China, seeks to strengthen ties with India, allies

The US should reaffirm its commitment to quadrilateral cooperation among Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to enhance and implement a shared vision to meet shared regional challenges and to promote a free, open, inclusive, resilient, and healthy Indo-Pacific that is characterized by democracy, rule-of-law, and market-driven economic growth and is free from undue influence and coercion.

What is News

Two US senators-Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Ranking Member Jim Risch have introduced a major bipartisan comprehensive “Strategic Competition Act of 2021” more than 280 pages that seek to boost the country’s ability to out-compete China, endorses the Quad initiative, and calls for deepening America’s bilateral and regional partnerships, including with India.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to take up the bill for discussion and voting on Apr 14th, following which it is quickly expected to move to the Senate floor.

What to Note: The legislation alleges that China capitalized on the world’s focus on the COVID–19 pandemic by its brazen move in the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and contributing to increased tensions with India.

Other issues in Bill

  • China claims nearly all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.
  • The bill also included the current Sino-Indian standoff.
  • Observing that the US greatly values partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, including with India, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Vietnam as well as regional architecture such as the Quad, ASEAN, and APEC, the bill seeks to strengthen and deepen America’s bilateral and regional partnerships, including ‘India’, Taiwan, ASEAN, and New Zealand.
  • The US should reaffirm its commitment to QUAD to enhance and implement a shared vision to meet shared regional challenges and to promote a free, open, inclusive, resilient, and healthy Indo-Pacific that is characterized by democracy, rule-of-law, and market-driven economic growth and is free from undue influence and coercion, it said.
  • In bill among other things asks the administration that it in close consultation with India, identify areas where the US can provide diplomatic and other support as appropriate for India’s efforts to address economic and security challenges posed by China.
  • This bill tackles the ruling CCP’s political influence across the globe, and importantly, in the US university system, it said.
  • It focuses on China’s predatory international economic behavior and IPR violators monitor Chinese use of Hong Kong to circumvent US export controls and track the presence of Chinese companies in the US capital markets.
  • The bill calls for enhanced coordination and cooperation with allies on arms control in the face of China’s military modernization and expansion and requires reporting on Chinese ballistic, hypersonic glide, and cruise missiles, conventional forces, nuclear, space, cyberspace, and other strategic domains.

Top Republican Senator urges Biden admin to give CAATSA waiver to India.

CAATSA is a tough U.S. law that authorizes the administration to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defense hardware from Russia.

A top Republican Senator Todd Young, a key member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has urged the Biden administration to give CAATSA waiver to India, saying that any plan to impose sanctions on New Delhi for buying Russian S-400 missile defense system would undermine its relationship with the US and also affect the QUAD’s ability to counter China.

Taiwan: 'Record number' of China jets enter air zone-BBC

  • Taiwan has said a record number of Chinese military jets flew into its air defense zone on Mon. The defense ministry said 25 aircraft including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers entered its so-called air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
  • The incursion is the largest in a year and comes as the US warns against an “increasingly aggressive China.
  • Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province, while democratic Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state.
  • The latest Chinese mission involved 18 fighter jets, as well as 4 bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons, 2 anti-submarine aircraft, and an early warning aircraft, Taiwan said.

India Fast-tracks Emergency Approvals For Foreign-made and Approved COVID-19 Vaccines

Amid a record surge in the number of COVID-19 cases reported across India, the Centre has decided to fast-track the Emergency Approvals for COVID-19 vaccines produced outside India that have been granted Emergency Utilisation Authorisation (EUA) in other countries to expand the domestic vaccine basket and increase the pace of vaccination.

India reports 161,736 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours:  India’s tally of cases to 13689453, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate dropped further to 89.51%, as per the Union Health Ministry on Mon. The death toll increased to 171058 with 879 new fatalities.

Centre’s move to fast-track the EUAs for COVID-19 vaccines manufactured abroad comes after Russia’s Sputnik V received the SEC & DCGI’s nod earlier on Mon and Tue for emergency use discussed in the 23rd meeting of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) held on 11th April, chaired by Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog.

As per a top official source’s word to ANI, India will receive vaccines from 4 additional manufacturers by the 3rd quarter this year, apart from the 3 so far which includes Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine (with Biological E), Novovax (with SII, as mentioned above), Zydus Cadila’s vaccine, and an intranasal vaccine by Bharat Biotech.

DCGI approves Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine: After the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Mon recommended granting approval to Sputnik V for restricted emergency use, the DCGI has now approved the use of the Sputnik V vaccine against the COVID-19 virus. As per sources, around 10 crore doses of the Sputnik V vaccine are likely to be imported for emergency use in the country in the next 6-7 months.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended and justified India’s decision to supply COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, saying that the country’s “ability to make vaccines is a result of international cooperation” which is not a “one-way street” speaking at the Raisina Dialogue ’21

14 fishermen missing after boat collides with a ship near Karnataka coast

  • The boat was coming from the Beypore town in the Kozhikode district of Kerala. Ships and choppers of the coast guard have arrived at the accident site.
  • 14 fishermen went missing in the early hours of Tue after their mechanized boat collided with a ship on Karnataka’s Mangaluru coast.
  • Reports also suggest that the ship which caused the accident sped away after the mishap. The Indian Coast Guard tweeted that two crew have been found so far while the search for the remaining 12 is in progress.

National

The UK classified Pakistan as a 'high risk' state over money laundering, terror financing

A day earlier, it had emerged that the UK had added Pakistan to the list of 21 countries that were part of Schedule 3ZA (High-Risk Countries) under its Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) (High-Risk Countries) Regulations 2021. Pakistan is listed under 21 ‘high-risk third countries, which includes N Korea, Syria, Zimbabwe, Syria, and Yemen.

  • The ‘Amendment of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017’ has the amendment with the new list which includes Pak with effect on Mar 26th.
  • The new regulation is a post-Brexit regime and mentioned that replacement of “a country which has been identified by the European Commission as a high-risk third country in delegated acts adopted under Article 9.2 of the “4th money laundering directive” with a new substitute “a high-risk third country”.
  • The development comes even as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF’s) sword continues to hang on Pakistan, since June 2018, impacting its economy badly
  • It called on Pak to address deficiencies, including “demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 & 1373 designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or on behalf.”
  • Pak FO said on Mon that the UK’s decision was not based on facts. He expressed the hope that the “UK would review its regulations in light of facts on the ground and avoid politically motivated and misplaced measures.”
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