Military China
Although PLAAF has more combat aircraft, for operations in the high mountainous region of Ladakh, IAF has the advantage of experience in operations at high altitudes.
IAF VS PLAAF IN EASTERN LADAKH Would the IAF be able to effectively confront the PLAAF in the event of a large scale conflict that would involve the employment of air power by both sides?
Photographs: eng.chinamil.com.cn/ Liu Chang and Liu Yinghua; Dassault Aviation
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd) Confrontation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) EFFORTS AT DISENGAGEMENT between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army Since the beginning of the face-off in May 2020, the political and (PLA) of China, erupted in the first week of May 2020 fol- military leadership of both India and China have been engaged lowing a small but violent clash between the troops deployed in dialogue to de-escalate the state of military confrontation and in the Pangong lake areas in Eastern Ladakh. This triggered reduce the level of tension along the LAC to obviate a full-scale apprehensions of possible escalation of conflict that led to the military conflict along the LAC. So far, 11 rounds of talks between rapid enhancement in the deployment of troops and heavy the representatives of the military leadership from both sides weaponry by both sides. The Indian have taken place and under the someAir Force (IAF) as well as the People’s what limited agreement for disengageLiberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of ment reached, both sides have pulled China, were also placed on high alert back to a limited extent, their frontline Today, the PLAAF and resorted to redeployment of their troops, tanks, infantry combat vehicles stands as the second military aerial platforms and associand artillery guns. However, the situaated ground-based elements to not tion continues to be tense and the poslargest Air Force only protect and support the ground sibility of large-scale military conflict in the world after forces in peacetime, but also to cater continues to loom large over the horizon. for any major conflict or an all out war Even while negotiations between the US Air Force should there be one. Consequently, India and China for disengagement in whereas the IAF is there was escalation of both military Eastern Ladakh are in progress, units of the fourth largest and political tension between the two the IAF and the PLAAF remain deployed Asian giants. in the theatre just as they were when the
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ISSUE 5 • 2021
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