Indian Army, Air Force Practice Moving Large Number Of Troops To China Border Quickly, To Deter Galwan Like Misadventure By PLA

Indian Army and Air Force completed a joint exercise ‘Vayu Prahaar’ along the Chinese Border close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), reported The Indian Express.

This exercise comes at the back of a military standoff between India and China since 2020, which has seen multiple skirmishes and clashes, the latest of which happened just last December, at the Yangtse locality of the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh.

The exercise was conducted to test the rapid induction capabilities of certain army formations using Air Force’s heavy airlift assets (C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J-J30 Super Hercules, and IL-76 heavy lift aircraft).

The exercise validated the joint plans of the Army and the Air Force to prosecute synergised multiple-domain operations, says the IE report.

The exercise demonstrated the ability of the Army’s ‘Rapid Reaction Force’ to airlift at nominated Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) close to LAC in an emergency.

“The conduct of Vayu-Prahar enabled coordination and rehearsal amongst various agencies for quick mobilisation, transportation, and deployment of forces within a theatre which can be executed across theatres,” an official source said.

“The exercise validated and refined procedures quintessential for synergised joint operations. Army Formations, Special Forces along with the IAF participated in the 96-hour exercise,” the source added.

This exercise can deter the Chinese to undertake any operation inimical to India’s territorial integrity.

The exercise was conducted in the second week of March somewhere in the northeastern part of the country close to the LAC. India has constructed a host of ALGs as part of the government’s push for infrastructure construction along the entire LAC.

Arunachal Pradesh already has seven operational ALGs like Pasighat, Along, Walong, Ziro, Mechuka, Vijayanagar, and Tuting.

Many of these ALGs are open for civilian operations as well.

Last month, according to the report, the Indian Army completed another joint training exercise — Trishakti Prahar — close to the Siliguri Corridor (the Chicken Neck Area).

This exercise was also aimed at testing the defence preparedness of the forces using the latest weaponry.