The 21-day stand-off between the Chinese and Indian armies, of April 2013, in the Depsang Plains of Eastern Ladakh, could have resulted in a limited conflict, if not defused, the lead story in the next issue of Indian Military Review (IMR), will say.
Mixing fact and fiction, the story, written by well-known defence
analyst Maj Gen (Dr) GD Bakshi, Retd, depicts a scenario set up in
June 2014, in which a localised clash occurs with hundreds dead on the Chinese side, thanks to the superiority of the Indian Air Force (IAF). But the Chinese are stopped at the cost of two companies of the Indian Army, which fight “to the last man last round.”
IMR is published from New Delhi and is edited by retired armed forces officers, including Maj Gen GD Bakshi.
Interestingly, in the scenario depicted, while the Indian Army fights
valiantly to the last-man-last-round and holds on to its positions,
reminiscent of the 1962 War, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
troops also launch waves of assaults with overwhelming strength.
To add a twist in the story, the IAF chief briefs the Cabinet
Committee on Security (CCS) and seeks its approval to launch air
strikes against the advancing Chinese, which is denied. Meanwhile,
the operations staff give the go ahead to the strike bases, confident that the CCS would not repeat the mistakes of 1962 and the chief would return with the green signal. In the end, this unintentional ‘disobedience’ or initiative saves the day and lives of Indian soldiers.
Maj Gen Ravi Arora, editor of IMR says the magazine will publish
another scenario soon depicting full-fledged war between the two
countries.
A platoon of about 50 PLA soldiers had come 19 km inside the Indian territory in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector, which is at an altitude of about 17,000 feet, in the Depsang Valley, on the night of April 15 and established a tented post there.
The Indian side got its first indication of Chinese gradual build-up
in the standoff area when the troops noticed vehicles moving between the Chinese tents and their nearest backup location 25 km away, suggesting replenishment of supplies.
The stand-off was resolved through diplomatic efforts after 21-days before the visit of the Chinese premier Li Keqiang to India in end-May.