The Indian Army carried out combat drills and added new weapons in its area of operations in the Eastern Ladakh sector, a defense official said on Saturday.
New Delhi's incorporation of indigenously manufactured howitzers, and Quick-Reaction-Force Vehicles is telling considering India's border stand-off with China has now extended to a fourth year.
Also, during the military exercises that were conducted in the mountainous terrain near the Indus River in Eastern Ladakh, a large contingent of tanks and armored vehicles was deployed by the Indian Army.
Tank formations featuring Russian-made T-90 and T-72 tanks and infantry combat vehicles were among the military equipment used in the war games.
The Indian Army said that these exercises were carried out to prepare troops to respond quickly to a sudden attack by enemy forces and foil any attempts to take control of Indian territory via valley routes in the region.
Moreover, the Indian Army added an array of new weapons to keep the adversary in check in Eastern Ladakh.
According to Captain V Mishra from the Regiment of Artillery, the Indian Army has recently inducted Dhanush Howitzers to the sector. He mentioned that these weapon platforms can strike enemy targets up to a range of 48 kilometers.
Another locally produced platform that is helping the Indian Army in its operations in Ladakh is the M4 Quick-Reaction-Force Vehicle.
These armored vehicles were included in the force last year and since then their numbers have already grown in the Indian Army.
These vehicles have proved a boon to the Indian Army, as they have solved the force's long-standing problems of transporting more soldiers to forward posts in the Ladakh region.
M4 Quick-Reaction-Force Vehicles can carry a maximum of six troops as well as loads of ammunition and equipment, vital for the sustenance of soldiers in forward areas.
India's surveillance capabilities in the region have also been boosted by the introduction of the newly manufactured Rajak system into the force. The Rajak system can detect the movement of humans up to 15km away and vehicles up to 25km.
Furthermore, the Indian Army has deployed the Spike anti-tank guided missiles to tackle tanks from enemy forces in Eastern Ladakh.