Leh (Ladakh): With over 30,000 additional troops being deployed in the Ladakh sector to counter the Chinese aggression, the Indian Army is going to place emergency orders for extreme cold weather tents for the soldiers on the borders.
The need for the tents is being felt as the deployment on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is expected to be prolonged as the senior armed forces officers feel that the stand-off is likely to continue at least till September-October timeframe.
Even if the Chinese withdraw from the locations, we cannot take chances for the future as well. The guard will always have to be up and that is why, we are going to place orders for thousands of tents for extreme cold weather survival in Eastern Ladakh sector, top Army sources told ANI.
"All along the border, apart from weaponry and ammunition, the major focus of our emergency procurement would be on providing for habitat for soldiers," they said.
The Chinese have already started pitching in their special winter tents and the Indian side, which has similar tents and structures in Siachen glacier, has used some of these in the Eastern Ladakh sector but the need is for a large number of these tents, the sources said.
The force is looking at both Indian and European markets for such tents as the focus is on to procure them before the extreme cold weather sets in, they said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has given financial powers of Rs 500 crore per procurement to the defence forces to address any type of shortages of weapons, ammunition and habitat.
The Army is going to buy Excalibur ammunition for its M-777 ultra-light howitzers and several other types of ammunition and weaponry from Russia and other global suppliers.
The current crisis on China border had started in Ladakh after the Chinese moved in more than 20,000 troops along with heavy weaponry to the Indian front in Eastern Ladakh.
(ANI REPORT)
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