To oppose Chinese forces along the northeastern Sino-Indian border, India has begun organizing a US$10 billion upgrade to its mountain strike corps, according to New Delhi sources. Indian officials are concerned about China's new air bases and the capability of deploying fighter jets and special forces along the border region.

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Gen. Dalbr Singh Suhag, Indian Army chief of staff, is scheduled to visit the northeast command next week to assess the rollout of the newly formed 17 Corps charged with countering Chinese capabilities along the 4,000-kilometer Line of Actual Control, LAC, between the two nations.

Lately, China has been butting heads with India and Nepal. Even closer to home, Indian officials said Chinese troops crossed well into Kashmir two weeks ago, eventually withdrawing when approached by Indian special forces. Sources said Chinese troops went up to 30 kilometers into the disputed north Ladakh area.

While it's a far cry from the Sino-Indian clashes of the 1990s that were settled by 1993 and 1996 agreements and the 1962 Sino-Indian War, it's also a far cry from no engagement at all. China's aggressive posturing in the South China Sea also seems to have concerned Indian military planners who Friday unveiled its first domestically manufactured anti-submarine guided-missile equipped warship, the 3,300-ton INS Kamorta, at the port of Vishakapatnam.

Another bone of contention between China and India seems to be India's close relationship with the U.S. although that relationship has been on the rocks recently due to several factors including the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York over her allegedly violating labor laws while employing a nanny.

Suhag recently toured the embattled Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. Reports said he was placed in charge of the Special Frontier Force, a covert unit of Tibetan soldiers at the LAC.

India's 17 Corps is expected to be fully operational in five years. It's capabilities are anticipated to reduce a Chinese force advantage over India from 3-to-1 to 2-to-1.

India also has beefed up its weapons capability with plans to buy modern weapons systems for the 17 Corps. The military plans to move 150 T-72 tanks to Ladakh along with Smerch missile batteries designed to fire up to 80 kilometers.

TagsMilitary, Defense, kashmire, Nepal, U.S.-Sino relations, U.S.-India relations, India-China relations, Military, Defense, Line of Actual Control, Gen. Dalbr Singh Suhag, Indian Army, chinese army