CHINA THREAT ASSESSMENT INTRODUCTION CHINA TRN EVAL AIM

CHINA THREAT ASSESSMENT

INTRODUCTION

CHINA TRN EVAL

AIM TO ACQUAINT YOU WITH TRN OBTAINING ON OUR NORTHERN AND EASTERN BORDERS WITH CHINA AND CARRY OUT A BROAD TRN EVAL

PREVIEW l PART 1 l PART 2 l PART 3 l PART 4 l PART 5 - TIBET GEN LADAKH HP - UP BORDER SIKKIM BORDER ALP BORDER

SCOPE

PART 1: TIBET

GEN l PLATEAU- 14, 000 FT (3050 M) TO 16, 000 FT (4875 M) l AREA 1, 221, 700 SQ KM l INTERNAL XINJIANG, QINGHAI BORDERS SICHUAN, YUNNAN l EXTERNALINDIA, NEPAL BORDERS BHUTAN & M’MAR

TRN EVAL l Contains High Mtns. l Large Areas Not Surveyed. l Southern & Eastern Portions Have Maj Population & Agricultural Areas. l Undulating With Few Steep Rises & Obst. l Hard & Open, Suitable for Constr of Rds & Airfds.

TRN EVAL l East of Tsang Po bend, mtnous & unstable soil, prone to Landslides/ closure. l Entry difficult but within Tibet, mov easy. l Gradual slope towards India, Nepal

RELIEF OF TIBET l CHANGTHANG l PO REGION l EASTERN TIBET

COMNS

WESTERN HIGHWAY l Length 2480 kms. l Kashgar to Lhasa via Aksai Chin, Gartok. l Cl 18 one way. l Lhasa to Laze Cl 50. l Closure period 60 days. l Capacity 800 T daily.

CENTRAL HIGHWAY l Cl 50 two way black top. l Length 1965 kms. l Xining to Lhasa via Gormo. l Gormo- Lhasa 1127 kms. l Closure pd 40 days. l Capacity 2700 T daily.

EASTERN HIGHWAY l Chengdu - Lhasa via Chamdo, Pangta. l Cl 18 one way. l Kangting - Pangta two alignments. – N Alignment via Chamdo - 2405 kms. – S Alignment via Mankang - 2085 kms. l Closure period 90 days. l Capacity 800 T daily.

EASTERN HIGHWAY l Tibet -Yunnan Highway from Mangkang. – 700 kms. – Cl 9. l Induction route from Chengdu MR

KARAKORAM HIGHWAY l Length 1225 Km. l Kashgar - Havelian via Khunjerab Pass l Kashgar - Khunjerab (395 km) Cl 18 two way. l Closure period 90 days. l Khunjerab-Gilgit Cl 40. l Gilgit-Havelian Cl 70.

RAIL l Xinning - Gormo. l Capacity 1000 T/ 640 pers per train. l Daily eight trains (Four each way). l Now extended South 33 km.

OIL PPL l Length - Lhasa. l Oil Depots l Pumping stns l Annual capacity l Present capacity l Annual reqmt - 1220 kms. - 3 12 5 Lakh T. 1. 25 Lakh T. 6 Lakh T. l Gormo

AIR FDS l Eastern & Central Sects. – Hoping – Kongka Dz – Donshoon – Nagchu ka – Pangta l Ladakh Sect – Khotan

TELE-COMNS l Line & Radio comn from Lhasa to all Adm dists & Mil sub dists. l Grnd Satl Earth stn at Lhasa on INTELSAT netwk. l Direct comn link via satl from Lhasa to Beijing.

EMP OF ARMR l Possible only in Southern Ladakh and North Sikkim.

EFFECTS OF HAA l Tps to be acclimatised, trained & motivated l Wpns & Eqpt - due care, calibration l Lack of natural cover l Considerable strain on lgs as area devoid of natural resources l Dply of arty has it own problems

PART 2 : LADAKH

TRN EVAL l Sparsely inhabited, barren & arid area. l Himalayas & Karakorams run NW to SE l Steep & sharp crested, 15, 000 to 25, 000 ft. l Separating the mtn massif are narrow valleys & gorges upto 7000 ft deep.

TRN EVALUATION l Least rugged portion from NE Ladakh Eastwards. l Permits ltd X country mov for tr & wh vehs in Southern Ladakh only. l Open space only in Indus Valley.

TRN EVAL l Climate – Low temp throughout the region. – Severe winters, temp upto (-) 79 deg C. l Vegetation. Barren & arid hence no cover available. l Population – Sparsely inhabited. – Imp places are Rudok, Churkang, Tashigong.

TRN EVAL l Rivers – R Indus. – Enters India at Demchock. – 4 to 10 ft deep, fast flowing (2 -5 kts) – Flows West to Leh. – Obst for inf & B veh (100 - 300 ft wide) – Frozen in winter, Xg by B veh w/o eqpt is possible.

COMNS l Western highway passes through Aksai Chin. l Two laterals – Lhasa to Gartok (Cl 18) – Anto to Giamuk (Cl 9) l Nine feeder rds upto IB / LAC and can be linked to own rds at Chushul & Demchok.

EFFECTS OF TRN l Favourable period for launching ops ltd from Apr to Nov. l X country mov restd to ft travel in all areas other than apchs from Spanggur & Tashigong where dply of mech forces is possible. l Deployability upto two Divs.

PART 3 : HP - UP BORDER

TRN EVAL l GEN l CLIMATE l VEGETATION l POPULATION l RIVERS l COMNS

CL 9 FEEDER RDS EX WESTERN HIGHWAY l Gartok - Shipki (280 km) l Gartok - Tholingmath - Poling - Sarang ( 172 km ) l Missar - Kunglung - Dapa - Tholingmath - Poling - Sarang (310 km ) l Porkha - Silangtar (91 km ) l Porkha - Taklakot (95 km)

RD H TO BORDER l SHIPKI 6 KM l SARANG 15 KM l TICHAMUR 19 KM l POLING 12 KM l JINDU 10 KM l KUNGLUNG 59 KM l SILANGTAR 14 KM l PALA (TAKLAKOT) 8 KM

IMP PASSES l SHIPKI LA l THAG LA l MANA l NITI l KUNGRI BINGRI LA l NUWE DHURA l LIPU LEKH 13, 300 FT 16, 500 FT 18, 394 FT 17, 387 FT 18, 250 FT 18, 450 FT 16, 800 FT

CHINESE CLAIM AREAS l KAURIK - SHIPKI l PULAM SUMDA l BARAHOTI - 303 SQ KM -1336 SQ KM - 460 SQ KM

TRN : OWN SIDE l HP SECT l UP SECT

EFFECTS OF TRN l Large scale mil ops over prolonged period difficult l Campaigning season - Oct to Nov l Ft and AT mov difficult l Lgs sp problematic

PART 4 SIKKIM

TRN EVAL GEN

N SIKKIM l East Nepal tri junc to Khungyame La l Northern portion high alt plateau

IMP PASSES IN NORTH SIKKIM l NAKU LA l KONGRA LA 17, 290 FT 16, 840 FT ( OPEN PERENIALLY) l CHOMDO 17, 180 FT l SE SE LA 17, 920 FT (OPEN PERENIALLY ) l KHUNGYAME LA 18, 390 FT

IMP PASSES IN NE SIKKIM l GORA LA l PHIMKARU LA l TANGKAR LA 17, 220 FT 16, 160 FT 16, 060 FT

EAST SIKKIM l Tangkar La to Batang La on Bhutan border l IB runs along Chumbi valley l Rugged and difficult trn l Land slide prone l Bad weather l No vegetation astride IB

IMP PASSES IN EAST SIKKIM l Cho La l Nathu La l Jelep La l Batang La 14534 ft 14042 ft (perenially open) 14410 ft -do 14817 ft -do-

CHUMBI VALLEY l Moderate alt l Comfortable weather conditions l Good forest cover l Adequate water l X countrry mov feasible l Passes – Agla La, Goche La, Kayarang La, Thang La

EFFECTS OF TRN l Mov off the rd difficult except in plains opposite North Sikkim & North Chumbi valley l North-South X country mov difficult l Chumbi valley East -West X country mov difficult l Passes are key trn features l Apch from Tibetan side easier

EFFECTS OF TRN l Entry into Chumbi valley restd to four passes l Devp of comns particularly to East difficult and time consuming l Rd blocked for 60 to 90 days l High alt problems for men and mtrl

TRN : OWN SIDE l Strat imp of Siliguri corridor – Chumbi valley to BD border 90 km – Chumbi valley to plains 30 km – Nepal to BD 22 km – Comn and oil ppl from NE

RD COMNS l Cl 70 NH TO GUWAHATI AND FURTHER EAST l NH SILIGURI - GANGTOK (CL 24 UPTO TEESTA, CL 9 TO GANGTOK) l SILIGURI-KALIMPONG (CL 9 AW) l GANGTOK- NATHU LA (CL 9 AW ) l KALIMPONG - JELEP LA (CL 9 AW )

ALP : TRN EVAL l Lofty mtns and habitable valleys l Moderate to severe climate l Valley flats sp vegetation South and SW of Namcha Barwa l Tsang Po Valley runs West to East l Passes over 13000 ft closed in winter

ALP : TRN EVAL l Eastern part has denser netwk of streams and greater precipitation hence prone to floods and landslides l Rds run East to West l Two maj axes – Tsona DZ - Bumla in West – Rima - Tatu in East

TRN POTENTIAL ALONG IB l TRI JUNC TO TULUNG LA l TULUNG LA TO LONG JU l LONGJU TO KANGRI KARPO LA (KKL) l KKL TO EAST TRI JUNC

TRI JUNC - TULUNG LA l Avenue used in 1962 l Border along watershed (14000 -18500 ft) l Passes – Khinzemane (7874 ft) - perennial – Bum La (14694 ft) – Tulung La (16995 ft)

TRI JUNC - TULUNG LA ROUTES OF INGRESS – TSONA DZ - LE - KHINZEMANE – TSONA DZ - BUM LA (CL 9) – SL MBI - TULUNG LA (FT TR)

TULUNG LA - LONGJU l Sharp ridge line with alt 18500 -21000 ft l Permt snow over 15000 ft l Prone to avalanches l Scrub type vegetation in lower valleys l Tp mov along streams and ridge lines possible l Passes – Asaphi La (9995 ft) – Long ju (9597 ft) perennial

LONG JU - KANGRI KARPO LA (KKL) l Difficult trn due to escarpment and permt snow l Tsang Po enters India at Kepang La l Valley slopes covered with mixed jungles l Xg over Tsang Po difficult

LONGJU TO KKL l Numerous l Imp passes exist. passes – Lola (13, 000 ft) – Kepang La (4710 ft) perrenially open – Shiyung La (6265 ft) - do – Darjitdnya (9250 ft) - do – KKL (12, 790 ft)

KKL - TRI JUNC l Alt 12000 - 16000 ft l Permt snow above 14000 ft l Upper half is rugged trn l Rima - Walong axis is in lower half l Thick forest cover in lower valleys l Few high alt flats exist above 14000 ft l Passes – Guyor La (5610 ft)

COMNS CHUSHUL DZ- TSE LA (560 km. Cl 9 ONE WAY) EASTERN HIGHWAY RAU - TATU (200 km Cl 9 ONE WAY )

COMNS KAMENG SECTOR l Tsethang - Bum La ( 230 km Cl 9 one way ) l Tsona Dz - Le ( 26 km Cl 9 one way ) l Ft Tr to Tulung La from both sides

RDS IN KAMENG l Tezpur - Tenga - Tawang ( 341 km Cl 9 AW) l Missamari - Ft hills - Tenga (Cl 9 AW in a state of disuse ) l Tawang - Lum La (Cl 9 AW ) l Tawang Bum La (Cl 9 FW, last 8 km Cl 5 op tr)

COMNS OPPOSITE SUBANSIRI SECTOR l Tsethang - Sanga Choling - Lung (Cl 9 one way , 10 km from Asaphi La ) l Slimbi l Li - Lung ( 137 km Cl 9 lateral ) lung - Lung

COMNS OPPOSITE SIANG SECT l Number l Imp of ft and AT tr to the IB trs from Tsang Po to Shoka La and Kempang La

COMNS OPPOSITE LOHIT SECT l Rd Rima - Tatu l Number Dichu of ft tr upto IB astride

RDS IN SUBANSIRI , SIANG AND LOHIT l North Lakhimpur - Ziro - Daporijo - Taliha (239 km Cl 9 AW) l Lekhabali - Bame - Along -Yinkiyong (256 km Cl 9 AW) l Along - Kaying -Tato (Under constr) l Bame - Daporijo (115 km Cl 9 lateral) l Tezu - Walong (250 km Cl 9 AW )

CLIMATE

IMP DEDUCTIONS l Maj routes of ingress and deployability in ALP – Kinzemane - Div – Bumla - Upto Two Div – Tulung La - Upto Two Regts – Long Ju - Regt – Menchuka & Tuting - Regt Each – Walong - Div

IMP DEDUCTIONS Minor ingress routes - self contained bn gps l Campaigning Season - mid Aug to mid Dec l Inter valley mov difficult - pre loc res l Own def plans must expl weaknesses and lgs difficulties l

CONCLUSION

IMP FACETS OF TRN l SEVERE EFF OF CLIMATE ON MEN & MTRL l PRESENT RD CAPACITY FOR INDUCTION & MAINT l LACK OF LGS INFRASTRUCTURE IN TIBET

l CHINESE PRIORITY OF BLDG COMN NETWK TOWARDS THEIR CLAIM LINES l IMP OF PERENNIAL PASSES l DEPLOYABILITY ALONG VALLEYS & OTHER AVENUES OF INGRESS l WIDE GEOGRAPHIC SEPARATION BETWEEN WESTERN & EASTERN THEATRE CAUSED BY THE NEPAL BORDER