Chinese light tanks no match for India's T-90 at LAC, say Indian tank commanders
Follow UsStory highlights
China has recently deployed T-15 light tanks and the Chinese media has been claiming that these tanks will be effective in the mountainous region and in valleys. But Indian commanders maintain that India's T-90 and T-72 tanks along with BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles can operate in temperature ranges of minus 40 degrees to 50 degrees
The standoff between India and China has been going on for over five months now. As per latest reports, China has deployed light tanks opposite the Indian territory in Ladakh. India has deployed tanks along the Line of Actual control as well and Indian tank commanders strongly feel that Chinese tanks will be no match for India's T-90 and T-72 tanks in case an armoured battle breaks out.
"I believe that in case there is a battle involving the tanks during the present situation and they deploy their light tanks, I can assure you that it won`t survive against our T-90s and the T-72s," a tank commander told ANI on the condition of anonymity as he was not officially authorised to talk to the media.
China has recently deployed T-15 light tanks and the Chinese media has been claiming that these tanks will be effective in the mountainous region and in valleys. But Indian commanders maintain that India's T-90 and T-72 tanks along with BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles can operate in temperature ranges of minus 40 degrees to 50 degrees.
Asked about the performance of the tank in the high mountainous terrain, the commander told ANI that the Russian-origin T-90 tank is very well-suited for operations in extreme cold weather conditions that exist in the country of origin of the tank. Almost all along the LAC, there are multiple locations where tanks have been deployed from both sides from Depsang plains in the DBO sector, the southern bank of Pangong lake including the Spanggur gap area and the Chumar-Demchok sector in the southern part.
ANI quoted sources as saying that the Chinese tanks and infantry combat vehicles including the T-99s and the PTZ had been deployed in significant numbers by the Chinese opposite Indian territory and backed by the long-range artillery and surface-to-air missile defence systems as part of its aggressive posturing against India since April-May timeframe this year.
(With ANI inputs)