By Major General P K Chakravorty, VSM, Retired
2020 has been a crucial year for the Indian Army. The clash in Galwan in Eastern Ladakh with the Peopleâs Liberation Army (PLA) of China has compelled the Indian Army to accelerate the modernisation process to match the Armed Forces of China. The clashes resulted in preemptive moves to occupy the Kailash Ranges South of Pangong Tso on the intervening night of 29 and 30 August by the Indian Army which surprised the Chinese and provided India a strong position on the negotiating table.
To match the PLA implies that Indian Army must move its modernisation programme in top gear. In 2019, Indian Government finalised a road map to spend $130 billion in the next five to seven years to modernise the Armed Forces and bolster their capabilities to effectively counter the challenges from the adversaries. The plan includes acquisition of a wide variety of weaponry to include missiles, warships, drones, fighter jets, surveillance equipment an