India built a new Aviation brigade in the eastern sector this year, with the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remained tight across all sectors. The brigade’s mission in the eastern sector is to increase surveillance along the LAC.
According to reports, the new brigade was created in March in Missamari, Assam, near Tezpur, and includes advanced light helicopters (ALH), Cheetah helicopters, and Heron drones among its capabilities.
In Assam, the Army’s aviation branch has deployed weaponized ALH not far from the LAC.
While the new brigade’s primary mission is to support the Army’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, it also has the capacity to assist the Army with other LAC goals.
According to a source, the Missamari Army Aviation Base is home to the aviation brigade, which has three squadrons.
According to Lt Col Amit Dadhwal, the Army Aviation Corps has progressed from primitive fixed-wing aircraft with rudimentary avionics to cutting-edge equipment such as the ALH Weaponized System Integrated and Light Combat Helicopters.
“These Rotary Wing platforms give us, our leaders and commanders with a wide range of capabilities that enable us to succeed in a variety of operations,” he added.
The helicopters, he added, are utilized for casualty evacuations, induction and de-induction, and carry troops in full battle loads in every sort of dangerous terrain and weather circumstances.
The induction of the new brigade comes as talks to end the impasse in eastern Ladakh have reached a snag, with 50,000 troops from both sides expected to spend another winter in the difficult conditions.
Earlier this month, the 13th round of Corps Commander level negotiations to end the more than 17-month impasse came to a halt after China refused to evacuate Patrolling Point (PP) 15 at Hot Springs. Both parties released forceful comments the day following the summit, breaking with tradition and blaming each other for the situation.
Army Chief General M M Naravane had said on the eve of the discussions that China’s increasing infrastructure development along the LAC showed it was here to stay, and that it was a cause for concern, even if India would match the deployment.
