India's defense preparedness in Ladakh is strengthening. The National Wildlife Board has approved 12 key projects for the Ministry of Defense. These projects are essential in light of China's growing aggression. Construction will take place in sensitive areas such as Changthang and Karakoram.

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has approved 12 key projects of the Ministry of Defence in Ladakh. This decision is necessary in view of the increasing aggression by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The committee, chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, cleared these projects in sensitive areas such as the Changthang Cold Desert Sanctuary and the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary. These include a training node at Tara, an artillery battery at Leh, two Formation Ammunition Storage Facilities (FASF), a brigade headquarters at Chushul, and an Indo-Tibetan border outpost near Kazi Langar.

In addition, approval has been given for the construction of an army camp in Leh and the 158-meter-long Pinjoli Bridge on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of Defense stated that the establishment of the training node at Tara is necessary because the Counter Insurgency Force's responsibility extends from Pyongyang Tso to Mount Gya.

Formation headquarters are in the second phase and most units are deployed at altitudes above 15,000 feet. "India requires a high level of preparedness in view of the increasing aggression of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the region," the ministry said.

He further said, “In this context, availability of dedicated training infrastructure, including indoor and outdoor facilities, in the super high altitude area (altitude of about 15,000 feet) is essential to facilitate regular and training for the troops, while also maintaining their operational presence.” This proposed training site is located next to Tara Battalion and is part of the Choshul sub-sector.

• The approval is part of efforts to strengthen infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash with China, in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred. The ministry also noted that while the Deputy Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden recommended the training node proposal, their conditions were general and no specific wildlife mitigation plan was provided.
• The two FASFs, in the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, will require 24.2 hectares and 47.1 hectares of sanctuary land, respectively. The Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary is home to animals such as the Tibetan wolf, wild yak, bharal (blue sheep), wild dog, snow leopard, brown bear, and marmot.
• Another important proposal that has been approved is the use of 40 hectares of land in the Changthang Sanctuary to establish a brigade headquarters in Chushul. The ministry said, "Since units under Headquarters 142 Infantry Brigade are already deployed along the LAC, it is important for the brigade headquarters to be deployed closer to the LAC for better command and control. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire land in Chushul for construction of assets for the deployment of Headquarters 142 Infantry Brigade."
• Additionally, the construction of a 158-meter-long permanent Pinjoli Bridge on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh has been approved. This project also falls under the Defense Infrastructure Strengthening Act. The primary objective of all these approvals is to strengthen India's defense preparedness in response to China's increasing military activities, especially in sensitive border areas that also host significant wildlife populations.

PC:NBT