Centre approves proposal to ramp up radar coverage along Indo-China border

The central government has approved a Rs 6,000 crore project to install high-power radars along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to monitor the activities of the Chinese Air Force. The radar will be manufactured by Larsen & Toubro. 

The made-in-India radars are planned to be deployed along the LAC and the Line of Control with Pakistan, defence sources told India Today. The new radars are meant to monitor Chinese Air Force activities in the Ladakh sector.

The sources said radar coverage on the western front of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat sectors is relatively easy, but from Jammu and Kashmir up to Arunachal Pradesh in the Northeast is very difficult due to the mountainous region.

Improved radar coverage has become important in view of suspicious activities by the Chinese force on the eastern front.

The Chinese Air Force started probing Indian responses to its violations in the Demchok sector in Ladakh by sending fighter planes. The Indian Air Force responded strongly by scrambling its fighter jets to the Demchok sector from nearby air bases.

Another project cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Modi, is to purchase Close-in Weapon Systems.

These systems will be deployed to provide protection to vital assets and locations, top defence sources informed India Today.