Will be part of Leh-based 14 Corps
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: A new Army Division approved by the Government is being given final shape for deployment in Eastern Ladakh on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China
The new division which will be called 72 Infantry Division will, however, not entail adding new manpower as it will only re-task existing Brigades in Eastern Ladakh, sources told the Excelsior.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
“The war-fighting elements of the new division have been finalised,” they said.
There was standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh in April 2020 which continued for nearly four years till de-escalation from most of the areas after the two sides reach an agreement.
During standoff, the Army had moved around several of its units to Ladakh including 6 Mountain Brigade from Bareilly and some resources of the Mathura-based 1 Strike Corps.
As per the sources, the 72 Infantry Division will be part of the Leh-based 14 Corps.
It will be deployed on both fronts including LAC with China and LoC with Pakistan. Its area of responsibility will be the 832 km of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China; the Line of Control with Pakistan in the Drass-Kargil-Batalik sector; and the Siachen Glacier.
It may be mentioned here that the 14 Corps has two Divisions – the 8th Mountain Division, which mans the LoC with Pakistan, and the 3rd Infantry Division, which looks after the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
Sources said the 72 Infantry Division is expected to subsume some of these elements to consolidate troop numbers.
A division of Army has about 15,000 men, besides equipment. It is headed by a Major General-rank officer and has three or four Brigades, each headed by a Brigadier.
Okayed by the Government in 2017, the 72 Infantry Division was to be part of the 17 Mountain Strike Corps with its headquarters in Pathankot. Under the re-alignment, it will be based in eastern Ladakh, said the sources, adding that the headquarters of the division were being raised and officers and men had been assigned.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
