India's Ghatak commandos ready for China's martial arts trained Army at LAC

Even as the border tensions between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has de-escalated, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is employing martial arts trainers to train their military officers. As per reports in the Chinese media, at least 20 martial arts trainers have been sent to Tibet to train Chinese soldiers. Even before the clashes on June 15 at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, China had recruited local martial arts trainers from Tibet's local clubs into their army division. To counter the martial arts' trained Chinese Army, the Indian Army has deployed its Ghatak commandos. According to an army officer, a Ghatak commando undergos a specialised 43-day Commando Training Course at Belgaum in Karnataka. The training includes running for 40-kilometers non-stop with a weight of about 35 kg which strengthens them physically. Apart from weapons training they are also trained in hand-to-hand combat. They also specialise in martial arts. Even when they are posted in a unit they are trained there too. There are different training for high altitude areas and desert areas. According to an agreement between India and China signed in 1996, it was agreed that there would be no firing within a two kilometer radius of the LAC, no usage of any dangerous chemical weapons, guns, or any kind of explosives will be allowed. An Army official said that although the unit of Ghatak commandos consists of about 22 personnel including an officer, a JCO, but almost a whole team is also kept as a backup. This way, there are 40–45 commandos in a unit at all times. Every Infantry Officer in the Indian Army has to undergo the training and only selected soldiers are given this training. Every year, 30-40 new jawans arrive in every unit and then some of the new jawans are kept in the commando team. The soldiers who replace these deadly commando teams also remain in the unit. In this way, besides the Ghatak commando team, there are about 50% soldiers in the unit who are experts in it. Meanwhile, India and China have agrred to hold talks every week to find ways to reduce the tension at the LAC. Sources associated with the government said that it has been agreed between the two countries that a meeting of the WMCC (Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination, WMCC) will be held every week to discuss the issue East Ladakh border issue. Representatives from several ministries including the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Home Affairs and Security Forces from the Indian side will be included in the meet. Sources said that the WMCC met last week to discuss the issue of tension in eastern Ladakh and steps were taken to resolve the issues. During the talks, the issue of violent clash of soldiers in Galvan Valley was also discussed.