India’s Commandos Ready to Face Martials Trained Chinese Army

Fewer tensions between Chinese-India has caused de-escalation of the forces that are stationed at the Line of Actual Control. The PLA (China's People's Liberation Army) are getting 20 martial arts experts to train the troop in hand to hand combat.

Recent engagement in Tibet Highlands has prompted the Chinese command to have their ground troop be more adept at hand to hand fighting. The tensions have led to fisticuffs and a Chinese officer punched by Indian troops.

Sources say that before the border class at Galwan Valley last 15th of June in Ladakh, the PLA has trained it's for troops for all combative situations. Having martial arts practitioners only improves the mettle of Chinese troopers more.

One strategy for the Indian Army is to send in the Ghatak Commandos to negate the skills of the martial arts trained Chinese army. One officer said the Ghatak unit is so specialized that a special Commando Training Course at Belgaum in Karnataka is established for this. Part of the training is a 40-kilometers no-stopping, with a 35-kilogram weight strapped for strength training, reported Defense News.

To counter the martial arts' trained Chinese Army, the Indian Army has deployed its Ghatak commandos. According to an army officer, Ghatak entrants undergo a specialized 43-day Commando Training Course at Belgaum in Karnataka. The training includes running a distance of 40-kilometers no-stop which equals 35 kg that strengthens them physically. Such training is needed to get into the unit.

What makes the Ghatak unit different from training with weapons and enhanced one on one combat are extra training. One such thing is martial arts as standard for the unit, and this is standard for all other units. There are more programs in high altitude fighting and even the desert training.

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An agreement that was enacted by India and China was signed in 1996. A radius of about two kilometers has special conditions. Both nations will not use hazardous chemical weapons, no firearms, and explosives are not allowed in the zone. Both nations have kept their part of the deal since 1996.

Information on the special unit, according to an army official says that the Ghatak commandos have numbered a total of 22-men. Included is an officer, JCO with an extra team of 22-specialist. Overall, there will be a main and backup unit with their officers make it 40 to 45 men who are the crème de la crème of the Indian army.

An Army official said that although the unit of Ghatak commandos consists of about 22 specialists, including an officer, a JCO, almost a whole team is also kept as a backup. This way, there are 40-45 active members of the special unit.

Every infantry officer in the Indian Army is required to opt for the Ghatak unit, with a few of the enlisted men are given the privilege to train in the unit. Yearly, there are 30-40 jawans from all units, and only a select few are retained to serve in the elite Indian commando unit. Jawan who replace the older commandos is still part of the unit. Keeping the Junior officers and the older members as experts are part of the unit

India's Ghatak commandos at the India and Chinese border keep the Chinese troops on their toes. Thus, the need for martial arts for Chinese troops is evident.