Ladakh Standoff: India Deploys Home-grown Long-range Missile Nirbhay to Counter Chinese Threat at LAC

The all-weather missile has a range that can go up to 1,000 km, meaning it can strike targets in Tibet.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Priyanka

Updated: September 28, 2020, 11:40 PM IST

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New Delhi: Upping the country’s long-range defence, the Indian security forces have deployed subsonic missile Nirbhay to counter China’s missile deployment along the Line of Actual Control, according to reports.

The homegrown surface-to-surface missile has a reach of up to 1,000 km and is capable of low-level stealth strike on targets, which means it is capable of flying between 100 metres to 4km from ground and pick up the target before engaging it.

The all-weather missile has a range that can go up to 1,000 km, meaning it can strike targets in Tibet.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Nirbhay missile has been in the testing for seven years and this is its first deployment.

The new missiles have been deployed in a limited number for now and it is likely to get full op clearance later, according to sources.

As per satellite images, a sudden increase has been noticed in China’s deployment of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) at new locations in Tibet along the Indian frontier. Reports suggest Chinese missile sites have come up in areas bordering Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Ladakh.

Besides deployment of Nirbhay missiles, Indian troops on the ground have been felicitated with tanks and combat vehicles so as to operate in harsh winters.

India has its T-90 and T-72 tanks along with the BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles, which can operate at temperatures up to minus 40 degree Celsius against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s deployment of armoured columns.

The army is logistically prepared in terms of tackling the harsh weather with special winter clothing and other facilities such as fuel, spares and assemblies in place, India Today quoted Major General Arvind Kapoor as saying.