XVII Corps (India): Difference between revisions

Republic of India shares a boundary ([[Line of Actual Control|LAC]]) of length 4,057&nbsp;km<ref name="times of India - 5 airbases">{{cite news |last=Pandit |first=Rajat |date=8 March 2011 |title=China has five airbases, extensive rail-road networks in Tibet: Antony |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/China-has-five-airbases-extensive-rail-road-networks-in-Tibet-Antony/articleshow/7648434.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=22 June 2017 }}</ref> with Tibet autonomous region. The two countries still have not resolved their disagreement about where exactly the border lies; specially over two regions – [[Aksai Chin]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]]. Intrusion of troops of [[People's Liberation Army|PLA]] into Indian territory,<ref>{{cite news |last=WATTS |first=JAKE MAXWELL |date=2 May 2013 |title=Are China and India About to Fight Over Their Border? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/05/are-china-and-india-about-to-fight-over-their-border/275518/ |work=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref> construction of watch tower close to the mutually-accepted "border patrolling line" near Burtse,<ref>{{cite news |last=Pandit |first=Rajat  |date=12 September 2015 |title=Indian, Chinese troops in another face-off in Ladakh |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indian-Chinese-troops-in-another-face-off-in-Ladakh/articleshow/48937333.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=22 June 2017 }}</ref> "standardization" of the names of six towns in Arunachal Pradesh<ref>{{cite news |last=Joshua |first=Anita |date=19 April 2017|title=How to decipher China's answer|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170420/jsp/frontpage/story_147322.jsp |work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)]], Guwahati Bureau  |location=[[Guwahati]] |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref> (China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is integral part of China) enhanced the tension.

In addition, China has developed a rail network and five fully operational airbases in [[Tibet Autonomous Region]]. Key airfields include those at Hoping, Pangta and Kong Ka.<ref name="times of India - 5 airbases"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.claws.in/347/plaaf-deployments-in-tibet-manish-girdhar.html |title=PLAAF Deployments in Tibet |last=Girdhar |first=Manish |website=[[Centre for Land Warfare Studies]] |access-date= 22 June 2022}}</ref> In Tibet and [[Yunan County|Yunan]], roads are extended over 58,000&nbsp;km (in 2010)<ref name="times of India - 5 airbases"/> up to the border, at an approximate cost of about $325 billion. As a result of all these buildout of infrastructures, China can mobilize 30 [[Division (military)|divisions]] (each with over 15,000 soldiers)<ref>{{cite news |last=Pandit |first=Rajat |date=9 January 2014 |title=Army kicks off raising new mountain strike corps against China |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Army-kicks-off-raising-new-mountain-strike-corps-against-China/articleshow/28571907.cms |work= [[The Times of India]] |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref> aside heading to the LAC within 48 hours. Moreover, about 300,011 PLA troops and six Rapid Reaction Forces are placed at [[Chengdu]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Sen |first=Sudhi Ranjan |date=27 February 2015 |title= Only 20 Per Cent of India-China Strategic Border Roads Ready Till Now|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/only-one-fifth-of-india-china-strategic-border-roads-ready-till-now-743051 |work=[[NDTV]] |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref>

From October 2013, the army started posting key officers in [[Ranchi]], [[Jharkhand]]. On January 1, 2014, Major General Raymond Joseph Noronha, the first commander of 17 Corps,<ref name="indiatvnews.com"/> raised the flag of this corps for the first time in Ranchi.<ref name="rediff.com">{{cite news |last=Chauhan |first=R S |date=3 January 2014 |title=Finally, an army strike corps aimed at China |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/finally-an-army-strike-corps-aimed-at-china/20140103.htm |work=[[Rediff.com]] |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref> The corps was relocated from Ranchi to Panagarh in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/to-keep-eye-on-china-indian-army-shifts-mountain-strike-corps-headquarters-from-ranchi-to-panagarh-200313|title=To keep eye on China, Indian Army shifts Mountain Strike Corps’ headquarters from Jharkhand to West Bengal|date=2019-02-28|access-date=2021-07-14}}</ref>