SOURCE: AFI
India is set to implement a long-pending plan to raise a new army division for possible deployment in eastern Ladakh, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move comes as part of a series of changes planned for the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh regions.
The Indian Express reports that the army is considering raising the 72 Division, originally intended for the 17 Mountain Strike Corps (MSC) based in Panagarh, West Bengal. However, the new division will likely be deployed in eastern Ladakh under the Northern Command.
A typical army division comprises around 14,000 to 15,000 troops. Instead of recruiting additional soldiers, the army is expected to reorganize existing personnel from other formations to staff the new division.
This development is part of a broader redeployment strategy being planned by the Northern Command. The two-pronged approach focuses on strengthening India’s military presence in eastern Ladakh in light of the ongoing standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, while ensuring that training of strike corps elements is not compromised.