India mulls teams to strengthen border against China

India plans to form a new mountain strike corps in the border area with China, acquiring "for the first time" the capability of launching counter-offensives into the Tibet Autonomous Region against potential "Chinese attacks."

The new corps, comprised of around 40,000 soldiers, will be formed during India's 12th Five-Year Plan Period from 2012 to 2017, at an estimated cost of 810 billion rupee ($14.9 billion), according to the Times of India.

The proposal for the new corps has been approved by the Chiefs of Staff Committee comprising the army, navy and air force chiefs, and needs final authorization by the Cabinet Committee on Security, according to the Times of India.

India has already dispatched two independent infantry brigades and two independent armored brigades along its line of actual control in the northern border area.

"China should strengthen its supervision and control over the border area with India," said Fu Xiaoqiang, researcher from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

The formation of a new corps shows India sees China as its prior military competitor, Fu added.

Fu told the Global Times Monday that the proposal has little relation to a military exercise carried out by the Chinese air force over the Tibet Autonomous Region in December, but is a part of India's overall plan to strengthen its military power along its border with China.

India is also vigorously developing ballistic missiles, fighter planes, unmanned aircraft and helicopters as part of the overall plan for "major force accretion" along the "northern borders" with China, the report said.

It said that China had at least five air bases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000 kilometers of roads in the Tibet Autonomous Region, "outnumbering Indian forces by at least 3:1 times."

Fu noted that China would not initiate disputes with any country, but is "capable of handling possible disputes in the region."