The People’s Liberation Army troops located in the Eastern Ladakh sector are struggling to survive in the sub-zero temperatures, at heights of over 12,000 feet, with poor quality of clothing and accommodation. The Indian Army’s actions, particularly in Galwan and on the southern bank of Pangong Tso have put the PLA on the backfoot, forcing raw Chinese soldiers to endure a freezing winter in an inhospitable terrain, reported The Taiwan Times.

Reports indicate that casualty evacuation of PLA troops through helicopters and stretchers has been observed on a daily basis, with an average of one PLA soldier succumbing to altitude and temperature-related ailments every day. Morale and motivation at the posts have also dipped below the freezing point. PLA commanders, who have no prior experience in high altitude and winter deployments, had initially invited local garment manufacturers to produce winter clothing for their troops deployed in Ladakh. A Chinese mouthpiece newspaper had released a number of videos showcasing newly developed winter clothing being provided to the Chinese soldiers, as part of Chinese communist propaganda.

However, having misread the logistics requirements, local Chinese garment manufacturers produced clothing that can at best be utilised by troops deployed at 9,000 feet. The lack of combat experience across the entire PLA is so glaring that commanders and their political masters did not realise that surviving in heights greater than 12,000 feet is totally different from equipping soldiers for operations at normal altitudes of up to 9,000 feet, reported The Taiwan Times.