In an effort to maintain operational readiness in the backdrop of tension at the border in Ladakh, the Army is further strengthening its defences there by planning to build fortified bunkers, observation posts and forward ammunition depots.  These steps will ensure safety to frontline troops and maintain unhindered supply of weapons and ammunition.

Some of the main features of the infrastructure projects include 3-D printed permanent defences that can withstand a direct fire by a T-90 tank from mere 100 metres, sources said here on Tuesday.

Moreover, modern and state-of-the-art habitat and technical storage have been constructed in Eastern Ladakh in the last two years to cater to 22,000 troops besides approximately 450 tanks, armoured personnel carriers and guns. These are movable habitats, many of which have also come up as high as 18,000 feet.

The stress is now on construction of permanent defence structures to ensure preparedness.  These defences are 3D printed and have undergone various trials, sources said.

They said the product has been made by start-ups of ex-students under the guidance of IIT, Gandhinagar.  These defences will come up along the entire Line of Actual Control(LAC)facing China.  The nearly 4,000 km long LAC stretches from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east.

The project is set to take off next year once the winter subsides, sources said, adding the maximum weight of each part is 40 kg and that a team of two to three soldiers could set it up easily.