China Strengthens Air Force Deployments Near Indian Border

In response to growing Indian military deployments to the country's North Eastern border, China's People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has increased its presence in the region in an attempt to maintain parity with Delhi's growing capacities. With the mainstay of India's Air Force being comprised of the advanced Russian made Su-30MKI air superiority fighter, a platform which has been deployed near China's borders in large numbers, Beijing has deployed its J-11 and J-10 fighters to the region. The former is a heavy air superiority platform with a similar design and function to its Indian counterpart - both being derived from the Soviet Su-27 airframe. Both the J-10 and J-11 are sophisticated fourth generation platforms capable of matching any fighter in India's inventory. It is notable however that China has not deployed its '4++' or fifth generation fighters near India's borders, as despite growing tensions Beijing appears to seek parity rather than an overwhelming advantage so as to avoid further escalations. India as of yet lacks next generation fighters of its own, while China inducted the fifth generation J-20 heavy platform into service in early 2017 and has acquired several '4++' generation Su-35 fighters from Russia. These both surpass the capabilities of anything in India's inventory, and the fact that they have not been deployed is a sign of China's restraint towards is southern neighbour. Escalation remains strongly against Beijing's interests.

The high altitude of the mountains of western and southwestern China reduces the range and effectiveness of older fighter jets, giving Indian platforms something of an advantage over their Chinese counterparts. The advanced aerodynamics of Chinese fourth and fifth generation platforms however and their ability to operate at high altitudes does much to offset this problem. According to PLA expert Song Zhongping, the purpose of the additional fighters was a precaution taken in case India initiated a conflict in the region. Writing for the Global Times, he state: "The upgrade in the Western Theatre Command is urgent because in China's western region, relations with India have been strained due to the border tensions, with no resolution in sight. Strengthening the... (4th generation) fighter jets or even stationing more advanced fighters in the Western Theater Command has been urgent for the PLA... India is gearing up already, so it's necessary for China to prepare for a possible military confrontation. And in these mountainous areas, superiority in the air is of utmost importance."