China recently conducted military drills showcasing a variety of intelligent technology, including exoskeletons, robot dogs, and drones in conjunction with high-power lasers. One of these drills was likely conducted near the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) ahead of India’s Army Day.
The PLA Army said in a statement on January 13 that a regiment under the PLA Xinjiang Military Command used a manned-unmanned collaborative model to enhance combat unit support during a recent logistics support exercise in an undisclosed plateau region, state-owned publication Global Times reported.
Faced with obstacles that impeded the convoy’s movement, the troops used all-terrain vehicles and unmanned vehicles to push forward with the mission.
In simulating an exigency where the roads were sabotaged, the unit members of the PLA Army unloaded the supplies from vehicles and used exoskeletons and aerial drones to navigate around the damaged areas and reach their destination.
Exoskeletons are wearable devices that enhance human strength and reduce physical strain.
One of the photographs released with the PLA statement showed a soldier with a robot dog carrying two supply boxes. The use of robot dogs by PLA troops has been widely documented, especially in military drills at home and with overseas partners. Using these robots for logistics reduces pressure on troops and makes the mobilization of supplies easier in difficult terrains, particularly in mountainous regions.
While the PLA did not disclose the exact “plateau location” of the drills, reports in the Indian media suggested that they were likely conducted close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the disputed border with India, which remains sensitive five years after the 2020 border stand-off.
A report in an Indian publication stated: “China’s logistics support exercise underscores its strategic intent to enhance operational readiness in high-altitude environments, particularly in the Xinjiang region, which borders Ladakh. The inclusion of cutting-edge technologies, such as unmanned vehicles and drones, reflects Beijing’s focus on modernizing its military capabilities for asymmetric warfare.”
The report emphasized that these exercises serve as strategic posturing, demonstrating China’s capability to gather and maintain troops in disputed areas quickly. With these training drills, the PLA wanted to iterate and establish that its soldiers could overcome the physiological difficulties of high-altitude combat by using exoskeletons.
Intriguingly, the drills come ahead of India’s Army Day on January 15. In a recent press interaction, India’s Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said that the two countries are still locked in a “degree of standoff” and the Indian Army was considering diplomatic negotiations to resolve the situation.
The two sides recently carried out complete disengagement in the last remaining areas in Eastern Ladakh, paving the way for the diffusion of tensions. However, that has failed to drastically alter the dynamics in the region.
“As far as the status of the standoff (with China) is concerned…we have to see what all has changed since April 2020. Has the terrain been doctored over a period of time? Yes, both sides have doctored the terrain. Have both sides carried out constructions? Yes. Both sides have carried out some stocking, deployment? Yes. Therefore, what it means is that there is a degree of standoff,” General Dwivedi said. General Dwivedi described the situation along the border with China as “stable but sensitive.”
Moreover, the timing of these drills is particularly significant as it comes days after China announced the establishment of two new counties in Hotan prefecture of Xinjiang. One of these counties includes a large portion of Aksai Chin, the Indian territory that remains under illegal occupation of China, according to India. As per officials and experts, the move aims to buttress China’s control over the occupied territory.
Experts noted that these recent drills emphasize that it is crucial for India to continue to be vigilant and to advance its own military modernization initiatives in Ladakh. On its part, the Indian Army also practiced winter combat in order to thwart any possible Chinese attack. However, the technological innovation in the PLA, as seen in the latest drills, maybe a cause of concern for the Indian Army.
PLA Going Hi-Tech Must Worry Its Adversaries
In a separate development, the PLA Northern Theater Command’s navy maritime defense engineering unit conducted an exercise on disposing of explosive ordnance at a shooting range on an island in Bohai Bay. For this, the PLA troops used a drone that was fitted with a high-power laser.
First, the drone was deployed to search for the said explosive and mark its coordinates. This was followed by the deployment of a high-power laser to dispose of the explosives.
A unit member told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that high-power lasers offer a safer and more effective way to dispose of explosives because they can be used remotely from a distance of several hundred meters. The power is increased threefold, and the time required to dispose of an explosive is shortened by one-fifth.
China’s use of lasers is not unheard of. In fact, with drone warfare gaining prominence worldwide, mounting lasers on drones is fast becoming popular. In particular, laser-directed energy weapons (LDEWs) have the potential to revolutionize warfare. They provide an innovative way to combat both conventional and asymmetric threats owing to their accuracy, quick targeting, scalability, affordability, and capacity to reduce collateral damage.
Laser beams have been used in combat for a long time. Their primary functions include precision aiming, distant sensing, and target tracking. However, they are increasingly being employed for disruptive missions. Integrating lasers on drones would enhance pinpoint precision. China’s efforts to develop sophisticated laser weapons range from low-powered tactical beam emitters that can stop hostile drones to high-energy strategic systems that can destroy adversary satellites and missiles.
The country has frequently made headlines for launching military-grade lasers or dazzlers at fighter jets and warships. However, the development of high-energy laser weapons has captured the imagination in recent years. China is said to have developed multiple laser guns and is now arming warships with laser weapons.
Chinese military expert Song Zhongping pointed out that the PLA is using unmanned technology for non-combat activities, including logistics assistance and explosives disposal, in addition to using them for actual combat missions.
“In the past, these support missions could be difficult and required manpower, but the deployment of intelligent equipment has made them more efficient,” he told the Global Times. He stressed the employment of unmanned systems is growing quickly because they can effectively lower casualties and improve the performance of other military assets.
EurAsian Times has reported on China’s deployment of robots for logistics and combat on multiple occasions. In November 2024, for instance, China unveiled the “Lynx” advanced quadruped robot designed for rugged, off-road environments.
As per reports, it can navigate extreme terrain at high speeds and perform stunts like backflips and sharp turns, enhancing its utility in real-world applications like disaster response, combat situations, as well as exploration. These features make it suitable for various tactical and logistical operations in military contexts, from reconnaissance missions in complex environments to providing logistical support in combat zones.
In another instance, Chinese troops deployed a machine-gun-toting “robodog” for the China-Cambodia war games that were held in May 2024. The armed “robodogs” came equipped with remote-controlled drone soldiers with back-mounted machine guns and demonstrated exceptional mobility, even though no live-fire test was conducted.
The PLA has been put through a groundbreaking modernization drive since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2013, with the integration of cutting-edge technology and automation in combat forming a major part of this effort. This high-tech military force is only expected to become bigger and better, as evidenced by the recent drills.
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