Did China use a microwave weapon against Indian soldiers?
If the PLA did employ a microwave weapon against Indian troops, this is likely the first use of the technology in combat.
An academic in China has claimed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) employed a microwave weapon against Indian troops at Lake Pangong during the ongoing Eastern Ladakh border dispute.
Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, told students in a lecture that, on 29 August, such weapons drove Indian troops from two strategic hilltops, after having ‘turned the mountain tops into a microwave oven’.
If correct, this is assumed to be the first use of microwave weapons in combat.
PLA troops allegedly set up the microwave weapons, which focus high-frequency electromagnetic pulses to cause irritation
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Updated S-KAPS ready to neutralise drone threat]()
Eurosatory 2026: Updated S-KAPS ready to neutralise drone threat
Launched at EuroSatory 2026, the revamped Soft-Kill Advanced Protection System (S-KAPS) counter-UAS package has been developed by three French SMEs, Lacroix, Bertin Technologies and MC2 Technologies as a private venture.
-
![Patria TRACKX: Designed to conquer the most challenging environments]()
Patria TRACKX: Designed to conquer the most challenging environments
The tracked all-terrain armoured vehicle Patria TRACKX is a promise of performance. It is engineered to navigate the toughest terrain silently and swiftly, ensuring smooth operations in any conditions.
-
![Networked advantage: keeping unmanned systems in the loop with battlefield radio technology]()
Networked advantage: keeping unmanned systems in the loop with battlefield radio technology
Unmanned systems are powerful intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets and communication tools, but are often isolated from wider networks, limiting their potential. Industry is now tackling this challenge, empowering UxVs to act as integrated nodes across domains.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: What has become of the Main Ground Combat System?]()
Eurosatory 2026: What has become of the Main Ground Combat System?
The Main Ground Combat System has had a troubled life. With repeated delays and competition on the horizon, the programme may be approaching the end of the road.
