Paltan 2018

As the first light of dawn creeps over the horizon in October 1962, a Rajput Battalion stands guard along India’s border in Arunachal Pradesh, mere kilometers from the Namka Chu river. But this fragile calm is shattered when the entire battalion is decimated by an unexpected Chinese attack, leaving no survivors.

Fast-forward to 1966, and Maj. General Sagat Singh (Jackie Shroff), a seasoned commander with a reputation for unyielding determination, takes charge of the Nathu La pass. Sagat entrusts Lt. Col. Rai Singh Yadav (Arjun Rampal), a battle-hardened veteran, to hold this strategic outpost at all costs. As Rai assumes command, he is flanked by his trusted second-in-command, Maj. Bishen Singh (Sonu Sood), and Capt. Prithvi Singh Dagar (Gurmeet Choudhary), who looks up to Bishen as a mentor.

However, tensions simmer just beneath the surface, fueled by Maj. Harbhajan Singh’s (Harshvardhan Rane) burning desire for revenge against the Chinese. His personal demons stem from the brutal slaughter of Rajput soldiers at the hands of the Chinese in 1962, an atrocity that still sears his soul. Meanwhile, the Chinese continue to construct new bunkers along their side of the border, preparing for war.

Back home, Maj. Harbhajan Singh’s girlfriend, Harjyot (Monica Gill), struggles to reconcile her love for him with his inability to commit, as he consistently agrees to arranged marriages proposed by his parents. In a parallel story, Capt. Prithvi Singh Dagar’s fiancée lives in a traditional village and is from a conservative family, where she is expected to maintain a demure demeanor at all times. Despite Prithvi’s playful flirtations, she remains unable to reciprocate, valuing her modesty above all else.

As the standoff between India and China intensifies, the Chinese resort to random acts of aggression, probing Rai’s Paltan for weaknesses. However, Rai recognizes their tactics as a blatant attempt to follow Mao’s playbook on guerrilla warfare. In response, he employs mind games of his own, only to be met with escalating hostility from the Chinese.

Rai becomes increasingly convinced that the enemy is preparing to launch a full-scale assault and orders 2Lt. Attar Singh (Luv Sinha) to conduct reconnaissance deep within Chinese territory. The young officer’s report confirms the worst: the Chinese are mobilizing for a major push to take control of Nathu La pass, leaving Rai with a daunting decision to make: will he stand firm against overwhelming odds or retreat and risk compromising India’s sovereignty?

As Sagat’s directive to construct a border demarcating fence takes shape, Indian Major Cheema (Rohit Roy) and his field engineers diligently labor to complete the task. However, the Chinese, seemingly unconcerned with the concept of defined borders, respond by methodically dismantling the newly erected barrier. This brazen act sparks a series of minor skirmishes along the Nathu La border pass, gradually escalating into a full-blown conflict.

The tensions simmering beneath the surface finally boil over when the Chinese commander gives the order to open fire on Indian troops engaged in fencing duties. In response, the Indian army unleashes a barrage of mortar fire, resulting in significant destruction on both sides of the border. The Chinese subsequently unleash their artillery, prompting Major Rai to request permission for the Indian army to do the same.

Sagat’s hesitation to grant this permission creates an opportunity for the Chinese to launch a surprise invasion of the Indian post. As the battle rages on, Indian troops discover that their adversaries have been secretly building a tunnel, allowing them to supply reinforcements and maintain a constant flow of troops right up to the border. In a heroic act of sacrifice, Dagar blows up the tunnel, severing the Chinese forces’ connection to reinforcement.

Harbhajan ultimately loses his life while attempting to stem the tide of the last wave of Chinese reinforcements. With their artillery finally cleared for use, the Indian army delivers a devastating blow to the remaining bunkers and troops on the Chinese side. After three days of intense fighting, the Chinese forces are forced to surrender.

In the aftermath of the conflict, the Chinese request permission to retrieve their fallen comrades from the Indian side, which Rai graciously grants. However, when they demand that India return their own dead, the Chinese insist on a written agreement stating that India had infiltrated Chinese territory, thereby justifying the presence of Indian bodies on the Chinese side. With this peculiar stipulation met, the Nathu La fence is transformed into a permanent border fixture.