IANS
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 15
Firing and infiltration has continued at the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, but India has given a befitting reply, the army chief, General Dalbir Singh said on Friday.
“The continuing cross-border firing and infiltration bids have kept the Line of Control active. You (Army) have given a befitting reply to the enemy at the border,” General Singh said at the 68th Army Day parade on Friday.
The General added that “vigilance” along the “border and other difficult areas”, has brought down infiltration.
“We have also caught large number of terrorists in surgical operations and killed many of their key leaders. We have also recovered large quantity of explosives,” he said.
The Army chief said this has been done “maintaining the human rights standards”.
The general added despite the counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations, the Indian Army has taken care of its primary role and is always ready to face any challenge.
Talking about China, General Singh said India wants “constructive engagement” and the understanding between armies on both sides has improved.
“On the northern front, India wants constructive engagement with China. Both sides are adopting confidence building measures to reduce tension at the border.”
He, however, added that infiltration continues in the “disputed areas” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and patrolling continues from our side.
“However there is improvement in the understanding between the two armies,” he said.
The Army Day is celebrated on January 15, every year to commemorate the day when Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa took over as Commander-in-Chief of India on January 1949. He took over the position from General Sir Francis Butcher.
Along with General Singh, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan were also present at the parade, along with other senior Army officers and delegates from different countries.
The Army chief also inspected a parade, which showcased marching contingents including the Dog Contingent of Indian Army.
Mechanised columns on display included T-90 tanks, Brahmos missiles,and AAkash missile systems.
The parade was followed by a display by motorcycle team of the Indian Army, and a combat drill that brought alive a surgical operation.
Rajnath, Parrikar take stock of Pathankot terror strike
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday took stock of the January 2 Pathankot terror strike at a meeting here, discussing the “take-aways” from the incident.
The ministers appreciated the work done by the intelligence agencies in giving advance warning of the attack in effectively meeting the challenge and minimising the possible damage, an official statement later said.
The two ministers also appreciated the bravery shown by the security forces in the incident and paid homage to those who sacrificed their lives during the entire operation of clearing the Pathankot airbase.
“Discussions were held on the means to further strengthen the prevention, detection and foiling of such dastardly attacks. It was felt that the many strengths displayed by all the agencies concerned, especially in terms of their synergized response need not only to be commended, but also further built upon,” the statement said.
“It was felt that once the intelligence input had been confirmed, the response time was quick enough, both in terms of decisions that were taken, and in deployment of forces,” it added.
The ministers also stressed the need to upgrade both intelligence and preventive abilities, especially in terms of technology, in view of the continuing threat from hostile elements from across the border.
“The need to have a better media communication strategy was also felt. It was decided that in such incidents, media is best briefed by the authorised persons on the spot and arrangements for this, including training, should be put in place to meet such contingencies, should they happen in future,” the statement added.
The meeting, attended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Defence Secretary G. Mohan Kumar and senior officials of home and defence ministries, also decided that security audit of all vulnerable stations of the armed forces, para-military forces and police would be carried out within a given time-frame.
