‘300-400 Pak-trained militants ready to infiltrate into J&K: Army chief
New Delhi: Around 300-400 militants trained in camps across the Line of Control (LoC) are ready to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir, Army chief General M M Naravane said on Friday.
In his speech during the Army day parade, he also said that there has been 44 percent increase in ceasefire violations that reflects Pakistan’s sinister design. “Pakistan often provides cover fire to help terrorists sneak into Jammu and Kashmir.”
Gen Naravane said India’s active operations and strong counter-infiltration grid not only inflicted heavy losses on the enemy but they contained infiltration attempts as well.
He said the Army killed over 200 militants in counter-terror operations and on the LoC last year, adding these measures have provided relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Strong response is being given to the enemy on the other border. Pakistan continues to provide safe haven to terrorists. In the training camps, across the LoC around 300-400 terrorists are ready to infiltrate,” he said.
“There was an increase of 44 percent in the ceasefire violations last year which is proof of Pakistan’s sinister plans. There were also attempts to smuggle weapons using drones,” he added.
There were efforts to smuggle weapons into India from across the border using drones and tunnels, he mentioned.
Major who died while fighting militants in Anantnag awarded Sena Medal
New Delhi: Major Ketan Sharma who died while fighting a Pakistani militant last year was among 15 Army personnel awarded the Sena Medal for their exceptional courage and bravery on Army Day on Friday.
Major Sharma had sustained grievous wounds and later died during an encounter in which a foreign militant identified as Abu Hureira was killed in Badura village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on June 17, 2019.
Army chief General M M Naravane handed over the award and citation to the Major’s wife Era Mandar Sharma, who was accompanied by Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles Col Dharmendra Yadav, at an event in Delhi.
Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year in recognition of Field Marshal K M Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander in 1949.
It is celebrated in the national capital, as well as in all the six Army Command Headquarters.
According to the citation, Major Sharma was part of the operation in Badura.
On Army Day, 13 officers of the Northern Command, eight officers of the Eastern Command, one officer each of the Southern Command and the Central Command received unit citations from the Army chief, while 15 Army personnel were awarded the Sena Medal.
No one should make mistake of testing India’s patience
New Delhi: In a tough message to China amid the Ladakh standoff, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Friday said no one should make any mistake of testing India’s patience even as he asserted that a befitting response was given to the “conspiracy” of unilaterally changing the status quo along the northern frontier.
Gen Naravane at the same time said India is committed to resolve the over eight-month-long military standoff with China through talks.
In his address at the Army Day parade in Delhi Cantonment, Gen Naravane said the sacrifice of the “Galwan heroes” in eastern Ladakh in June last year will not go waste and that the Indian Army will not allow any harm to the country’s sovereignty and security.
“We are committed to resolve disputes through talks and political efforts but no one should make any mistake of testing our patience,” he said in the presence of the country’s top military brass including Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 05 as multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks have not yet produced any breakthrough.
Referring to the situation along the Line of Control (LoC), Gen Naravane said Pakistan continues to shelter militants and 300 to 400 of them are waiting in training camps on the Pakistani side of the LoC to infiltrate into India.
On the situation in eastern Ladakh, Gen Naravane said despite the severe cold and difficult situation, the morale of the Indian soldiers are “higher” then the region’s mountain peaks which they are protecting effectively and with promptness.
“The last year was very challenging for the Army. You are aware of the tension with China along the northern border. A befitting reply was given to the conspiracy of unilaterally changing the status quo on the border,” he said.
“I want to assure the country that the sacrifice of the Galwan heroes will not go waste. Indian Army will not allow any harm to the country’s sovereignty and security.”
Twenty Indian Army were killed in a fierce hand-to-hand combat on June 15 last year in Galwan Valley, an incident that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. China is yet to disclose the number of its soldiers killed and injured in the clash though it officially admitted to have suffered casualties. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.
Gen Naravane also noted that eight rounds of military talks were held between India and China to bring the situation under control.
“Our efforts will continue to find a solution to the current situation on the basis of mutual and equal security,” he said.
On the security situation in the North East, he said major success was achieved in anti-militancy operations conducted by the Army in cooperation with the Myanmarese Army.
Gen Naravane said around 600 militants had surrendered last year in the North East due to proactive operations by the armed forces. Myanmar is one of India’s strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of northeastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.
There has been increasing cooperation between Indian and Myanmarese armies in the last few years in guarding the border. Some militant groups from the North-East region are taking shelter in Myanmar.
