SRINAGAR: Signalling the increased defence cooperation between two countries, Israel’s chief of ground forces Major General Yakov (Kobi) Barak Tuesday visited the Army’s Northern command headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir to interact with army commander and other senior officers.
Defence spokesman in Jammu, Colonel N N Joshi, said Major Gen Barak accompanied by some other Israeli army officers visited the headquarters of northern command at Udhampur in Jammu today.
Major General Barak was accompanied by wife Mrs Orit Barak and defence attachés of Israeli embassy in New Delhi.
Joshi said the chief of Israeli ground forces called on Northern Command chief Lt Gen Devraj Anbu to discuss the matters of mutual interest.
Sources said the meeting was also attended by some other army commanders.
“During the meeting, army officials briefed the Israeli delegation of Pakistan’s proxy war in J&K counter-militancyancy operations undertaken by security forces to end 28-year-old militancy in the State,” they said.
They said the army commanders also briefed the Israeli delegation about the consistent efforts made by Pakistani troops to infiltrate militants into Jammu and Kashmir from Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the State.
Sources said the Israeli ground force chief briefed the army commanders about the measures taken by the Israeli troops to prevent infiltration of militants from Gaza and West Bank.
Israeli troops today blew up a tunnel stretching from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, killing at least seven militants.
“The Israeli delegation expressed full satisfaction in further pursuing enhanced cooperation between both countries,” Joshi said.
He, however, refused to admit that the army delegations of two countries discussed militancy.
“I can’t say anything in this regard,” the spokesman said.
Joshi said Mrs Barak accompanied by Gowri Anbu, Regional President, AWWA, Northern Command also paid a visit to Asha school at Udhampur .
Israel and India enjoy good defence and economic ties and India has been procuring hi-tech military hardware from Tel Aviv.
In July this year, Prime Minister Narenda Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. During his visit, at least 12 MoUs worth over Rs 4.3 billion dollars were signed between the two countries.