NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: The Indian Army is maintaining a strong defence posture along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to tackle any contingency in border areas, said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande on Sunday on the 75th Indian Army Day parade at Govindaswamy Ground in Bengaluru.
“In northern border areas, the situation has been normal and through established protocols and existing mechanisms, necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace. Maintaining a strong defence posture at LAC, we are ready to tackle any contingency,” Gen Pande.
With the evolving situation along northern borders with China, the Army has taken several steps to improve capability development, force restructuring and training. Expressing confidence that India could win next wars, he said the Army has further strengthened its preparedness for future wars. “Our aim is to move from a manpower-intensive army to a technologically driven army. Continuous efforts are being made to transform ourselves into a modern, self-reliant, technologically driven and battle-worthy force. Modernisation through self-reliance will be our new mantra,” Gen Pande said.
“With combined efforts of local administration, other agencies and military there have been improvements in infrastructure development,” he said. Talking about the Line of Control, the Army chief said there has been a decrease in the ceasefire violations along the border. The Indian and Pakistan armies in February 2022 announced reiteration of ceasefire understanding along the LoC, he added. However, he reiterated that the terror infrastructure still remains across the border. “Our counter-infiltration grid is continuously foiling the infiltration from there.”
‘Kashmiris welcome change’
On the use of drones in the recent past to drop weapons and drugs along the international border in Jammu and Punjab, he said, “Counter-drone jammers and other equipment have been brought into use against such activities.”
In interior areas of Jammu and Kashmir, progressive improvement has been observed but many proxy terrorist organisations have adopted new tactics of targeted killings to give themselves visibility, Pande added. “The local population has rejected violence and welcomed positive challenges by enthusiastically participating in all government initiatives,” he added. It is for the first time that the annual Army Day parade is held outside the national capital Delhi.
Indian Army must be future-ready: Rajnath
Addressing the ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ programme organised as part of the 75th Army Day celebrations on Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh set a target for the Indian Army to be future-ready by working on its strategies, tactics and policies, keeping future challenges in mind.