‘Updating security system after drone strikes in Jammu’
Pak understands they won’t gain from ceasefire violations
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 30: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today expressed confidence that remaining terrorism in Kashmir will also end saying the strength and oxygen that the separatist forces were getting due to Articles 370 and 35-A are over now.
“An effective action by Indian security forces to stop terrorism has been going on for the last seven years in Jammu and Kashmir and I believe that remaining terrorism in the Valley will also end,” he said.
He was delivering virtually the third Balramji Dass Tandon Memorial Lecture organized by Panjab University on the issues of national security.
Exuding confidence that the Union Territory will soon be free of terrorism. Rajnath said the strength that separatist forces used to get due to special status in Jammu and Kashmir is now nowhere to be seen.
“The anti-India forces have understood that they are no longer in a position to do much in the Kashmir valley, especially after the abrogation of Article 370. I want to assure you that no power in the world can separate Jammu & Kashmir from India. The model of terrorism adopted by the evil forces is slowly collapsing,” he stated.
The comments come in the backdrop of concerns by security experts of terrorist groups from Afghanistan entering India, specially Jammu and Kashmir, and tense relations with neighbours China and Pakistan
Referring to two drone strikes at Indian Air Force Station at Satwari in Jammu on June 26, the Defence Minister laid stress on continuously upgrading and updating the national security system to face new challenges and said that some new threats have emerged because of the development of modern technology.
“We have to continuously update and upgrade the national security system for new challenges,” he said.
He added that the Government’s aim is to make the country prosperous, strong and secure. “Such an India that does not scare anyone but develops a sense of security among small nations and that India’s growing power is not a threat to them,” he added.
Singh also said that there was a trust deficit between India and Pakistan and the country needed to be vigilant of this fact from the point of view of national security.
Asserting that Pakistan had understood that they would not make any gains from violations of ceasefire agreements, Rajnath said an agreement was signed between the Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan to maintain ceasefire along the Line of Control in February this year.
“We are also in wait and watch mode because the trust deficit between both the nations is a major problem,” he said, adding that no ceasefire violation by the neighbouring nation has taken place ever since the agreement was signed.
Pakistan understands that it too is not in position to do much in Kashmir, especially after the nullification of Article 370, he said, adding that Pakistan had suffered defeats in 1965 and 1971 wars and these defeats completely proved that it was not in a position to launch a full scale war against India.
“Inability to wage a direct war against India forced Pakistan to work on two policies — on the one hand, the neighbouring nation took steps towards finding an atomic way and on the other hand, it started working on the policy of giving ‘death by thousand cuts’ to India,” he said.
Pakistan had commenced a proxy war against India, allowing their land for providing training to terrorists, money and weapons to target India, he said, adding that after 1980s Pakistan had become the “nursery of terrorism” in the whole world.
He said the Modi Government neither does politics nor allows it to happen on issues related to national security, and added that a free hand has been given to the security forces in performing their duties.
“How high the confidence and morale of the Army and security forces can be guessed from the fact that in the last seven years, they have not allowed a single major terrorist incident in the hinterland of India,” he said.
“India is not only taking action against terrorism within the borders of the country, the brave soldiers of our Army have done the work of destroying terrorist hideouts by crossing the border if needed,” he said, referring to the surgical strike after the Uri terror attack and the Balakot air strikes after the Pulwama attack.
PTI adds:
Singh said that India wants a solution to the border dispute with China through dialogue and asserted that the Government would never allow the sanctity of borders to be violated.
The Modi Government has made it clear to the forces that any unilateral action on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) should not be ignored, he said.
The Defence Minister said that there have been “perception differences” on the border with China. “Despite this, there are some agreements, protocols which the armies of both countries follow to conduct patrols.”
Referring to the clashes in Eastern Ladakh last year, Singh said Chinese forces had ignored the “agreed protocols.”
“We cannot allow the Chinese Army PLA to act on the LAC in a unilateral manner under any circumstances.
“That is what the Indian Army did that day in Galwan and bravely confronted the PLA soldiers and forced them to retreat,” he said while terming it as a “historic” incident.
India wants a solution to the border dispute with China through dialogue, the Defence Minister said and asserted that the government will never compromise on issues of the “country’s borders, its honour and self-respect”.
“We will never allow the sanctity of borders to be violated,” he said.
Recalling the Galwan incident, he said the bravery, valour and restraint shown by the Indian Army are incomparable and unparalleled.
The current happenings in Afghanistan have raised new security questions, Rajnath said, adding that the Government is alert and no anti-national force should be allowed to encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the situation.
He also asserted the Central Government is capable of dealing with any situation.
“What is happening in neighbouring Afghanistan is raising new questions in terms of security and our Government is constantly monitoring the developments there,” Singh said.
Along with the security of Indians, he said, “Our Government also wants that anti-national forces do not encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the development there.”
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