Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 2: With top seven Commanders of the Army camping in Srinagar and Western Command Air chief visiting frontiers locations in Jammu a day before, Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today reviewed operational preparedness of the troops along western frontiers including Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring Punjab with top Commanders at 9 Corps Headquarters today.
The visit of the Chief of Naval Staff was significant as it comes at a time when top seven Commanders of the Army were discussing and debating India’s strategy and preparedness along both western and northern frontiers while Air Force Western Command chief Air Marshal C Hari Kumar had undertook extensive review of the troops’ preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
Sources told the Excelsior that the Navy chief reached Yol Cantonment based 9 Corps Headquarters, also known as Rising Star Corps, this morning for extensive review of the situation prevailing along the western frontiers. The Yol Cantonment has its area spread in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, which shared International Boundary with Pakistan.
Admiral Sunil Lanba inter-acted with senior officers of 9 Corps including General Officer Commanding (GOC) Lt Gen SK Saini and reviewed operational preparedness of the troops. He called upon the troops to continue to maintain highest vigil along the western borders.
“The senior officers of 9 Corps gave detailed briefing to the Navy chief on the situation prevailing along the Indian borders with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, operational preparedness of the troops and other strategic aspects of the situation,” sources said, adding the Navy chief was satisfied with India’s preparedness along western frontiers and lauded the troops for their operational strategy.
Six rivers in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab (three each in both States) flow to Pakistan and at the time of any eventuality, the Navy could play crucial role, sources noted. They said presently India’s boundary with Pakistan in river Chenab, which enters Pakistan from Akhnoor, are patrolled by the BSF with sophisticated boats. In the recent past, some attempts have been made by the militants to use Chenab waters to enter into the Indian territory but they have been foiled.
With review of operational preparedness by the Naval chief today, all three Services of India including Army, Air Force and Navy have completed high-level security review along the country’s western frontiers. The review came after top political leadership of the country declared that Pakistan would be taught a lesson for mutilation of two Indian soldiers at Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district.
Air Force Western Command chief Air Marshal C Hari Kumar had on Wednesday held high-level review of the troops preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir during his visit here and some forward locations. His visit came after the letter written by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal to 1200 officers of the IAF stressing upon the need for preparedness for operations at short notices.
Meanwhile, top seven Commanders of the Army held strategic review of the situation along country’s western and northern frontiers on second day of their strategic meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from the frontiers, the situation in the Kashmir valley also came up for high-level review.
Top seven Commanders of the Army included Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Northern Command head Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, Western Command head Lt Gen Surinder Singh, Eastern Command chief Parveen Bakshi, Central Command chief Lt Gen BS Negi, Southern Command head Lt Gen PM Hariz, South Western Command head Lt Gen Abhay Krishna and Training Command chief Lt Gen DR Soni.
While the Northern and Southern Command chief-Lt Gen Devraj Anbu and Lt Gen Surinder Singh have their areas of operations in Jammu and Kashmir including Line of Control and International Border, Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Parveen Bakshi and Central Command Lucknow head Lt Gen BS Negi had served in Jammu and Kashmir earlier at very senior positions.
Apart from them, Nagrota based 16 Corps GOC Lt Gen AK Sharma, Srinagar based 15 Corps GOC Lt Gen JS Sandhu and Leh based 14 Corps chief Lt Gen PJS Punnu were also attending strategic session of the Army.
Sources said apart from operational strategy along both frontiers, Pakistan and China, Army was debating strategy to control militancy in the Kashmir valley with focus on containing infiltration from Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and tackling militancy in the hinterland.
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