‘200 militants waiting to cross to this side’
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, May 6: Northern Command chief Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi today said that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir will automatically go the day there is no need for armed guards and paramilitary on roads.
He made these remarks while talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function at Northern Command Headquarters here this morning.
The Central Government recently revoked AFSPA from some North Eastern States and there is demand from some political parties for its revocation in Jammu and Kashmir also.
Replying to another question on security arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, the Army Commander said sanitisation is being monitored and SOPs are being put in place under Operation Shiva for the pilgrimage.
He said the number of pilgrims is expected to double this year as compared to 2019.
“We have to ensure that there is no terrorist action during the yatra. Extra forces are being deployed,” added. Click here to watch video
Lt Gen Dwivedi said infiltration is drastically down, yet currently there are 200 militants staged across border.
“The number of militants staged across the Indo-Pak border are approximately 200. They are waiting across (LoC) to be launched to this side,” Dwivedi said in reply to a question about the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and across the J-K border.
The ceasefire along Indo-Pak border is working ‘well’ since February 2021 agreement, he asserted.
He said that the number of trained militants in Jammu and Kashmir is dwindling with each passing day as 21 foreign terrorists have been eliminated this year so far in absence of local shelter and support.
He said that Counter-Infiltration Grid is very fool-proof.
“We have made sure that all reserve troops were put in the second tier of defence so that no infiltration takes place,” the Northern Command chief said.
“In the last 12 months, to say so, the number of ceasefire violations has been very limited — only one to three CFVs took place,” he said.
He maintained that terror infrastructure, however, seems to be intact across the border. “There are six major terror camps and 29 minor camps. There are temporary launching pads located close to various military establishments,” the Army Commander said.
He blamed Pakistan army for sustaining the terror infrastructure and said that “the complicity of Pakistan army and its agencies cannot be denied”.
Lt Gen Dwivedi said that infiltration not only takes places via mountainous areas and forests but also through International Border in Jammu and also Punjab and Nepal.
“Our aim is to identify these people and neutralize them at the earliest possible time”, he said.
The Army commander said that there are 40 to 50 local militants currently operating in the hinterland besides foreign ultras, whose number cannot be determined.
“But we have neutralized 21 foreign militants till now. It shows that support for sheltering militants is dwindling with each passing day,” he added.
Lt Gen Dwivedi said local militants who were neutralized were very poorly trained and armed with just pistols.
Expressing concern over radicalisation, the Northern Army Commander said that teenagers are being recruited increasingly and it is matter of concern for all.
“They are being educated to get rid of radicalisation being infused in them by Pakistan. After the abrogation of Article 370, there is a change,” he said.
“Army is playing an important role in bringing this change.”
Dwivedi said that over 15,000 students in 48 Goodwill schools are being taught how to build up a better future for themselves in their own country.
He said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh is stable but in a state of “heightened alert” and asserted that there would be no security lapse on fronts of “operational preparedness and readiness” along the Sino-India border.
Noting that India is now negotiating from a position of strength with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Lt Gen Dwivedi said communication channels have been put in place to stop the practice of “body pushes” that used to be there earlier and no physical contact of troops is ensured.
“As far as operation preparedness and operation readiness is concerned, there will be no (security) lapses (along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh), that I assure you,” he said,
He added that the situation along the borderline with China in Ladakh is stable.
“Situation along LoC is stable. But it is in the state of heightened alert,” he said, maintaining that the Army does not want April 2020 situation to be repeated.
The force as well as equipment deployment is calibrated in such a way to ensure that any such kind of misadventure by the adversary does not take place again, the Army commander said.
“There is no irritant that is likely to become a violent situation. Communications between Indian Army troops and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the lower level have been increased. What we have done is firstly at the lower level — that is the battalion and brigade level — we have now opened up various channels of communication. We have regular hotline exchanges and we have stopped the system of body pushes that used to be there earlier and no physical contact is being ensured,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.
He said wherever there is an irritant, the Army immediately calls for talks. At the battalion and brigade level, we sit down together and come to an amicable solution, he added.
However, he said the issues of perceptional differences are to be dealt with at higher levels, like the Corps Commander level and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) level. “Such meetings keep taking place regularly.”
Lt Gen Dwivedi said the meeting of the 15th Corps Commanders took place in March this year and negotiations have moved forward.
“Since these are long-standing issues, perception differences are also there. The MEA is also involved and we will have to have strategic patience,” he said.
Asked about China’s take in the last meeting, he said both sides batted for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC.
Elaborating further, Lt Gen Dwivedi said that India wants restoration of trust, which was broken in April 2020. “Let us first withdraw the militaries to a larger distance from the LAC and once that happens, I am sure de-escalation will take place automatically. We are in full synergy with the MEA on the subject,” he added.
Highlighting that the issue of perception difference has been there for a long time, he said India has come a long way by maintaining strategic patience.
“We are ready for negotiation. And if it is prolonged, we are ready to wait. It means now we are negotiating from a position of strength with assertiveness and fair play,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Northern Command began a two-day symposium in Udhampur district today to identify cutting-edge technologies it needed for solving operational challenges.
Lt Gen said the seminar will pave the way to identify suitable technologies and products for subsequent trials and inductions into the command.
He said the Ministry of Defence has set a target for indigenous defence manufacturing of items worth USD 25 billion, including an export target of USD 5 billion, by 2025.
“I am extremely delighted to be here to unfold and be part of one of the most awaited events both for the Northern Command and the Industry — the North Tech Symposium 2022 — after a gap of two years,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.
The theme of the symposium ‘ self-reliance in defence through Atmanirbharta and infusion of new technologies to meet operational challenges of the command’ is quite apt and conveys our pressing needs of the day, he added.
He said the symposium is aimed at enabling greater engagements with the Indian private sector, R&D organisations and academia, which are Army’s potential partners in development, fabrications and induction of technologically-advanced systems to meet the operational needs of the Northern Command.
“The intervening period has made us realise the importance of Raksha Atmanirbharta or self-reliance in defence manufacturing. A large number of initiatives have been undertaken by the Government to give the requisite impetus to the domestic defence industry with a view to attain self-reliance,” he added.
Over 10 top companies are showcasing their products in defence, surveillance and security sectors at the symposium to enhance the ‘Atmanirbharta’ drive of the Government in defence technology.
The Army Commander said the symposium will pave the way to identify suitable technologies and products for subsequent trials and inductions into the Northern Command, besides facilitating interface with the field army to orient its products towards specific operational requirements.
“It will also enable all ranks to enhance their technological knowledge and threshold for conduct of efficient and smooth operations,” he added.
The primary objective of the symposium is to bridge the gap between user requirement of critical defence products and technologies and the capabilities of Indian OEMs and vendors to address the same through their products, leading to speedier procurement by the Northern Command, Lt Gen Dwivedi added.
He said at this stage, alternative solutions are also most welcome.
“The solutions that we seek with respect to the border guarding and internal security challenges will lead to operational convergence of CAPFs such as BSF, CRPF, ITBP and state police co-employed within the Northern Command.”
Many initiatives taken thus far, under the able tutelage of the Lieutenant Governors of both J-K and Ladakh, have been co-opted and integrated by us in our efforts to foster synergy, he said.
The Army Commander said this year the event is being conducted in two parts.
“On the first day i.e. today, the seminar is being conducted with the theme ‘ self-reliance in defence through atmanirbharta and infusion of new technologies to meet operational challenges of Northern Command’.”
“Concurrently, a two-day equipment display and exhibition is being conducted today and tomorrow, wherein Indian industry has joined hands with us to display its products and technologies,” he added.
“I am sanguine that the elites present here will optimally utilise this opportunity. We must interact freely with the academia and industry experts and designers to work towards the common objective of enhancing our technological threshold and imbibe the best for our immediate operational requirements,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.
“Let us kindle our minds with new ideas and collective approach towards fulfilment of these common objectives,” he said.
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