New Delhi, January 15
The Chief of Army Staff, General N.C. Vij today said the terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) were yet to be wound up and asserted that the work on fencing along the Line of Control (LoC) to control infiltration would go on at full pace.
Talking to mediapersons after the Army Day parade the Chief of Army Staff said the communication intercepts from across the border indicated that the terrorist camps in PoK were yet to be wound up.
Pointing out that terrorists were sending 15,000 to 16,000 messages daily from across the border, General Vij said the transmission level was the same as before the recent Indo-Pak cease fire. He said, “as far as intercepts are concerned they indicate the camps are there”.
“But we cannot draw any conclusions. It is too early to assess the situation. The winter months are low for infiltration. We can only assess the infiltration level when summer starts and Passes become approachable”, he said.
While adding that the work on the fencing would go on he said, “the entire 590 km stretch of the LoC from the Chenab river to Gurez sector would be completed by May”.
The Army Chief said 60 per cent of the fencing work had been completed and the remainder would be over by May end.
“The gigantic effort backed by influx of thermal and ground sensors has already ensured substantial detection of infiltration. With the fence in place along the LoC much greater gains are expected this year. Hopefully, we will be able to curtail infiltration to a large extent”.
General Vij was of the view that once the fencing was complete it would make infiltration extremely difficult and hazardous. The terrorists would then have no option but to illegally cross from the International Border or through tough terrain in Kargil sector.
More troops have now been posted along the International Border with Pakistan to ensure that terrorists did not attempt any misadventure on these borders, he said.
Declaring that the Army viewed the Indo-Pak peace process as a “positive development”, General Vij said hopes and expectations had been raised by these efforts.
Army had also kept up the pressure on militants in the Northeast, he said adding recent operations by Bhutan army had broken the backbone of terrorist outfits like ULFA, NDF and KLO.
“With the peace talks progressing well with the NSCN (IM) in Nagaland, we are indeed looking at the Northeast with great hope” General Vij said.
Talking about the modernisation drive in the army he said it was going on at full pace and the first lot of indigenously assembled T-90 frontline tanks had rolled out from the Avadi plant recently. He pointed out that even the first Indo-Israel 155 MM calibre artillery guns would be available soon.
Announcing that the government had accepted the A.V. Singh report on colour service in the Army, he said this would lead to lower age profile for field commanders and ease stagnation in the ranks of Majors and Captains.
Under the new scheme, the rank of Lieut Colonel would not be selective with almost all officers rising to this rank, he said adding the implementation of the recommendations for senior ranks would be done by the end of the year.
The Army Chief said it was proposed to raise the strength of Special forces from the current five to 10 within the next three to four years. These forces were also due to get highly sophisticated arms and systems with as many as 28 kinds of weapon systems being imported for them.
On the induction of shorter range 700 km strike capability Agni I missile, Vij said it was in the process of being inducted. But on Smerch long range multi barrel rocket system capable of hitting targets 60 km away, he said trials were yet to be held.
