Maintaining strong defence, ready to combat contingency at LAC: Army chief

Indian Army has played an important role in bringing down level of violence and making insurgents leave the path of violence, Army Chief said.

Bengaluru, Jan 15: Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Sunday stressed that the Army has maintained a strong defence posture at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and is ready to tackle any contingency.

Speaking at the Army Day Parade in Bengaluru, Pande said "in the northern border areas, the situation has been normal and through established protocols & existing mechanisms, necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace. Maintaining a strong defence posture at LAC, we are ready to tackle any contingency."

"Despite difficult area and rough weather, our brave jawans are deployed there.All kinds of arms, equipment and facilities are being given to them in adequate quantity.With combined efforts of local admin, other agencies&military there've been improvements in infra development," the army chief said.

"There have been definite improvements in security situation in northeastern regions. Indian Army has played an important role in bringing down level of violence and making insurgents leave the path of violence. Most insurgent groups have signed peace agreements with government," he said.

"Ceasefire continues at LOC in western border areas and ceasefire violations have been brought down. But across the border, terror infrastructure still remains. Our counter-infiltration grid is continuously foiling the infiltration from there," he added.

"Improvements have been seen in the areas inside Jammu and Kashmir. The local population has rejected violence, and welcoming positive changes, enthusiastically participated in all govt initiatives," he further said.

"Although there has been a decline in violence with the efforts of security forces, several proxy terrorist outfits have resorted to the technique of targetted killings to gain visibility. Army, along with other security forces, is determined to foil all such attempts," the army chief reiterated.

General Manoj Pande also spoke about the situation in Ukraine and said the Russia-Ukraine war has highlighted the importance of cyber space war and disruptive technology.

Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year, to mark the day when General K M Cariappa took over as the First Indian Commander in Chief of the Army in 1949.