Army Chief visits forward areas along LoC in Jammu & Kashmir, reviews security

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Dhiraj Seth, reviewed the security situation and operational preparedness of Indian Army formations deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir during a three-day visit to the Northern Command from July 7 to 9. The visit marked his maiden tour of the Command since taking over as Army Chief.

During the visit, General Seth assessed the prevailing security environment, combat readiness and operational preparedness of formations deployed along the LoC as well as in the hinterland. He visited the Headquarters of the Chinar Corps, formations across the Kashmir Valley, the Headquarters of the White Knight Corps, and forward areas in the Jammu region, including Poonch, Rajouri and Sunderbani.

In Srinagar, the Army Chief was briefed on the Northern Command's operational perspective and the preparedness of the Chinar Corps.

He also met the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and held interactions with various stakeholders to discuss issues concerning security, stability and inter-agency coordination in the Union Territory.

At the Chinar Corps headquarters, General Seth reviewed operational deployments, counter-terror operations, inter-agency coordination, evolving security challenges and arrangements for the ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra. He also assessed initiatives aimed at technology integration, capability enhancement and maintaining integrated combat readiness across the full spectrum of military operations.

The Army Chief later visited formations in Kupwara, Uri and Manasbal, where he was briefed on the prevailing security situation, the counter-terror grid, surveillance mechanisms, field-level innovations and overall operational preparedness.

During his interaction with troops, he appreciated their professionalism, dedication and commitment to maintaining peace and stability under challenging conditions.

General Seth also witnessed a display of indigenous technological innovations during the visit. He lauded the Army's emphasis on technology absorption and capability enhancement, stressing the importance of adopting emerging technologies to improve operational effectiveness.

The Army Chief also reviewed efforts by Army formations to support communities in India's first villages through people-centric initiatives. He appreciated the contribution of troops towards nation-building, community engagement and maintaining peace and stability in border areas.

Concluding the visit, General Dhiraj Seth commended personnel of the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces for their professionalism, operational excellence and unwavering commitment. He urged them to remain operationally prepared, agile and committed to the ethos of "Nation First" while working towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

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