Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 25: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today reviewed situation prevailing in Jammu during high level meeting with Western Command chief Lt Gen KJ Singh at the Command Headquarters at Chandimandir.
Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts fall under the Western Command.
Parrikar, who was unable to visit Drass in Kargil sector of Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir on July 23 due to adverse weather conditions along with Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, today visited the Western Command Headquarters and had detailed inter-action on situation with the Western Army Commander.
Lt Gen Singh gave detailed briefing to the Defence Ministers on the situation prevailing under his area of control in Jammu and Kashmir including Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. He told the Defence Minister that Army was maintaining high alert all along the borders and was ready to meet with any situation.
Parrikar lauded excellent operational preparedness of the Army and expressed confidence that they will maintain similar synergy to thwart infiltration attempts and other activities by the militants. He also praised the Army’s role in helping civil administration and population to meet with natural manmade disasters.
The Defence Minister had reviewed situation in Jammu and Kashmir with Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, Northern Army Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda and GOC Srinagar based 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha in Srinagar on July 23 after he was unable to fly to Drass.
Meanwhile, Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag said today that troops will be well equipped with latest weaponry and sophisticated equipments to make them fully prepared to face any challenge on the borders. He declared that the troops will ensure that another 1999 like Kargil conflict is not repeated in future.
“We will not allow Army to face any kind of shortage of weapons and other gadgetry. All requirements of the troops will be met. They will get latest weapons and other equipments required to deal with any kind of situation on the borders,’’ Gen Suhag said while addressing the troops at Drass in Kargil sector of Ladakh region this morning.
The Army chief reached Drass to join ongoing ‘Vijay Diwas celebrations’ to mark 16th year of victory over Pakistan in Kargil war.
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Leh based 15 Corps Lt Gen SK Patyal and GOC 8 Mountain Division Maj Gen Manoj Pandey were also present at Drass during the visit of the Army chief. Lt Gen Hooda will address the main function at Drass to mark the victory celebrations tomorrow.
Gen Suhag said the armed forces will not let another Kargil-like conflict to take place.
He said the “Army won’t allow another Kargil”.
“Our troops are maintaining high vigil all along the borders. We will not allow another Kargil to happen in future,’’ the Army chief said.
Assuring troops that their all concerns will be taken care of, Gen Suhag promised the Army soldiers that all shortcomings in the troops will be overcome.
“We will overcome all shortcomings within the Army. The troops will get latest weaponry and gadgetry to meet with any kind of situation,’’ the Army chief assured the troops.
Lauding the duties being performed by the troops in hostile weather conditions like Siachen Glacier, Drass, Kargil, Leh and several other such places, he said the Army was on high alert everywhere despite facing hazardous conditions including very difficult weather terrain and added that it was responsibility of the Army to take care of their all requirements.
Though the celebrations to mark the 16th anniversary of India’s victory in the Kargil War, also called Vijay Diwas, began on July 20, the main function was held today while concluding function will be held tomorrow.
Army will hold a memorial service at the Kargil War Memorial where prayers by religious leaders will be held. They will be followed by lighting of lamps.
The wreath laying ceremony for the martyrs will be held tomorrow which will be followed by an interaction with Veer Naris.
The Kargil war, which began in May 1999, lasted for more than two months before Pakistani soldiers, a bulk of them drawn from its Northern Light Infantry, and irregulars were forced to retreat from the mountain tops they had occupied overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway.
In the conflict, the Indian Army lost 490 officers, soldiers and jawans.
Meanwhile, Army’s Northern Command today paid homage to the soldiers who lost their lives defending the country’s frontiers during the Kargil war.
A function was organised at the headquarters of the Udhampur-based Northern Command of the Army to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the Kargil war.
“On the occasion of the 16th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, in a solemn ceremony at the Dhruva War Memorial, Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, Chief of Staff, Northern Command paid homage to the martyrs who laid their lives defending the frontiers of the country by laying a wreath on behalf of all ranks of Northern Command,” a Defence spokesman said.
He said all those present at the occasion remembered the devotion and sacrifice of the officers, JCOs and Jawans who laid down their life in defending the motherland.
“Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year to mark the historic victory of the Indian Armed Forces over the adversary in the Kargil Sector.
“The war is of special significance for the Northern Command as no Army in the world has perhaps fought and won a war in such adverse and challenging conditions,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel