Advocating a &quot;politico-military&quot; approach in dealing with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today called for political initiative to go hand-in-hand with military operations in the state.

Gen Rawat, who has followed a hard-line approach in tackling terrorism, said the armed forces operating in the state cannot be &quot;status quoist&quot; and must evolve new strategies and tactics to deal with the situation.

In an interview to PTI, the Army chief said, &quot;The political initiative and all the other initiatives must go simultaneously hand-in-hand and only if all of us function in synergy, we can bring lasting peace in Kashmir. It has to be a politico-military approach that we have to adopt.&quot;

Rawat also asserted that there was room for ramping up heat on Pakistan to cut the flow of cross-border terror activities, clearly indicating that the Army will continue its policy of hot pursuit in dealing with militancy.

In October, the government had appointed former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma as its special representative for a &quot;sustained dialogue&quot; with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;When the government appointed an interlocutor, it is with that purpose. He is the government&#39;s representative to reach out to the people of Kashmir and see what their grievances are so that those can then be addressed at a political level,&quot; the Army chief said.

Asked whether pressure could be increased on Pakistan to force it to stop sending terrorists to the state, he said, &quot;Yes, you cannot be status quoist. You have to continuously think and keep moving forward. You have to keep changing your doctrines and concept and the manner in which you operate in such areas.&quot;

Gen Rawat said the Army will have to evolve new strategies and new tactics to deal with the situation. At the same time, he said an overall approach was required to deal with the Kashmir issue.

Since beginning of last year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir and, at the same time, forcefully responded to all ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit- for-tat approach.

&quot;Military is only part of the mechanism to resolve the Kashmir issue. Our charter is to ensure that the terrorists who are creating violence in the state are taken to task and those who have been radicalised and are increasingly moving towards terrorism are prevented from doing so,&quot; he said.

Gen Rawat said some youths continue to be radicalised and are joining militancy. The Army has been trying to maintain pressure on terror groups, he said.

The Army&#39;s aim is to ensure that it continues to maintain the pressure on the terrorists and those fomenting trouble in Kashmir, Gen Rawat said.

&quot;But at the same time, we have to also reach out to the people,&quot; he said.

Asked whether the situation in Kashmir has improved since he has taken over as the Army chief a year ago, Gen Rawat said, &quot;I am only seeing a marginal change in situation for the better.

&quot;I do not think it is time to become over confident and start assuming that the situation has been brought under control because infiltration from across the borders will continue.&quot;

The LoC has remained volatile in the last year. According to official figures, 860 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 the year before.

India has also been effectively retaliating to Pakistani firing and even crossed the LoC to punish Pakistani troops on several occasions as part of tactical operations.&nbsp;

Bipin Rawat said there was room for ramping up heat on Pakistan to cut the flow of cross-border terror activities, clearly indicating the army will continue its policy of hot pursuit in dealing with militancy

Advocating a "politico-military" approach in dealing with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today called for political initiative to go hand-in-hand with military operations in the state. Gen Rawat, who has followed a hard-line approach in tackling terrorism, said the armed forces operating in the state cannot be "status quoist" and must evolve new strategies and tactics to deal with the situation. In an interview to PTI, the Army chief said, "The political initiative and all the other initiatives must go simultaneously hand-in-hand and only if all of us function in synergy, we can bring lasting peace in Kashmir. It has to be a politico-military approach that we have to adopt." Rawat also asserted that there was room for ramping up heat on Pakistan to cut the flow of cross-border terror activities, clearly indicating that the Army will continue its policy of hot pursuit in dealing with militancy. In October, the government had appointed former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma as its special representative for a "sustained dialogue" with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. "When the government appointed an interlocutor, it is with that purpose. He is the government's representative to reach out to the people of Kashmir and see what their grievances are so that those can then be addressed at a political level," the Army chief said. Asked whether pressure could be increased on Pakistan to force it to stop sending terrorists to the state, he said, "Yes, you cannot be status quoist. You have to continuously think and keep moving forward. You have to keep changing your doctrines and concept and the manner in which you operate in such areas." Gen Rawat said the Army will have to evolve new strategies and new tactics to deal with the situation. At the same time, he said an overall approach was required to deal with the Kashmir issue. Since beginning of last year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir and, at the same time, forcefully responded to all ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit- for-tat approach. "Military is only part of the mechanism to resolve the Kashmir issue. Our charter is to ensure that the terrorists who are creating violence in the state are taken to task and those who have been radicalised and are increasingly moving towards terrorism are prevented from doing so," he said. Gen Rawat said some youths continue to be radicalised and are joining militancy. The Army has been trying to maintain pressure on terror groups, he said. The Army's aim is to ensure that it continues to maintain the pressure on the terrorists and those fomenting trouble in Kashmir, Gen Rawat said. "But at the same time, we have to also reach out to the people," he said. Asked whether the situation in Kashmir has improved since he has taken over as the Army chief a year ago, Gen Rawat said, "I am only seeing a marginal change in situation for the better. "I do not think it is time to become over confident and start assuming that the situation has been brought under control because infiltration from across the borders will continue." The LoC has remained volatile in the last year. According to official figures, 860 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 the year before. India has also been effectively retaliating to Pakistani firing and even crossed the LoC to punish Pakistani troops on several occasions as part of tactical operations.

J&K: Chief indicates army will continue policy of hot pursuit

America&#39;s pressure on Pakistan to end support to terrorists if it wants aid should not lead India into expecting that Washington would take over New Delhi&#39;s work when it comes to dealing with Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Friday.

Acknowledging the suspension of military aid to Pakistan by the US, General Rawat averred it was premature to talk how much of an impact it would have on Pakistan, India and the extended neighbourhood.

&quot;It would be too premature to start saying that everything is going to be hunky-dory. Let&#39;s not expect the US to do what we are expected to do,&quot; General Rawat said at a press conference here.

Speaking about India&#39;s combative action against infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, General Rawat informed that Cavalry Fighting Vehicles (CFV) have been increased to destroy Pakistan posts that support infiltration, and added that India&#39;s war casualties are lesser than Pakistan&#39;s.

&quot;The casualties which Pakistan has suffered are three to four times more than we did. Pakistan is sending messages regularly to return to the ceasefire. We are ready, but we will continue till we see a decrease in ceasefire violation,&quot; he added.

Last week, the United States announced the suspension of military aid to Pakistan, given that it was not taking &quot;necessary steps&quot; to curb terrorism.

US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said the embargo would remain in place until Pakistan acts against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.

The announcement came after US President Donald Trump made a scathing remark against Pakistan and accused it of lying and deceiving while receiving billions in aid.&nbsp;

Rawat informed that Cavalry Fighting Vehicles (CFV) have been increased to destroy Pakistan posts that support infiltration

America's pressure on Pakistan to end support to terrorists if it wants aid should not lead India into expecting that Washington would take over New Delhi's work when it comes to dealing with Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Friday. Acknowledging the suspension of military aid to Pakistan by the US, General Rawat averred it was premature to talk how much of an impact it would have on Pakistan, India and the extended neighbourhood. "It would be too premature to start saying that everything is going to be hunky-dory. Let's not expect the US to do what we are expected to do," General Rawat said at a press conference here. Speaking about India's combative action against infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, General Rawat informed that Cavalry Fighting Vehicles (CFV) have been increased to destroy Pakistan posts that support infiltration, and added that India's war casualties are lesser than Pakistan's. "The casualties which Pakistan has suffered are three to four times more than we did. Pakistan is sending messages regularly to return to the ceasefire. We are ready, but we will continue till we see a decrease in ceasefire violation," he added. Last week, the United States announced the suspension of military aid to Pakistan, given that it was not taking "necessary steps" to curb terrorism. US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said the embargo would remain in place until Pakistan acts against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. The announcement came after US President Donald Trump made a scathing remark against Pakistan and accused it of lying and deceiving while receiving billions in aid.

India should not expect the US to do its work: Army Chief on Pakistan

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday urged that India is capable of handling China&#39;s assertiveness along the border, claiming that &quot;China may be a powerful country but India is not a weak nation either.&quot;&nbsp;

Rawat was addressing the media at the DRDO Bhawan in Delhi on Friday.&nbsp;

&quot;Yes, China is exerting pressure. We are dealing with it. Yes, we should try that it is not escalated. We will not allow our territory to be intruded. Troops are earmarked, should a situation arise our troops are ready to cater&quot; Rawat said.&nbsp;

Amid aggressive Chinese efforts to increase its influence in the region, the Army Chief said India cannot allow its neighbours to drift away to China, further insisting that focus should be shifted to its northern border.&nbsp;

To a question about Chinese incursions into India, he said, &quot;We will not allow our territory to be invaded by anyone.&quot;

Referring to the US&#39; warnings to Pakistan over its handling of terrorism, Rawat said India will have to wait, see its impact and deal with our challenges.&nbsp;

He further added that the threat of the use of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) weapons have now become a reality.&nbsp;

&quot;The threat of the use of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) weapons is indeed becoming a reality, particularly from the non-state actors. Use of CBRN weapons could jeopardise life health property and commerce, and then take a long time to recover,&quot; Rawat said.

The Army Chief also warned that potential adversaries may seek to counter India&#39;s conventional military superiority using less expensive and more attainable asymmetrical means.

To combat the hazardous weapons, Rawat suggested to &quot;develop protection technologies, equipment and systems, and impart training to our soldiers.&quot;

&quot;I am sure that DRDO&#39;s long-term perspective plan in conjunction and integrated perspective plan of the services must have encompassed the development of mitigation of technologies against such CBRN threats,&quot; he added.

Finally, Rawat announced that India&#39;s focus of operations is going to shift to North Kashmir&#39;s Baramulla, Pattan, Handwara, Kupwara, Sopire and Lolab and some northern areas of Bandipore so that the infiltration can be thwarted there.&nbsp;

Amid aggressive Chinese efforts to increase its influence in the region, the army chief said India cannot allow its neighbours to drift away to China further insisting that focus should be shifted to its northern border

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday urged that India is capable of handling China's assertiveness along the border, claiming that "China may be a powerful country but India is not a weak nation either." Rawat was addressing the media at the DRDO Bhawan in Delhi on Friday. "Yes, China is exerting pressure. We are dealing with it. Yes, we should try that it is not escalated. We will not allow our territory to be intruded. Troops are earmarked, should a situation arise our troops are ready to cater" Rawat said. Amid aggressive Chinese efforts to increase its influence in the region, the Army Chief said India cannot allow its neighbours to drift away to China, further insisting that focus should be shifted to its northern border. To a question about Chinese incursions into India, he said, "We will not allow our territory to be invaded by anyone." Referring to the US' warnings to Pakistan over its handling of terrorism, Rawat said India will have to wait, see its impact and deal with our challenges. He further added that the threat of the use of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) weapons have now become a reality. "The threat of the use of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) weapons is indeed becoming a reality, particularly from the non-state actors. Use of CBRN weapons could jeopardise life health property and commerce, and then take a long time to recover," Rawat said. The Army Chief also warned that potential adversaries may seek to counter India's conventional military superiority using less expensive and more attainable asymmetrical means. To combat the hazardous weapons, Rawat suggested to "develop protection technologies, equipment and systems, and impart training to our soldiers." "I am sure that DRDO's long-term perspective plan in conjunction and integrated perspective plan of the services must have encompassed the development of mitigation of technologies against such CBRN threats," he added. Finally, Rawat announced that India's focus of operations is going to shift to North Kashmir's Baramulla, Pattan, Handwara, Kupwara, Sopire and Lolab and some northern areas of Bandipore so that the infiltration can be thwarted there.

China may be a powerful country but India is not a weak nation either: Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-supreme-court-judges-speak-out-pm-modi-meets-law-minister-ravi-shankar-prasad-29324" target="_blank">Let the nation decide on CJI&#39;s impeachment: Supreme Court judges in press conference</a>

India&#39;s Attorney General K K Venugopal met the Chief Justice (CJI)&nbsp;of India&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-first-4-supreme-court-judges-speak-on-corruption-29314">Dipak Misra</a>&nbsp;after four judges addressed the media for the first time.&nbsp;Four sitting Supreme Court judges Justice Lokur, Justice Kurian Joseph, Justice Chelameswar and Justice Ranjan Gogoi&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-justice-chelameshwar-and-other-senior-supreme-court-judges-said-in-open-meet-today-29316">addressed the media</a>&nbsp;for the first time on differences with the CJI earlier in the day.&nbsp;Asked whether they wanted the Chief Justice to be impeached, Justice Chelameswar said, &quot;let the nation decide.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-first-4-supreme-court-judges-speak-on-corruption-29314" target="_blank">&#39;We failed to convince the Chief Justice of India,&#39; say 4 senior judges in first ever open meet</a>

The judges criticised Supreme Court&#39;s distribution of cases to judges and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-justice-chelameshwar-and-other-senior-supreme-court-judges-said-in-open-meet-today-29316">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;about judicial appointments. &quot;We were left with no choice but to address the media, we have failed to convince the Chief Justice,&quot; Justice Chelameswar said on the lawns of his residence in New Delhi. &quot;The four of us are convinced that unless this institution is preserved and it maintains its equanimity, democracy will not survive in this country,&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-takes-exception-to-indias-cartosat-2s-satellite-launch-29356" target="_blank">Pakistan takes exception to India&#39;s Cartosat-2s satellite launch</a>

Taking exception to India&#39;s 100th satellite+, Pakistan said that such pursuits should not be directed towards a build-up of destabilizing military capabilities, which can negatively impact the regional strategic stability.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/hafiz-saeed-criticises-pakistan-government-for-not-ushering-islamic-rule-in-country-29309" target="_blank">Hafiz Saeed criticises Pakistan government for not ushering Islamic rule in country</a>

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief and UN-designated global terrorist Hafiz Saeed has lashed out at the Pakistan government for not ushering Islamic rule in the country. &quot;They have started this work by finishing the message of Prophet Muhammad. Let us unite and pledge that we would not let it happen,&quot; Saeed has said at an event.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-do-teachers-in-jk-use-separate-map-for-state-asks-army-chief-29358" target="_blank">&#39;Why do teachers in J&amp;K use separate map for state?&#39; asks Army Chief</a>

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said that schools in Jammu and Kashmir are instilling wrong information into students&#39; mind by showing them a separate map of their state and not as one Indian map.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Let the nation decide on CJI's impeachment: Supreme Court judges in press conference India's Attorney General K K Venugopal met the Chief Justice (CJI) of India Dipak Misra after four judges addressed the media for the first time. Four sitting Supreme Court judges Justice Lokur, Justice Kurian Joseph, Justice Chelameswar and Justice Ranjan Gogoi addressed the media for the first time on differences with the CJI earlier in the day. Asked whether they wanted the Chief Justice to be impeached, Justice Chelameswar said, "let the nation decide." 'We failed to convince the Chief Justice of India,' say 4 senior judges in first ever open meet The judges criticised Supreme Court's distribution of cases to judges and raised concerns about judicial appointments. "We were left with no choice but to address the media, we have failed to convince the Chief Justice," Justice Chelameswar said on the lawns of his residence in New Delhi. "The four of us are convinced that unless this institution is preserved and it maintains its equanimity, democracy will not survive in this country,". Pakistan takes exception to India's Cartosat-2s satellite launch Taking exception to India's 100th satellite+, Pakistan said that such pursuits should not be directed towards a build-up of destabilizing military capabilities, which can negatively impact the regional strategic stability. Hafiz Saeed criticises Pakistan government for not ushering Islamic rule in country The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief and UN-designated global terrorist Hafiz Saeed has lashed out at the Pakistan government for not ushering Islamic rule in the country. "They have started this work by finishing the message of Prophet Muhammad. Let us unite and pledge that we would not let it happen," Saeed has said at an event. 'Why do teachers in J&K use separate map for state?' asks Army Chief Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said that schools in Jammu and Kashmir are instilling wrong information into students' mind by showing them a separate map of their state and not as one Indian map.

WION Evening News brief, January 12, 2018

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said that schools in Jammu and Kashmir are instilling wrong information into students&#39; mind by showing them a separate map of their state and not as one Indian map.

&quot;In the schools in Jammu and Kashmir, what teachers are teaching should not be taught. In schools, there can be seen two maps - one of India another of Jammu and Kashmir. Why do we need a separate map for the state? What does it teach the children?&quot; Rawat said addressing the media ahead of the Army Day on January 15.

On <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-should-not-expect-us-to-do-its-work-army-chief-on-pakistan-29340">combating terrorism</a> in Jammu and Kashmir, General Rawat asserted, &quot;We may have neutralised several terrorists but we have also caught 39 of them alive because we wanted to give them a second chance.&quot;

He also called for changing India&#39;s focus from the western frontier to the northern one in the wake of growing Chinese presence in India&#39;s neighbourhood like Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, which have traditionally close ties with New Delhi.

&quot;For too long, we have kept our focus on the western front. I think time has come for us to focus on the northern border. Therefore our infrastructure development on the northern border has to be speeded up,&quot; he said.

General Rawat said countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have to be kept on board as part of a broader strategy to deal with China.

&quot;I think we cannot allow the neighbourhood to be drifted away from us - whether it is Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Afghanistan. These nations have to be kept on board, and I think we have to put in our wholehearted effort to ensure we continue to support them,&quot; he said.

&quot;We are seeking support of other nations, group of nations in the region, to see that we are not isolated completely in a situation in Asia against an assertive China. That is the next step that is being taken and therefore you will find that a quadrilateral is formed,&quot; General Rawat said.

In November last year, India, Japan, Australia and the US had set the ball rolling for forming a quadrilateral coalition in the Indo-Pacific region to pursue their common interests, a move seen as a measure to counter growing Chinese influence.

He said there are other countries that are coming on board to support India in whatever way they can.

&quot;At the military level, we know that if there is a threat from China, we have to be prepared for it,&quot; he said.

He said by keeping these nations with it, India would be able to make sure that the assertiveness that China is showing against it is balenced in some way.

&quot;That is the approach we are taking. We know China is a powerful country but let us also not forget that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-may-be-a-powerful-country-but-india-is-not-a-weak-nation-either-army-chief-gen-bipin-rawat-29325">we are not a weak nation</a>. Let&#39;s not get so worried. We are dealing with the situation. We are confident we will be able to handle the situation,&quot; he said.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam starting in June last year after the Indian side stopped construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28.

General Rawat said China has been keeping its troops in north Doklam.

He said India is dealing with China at different levels including through diplomatic engagement.

He also called for changing India's focus from the western frontier to the northern one in the wake of growing Chinese presence in India's neighbourhood.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday said that schools in Jammu and Kashmir are instilling wrong information into students' mind by showing them a separate map of their state and not as one Indian map. "In the schools in Jammu and Kashmir, what teachers are teaching should not be taught. In schools, there can be seen two maps - one of India another of Jammu and Kashmir. Why do we need a separate map for the state? What does it teach the children?" Rawat said addressing the media ahead of the Army Day on January 15. On combating terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, General Rawat asserted, "We may have neutralised several terrorists but we have also caught 39 of them alive because we wanted to give them a second chance." He also called for changing India's focus from the western frontier to the northern one in the wake of growing Chinese presence in India's neighbourhood like Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, which have traditionally close ties with New Delhi. "For too long, we have kept our focus on the western front. I think time has come for us to focus on the northern border. Therefore our infrastructure development on the northern border has to be speeded up," he said. General Rawat said countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have to be kept on board as part of a broader strategy to deal with China. "I think we cannot allow the neighbourhood to be drifted away from us - whether it is Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Afghanistan. These nations have to be kept on board, and I think we have to put in our wholehearted effort to ensure we continue to support them," he said. "We are seeking support of other nations, group of nations in the region, to see that we are not isolated completely in a situation in Asia against an assertive China. That is the next step that is being taken and therefore you will find that a quadrilateral is formed," General Rawat said. In November last year, India, Japan, Australia and the US had set the ball rolling for forming a quadrilateral coalition in the Indo-Pacific region to pursue their common interests, a move seen as a measure to counter growing Chinese influence. He said there are other countries that are coming on board to support India in whatever way they can. "At the military level, we know that if there is a threat from China, we have to be prepared for it," he said. He said by keeping these nations with it, India would be able to make sure that the assertiveness that China is showing against it is balenced in some way. "That is the approach we are taking. We know China is a powerful country but let us also not forget that we are not a weak nation. Let's not get so worried. We are dealing with the situation. We are confident we will be able to handle the situation," he said. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam starting in June last year after the Indian side stopped construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28. General Rawat said China has been keeping its troops in north Doklam. He said India is dealing with China at different levels including through diplomatic engagement.

'Why do teachers in J&K use separate map for state?' asks Army Chief

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has stressed on the need for modernisation of the armed forces.

He also added that we have reached a time in which we need to take cues from the &quot;Arthshastra&quot; and &quot;Chanakya Niti&quot;.

General Rawat also lauded the advancement in defence technology development and said that the future wars would be fought in more difficult circumstances and we should be prepared for it.

&quot;There is a huge requirement of modernisation of our armed forces, in every field. The future wars will be fought in difficult terrains and circumstances and we have to be prepared for them,&quot; the army chief said.

General Rawat was addressing a gathering at the Army Technology Seminar in Delhi.

He also assured the government on the proper utilisation of technology if the industry assisted the armed forces.

&quot;A good headway has been made in lightweight bullet-proof material and fuel cell technology. The journey has begun and this must continue. We are confident that if we get support from the industry, we will walk the extra mile to ensure that we utilise the technology they give us,&quot; the army chief said.&nbsp;

General Rawat also stressed on the need for making ammunition in India&nbsp;and minimising the usage of imported military equipment, saying that imports in defence technology should be lowered down and India should fight the next war with home-made solutions.

&quot;We would like to gradually move away from imports (in defence technology), because, for a nation like ours, the time has come to ensure that we fight the next war with homemade solutions,&quot; he said.

The Indian Army last year announced plans to replace old weapons and said that they are&nbsp;planning to acquire&nbsp;7 lakh rifles, &nbsp;44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

General Rawat stressed on the need for making ammunition in India and minimising the usage of imported military equipment, saying that imports in defence technology should be lowered down

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has stressed on the need for modernisation of the armed forces. He also added that we have reached a time in which we need to take cues from the "Arthshastra" and "Chanakya Niti". General Rawat also lauded the advancement in defence technology development and said that the future wars would be fought in more difficult circumstances and we should be prepared for it. "There is a huge requirement of modernisation of our armed forces, in every field. The future wars will be fought in difficult terrains and circumstances and we have to be prepared for them," the army chief said. General Rawat was addressing a gathering at the Army Technology Seminar in Delhi. He also assured the government on the proper utilisation of technology if the industry assisted the armed forces. "A good headway has been made in lightweight bullet-proof material and fuel cell technology. The journey has begun and this must continue. We are confident that if we get support from the industry, we will walk the extra mile to ensure that we utilise the technology they give us," the army chief said. General Rawat also stressed on the need for making ammunition in India and minimising the usage of imported military equipment, saying that imports in defence technology should be lowered down and India should fight the next war with home-made solutions. "We would like to gradually move away from imports (in defence technology), because, for a nation like ours, the time has come to ensure that we fight the next war with homemade solutions," he said. The Indian Army last year announced plans to replace old weapons and said that they are planning to acquire 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines.

Next war should be fought with home-made solutions: Army chief

The &#39;Tuting incident&#39; in Arunachal Pradesh has been resolved, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said here on Monday, days after Indian troops foiled attempts by Chinese road-building teams to build a track on the Indian side of the border.

Rawat suggested that a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between the two sides in Arunachal two days ago had resolved the issue.

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It has been sorted out &amp; we have had our Border Personnel Meeting after that: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on face-off with China in Arunchal Pradesh <a href="https://t.co/KCGRfQ4Kfn">pic.twitter.com/KCGRfQ4Kfn</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/950271765854371840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;The Tuting incident has been resolved,&quot; he told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

He added that the BPM had taken place two days ago.

According to the Army chief, there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

Chinese road-building teams had entered about one kilometre inside Indian territory in Tuting, government sources said, adding that they had come for track alignment activities.

The teams returned when confronted by Indian troops and left behind various road building equipment, including excavators, they said.

The incident came nearly four months after the end of the 73-day Dokalam standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim sector.

General Bipin Rawat suggested that a border personnel meeting between the two sides two days ago in Arunachal had resolved the issue

The 'Tuting incident' in Arunachal Pradesh has been resolved, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said here on Monday, days after Indian troops foiled attempts by Chinese road-building teams to build a track on the Indian side of the border. Rawat suggested that a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between the two sides in Arunachal two days ago had resolved the issue. It has been sorted out & we have had our Border Personnel Meeting after that: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on face-off with China in Arunchal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/KCGRfQ4Kfn — ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2018 × "The Tuting incident has been resolved," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event. He added that the BPM had taken place two days ago. According to the Army chief, there was a major reduction of Chinese troops in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector. Chinese road-building teams had entered about one kilometre inside Indian territory in Tuting, government sources said, adding that they had come for track alignment activities. The teams returned when confronted by Indian troops and left behind various road building equipment, including excavators, they said. The incident came nearly four months after the end of the 73-day Dokalam standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim sector.

'Tuting incident' resolved, says Army chief

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today said an &quot;aggressive strategy&quot; has to be maintained in dealing with ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and indicated that the force has been responding effectively to such incidents.

He said this responding to a question on the Army&#39;s strategy to deal with repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;They are doing it (violating ceasefire), but we are responding to it, but an aggressive strategy has to be maintained (&#39;Wo kar rahe hain, hum bhi kar rahe hain, lekin aggressive strategy to rakhni padegi na),&quot; he told reporters, on the sidelines on an event at the South Block.

According to official figure, a total of 820 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 in the year before.

On the issue of insurgency in several parts of the country, the Army Chief said it is on a decline in the Northeast while in Kashmir it is &quot;cyclical&quot; in nature.

&quot;The moment peace tends to return to the Valley, there is an interference from across the border,&quot; he said.

Earlier, General Rawat interacted with 27 youths from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, who are here as part of a national integration tour.

When one of the youths asked why the Indian Army does not &quot;finish&quot; the Pakistani side, he replied, &quot;If we finish (militarily) Pakistan, it will become like Afghanistan, riddled with all sorts of problems which Afghanistan is today facing.&quot;

Since beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for- tat approach.

Rawat also said neighbouring nations have to &quot;learn to live with each other&quot;.

&quot;We want to live in peace. Two neighbours living in a colony, if they have any issue, one of them can choose to move house. But, as nations we can&#39;t do that,&quot; he said.

According to official figure, a total of 820 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 in the year before

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today said an "aggressive strategy" has to be maintained in dealing with ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and indicated that the force has been responding effectively to such incidents. He said this responding to a question on the Army's strategy to deal with repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. "They are doing it (violating ceasefire), but we are responding to it, but an aggressive strategy has to be maintained ('Wo kar rahe hain, hum bhi kar rahe hain, lekin aggressive strategy to rakhni padegi na)," he told reporters, on the sidelines on an event at the South Block. According to official figure, a total of 820 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017 as against 221 in the year before. On the issue of insurgency in several parts of the country, the Army Chief said it is on a decline in the Northeast while in Kashmir it is "cyclical" in nature. "The moment peace tends to return to the Valley, there is an interference from across the border," he said. Earlier, General Rawat interacted with 27 youths from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, who are here as part of a national integration tour. When one of the youths asked why the Indian Army does not "finish" the Pakistani side, he replied, "If we finish (militarily) Pakistan, it will become like Afghanistan, riddled with all sorts of problems which Afghanistan is today facing." Since beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for- tat approach. Rawat also said neighbouring nations have to "learn to live with each other". "We want to live in peace. Two neighbours living in a colony, if they have any issue, one of them can choose to move house. But, as nations we can't do that," he said.

Aggressive strategy to be maintained with Pak on ceasefire violations: Army chief Rawat

Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday criticised Pakistan for not taking action against terrorists and for increasing terror in Jammu and Kashmir.

The army chief said that it did not seem that Pakistan wanted peace with India.

&quot;We also want better relations but from actions taken by them, like increasing terror in Jammu and Kashmir, it doesn&#39;t seems like they want peace. If they take right initiatives against terrorists, we can have talks,&quot; General Rawat said.

The army chief was speaking at the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-hamesha-vijayee-indian-air-force-army-conduct-joint-military-drill-in-rajasthan-27461">&quot;Hamesha Vijayee&quot; exercise</a> in Rajasthan&#39;s Jaisalmer.

The Indian Army and Air Force have been carrying out joint military drill in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan for the past three days.

&nbsp;

Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday criticised Pakistan for not taking action against terrorists and for increasing terror in Jammu and Kashmir

Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday criticised Pakistan for not taking action against terrorists and for increasing terror in Jammu and Kashmir. The army chief said that it did not seem that Pakistan wanted peace with India. "We also want better relations but from actions taken by them, like increasing terror in Jammu and Kashmir, it doesn't seems like they want peace. If they take right initiatives against terrorists, we can have talks," General Rawat said. The army chief was speaking at the "Hamesha Vijayee" exercise in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer. The Indian Army and Air Force have been carrying out joint military drill in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan for the past three days.

Doesn't seem like Pakistan wants peace: Indian army chief

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072">Trump </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072">recognises</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-recognises-jerusalem-as-israels-capital-sparks-firestorm-26072"> Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, sparks firestorm</a>

President Donald Trump recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital Wednesday, prompting an almost universal diplomatic backlash and fears of new bloodshed in the Middle East.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indian-drone-invaded-airspace-crashed-china-state-agency-26078">Indian drone &#39;invaded&#39; airspace, crashed: China state agency</a>

China today said an Indian drone had &quot;invaded&quot; its airspace and crashed, its state-run news agency Xinhua reported. China&#39;s deputy director of the army&#39;s western theatre combat bureau was quoted as saying by Xinhua that the move &quot;violated China&#39;s territorial sovereignty.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hails-trumps-historic-declaration-palestinians-condemn-26079">Israel hails Trump&#39;s &#39;historic&#39; declaration, Palestinians condemn</a>

Israel hailed U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital on Wednesday, but the Palestinians condemned the move and said it diminished Washington&#39;s role as a peace mediator.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/military-must-be-kept-out-of-politics-says-army-chief-26076">Military must be kept out of politics, says army chief</a>

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday stressed that the military must be kept out of politics and said that unlike in the &quot;good old days&quot;, the army establishment was moving towards discussing politics which should be avoided.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/entertainment-priyanka-chopra-voted-sexiest-asian-in-uk-poll-tv-actress-nia-sharma-is-a-close-second-26075">Priyanka Chopra voted sexiest Asian in UK poll; TV actress Nia Sharma is a close second</a>

Priyanka Chopra has been voted the &quot;Sexiest Asian Woman&quot; in the world in an annual UK poll released here on Wednesday.

Trump's defiant move, making good on a core campaign pledge, ended seven decades of US ambiguity on the status of the Holy City, which is vociferously claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.

Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital, sparks firestorm President Donald Trump recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital Wednesday, prompting an almost universal diplomatic backlash and fears of new bloodshed in the Middle East. Indian drone 'invaded' airspace, crashed: China state agency China today said an Indian drone had "invaded" its airspace and crashed, its state-run news agency Xinhua reported. China's deputy director of the army's western theatre combat bureau was quoted as saying by Xinhua that the move "violated China's territorial sovereignty." Israel hails Trump's 'historic' declaration, Palestinians condemn Israel hailed U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital on Wednesday, but the Palestinians condemned the move and said it diminished Washington's role as a peace mediator. Military must be kept out of politics, says army chief Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday stressed that the military must be kept out of politics and said that unlike in the "good old days", the army establishment was moving towards discussing politics which should be avoided. Priyanka Chopra voted sexiest Asian in UK poll; TV actress Nia Sharma is a close second Priyanka Chopra has been voted the "Sexiest Asian Woman" in the world in an annual UK poll released here on Wednesday.

WION News Brief, December 7, 2017

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday stressed that the military must be kept out of politics and said that&nbsp;unlike in the &quot;good old days&quot;, the army establishment was moving towards discussing politics which should be avoided.

General Rawat also said that one must avoid linking the military establishment with a political entity because the defence forces of India will do well if they remain above where they are expected to and do not meddle in the political affairs.

&quot;Military must be kept out of politics. It is important to evolve a strategy which ensures that only that much goes out to the media which is necessary for the information of the public. There are some issues related to defence which have to be kept out of the public domain. We can develop a relationship with the media through building confidence and gaining their support rather than keeping them away, the army chief said at the third national security lecture on &#39;Media as a forced multiplier for national security&#39; in New Delhi.

&quot;In the good old days we always said we do not discuss politics and women in the Army in any establishment, but gradually we find that we are inching towards that but that is best avoided. I think the media can help us in doing that,&quot; General Rawat said.

The army chief called the media an important part of the information pillar of &quot;National Power&quot; and one could not avoid the media since &quot;they are everywhere&quot; but one could take advantage by clearly identifying what military wants from the media.&quot;

&quot;Now we have to start looking at the media differently. Moulding public opinion is one of the areas where we need to focus. In India, the media has proliferated, whether it is print, social, or video, we cannot shy away from them because they are everywhere. We can take the advantage by clearly identifying what military wants from the media,&quot; he said, adding that daily interaction between military and the media was required as &#39;they cannot have things coming at distinct intervals.&#39;&nbsp;

&quot;We have psychological operations which are very important and relevant to the military. The purpose of the media is to come out with the truth and highlight it keeping the citizens informed but relevant information only,&quot; General Rawat said. 
 
(With inputs from ANI)

 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

General Bipin Rawat said that that?unlike in the past, the army establishment was moving towards discussing politics which should be avoided.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday stressed that the military must be kept out of politics and said that unlike in the "good old days", the army establishment was moving towards discussing politics which should be avoided. General Rawat also said that one must avoid linking the military establishment with a political entity because the defence forces of India will do well if they remain above where they are expected to and do not meddle in the political affairs. "Military must be kept out of politics. It is important to evolve a strategy which ensures that only that much goes out to the media which is necessary for the information of the public. There are some issues related to defence which have to be kept out of the public domain. We can develop a relationship with the media through building confidence and gaining their support rather than keeping them away, the army chief said at the third national security lecture on 'Media as a forced multiplier for national security' in New Delhi. "In the good old days we always said we do not discuss politics and women in the Army in any establishment, but gradually we find that we are inching towards that but that is best avoided. I think the media can help us in doing that," General Rawat said. The army chief called the media an important part of the information pillar of "National Power" and one could not avoid the media since "they are everywhere" but one could take advantage by clearly identifying what military wants from the media." "Now we have to start looking at the media differently. Moulding public opinion is one of the areas where we need to focus. In India, the media has proliferated, whether it is print, social, or video, we cannot shy away from them because they are everywhere. We can take the advantage by clearly identifying what military wants from the media," he said, adding that daily interaction between military and the media was required as 'they cannot have things coming at distinct intervals.' "We have psychological operations which are very important and relevant to the military. The purpose of the media is to come out with the truth and highlight it keeping the citizens informed but relevant information only," General Rawat said. (With inputs from ANI)

Military must be kept out of politics, says army chief

Battlefields of the future will be &quot;complex&quot; and warfare &quot;hybrid&quot; in nature, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday while stressing the need for enhancing required capabilities to tackle such scenarios.

With changing patterns in terrain, armoured vehicles like battle tanks must have the capacity and capability to operate on the western as well the northern borders, the Army chief said.

He was addressing the inaugural session of a seminar on &#39;Future Armoured Vehicles India 2017&#39; here.

&quot;The future battlefield will be complex,&quot; Gen Rawat said. While fighting battles in conventional domains, the sub-conventional domain &quot;just cannot be overlooked&quot;. The two have to be concurrent, he noted.

&quot;And of course, there will be the hybrid use of warfare that will get entwined within. So there will be the use of space, cyber, there will be information warfare in war time,&quot; Rawat said.

Battlefields of the future will be 'complex' and warfare 'hybrid' in nature, General Bipin Rawat said while stressing the need for enhancing required capabilities to tackle such scenarios.

Battlefields of the future will be "complex" and warfare "hybrid" in nature, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday while stressing the need for enhancing required capabilities to tackle such scenarios. With changing patterns in terrain, armoured vehicles like battle tanks must have the capacity and capability to operate on the western as well the northern borders, the Army chief said. He was addressing the inaugural session of a seminar on 'Future Armoured Vehicles India 2017' here. "The future battlefield will be complex," Gen Rawat said. While fighting battles in conventional domains, the sub-conventional domain "just cannot be overlooked". The two have to be concurrent, he noted. "And of course, there will be the hybrid use of warfare that will get entwined within. So there will be the use of space, cyber, there will be information warfare in war time," Rawat said.

Future warfare to be 'hybrid', need to enhance capabilities: Army chief

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat clarified on Wednesday that the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-ib-director-dineshwar-sharma-will-be-governments-representative-in-jk-rajnath-singh-22764"> appointment of a government representative in Jammu and Kashmir</a> would not impact the operations of the army in the state.

General Rawat&nbsp;said that the situation in Kashmir had improved and the government was speaking from a position of strength in the state.

&quot;Government strategy on Kashmir has worked, we are negotiating from a point of strength. The situation has improved, infiltration has come down, the army chief said.

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The government has appointed him, let him work. It will not affect Army&#39;s operations,&quot; he added.

On October 23, home minister Rajnath Singh said the government would start a sustained dialogue in the terrorist-infested state.

The home minister said director of Intelligence Bureau Dineshwar Sharma will be the representative of the government of India in the state.

The home minister said that Dineshwar Sharma will initiate dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and people.

He added that, as a representative of Government of India, Dineshwar Sharma will initiate sustained interaction and dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of people in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

General Rawat?said that the situation in Kashmir had improved and the government was speaking from a position of strength in the state

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat clarified on Wednesday that the appointment of a government representative in Jammu and Kashmir would not impact the operations of the army in the state. General Rawat said that the situation in Kashmir had improved and the government was speaking from a position of strength in the state. "Government strategy on Kashmir has worked, we are negotiating from a point of strength. The situation has improved, infiltration has come down, the army chief said. "Government strategy on Kashmir has worked, we are negotiating from a point of strength. The situation has improved, infiltration has come down, the army chief said." × The government has appointed him, let him work. It will not affect Army's operations," he added. On October 23, home minister Rajnath Singh said the government would start a sustained dialogue in the terrorist-infested state. The home minister said director of Intelligence Bureau Dineshwar Sharma will be the representative of the government of India in the state. The home minister said that Dineshwar Sharma will initiate dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and people. He added that, as a representative of Government of India, Dineshwar Sharma will initiate sustained interaction and dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Appointment of interlocutor will not impact Army operations in J&K: Army chief

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Monday that it <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indian-armys-surgical-strike-across-the-line-of-control-10-key-points-6938">would repeat the surgical strikes it conducted last year</a> if Pakistan continued to send terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

He added that if terrorists were ready to infiltrate India, the Indian Army was also prepared to strike them down.

&quot;Surgical strike was conducted to send a message and if adversaries do not understand, it will be repeated,&quot; General Rawat said.&quot;We are ready to receive the terrorists that come this side of the LoC and will send them to their right place, their graves,&quot; the army chief said at a book launch.

Gen Rawat also said India had a range of retaliatory options available to thwart Pakistan&#39;s nefarious actions.

&quot;I said that these surgical strikes were a message that we had communicated and that if required, and if the adversary does not behave, then if we have to continue these kind of activities and events, we will continue. But there are other ways doing these things of course and they may not take the same form,&quot; he said.

The army chief&#39;s statement comes two&nbsp;days<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-terrorists-killed-in-uri-encounter-1-still-alive-20623"> after security forces foiled a terrorist attack on an army unit in Uri</a> in Kashmir&#39;s restive Baramulla district.

On September 18 last year, terrorists suspected to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad carried out a suicide attack on an army camp in Uri which claimed the lives of 19 soldiers. The attack was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in Kashmir in two decades.&nbsp;

India responded with surgical strikes on terrorist launchpads across the LoC on September 29.

General Bipin Rawat also said India had a range of retaliatory options apart from surgical strikes to thwart Pakistan's nefarious actions

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Monday that it would repeat the surgical strikes it conducted last year if Pakistan continued to send terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. He added that if terrorists were ready to infiltrate India, the Indian Army was also prepared to strike them down. "Surgical strike was conducted to send a message and if adversaries do not understand, it will be repeated," General Rawat said."We are ready to receive the terrorists that come this side of the LoC and will send them to their right place, their graves," the army chief said at a book launch. Gen Rawat also said India had a range of retaliatory options available to thwart Pakistan's nefarious actions. "I said that these surgical strikes were a message that we had communicated and that if required, and if the adversary does not behave, then if we have to continue these kind of activities and events, we will continue. But there are other ways doing these things of course and they may not take the same form," he said. The army chief's statement comes two days after security forces foiled a terrorist attack on an army unit in Uri in Kashmir's restive Baramulla district. On September 18 last year, terrorists suspected to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad carried out a suicide attack on an army camp in Uri which claimed the lives of 19 soldiers. The attack was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in Kashmir in two decades. India responded with surgical strikes on terrorist launchpads across the LoC on September 29.

Will repeat surgical strikes if Pakistan continues to send terrorists: Indian Army chief

Amid the Doklam standoff and the recent Pangong skirmish, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh, beginning on Sunday, to review the security scenario in eastern Ladakh.

During the visit, he will take stock of the security preparedness along the border with China besides, discussing key operational matters with top commanders.

The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, even as the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) declined the Indian invitation to participate in ceremonial border meetings on the occasion of India&#39;s 71st Independence Day.

This was the first time since 2005 that the PLA has declined to meet with their Indian counterpart.

Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed with each other at Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh on Tuesday, at 7:30 am near the Finger-6 part of the 135-km long lake, one-third of which is in Indian control and the rest under Chinese control.

It was earlier reported that the brief standoff led to jostling and exchange of blows between soldiers of the two armies; but, no shots were fired though.

However, during a press briefing here on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while confirming the Pangong skirmish, said, that he does not affirm if there was stone pelting or use of rods during the incident.

The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh

Amid the Doklam standoff and the recent Pangong skirmish, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh, beginning on Sunday, to review the security scenario in eastern Ladakh. During the visit, he will take stock of the security preparedness along the border with China besides, discussing key operational matters with top commanders. The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, even as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) declined the Indian invitation to participate in ceremonial border meetings on the occasion of India's 71st Independence Day. This was the first time since 2005 that the PLA has declined to meet with their Indian counterpart. Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed with each other at Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh on Tuesday, at 7:30 am near the Finger-6 part of the 135-km long lake, one-third of which is in Indian control and the rest under Chinese control. It was earlier reported that the brief standoff led to jostling and exchange of blows between soldiers of the two armies; but, no shots were fired though. However, during a press briefing here on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while confirming the Pangong skirmish, said, that he does not affirm if there was stone pelting or use of rods during the incident.

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to begin three-day visit to Ladakh on Sunday

India&#39;s army chief visited the mountainous state of Sikkim bordering China on Thursday, where tensions have flared after Beijing accused New Delhi of sending troops into its territory and obstructing the construction of a road.

Small incursions and troop stand-offs are common along other parts of the contested 3,500 km (2175 miles) frontier, but a flare-up near strategically positioned Sikkim is rare.

General Bipin Rawat arrived in Gangtok, the capital of the tiny Himalayan state, before heading off to visit troop formations. A spokesman for the Indian army said the one-day trip was &quot;routine&quot; and planned before the recent tensions.

Reports of the incursion and a confrontation between troops emerged as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, the latest in a line of stand-offs reported during diplomatic initiatives.

India has deepened its military ties with the United States in recent years, worrying China, which is also unhappy with India&#39;s refusal to participate in Beijing&#39;s multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. India is concerned the project could cement China&#39;s dominance over Asia.

According to the Chinese interpretation of events, Indian guards crossed into the Donglang region earlier in June and obstructed work on a road on a plateau.

The two sets of troops then confronted each other close to a highly strategic valley controlled by China that separates India from Bhutan - a close Indian ally - and gives China access to the so-called Chicken&#39;s Neck, a slither of land that connects India to its remote northeastern regions.

Indian media have reported that the dispute began when China removed an old Indian bunker.

China says that unlike other parts of their shared border, the delineation of the frontier with Sikkim is settled, and it has the right to develop the area.

&quot;Donglang Region is part of China&#39;s territory,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday. &quot;China&#39;s road-building activities in Donglang on its own territory are totally reasonable and understandable.&quot;

Late on Thursday, the ministry released on its website two photographs it said showed Indian troops and at least two Indian military bulldozers on what it said was the Chinese side of the border.

The Nathu La Pass, which lies on the frontier between Sikkim and Tibet, was the site of a fierce border clash between Chinese and Indian troops in 1967.

China has accused India of sending troops into its territory and obstructing a road construction

India's army chief visited the mountainous state of Sikkim bordering China on Thursday, where tensions have flared after Beijing accused New Delhi of sending troops into its territory and obstructing the construction of a road. Small incursions and troop stand-offs are common along other parts of the contested 3,500 km (2175 miles) frontier, but a flare-up near strategically positioned Sikkim is rare. General Bipin Rawat arrived in Gangtok, the capital of the tiny Himalayan state, before heading off to visit troop formations. A spokesman for the Indian army said the one-day trip was "routine" and planned before the recent tensions. Reports of the incursion and a confrontation between troops emerged as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, the latest in a line of stand-offs reported during diplomatic initiatives. India has deepened its military ties with the United States in recent years, worrying China, which is also unhappy with India's refusal to participate in Beijing's multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. India is concerned the project could cement China's dominance over Asia. According to the Chinese interpretation of events, Indian guards crossed into the Donglang region earlier in June and obstructed work on a road on a plateau. The two sets of troops then confronted each other close to a highly strategic valley controlled by China that separates India from Bhutan - a close Indian ally - and gives China access to the so-called Chicken's Neck, a slither of land that connects India to its remote northeastern regions. Indian media have reported that the dispute began when China removed an old Indian bunker. China says that unlike other parts of their shared border, the delineation of the frontier with Sikkim is settled, and it has the right to develop the area. "Donglang Region is part of China's territory," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday. "China's road-building activities in Donglang on its own territory are totally reasonable and understandable." Late on Thursday, the ministry released on its website two photographs it said showed Indian troops and at least two Indian military bulldozers on what it said was the Chinese side of the border. The Nathu La Pass, which lies on the frontier between Sikkim and Tibet, was the site of a fierce border clash between Chinese and Indian troops in 1967.

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat  visits Sikkim amid tensions with China

The Indian Army is facing a &quot;dirty war&quot; in Jammu and Kashmir which has to be fought through &quot;innovative&quot; ways, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said, stoutly defending the use of a Kashmiri as a &#39;human shield&#39; by a young officer.

In an exclusive interaction with PTI, Rawat said the main objective of awarding Major Leetul Gogoi, when a Court of Inquiry was finalising its probe into the incident, was to boost the morale of young officers of the force who are operating in a very difficult environment in the militancy- infested state.

&quot;This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way. The rules of engagements are there when the adversary comes face-to-face and fights with you. It is a dirty war... That is where innovation comes in. 
&nbsp; 
You fight a dirty war with innovations,&quot; Rawat said, in what were the General&#39;s most comprehensive comments yet to the media on the issue.

The Army Chief&#39;s Commendation medal to Gogoi, who had tied a man to an army jeep and used him as a human shield from stone throwers last month was criticised by human rights activists, Kashmiri groups and by a few retired army generals. A video of the incident had triggered a row with many condemning it.

Gogoi was awarded for his sustained efforts in counter- insurgency operations.

&quot;People are throwing stones at us, people are throwing petrol bombs at us. If my men ask me what do we do, should I say, just wait and die? I will come with a nice coffin with a national flag and I will send your bodies home with honour. Is it what I am supposed to tell them as chief? I have to maintain the morale of my troops who are operating there,&quot; Gen Rawat said.

Talking about the complexity of the security challenge in the state, he suggested it would have been easier for the armed forces if the protesters were firing weapons instead of throwing stones.

&quot;In fact, I wish these people, instead of throwing stones at us, were firing weapons at us. Then I would have been happy. Then I could do what I (want to do),&quot; he said.

Gen Rawat, who had served in Jammu and Kashmir extensively, said if people in any country lose fear of the army, then the country is doomed.

&quot;Adversaries must be afraid of you and at the same time your people must be afraid of you. We are a friendly army, but when we are called to restore law and order, people have to be afraid of us,&quot; he said.

At the same time, he asserted that maximum restraint is being maintained while handling the situation in the Valley.

Gen Rawat said that as the Army chief, it was his duty to lift the morale of the army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and he did it by awarding Major Gogoi.

&quot;As Army Chief my concern is morale of the Army. That is my job. I am far away from the battle field. I cannot influence the situation there. I can only tell the boys that I am with you. I always tell my people, things will go wrong, but if things have gone wrong and you did not have malafide intent, I am there,&quot; he said.

Gen Rawat said there was a ploy to break the trust between various security forces, and Major Gogoi could not have refused to provide security when polling agents had sought security assistance.

&quot;Tomorrow elections have to be held in Anantnag and similar things may happen. If the army does not respond to call for assistance, then the trust between the people whom we are protecting, police and army will break.

&quot;That is something I cannot allow to happen. This is what the militants want. It can create a divide between the army and other security forces,&quot; he said.

The Army Chief said he had a broad idea about what was going on in the Court of Inquiry into the Gogoi incident, and that is why he went ahead with awarding the Major. &quot;I know what is happening in the COI. It is being finalised. What do we punish him for.&quot;

He said armed forces have the right of self defence and Major Gogoi could have opted for firing at the crowd but he chose not to resort to it.

Farooq Dar, who was tied to the jeep, says he is not a militant or a stone thrower, and was only returning home after casting his vote in the by-election when he was hauled away. He says he still suffers from physical and mental trauma after being paraded on the jeep&#39;s bonnet with a sign slung around his neck, warning stone pelters of the consequences.

The Army Chief said just four districts of South Kashmir were disturbed and it was incorrect to say that entire Kashmir has gone out of control.

&quot;It will have to be a composite solution. Everybody will have to get involved. Army&#39;s role is to ensure that violence does not take place and the common man who is not indulging in this (violence) is protected,&quot; he said, when asked about the solution to the Kashmir issue.

He also emphasised on the need for taking harsh measures to stop infiltration and counter-terrorism.

The Army Chief also wondered why not much noise was made when young army officer Lt Umar Fayaz was killed by militants when he was on leave.

Asked whether there should be a political initiative to reach out to the Kashmiri people, the Army Chief said it was for the government to decide, adding such initiatives were taken in the past as well.

&quot;Has political initiative not been taken in the past? What was the result, you had Kargil...,&quot; he said.

In response to another question, the Army Chief said he does not anticipate a &quot;limited war&quot; with Pakistan.

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

The Indian Army chief said the 'dirty war' that was being waged in Kashmir had to be waged with innovations

The Indian Army is facing a "dirty war" in Jammu and Kashmir which has to be fought through "innovative" ways, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said, stoutly defending the use of a Kashmiri as a 'human shield' by a young officer. In an exclusive interaction with PTI, Rawat said the main objective of awarding Major Leetul Gogoi, when a Court of Inquiry was finalising its probe into the incident, was to boost the morale of young officers of the force who are operating in a very difficult environment in the militancy- infested state. "This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way. The rules of engagements are there when the adversary comes face-to-face and fights with you. It is a dirty war... That is where innovation comes in. You fight a dirty war with innovations," Rawat said, in what were the General's most comprehensive comments yet to the media on the issue. The Army Chief's Commendation medal to Gogoi, who had tied a man to an army jeep and used him as a human shield from stone throwers last month was criticised by human rights activists, Kashmiri groups and by a few retired army generals. A video of the incident had triggered a row with many condemning it. Gogoi was awarded for his sustained efforts in counter- insurgency operations. "People are throwing stones at us, people are throwing petrol bombs at us. If my men ask me what do we do, should I say, just wait and die? I will come with a nice coffin with a national flag and I will send your bodies home with honour. Is it what I am supposed to tell them as chief? I have to maintain the morale of my troops who are operating there," Gen Rawat said. Talking about the complexity of the security challenge in the state, he suggested it would have been easier for the armed forces if the protesters were firing weapons instead of throwing stones. "In fact, I wish these people, instead of throwing stones at us, were firing weapons at us. Then I would have been happy. Then I could do what I (want to do)," he said. Gen Rawat, who had served in Jammu and Kashmir extensively, said if people in any country lose fear of the army, then the country is doomed. "Adversaries must be afraid of you and at the same time your people must be afraid of you. We are a friendly army, but when we are called to restore law and order, people have to be afraid of us," he said. At the same time, he asserted that maximum restraint is being maintained while handling the situation in the Valley. Gen Rawat said that as the Army chief, it was his duty to lift the morale of the army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and he did it by awarding Major Gogoi. "As Army Chief my concern is morale of the Army. That is my job. I am far away from the battle field. I cannot influence the situation there. I can only tell the boys that I am with you. I always tell my people, things will go wrong, but if things have gone wrong and you did not have malafide intent, I am there," he said. Gen Rawat said there was a ploy to break the trust between various security forces, and Major Gogoi could not have refused to provide security when polling agents had sought security assistance. "Tomorrow elections have to be held in Anantnag and similar things may happen. If the army does not respond to call for assistance, then the trust between the people whom we are protecting, police and army will break. "That is something I cannot allow to happen. This is what the militants want. It can create a divide between the army and other security forces," he said. The Army Chief said he had a broad idea about what was going on in the Court of Inquiry into the Gogoi incident, and that is why he went ahead with awarding the Major. "I know what is happening in the COI. It is being finalised. What do we punish him for." He said armed forces have the right of self defence and Major Gogoi could have opted for firing at the crowd but he chose not to resort to it. Farooq Dar, who was tied to the jeep, says he is not a militant or a stone thrower, and was only returning home after casting his vote in the by-election when he was hauled away. He says he still suffers from physical and mental trauma after being paraded on the jeep's bonnet with a sign slung around his neck, warning stone pelters of the consequences. The Army Chief said just four districts of South Kashmir were disturbed and it was incorrect to say that entire Kashmir has gone out of control. "It will have to be a composite solution. Everybody will have to get involved. Army's role is to ensure that violence does not take place and the common man who is not indulging in this (violence) is protected," he said, when asked about the solution to the Kashmir issue. He also emphasised on the need for taking harsh measures to stop infiltration and counter-terrorism. The Army Chief also wondered why not much noise was made when young army officer Lt Umar Fayaz was killed by militants when he was on leave. Asked whether there should be a political initiative to reach out to the Kashmiri people, the Army Chief said it was for the government to decide, adding such initiatives were taken in the past as well. "Has political initiative not been taken in the past? What was the result, you had Kargil...," he said. In response to another question, the Army Chief said he does not anticipate a "limited war" with Pakistan. (PTI)

Cannot tell my men 'just wait and die' when people throwing stones, petrol bombs: Indian Army Chief

A national military strategy and a security framework will be finalised very soon to effectively deal with security challenges facing the nation, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Thursday.

In an address at a defence think tank, the Army Chief lamented that the spending on defence is considered a &quot;burden&quot; by many in the country and the military is not getting its due share.

Citing China, he stressed that India&#39;s true potential will be realised only when both economic growth and might of the armed forces go hand-in-hand.

He said the country must look for new friends and allies to deal with neighbours along India&#39;s western and northern borders, an apparent reference to Pakistan and China.

Referring to India&#39;s security challenges, General Rawat said the drafts of national military strategy and national security strategy were ready to deal with pressing issues coherently.

&quot;We should be able to identify our own national military strategy. We do not have a national military strategy as of now. Directorate General of Perspective Planning has been tasked to come out with it.

&quot;We are also coming out with the national security strategy which will be given to the government. Both the draft documents are ready and hopefully we will be releasing them very soon,&quot; he said after unveiling &#39;Strategic Yearbook 2017&#39; at the United Service Institution, a national security and defence think tank.

Holding that a strong military is essential for India&#39;s forward march, he said the general thinking among people is that expenditure on defence &quot;is a burden&quot; on the economy.

He said a &quot;very strong military&quot; is key for the economy to develop and cited China&#39;s policy in this regard. The army chief also identified ensuring energy security as another important requirement for India to become a major power.

&quot;While we are developing our economy, the military is not getting its due share. I think here we need to draw a lesson from China,&quot; he said, adding military and economic growth should be &quot;co-joint&quot; as they are two tenants of national power.

India&#39;s defence budget for 2017-18 was Rs 2.74 lakh crore, which is 1.63 per cent of GDP. China&#39;s defence budget is close to three per cent of its GDP. There has been a feeling among security experts and the defence establishment that the modernisation of armed forces is taking place at a very slow pace and that government has not been allocating adequate funds for it in the last few years.

Talking about the evolving security situation in the region, he said India must have close ties with countries like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan considering the security matrix.

He said such a policy will recreate the outreach India had before partition.

The army chief said such a strategy will create two pronged dilemma for India&#39;s western neighbour, Pakistan, but also help in tackling issues with India&#39;s northern neighbour, China.

&quot;We have to start looking at how do we carry out counter-encirclement for our future adversaries. Developing alliances, developing friends to overcome the (current) deficiency is important. That must be part of our strategic thought process,&quot; he said.

The army chief said that time has come for India to have a say in all major issues at the United Nations and the country must work hard to attain the membership of the UN Security Council.

&quot;We must create alliances and friends also so that we find a rightful place at the UNSC. Time has come for India to have a say in all that happens in UN,&quot; he said.

On energy security, he said India has a huge potential to generate solar and wind energy and it must focus on these energy sources. 
 
(PTI)

In an address, the Indian army chief lamented that the spending on defence is considered a 'burden' by many in the country

A national military strategy and a security framework will be finalised very soon to effectively deal with security challenges facing the nation, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Thursday. In an address at a defence think tank, the Army Chief lamented that the spending on defence is considered a "burden" by many in the country and the military is not getting its due share. Citing China, he stressed that India's true potential will be realised only when both economic growth and might of the armed forces go hand-in-hand. He said the country must look for new friends and allies to deal with neighbours along India's western and northern borders, an apparent reference to Pakistan and China. Referring to India's security challenges, General Rawat said the drafts of national military strategy and national security strategy were ready to deal with pressing issues coherently. "We should be able to identify our own national military strategy. We do not have a national military strategy as of now. Directorate General of Perspective Planning has been tasked to come out with it. "We are also coming out with the national security strategy which will be given to the government. Both the draft documents are ready and hopefully we will be releasing them very soon," he said after unveiling 'Strategic Yearbook 2017' at the United Service Institution, a national security and defence think tank. Holding that a strong military is essential for India's forward march, he said the general thinking among people is that expenditure on defence "is a burden" on the economy. He said a "very strong military" is key for the economy to develop and cited China's policy in this regard. The army chief also identified ensuring energy security as another important requirement for India to become a major power. "While we are developing our economy, the military is not getting its due share. I think here we need to draw a lesson from China," he said, adding military and economic growth should be "co-joint" as they are two tenants of national power. India's defence budget for 2017-18 was Rs 2.74 lakh crore, which is 1.63 per cent of GDP. China's defence budget is close to three per cent of its GDP. There has been a feeling among security experts and the defence establishment that the modernisation of armed forces is taking place at a very slow pace and that government has not been allocating adequate funds for it in the last few years. Talking about the evolving security situation in the region, he said India must have close ties with countries like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan considering the security matrix. He said such a policy will recreate the outreach India had before partition. The army chief said such a strategy will create two pronged dilemma for India's western neighbour, Pakistan, but also help in tackling issues with India's northern neighbour, China. "We have to start looking at how do we carry out counter-encirclement for our future adversaries. Developing alliances, developing friends to overcome the (current) deficiency is important. That must be part of our strategic thought process," he said. The army chief said that time has come for India to have a say in all major issues at the United Nations and the country must work hard to attain the membership of the UN Security Council. "We must create alliances and friends also so that we find a rightful place at the UNSC. Time has come for India to have a say in all that happens in UN," he said. On energy security, he said India has a huge potential to generate solar and wind energy and it must focus on these energy sources. (PTI)

Military not getting its due share in defence spending: Indian Army chief

Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday that Kashmiris who extended their support to terrorists would be considered anti-national.

The army chief warned that it would not spare those who continued with &quot;acts of terrorism&quot; and displayed flags of ISIS and Pakistan. He also asked the Valley&#39;s people to extend their support to the security forces trying to maintain peace in Kashmir.

&quot;People who have picked up arms, the local boys, if they want to continue with such acts of terrorism and display flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go helter-skelter for them. Our relentless operations will continue,&quot; General Rawat said while paying tribute to the bravehearts of the Handwara and Bandipora encounters.

&quot;Our idea is not kill these young boys, but to bring them into mainstream. But, if they wish to remain in this manner, we will target them with harsher measures,&quot; he added.

Expressing his disappointment about the direct or indirect involvement of local people in terrorist acts, General Rawat said such actions were the reason for the high number of casualties among security forces.&nbsp;

Four army personnel, including a major, lost their lives in two encounters in the Bandipora district and Handwara in Kupwara district of North Kashmir yesterday (February 14).

The injured included three officers and three civilians. Four militants were killed in the encounters. 
 
(WION with inputs from ANI) 
&nbsp;

General Bipin Rawat warned that those who continued to support terrorists would be targeted with harsher measures

Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday that Kashmiris who extended their support to terrorists would be considered anti-national. The army chief warned that it would not spare those who continued with "acts of terrorism" and displayed flags of ISIS and Pakistan. He also asked the Valley's people to extend their support to the security forces trying to maintain peace in Kashmir. "People who have picked up arms, the local boys, if they want to continue with such acts of terrorism and display flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go helter-skelter for them. Our relentless operations will continue," General Rawat said while paying tribute to the bravehearts of the Handwara and Bandipora encounters. "Our idea is not kill these young boys, but to bring them into mainstream. But, if they wish to remain in this manner, we will target them with harsher measures," he added. Expressing his disappointment about the direct or indirect involvement of local people in terrorist acts, General Rawat said such actions were the reason for the high number of casualties among security forces. Four army personnel, including a major, lost their lives in two encounters in the Bandipora district and Handwara in Kupwara district of North Kashmir yesterday (February 14). The injured included three officers and three civilians. Four militants were killed in the encounters. (WION with inputs from ANI)

Kashmiris who support terrorists will be considered anti-national: Indian Army chief

By Abhishek Bhalla

Stressing that the armed forces cannot afford a communication breakdown between the officers and ranks, Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat defended the &lsquo;buddy system&rsquo; or the use of Sahayaks in the Army wherein a soldiers is attached to an officer.

The practice has often been condemned as the &ldquo;buddy&rdquo; is required to run personal errands for the officer.

&ldquo;This is an integral part of the Force as the buddy is actually a confidant of the officer and someone you can open out to,&rdquo; General Rawat said on Friday, adding that the Army has recommended that it can be done away with in peace stations.

General Rawat was answering questions about the controversy over the quality of food and facilities being provided to soldiers in the army and paramilitary forces.

Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, and army jawans had recently taken to social media to air their grievances about the poor quality of food and facilities being provided to them.&nbsp;

And a soldier had alleged in a YouTube video that he was forced to &quot;wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs&quot; for his seniors, and that he was being hounded for flagging the menial jobs he had been made to do.&nbsp;

General Rawat said that he would want the soldiers to complain directly to him rather than use social media. He said that he has decided to place suggestion-cum-complaint boxes at army headquarters and every camp, and that they will be monitored by his office. He said the identity of the person complaining would be kept secret and in case of a leak, people in his office will be held accountable.

&ldquo;A soldier is a soldier. He should not shy away from penning his name as the identity will be kept secret. They should come directly to us. If they are dissatisfied with the action they can use other means,&rdquo; General Rawat said.

General Rawat clarified that the &ldquo;buddy&rdquo; system does not mean that the person is required to do menial jobs, adding if he is not comfortable he can refuse. &ldquo;It has been recommended that in field areas, a buddy is needed since he also assists the officer in operations. In other areas, we can do away with the system and even accept civilians to assist,&rdquo; he added.

Soldier vs soldier

Speaking of grievances while answering a question about Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Parveen Bakshi, whom he superseded, Gen Rawat said he will look into it if the former brings his grievances to his notice.

General Rawat&rsquo;s remarks came after Lt Gen Bakshi, while addressing the soldiers of Eastern Command on New Year&rsquo;s Eve, alleged that a &ldquo;malicious campaign&rdquo; was carried out to stop him from becoming the Army Chief.

&ldquo;If there is anything that needs to be investigated, as I said, if it is brought to my notice, we will look into it,&rdquo; he said, adding he came to know of Lt Gen Bakshi&rsquo;s allegations through the media. Gen Rawat said after his name was announced as the new chief, both of them, he and Lt Gen Bakshi, had reached out to each other.

(This report first appeared in DNA)

His comments come after soldier alleges in YouTube video that he was forced to 'wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs'

By Abhishek Bhalla Stressing that the armed forces cannot afford a communication breakdown between the officers and ranks, Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat defended the ‘buddy system’ or the use of Sahayaks in the Army wherein a soldiers is attached to an officer. The practice has often been condemned as the “buddy” is required to run personal errands for the officer. “This is an integral part of the Force as the buddy is actually a confidant of the officer and someone you can open out to,” General Rawat said on Friday, adding that the Army has recommended that it can be done away with in peace stations. General Rawat was answering questions about the controversy over the quality of food and facilities being provided to soldiers in the army and paramilitary forces. Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, and army jawans had recently taken to social media to air their grievances about the poor quality of food and facilities being provided to them. And a soldier had alleged in a YouTube video that he was forced to "wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs" for his seniors, and that he was being hounded for flagging the menial jobs he had been made to do. General Rawat said that he would want the soldiers to complain directly to him rather than use social media. He said that he has decided to place suggestion-cum-complaint boxes at army headquarters and every camp, and that they will be monitored by his office. He said the identity of the person complaining would be kept secret and in case of a leak, people in his office will be held accountable. “A soldier is a soldier. He should not shy away from penning his name as the identity will be kept secret. They should come directly to us. If they are dissatisfied with the action they can use other means,” General Rawat said. General Rawat clarified that the “buddy” system does not mean that the person is required to do menial jobs, adding if he is not comfortable he can refuse. “It has been recommended that in field areas, a buddy is needed since he also assists the officer in operations. In other areas, we can do away with the system and even accept civilians to assist,” he added. Soldier vs soldier Speaking of grievances while answering a question about Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Parveen Bakshi, whom he superseded, Gen Rawat said he will look into it if the former brings his grievances to his notice. General Rawat’s remarks came after Lt Gen Bakshi, while addressing the soldiers of Eastern Command on New Year’s Eve, alleged that a “malicious campaign” was carried out to stop him from becoming the Army Chief. “If there is anything that needs to be investigated, as I said, if it is brought to my notice, we will look into it,” he said, adding he came to know of Lt Gen Bakshi’s allegations through the media. Gen Rawat said after his name was announced as the new chief, both of them, he and Lt Gen Bakshi, had reached out to each other. (This report first appeared in DNA)

Don?t use social media, come to me, Indian Army chief tells soldiers

India&#39;s new Army chief, Bipin Rawat, asserted that the country will respond strongly to terror activities, forcing Pakistan to rethink its strategy on supporting insurgency and terrorism, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Wednesday.

&quot;We will calibrate the response in a manner it hits them hard and compels them to think in the long run whether they need to completely rethink their strategy on supporting insurgency and terrorism in our state,&quot; Rawat, who took over as the 27th chief on December 31, said.

When asked about Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar&#39;s statement that &quot;the enemy needs to feel the pain, too&quot;, Rawat told PTI that he understands that terrorists should feel &#39;pain&#39; but the response need not be the same.

&quot;While we do agree that we have to retaliate and ensure that the pain is felt by the terrorists and their supporters, the response need not be the same every time,&quot; said the former vice-chief, who was actively involved in the surgical strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control.

He also said that statements like Pakistan&#39;s threat of use of tactical nuclear weapons will not deter India when it comes to defending India&#39;s borders.

&quot;And if Pakistan is reviewing their strategy on use of nuclear weapon, it is something that they have decided to strategise,&quot; he said, adding that Pakistan&#39;s statements does not find favour either with India or with the international community.

(With inputs from PTI)

Bipin Rawat said that Pakistan's threat of use of tactical nuclear weapons will not deter India when it comes to defending its borders

India's new Army chief, Bipin Rawat, asserted that the country will respond strongly to terror activities, forcing Pakistan to rethink its strategy on supporting insurgency and terrorism, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Wednesday. "We will calibrate the response in a manner it hits them hard and compels them to think in the long run whether they need to completely rethink their strategy on supporting insurgency and terrorism in our state," Rawat, who took over as the 27th chief on December 31, said. When asked about Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar's statement that "the enemy needs to feel the pain, too", Rawat told PTI that he understands that terrorists should feel 'pain' but the response need not be the same. "While we do agree that we have to retaliate and ensure that the pain is felt by the terrorists and their supporters, the response need not be the same every time," said the former vice-chief, who was actively involved in the surgical strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control. He also said that statements like Pakistan's threat of use of tactical nuclear weapons will not deter India when it comes to defending India's borders. "And if Pakistan is reviewing their strategy on use of nuclear weapon, it is something that they have decided to strategise," he said, adding that Pakistan's statements does not find favour either with India or with the international community. (With inputs from PTI)

Will give 'hard' response to cross-border terror: Indian Army chief

The opposition on Sunday raised questions as to why the government decided to supersede two senior officers to appoint Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat as the next army chief of India.

Rawat superseded Lt Gens Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz to take over the reins of the Indian army.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said there is a &quot;legitimate question&quot; behind Rawat&#39;s elevation.

&quot;With all due respect to Gen Rawat&#39;s professionalism and no personal animus towards anybody, there is a legitimate question that why has that supersession taken place,&quot; he said.

He said now the argument the government will give that Congress did supersession in the 80s and, therefore it has the right to do so is a &quot;complete nonsense&quot;. 
 
&quot;Every situation has its own context and, therefore nothing can be extrapolated out of context in order to justify a supersession. So, therefore the government needs to answer this legitimate question as to why these senior army commanders were superseded,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Did the government have anything against them? Was their professionalism in question? What was the reason and I guess the army being a public institution the country deserves those answers,&quot; Tewari said.

Supersession is not new in appointment of army chiefs.

In 1983, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Lt Gen A S Vaidya as army chief superseding Lt Gen S K Sinha, who resigned in protest.

Earlier in 1972, the Gandhi government side-stepped the very popular Lt General P S Bhagat, one of the handful of Indian Victoria Cross awardees from World War II, who was in line to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw.

India&#39;s Left leader D Raja also questioned the government&#39;s move and said appointments have become controversial. 
 
&quot;Appointments in the army have become controversial, the appointments in the judiciary are already controversial, the appointments of CVCs, CBI director and to Central Information Commission, all these top-level appointments are becoming very controversial,&quot; he said. 
 
Terming this as &quot;very unfortunate&quot;, Raja said it is not in the interest of democracy and the country. 
 
He said there should be transparency and transparency should go along with integrity and nobody should raise questions. &quot;But now questions are being raised,&quot; he added.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

They are asking as to why Lt Gen Bipin Rawat superseded two officers to get the coveted post

The opposition on Sunday raised questions as to why the government decided to supersede two senior officers to appoint Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat as the next army chief of India. Rawat superseded Lt Gens Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz to take over the reins of the Indian army. Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said there is a "legitimate question" behind Rawat's elevation. "With all due respect to Gen Rawat's professionalism and no personal animus towards anybody, there is a legitimate question that why has that supersession taken place," he said. He said now the argument the government will give that Congress did supersession in the 80s and, therefore it has the right to do so is a "complete nonsense". "Every situation has its own context and, therefore nothing can be extrapolated out of context in order to justify a supersession. So, therefore the government needs to answer this legitimate question as to why these senior army commanders were superseded," he said. "Did the government have anything against them? Was their professionalism in question? What was the reason and I guess the army being a public institution the country deserves those answers," Tewari said. Supersession is not new in appointment of army chiefs. In 1983, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Lt Gen A S Vaidya as army chief superseding Lt Gen S K Sinha, who resigned in protest. Earlier in 1972, the Gandhi government side-stepped the very popular Lt General P S Bhagat, one of the handful of Indian Victoria Cross awardees from World War II, who was in line to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw. India's Left leader D Raja also questioned the government's move and said appointments have become controversial. "Appointments in the army have become controversial, the appointments in the judiciary are already controversial, the appointments of CVCs, CBI director and to Central Information Commission, all these top-level appointments are becoming very controversial," he said. Terming this as "very unfortunate", Raja said it is not in the interest of democracy and the country. He said there should be transparency and transparency should go along with integrity and nobody should raise questions. "But now questions are being raised," he added. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Opposition questions India's new army chief's appointment

&nbsp;Lieutenant&nbsp;General Bipin Rawat will be the next chief of the India Army and&nbsp;Air Marshal BS Dhanoa will head the Indian Air Force, the government announced on Saturday evening.

&quot;Government has decided to appoint Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, vice chief of army staff, as the next chief of army staff with effect from afternoon of December 31,&quot; the Defence Ministry said in a tweet. It also mentioned that Dhanoa would take over as the new Indian Air Force from the afternoon of December 31.

The incumbent army chief&nbsp;General Dalbir Singh and Air Force chief Arup Raha are set to retire on December 31.

Earlier, Anil Dhasmana was named as the chief of India&#39;s foreign intelligence agency RAW (Research and Ananlysis Wing) and Rajiv Jain was appointed the chief of Intelligence Bureau, the country&#39;s internal intelligence unit. Both of them will head the intelligence units for two years.

Rawat has reportedly superseded Lt Gens Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz to take over the reins of the Indian Army.

Rawat was commissioned in the Fifth Battalion of the Eleven Gorkha Rifles in December 1978 and has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service.

Government sources said Rawat was found best suited among the other candidates to deal with emerging challenges, including a reorganized and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the North-East.

Supersession in the army is not new though there has not been any such instances in the recent past. In 1983, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Lt Gen A S Vaidya as army chief superseding Lt Gen S K Sinha, who resigned in protest.

Earlier in 1972, the Gandhi government side-stepped the very popular Lt General P S Bhagat, one of the handful of Indian Victoria Cross awardees from World War II, who was in line to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw. This was done by giving his junior, General G G Bewoor a year&#39;s extension, during which time Bhagat retired. Bewoor, thus, succeeded Manekshaw.

Meanwhile, Dhanoa is a Kargil War veteran.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

The incumbent army chief?General Dalbir Singh and Air Force chief Arup Raha are set to retire on December 31

Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat will be the next chief of the India Army and Air Marshal BS Dhanoa will head the Indian Air Force, the government announced on Saturday evening. "Government has decided to appoint Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, vice chief of army staff, as the next chief of army staff with effect from afternoon of December 31," the Defence Ministry said in a tweet. It also mentioned that Dhanoa would take over as the new Indian Air Force from the afternoon of December 31. The incumbent army chief General Dalbir Singh and Air Force chief Arup Raha are set to retire on December 31. Earlier, Anil Dhasmana was named as the chief of India's foreign intelligence agency RAW (Research and Ananlysis Wing) and Rajiv Jain was appointed the chief of Intelligence Bureau, the country's internal intelligence unit. Both of them will head the intelligence units for two years. Rawat has reportedly superseded Lt Gens Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz to take over the reins of the Indian Army. Rawat was commissioned in the Fifth Battalion of the Eleven Gorkha Rifles in December 1978 and has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service. Government sources said Rawat was found best suited among the other candidates to deal with emerging challenges, including a reorganized and restructured military force in the north, continuing terrorism and proxy war from the west, and the situation in the North-East. Supersession in the army is not new though there has not been any such instances in the recent past. In 1983, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had appointed Lt Gen A S Vaidya as army chief superseding Lt Gen S K Sinha, who resigned in protest. Earlier in 1972, the Gandhi government side-stepped the very popular Lt General P S Bhagat, one of the handful of Indian Victoria Cross awardees from World War II, who was in line to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw. This was done by giving his junior, General G G Bewoor a year's extension, during which time Bhagat retired. Bewoor, thus, succeeded Manekshaw. Meanwhile, Dhanoa is a Kargil War veteran. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Bipin Rawat is India's new army chief; BS Dhanoa to head Air Force

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