No mass deployment along border

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Sept 25

Following the Army strikes on launchpads of terrorists in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) across the Line of Control, tension at the border persists. But there is no overt movement and no ‘Operation Parakram’ kind mass deployment on the Indian side, as this is not required.

The Indian Army, the Air Force and the Navy have their launchpads fully stocked. Missiles such as the BrahMos — with a range of 300 km — are ‘forward’ located. These can shoot and scoot. Artillery guns with various ranges are deployed all along the border with Pakistan, some embedded at pre-designated fortifications.

Three of the four strike corps of the Army, backed by tanks, face Pakistan. Frontline fighter jets such as the Sukhoi 30-MKI, each one of which carry a weapons load of nine tonnes, are stationed at bases in Halwara, Punjab, and Sirsa in Haryana. The Soviet-era flying machine, the MiG 29, is based at Adampur in Punjab.

Specialised planes, such as the IL-76 fitted with high-resolution radars, can pick up movement across the entire breadth of Pakistan and direct fighter jets to launch missiles or provide information to ground-based troops for an attack.

The forces have their own dedicated satellite that provides live feed to forward locations. The ‘Cold-start’ doctrine has been tweaked over the past one decade. This does not require the armed forces to make any visible preparations to move. The doctrine was established following ‘Operation Parakram’ launched in December 2001 after the terror attack on Parliament.