Troop deployment along LoC remains intact despite ceasefire

A month after India and Pakistan agreed to pause hostilities, the Army’s operational readiness along the Line of Control (LoC) remains unchanged since the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7.

Field commanders have been authorised to respond to any violations by Pakistan, officials said.

The ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, following a call from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai.

Despite the truce, India has maintained its force posture along the international border, particularly to deter any retaliatory moves by the Pakistan Army following the Indian Air Force (IAF)’s strikes on 11 Pakistani airbases.

Along the international border spanning Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, troop deployment remains intact. Sources said while the frequency of drills may vary based on threat perception, readiness levels are continuously calibrated to ensure swift response in case of escalation.

“The drills help fine-tune each unit’s response in a real-time conflict scenario,” a senior official said.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has already stated that “Operation Sindoor is still on”. While the ceasefire remains in effect, Indian surveillance assets, including land-based radars and coastal systems, continue to monitor for any unusual activity. The IAF’s air defence network remains on high alert for potential aerial threats.

India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation triggered a sharp response from Pakistan, which launched missile attacks on Indian airbases. This led to intense military exchanges before diplomatic interventions led to a cessation of hostilities across land, air and sea.

Following the ceasefire, India adopted a firm strategic stance, reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and ramping up international diplomatic outreach. As part of this effort, New Delhi dispatched multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals to explain the rationale behind Operation Sindoor and counter Pakistan’s disinformation campaign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has since declared that such preemptive and punitive operations would be the “new normal”, signalling India’s resolve to take decisive action against cross-border terrorism when necessary.