Army Chief assesses combat readiness as Amarnath pilgrimage approaches

Amid preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi visited the Northern Command and reviewed the operational preparedness of the troops.

The annual pilgrimage is scheduled to commence on July 3. Pilgrims from across the country will visit the holy cave shrine located in the upper reaches of Anantnag district at an altitude of around 13,000 feet above sea level. The J&K Police, Army and CRPF provide security to the pilgrims from their entry into Jammu and Kashmir till their visit to the shrine.

An official said Gen Dwivedi reviewed operational preparedness, capability development and modernisation initiatives during his visit.

“He was briefed on the conduct of multi-domain operations, technology absorption, infrastructure development and integrated combat readiness across the full spectrum of operations. Interacting with officers of the Northern Command and formation headquarters through a hybrid format, the COAS underscored the importance of harnessing emerging technologies and fostering innovation to enhance operational effectiveness in an increasingly dynamic security environment,” the official said.

The COAS also commended all ranks for their unwavering commitment and operational excellence and lauded their sustained efforts in maintaining a high state of combat readiness.

Northern Command chief Lt Gen Pratik Sharma and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps, Lt Gen PK Mishra, briefed the Army chief on various counter-insurgency operations underway across Jammu and Kashmir. It is learnt that discussions were also held on the anti-infiltration grid amid continued attempts from across the border to breach the Line of Control (LoC) in the Union Territory.

The Army has strengthened surveillance along the LoC in recent months, leading to the foiling of multiple infiltration bids and the elimination of several ultras attempting to sneak into this side of the border.

Security arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra have also been intensified, with special focus on forest areas along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. In the past, terrorists have ambushed Army vehicles after emerging from dense forest belts.

The COAS visit also comes at a time when a massive search operation is continuing in the forest areas of Rajouri district since May 23. The operation, codenamed ‘Sheruwali’, has entered its third week, with relentless searches continuing despite no fresh contact with terrorists. Security agencies believe the ultras may be hiding in a deep forest hideout, with one among them suspected to have been injured during the initial encounter with security forces.