A quintessential military commander, Gen Bipin Rawat possessed an uncanny understanding of geopolitical upheavals, calibrated a tri-services military doctrine to make India face myriad security challenges, and is largely credited with bringing down militancy in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir.
'Khalistan would have been in existence today, but for the army.'
The Indian Army is also focussing on artificial intelligence and has begun a process in this direction.
In a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, India's armed forces early Wednesday destroyed nine terror sites including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) using deep strike missiles in a 25-minute-long 'measured and non-escalatory' mission.
The women officers have joined the Regiment of Artillery after successfully completing their training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai on Saturday.
The military establishment is in no mood to forgive or forget Imran's anti-military utterances, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RAW, India's external intelligence agency.
Firing, ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts from across the border have increased and the situation along the LoC is tense, the army said on Wednesday.
'Military is too serious a matter to be taken as a tour for a few years.'
'Being a serving officer or wearing a uniform does not make an officer more competent than one who has retired.'
'The Indian Army is there to give a second chance to any youth who accepts his mistakes and wants to surrender and come back to the mainstream. We, the uniformed forces, are here to save lives and not to take lives. The system, the entire administration, will facilitate not only their surrender but also ensure that they are well integrated back into the mainstream,' Lt Gen Y K Joshi said.
Continuing his tradition of spending Diwali with soldiers who protect the Motherland, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi on Thursday wished troops posted in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir a Happy, Healthy and Safe Diwali.
Major General G I Singh, the former commanding officer of a mountain division, has been stripped of his rank after being found guilty by an army court of smuggling liquor and misappropriating money, sources said on Thursday.
The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Monday deliberated on various aspects of the May 10 understanding reached between the two sides on cessation of hostilities.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
Military affairs experts said his key challenge will be to build consensus among the three services for the theaterisation plan as the Indian Air Force has some apprehensions about its roll-out.
'The government has to explain (to the army, air force and navy chiefs) whether they want a punitive strike, a deep punitive strike, or whether they want limited war or an all-out war, will it be a circumscribed war or will it be a shallow attack along the border.'
Speaking to media-persons after paying his last tributes to five soldiers, including two Army captains, who lost their lives in the Rajouri firefight, Lt Gen Dwivedi said, "While we lost five of our brave soldiers in the encounter, we also eliminated two dreaded terrorists. Our boys went after the well-trained and equipped foreign terrorists without giving any thought to their personal safety. This (taking out the dreaded terrorists) has dealt a major blow to the terror ecosystem and Pakistan. As per our estimation, 20-25 terrorists could still be operating in the area. We should be able to control the situation in a year's time with the help of locals."
Security forces on Friday launched a massive cordon and search operation in the forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, a day after five army personnel were killed and two others injured in a terrorist attack.
The Indian Army is effecting a major "reorientation" and "rebalancing" of its troops in the strategically sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, with a top general saying its overall combat readiness in the region is of a "very high order."
The two sides have already held at least 12 rounds of talks between local commanders and three rounds of talks between major general-rank officials but no positive outcome came out from the discussions, they said.
Wing Commander Pratap Marathe's story is one of dedication, bravery, and humour, a shining example of the spirit of the Indian Air Force. Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd) salutes Wing Commander Marathe who passed into the ages last week.
The Army operation against the holed up militants in Keran Sector along the Line of Control in Kashmir on Sunday entered the 13th day with intermittent gunfire being exchanged.
There were reports of lobbying within the Pakistan army for the ISI DG's post, which falls vacant in June, reveals Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
'While my generation carries with it the memory of the Chinese perfidy of 1962, this generation will carry the memory of Chinese perfidy in Galwan.'
Two top Army commanders on Saturday said the fresh ceasefire between India and Pakistan will have no bearing on the counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and that the force will exercise 'maximum restraint' in the event of any violation by the neighbouring country.
For Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah, currently under fire for his comments aimed at Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, this is not the first time he has been embroiled in a controversy.
Captain Anshuman Singh sacrificed his life saving the men entrusted to his medical care in the highest traditions of doctors that serve in the military.
This, Singh said, would bring about the necessary integration of country's security and foreign policy for a complete synergy in future conflicts.
Singh paid tributes to soldiers killed in the Kargil War at a memorial in Dras sector.
'By convention, the prime minister is technically kept in the loop for the DG, ISI's appointment.' 'It remains to be seen if Prime Minister Imran Khan is able to indicate any preference by then,' says Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan Desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
The Battle of Lhagyala on November 23, 1962, fought by the 4 Rajput Regiment against the Chinese PLA, remains a forgotten chapter of heroism, with no survivors left to tell their story.
The stringent and rare action against Commandant Rajesh Kumar Tomar was confirmed by the ITBP director general after a general force court trial was held against him under the ITBP Force Act of 1992.
'Already, there is talk of a possible extension for Raheel Sharif in the context of his perceived sterling, but incomplete work in the war against terror, as also the cleansing of crime and extortion networks in Karachi,' says Rana Banerji.
Squadron Leader Kanwal Deep Mehra's daredevilry during the 1971 War brought down a Pakistani F-86 Sabre. But he had to bail out of his plane, was badly injured. Then a fierce band of armed guerillas evacuated him to safety at great risk to their lives.
Major Khathing was the first man to hoist the Indian flag in Tawang. He also brought Bum La under Indian control.
Promit Kumar Mitra, 48, who is in the realty business, was held from his residence in south Kolkata by a team of Military Intelligence officers before being handed over to Kolkata Police at Maidan Police Station on Thursday, they said.
In what is seen as a major boost to India-Saudi Arabia defence ties, Lieutenant General Fahd Bin Abdullah Mohammed Al-Mutair, commander of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, visited India for three days earlier this week.
The Indian Military Academy in Dehradun has cancelled the Commandant's Parade, the final rehearsal parade scheduled to be held on Thursday, ahead of the final passing out parade, the academy's public relations officer Col Himani Pant said on Thursday.
A resident of Uttarakhand's Badena village, Singh had joined the army in 2016 and is survived by his parents.
The Indian Air Force will carry out a mega exercise covering the Northeastern region early next month to check its combat readiness, amid a fresh spike in tension with China along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh.
