With no let up in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC and the International Border, the Indian Director General of Military Operation on Tuesday spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and is understood to have conveyed India's strong concerns over it.
The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is still on, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders Declaration, a significant victory for India's G20 presidency that came amid increasing tensions and divergent views over the Ukraine conflict.
Even as Chinese troops began withdrawing from the Chumar area in Ladakh, the official media in China accused India of "instigating" incidents on the borders to divert attention during important visits of Chinese leaders.
In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistani Rangers on Sunday resorted to small arms firing on forward Border Outposts along the international border in Jammu district.
In the second instance of ceasefire violation within 24 hours, Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing on a Border Out Post
The defence minister said "last year in Galwan Valley, our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in line of duty. I salute all brave soldiers who laid down their lives fighting for the nation."
The latest shelling from across the border started in the Qasba and Kirni sectors along the LoC in Poonch district at 1.40 pm, prompting a befitting retaliation by the Indian Army, a defence spokesperson said.
Maintaining that there have been 'grave provocations from Pakistan', India has said there meaningful dialogue could be held with the neighbouring nation only if it fulfils its commitment, in letter and spirit, not to allow its territory to be used in any manner for terrorist activities against it.It also maintained that there were 'continuing concerns' on cross-border infiltration and ceasefire violations by Pakistan across the Line of Control and International Border.
On the situation in the Kashmir Valley, the army officials highlighted Wednesday evening's incident when a son of a prominent eatery owner was shot and critically wounded by terrorists at his shop in a high-security area of the city.
Addressing a meeting of chief ministers on internal security, he said thanks to radicalisation, many Indian groups have acquired the capacity to carry out terror attacks and there was no let-up in the attempts to strike terror wherever there was an opportunity.
A top army official said on Tuesday that the assaults were carried out recently as Pakistani posts were supporting infiltration inside India.
Until Delhi and Beijing resolve outstanding border issues within an accelerated time frame, standoffs like Doklam will be repeated across various peaks along the Himalayas, says Mathew Maavak.
This is the first time the government sources have confirmed that artillery fire was indeed used by the Army to launch a massive assault against Pakistan.
According to a preliminary analysis, the flying object was a hexa m-copter with six wings and had a GPS device and a flight controller, the officer said.
The ceasefire along Indo-Pak border is working 'well' since February 2021 agreement, he asserted.
Referring to the developments in Ladakh in the wake of Chinese aggression, he said disengagement with People's Liberation Army was completed from various areas in a peaceful manner and efforts are on through dialogue for disengagement from other areas.
'The two NSAs, who have been mandated to address mutual concerns on terrorism, will need to devise credible and irreversible measures to see that the likes of Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar do not ever get a free hand to run riot again,' says Ambassador G Parthasarathy, India's former high commissioner in Pakistan.
Ahir said there were 110 terror attacks in J&K in 3 months before surgical strikes while there were 87 such attacks in 3 months after the strikes.
"A high alert has been sounded in Kathua district and entry into the state from neighbouring Punjab at Lakhanpur is being monitored and checked", said a senior police officer in winter capital Jammu.
Singh said the Doklam "deadlock" was resolved similarly and without any confrontation.
The capability of drones to evade radar, wreak devastation at strategic installations and transport weapons to terrorists has been a continuous concern for the country's security establishment, and in a maiden incident, these unmanned vehicles were used to strike an Indian Air Force base in Jammu on Sunday, officials said.
Despite the national capital recording its best air quality on Diwali day in eight years, pollution levels may rise due to low night temperatures and sporadic burning of firecrackers though there is a ban on their manufacture, storage, sale and use within the city.
Police have advised people to use the navigation app 'Mapmyindia' to get around the city till the restrictions are in place.
The Sako .338 TRG-42 sniper rifles have a better range, firepower, and telescopic sights than those possessed by the adversary, the official said.
Cross-border infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir is on the rise with terrorists making 433 such attempts this year, nearly 90 more than last year.
The statement came a day after Indian Army launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across LoC.
One looks upon the coming new year with foreboding as current wars in Ukraine and Gaza spill over and escalate and new ones erupt in incipient fault lines across the world, notes former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A defence spokesman said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing using small arms and automatic weapons to target 'Indian posts in the BG sector of the LoC in Poonch district'.
A 67-year-old resident, Mangat Ram and a BSF jawan was injured in the firing.
The Pakistan army used heavy weaponry, firing 120 mm mortars targeting civilian hamlets and forward posts since 5.30 pm on Tuesday, said an army officer.
A powerful senatorial committee on Wednesday is set to consider a bipartisan resolution to recognise Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, pushing back against China's military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control.
A spokesman said the Indian Army has been told not to target Pakistani troops even if there were attempts by militants to cross the border.
On the border dispute, officials on both sides say the protracted boundary talks made progress, while both sides made attempts to avert tensions along the 3,488-kilometre-long Line of Actual Control, which remains undefined.
Announcing the hotline, the Chinese defence ministry said as agreed upon by the defence departments of China and Japan, the two sides have recently completed the construction of a direct telephone line for the sea and air liaison mechanism and will maintain communication on the arrangement for the launch.
In an attempt to thwart infiltration attempts along the border with Pakistan, the Border Security Force has decided to acquire ground sensors to pick up movement along the Line of Control and the International Border.
Pakistan approached the United Nations military observer group over the Line of Control situation on Tuesday. This comes a day after the Pakistan government lodged a protest with India on alleged ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pak border.
Amid escalation of cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir, top military officials of India and Pakistan on Tuesday discussed the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and International Border but failed to address the issue.
India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan deputy high commissioner in New Delhi and conveyed its "grave concern" as well as strong protest at the recent escalation in incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan on border which have resulted in several fatalities on Indian side.
