The Sako .338 TRG-42 sniper rifles have a better range, firepower, and telescopic sights than those possessed by the adversary, the official said.
India will take up with Pakistan the issue of unprovoked firing along International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Secretary R K Singh said today, indicating that it could be linked to the recently unearthed secret tunnel.
The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is still on, he said.
Some may see China's decision to antagonise India as strategically unwise. But China believes its prestige demands standing up to India, whatever the cost.
'It is flabbergasting to think that this heavenly region has, for decades, been coveted by India's aggressive neighbours,' says Claude Arpi after a recent visit to Ladakh. 'Wanting to use the newly created infrastructure to defend the borders after the clash of 2020 with China and the resulting standoffs, the home ministry is keen to boost border tourism to show that these areas are controlled by India.'
Chastened by the Kargil conflict, Pervez Musharraf will be remembered for gradually lowering the profile of terrorism and seeking a realistically negotiated settlement to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, notes Ambassador G Parthasarathy, who served as India's high commissioner to Pakistan when Musharraf seized power in a coup in October 1999.
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.
Accusing the Pakistani Army and the Rangers of facilitating infiltration, Border Security Force chief Raman Srivastava said on Tuesday that the Indian Army and the BSF have been alerted along the border to foil attempts by a large number of militants waiting at different launching pads to cross over.
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.
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
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.
A top army official said on Tuesday that the assaults were carried out recently as Pakistani posts were supporting infiltration inside India.
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.
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.
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.
'The unfolding events indicate a dangerous internal security situation in Manipur and the region. It can have external ramifications also.'
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.
'Unless India ups the ante, Beijing will continue to believe its transgressions are cost free and will feel encouraged to do more of the same.'
Singh said the Doklam "deadlock" was resolved similarly and without any confrontation.
'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.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also alleged that foreign policy has been reduced to photo-ops and a chest-thumping exercise and is being used to secure contracts for a businessman.
However, members requested the government and the presiding officers of both the House to end the proceedings early citing the festive season and New Year celebrations ahead.
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 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.
The statement came a day after Indian Army launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across LoC.
'If the international travel ban in reality exists for six months, then it becomes a logistical nightmare. At least, for the T20 tri-series before the World T20.'
The firing and shelling from across the border in Shahpur and Kirni sectors was retaliated by the Indian Army, but the casualties suffered by Pakistan was not known immediately, they said.
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.
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.
In his farewell remarks posted on the Chinese embassy website, Sun said it is only natural for important neighbours China and India to have some differences but the key is how to handle the differences.
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.
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.
This move by the BSF is in protest to the growing incidents of ceasefire violations across 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.
The condition of the injured is stated to be stable, the officials said.
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