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08-15-2025     3 رجب 1440

Kashmir needs few more good years to ensure permanent peace: GoC

Only 80 terrorists active in the Valley
Terrorism largely fuelled from across the border
Army will soon be able to crack encrypted handsets used by terrorists
Drugs menace is a challenge

October 04, 2024 | Ashok Dixit

The General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt General Rajiv Ghai on Thursday said Kashmir needs few more good years to ensure permanent peace.
Interacting with media just before handing over command of strategic 15 Corps, also known as the Chinar Corps, to Lt Gen Prashant Shrivastava on October 15, Lt Gen Ghai, who will assume charge as Army’s next Director General Military Operations (DGMO) in Delhi, described Kashmir’s overall security situation far better than what it was some years ago.
He said the terror ecosystem in Kashmir is in its last stages with only 80 active terrorists operating in the Valley.
“We need a few more good years to make peace a permanent feature here. I believe maintaining this peaceful atmosphere is the biggest challenge for security forces. As I prepare to relinquish command of one of the most elite formations of the Army, I am sanguine that the situation here in Kashmir is peaceful and stable,” Lt Gen Ghai said.
He said Chinar Corps over the last 16 months has strived hard to guard the borders, nix and negate numerous attempts of infiltration by inimical elements while also simultaneously putting in place a very robust and successful counter-terrorist campaign within the Valley.
“I think the security situation in J&K is far better. The last two years have been very, very peaceful and stable. Therefore, if you look at all the parameters against which you weigh such a situation, they have all been done,” the GoC said.
He said terrorism is largely fuelled from across the border (Pakistan).
Referring to local recruitment, the GoC said there hasn’t been any active recruitment over the last year-and-a-half.
“The numbers were down to a dozen last year and this year we have almost next to nil local recruitment. We have also been very conscious and sensitive of our responsibility as part of nation building to maintain our cooperation with the people. We have initiated numerous programs and initiatives to make sure that this cooperation increases,” he said.
According to Lt Gen Ghai, the region is at the cusp of a new beginning. “We have seen over the last year-and-a-half numerous significant events taking place here and we have also seen a lot of development in the region. In my view this has been facilitated by a stable security situation brought about by very, very significant efforts that have been put in by Chinar Corps, its sister agencies and organisations like Jammu and Kashmir Police, CAPFs that are deployed here, and numerous other security agencies. I am quite certain and confident that the people of Kashmir will embrace the numerous opportunities that lie ahead of them”.
On militancy violence, he said the terrorist-initiated incidents in Kashmir were very few, mainly restricted to soft targets even by untrained persons using a pistol.
Asked whether Kashmir could see a reduction in troops in the wake of the peaceful atmosphere that prevails in the region, the GoC said, “We are in a consolidation phase and no dilution of counter insurgency and counter terrorism grid is recommended. Both grids need to be maintained. I definitely won’t advocate any dilution to these grids at this stage.”
About Agniveers, he said, “We need to give any new initiative a little bit of time for it to mature and become better. I think as far as the Agniveer Recruitment Scheme is concerned, it is at that stage where it is metamorphosing, and I am quite certain, you know, the way we’ve embraced numerous other initiatives in the past; that the armed forces will be able to make it successful.”
“It has been the endeavor of security forces to actively and aggressively bring terrorist and militant numbers down, and I think we have succeeded. We carry out our operations in a manner that we are utilising every means that we have with us,” the GoC said.
On Army’s outreach towards Kashmiris, he said, “We are very conscious of our responsibilities as far as nation building is concerned. We premise our outreach to the Kashmiri people and the Awaam on certain pillars. The first one is education, the second is the youth, third is women and the fourth is promoting culture.
On drug menace afflicting Kashmiri youth, Lt Gen Ghai said, “I think that this is a challenge that is staring us in the face and these are areas that we are addressing. You know, as an organisation, we can only do as much. Sometimes I get the feeling that what we are doing is only like a little drop, but please remember that without that little drop; even the ocean would be lesser.”
He also talked about Army’s sports and other cultural initiatives, which he described as a constant lookout for talent.
“We try to support them in the best way we can and we are aware that some of these children, these youth, from the region, have gone and brought laurels to the country. We shall remain committed to this and our connect with the people,” he said.
The GoC also expressed confidence in Army and the Unified Command Security Grid’s ability to meet and neutralise the current security challenge in the Jammu division.
“I am very confident and certain that we can meet and neutralise this challenge head on. We are sure that the high numbers of terror incidents in Jammu will also come down with the kind of intelligence that is being provided to us,” he said.
The Indian Army, he said, is also aware of terrorists these days being technologically equipped, but added that it “Is nowhere as good as the training of an Indian Army soldier.”
“You can hand the terrorists' technology, but we must not forget that the Army is also very well equipped technologically to deal with these challenges. 2024 is a year of technology absorption in Indian Army. We have embraced technology in a very big way and we are leveraging it all across our operations. Not for a moment are we awed by the fact that the infiltrators are very well trained, or that they have great technological wherewithal. That doesn’t bother us. We will go after the insurgents of whatever shape or size, or whatever manner of technology that they may be utilising,” he said.
Lt Gen Ghai acknowledged that ‘Ultra’ communication was giving secrecy to terror groups but he assured that the work is in progress.
“Ultra communication has various layers of encryption and while presently, it is affording them the secrecy that they want. But I assure you that work is happening in that regard and soon we will be able to crack that encryption and I am hoping that will further dent the terrorist ecosystem network,” Lt Gen Ghai said.
The Ultra sets were recovered from some of the encounters in the valley. These specialised handsets, exclusively customised by Chinese companies for the Pakistan army, were seized after a gunfight in the intervening night of July 17-18 last year in the Sindarah top area of Surankote in Jammu region’s Poonch district and on April 26 this year after an encounter at the Check Mohalla Nowpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
On ceasefire on the LoC and International Border (IB), GoC said it is being sustained.
“There are certain tenets to that ceasefire understanding which both sides (India and Pakistan) follow. Every now and then, a review is done through various means, including use of hotlines on the Line of Control, the two DGMOs have hotlines and they have access to each other. Ceasefire is very much sustained and very much in force,” he said.
He said security architecture currently in place showcases the best in inter-agency cooperation and synergy.
“The robust security architecture has deterred inimical elements during recent elections and even before that. Our aim is always to put a system in place which will deter and deny but we will definitely introspect and see what are the possibilities as we move ahead. We always aim to put the best version of ourselves before the people and make sure that what we have achieved in the past can be replicated in the future,” he said
The GoC said the army has no specific inputs as to what can happen after results of the elections are announced on October 8.
“We can only presume as good citizens that things will turn out for the good and move in a positive direction. To have a democratic process after ten years is significant and I am sure it will be for the good,” he concluded.

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Kashmir needs few more good years to ensure permanent peace: GoC

Only 80 terrorists active in the Valley
Terrorism largely fuelled from across the border
Army will soon be able to crack encrypted handsets used by terrorists
Drugs menace is a challenge

October 04, 2024 | Ashok Dixit

The General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt General Rajiv Ghai on Thursday said Kashmir needs few more good years to ensure permanent peace.
Interacting with media just before handing over command of strategic 15 Corps, also known as the Chinar Corps, to Lt Gen Prashant Shrivastava on October 15, Lt Gen Ghai, who will assume charge as Army’s next Director General Military Operations (DGMO) in Delhi, described Kashmir’s overall security situation far better than what it was some years ago.
He said the terror ecosystem in Kashmir is in its last stages with only 80 active terrorists operating in the Valley.
“We need a few more good years to make peace a permanent feature here. I believe maintaining this peaceful atmosphere is the biggest challenge for security forces. As I prepare to relinquish command of one of the most elite formations of the Army, I am sanguine that the situation here in Kashmir is peaceful and stable,” Lt Gen Ghai said.
He said Chinar Corps over the last 16 months has strived hard to guard the borders, nix and negate numerous attempts of infiltration by inimical elements while also simultaneously putting in place a very robust and successful counter-terrorist campaign within the Valley.
“I think the security situation in J&K is far better. The last two years have been very, very peaceful and stable. Therefore, if you look at all the parameters against which you weigh such a situation, they have all been done,” the GoC said.
He said terrorism is largely fuelled from across the border (Pakistan).
Referring to local recruitment, the GoC said there hasn’t been any active recruitment over the last year-and-a-half.
“The numbers were down to a dozen last year and this year we have almost next to nil local recruitment. We have also been very conscious and sensitive of our responsibility as part of nation building to maintain our cooperation with the people. We have initiated numerous programs and initiatives to make sure that this cooperation increases,” he said.
According to Lt Gen Ghai, the region is at the cusp of a new beginning. “We have seen over the last year-and-a-half numerous significant events taking place here and we have also seen a lot of development in the region. In my view this has been facilitated by a stable security situation brought about by very, very significant efforts that have been put in by Chinar Corps, its sister agencies and organisations like Jammu and Kashmir Police, CAPFs that are deployed here, and numerous other security agencies. I am quite certain and confident that the people of Kashmir will embrace the numerous opportunities that lie ahead of them”.
On militancy violence, he said the terrorist-initiated incidents in Kashmir were very few, mainly restricted to soft targets even by untrained persons using a pistol.
Asked whether Kashmir could see a reduction in troops in the wake of the peaceful atmosphere that prevails in the region, the GoC said, “We are in a consolidation phase and no dilution of counter insurgency and counter terrorism grid is recommended. Both grids need to be maintained. I definitely won’t advocate any dilution to these grids at this stage.”
About Agniveers, he said, “We need to give any new initiative a little bit of time for it to mature and become better. I think as far as the Agniveer Recruitment Scheme is concerned, it is at that stage where it is metamorphosing, and I am quite certain, you know, the way we’ve embraced numerous other initiatives in the past; that the armed forces will be able to make it successful.”
“It has been the endeavor of security forces to actively and aggressively bring terrorist and militant numbers down, and I think we have succeeded. We carry out our operations in a manner that we are utilising every means that we have with us,” the GoC said.
On Army’s outreach towards Kashmiris, he said, “We are very conscious of our responsibilities as far as nation building is concerned. We premise our outreach to the Kashmiri people and the Awaam on certain pillars. The first one is education, the second is the youth, third is women and the fourth is promoting culture.
On drug menace afflicting Kashmiri youth, Lt Gen Ghai said, “I think that this is a challenge that is staring us in the face and these are areas that we are addressing. You know, as an organisation, we can only do as much. Sometimes I get the feeling that what we are doing is only like a little drop, but please remember that without that little drop; even the ocean would be lesser.”
He also talked about Army’s sports and other cultural initiatives, which he described as a constant lookout for talent.
“We try to support them in the best way we can and we are aware that some of these children, these youth, from the region, have gone and brought laurels to the country. We shall remain committed to this and our connect with the people,” he said.
The GoC also expressed confidence in Army and the Unified Command Security Grid’s ability to meet and neutralise the current security challenge in the Jammu division.
“I am very confident and certain that we can meet and neutralise this challenge head on. We are sure that the high numbers of terror incidents in Jammu will also come down with the kind of intelligence that is being provided to us,” he said.
The Indian Army, he said, is also aware of terrorists these days being technologically equipped, but added that it “Is nowhere as good as the training of an Indian Army soldier.”
“You can hand the terrorists' technology, but we must not forget that the Army is also very well equipped technologically to deal with these challenges. 2024 is a year of technology absorption in Indian Army. We have embraced technology in a very big way and we are leveraging it all across our operations. Not for a moment are we awed by the fact that the infiltrators are very well trained, or that they have great technological wherewithal. That doesn’t bother us. We will go after the insurgents of whatever shape or size, or whatever manner of technology that they may be utilising,” he said.
Lt Gen Ghai acknowledged that ‘Ultra’ communication was giving secrecy to terror groups but he assured that the work is in progress.
“Ultra communication has various layers of encryption and while presently, it is affording them the secrecy that they want. But I assure you that work is happening in that regard and soon we will be able to crack that encryption and I am hoping that will further dent the terrorist ecosystem network,” Lt Gen Ghai said.
The Ultra sets were recovered from some of the encounters in the valley. These specialised handsets, exclusively customised by Chinese companies for the Pakistan army, were seized after a gunfight in the intervening night of July 17-18 last year in the Sindarah top area of Surankote in Jammu region’s Poonch district and on April 26 this year after an encounter at the Check Mohalla Nowpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
On ceasefire on the LoC and International Border (IB), GoC said it is being sustained.
“There are certain tenets to that ceasefire understanding which both sides (India and Pakistan) follow. Every now and then, a review is done through various means, including use of hotlines on the Line of Control, the two DGMOs have hotlines and they have access to each other. Ceasefire is very much sustained and very much in force,” he said.
He said security architecture currently in place showcases the best in inter-agency cooperation and synergy.
“The robust security architecture has deterred inimical elements during recent elections and even before that. Our aim is always to put a system in place which will deter and deny but we will definitely introspect and see what are the possibilities as we move ahead. We always aim to put the best version of ourselves before the people and make sure that what we have achieved in the past can be replicated in the future,” he said
The GoC said the army has no specific inputs as to what can happen after results of the elections are announced on October 8.
“We can only presume as good citizens that things will turn out for the good and move in a positive direction. To have a democratic process after ten years is significant and I am sure it will be for the good,” he concluded.


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