Army chief General Bipin Rawat asks troops to prepare for challenges

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday visited an airborne brigade in Agra and asked troops to stay prepared “to decisively deal with emerging challenges,” an army spokesperson said.

Rawat’s comments are significant against the backdrop of escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 26 bombing of a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror base in Balakot by the Indian Air Force.

The cross-border aerial strikes by India were in retaliation for the suicide car bombing of a Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Pulwama in which 40 men were killed on February 14.

The army said Rawat reviewed the operational readiness of the para brigade and complimented the men for their “highest standards of training, operational readiness, morale and exemplary synergy with the IAF”. The army spokesperson said during the 1971 war, the actions of the brigade accelerated the momentum of military operations leading to the surrender of Pakistani forces in Dacca (Dhaka).

On March 7, the IAF said it was in a “high state of preparedness” to foil any aggressive move by Pakistan. On February 28, India warned Pakistan that it was prepared to respond swiftly and strongly to any misadventure.

First Published: Mar 11, 2019 06:04 IST