Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 8

Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth reviewed operational preparedness along the Line of Control (LoC) and security arrangements for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra during his first official visit to Jammu and Kashmir since taking charge as Chief of the Army Staff, defence officials said on Wednesday.

General Seth visited the headquarters of the Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps and several forward formations, where he was briefed on the security situation along the LoC, counter-insurgency operations in the hinterland and measures to safeguard the annual Hindu pilgrimage.

The Army chief was accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma and Chinar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Balbir Singh.

Senior commanders briefed him on troop deployments, the evolving security environment, counter-terrorism operations and coordination between the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other security agencies.

The review also covered the military’s efforts to integrate new technologies into surveillance and operations, strengthen combat capabilities and enhance operational readiness across the Kashmir Valley.

General Seth commended troops for maintaining a high level of operational preparedness under challenging conditions and praised their role in preserving peace and stability in the region, officials said.

As part of the visit, the Army chief travelled to Kupwara district to assess the operational readiness of the 28 Infantry Division deployed along the LoC, one of India’s most sensitive military frontiers.

He also reviewed the Rashtriya Rifles’ security grid in the Manasbal sector, focusing on arrangements to secure the Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3 and has drawn thousands of pilgrims to the Himalayan shrine.

The Army has deployed additional personnel, surveillance assets and logistical support along both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes, working alongside the Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF and civil administration to secure the pilgrimage.

During the visit, General Seth also interacted with officers and troops under the Northern Command at Nagrota, where discussions centred on operational preparedness, force modernisation and coordination among security agencies.

The visit follows a series of high-level meetings on Tuesday in Srinagar, where the Army chief called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review the overall security situation in J&K.

General Seth assumed office as Chief of the Army Staff on June 30, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi.

His visit comes at a time when security forces remain on heightened alert during the Amarnath Yatra while continuing counter-insurgency operations and maintaining vigilance along the Line of Control amid ongoing attempts at cross-border infiltration.

Chinar Corps, headquartered in Srinagar, is responsible for counter-terrorism operations across the Kashmir Valley as well as the defence of a significant stretch of the Line of Control, making it one of the Army’s most operationally active formations.