(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen S K Saini - File Pic
NEW DELHI - The new Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen S K Saini on Tuesday said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir along both the Line of Control and in the hinterland are under control.
Speaking after receiving the Guard of Honour, Saini said the Army was prepared for all challenges.
"Ceasefire violations have gone up last year. We're fully geared up to meet challenges that come across," he said.
He also said removing hollowness in terms of critical deficiencies of equipment, ammunition, capacity development along the Northern borders will be among his priorities.
"New structures like Chief of Defence Staff created. Aligning the Army headquarters with them to create further jointness will be my priorities" Lt Gen Saini, who took charge as the new vice chief of Indian Army on Tuesday, said.
Saini, who was the Southern Command chief so far is an alumnus of Sainik School, Kapurthala and the National Defence Academy (NDA).
He was commissioned into the Jat Regiment in June 1981.
Lt Gen Saini has also been weapons instructor at the National Security Guards (NSG) Training Centre, a senior directing staff at the National Defence College in New Delhi and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy.
He also served as the Deputy Chief Military Personnel Officer in UN Mission in Iraq-Kuwait, attended an exercise on peacekeeping conducted by the Global Peace Operations initiative in Mongolia and a counter-terrorism exercise in Australia.
Conferred with the Chief of Army Staff's Commendation, Army Commander's Commendation, the Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) during his career, Saini also said terrorist launch pads have been reoccupied and their camps are active across the LoC, but India's armed forces were ready to take them on.
Top Army Commander Visits Police Hqs In Jammu
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh visited the police headquarters here on Tuesday and complimented the force for maintaining peace and working alongside other forces to eliminate militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lt Gen Singh, General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, is retiring from service on January 31 and will be replaced by Lt Gen Y K Joshi.
Lt Gen Joshi is currently serving as the Chief of Staff of the Northern Command which takes care of the overall security scenario along the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir as well as with China in Ladakh.
"The GOC-in-C visited Jammu Kashmir Police Headquarters, where he interacted with Director General of Police Dilbag Singh and other senior officers," a police spokesman said.
Lt Gen Singh complemented the DGP and his entire team for the outstanding work being done for peace and welfare of the people in the Union territory, he added.
"Police personnel have always remained on the forefront while dealing with anti-militancy activities and there exists great synergy and coordination with the Army and the Central Armed Police Forces, and the counterinsurgency grid is moving like a well-oiled machine," Lt Gen Singh said, adding that the police have a huge role to play in maintaining peace and eliminating militants in the Union Territory.
The Army commander expressed his gratitude to the DGP for providing the opportunity to interact with the officers and wished the entire force good luck. He also extended good wishes to the families of the police personnel, the spokesman said.
The DGP thanked the Army commander for his cooperation and support in maintenance of public order and the security environment, and said Lt Gen Singh was a wonderful team leader and it was a privilege to work with him.
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