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Army draws up strategy to secure Kashmir

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The army is contemplating several steps to fight terrorism and face future threats in Kashmir in the wake of the Kargil conflict.

The multi-pronged strategy includes increased recruitment of Kashmiri youths, strengthening of the Ladakh Scouts by merging it with the army as a regiment, and setting up of a new corps headquarters at Leh, the capital of Ladakh.

According to army sources, the top brass is discussing various steps to improve the overall 'military strategy' for the valley and Ladakh, where terrorist activities have increased in the wake of Kargil.

The strategy will see the army strengthen its presence on the Line of Control with additional deployment of 'early warning troops' such as the Ladakh Scouts.

Sources said the army proposes to increase the presence of Kashmiri youth in its fold. Only in 1997-98 the army raised five additional battalions of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry. And senior officers say a few more battalions may be raised soon. Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims are represented in equal number in the JAKLI, which took part in several daring operations in Kargil.

The army is also contemplating regimental status for the Ladakh Scouts and increasing its strength by recruiting more Ladakhi youths. The Scouts, a small force of a few battalions, registered several gallant acts during Operation Vijay and won quite a few gallantry awards, including a Maha Vir Chakra for Major Sonam Wangchuk.

"A final decision is yet to be taken," a senior army officer said of the proposal to give regimental status to the Scouts. At present the Scouts are under the command of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.

The army plans to increase the strength of the Ladakh Scouts to improve patrolling of the border in Ladakh, which is dangerously close to both Pakistan and China. "We don't rule out the possibility of the area being a prime target in future," the sources said.

In fact, during the Kargil crisis, the army had busted a three-phased strategy of the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence to cut off Ladakh from the rest of country.

Army sources said they are also planning to set up a corps headquarters at Leh. At present, there are two divisions, comprising approximately 15,000 soldiers each, manning the LoC and the Line of Actual Control with China from Kargil to Siachen. While the 8 Mountain Division has been given sole charge of guarding 150 kilometres of the border in the Kargil sector, the 3 Infantry Division is in charge of Siachen and the Aksai Chin border.

Army sources said that for the present the proposed corps would include these two divisions and some other units. But the addition of a third division cannot be ruled out. A corps, ideally, consists of about 60,000 soldiers.

Meanwhile, with the 8 Mountain Division being moved completely to the border, the army is planning to raise a new division dedicated to high-altitude warfare. This new division will be stationed outside Srinagar.

The Kargil Crisis

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