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Indian Army Moves into High Battle Gear
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Islam Online

According to reports, there has been a mobilization of over half a million troops and strike formations along the border. Besides, the IAF is also maintaining a high state of operational readiness to tackle any exigency. Most of the fighters and other air assets have been moved forward to the border areas.

NEW DELHI -- IO
Indian Defense Forces have moved into high battle gear with full combat preparedness and the armed forces have been placed under a unified command amid escalating tension on the Indo-Pak border.

Central Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani has given expressed directives to the army to consult the War Book, which, as a matter of course, is done when the country is on the brink of war. Even Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has asked the defense forces to be in full combat readiness in order to give Pakistan a "befitting reply" whenever the war breaks out.

Defense Minister George Fernandes and army chief Gen S. Padmanabhan have taken recourse to similar refrain.

To gauge war preparedness, the Indian army and air force jointly conducted a major exercise in Rajasthan Tuesday morning. The exercise was part of a series of exercises called Parakram-3, which have been conducted in the western sector during the last ten days. Defense sources said that 14 Air Force MiG-21 and MiG 23BN fighters along with attack helicopters participated with elements of the Army's Second Corps.

Following the terrorist attack on a bus and a military complex near Jammu May 14, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. After the meeting, the government directed the armed forces to be fully prepared to meet any eventuality even as it mulled further diplomatic and other options.

Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh disclosed that the meeting discussed the various diplomatic and other options before the government, including further slashing of staff at the Pakistan high commission and withdrawing the most favored nation status from Islamabad.
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