Year of Transformation

Smruti Deshpande

In his first press conference, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande summed up the major events since the time he assumed office and termed the past eight months as “extremely satisfying and fulfilling.” A special mention went to the Agnipath reform. “Agnipath, or the new human resource management philosophy, was an important component,” he said.

Speaking about the situation in the neighbourhood, he mentioned the line of actual control (LAC) as well as the line of control (LoC). “In the immediate neighbourhood, there are security challenges. Regarding the situation on the northern borders, I would say the situation is stable, under control, yet unpredictable,” he said.

He added that in the ongoing talks between India and China, the two sides had been able to resolve five of the seven issues that were on the table and that the two countries continue to talk at the diplomatic and military levels. In terms of our preparedness, he said, “We have adequate forces and reserves in each of our sectors to deal effectively with any situation or contingency. You are also aware of the strategic reorientation that we undertook sometime back. It is complete in every respect.”

According to the COAS, the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan, which came about in February 2021, was holding well. “Cross-border support for terrorism and terrorist infrastructure, however, remains,” he said. “In the hinterland itself we have seen some proxy tanzims which have been indulging in activities and acts purely with a view to gain visibility and rem