Blaming Pakistan for provoking one of India's longest anti-infiltration operations in recent times, Army Chief General Bikram Singh today said no infiltration attempt along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir is possible without the support and knowledge of the Pakistani army.
General Bikram Singh spoke to NDTV's Barkha Dutt and here's the full transcript of the interview:
NDTV: General Bikram Singh, thanks for your time. This is Barkha joining you from Srinagar today. I would like to start by asking you to share with us your assessment. This very serious statement, that is now coming from the Army, about the backing of the Pakistani Army for this massive infiltration bid that has taken place in the Keran sector. Pakistan Army's involvement sir, do we have concrete evidence?
General Bikram Singh: Barkha, this evidence has been there with us for very, very long time. And I mentioned earlier this morning that no infiltration can take place, no activity by any terrorists can take place, along the Line of Control, without the knowledge, the support of Pakistani Army. That is for sure. And all of us who operated in that area, along the Line of Control, know about it. How is it possible that, you know, you have very close contact with the Defence, you know, where they are deployed? And these people are operating over there without being checked by anybody? So there is support being given and you cannot afford to carry out these operations without the support of the Pakistani army.
NDTV: General Bikram Singh, this was not a typical infiltration. It was a much larger group - of 30 to 40. Did that also raise your suspicion about the involvement of the Pakistan Army - the sophisticated weapons, the rations, the night-vision devices, 59 weapons recovered? How was this infiltration bid different from the others you have seen sir, in your long career in the Army?
General Bikram Singh: You know I had mentioned about this earlier, in January this year. You know when I was asked a question about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, I said we need to wait and watch, at least till 2014 and depending on what happens in Afghanistan. There are reports alluding to a large number of terrorists having come into this area, in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. And this definitely is a quite emboldened kind of a stance of the terrorists. Definitely large numbers which have not been seen here before. And I think, as brought out by me earlier, the Army Commander alluded toward that - it indeed was a desperate attempt. And I think it was desperate because you will have shown the snow falling and Shamshbari would get covered, infiltration is going to become difficult. And therefore, now is the time that, perhaps, they want to push through as many terrorists as possible.
NDTV: General Singh when you say that this could not have been possible without the Pakistan Army, given that this is not now not just terror groups, but also the Pakistan Army involved, what is the option before the Indian Army to counter this?
General Bikram Singh: Look, we are going to preclude, we are going to prevent, not allow this infiltration to occur. There has been an understanding along the Line of Control, we will maintain sanctity of the Line of Control. We will ensure effective domination, moral ascendency on the Line of Control. And we will ensure that we prevent this kind of activity by the terrorists.
NDTV: General Singh, can you also share with us the decision to call off the search operations, while keeping troops redeployed, in that area. Many questions have been raised about the bodies that have been missing. You have since said that seven of the terrorists killed could have been from the same group. Why the decision to call off the search operations? What finally decided that sir?
General Bikram Singh: Barkha, you were with the Army Commander, I think he was the best judge, the Commander on the spot, to take the decision. And I respected his decision, which has been taken in the backdrop of the current situation over there, on the ground realities.
NDTV: Sir, last question, The LoC has been hot and volatile the over last two months. We have seen more than 150 ceasefire violations. The Pakistan Army now, fully in a sense, answerable to what's happening. Are you very worried about the enhanced tensions along the Line of Control, starting with the killing of five of our soldiers in August and really in a sense lasting through the summer, culminating in this Keran encounter? What is your assessment of the situation here?
General Bikram Singh: Situation, well definitely it is slightly more, I would say the violence is slightly more. The number of infiltrators coming in is definitely more. And I think we are fully prepared for it. My assessment is that they are going to continue trying this infiltration. Their endeavour would be to pump in as many terrorists as possible for the winter. To keep the situation in Jammu and Kashmir simmering and with that aim, I presume, I am certain that they would continue infiltration along the Line of Control, and even certain segments of the international border, and that is where our troops are fully geared up. They are prepared and you heard the Army Commander in this regard.
NDTV: General Bikram Singh, Army Chief, pleasure talking to you clarifying the position and also saying the Pakistan Army is responsible for what we have seen happening in the Keran Sector. General Bikram Singh, thank you once again.