File photo of Army Chief General Dalbir Singh
India's forces need to be prepared at all times for short wars, given the frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the border, Army Chief Dalbir Singh said today, expressing concern about "new methods" used to keep Jammu and Kashmir on the boil.
"(Because of) the frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by our western neighbor, the borders remain live and active. New methods continue to be employed to create unrest in J&K. We are acutely aware that the swift, short nature of future wars are likely to offer limited warning time - this calls for maintaining very high levels of operational preparedness at all times," General Singh said at an event in Delhi.
There has been a surge in border firings in recent months. There were 55 violations in August of the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries and there have been over 245 incidents this year.
Last week, three people, including two women, were killed and 22 injured at the international border in RS Pura. There was heavy exchange of fire between the Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers.
National Security Level talks between India and Pakistan last week were cancelled at the eleventh hour amid major disagreements over the agenda for talks. India said the ceasefire violations and attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists must be discussed but Pakistan insisted that it would raise Kashmir.