BUNTY MAHAJAN
Dhansal: Lt General M K Das, Commandant of the OTA Chennai and Colonel of the JAK LI on Saturday said that the Indian Army has made measures to counter threats of drones and social media warfare as part of its training programme for soldiers.
Army Chief has taken “very seriously’’ the threats posed by drones and social media warfare, he said while talking to media persons after the attestation parade of the latest batch of 460 passing out young soldiers of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) at its Regimental Centre in Dhansal. “As part of the preparation as to how to tackle this challenge, the threat of drone and how to act against it has been included into our training programme,’’ he added.
“During training at the Regimental Centre, our recruits are made fully aware of the threats posed through science and technology, cyber security among other emerging challenges,’’ he said, adding that “they are further imparted orientation training when they join their respective units so as to make them fully prepared for their new assignment’’.
About the attempts being made by terror outfits to radicalize local youth through social media, he said that challenge of social media warfare is a reality and the soldiers are being explained and trained in detail about cyber security so as to deal with the challenge effectively. “All the threats like social media or drone through which our adversaries are trying to hit us adversely have been included in our training programmes,’’ said Lt General Das.
Pointing out that soldiers undergo only 40 weeks training at the Regimental Training Centre, he said they are told about these threats in much more details when they go to their units. “This is a life threat and they are told how to deal with it,’’ he said, adding the Indian Army is efficiently dealing with it.
About misguided Kashmiri youth, Lt General Das said that doors for their return to the mainstream are open for them. Referring to various recent instances of surrender by local militants in the Valley, he said Army troops always encourage them to surrender so that they join the mainstream and lead a peaceful life.
In this context, he referred 162 TA Battalion of the JAK LI which was raised by recruiting former militants who had returned to the mainstream. They all have emerged as excellent soldiers, he added.
Earlier, at the attestation parade of 460 passing out soldiers, Peer Sartaj Ahmed Wani was awarded the Sher-e-Kashmir Sword of Honour by Lt General Das for his being adjudged over all best recruit. Hailing from militancy infested Anantnag district, he happened to be the second person from his family to join JAK LI as in 2013, his elder brother had joined the force.
