Each strike has to be different, Army has many options, says Bipin Rawat

Pune: Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat on Friday said the Indian Army had various retaliatory options at its disposal as far as carrying out operations on the lines of the 2016 surgical strikes was concerned.

He was speaking at the launch of a book, Securing India the Modi Way, written by journalist and security analyst Nitin Gokhale, here.

When Mr Gokhale asked Gen. Rawat during a conversation whether the Army was still capable of carrying out operations such as the 2015 Myanmar operation and surgical strikes in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 2016, Gen. Rawat said various options were available.

“There are various means of carrying out operations across the Line of Control (LoC). We do not repeat the same operation in the same manner because there is no surprise. If we have to maintain surprises, we have to plan for something new and it is always better to keep  the other side guessing,” the Army Chief said.

He shared the account of the Myanmar operation in detail and said it was needed to send a clear message across the border after 18 Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush in Manipur.

Gen. Rawat also spoke about the cadre review of the junior commissioned officers (JCOs). It had now been approved and would be implemented from January 1, 2018, he said.

“It is very tough to get promotions in the Army. Only 0.18 per cent people rise to the Two Star rank. For the junior commissioned officers and other ranks, the pyramid is even steeper.

“The cadre review of the junior commissioned officers was pending with the government for over 10 years. It has now been approved and will be implemented from January 1, 2018,” said Gen. Rawat.