Irregular fighting methods a new norm: Indian Army Chief

ISLAMABAD: Addressing a seminar on '20 years after Kargil conflict', at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on Saturday Indian Army Chief reminded that the rise of non-state actors and the readiness to use terror and other irregular methods of fighting have become a new norm. “Addition of cyber and space domain has changed the battlefield scenario,” he noted.

According to media reports General Bipin Rawat hurled threat on Pakistan by saying that any misadventure by Pakistan Army will be repelled with punitive response and no act of terror will go unpunished. General Rawat said Pakistan Army, time and again, resorts to misadventure, either through state-sponsored terrorism or intrusions in India.

"The Indian armed forces stand resolute and ready to defend our territorial integrity. Let there be no doubt that misadventures will be repelled with a punitive response," he said. Rawat also asserted that no act of terror will go unpunished.

The Indian Army Chief yet another time referred to the so-called and fake surgical strikes which were never proved by the Indians and said that "Surgical strikes post-Uri and Balakot (terror attacks) have amply demonstrated our political and military resolve against terror. Any act of terror will not go unpunished," Rawat added.

Interestingly Indian government used so-called Balakot attack which didn’t inflict any damage for winning the elections and succeeded in befooling its people. The Indian Army Chief also denied the reports of intrusion by the Chinese army in Ladakh's Demchok sector. "There is no intrusion," Rawat said.

His statement comes amidst reports of Chinese soldiers crossing the Line of Actual Control last week after some Tibetans hoisted Tibetan flags on the occasion of Dalai Lama's birthday on July 6. "Chinese come and patrol to their perceived Line of Actual Control...we try and prevent them.

But at times there are celebrations that take place at the local levels. Celebrations were going on our side by our Tibetans in the Demchok sector. Based on that, some Chinese also came to see what was happening. But there have been no intrusions. Everything is normal," the Indian Army Chief said.

India and China share a disputed border and the armies of the two countries were engaged in a stand-off for 73 days in 2017 in Doklam.