Northern Army Commander Reviews Operational Readiness in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir

Mumbai, August 18: Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, the head of the Northern Command based in Udhampur, visited forward posts in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday to assess operational readiness.

The Northern Command shared updates on the social media platform ‘X’, stating, “Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma visited the forward posts in Poonch and reviewed the operational preparations. During the visit, he was briefed on the current security situation, operational readiness, and the challenges of deployment in rugged terrains.”

The Army Commander engaged with soldiers stationed in the forward areas, commending their determination to remain mission-ready despite difficult conditions and weather.

He emphasized the importance of vigilance, enhancing synergy, and adopting innovative methods to effectively tackle new security challenges.

The Northern Command is responsible for defending India’s northern borders, managing operational deployments along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, as well as conducting counter-terrorism and internal security operations in the region.

These responsibilities include securing borders along the LoC in Jammu and the LAC in Ladakh. Counter-infiltration duties involve preventing attempts by terrorists to cross the borders, while counter-terrorism efforts focus on maintaining internal security and conducting anti-insurgency operations within Jammu and Kashmir.

The command maintains operational readiness and logistics year-round in extremely challenging areas, including the Siachen Glacier.

The Northern Command’s units include the 14 Corps (Fire and Fury Corps) based in Leh, responsible for LAC operations with China, the 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) located in Srinagar, which handles operations in the Kashmir Valley, and the 16 Corps (White Knight Corps) based in Nagrota, tasked with securing the Jammu region up to the Pir Panjal range.

Additionally, the National Rifles (RR) units, established in 1990 to address internal security in Jammu and Kashmir, are also part of the command. With personnel on deputation from the Army, they maintain law and order under the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA).

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