Can’t rule out more ‘surgical strikes’ against Pakistan: Indian Army chief

Working on other 'methodologies' too, General Rawat says


News Desk January 03, 2017
Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat. PHOTO: AFP

Days after being named the new Indian Army chief, General Bipin Rawat said on Tuesday that “surgical strikes” against Pakistan were meant to deliver a message.

“The so-called surgical strikes were more of messaging. It was a messaging that was needed to be communicated,” Gen Rawat told NDTV in an exclusive interviewHe also went on to say that the possibility of similar action in the future could not be ruled out.



“If there are terrorist bases across and if they continue to disrupt the situation on our side of the Line of Control then we have a right to take action against the terrorists,” he added.

The Indian army chief hinted at formulating new strategies to respond to “militants” across the border. “The demonstration of the surgical strike was just one such means. We are working on other such methodologies,” the army chief said.

Indian army won't shy away from flexing muscles on border: chief

The development came a day after Gen Rawat said India’s armed forces would not “shy away from flexing its muscles, if need be”.

Rawat recently took over as the new chief of army staff from General Dalbir Singh Suhag as the head of the 1.3 million strong force. He has served in the restive region of Kashmir along the frontier with Pakistan, where troops of the nuclear-armed nations have been locked in almost daily cross-border firing for months.

He has also served in the insurgency-hit northern states and along the border with China. In a rare move, the new chief was handpicked for the top job over two senior officers.

This article originally appeared on NDTV.

COMMENTS (10)

FAZ | 7 years ago | Reply @Lumdheeng: Oh my God! You should immediately report this to UN, UNHCR, NATO, US, EU, and add any organization that i am missing in wasting 2 min of my life to reply back. Anyways, wasnt this India trying to say out loud before? The word "isloation" keeps on buzzing
powayman | 7 years ago | Reply I think the World has witnessed enough Chest Thumping from India/Pakistan. Maybe it's time to focus on something more productive?
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