Pathankot (Punjab), February 26 Western Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar on Thursday said he has observed a sustained decline in militancy indicators in Jammu and Kashmir, and the situation has become very normal.
Maintaining that the Army is closely monitoring the terrorist infrastructure, he said plans are being formulated to deal with it accordingly.
"As you have seen, all militancy parameters in Jammu and Kashmir have consistently declined. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has become very normal. However, as I said before, this is a well-planned conspiracy by Pakistan to send a few terrorists to disturb the atmosphere. Our Army and all departments of the civil administration are fully prepared (to deal with it)," Lt Gen Katiyar told reporters here.
Responding to a question on terror encounters in the Kathua-Kishtwar belt, the Army commander said, "Wherever we receive information, we take immediate and prompt action. As you have seen this year, in several successful operations, we neutralised terrorists who had come to create disturbances in our country."
Responding to another question about the revival of terror launch pads and terror camps in Pakistan, he said, "We have kept them under watch. We are fully aware of what actions are taking place there. If they are trying to regenerate or reassemble their terrorist bases, we have that information. We will formulate our plans accordingly."
On reports of terrorist infrastructure being rebuilt after Operation Sindoor, Lt Gen Katiyar said Pakistan's military leadership thrives on confrontation. "Pakistan's military leadership wants to remain relevant and does not want politicians to take over power. Their relevance comes through a state of confrontation with India. Despite repeated peace efforts from our side, they keep doing something to keep this confrontation alive," he said, calling it a matter of concern.
He said that India will respond with greater force to any future misadventure by Pakistan and will not be deterred by nuclear threats.
Responding to a volley of questions on the prospect of Operation Sindoor 2, Lt Gen Katiyar said Pakistan has been taught "a very strong lesson" during Operation Sindoor and any renewed provocation would invite a stronger response.
"Our preparations are ongoing, and we must remain prepared. If they do not understand this lesson and create conflict conditions again due to their internal reasons, we will respond in an even better and stronger manner," he said.
On claims that Pakistan sought a ceasefire through other countries and assertions of foreign mediation, the Army commander clarified the sequence of events.
"After the attack on May 7, 2025, our DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) conveyed that we had completed our action and wanted to talk. They refused at that time. Fighting continued for the next 88 hours. After extensive damage to their military bases, their DGMO approached our DGMO, and it was during that conversation that the ceasefire draft was prepared. After deliberations, our government accepted the request," he said.
Rejecting suggestions that India's actions targeted civilians or political leadership, the Army commander said the operation was precise and objective-driven.
"Our response in Operation Sindoor was very clear. We did not target any civilian areas. We initially targeted only terrorist bases. When Pakistan attacked our military stations, we responded by attacking their military stations and air bases," he said, adding that the objective was to destroy terrorist bases swiftly.
On the extent of damage to terror launch pads and camps, Lt Gen Katiyar said the operational details could not be shared. "We have this information, but it is essential for our military planning. What can be said is that we are closely monitoring all actions related to terror infrastructure in Pakistan," he said.
On infiltration and the role of Pakistan's military, Lt Gen Katiyar said, "We believe the Pakistan Army is supporting infiltration. The terrorists are coming after training, and there is a possibility that the Pakistan Army may be helping in their training."
Dismissing nuclear threats, the Army commander termed them a pressure tactic. "We see it as a bogey meant to prevent us from taking strong action. We will not get deterred by nuclear threats," he said.
Asked about the scale of a future response in case of any misadventure, he said, "The response will be stronger than what we have done earlier. How far we go and at what level depends on the situation at that particular time, but we are very clear that the response will be harsher than last time."