New Delhi: In a major deal, the Indian Army is all set to move into the new year with
the most modern and lethal Israeli "Tavor" multipurpose assault rifles and Galil
super sniper rifles to give its counter-insurgency forces in Jammu and Kashmir
greater fire power as top Army officials hinted at "decisive action" against the
militants in the coming months.
The decision to arm counter-insurgency forces with advanced weapons comes at the end
of the longest-ever troop mobilisation lasting almost the entire 2002, which may not
have completely checked Pakistan-supported cross-border terrorism despite assurances
to the contrary from Islamabad.
India has started the process of acquiring high quality weapons worth $ 20 million.
That includes Tavor-21 5.56 mm assault rifles, Galil 7.62 mm super sniper rifles,
5.56 mm ammunition, night vision sights, laser range finders and other targeting
equipment.
Army sources said that while the special forces had already been equipped with
American and Israeli weaponry, New Delhi is considering purchase of several thousand
more Tavors to equip the entire counter-insurgency forces operating in Jammu and
Kashmir, who are currently armed with AK-47 rifles imported earlier from Romania.
With country's top leaders asserting that India may have to go it alone in its fight
to uproot Islamabad-inspired terrorism, Army officials exuded confidence that with
greater
fire power and sixty per cent of special gadgets like ground sensors, UAVs (Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles) and hand thermals in place, it would be too hot for militants to
operate in Jammu and Kashmir, analysts said.
PTI
