Wednesday, August 3 2005 15:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (August 3, 2005) said recent reports indicated that a large number of launching camps along the Line of Control (LOC) from Rajouri to Gurez Sector were activated where militants have been kept in readiness for infiltration.

Stating this in a written reply, he said that the deployment of troops for counter terrorist operations was based on the threat perception and the prevailing situation in the state. It is constantly reviewed and necessary changes effected to counter the envisaged threat, he said.

The army has killed 560 terrorists in various operations during this year till 27 July, 2005, he said and added that 71 officers and soldiers were killed by terrorists in 2005 as on 25th July.

The defence Minister said that de-mining operations have been completed and land in all areas, except those required for operational reasons, have been handed back to the owners.

He said a small quantity of mines still remain unaccounted for due to prolonged deployment, mines drifting due to heavy rains, rodents shifting the mines and growth of dense vegetation around the area.

For such mines, precautionary measures are taken, like blasting of mines by mechanised equipment and issuing precautionary advice to landowners before handing over the land back to the owners, he said.

To another question on a self-reliant military as stated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee said government has policy of progressively enhancing indigenous content of weapon systems in the armed forces.

"We are self-reliant in several areas of military technology, that is arms and ammunition, combat and armoured vehicles, guided missiles, aircrafts, communication, radars and sonar systems", he said adding that India is moving steadily in the direction of achieving the goal of self-sufficiency.

However, Mukherjee said self-sufficiency is dictated by threat perception in a region, which is a continuously changing phenomenon.