Friday, January 13 2006 19:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Firmly ruling out any demilitarisation of the Kashmir Valley as proposed by Islamabad, Army Chief Gen JJ Singh said there was no room for it as terrorist infrastructure remained intact across the LoC with militants finding new ways to sneak into India.

"Though infiltration across the Line of Control may have reduced, terrorists are using other ways to sneak into India",he said apparently pointing to the soft borders with Nepal and Bangladesh.

"As long as infiltration continues and the level of violence does not come down to neglegible levels we are in no position to reduce military presence in Jammu and Kashmir",Singh said at a news conference on the eve of Army Day on January 15.

Even while painting a picture of continued militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, he asserted that the Armed forces had gained 'ascendancy' over the militants by proactive measures like beefing up surveillance on the LoC and by carrying out surgical strikes in the hinterland.

Maintaining that though the armed forces were planning for a 'downsized force', he said this could not be implemented as long as the country continued to be faced with low intensity conflicts in Kashmir and the north-east.

He cited the dwindling number of forces' casualties 115 soldiers lost in 2005 as compared to 207 in 2003 to put across that the policy of 'iron fist and velvet gloves' was paying dividends, as was evidenced by the reducing number of reports of collateral damage in such operations.