India readies to counter LTTE threats
Against the backdrop of enhanced threat perception emanating to
India's security from its vast southern coastline and sea borne
intrusions, the Indian Armed Forces are planning a series of joint
exercises next year in the southern peninsula.
"This is for the first time that the country's military planners are
focusing on threats to the country from the southern peninsula," defence
sources told the Times of India.
Frontline fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force, along with
warships from the Navy and coastguard, and Army formations dedicated to
sea borne assaults would be engaged in these exercises designed to
ensure safety of vital sea lanes.
The war games have also been planned to deal with threats of
intrusions from air and sea lanes by terrorist groups and to deal with
sea hijackings, the sources said. Though the Armed Forces had earlier
repeatedly sought to play down possible threats from the LTTE for their
acquisition of air assets, the series of joint military exercises are
planned to cope with such attacks, the sources said.
The holding of such exercises comes close on the heels of Indian Air
Force along with Coast Guard and Navy having undertaken the first combat
war games to test preparations to meet with possible such threats.
Early last week the Indian Armed Forces carried out a military
exercise in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
The exercise which has been codenamed Operation Dakshin Prahar was
aimed at protecting oil tankers, nuclear installations and ports against
air raids particularly from "non-state actors" - a reference to groups
such as the LTTE or Al Qaeda. |