Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir


Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir include security operations such as Operation Rakshak which began in 1990, Operation Sarp Vinash in 2003 and Operation Randori Behak in 2020. Other operations include humanitarian missions such as Operation Megh Rahat and operations with a social aim such as Operation Goodwill and Operation Calm Down. The Indian Army works in tandem with the other arms of the Indian Armed Forces and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir such as during Mission Sahayata or joint operations.

Security Impact

Operation Rakshak

Operation Rakshak is an ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operation started during the height of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir in June 1990. The operation adapted itself from being merely a "show of strength" in 1990 to encompassing more areas in 1991 such as orders "not to enter the houses of civilians", "not to smoke in religious places" and "not to damage standing crops". 753 Indian army personnel died during Operation Rakshak between 2007 and 2015.
Major Mohit Sharma, who was killed while performing duties under Operation Rakshak, was posthumously awarded India's highest peacetime gallantry award ‘Ashok Chakra’ on 15 August 2009. Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala was also killed during Operation Rakshak 18 November 2017, and was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra 25 January 2018. The Operation Rakshak Memorial is located in Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar.

Operation All Out

Operation All Out a joint offensive launched by Indian security forces in 2017 to flush out militants and terrorists in Kashmir until there is complete peace in the state. Operation All-Out includes the Indian Army, CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, BSF and IB. It was launched against numerous militant groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al-Badr.
The operation was initiated with the consent of Ministry for Home Affairs Government of India following the unrest in 2016 due to the death of Burhan Wani and subsequent militant and terrorist attacks in the region such as the Amarnath Yatra terror attack on 10 July 2017 in which eight Hindu pilgrims were killed and at least 18 others injured.
On 14 January 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik, said that there was no such thing as Operation All Out and that the phrase was a misnomer:

Operation Calm Down

Operation Calm Down was started by the Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir following the aftermath of the death of Burhan Wani in July 2016 which had led to unrest in Kashmir in which more than 90 civilians and 2 security personnel were killed and thousands injured. It was started in September 2016. Over 4000 additional troops were deployed as part of Operation Calm Down to bring back order to the region, but direct instructions were given to the troops to use minimal force. The troops were mainly deployed in South Kashmir. Schools, shops and connectivity to some regions in Kashmir had been lost for over three months due to the unrest and militancy and Operation Calm Down aimed to undo this.

Operation Sarp Vinash

Operation Sarp Vinash was an operation undertaken by Indian army to flush out terrorists who made bases in the Hilkaka Poonch-Surankot area of the Pir Panjal range in Jammu and Kashmir during April–May 2003. In the operation the Indian army killed 64 terrorists belonging to various jihadist outfits. The system of hideouts used by the terrorists found during this operation was the largest ever in the known history of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir.
Over several years, terrorists of groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami, al-Badr and Jaish-e-Mohammad had been building up safe houses and safe areas in strategic areas of the region of Pir Panjal in Poonch for many years over a region of 150 sq kilometers. The network of bunkers and shelters around the region known as Hill Kaka in Surankote numbered nearly over a hundred, and were intermingled with shelters used by local herdsmen. 9 Para-Commando Regiment were called to capture Peak 3689 in Hill Kaka after surveillance picked up footprints converging at one location. 13 terrorists were killed in this, the single largest number during operation Sarp Vinash. 6 Rashtriya Rifles, 163 Brigade, 100 Brigade and the 15 Corps were also called in for operations. From diaries captured from killed terrorists, the presence of a rudimentary counter-intelligence system of the terrorist organisations was revealed, which involved killing women and children who had given up information to Indian security forces. An extensive communications system using portable satellite phones was also found which allowed the terrorists to contact handlers in Pakistan and India. Paratrooper Sanjog Chhetri, 9 Para, was awarded an Ashoka Chakra in 2004 posthumously for his role in the Operation Sarp Vinash in which he succumbed. During Operation Sarp Vinash, media claims of different Indian media houses about what actually happened during the operation were hyped and very contradictory.

Operation Sadbhavana (Goodwill)

Operation Sadbhavana, also referred to as Operation Goodwill has been launched in Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian Army under their Military Civic Action programmes, which are aimed at "Winning the Hearts and Minds" of the people in the region. Sadbhavna literally means 'harmony', therefore the operation can also be interpreted as Operation Harmony. The catchphrase of the operation is "Jawan aur Awam, Aman Hai Muqaam".
Welfare initiatives under Operation Sadbhavana include infrastructure development, medical care, women and youth empowerment, educational tours and sports tournaments among other initiatives. Over 450 crore rupees has been directly spent on this programme and more funding provided through donors. The projects are planned according to the needs and desires of the local population and are handed over to the state government after successful initiation. 'Operation Sadbhavana' is a resolve by the Indian army to come closer to the population in Jammu and Kashmir and develop mutual faith and trust which the army gets across the rest of India.

Background

Operation Sadbhavana was officially launched in 1998, especially in rural areas near the Line of Control where insurgency and militancy had caused destruction to property and a sense of alienation among the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the rest of India.

Initiatives

Kashmir Super-30 & Super-40
In 2013, the Indian Army teamed up with the New Delhi-based NGO, Centre for Social Responsibility and Leadership, to launch the Super-30 initiative along the lines of the highly acclaimed and successful Super-30 concept started by Abhayanand in Bihar. Over time the initiative included more students and was subsequently called the Army Super-40, and soon will become the Army Super-50. Nine students of the 2016-17 Army Super-40 batch cleared the difficult IIT-JEE advanced examination. Various Indian organizations have provided funding for this project including Power Grid India contributing for the first batch, the Rural Electrification Council contributing for the second batch and the TATA Relief Committee funding the third batch.
Schools
The Indian Army has established 53 English medium Army Goodwill Schools in places in Jammu and Kashmir such as Rajouri, Poonch, Boniyar, Uri, Khanabal, Karu, Kargil and Chandigam. Assistance has also been provided to approximately 2700 public schools. These army schools are known to provide undisturbed and good quality education even during times of unrest. Army Goodwill Schools operating under the shelter of Operation Sadbhavana are educating more than 10000 students in the Kashmir Valley itself and over 14000 students in Jammu and Kashmir.
Women Empowerment Centres
Here women are taught various skills, awareness is raised about health and birth control, information regarding banking and loan procedures is imparted, basic education is imparted including operating computers, fashion designing and craft related skills. Under this initiative centers such as the Women's Vocational Training Centre, Poonch, Usha Fashion Design School, Baramulla and Women Empowerment Centre, Baramulla have been set up., in New Delhi on 17 February 2012.
Educational/Motivational Tours
Between 2012 and 2015, the Indian army conducted over 250 educational, national integration and capacity building tours and in each tour around 30 members are accommodated. The members of the tour get to visit places such as Punjab, Dehradun, Kerala, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Gopalpur, Agra and New Delhi which each tour being unique in its own way. The students also get to interact with students in India, administrative and government officials, which sometimes also includes the President and Prime Minister of India, as well as other figures. For many of the Kashmiri children on tours, they get the opportunity for the first time to travel outside Kashmir.
Model Villages
Model Villages set up under Operation Sadbhavana include Chandigam Model Village, Lolab and Sagra Model Village, Mendhar.
Health Care
Medical Camps are conducted on a regular basis by the Indian army. A Military Hospital in Kargil has also been set up which also caters to civilians with various services being free of cost. The Pritam Spiritual Foundation under Operation Sadbhavana has provided artificial limbs free of cost to over 3100 people who have been victims of militancy, mine blasts or crossborder firing. Under operation Sadbhavana veterinary aid camps and free treatment to civil animals are also offered.
Sports
The Indian army organises various sporting events in Jammu and Kashmir in coordination with local sports bodies. Some events that has been conducted under this initiative includes the Baramulla Girls Badminton League, Baramulla Cricket Premier League, Kupwara Premier Football League, Gingle Volleyball League. As many thirty two teams participated in the cricket tournament even as sixteen teams participated in the football tournament.

Operation Megh Rahat

In September 2014, the Kashmir region witnessed severe flooding in many areas. The rainfall and flooding resulted in people dying on both sides of the border. The Indian Armed Forces were deployed to conduct search, rescue, relief. Nearly 30,000 troops were deployed. By mid-September, over 200,000 people were rescued by the Armed forces. While the Army's Northern Command response was called Operation Megh Rahat, the Armed Forces assistance as a whole was called Mission Sahayata.

Militant fatalities since 1990

Encounters generally increase in the summer season when the snow melts on the high Himalayan peaks dividing Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, making it easier for trained ultras to cross over into the Indian side. The Indian Army changes it's strategy in summer which included redeployment as per summer infiltration routes along the LoC.
Indian security forces, between January and May 2020, conducted 27 operations in which more than 64 terrorists were killed. On 8 June 2020 officials said over 100 terrorists had been killed so far.

Timeline

Summary

Year20172018
January1213
February106
March923
April819
May1618
June2126
July2711
August2525
September1631
October1726
November1937
December12-

2017

A total of 213 militants were killed under the operation by the Indian security forces in 2017. The security forces were able to persuade 82 youth to abandon militancy and come back. 78 security personnel were also killed in militant related violence.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
, a total of 222 militants and 41 security personnel have been killed in operations. A unilateral ceasefire was declared by the Indian Government from 14 May to 17 June where the security forces were asked not to launch new operations during Ramadan.

2020

Indian security forces, between January and 19 June, launched several operations in which 102 terrorists were killed.Lt Gen BS Raju in a press conference mentioned that normalcy will return in the valley within few months and all the terrorists will be eliminated. In the first week of April, Operation Randori Behak resulted in the deaths of five para commandos from 4 Para, the same commandos which had taken part in the 2016 'surgical strikes'. Operation Randori Behak resulted in the most deaths in 2020, 'five terrorists, five soldiers'.
On 2 May, following Pakistani border firing and the deaths of Indian security forces, the United Nations spokesperson said that "Antonio Guterres' ceasefire appeal is global".
May onwards, Indian troops have been part of the 2020 China–India skirmishes.

Gallery