Operation Brahmarishi

[Guest guest]

India's firepower on show in Thar

 

BIKANER, May 21 (UNI)

 

Defence Minister George Fernandes, Army Chief Gen S Padmanabhan and

Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy witnessed an awesome display of

military firepower at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan

today.

Sources said army guns, fighter aircraft and attack helicopters

participated in the nearly four-hour exercise, part of Operation

Brahmarishi which was started recently under Operation Parakram in

the border region.

Air Force Jaguars, fighters of the MiG series and helicopter

gunships attacked ground targets in a fiery show of military

prowess, the sources said. Laser-guided bombs smashed into mock

enemy targets. Tanks were also tested on the tough desert land.

Sources said the tanks bought recently from Russia and other latest

military hardware were also put to test in the exercise.

Commandos carried out a mock attack on the ''enemy'' after jumping

out of helicopters, they said.

An Air Force spokesman said the exercise aimed to demonstrate the

capability of the Army and the Air Force ''to carry out a

coordinated strike on the enemy.'' An Army spokesman, however,

played down the event. ''This was a routine, small-level exercise

they watched,'' he said on phone from Jodhpur.

The exercise was preceded by a Commanders'-level meeting which Mr

Fernandes presided. The Army and Air Force Chiefs also participated

in the meeting. Sources said the meeting reviewed the security

situation on the border in view of the spiralling tensions with

Pakistan.

Army and Air Force commanders briefed the defence minister about

the ''preparedness of the forces'' in the region, the sources said.

Mr Fernandes, Gen Padmanabhan and Air Chief Krishnaswamy left for

New Delhi by a special plane in the afternoon. The three of them had

taken a helicopter for the Army firing range from the Nal air field

near here in the morning.

The Mahajan firing range is nearly 150 km from Bikaner in north-

western Rajasthan.

CHARGE DENIED: Meanwhile, India today rejected the charge that it

was in a war-like mood or belligerent towards Pakistan in the wake

of the Kaluchak massacre but made it clear that it would do

everything to protect national interests.

''I totally reject the charge that it is we who are war-like or

belligerent... There is no substance in this allegation. We are only

engaged in defence of our national interests and preventing cross-

border terrorism,'' an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson told

reporters here.

Asked if India and Pakistan are on the verge of a war given the

deployment of forces by India on the border, the spokesperson told

the questioner, ''It is a very one-sided (view)... as if Pakistan is

a peace-loving nation. I am sorry we haven't got the picture right

there.''

On whether there was any pressure from the United States on India to

exercise restraint, she said: ''We are not into the business of

pressure when it comes to protecting our national interests.''

Observing that nobody wanted a conflict, she said: ''In the ultimate

analysis, we are for peace and against war but we are confronting a

situation generated by actions from across the border. We are taking

steps to defend ourselves and want to convey it to Pakistan that

India will not tolerate further pain inflicted on us.''

 

 

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