Govt activates 14 Territorial Army battalions

Defence minister Rajnath Singh (R) holds meet with top military brass on Friday in New Delhi. PIC/PTI

In the wake of the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan, the central government has asked the Indian Army Chief to call out "every officer and every enrolled person" of the Territorial Army (TA) to provide for essential guard or to be embodied to support or supplement the regular army. The Ministry of Defence's Department of Military Affairs issued a notification saying, "This order shall remain in force for three years with effect from 10 Feb 2025 to 09 Feb 2028".

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948, the Central Government empowers Chief of the Army Staff to exercise the powers under that rule to call out every officer and every enrolled person of the TA to provide for essential guard or to be embodied for the purpose of supporting or supplementing the regular army," reads the notification.

An army jawan in J&K. File pic

The TA, raised on October 9, 1949, completed 75 years last year and has served the nation in times of war, and in humanitarian and environmental protection works through its eventful journey over the decades. The government notification also said, "out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (TA), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (TA) for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army Training Command (ARTRAC)".

Rajnath reviews security

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the national security scenario with the top military leadership, a day after Pakistan's attempts to target Indian military installations were repelled. The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

India last night thwarted Pakistan military's attempt to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones. "India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people," the defence ministry said Home Minister Amit Shah also on Friday reviewed the prevailing situation along India's border with Pakistan and airports, sources said. Apart from reviewing the security situation, Shah also took stock of the steps taken to beef up security at airports across the country, the sources said.

Pak drone attacks repulsed

Pakistan's armed forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along the entire western border on the intervening night of May 8-9, which were "effectively repulsed", the Indian Army said on Friday. Pakistani troops also resorted to "numerous ceasefire violations" along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army said in an early Friday morning post on X. The drone attacks were "effectively repulsed" and a "befitting reply" was given to the ceasefire violations, the army said.

BSF kills seven terrorists

The BSF on Friday said it has foiled an infiltration bid from across the International Border in Jammu, killing at least seven terrorists and destroying a Rangers post. The terrorists were engaged around 11 pm on Thursday in Samba district after a "big group" was detected by the "surveillance grid".

This infiltration bid was supported by fire from Pakistan Rangers post Dhandhar, a BSF spokesperson said. The BSF also shared a thermal imager clip of the firing and "destruction" of a bunker of the said post where a heavy machine gun of the Rangers was mounted.

US to stay out of war: VP JD Vance

The US has said it is not going to get involved in a war that's "fundamentally none of our business". While the US cannot control India and Pakistan, it can encourage the two nuclear-armed neighbours to de-escalate, Vice President J D Vance said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.

"Look, we're concerned about any time nuclear powers collide and have a major conflict," Vance said when asked how concerned the Trump administration is about a potential nuclear war. Vance quoted US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio who have said that Washington wants the tensions to "de-escalate" as quickly as possible.

"We can't control these countries though. What we can do is try to encourage to de-escalate. But we're not going to get involved in the middle of war" the US VP said.

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