One year after Pahalgam, what has changed in Army strategy

As many as 49 tourist spots were closed off to tourists after an audit of close to 87 places across the valley.
It is also understood that a dynamic deployment of troops in the higher reaches was put into place in a bid to prevent infiltration of terrorists from across the border and to deny them hideouts.

Additionally, extensive patrols for operations and area domination across the Valley floor and in the higher reaches were part of the Army’s summer strategy.

Immediate measures implemented after the Pahalgam terror attack also included setting up more temporary operating bases — where troops can operate for a fixed period of 72-96 hours. The ones existing were put into maximum use so that security forces can dominate and carry out search operations in larger areas.

Proactive steps

Multiple steps have been implemented over the last year to monitor and curb infiltration of terrorists from across the border, one of which is to enhance the existing infiltration grid by using the latest technologies.

Additional cameras, smaller drones, and other night surveillance devices have been deployed to monitor the LoC and the areas across the border and prevent infiltration. The goal is to proactively strengthen security along the Line of Control, including reinforcing the fence by adding more surveillance devices in areas where there are gaps.

In case of a probable breach, the likely routes into the hinterland are also being monitored, both by surveillance devices, including drones, and by enhanced physical patrolling by troops. Temporary Operating Bases are also established regularly at prominent locations, enabling troops to dominate areas away from their permanent bases.

Additional changes include a focus on better human intelligence, putting in additional police and CRPF detachments closer to vulnerable areas and relocating some of the existing ones. Additionally, they have established lateral communication lines with the Army posts in the vicinity to reduce reaction time in the instance of an incident. The Area of Responsibility for all forces has been clearly demarcated since.

Focus on drones

Aside from real-time lateral communication between security forces to reduce response time in case of any incident, there has been a focus on better information and intelligence sharing between all agencies involved.

The Army, both at the central and the command levels, have undertaken procurement of a variety of drones for surveillance of the LoC, identified vulnerable areas.

Some of the drones being procured have surveillance cameras, offering them better coverage of the area. Drones that can be armed with grenades are also being procured.

All-terrain vehicles are being procured for faster reaction time to any possible incident by the security forces, as they can travel through difficult terrains.

Procurement of counter-drone systems to offer an effective umbrella against incoming aerial threats—a key lesson drawn from Operation Sindoor launched two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack—is also being carried out in large scale.

Additional deployment of Special Forces has been carried out in the higher reaches for operations. Seek and Destroy missions are being executed by troops by combing through areas, seeking encounters with terrorists in hiding, searching for hideouts. The hideouts are destroyed in such operations to deny the terrorists suitable places to hide, thus forcing them out in the open.

The use of Integrated Command Control Systems, which include a strengthened fence, surveillance cameras and drones automatically launched using AI, is also being established, people familiar with the developments said.