Our Bureau
Srinagar
In a decisive show of military strength, India has deployed T-72 main battle tanks along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor sector as part of Operation Sindoor. The move, aimed at countering recent Pakistani aggression, marks a significant escalation in India’s border defence strategy.
According to senior army officials, the T-72 tanks, equipped with 125mm guns and missile capabilities up to 4,000 meters, were integrated into a joint force deployment that also included BMP-2 armoured vehicles, advanced air defence systems, and precision artillery units. This formidable combination delivered a robust response to cross-border threats, neutralising multiple terrorist camps and infiltration routes along the LoC.
Brigadier Mudit Mahajan, Commander of the Poonch Brigade confirmed that while active military operations have been paused since May 10, Indian forces remain on high alert, maintaining 24×7 vigilance across sensitive sectors.
Operation Sindoor achieved notable successes, including the destruction of nine critical targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the neutralisation of six key terrorist camps opposite Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor. In the north Pir Panjal region, retaliatory strikes reportedly resulted in the deaths of 65 Pakistani soldiers, with no casualties on the Indian side.
The operation also exposed serious lapses in Pakistani artillery training. An unexploded 155mm shell, found in the Mendhar sector, was discovered to be fitted with a plug instead of a fuse—a basic error that Indian officials say underscores poor training standards.
Air defence units played a pivotal role, intercepting multiple drone swarm threats and earning praise as the “shining shield” of the operation. The Indian Air Force also conducted strikes across the western sector, crippling several Pakistani military installations.
