New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said that 80 per cent of the remaining militants in Jammu and Kashmir are of Pakistani origin while affirming that the situation in the region remains under control.
Addressing an annual press conference in New Delhi, the Army Chief said there has been a shift “from militancy to tourism” in J&K, marked by a decline in violence and the successful conduct of events such as the Amarnath Yatra, which witnessed over five lakh pilgrims last year.
General Dwivedi said that in 2024, 73 militants were killed in Jammu and Kashmir, with 60 per cent of them being Pakistani nationals. “As of today, around 80 per cent or more of the remaining militants in the valley and Jammu area are believed to be of Pakistani origin,” he said.
Despite the effective ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) since February 2021, he said infiltration attempts and militant infrastructure continue to exist. “The violence level is being orchestrated by the epicentre of militancy, which is Pakistan,” he said. “If the support from Pakistan continues, militant infiltration will persist. However, due to the induction of 15,000 additional troops in 2024, the violence level has significantly decreased.”
General Dwivedi added, “Both parliamentary and J&K assembly elections witnessed nearly 60 per cent voter turnout, which is a clear indicator that the local population is embracing peace. Militant recruitment in 2024 was only four, which is negligible. All indicators suggest that the people of J&K are shunning violence.”
Acknowledging an increase in militancy related activities in north Kashmir and the Doda-Kishtwar belt, he said overall violence levels remain under control. He added that militant infrastructure remains intact, infiltration continues, and drones are increasingly being used to transfer narcotics.
The Army Chief said the peaceful conduct of the Amarnath Yatra and assembly elections in the region are signs of a positive shift from “militancy to tourism”.
General Dwivedi stressed the importance of the media in national security, saying, “Mass media and security forces have great potential to converge towards nation-building and national security.”
He concluded by reiterating his mission: “My mission is to ensure full-spectrum preparedness while transforming the Indian Army into an Atmanirbhar (self-reliant), future-ready force, a key pillar of national security that contributes meaningfully to nation-building.”
