New Delhi: There have been 1,586 incidents of ceasefire violations in 2019 and 646 incidents of ceasefire violations during the first two months of 2020 up to February 23, on Indo-Pak International border as well as Line of Control after August 5, 2019, Lok Sabha was told.

In addition 132 cases of Cross Border firing from August 5, 2019 to December 31, 2019 and 41 cases of Cross Border firing between January 1, 2020 to February 15, 2020 along International Border and Line of Control occurred in UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Minster of State for Defence Shripad Nayak said.

There have been 27 encounters with terrorists in UT of Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019 to February 23, 2020. 45 terrorists were neutralised and seven security force personnel were martyred.

In the three years 2017 to 2019, the minister said 251 security forces personnel were martyred while 627 terrorists were killed.

The break of security forces martyred were 80 in 2017, 91 in 2018 and 80 in 2019 while the terrorists killed were 213 in 2017, 257 in 2018 and 157 in 2019.

On the number of women in the armed forces, the Minister said it was 6,892 in the Army, 1878 in Indian Air Force and 685 in Indian Navy.

As far as induction of women as soldiers in Military Police was concerned, he said 1,700 such posts have been sanctioned to be spread over 17 years. 101 women have started their training in January this year at Corps of Military Police Training Centre, Bangalore.

In May, 2001, the Defence Industry sector, which was hitherto reserved for the public sector, was opened up to 100 per cent for Indian private sector participation, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 26 per cent both subject to licensing.

As per the data furnished by 79 companies operating in Defence and Aerospace sector, so far, FDI inflows of over Rs 1,834 crores have been reported under both government and automatic route till December, 2019.

By allowing higher FDI in the Defence sector, the global companies having high-end technologies can be encouraged to set up their manufacturing base in India in collaboration with Indian companies, thereby resulting in creation of employment opportunities, saving of foreign exchange and increasing indigenisation, he said.