New Delhi: Army Chief General MM Naravane on January 15 said abrogation of Article 370 is a historic step which will connect Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country.

Addressing his first Army Day parade, General Naravane who took over as the new Chief from General Bipin Rawat, who was made the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said,
“abrogation of Article 370 is a historical step which will connect Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. Its abrogation has disrupted proxy war by our western neighbour [Pakistan].” Article 370 of the Constitution granted a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Reiterating that the Army has zero-tolerance towards terrorism, General Naravane said, “Indian Army has zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and we have several options to give a befitting reply to such activities.”

“To prepare the Army for future wars, we are focusing on enhancing our capabilities in contact and non-contact warfare,” he said.

Besides the Army Chief, those present included Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat as the Army showcased its military might and some of its state-of-the-art assets at the majestic Army Day.

Army’s Captain Tania Shergil, the first woman Parade Adjutant, led the all-men contingents at the Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi Cantonment.

The Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year to mark Lt Gen K M Cariappa taking over as commander-in-chief of the Indian Army in 1949 from General Francis Butcher, the last British commander-in-chief of India.

This is the 72nd Army Day and it is the first time that a chief of defence staff is attending it.