NEW DELHI: The recent setbacks to the security forces have led to a major shakeup in the deployment of uniformed armed forces on the ground with the aim of strengthening the three-tiered security arrangement.A source said, “The boots on the ground, on the lines of the three-tier deployment which existed prior to 2020, are being deployed.””But this time, other uniformed forces are also being meshed into the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism (CICT) grid,” the source added.The trigger for the deployment shakeup comes amid a recent surge in terror attacks in the Jammu region, where more soldiers have been killed than terrorists this year. According to this newspaper, the death toll of security personnel in the region has risen to 13 after four army personnel, including a captain, were killed on July 15 in a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists in Doda district. In contrast, three terrorists have been neutralised in Jammu.Notably, since 2021, 34 soldiers have been martyred, while 40 terrorists were killed in the same period.While the army has moved in a brigade-sized force along with two companies of the Special Forces (around 500 commandos), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel experienced in low-intensity conflict (LICO) have also been moved into the region.As TNIE reported, two battalions of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) Assam Rifles have also been moved into the region.The CRPF, also a CAPF, is beefing up its number of personnel in the region with a planned mobilisation of personnel from the valley. The CRPF is the lead internal security force, and the Assam Rifles has been primarily serving in the northeast of the country.Sources in the security establishment pointed to thinner troop deployment, scarce ground intelligence inputs, and a tactical shift in terrorist strategy. The area earlier was looked after by a battalion (around 800 troops), which at present has two companies (around 260 troops).The CICT Grid of the three force-level formations, with the units known as the Rashtriya Rifles, were earlier organised into the Delta (Doda) Force, Uniform Force, and Romeo (Rajouri) Force. The uniform force was moved out and has been handling the deployment towards the northern borders.To understand the Jammu region and the border spanning along it, the total length of the international border (IB) with Pakistan stretches for approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to the north banks of the Chenab in Akhnoor in Jammu.Then starts the 740 km of Line of Control (LoC), which extends from parts of Jammu to parts of Leh. According to sources, around four division-sized Indian Army troops (25–26 infantry units) and Counter-Insurgency Forces Romeo and Delta are stationed to carry out border defences and conduct anti-terrorist operations.These uniformed forces, including the BSF, CRPF, and JKP in the region, are spread out into three layers, beginning with the Line of Control (LoC) battalions of the Indian Army having their Border Out Posts (BoPs) along the LoC. This is followed by the army units along the AIOS (Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System) and then the hinterland battalions under the CI Forces Romeo and Delta.The LoC battalions and army brigades also include around 11 battalions of the Border Security Force, the troops of which have been placed as fragmented deployments under different brigades and battalions of the Indian Army.
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