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The Print
6 days ago
- The Print
Operation Akhal continues for third day in J&K's Kulgam
In a post on X, Chinar Corps of the Indian Army said, 'OP AKHAL, Kulgam. Intermittent and intense firefight continued through the night. Alert troops responded with calibrated fire and tightened the noose while maintaining contact.' On Saturday, security forces neutralised one terrorist during a gunfight that continued overnight in the Akhal area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district, Chinar Corps said. The joint operation was carried out by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police, CRPF, and the Special Operations Group (SOG). Kulgam: Security forces continue their operation in the Akhal Devsar area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district. So far, one terrorist has been neutralised in the operation. 'One terrorist has been neutralised by the security forces so far. Operation continues,' post added on X. On July 30, an encounter broke out along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian Army troops detected suspicious movement near the border fence, the Army's White Knight Corps said. According to officials, troops maintaining vigil along the LoC noticed the movement of two individuals under suspicious circumstances in the general area of the Poonch sector. Upon being challenged by the soldiers, the suspected terrorists opened fire, prompting a swift retaliation from the a post on X, White Knight Corps stated, 'White Knight Corps Contact with terrorists. Suspected movement of two individuals was observed by own troops along the fence in gen area of Poonch Sector. Gunfire exchanged.' This report is auto generated from the ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also Read: Medieval Kashmir was confidently multicultural. And dazzled the world with art and ideas
Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Indian Express
Encounter underway as security forces foil infiltration attempts by Pak terrorists in J-K's Poonch
An encounter was in progress in the Digwar area Wednesday morning as security forces foiled an infiltration bid from across the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. Official sources said that a group of two terrorists who tried to cross the LoC from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) were trapped. The Nagrota-based White Knight Corps said in a social media post on X, 'Suspected movement of two individuals was observed by own troops along the fence in gen area of #Poonch Sector. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress'. #WhiteKnightCorps Contact with #Terrorists Suspected movement of two individuals was observed by own troops along the fence in gen area of #Poonch Sector. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress.@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA — White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) July 30, 2025 Further details were awaited.
The Hindu
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Kargil Vijay Diwas: Chief of Army Staff Gen Dwivedi launches three projects to pay tributes to Kargil martyrs
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday (July 26, 2025) launched three projects, including a portal where people can pay 'e-shradhanjali' to martyrs, as part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas. The others were a QR code-based audio gateway, on which people can listen to the stories of the 1999 Kargil war battles fought, and the Indus Viewpoint, which offers people a chance to go up to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Batalik sector. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on July 26 every year. On this day in 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory after a nearly three-month battle on the icy heights of Kargil, including such super-high-altitude locations as Tololing and Tiger Hill. 'The citizens can now pay e-shradhanjali to the heroes who made the supreme sacrifice for the country without visiting the memorial,' an army officer said. The project is aimed at sensitising people about the sacrifices made by the armed forces and the hardships they faced while discharging their duties, he said. The other project launched was a QR code application, where people can listen to stories about the various battles that were waged to fight off Pakistani intruders in 1999. 'The concept is similar to museums, where the visitors can listen to the details of the exhibits using earphones. Here, people will get to listen to the saga of courage, valour, bravery and sacrifice by the soldiers,' the officer said. Indus Viewpoint, another project launched, will allow visitors to go up to the LoC in the Batalik sector. 'This will give an idea to the visitors about the conditions in which soldiers serve, the difficulties and constant dangers they face on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the nation remains safe,' the officer said. Batalik was one of the main battlegrounds during the Kargil war. Located at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, Batalik was the focal point of the Kargil war due to its strategic location between Kargil, Leh, and Baltistan. The small village in the Indus River valley has now become a major tourist attraction.
Mint
28-06-2025
- Mint
The Pahalgam attack crushed Kashmir's fledgling offbeat tourism. The Amarnath Yatra could be a new start.
SRINAGAR : In March 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir |(J&K) government launched an ambitious initiative to spotlight 75 offbeat destinations—37 in Jammu and the rest in the Kashmir Valley. But April brought a brutal end to the fragile optimism that had begun to take root in these lesser-known tourist attractions. Baisaran Valley, known as 'mini Switzerland' for its picturesque meadow, is now remembered for the haunting image of a numb young bride sitting beside her husband's lifeless body. The first-ever terror attack on tourists in 'Paradise on Earth' claimed 26 lives, and with them, the hard-earned trust. Six days after the 22 April attack, the Union territory's administration ordered the closure of 48 out of 87 tourist destinations across the Valley. Nearly all offbeat spots, such as Gurez Valley, Lolab Valley, Bangus Valley, Tulail Valley, Keran, and Doodhpathri, were declared off limits, leaving once-lively trails and meadows in deafening stillness. 'Coming in April, just as the peak summer season was about to begin, and directly targeting tourists, the attack dealt a heavy blow to the industry at its most crucial moment," Javed Bashir, a 33-year-old tour operator from the Baramulla district, 53 kilometres from Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K) summer capital Srinagar, told Mint. While some tourists can be spotted at popular tourist destinations, the far-flung places remain completely deserted, said Bashir, who has been in the business since 2018. Encouraged by the newfound normalcy in the Valley following the abrogation of Article 370, tourists turned up in droves, with J&K recording 23.6 million tourist visits in 2024—the highest ever, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25. To accommodate this growing influx, the administration gradually started promoting offbeat destinations. Hidden valleys, quiet villages, and virgin alpine meadows began welcoming visitors, marking an unexpected turning point for tourism in the Valley. There was a tourist boom, and with it came hope. "Many hotels, guest houses, and other properties were under construction. People invested heavily, believing the momentum would continue. But now, it seems all is lost," said Mushtaq Chaya, chairman of the J&K Hoteliers Club. Thousands of families who depend on tourism for their livelihood are suffering. 'Many are now on the brink of bankruptcy unless tourist confidence is restored soon," a senior tourism official told Mint on the condition of anonymity. The official added that repeated communications with higher authorities have proven futile, as not a single site has been reopened yet. Struggling to make ends meet, two million people—from hotel and homestay owners to their staff, tour guides, transport operators, 'ponywallahs'—are now pinning their hopes on the Amarnath Yatra (3 July to 9 August), an annual Hindu pilgrimage, to revive the industry this winter season. Investments down the drain The tourism had also been flourishing along the Line of Control (LoC), a rare and hopeful sight after years of uncertainty. By the summer of 2021, just months after the February ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, the streets of border villages were alive. Also Read: From Konkan's Alphonso to Andhra's Imam Pasand, why are Indian mangoes losing their sweet spot? For the first time in nearly three decades, people of these once-restricted zones were able to welcome tourists, both domestic and international, eager to explore the serene valleys that had long been off limits. The calm along the border seemed to promise a new chapter for Kashmir, a peaceful and prosperous future where the beauty of the land could finally shine through without the looming threat of conflict. For example, in 2023, the border district of Kupwara hosted 140,000 tourists. Those who invested in offbeat tourism now find themselves idle with no work. In Kupwara's Lolab Valley, about 20 hotels set up by locals through loans and leases are now facing heavy losses, said Talib Hussain, who has lost his job as a travel agency manager. 'Between April and June, we usually see a good flow of tourists who come to enjoy trekking, camping, the gushing streams, lush green forests, and the centuries-old Kalaroos caves, but not this year," the 29-year-old told Mint. Similarly, Keran, nestled amid lush green forests, walnut trees, meadows, streams, and wooden houses, once provided a serene escape for visitors, drawing many to its peaceful atmosphere. One part in Kupwara district and the other in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the village is bisected by the Kishanganga River (known as Neelum on the other side), making it a unique offbeat tourist attraction. In its Jhelum Bazar, hotelier Dilshad Ahmad Bhat remembered the joy of welcoming tourists after the 2021 ceasefire, which inspired him to take a ₹5 lakh bank loan in 2024 to renovate his hotel. But now, 'the hotel is empty, and so are the vegetable and meat shops I used to buy from for my guests. It's not just about the money, but it is also my mental health, slipping away with every silent day," Bhat told Mint. Gurez Valley in the Bandipora district is another breathtaking slice of paradise, bordered by thick forests, towering mountains, and the winding Kishanganga River. Nestled 123km from Srinagar, at an altitude of 2,400 meters, once a key stop on the ancient Silk Route, the valley's beauty is rivalled only by its isolation, with snowfall cutting off access for more than six months each year. Mohammad Ismail Lone, a homestay owner and the head of the Gurez Traders Federation, recalled with quiet pride how his modest homestay welcomed hundreds of visitors in just a single year, earning him ₹5-6 lakh, a lifeline not just for him, but also for the four employees who ran the place like family. 'After the attack, everything changed. The tourists disappeared overnight, and so did the jobs." Also Read: India's liquor stocks are on a high—what's fuelling the rally, and what could derail it 'After years of living under the shadow of cross-border shelling, we were finally beginning to breathe easy, watching tourists bring life back to Gurez Valley, but we never imagined it would all slip away so soon and we would find ourselves back where we started," he added. Today, the homestays and hotels are empty. Restaurant shutters creak half-open in the wind. Taxis purchased on credit wait silently at village junctions, their engines cold. Livelihoods interrupted For the past three years, 55-year-old Ghulam Qadri Bhatti and his wife Mughali had begun each morning in the hills of Doodhpathri, or 'Valley of Milk', 44km from Srinagar, by setting up their modest tea stall in the open meadows, gently brewing Nun Chai, the traditional pink salty tea of Kashmir made with green tea leaves, milk, and baking soda. 'Our days were spent making tea and talking to tourists. We served not just tea, but a piece of Kashmiri hospitality. But after the violence, the authorities told us to leave because of security concerns. Now, with no tourists around, we had to pack up our stall," said Bhatti, his voice trailing into a sigh. For years, the region's tea sellers earned a modest living—between ₹20,000 and ₹40,000 a month—every summer. Bhatti is one of nearly 200 such tea sellers who lost their livelihood in the aftermath of the terrorist attack. 'We are landless people. Since Doodhpathri in the Budgam district was sealed off and our stalls were shut, we have been left jobless, with nothing to do. It has become a daily struggle just to make ends meet. Our dreams of providing a better future, of sending our children to school, seem impossible now, " Bhatti said. In the adjoining Riyar Riyar Ich village in the same district, 32-year-old tourist guide Mohammad Shafi Mir has the same story to share. For the past 13 years, he has guided visitors through Doodhpathri, supporting his entire family through this job. 'When there are no tourists, there is no work and no income," he said. Since the attack, Mir has not earned a single rupee, calling it the most unprecedented situation he has faced in his career. About 10,000 people directly associated with tourism, including hoteliers, transporters, pony riders, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) operators, tea sellers, and tourist guides, have lost their livelihoods in Doodhpathri alone, according to Mir. 'In anticipation of the growing influx of tourists, many hoteliers and ATV operators took out loans to construct hotels and purchase ATVs. It is concerning to think how they will repay these loans, given that they are not earning anything at the moment," Mir lamented. In Budgam's Yusmarg, pony riders sit quietly next to their horses, watching the empty paths. The place, which once echoed with tourists' adventure and the sound of hooves on the ground, is now silent. Long-lasting impact Political instability has a profound impact on global tourism. 'Tourists always look for peace and security, which are fundamental prerequisites for travel. Incidents like 9/11 and the 2008 Mumbai attack have had far-reaching consequences beyond their immediate regions," said Reyaz Ahmad Qureshi, head professor at the department of tourism, hospitality and leisure studies, University of Kashmir. Also Read: Why is walking on eggshells beyond Gurugram, its home turf He added that while Kashmir has endured a prolonged period of unrest, it has been gradually transitioning into a post-conflict phase since 2021, fostering a sense of growing optimism within the tourism sector. He argued for a more nuanced approach to dealing the terrorism's impact on tourism. 'Sealing off tourist spots or banning trekking sends the wrong message. Offbeat destinations could be reopened gradually with proper regulation." 'We must project Kashmir as a safe, beautiful, and affordable destination. Campaigns like 'Aao Kashmir Chalein' should be sustained and should emphasize the warmth and sacrifices made by locals to ensure visitors feel welcome," added Qureshi, stressing that negative media coverage must be addressed with professionalism and assured security. Still many, including Bashir, remain cautiously optimistic about a revival in tourism in the Union territory. He expects the Amarnath Yatra and snow-draped landscapes during winters to lure visitors back to the Valley. 'While the summer season may have slipped away in the shadow of recent events, the story is not over yet. The season is definitely behind us, but once the Amarnath Yatra concludes in August, the spotlight will shift to winter," he said. The successful conduct of the Amarnath Yatra will now serve as a litmus test for the government's ability to restore confidence among tourists.
India.com
25-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
How India Ramping Up Army Firepower Following Israel-Iran Conflict, Eyeing Indigenous Edge Over Pakistan And China
New Delhi: Seemingly taking lessons from the recent Israel-Iran conflict, India has quietly shifted gears to strengthen its own military muscle. The Ministry of Defence, under Rajnath Singh's leadership, has approved a fast-track plan to arm the Indian Army with new-generation weapons sourced from domestic firms. The list includes high-tech drones, loitering munitions and advanced counter-drone systems – tools tailored for today's evolving battlefield. These purchases carry weight beyond just numbers. They signal a strategic message that New Delhi is preparing for any threat looming on its western or northern frontiers. The decision is likely to cause unease in both Islamabad and Beijing. The Indian Army has been given full autonomy to make rapid acquisitions. It is already in talks with domestic companies to deliver precision-guided systems, artillery shells and long-range strike equipment. These tools are being treated as essentials for operations ranging from counter-terror missions to high-altitude defence posturing. One of the most notable acquisitions is the Nagastra 1R loitering munition. The Army has placed an order worth Rs 158 crore with Solar Industries to procure 450 units. These munitions are already deployed in select sectors and have proven effective. Capable of eliminating infiltrators and destroying enemy infrastructure along the Line of Control, the new batch is expected to be delivered within a year. Another key addition is the hybrid mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) – a fixed-wing VTOL system that can take off and land vertically. It has been tested thoroughly by two high-level technical committees to ensure that no components are of Chinese origin. These UAVs have been field-tested during recent military exercises and are now approved for frontline use. Behind these decisions is a larger plan. The Army is drawing up contracts worth tens of thousands of crores. In the coming weeks, purchases totalling Rs 44,000 crore are on the table. These include long-range strike weapons, smart jammers, advanced radars and an arsenal of ammunition built for sustained warfare. The Army's focus remains sharp on 'long-range vectors' – systems capable of hitting deep inside enemy territory without needing boots on the ground. The need for stronger air defences is also high on the list. After 'Operation Sindoor', where Pakistani drones posed a serious threat, the Army wants to deploy low-altitude radars and anti-drone systems in more locations. These tools were critical during that operation and are now seen as a core component of India's future defence architecture. A new security doctrine is quietly taking shape. It favours homegrown innovation, battlefield autonomy and 24x7 readiness. The Army is also ensuring that modernisation does not get entangled in red tape. Instead of waiting years for approvals, it is now signing faster contracts with domestic vendors. This is no ordinary procurement push. It is a recalibration of India's military approach in a world where regional conflicts can spill across borders within hours. As global powers react to the Israel-Iran war, India is making its own moves – which appear to be calculated, quiet and deeply strategic.
