27.2.12

Shoor Veer

The Army is getting set to launch another major combat exercise, “Shoor Veer’’, on the western front from March to May. Over 60,000 soldiers with T-90S, T-72 M1 main-battle tanks and infantry combat vehicles, backed by Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, aircraft, helicopters, drones, satellites and other force-multipliers, will take part in the exercise to practice the “proactive” strategy of multiple rapid thrusts across the border. This comes after the major ‘Sudarshan Shakti’’ war games late last year, which also practised swift mobilization and armoured attacks across the border. Since last year, Pakistan has taken to projecting its new 60-km Nasr (Hatf-IX) missile as a deadly game-changer against what is loosely called India’s ‘Cold Start’ doctrine. “While Sudarshan Shakti was held in desert terrain, this exercise will be held in semi-desert/semi-developed area spread between Bikaner and Suratgarh. The exercise is being conducted by the South-Western Command at Jaipur, with 1 Corps (strike formation) and 10 Corps (pivot) taking part,’’ an official said. “Validating doctrines in a joint service environment, the exercise will be based on the integrated theatre battle concept. It will be one of largest maneuvers conducted so far and will enable the Army to validate its war-fighting concepts,’’ the official added. Even as the Army “transforms” itself by consolidating its strike capabilities, the 1.13-million force is also focusing on streamlining operational logistics to ensure it can rapidly mobilize and sustain multiple armoured thrusts.

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