Defence Minister visits forward areas in J&K (Lead)

Srinagar : Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday visited forward posts in the frontier district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, and interacted with the troops deployed along the border.

She was accompanied by the Army chief General Bipin Rawat, and was received by Lieutenant General, Ranbir Singh, Northern Army Commander and Lieutenant General, A.K. Bhatt, Chinar Corps Commander, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.

"She was briefed by the commanders on ground as regards the operational preparedness and counter infiltration grid.

During her interaction with the troops, she lauded their round-the-clock sharp vigil along the Line of Control (LoC), high morale and professionalism.

"She also exhorted them to remain alert for any eventuality to defeat nefarious designs of hostile forces," the statement said.

"Later on Sunday, she along with the General Rawat interacted with Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar and discussed the overall prevailing security situation in Kashmir Valley," it noted.