'Indian Army could scrap Brigadier rank'

Officer cadre restructuring in the Indian Army, including doing away with the Brigadier's rank, is under review, a top army officer said here on Thursday.

"It is just a thought process at this point of time. We are all to offer our recommendations on this issue. Once it is decided, it will be promulgated officially," said South Western Army Command chief, Lt Gen Cherish Mathson.

Speaking to media on sidelines of Army-media seminar here, he however refused to reveal further details on the subject saying it is under deliberation at present.

To a query on the challenges being faced by the army at present, he said enemy countries using tactics of information warfare and psychological warfare on social media channels, which the younger generation has a tendency to believe more. "We need to check it and identify that such actions are happening against us.. (being done) by enemy nations," he added.

Even China and Pakistan are engaged in such warfare with India, he added saying that all enemy countries engage in such tactics. "It is a global phenomenon and it is also happening in Asia."

Mathson warned people to remain aware fake messages being circulated on social media. The enemy countries are carrying out information warfare through fake messages and such messages are needed to be identified, he said.

He also said that the incidents of stone pelting in Kashmir have been controlled now.

On spying and smuggling activities on the borders of the country, he said that there are many linkages between border populations and hence spying and smuggling cases are common there

"However, we have our own counter intelligence establishment to look and check such issues," he said.

--IANS

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