Air Force, Army Begin War Games In Rajasthan

India plans to move troops to within 30 kms of its border with Pakistan in Rajasthan by the next two months in response to a similar move by Islamabad.

A defence ministry spokesman here quoted Lt General J M Khanna, chief of the Western Command, as saying, "Pakistan says it is not carrying out combat exercises but only maintaining `operational alert' up to 30 km away from the border. In response we will move our soldiers to an equal distance from the border".

The spokesman was briefing journalists on `Operation Shiv Shakti', a combined Army and Air Force exercise, being held after the nuclear explosions in May. Pakistan had been informed of the excercise and there was no tension in the area, the spokesman said.

The exercise began on November 30 and will continue till December 12. Nearly 1,800 officers, 4,500 non-commissioned officers and 60,000 jawans are taking part in the exercise that involves 700 aircraft, 300 tanks and 200 combat vehicles. The Arjun battle tank, developed indigenously, is being deployed for the first time and so is the Prithvi missile and its mobile launcher. The fleet of aircraft include the Jaguar, MiG 27, MiG 29 and Sukhoi 30s.

No live ammunition was fired in the exercise and fighter planes were fitted with a camera. If the mock enemy came within range and was snapped up by the camera, he was declared "shot at".