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Amid the rising tension between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a group of armed forces veterans on Friday and had an extensive interaction on various issues related to the current situation.
The group included former Air Force, Army, and Navy Chiefs and other veterans who have extensively served the country. Earlier today, the Central Government empowered the Chief of Army Staff to call out "every office and every enrolled person" of the Territorial Army on active duty amid escalating tensions with Pakistan. This decision came under the power conferred Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948. According to a notification from the Ministry of Defence, the government has sanctioned 14 out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions of the Territorial Army for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command, and the Army. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948, the Central Government empowers Chief of the Army Staff to exercise the powers under that rule to call out every officer and every enrolled person of the Territorial Army to provide for essential guard or to be embodied for the purpose of supporting or supplementing the regular army to the extent," the notification from Ministry of Defence stated. "Out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army," it added. Pakistan on Thursday night launched a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks along India's western border, targeting regions in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. According to Indian defense officials, the attacks were largely intercepted by India's air defense systems, including the S-400 missile defense system, preventing significant damage. This comes after India conducted Operation Sindoor earlier this week, which targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan following a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22. The situation remains volatile, with international calls for restraint and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation. (ANI)
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