Article Posted on : - Apr 29, 2011

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Defence Minister A K Antony will visit Rajasthan on Monday to review operational preparedness of the troops along the Pakistan border ahead of the Army war games to be held there.

"During the one-day visit, the Defence Minister will visit the forward locations in western desert and interact with the personnel deployed there," Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said here Friday.

At one of the forward locations along the border, the Defence Minister will be briefed about the infrastructure created and other requirements of the troops there.

The Defence Minister will also visit the Jaisalmer military station where he will be briefed by Southern Army Commander Lt Gen A K Singh about the operational preparedness and issues relating to the Pune-based Southern Command.

Indian Army Chief General V K Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and various other senior military officials will accompany the Defence Minister during the visit.

Antony's visit comes a week before the Army starts its Division-level exercise codenamed 'Operation Vijayee Bhava' to validate its concepts and war-fighting doctrines.

The exercise would be held well inside the border where all fighting arms of the Indian Army including the artillery, armoured columns including tanks and mechanised vehicles will take part in it, sources said.

As part of war-fighting arrangements, the Indian Army has put its three Strike Corps, which are supposed to strike and enter enemy territories in case of war, under three different commands.

During such exercises, the formations evolve and practice battlefield tactics for different warfare scenarios for a conventional conflict with the adversaries.