Jammu, Oct 29 (IANS) Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma on Thursday visited forward formations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district and hinterland units in Rajouri to review operational preparedness, counter-terrorism measures, and inter-agency synergy.
During the operational assessment, Lt Gen Sharma received comprehensive briefings on emerging security challenges, joint intelligence mechanisms, and tactical coordination among various security agencies deployed across the region, military officials said.
Interacting with troops stationed along the forward border outposts, the Army Commander commended their high morale and urged all ranks to remain proactive, vigilant, and mission-ready to sustain operational dominance along the border and in the hinterland.
Headquartered in Udhampur, the Northern Command, popularly known as the ‘Dhruva Command’ with its official motto ‘Always in Combat’, is a vital operational command of the Indian Army tasked with safeguarding India’s northern borders with Pakistan and China. Lt Gen Pratik Sharma assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the command on May 1, 2025.
Originally established in 1908 under the British Indian Army, the command was disbanded in 1947 before being re-raised in 1972 with its headquarters set up in Udhampur town.
The Northern Command oversees three critical operational field formations:
XIV Corps (Fire and Fury Corps): Headquartered in Leh, responsible for guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and high-altitude warfare in Ladakh.
XV Corps (Chinar Corps): Headquartered in Srinagar, responsible for counter-insurgency operations and border security across the Kashmir Valley.
XVI Corps (White Knight Corps): Headquartered in Nagrota, responsible for securing the Jammu region and the Line of Control (LoC).
In addition to border defence in treacherous terrain, including the Siachen Glacier, the Northern Command manages extensive counter-terrorism and counter-infiltration operations in the hinterland, primarily utilizing specialized forces such as the Rashtriya Rifles.
–IANS
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