The Sunjuwan Army base attack in Jammu has once again highlighted the weaknesses in our border installations.
India has been facing successive attacks on its critical high security defence posts despite being on high alert.
How did the event unfold?
The garrison of the 36 Brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry was attacked last Saturday by three heavily armed terrorists.
They managed to enter the residential quarters of soldiers and killed 6 personals and 1 civilian and injuring many before being neutralised.
This is the latest in a series of recent attacks on military posts, all of which were followed by an enquiry commission to identify lapses.
But the situation remained the same since Pathankot attack in Jan 2016, which was followed by major attacks in Uri, Handwara, Nagrota and Panzgam.
What are the governmental actions taken?
In the aftermath of Pathankot, a security audit was done across all military bases in the country and recommendations were given.
Recently, the Defence Ministry sanctioned Rs. 1,487 crores to strengthen sensitive installations as per the recommendations of this audit.
Also, the government has delegated substantial financial powers to the three services to strengthen perimeter security at bases.
While these moves are welcome, the implementation must be broad-based, and go beyond mere ad hoc measures.
What are the challenges?
Recognizing that a successful terror attack does not necessarily mean that the soldier on the ground was lax in performing his duties is important.
Notably, many bases along the border are located in tough terrain, and are in close proximity to civilian dwellings.
These demand care from the soldier to avoid civilian casualties in crossfire while adhering to the standard operating procedures.
Also, despite its technologically advanced military, India still relies heavily on putting more boots on the ground and on the calibre of the infantry.
It is imperative to change this narrative and adopted a holistic approach, by making sure that the soldier is fully backed by sufficient technology.
