Army changes LAC combat rules after China clash: Key points in pictures

Sources said the government had asked the Army to adopt a different tactical approach in guarding the border - the LAC - with China.

After an incident of the violent face-off with China in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army has changed its rules of engagement on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which would allow field commanders to order troops to use firearms under "extraordinary" circumstances.

The sources said the armed forces have been given full freedom to deal with any act of aggression by China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de-facto border between the two countries. At the all-party meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the armed forces had been given a free hand to take all necessary steps.

In another development, sources said the defence ministry has extended the financial powers given to three vice service chiefs to purchase ammunition and weapons up to Rs 500 crore per acquisition.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asked India’s top military brass to be “fully prepared” to take any unprecedented action at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

The sources said Rajnath Singh told the top military brass to maintain a strict vigil on Chinese activities around land border, airspace and in strategic sea lanes, and asked them to adopt a "tough" approach in dealing with any misadventure by Chinese forces.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already moved a sizeable number of its frontline Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 aircraft and Apache attack helicopters to several key air bases including Leh and Srinagar in the last five days. Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria on Saturday said the IAF is "well prepared" and "suitably deployed" to counter any security challenge along the border with China and even hinted that his force has flown combat air patrols in the Ladakh region as part of heightened preparedness.

Islamabad condemns Pulwama attack, rejects charge that Pakistan is involved

At least 37 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

Business Standard : Pakistan has condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district and said it is a matter of grave concern even as it rejected India pointing out Islamabad's link to the incident without investigations.

At least 37 CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.

Pakistan's Foreign Office, after keeping quiet for hours, issued a statement after midnight.

The attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir "is a matter of grave concern," it said.

"We have always condemned heightened acts of violence in the Valley," the FO said.

Pakistan also rejected that it was in any way involved in the attack.

"We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations," the FO added.

India on Thursday slammed Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and asked the neighbouring country to stop supporting terrorists and dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.

India also strongly reiterated its appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan.

The White House asked Pakistan to immediately end "support" and "safe haven" to all terror groups as it strongly condemned the Pulwama terrorist attack.

"The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.

Condemning the attack, the US State Department said in a statement that it was resolutely committed to working with the Indian government to combat terrorism in all its forms.