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Army Chief Suhag warns of 'adequate, intense and immediate' response to any provocation from Pakistan

By FnF Defence Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 01, Aug 2014, 12:23 pm IST | UPDATED: 01, Aug 2014, 12:24 pm IST

Army Chief Suhag warns of 'adequate, intense and immediate' response to any provocation from Pakistan New Delhi: On his first day in office, new Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag today warned Pakistan that India's response to any provocative acts like the beheading of a soldier last year would be "more than adequate, intense and immediate".

"I can tell you that our response to any such act will be more than adequate in future. It will be intense and immediate," he told reporters after his welcome guard of honour as chief of Army staff.

The new Army chief was asked how did India give a 'befitting reply' to Pakistan after the beheading of Indian soldier Lance Naik Hemraj along the line of control in Poonch sector on January 8, last year by Pakistani troops.

On Thursday, outgoing Chief Bikram Singh had said India gave a "befitting reply" after an Indian soldier was beheaded by Pakistani troops in January, 2013 along the Line of Control.

"It has been done. Please understand that when we use force, that use is from tactical to operational to strategic levels. When I mention that during that incident, it was aimed at operations at the tactical level, which have been undertaken. I think this has been done by the local commander, the Chiefs have nothing to do with it," General Singh said.

Asked to clarify today, General Suhag said, "I can tell you that our response to any such act will be more than adequate in future. It will be intense and immediate."

He was speaking to reporters after his welcome Guard of Honour as Chief of Army Staff.

Lance Naik Hemraj Singh was beheaded and another soldier was killed by Pakistani troops who crossed over into Indian territory in the Mendhar sector of Jammu & Kashmir on January 8 last year. That incident and a series of ceasefire violations took the strained ties between the neighbours to a new low.

Later in August, five Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush in in the same sector in a joint attack by Pakistani Special Forces and terrorists.