Forces responding effectively to Pak ceasefire violations: Jaitley

Noting that ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today said Indian security forces are responding effectively to protect the country's interests.

"This is a fact that of late, these ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased. But let everybody be assured that both our Army and BSF, who are respectively guarding the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, are fully vigilant.

"They effectively respond to each violation and I have full faith and the country must have full faith that they are effectively protecting both our territory and national interest," the Defence Minister told reporters here.

His comments come on a day when Pakistani troops indulged in heavy "unprovoked" shelling and firing on 22 border outposts and 13 villages, killing two civilians and injuring six others including a BSF jawan along the International Border in Jammu sector.

The Minister was replying to queries about repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC and the International Border on the sidelines of a function to commission the ant-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta into the Navy.

The heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan today comes a day after the discovery of a possible cross-border tunnel from PoK along LoC in Chalka post in Pallanwala sector of Jammu district.

There have been 16 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in nearly a fortnight and 18 this month.

Earlier during his speech, Jaitely said the Indian Navy is growing stronger by the day and playing an important role in safeguarding the maritime interests of the country.

"We have a vast coastline and the Navy is doing a commendable job in maritime security," he said.

Out of the 119 warships and submarines in the pipeline, 42 are under the construction at various shipyards in the country, the union minister added.

Jaitley also urged all the public sector undertakings (PSUs), including the defence PSUs, to gear up to work in a competitive atmosphere.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan said the production of INS Kamorta commenced at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata on March 1, 2006 and her maiden sea trials commenced in June 2013.

"She completed her sea trials in February 2014 and was handed over to the Indian Navy by the shipbuilder on July 12 this year," he said.

The commissioning of INS Kamorta has added a new dimension to the ASW capability of the Indian Navy, particularly the Eastern Fleet, he added.

Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, Rear Admiral (Rtd) A K Verma said INS Kamorta is first of the four integrated ASW stealth corvettes designed by the Navy' in-house organisation-- Directorate of Naval Design (DND)-- under 'Project 28', with 90 per cent indigenous components.

According to Verma, the ship measures 110 meters in length, 14 meters in breadth and displaces 3,500 tons. The ship can achieve a speed of 25 knots and is fitted with anti-submarine rockets and torpedoes, medium and close-in weapon systems and indigenous surveillance radar Revathi. It is also capable of carrying an integral ASW helicopter.