Army Commander Reviews Readiness of Strike One Corps, Counterterrorism Ops in Basantgarh
GOC-in-C of Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma at the Strike 1 Corps HQ. Image courtesy: X.com/@NorthernComd_IA
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Northern Command, visited the headquarters of the elite Strike One Corps in Mathura and several operational locations in Jammu and Kashmir this week to assess readiness and review counter-terrorism operations.
The Army said Sharma was briefed on the preparedness of the mechanised offensive formation and also inspected transit and air force facilities in Udhampur.
What is the Strike One Corps?
Strike One, officially known as I Corps, is one of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations.
The unit was quite literally birthed into battle. The order for raising of HQ 1 Corps as the first Strike formation of the Indian Army was issued on April 1, 1965, while on August 19, 1965, it received orders to launch operations in Sialkot Sector.
Throughout its illustrious history, Strike 1 has been the decisive force that has always tipped the scales of battle in favour of the nation.
Now headquartered in Mathura, it is heavily mechanised and plays a key role in rapid deployment and offensive operations along India’s western borders.
During his visit, Lt Gen Sharma was briefed on the corps’ operational preparedness and praised the unit’s innovation and combat readiness.
What is the context of the Army Commander’s Basantgarh visit?
Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, also visited Basantgarh to review the security situation there.
The Dudu Basantgarh area of Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed an encounter between security forces and terrorists on April 24, just two days after the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the death of multiple people.
“The Army commander commended troops for maintaining high vigilance and called for continued professionalism in counter-terror efforts,” the Army said in a post on social media platform X.
He also emphasised the importance of maintaining a proactive approach in counter-terrorism operations and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in dealing with emerging threats.
The visit reinforced the Northern Command’s dual commitment to conventional preparedness and internal security, reflecting India’s evolving strategic priorities across multiple theatres.
