New Army Chief Gen. Dhiraj Seth, on the day of assuming office on July 1, 2026, outlined the defining features of his innings for the 1.2 million-strong force.He introduced the acronym of VIJAY, which translates to victory for his five operational mantras. The letters – V-I-J-A-Y-Vigilance – Innovation, Jointness, Atamnirbhata and Yodha - have profound meanings; each goes far beyond a simple guideline and reflects a vibrant spirit for defending the country against all threats. Many of these threats emerge from the theatre of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.In fact, the two cannot be separated from each other. With his vast experience, he knows why this theatre is more important than others and deserves his foremost attention.

Over the past nearly four decades, the role and stature of the army chief have been redefined because of the multiple challenges that the country has faced during this period, which stem from both internal and external dimensions. Jammu and Kashmir has seen a convergence of both internal and external factors, as well as the countermeasures to neutralize internal threats. At the same time, the entirely changing global order and redrawn geopolitical realities cannot be dismissed while dealing with the external and internal threats. Some elements of the terror structure in Jammu and Kashmir are outdated, yet the security forces need to address pressing issues. The Army has to play a big role in tandem with J&K police. That is the reality of the day. The J&K Police has certain advantages because of it having local roots, intelligence-gathering networks, and interaction with masses from the police post level up to the top. Its leadership has consistently reviewed the situation through a local prism with a clear-eyed view of other factors too.

Broadly speaking, there is a twin threat from China and Pakistan, but the approaches are different. China displayed its hostile intentions when it inflicted almost a........

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