New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said that 65 per cent of the total terrorists eliminated in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in this past year were Pakistanis. He said that 31 terrorists in total were eliminated by the Indian Armed Forces in 2025, out of which three were the perpetrators of the April 22 Pahalgam attack -- a massacre by terrorists which claimed 26 innocent lives. Addressing the annual press conference of the Indian Army here, Gen Dwivedi said, "In 2025, 31 terrorists were eliminated, of which 65 per cent were of Pakistani origin, including the three perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack neutralised in Operation Mahadev. Active local terrorists are now in single digits."

He further mentioned that the terrorist recruitment is now "almost non-existent, with only two in 2025". The Army chief said that the situation along the northern and northwestern border remains "stable" and "under firm control", but stressed the need for "constant vigil. He also said that J&K has witnessed a significant positive change in 2025, adding that the "theme of terrorism to tourism is gradually taking shape" in the union territory. Gen Dwivedi mentioned that the situation along the Northern Front "remains stable, but needs constant vigil", adding that apex-level interactions, renewed contact, and confidence-building measures are contributing to the "gradual normalisation" of the situation that has also enabled grazing, hydrotherapy camps, and other activities along the Northern Borders.

"With our continued strategic orientation on this front, our deployment along the Line of Actual Control remains balanced and robust. Concurrently, capability development and infrastructure enhancement are progressing through a whole-of-government approach," he added. Gen Dwivedi, speaking about the northwestern front, recalled India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that a "clear decision to respond decisively was taken at the highest level".

"Operation Sindoor was conceptualised and executed with precision. Through 22 minutes of initiation on May 7 and an orchestration that lasted 88 hours up to May 10, the operation reset strategic assumptions by striking deep, dismantling terror infrastructure, and puncturing the longstanding nuclear rhetoric," he said. "The Army successfully destroyed seven out of the nine targets and thereafter played a pivotal role in ensuring a calibrated response to Pak actions," he added.

The Army chief reiterated that Operation Sindoor remains ongoing, and a future misadventure will be resolutely responded to, while adding that the military action was "the best example of tri-services synergy under clear-cut political directive and full freedom to act or respond". He also acknowledged the "proactive role" of all stakeholders involved in the operation. Gen Dwivedi stated that since May 10, the situation along the northwestern front and J&K "remains sensitive but firmly under control". Mentioning the "clear indicators of positive change in J&K", the Army chief cited examples of robust development activity, the revival of tourism and the peaceful Shri Amarnath Yatra, which saw more than four lakh pilgrims, exceeding the five-year average. "The theme of terrorism to tourism is gradually taking shape," he said.