India to Assign Military Veterans as Security Guards in IIOJK Post-Ceasefire

On Saturday, the Indian government announced that military veterans will be reassigned as security guards in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir, shortly after a ceasefire agreement with Pakistan aimed at resolving a longstanding conflict.

The recent violence in the area, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 70 individuals, was incited by an attack on tourists last month. New Delhi accused Pakistan of supporting the attack, a claim that Islamabad denies.

The administration of Jammu and Kashmir has approved a plan to utilize Ex-Servicemen (ESM) to protect key infrastructure throughout the Union Territory, as stated in an official press release.

According to the announcement, around 4,000 veterans have been identified as non-combatant volunteers, with 435 possessing licensed firearms.

This initiative aims to “significantly improve the ability to effectively respond to local security challenges,” the government noted.

The veterans will serve in “static guard” positions, concentrating on “deterrence through presence and community coordination.”

Currently, India has an estimated 500,000 troops permanently stationed in this contested region, which has been the center of multiple wars between the two nuclear-armed nations, each controlling separate segments of the divided territory.