Army learns Parakram lesson, plants smart mines

Heres’ a lesson for the Indian Army from Operation Parakram, the post-December 13 build-up that promises a happy ending: lay fewer mines and make them more ‘‘people friendly’’. For the first time in more than 30 years, the Indian Army is gearing up to make one of the deadliest weapons a little more humane.

A fallout of the 10-month long deployment on the Western borders, an in-depth study conducted by the Engineer-in-Chief’s branch talks of more modern mines that are deadly, yet humane. This, South block sources said, is in keeping with the international agreement on use of landmines ratified by the UN.

Strangely enough, the study came out of an internal Army recommendation which said that there was ‘‘excessive’’ mine-laying during Operation Parakram. With more than a million mines laid during Parakram, the Army’s key pivot formations were unable to move forward. After brainstorming, Army top brass realised that the slew of vintage mines was not the strategy for wars of the 21st century.

A study later the Army is talking smart mines — which can deactivate or neutralise themselves, or can be switched off by remote. Not only does this save lives and limbs of military personnel, it ensures civilians’ safety if they drift into minefields.

Arms majors Israel, South Africa, the UK and others have reportedly evinced keen interest in the new mines.