In the wake of a failed false flag operation in Pahalgam, the Modi government has come under intense internal pressure, leading to the abrupt dismissal of Indian Army Northern Command chief, Lieutenant General M.V.S. Kumar. His replacement, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, will officially assume command on May 1.
According to Indian media sources, Sharma’s appointment comes at a time of heightened tension and declining morale within the ranks of the Indian military stationed in Jammu and Kashmir. During his introductory visit to Srinagar’s Somnath Hall, Sharma was reportedly met with a visibly anxious and demoralised group of officers and soldiers.
In what has been described as an unusually tense encounter, troops openly criticised the Modi administration’s handling of security policy and expressed deep concerns about the growing resentment among Kashmiri Muslims toward the Indian military presence. When Sharma directed his officers to prepare for deployment to front-line positions, he was met with outright resistance.
“Who will secure the cantonment if we’re sent to the front?” one officer reportedly asked, reflecting the prevailing unease and lack of confidence in the current leadership strategy.
Sources confirm that Lieutenant General Sharma left the meeting without being able to reassure his subordinates, returning in what insiders have called a “state of visible disappointment.”
The rare public dissent within the Indian Army signals deeper unrest in military ranks, possibly exacerbated by strategic missteps and political pressure from New Delhi.
