Winter has traditionally slowed down military activity in the highlands of Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy snowfall, blocked mountain passes and extreme cold often reduce the movement of both security forces and terrorists. But this winter the pattern has changed.

The Indian Army has stepped up counter-terrorism operations during the peak winter months, signaling a deliberate strategic shift in the way it deals with security threats in the region. Intelligence inputs suggest that 30-35 Pakistan-based terrorists are present in selected hilly areas, especially in remote and forested areas.

This NewsWell Insight explains what has changed, why the military is taking action now, and what it means for security mobility going forward.

Breaking the winter break: What’s different this year?

For decades, winter created a natural operational lull. Terrorist groups depended on this seasonal downturn to regroup, relocate, and survive in isolated locations. Patrolling, surveillance and continuous deployment is limited in snowy areas.

The Indian Army has lifted that ban this winter.

Instead of retreating to lower altitudes or limiting movement, forces:

• Maintained presence at altitude
• continued active surveillance
• Extension of winter deployment in rugged terrain
• Sustained Intelligence-Driven Operations

The message is clear: winter is no longer a safe buffer for terrorist networks.

Why do winter operations matter strategically?

From a military perspective, winter is no longer just a challenge – it is an opportunity.

1. Denial of safe havens

Terrorists historically relied on winter isolation to avoid detection. Constant presence of the army poses a hindrance:

• movement between locations
• supply chain
• communication network

2. Intelligence advantage

The harsh conditions restrict militant mobility far more than trained forces. This creates predictable patterns that can be tracked through:

• monitoring grid
• ground intelligence
• area dominance patrol

3. Long-term stress

Continued winter operations create psychological and logistical stress, reducing the ability of terrorist groups to plan offensives in the spring.

Intelligence picture: 30-35 terrorists assessed

Army intelligence assessments indicate that around 30-35 terrorists, believed to have their origin across the border, are currently active in parts of the Jammu region, including the high altitude forest belt and hilly corridors.

It is important to understand what this number represents:

• This is not a worrying figure
• This represents not speculation, but confirmed assessment
• It guides targeted campaigns, not mass action

The focus has largely been on containment, disruption and neutralization rather than kinetic escalation.

High-altitude terrain: why it is operationally important

The terrain shapes the strategy.

High altitude areas provide:

• dense forest
• narrow mountain passes
• limited civilian presence

While these conditions once favored the militants during winter, improved logistics, winter warfare training and surveillance integration have tilted the balance towards the security forces.

Temporary winter bases, extended patrol cycles and improved supply chains now allow forces to remain on the ground instead of vacanting it. 

A Clear Command Decision, Not a Tactical Experiment

One of the most important aspects of this development is institutional clarity.

This is not:

• a temporary reaction
• reaction to an event
• a short-term display of strength

It is a command-level operational decision:

 There will be no winter operational pause.

This clarity reduces ambiguity, aligns intelligence and ground units, and ensures continuity across months — not just weeks.

Newswell Insight: What These Signals Are Going Forward

From a broader security perspective, this shift carries three key implications:

1. Spring spike risk reduced

Historically, terror activity surged in spring after winter regrouping. Continued winter pressure reduces that risk.

2. Less opportunities for infiltration

Continuous monitoring of mountain corridors limits cross-border movement windows.

3. Strategic Generalization

Winter operations are becoming standard procedure, not exceptional measures — a sign of operational maturity.

This approach prioritizes control and prevention, rather than reactive responses after attacks occur.

A measured, not militarized, message

Notably, official communication around these operations remains restrained. There is:

• no dramatic statements
• no exaggerated claims
• no political allusion

That restraint itself is strategic. It reinforces confidence without escalation and maintains focus on security outcomes rather than narratives.

Conclusion: A quiet but significant change

The Indian Army’s intensified winter counter-terror operations mark a structural change in regional security management. By denying the militants seasonal respite, maintaining surveillance and occupying high ground, the army is reshaping the operating environment.

This is not a headline-grabbing thing.

This is something significant: consistent pressure, applied quietly, over time.

That is often where long-term security gains are made.

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