Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the two-day Armed Forces Combined Comm-anders’ Conference on Monday in New Delhi where issues such as increased Chinese assert-iveness towards India, Naxal violence and the raging nationwide debate over the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) could be discussed, sources said.
The service chiefs and top Army, IAF and Navy commanders will be present at the conference, which will be held on a day when the Cabinet Committee on Security will meet to discuss the Kashmir issue and whether the AFSPA should be withdrawn from a few areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
The armed forces have been of the view that anti-terror operations in the state could be constrained in case of any dilution or withdrawal of the AFSPA since armed forces personnel need the legal protection of the AFSPA during anti-terror operations in the state.
Defence preparedness and the situation along India’s western and eastern borders are also likely to be discussed. India has been looking to bolster its defence preparedness along the eastern borders in view of increased Chinese assert-iveness, the latest example being the Chinese refusal to permit the Indian Army’s Northern Command chief to visit China.
The MEA could also make a presentation at the conference. While the government has so far decided not to deploy the armed forces in anti-Naxal operations, the law and order situation in the country and Naxal violence in central and eastern India is also likely to come up for discussion, sources said.