Indian combat troops on the Kashmir border were on order to open fire only in retaliation against Pakistani soldiers, a defense ministry spokesman said Monday.
"Our forces have always practiced restraint and now they have been told to retaliate only under attack. Let us see how things go on in the next few days," the spokesman, P. Bhatnagar, told AFP.
He said firing along the Line of Control dividing the two parts of Kashmir had eased after an offer by Pakistan of "maximum restraint" on Saturday.
"But for the next two or three days, we will keep things under watch."
In Jammu, an army spokesperson said firing on the border with Pakistan had reduced drastically in recent days.
"The border all along Jammu sector is much quieter than last week. Pakistan has reduced small arms fore from 15,000 rounds to 1,000 rounds," Brigadier Randhir Singh told AFP.
Pakistan's offer followed an Indian unilateral cease-fire in Kashmir for the month of Ramadan, which came into force on November 27 at midnight. The Indian initiative was rejected by most Islamic separatist groups and incidents of violence have continued.
"The best proof will be when Pakistan stops sending terrorists across the border. The taste of the pudding lies in the eating," the Indian defense ministry spokesman said.
India accuses Pakistan of backing infiltration of Islamic militants and supply of weapons across the border, but Pakistan has denied any hand.
Kashmir, divided between Pakistan and India, has caused two of the three wars between them since 1947, and a border conflict was fought in the region last year.
It is the first time India has offered a unilateral cease-fire in Muslim-majority Kashmir since the launch in 1989 of the separatist insurgency -- NEW DELHI (AFP)
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