Defence Correspondents Course 2025: Indian Army Leg and Forward Area Tour Begins in J&K

Jammu, September 2: The Defence Correspondents Course (DCC) 2025, comprising journalists from across India, commenced its week-long Indian Army Leg and Forward Area Tour (FAT) in Jammu today. This module, considered the most challenging and enriching of the course, aims to provide journalists with first-hand exposure to the armed forces’ operations.

Participants, who previously completed the Navy leg at Kochi and the Air Force leg at Bareilly, were welcomed by Lt Col Suneel Bartwal, PRO (Defence), Rising Star Corps and White Knight Corps. The DCC team visited Ratnuchak and Kaluchak Military Stations to witness armoured and artillery equipment, training activities, obstacle crossing drills, and even experienced driving a tank to simulate battlefield conditions.

In the coming days, journalists will tour forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch-Rajouri sectors, observe the Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS), visit the Corps Battle School at Sarol, and experience manning of posts and bunkers. They will also interact with soldiers and locals living near the LoC to gain insights into the challenges faced by both the troops and civilians.

The annual DCC, conducted by the Directorate of Public Relations (MoD), is designed to build a pool of journalists knowledgeable about the Armed Forces, enabling accurate and nuanced reporting on defence and security matters.