Our Correspondent

Jammu, January 15

Three days after an Army convoy came under attack in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch, a search operation was launched in different areas after reports of suspicious movement in the district were received by intelligence agencies.

The operation has been launched by the Army, J&K Police and Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) in Sawjian area of the densely forested area of the district. Security forces received an intelligence input from locals after they saw some suspicious men in the area.

Another search operation is already underway in Krishna Ghati sector in areas including Dhara, Magnad and Jallas to track down the terrorists who had fired on a convoy of the Army vehicles on Friday.ADVERTISEMENT

The Army in an official statement had said on Friday that at around 6 pm, a security forces convoy was fired upon by suspected terrorists from a jungle. There was no casualty to the troops. The troops are using sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance to search the area.

The Army and J&K Police are struggling in the wake of little intelligence regarding the group of terrorists active in the forest areas of Rajouri and Poonch.

The group behind the attack on an Army convoy on December 21 last year near Dera ki Gali of Poonch in which four soldiers were killed is still at large. Despite efforts of the Army and police, the ultras have given a slip to the security forces.

Gallantry award ceremonies bare skirmishes between Sept 2021 & Nov 2022

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, January 15

The armies of India and China clashed at least twice in 15 months along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Multiple covert operations during the period along the LAC also helped keep a watch on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China during “times of crisis”.

PLA troops attacked post

• Clashes and covert ops came to light after Western Army Command, Chandimandir, & Central Army Command, Lucknow, held separate investitures
• The Western Command investiture mentioned how PLA troops attacked the Indian Army post at Shankar Tekri along the LAC on Jan 7, 2022
• “With unmatched valour, Sepoy Raman Singh from 8th Battalion of Sikh Light Infantry repelled attack, wounded four PLA soldiers,” said citation. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry)

These clashes and the covert operations came in the open after the Western Army Command, Chandimandir, and the Central Army Command, Lucknow, conducted separate investitures over the past three days to award gallantry medals to officers and men. These operations were conducted between September 2021 and November 2022.ADVERTISEMENT

The details were announced as citations were read out when each of the gallantry awards was pinned on to the chest of soldiers. These operations along the LAC were previously unreported. The Western Command has disabled a YouTube video it put out of the event. The Central Command YouTube link was working till Monday evening.

Detailing the clashes, the Western Command investiture mentioned how PLA troops attacked the Indian Army post at Shankar Tekri along the LAC on January 7, 2022. “With unmatched valour, Sepoy Raman Singh from the 8th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry confronted the intruders in a brutal hand-to-hand battle. He repelled the attack by seriously wounding four Chinese soldiers and taking their guns,” said the citation. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry).

Another clash took place on November 27, 2022, when some 50 PLA soldiers attempted to cross the LAC and take the Atari Post, said the citation of Naib Subedar Baldev Singh of the 19th Battalion of the J&K Rifles. “He led the charge against the invading force and injured around 15 Chinese soldiers,” the citation said, adding that the Naib Subedar was injured. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry).

“The Commanding Officer of the 19th Batallion of the J&K Rifles, Lt Col Pushmeet Singh, conducted a patrol along the LAC. His manoeuvres successfully prevented a massive PLA infiltration attempt. This resulted in a tense standoff lasting two days and he negotiated with the local Chinese commander,” the citation said, adding that the officer remained calm during the crisis. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry).

Meanwhile, several covert operations were conducted at specific locations along the LAC. The Western Command investiture saw Major Sourav Kumar, CO of the 15th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, being awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for leading a covert mission “deep within Chinese territory” as part of a classified operation. Havildar Pardeep Kumar Singh of the same battalion was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for the same operation.

Lt Col Yogesh Kumar Sati of the 31 Armoured Division and attached with the Intelligence Corps, on September 16, 2022, was assigned to go into the “enemy territory” as part of Operation Snow Leopard. He suffered from high-altitude sickness but carried on and accomplished the task without being discovered. He was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for “displaying stealth and tactical skill, enhancing India’s strategic edge in the area,” the citation said.

At the Central Command investiture, Major Nitish Tyagi from the 12 Para Special Forces Battalion, was tasked with staying in a very high-altitude area in the North-East for 120 hours amid bad weather to keep an eye on the PLA. He has been awarded Bar to the Sena Medal (Gallantry).

The Israeli government has vowed to carry on military operations till the stated war goals are achieved.

Lt Gen MJS Kahlon (Retd)

Former commandant, Defence Services Staff College

THE Gaza war, triggered by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, has completed 100 days. The Israeli retaliation has killed over 24,000 Palestinians in Gaza, wounded and maimed more than 60,000 and displaced almost 90 per cent of its 2.3 million population. Gaza lies in ruins, with not a single hospital left intact and its civilian infrastructure in tatters. Scenes of horrific destruction and suffering continue to sear the world’s conscience daily as all established norms of war-fighting are being flouted with impunity by Israel.

The meticulously planned and executed Hamas attack exposed deep chinks in Israel’s security setup. Tel Aviv’s defensive strategy hinged on the twin pillars of assured early warning by the intelligence agencies and proactive deterrence action by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). On October 7, the much-vaunted intelligence system failed and the Israeli military response to Hamas intrusions was tardy. The breaching of the ‘iron wall’ by Hamas and raiding of multiple military targets and settlements blew away the myth of Israel defences’ invincibility. Moreover, the death of hundreds of Israeli citizens in the ham-handed response has now publicly been acknowledged and is the subject of an ongoing IDF inquiry.

The Israeli concept of deterrence in the occupied territories and the neighbouring region seeks to dissuade adversaries from taking aggressive action by showcasing the proactive military might of the Israeli state, which is periodically employed to ‘mow the grass and keep the Palestinians in line’. This mode of deterrence, based on denial and punishment, has been the cornerstone of the defensive military strategy on which the current edifice of military occupation rests. The riposte for the Hamas militant attacks was swift in coming. Operation Iron Swords was launched by Israel with a threefold aim — the elimination of Hamas from Gaza, dismantling of all terrorist infrastructure and the release of all abducted hostages.ADVERTISEMENT

Fighting in built-up urban areas is every army’s worst nightmare. The challenges in Gaza are especially acute due to a large population of ‘incarcerated’ people living in a jampacked enclave of 365 sq km with a population density of a staggering 5,500 people per sq km. This led to a mushrooming vertical development of housing and other public buildings. Every narrow alley, road and open space thus becomes a killing zone in army parlance for an ingressing force. The operating forces became an easy target for the Hamas snipers and ambush teams which were located strategically to exploit the intimate knowledge of the local geography.

Keeping in mind this challenging operating environment, the IDF opted to choose the aerial bombardment route to flatten out entire neighbourhoods in the first phase of the campaign. This approach, labelled as the ‘scorched earth policy’, was a deliberate military choice to limit Israeli military casualties. The aim was to clear the demarcated axes and avenues for the movement of ground troops without any effective interference from Hamas. Consequently, areas along major roads were flattened by bombing up to hundreds of metres on each side. This has resulted in the razing of neighbourhoods, especially in northern and central Gaza. This tactic also led to very high civilian casualty rates and the allegations of the use of indiscriminate and disproportional force by the IDF.

Well-thought-out strategy and tactics do not always guarantee positive results, especially in asymmetric warfare, as the enemy quickly adapts to them. Hamas has showed remarkable flexibility and finesse in small team operations by targeting Merkava tanks, Namer APCs, D6 Bulldozers and other troop-carrying vehicles effectively with basic hand-held automatic weapons and locally manufactured rocket-propelled grenades which has resulted in the loss of lives of almost 190 IDF soldiers. Both sides have attempted to control the narrative and public opinion by proactive propaganda and outreach.

The situation in West Bank also continues to be worrisome due to the enhanced aggressive actions by the settler communities and almost daily raids into major urban centres by the security forces. More than 300 Palestinians have been killed and 4,600 detained in these areas. Aggressive Hezbollah actions have caused the displacement of about 70,000 Israeli citizens from Galilee. The role and actions of other militant groups, including the Houthis in the Red Sea, has widened the arc of confrontation. The IDF has carried out almost daily airstrikes and artillery shelling in southern Lebanon and Syria.

The Israeli government, which enjoys the unconditional backing of the US, has vowed to carry on military operations till the stated war goals are achieved. Victory in the ongoing campaign cannot be measured by military metrics. Till date, no major Hamas commander has been neutralised in Gaza. The Israeli government is loath to commit to a two-state policy espoused by the US. On the contrary, it has peddled the dream of a Greater Israel stretching from the ‘river to the sea’.

One of the outcomes which the Israel right-wing elements had hoped for and which has not happened is the displacement of a large number of homeless residents of Gaza into neighbouring countries. The beleaguered Palestinians, along with Egypt and Jordan, have ruled out another Nakba, and so has the US. Attempts are being made to trigger a US-Iran military confrontation, which both nations have avoided wisely. Gaza in the past has been described as a problem without a solution. The search for an amicable and acceptable solution continues at an expensive cost of precious lives being lost daily.

New Delhi needs to be wary of the increased Chinese influence in the neighbouring country

Manoj Joshi

Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi

EVEN as the somewhat over-the-top Maldives drama plays out, India’s foreign and security policy managers need to turn their eyes eastward to Myanmar, where important developments are taking place. Beijing has played the middleman and managed to work out a ceasefire between the country’s military rulers and a rebel alliance that has made serious inroads into the military’s control of the northern parts of the country bordering India and China.

India has long viewed the South Asian region as being within its sphere of interests. This has been challenged by China through trade, security assistance and aid to countries in the neighbourhood.

In February 2021, the military, also known as the Tatmadaw, had overthrown the civilian government and declared that the results of the November 2020 general election were invalid. State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officers of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) were imprisoned.

The Tatmadaw ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. Under the 2008 Constitution, the country was ruled (till the 2021 coup) as per a power-sharing arrangement under which 25 per cent of the parliamentary seats were reserved for the military; the defence, home and border security portfolios remained with it.

After the coup, the military, which named itself the State Administration Council (SAC), carried out a nationwide crackdown involving mass arrests, killings and torture. This triggered an insurgency led by the pro-Suu Kyi forces, which called themselves the National Unity Government (NUG) and significantly escalated ongoing ethnic insurgencies in other parts of the country. By 2023, the military-run government was in control of less than 40 per cent of the country. In October, the Three Brotherhood Alliance (Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army) made further gains and captured several towns and state capitals in the Shan state bordering China.

Now, following talks at Kunming in south-western China, the rebel alliance agreed to “an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of military personnel.” These ethnic rebels are more concerned with autonomy rather than a return to democracy, which remains the goal of the NUG and its loose network of fighters grouped in the People’s Defence Force. The Chinese worry is that the Myanmar situation is creating instability in its border areas. It remains to be seen whether the ceasefire will hold and whether it can be expanded to involve the NUG as well.

This development is not entirely new. In 2016, too, China had persuaded the Three Brotherhood Alliance to participate in a biannual Union Peace Conference organised by the Myanmar government. But this initiative didn’t have much traction.

In April 2017, China offered to help resolve the Rohingya crisis by mediating between Myanmar and Bangladesh, but little came out of this. As for ceasefires, the Tatmadaw had declared one in 2015,

but had itself violated it.

As a neighbour of Myanmar, China has always played a significant role there. In recent decades, Chinese firms have constructed oil and gas pipelines linking Myanmar’s deepwater port of Kyaukphyu with Kunming. There are plans for a railway there as well, thus linking China to the Indian Ocean. China has invested in dams, bridges, roads and ports in the country.

The Chinese response to the 2021 coup has been restrained. Beijing opposed condemnation of the SAC at the UN, but did not make any statement in support of the council. The NUG has taken pains not to alienate the Chinese and ordered its fighters not to target Chinese projects. The Chinese are concerned that this instability could affect its investments. But equally important has been the interest in having the SAC deal with telecom scams, drug smuggling and human trafficking by pro-military elements along the border with China.

China often boasts that it “does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries”. In this way, Beijing has befriended a clutch of unsavoury regimes and dictators and avoided taking a stand on a range of burning issues of the day. But China is also a leading global trading power and cannot ignore issues that have a direct impact on its economy, if not security. It also has a burning desire to position itself as a global model in terms of governance and diplomacy. Incidentally, during his Egypt visit on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a “large-scale and authoritative peace conference” on Gaza, followed by a specific timetable and roadmap to implement a two-state solution.

As for India, it has long viewed the South Asian region as being within its sphere of interests. This has been directly challenged by China through trade, security assistance and aid to countries in the neighbourhood. China has also offered to mediate disputes between India and Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Myanmar and its ethnic rebels.

But China’s big success so far has come not in South Asia but in West Asia, where it brokered the Saudi Arabia-Iran deal last year — and the pact is still holding.

The developments in Myanmar pose two immediate challenges for India. The first is the increased Chinese influence in the country, which is our neighbour. The Myanmar civil war has led to many refugees taking shelter in India. New Delhi has been forced to abandon its liberal border regime through which people could access border areas without a passport.

The second is the fact that things are being played out in that part of Myanmar which borders the vulnerable state of Manipur. New Delhi has calmed many northeastern insurgencies in recent years. However, it has allowed things to drift in Manipur. What’s happening in Myanmar could worsen the situation.

IANS

Jerusalem, January 15

A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck a United States-owned ship on Monday just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, less than a day after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea, officials said.

The attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, though not immediately claimed by the Houthis, further escalates tensions gripping the Red Sea after American-led strikes on the rebels. The US military’s Central Command acknowledged the strike, blaming the Houthis for the assault.

The Houthis’ attacks have roiled global shipping amid Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, targeting a crucial corridor linking Asian and Mideast energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal onward to Europe.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees Mideast waters, said Monday’s attack happened some 177 km southeast of Aden. It said the ship’s captain reported that the “port side of vessel hit from above by a missile”.

Private security firms Ambrey and Dryad Global said the vessel was a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier.

“The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey,” US military’s Central Command said.

The US Maritime Administration, under the Transportation Department, also issued a warning on Monday saying there continued to be “a high degree of risk to commercial vessels” travelling near Yemen.

“While the decision to transit remains at the discretion of individual vessels and companies, it is recommended that US flag and US-owned commercial vessels” stay away from Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden “until further notice”, the advisory said.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces bombarded targets across Gaza ahead of an expected announcement by Hamas on the fate of three Israelis held hostage by the Palestinian militant group shown in a video clip at the weekend.

Twelve Palestinians were killed and others wounded in an Israeli airstrike overnight on a house in Gaza City in the north, health officials said, while plumes of smoke rose above the main southern city of Khan Younis shelled by Israeli tanks. — Agencies

Woman killed, 17 hurt by Hamas attackers

• A woman was killed while 17 others were injured after two men rammed their car into pedestrians and also resorted to stabbing in Raanana area of central Israel on Monday.
• Hamas has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Israeli police said the accused — Mohammed Zaidat (44) and Ahmad Zaidat (24), both from Hebron — had been arrested.

Tribune News Service

Veterans felicitated

Chandigarh, January 14

The 8th Veterans’ Day was observed by the Western Command at Chandimandir Military Station on Sunday, with about 800 retired officers from the three services attending the event.

Veterans were felicitated by Headquarters Western Command. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, interacted with the veterans and conveyed gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the Indian Army for the invaluable services rendered by them as well as for their contribution towards the civil society after retirement.During his interaction, the Army Commander assured the veterans of support for them and their families from the service fraternity. He sought their support in the endeavour to modernise the armed forces and contribute towards nation building.

Major M P Singh The Blade Runner

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 14

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said the government had an unwavering commitment towards the welfare of the ex-servicemen and it was the collective responsibility of the citizens to treat the soldiers and their dependents as their own.

The minister was speaking during Veterans’ Rally at the Kanpur Air Force Station to mark the 8th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day. The day was celebrated at several locations across the country. Citing the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, when more than 90,000 soldiers of Pakistan surrendered, Rajnath said, “We could have treated them in any way we wanted, but such is our culture and tradition that we adopted a completely humanitarian attitude and sent them back with full respect. Such treatment of enemy soldiers is one of the golden chapters of humanity.”

At a separate function in New Delhi, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar the acknowledged the contribution of veterans.

Lt Gen Dwivedi says of 7 friction points in Eastern Ladakh, only two unresolved

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, January 14

The Army today described the situation on the Ladakh border along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as stable, but not normal. The Army, however, said there were seven friction points in Eastern Ladakh, where the Indian and Chinese armies have been in a standoff since 2020, and five of these points have now been resolved after talks.

“The Northern border area is stable, but I will also say it is not normal. It is sensitive,” Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi said.

“There, we had seven friction points. Five points we have resolved during the discussions. There are some remaining points and we are having discussions going on about them,” he added.

‘Working on issue of jobs for veterans’

• The Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, on Sunday said the Army and the government had been pursuing the issue of jobs for the veterans under various schemes
• Addressing an event to mark Armed Forces Veterans’ Day, he talked about various welfare initiatives under Sadhbhavana, such as infrastructure development, medical care, woman empowerment, educational tourism, sports tournaments, etc

As militants have stepped up attacks on the Army in Rajouri Poonch region of Jammu, the Army Commander accused Pakistan of increasing militant activities in the region. He announced that the Army is going to take some strong steps to control militancy in Rajouri Poonch. He, however, didn’t name Pakistan but called it a neighbouring country.

He said over the years, the Rajouri-Poonch area has witnessed prosperity, with improvements in living conditions for residents. He said the developmental investments have led to progress in various projects, contributing to increased employment opportunities. “The neighbouring country,” the Northern Army Commander, said was not able to digest peace and prosperity in the region and started promoting militant activities there.

“We are taking strong steps to counter it,” he said adding in the coming days the militancy in the region will be controlled.

The Northern Army Commander said there is a need for enhanced coordination among security agencies, the public, and the police. He said it includes plans to expand police stations and reorientation to curb activities originating from Pakistan.

On Friday evening, militants attacked an Army vehicle in the Poonch district of Jammu. The army returned the fire and later started a massive operation to trace out the militants.

The attack came when high-ranking officials, including Lieutenant-General Dwivedi, were in Rajouri to develop strategies to counter frequent terror strikes in the area.

This was the second attack on the Army in the region in the past few weeks, following an attack in Poonch’s Dera Ki Gali area in which four soldiers were killed and five were wounded.

The Pir Panjal region of Rajouri and Poonch districts has been free from militancy since 2003. However, major attacks have resumed in the sensitive border region since October 2021. In the last seven months, 20 soldiers, including officers and commandos, have been killed.

The Northern Commander described 2023 as a zero-infiltration year saying no reported incident of infiltration was recorded from the Line of Control. “We have started operations against foreign terrorists and this will continue in 2024,” he added.

The NDA is a military nursery that has been nurturing a democratic ethos for 75 years

elves on the line for their men and the nation in the truest translation into action of the NDA motto ‘Seva Parmo Dharma’ or ‘Service above self’. One of the profound reasons for India’s success as a democratic nation was the complete absence from the minds and deeds of our military leaders of the greed for power that got emblazoned on the olive-green uniform of so many of the post-colonial militaries across the world.

The Services are a living example of the institutions that were shaped by the ideals of the founding fathers of the nation. Only an idealist can be ready to die for the nation, yet willing to hang up his boots when the time comes to go home and tell stories to the grandchildren. This idealism enshrined in the immortal values and traditions of our freedom movement is the hallmark of the Services. This has made NDA and its sister entry institutions among the greatest defence academies in the world that produce professional soldiers without exception. And, of course, some of them have distinguished themselves as world-class military leaders and thinkers.

The conduct of the armed forces in all the wars India has fought is the best tribute to their alma mater. If the Indian Army walked out of Bangladesh soon after the hard-fought liberation war without hanging on to ‘help’ govern the newly independent country, it had a lot to do with the leadership of Gen (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw; but it is also a lesson that the cadets and alumni of the NDA cherish. The events of 1971 are often considered a ‘just war’ by those who firmly believe that it was a response to genocide and institutionalised rape committed by the Pakistani military. It achieved the liberation of Bangladesh and prevention of further violence against its population. According to Michael Walzer, the author of the seminal book Just and Unjust Wars, it was the 20th century’s only real humanitarian intervention. And the NDA built the moral spine of those officers who, along with others, fought this ‘just war’.

It is difficult to be kind to a vicious and barbaric enemy with whom you have just fought a war, and more so to be unhesitant in showing your genuine concern for his wellbeing while he is under your custody. The management of over 90,000 POWs, who surrendered after the 1971 war, was a gargantuan task.

The unstated message to every POW was that it was a victory of democracy over military rule and humanism over barbarism, with signature thoroughness in adhering to the Geneva Convention for POWs. As matters unfolded thereafter in Kargil and other battlefields, it would seem that this approach was to no avail. Alas, view this now against the current scenes of horror around the world.

Even when the Indian Peace-Keeping Force suffered severe fatalities in Sri Lanka, it did not open fire at groups of civilians among whom the LTTE terrorists were hiding. The Vietnam war is known for the My Lai massacre and other atrocities that were committed on innocent villagers, but the Indian story from similar war fronts has been to the contrary — an officer corps that is ready to inflict great pain on itself to ensure minimum civilian casualties. If this tradition carries on year after year in every battle with foreign aggressors and home-grown insurgents, it could only continue because of what our officers are taught about humanity and humanism at the academies.

The Indian soldier has consistently demonstrated resilience, courage and dedication. The Kargil war in 1999 showcased the Indian soldiers’ valour in high-altitude warfare against all odds and within the political writ to expel the aggressor without crossing the demarcated line. I am not aware of any other example in modern history where such daring and obedience were displayed in equal measure to ensure a hasty retreat and ignominious defeat of the adversary.

No wonder our institutions have produced leaders who refuse to sniff around in the corridors of power, awaiting their turn for crumbs. Shaping minds that remain disciplined even in the face of the greatest temptation — the lure of unquestioned authority — is no easy task and it is in this endeavour that the NDA has succeeded, thus becoming the gold standard for defence academies across the world.

As the NDA celebrates its 75 years, it is only appropriate that we salute our comrades-in-arms from other entry institutions. It is the wealth of a cumulative mix from all streams that makes us a formidable force and the cynosure of all eyes worldwide.

Born again, I would rewind at 16.

The author was commissioned on December 11, 1962 (22 NDA Course)