handigarh, June 12 (IANS) To celebrate 60 years of commissioning as officers of one of the finest Indian armies, living legends of the 37th regular course of the Indian Military Academy, comprising stalwarts of the 28th National Defence Academy (NDA), will be assembling in Chandigarh this week to commemorate their enduring and endearing bond.

They are 1966-batch officers, some of the course mates have been martyred, while others left due to natural causes, will meet on June 14 and June 15 to perpetuate this unbreakable bond of friendship and camaraderie.

The motto of the diamond jubilee reunion is: “Time can erode the mountains and age can grey the hair, but the bonds forged in olive green only grow stronger with each passing decade.”

It was on the historic day of June 15, 1966, close to 300 officer cadets marched past the portals of the Chetwode Hall, with the Chetwode motto etched forever in their hearts.

A Ceremonial Pipping Ceremony was conducted on the night of June 15 at a grand function at the Chetwode Hall.

This is a prestigious military tradition where the Graduating Officer Cadets have their new rank insignia (pips) officially pinned on to their uniforms by their dear ones.

This also signifies the completion of their training as they stand on the threshold of a brave new world punctuated with challenges, adventure, supreme sacrifice but leading men fearlessly in battle, defending the nation at all costs and giving the enemy a bloody nose where warranted.

The officers of this large family of course mates have seen action in various theatres of war, notably the Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, which has been covered in detail in the book, “War despatches 1971”, contributed to by 29 officers, course mates, who had seen action; the Kargil War and other offensive actions in terms of wresting the initiative from the adversary and dismantling their forward posts.

The officers of this course have held prestigious appointments at a very senior level such as Army Commander, Corps Commander, Heads of Training Institutions, UN Peace Keeping Force, etc.

The real test of their fortitude and selflessness came in 1971 when the boots on ground ably supported by superior airpower brought the enemy to their knees as they sought unconditional surrender and the liberation of Bangladesh was consummated.

A separate country of Bangladesh was formed, thanks to the indefatigable diligence and undiluted focus of the tri service stalwarts — the foot soldiers, the armour marauders ably supported by firepower from across the sky delivered a catastrophic blow on the enemy, who was forced to surrender.

These events have been succinctly brought out in the book “War Despatches 1971”, written by veterans of the 28th NDA officers from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, who took part in the action in the Eastern and Western Sectors during the India-Pakistan War, to blaze a new trail of adventure, bordering on the razor-sharp, ambushes and finally out-manoeuvring the enemy in his own backyard.

They stitched together heroic tales of conflict that resulted in the enemy biting the dust.

The book was well edited by Brigadier Balram S. Mehta, the then Vice-Chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Institute of Management and Technology. He had also written the book “The burning Chaffees”, a soldier’s first-hand account of the 1971 War. There have been many achievers in the 1966 course. Three deserve mention. The first is Lieutenant General Mohinder Puri PVSM, UYSM.

As the General Officer Commanding, the famous 8 Mountain Division, during the Kargil War, he strategised the counter-offensive operation against the enemy and captured Tololing and Tiger Hill to restore the sanctity of the Line of Control.

The second is Colonel Kuldeep Singh Garcha, a former polo player of India and an equestrian of international repute.

The third is Lieutenant Colonel Vivek Mundkur, an innovator par excellence, built a glider himself and mastered the art of flying it. He was the first to popularise hang-gliding in India. At the reunion, the former Gentlemen Cadets still hold the same fire in their hearts with the brotherhood to live forever.

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Prannay Chhabra with his father on passing out from the National Defence Academy before joining the IMA.

Also passing out on Saturday is Cadet Suryansh Pathak, who will become the third generation in his family to wear the uniform

Born into a family where the uniform is more than attire, it is identity and with this he represents the fourth generation of warriors committed to the nation’s defence. The stars he wears are not just rank, but they are more of a responsibility. His journey reminds every young aspirant that a true legacy is not preserved by memory alone, it is renewed by action,” the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) said on Friday.

The family’s association with the armed forces began with his great-grandfather, Capt Gopaldas Banga, a doctor in the British Indian Army Medical Corps, who served in Egypt during the Second World War, according to information shared by ARTRAC.

Several Indian medical units served in Egypt and the wider North African campaign during the war, primarily attached to the 4^th and 5^th Indian Divisions under the British Eighth Army.

From the medical stream, the baton passed on to the Ordnance Corps with Prannay’s grandfather, Lt Col Arjun Dev Chhabra, whose responsibility was to ensure that fighting forces never lacked the tools of war.He later encouraged both his sons to join the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. Prannay’s uncle, Lt Col Naveen Chhabra (retd), served in the Regiment of Artillery. Prannay is also an alumnus of the NDA.

Prannay’s father, Maj Gen Praveen Chhabra, is a serving Armoured Corps officer. His appointments include General Officer Commanding 20 Mountain Division, Inspector General (Operations) with the National Security Guard, and General Officer Commanding 72 Sub Area in Ladakh.

“Now as Prannay prepares to script his own chapter in the Army, unlike inheritance of wealth or comfort, what flows through his lineage is something far rarer, a living tradition of sacrifice, discipline and honour. What makes his story remarkable is not merely continuity, but a conscious choice. In a world of expanding civilian opportunities, he has chosen the honourable profession of arms, the path that demands grit over glamour and courage over comfort. It is precisely the challenge that he embraces,” the Army said.

While there are a large number of second- and third-generation officers in the armed forces, fourth-generation service is relatively rare, and fifth-generation is even rarer. The course that passed out from IMA in December 2025 included a fifth-generation officer.

Also passing out on Saturday is Cadet Suryansh Pathak, who will become the third generation in his family to wear the uniform. His grandfather served in the Army Service Corps, while his father was commissioned into 11 Madras and served for 36 years.

As a young Major attached with the Rashtriya Rifles, his father was awarded the Sena Medal for Gallantry for courage and leadership in counter-insurgency operations, and later commanded an Infantry Brigade along the Line of Control.

On his maternal side, the military tradition was equally strong; his grandfather served in the Gorkha Rifles for over three decades and fought in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, where he was awarded the Vir Chakra.

“As he prepares to join his parental unit, Suryansh recognises the responsibility before him. Soldiers will judge him by conduct, not by surname. The legacy behind him is strong, but his career will be defined by his own actions. The uniform demands nothing less,” ARTRAC said.

Among the eight pioneering women cadets of the first batch at IMA preparing to take the first step out of the Academy on Saturday is Ann Rose Mathew, who would be the second generation in her family. Her father is from the Indian Navy, which inspired and shaped her destiny.

This is the first time a serving military officer has been appointed Military Adviser to the NSCS, which is headed by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Previous holders of the post were all retired officers

Army Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who served as Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) during Operation Sindoor, has been appointed the new Military Adviser (MA) to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

This is the first time a serving military officer has been appointed Military Adviser to the NSCS, which is headed by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Previous holders of the post were all retired officers.

Lt Gen Ghai, whose military tenure runs until December 2027, is expected to assume charge shortly. His appointment to the NSCS was made earlier this week.

Lt Gen Ghai does not have the seniority or the mandatory residual service required for appointment as an Army Commander. He previously commanded the 15 Corps before serving as DGMO and later as Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.

Commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment, he has commanded an infantry battalion in the western sector, an independent brigade in the Central sector and a division in Arunachal Pradesh.

In the past, another serving officer, Lt Gen MU Nair, was appointed National Cyber Security Coordinator in the NSCS. However, Lt Gen Ghai will be the first serving officer to hold the post of Military Adviser.

Before him, the position was held by Gen NS Raja Subramani, who is now the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He was preceded by Air Marshal Sandeep Singh and, before him, Gen Anil Chauhan, who just retied as CDS.

Lt Gen Vinod Khandare was the first Military Adviser appointed to the NSCS under the Narendra Modi government after the post was revived in 2018.

Earlier, Lt Gen Prakash Menon, who retired in late 2011, was appointed Military Adviser in 2012 and served until 2014. He subsequently served as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the NSCS from March 2015 to 2017, reporting to Doval.

A meeting of the Principal Maintenance Officers Committee (PMOC) was held at No.3 Base Repair Depot, Chandigarh, on June 11-12 to focus on tri-services issues pertaining to maintenance policies, inventory management, indigenisation and innovation.

During the meeting, a sustained framework was chalked out and key decisions were taken to enhance long-term operational capability and operational readiness through improved coordination and joint capability development.

Air Marshal Sanjiv, Air Officer Maintenance at Air Headquarters and Chairman PMOC, welcomed the principal maintenance officers of the Army, Navy and Integrated Defence Staff. The meeting was attended by Lt Gen ADS Aujla, Master General Sustenance at Army Headquarters, Vice-Admiral Siva Kumar, Chief of Materials at Naval Headquarters and Air Marshal PK Vohra, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and other senior officers.

Established in 2021, the PMOC has become a robust tri-services forum for jointness and integration. It has been contributing towards greater tri-services synergy, operational effectiveness and self-reliance.

The FOC follows the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC), an operational phase where a limited number of aircraft are inducted into service and further modifications as required are suggested and carried out

Amidst a push for developing additional Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Systems, the Netra AEW&C developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will be formally awarded the Final Operational Clearance on June 25, about a decade after the first aircraft was inducted into service.

“A ceremony for the declaration of Final Operational Clearance (FOC) of Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control System is planned on 25 June 2026 at Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), DRDO, Bengaluru,” DRDO said on Friday. “The FOC is a major milestone achieved for an indigenous system of systems such as the Netra AEW&C.”

The FOC officially certifies that a military aircraft is fully combat-ready, structurally sound, and equipped with all the required operational capabilities. The FOC follows the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC), an operational phase where a limited number of aircraft are inducted into service and further modifications as required are suggested and carried out.

The IAF, at present, has three Netra Mark-1 systems based on the Embraer – 145 airframe, which are based at Bhisiana Air Force Station near Bathinda in Punjab with No. 200 Squadron.

Inducted in 2015, these aircraft have been deployed in war like situations, first during the airstrikes on terror camps at Balakote in Pakistan’s Pakhtunkhwa area in 2019, then during the India-China border stand-off in 2020 and then during Operation Sindoor in 2025. These aircraft are complemented by three Beriev A-50 Airborne Warning and Control Systems that are based on the Russian IL-76 platform.

AEW&C aircraft form a critical element of network centric operations. Equipped with advanced radars and sensors, they act like an eye in the sky, not only keeping a watch on hostile platforms from a long range, but also guiding friendly aircraft during operations and relaying battlefield data to command centres.

In 2003, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and DRDO carried out a joint study for the development for an AEW&C system and after the project received government approval, DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), was made the nodal agency for the design, system integration and testing of the system.

Four other DRDO laboratories were also actively involved, with the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment responsible for developing the primary radar, Defence Electronics Application Laboratory for communication systems and data link, Defence Avionics Research Establishment for self-protection suite and electronic warfare measures and the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory for communication support.

Three ERJ – 145 were procured from Brazil and were extensively modified with additional features like in-flight refueling, satellite communication capability, avionics and electrical systems and various aerodynamic and structural changes. The first fully modified aircraft made its maiden flight in December 2011 at the Embraer facilities in Brazil and the aircraft was delivered to DRDO in August 2012.

The first Netra aircraft was delivered to the IAF by DRDO in February 2017 and it received initial operational clearance in October 2017 after trial runs at the Bhisiana Air Force Station. The second and third aircraft were received by the IAF in 2019 and 2023.

The central government has accorded its approval for developing another six Netra AEW&C of the Mark-1A variant, which would be more advanced with an enhanced mission suite, upgraded sensors and longer range radar for effective detection of low‑observability aircraft like drones and stealth jets and better human‑machine interface and tighter integration into IAF systems.

Plans are also under way to develop Netra’s Mark-2 variant involving a larger aircraft, more powerful radar with a detection range of over 500 kms and improved all‑round situational awareness. Six Airbus A-321 have been procured by the IAF from Air India for the project.

The Embassy of Iran in India on Saturday rejected the US President Donald Trump’s allegations regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, calling them “baseless”.

It also accused Washington of attempting to deflect attention from recent attacks on commercial ships carrying Indian seafarers.

The Iranian Embassy said the US attacked three Indian vessels in less than a week, resulting in the death of three Indian sailors, and described the actions as “brutal” and “pathetic”.

In a post on X, the official account of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India shared, “The U.S. president’s accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless. It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the U.S. has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian sailors. That’s pathetic!”

The U.S. president’s accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless. It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the U.S. has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian… https://t.co/2UiXWAMulM

This comes after Trump alleged that Iran was behind the attacks on three vessels carrying Indian seafarers near the Hormuz Strait, which resulted in the deaths of three, despite the US Central Command having confirmed that the strikes were carried out by American naval forces, calling the incident “totally unacceptable”.

His remarks followed Iran’s condemnation of the United States attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers, resulting in the death of three in the Gulf of Oman, describing the actions as “brutal” and accusing Washington of engaging in “lawless conduct” that threatens global peace and maritime security.

In a statement on X, Esmaeil Baqaei, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, expressed condolences over the deaths of Indian nationals killed in the attacks and called for international accountability.

“The brutal U.S. attacks on Indian commercial vessels, which have killed at least three Indian nationals, stand as clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy. We extend our sympathies to the families and friends of the slain Indian sailors and offer our sincere condolences to the Indian people and government,” the statement said.

He further urged the international community to take action against the repeated violations of international norms.

“The international community must hold the United States accountable for its lawless conduct, which continues to threaten global peace and security while endangering the freedom of navigation,” the spokesperson added.

Three successful interceptor trials put the country in the elite group of nations having BMD capability to engage up to ranges of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

Ajay Banerjee

Taking the country’s air defence capabilities to the next level, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted three consecutive flight tests demonstrating a multi-layered defence system against long-range ballistic missiles.

The DRDO has also tested a naval missile designed to target enemy ships at sea.

The Ministry of Defence on Saturday said that the multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability was successfully demonstrated during a series of tests carried out on June 10 and 11.

“The interceptors (missiles fired to bring down the incoming threats) successfully engaged their respective targets. The systems have been designed and developed with the latest technologies to address emerging missile threats,” the ministry said.

According to the ministry, these tests have put the country in the elite group of nations having BMD capability to engage up to ranges of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

In military terminology, an ICBM refers to a missile with a range more than 5,000 km. A BMD – like the once developed by India—should be able to intercept the incoming threat.

Among the series of tests, the DRDO also successfully carried out the maiden flight test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR).

India has been developing missile interceptors in the past two decades. The first test of the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) interceptor for high-altitude engagements was conducted in 2006-07, followed by trials of the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor for low-altitude interceptions.

The system was further fine-tuned over the years, with multiple successful tests of the PAD and AAD systems conducted off the Odisha coast during 2017 and 2018. These trials demonstrated the capability to intercept simulated ballistic missile targets with high accuracy.

In April 2023, India successfully conducted the maiden flight test of a sea-based (naval) BMD interceptor.

The tests done over the past two days are part of the next stage of development to have long-range, high-speed interception capabilities, including the ability to counter ICBM-class threats.

Prior to tests announced on Saturday, a series of BMD tests have also been conducted in 2022 and in July 2024.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO on the successful demonstration of these crucial technologies.

Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of the DRDO, closely monitored the trials and applauded the combined efforts of DRDO and industry partners.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a bilateral meeting. PTI file

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday raised with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the killing of three Indian mariners in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

Jaishankar, currently on a visit to Europe, spoke to the US Secretary of State on the phone.

“Spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening. I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners,” the External Affairs Minister said on social media.

“Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” he said.

India on Friday summoned Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks and told him that the American military’s lethal strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members off the coast of Oman are unacceptable.

A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were safely rescued.

On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board.

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