Monthly Archives: August 2018

NEW DELHI: India’s first indigenously-developed nuclear-powered nuclear attack submarine, Arihant, has successfully test fired a dummy or unarmed missile, reliable sources said.

The vital first test in ejecting a missile from its onboard silos was conducted on Wednesday, proverbially adding a feather to the cap of the Indian Navy and scientists from DRDO and BARC, the sources said. The firing was done remotely from a far away location by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), India’s nuclear command authority which is tasked with creating nuclear deterrence.

To mention more achievements, the submarine has also successfully completed its critical diving tests, and significantly, met nearly all its design and designated parameters just about 100 percent, including the maximum possible power option tests.

It is actually good news all over, but the final step before the submarine is formally inducted in the Indian Navy as INS Arihant, will be the firing of proper missiles – albeit with unarmed warheads. Details are unavailable but this should happen soon enough as there are indications of the submarine taking part in the International Fleet Review (IFR) being hosted by the navy in February, 2016.

The boat should be operational by then. Notably, only operational ships and submarines can take part in an IFR.

The missile fired was a dummy version of DRDO’s B 5, which approximately has a range of 800 km to 1,000 km. Later, missiles with a reach of 3,500 km to 4,000 km are likely to be inducted on-board.

India plans to build some half-a-dozen Arihant class submaries in line with its nuclear doctrine which calls for No First Use but Massive Retaliation if attacked. Arihant is built with Russian designs, but this will be the country’s first nuclear attack submarine, classified in international naval lingo as SSBN.

India has one more nuclear-powered submarine, INS Chakra, leased from Russia, but that cannot fire nuclear missiles. The classification for such boats is SSN.

Like any submarine, both Arihant and INS Chakra are pearl shaped to accommodate the vertically launched missiles, and designed to move faster underwater than on the surface. They can stay deep in the darkness of the oceans for months, the only restrictions being the limits on human tolerance and availability of nuclear fuel.

It may be recalled that the project for nuclear submarines was sanctioned soon after the 1974 nuclear test by prime minister Indira Gandhi but it suffered when Morarji Desai and V.P. Singh occupied the office in the coming years.

In 1983, Gandhi once again pushed the project with required funds, but it was only in 1998, when India conducted the second round of nuclear tests, that prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sanctioned the project afresh and a decision was also taken to involve the private sector. Larsen & Toubro, India’s premier engineering construction company, was involved right from then onwards.

L&T, as it is known, has done commendable work in gradually and systematically building a horizontal supply-chain base and meeting the DRDO and naval specifications. DRDO, or Defence Research and Development Organisation, has been in-charge of the India’s missile systems programmes throughout, which it has delivered with distinction.

Nuclear propulsion systems have been installed and managed by experts from BARC, or Bhabha Atomic Research Center Indications of Arihant’s journey have been coming out for some time, and recently, the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Robin Dhowan, mentioned the possibility of its inclusion in the IFR although he did not understandably commit anything.

The tests are done one-by-one and for a nuclear boat, every single check is critical.

KOLKATA: India’s first warship exporter, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), has attracted interests from nearly a dozen countries for building warships, a top official here said on Thursday.

“We have received interest from at least a dozen countries, including the Philippines, Cyprus, Vietnam, Algeria and Egypt, for building warships,” GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral A.K.Verma said.

“Countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America have shown a keen interest in our ship-building capabilities,” he added.

Verma said talks were on with these countries for building offshore and inshore patrol vessels and landing craft utility (LCU) meant for transporting equipment and troops on the shore. He said the success of CGS Barracuda – an offshore patrol vessel that was commissioned by the National Coast Guard of Mauritius earlier in the year – has established the GRSE’s shipbuilding credentials.

“Most of the countries realise that shipbuilding cost here is far less than European shipbuilders and once our technology is proven, then there will not be any problem in getting foreign orders,” Verma said.

“The export of CGS Barracuda has already generated quite an interest among foreign countries and has played a part in establishing our technology credentials,” he added.

GRSE has also been shortlisted for the tendering process for building two frigates for the Philippines Navy.

“GRSE is the only Indian shipbuilder which has been shortlisted along with two Korean and two European companies. The bidding process is expected to commence in December and we are very confident of being competitive,” he said on the sidelines of a ceremony for the handing over of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette ‘Kadmatt’ to the Indian Navy.

Kadmatt is the second of the four ASW corvettes being built at the GRSE.

The GRSE, which is currently building around 24 warships for the Indian navy, will also be entering into a contract in December with the Indian Coast Guard for building five inshore-patrol vessels.

ALLEGE DISCRIMINATORY PROVISIONS Premature retirees being kept out a sore point
Hundreds of ex-servicemen from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh participated in the rally in Fatehgarh Sahib on Sunday.

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The United Front of Ex-Servicemen organised a rally of ex-servicemen here on Sunday to protest against the provisions of ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) notification issued by government.
Hundreds of ex-servicemen from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh participated in the rally in Fatehgarh Sahib on Sunday.
Hundreds of ex-servicemen from Punjab , Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh participated in the rally.
The protesters shouted slogans against the Prime Minister and the defence minister and accused them of deceiving the ex-servicemen.
Maj Gen (retd) Satbir Singh, who has been on the forefront in the OROP agitation, led the rally.
He said the provision in the OROP notification that if someone took premature retirement, he would not be entitled to benefits under the OROP scheme, was unjustified. “This is not acceptable to ex-servicemen,” he added.
According to an earlier announcement, all the soldiers and officers, who opted for earlier retirement, were excluded from benefits, but later, the government included those, who had already taken retirement, and excluded those who would do so in future. Satbir Singh said, “All armymen served equally, so all should be included. The provision is not in the interest of a young army.”
“If someone, who wants to take premature retirement, is forced not do so in view of financial benefits and continues in service, it will ultimately lead to an army of elderly.”
“The notification says that the burden on the exchequer will amount to `8,300 crore, which if divided among all defence pensioners, will benefit each by around `950 per month in the basic pension. The notification further states that the expenditure will increase to more than `10,000 crore in the coming years, which is absolutely wrong as dearness allowance (DA) will be zero with effect from January 1, 2016 and the burden will be only of `950 to each of of 25 lakh pensioners, which amounts to `23,750 crore. This is just peanut in a likely bill of over `4 lakh crore,” said Kuldip Singh Grewal, president, SEWA.
“It will affect 60% ex-servicemen adversely if this notification is implemented. The government is trying to deceive us,” said Maj Gen (retd) Satbir Singh.

SATARA (MAHA): Hundreds of people from all walks of life today converged at a small village here as the mortal remains of Colonel Santosh Mahadik, who laid down his life battling militants near LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, were consigned to flames with full military honours.

Family members of Colonel Santosh Mahadik after his body was brought to his hometown in Satara on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old martyr’s body was brought to Pogarwadi village in Maharashtra’s Satara district on Thursday moring where his last rites were performed.
The body was kept for sometime at his mother’s house in the neighbouring Aaray village where Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar paid homage to him. A large number of villagers from various communities gathered at the cremation site to pay their respects to the martyr.With teary eyes, the mourning villagers bid adieu to their son who made them proud and shouted slogans like “Col Mahadik Amar Rahe” as his mortal remains were consigned to flames.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had paid tributes to Col Mahadik in Pune last night when the the Army officer’s mortal remains were brought there en route to his native Satara district. Col Mahadik, the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, was critically injured during an operation in the Haji Naka forest area of Kupwara near the LoC in Kashmir on Tuesday. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital later.
An officer from the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit, Col Mahadik was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in the North-East in 2003.
Born in a family of modest means at Pogarwadi village in Satara, Mahadik set the foundation to his journey of becoming an army man when he joined the Sainik school in 6th standard in the year 1987 and later went on to join the Army.
His father was a tailor and brother a milkman. Colonel Mahadik is survivied by wife and two children.

BUREAUCRATIC WINDFALL Commission submits report to finance minister Jaitley, recommends a minimum salary of `18k per month, annual increment of 3%

NEW DELHI: In the new year, central government employees can look forward to fatter pay cheques and heftier allowances.

The seventh pay commission on Thursday recommended an average 23.55% increase in their salary, allowances and pension, a move that will benefit 4.8 million staffers and 5.5 million pensioners. The hike will be effective from January 1, 2016.
A minimum pay of `18,000 per month and a maximum of `2.5 lakh has been recommended by the commission, headed by justice (retired) AK Mathur, that presented its 900-page report to finance minister Arun Jaitley.
More cash in hand is likely to result in higher consumption by the government’s massive employee base, which accounts for a large segment of the Indian middle-class. More demand could boost the economy through higher spending on assets such as cars and housing.
The government usually accepts the broad proposals for pay revision — due every 10 years — and state governments usually respond with their own hikes. Jaitley said a secretariat will be set up to implement the pay panel recommendations. A separate empowered committee of various departments will examine the suggestions of the panel.
“The recommendations will be examined expeditiously and the government will take a final decision,” Jaitley said.
The government’s spending on employee payouts will rise by `1.02 lakh crore. Of this, expenditure on salaries will go up by `39,100 crore and allowances by `29,300 crore, while revised pensions would `33,700 crore.
A fresh IAS recruit will get a basic salary of `56,000 a month against R23,000 currently, while a sepoy in the Indian Army will earn `21,700 per month from `8,460 currently. NEW DELHI: The seventh pay panel has sought to make short-service commission (SSC) in the armed forces an attractive option by recommending easier norms for exiting service and increasing the payout of retiring personnel.

The panel has recommended that SSC officers be allowed to quit any time between seven and 10 years of service, compared to the existing exit option at 10-14 years.
The panel noted the attractive exit options would encourage SSC officers to switch to other careers. It noted that such a move would provide the industry and other sectors a young crop of well trained and disciplined officers at the middle-management level.
The panel has recommended that the military service pay (MSP) and hardship allowances for soldiers also be raised. Officers up to the rank of brigadier are now likely to get an MSP of `15,500 per month compared to the existing `6,000. For junior commissioned officers and jawans, the MSP will go up from `2,000 to `5,200.
The panel has also recommended an attractive severance package for lateral entry of officers into para-military forces. A sepoy’s salary will go up `8,460 per month to `21,700 plus allowances.
The allowance for soldiers serving on Siachen is likely to go up from `14,000 to `21,000 while for officers it will increase from `21,000 to `31,500.
The pay commission has recommended that the retirement age in central armed police forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB should be uniform 60 years for all CAPFs. As of now, the retirement age for officers up to commandant level is 57 years.
The pay commission has also agreed to accord martyr status to CAPFs personnel and central police organisations like the CBI, NIA as well as police forces of Union Territories and Railway Protection Force, in case of death in the line of duty.

It has also suggested an “attractive severance package” for lateral entry of retired or decommissioned defence personnel into the CAPFs apart from other services. It batted for a full coverage of House Rent Allowance to troops and officers who are deployed in difficult and far-flung border areas for various internal security duties. The commission also recommended hiking the ex-gratia lump sum compensation paid by the government to the next of kin of these troops in cases of death in the line of duty.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was among hundreds of people who converged on a small village in Satara, Maharashtra, as the mortal remains of Colonel Santosh Mahadik were consigned to flames with full military honours
The 39-year-old martyr laid down his life battling militants near LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. He is survivied by wife and two children, who were present during the cremation
An officer from the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit, Col Mahadik was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in the North-East in 2003

New Delhi, November 15

Eating out, telephony and travel will become expensive from Sunday, with the government imposing 0.5 per cent Swachh Bharat cess on taxable services which is expected to yield about Rs 3,800 crore to the exchequer in the remaining months of the fiscal.
With the imposition of the cess, service tax rate will go up from 14 per cent to 14.5 per cent on all taxable services.
According to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, the government expects to collect around Rs 10,000 crore from Swachh Barat cess for full year.
So in the remaining months of this fiscal till March 31, 2016, the cess would yield about Rs 3,800 crore to the kitty.
The Swachh Bharat cess would be levied only on the portion of taxable services (after abatement) and will go towards funding of the cleanliness drive, a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This means that service tax on restaurant bills will go up from 5.6 per cent to 5.8 per cent following the levy of 0.5 per cent Swachh Bharat cess.
The Finance Ministry has also clarified that the Swachh Bharat cess will not apply on those services for which payments have been received prior to November 15 and invoices raised before November 29.
The decision to impose 0.5 per cent cess will translate into a tax of 50 paise only on every Rs 100 worth of taxable services.
Explaining the provisions for the levy of cess, the Ministry said it would be calculated on the abated value or value arrived as per the Service Tax (Determination of Value) Rules, 2006.
For restaurants or eating joints having air–conditioning facility, the cess would be 0.5 per cent of 40 per cent of the billed amount, i.e., 0.2 per cent. “The cumulative service tax and Swachh Bharat cess liability would be 5.8 per cent (14.5 per cent of 40 per cent) of the total amount charged,” it said.
Travel in Railways’ upper class categories has also become costlier as a service tax levy of 14 per cent and a Swachh Bharat cess of 0.5 per cent became effective from today.

According to a rail ministry circular, the levies make for a 4.35 per cent hike for travel in First Class and all AC Classes from November 15.

The decision to increase passenger fares is in line with a government notification on November 6 for imposing a Swachh Bharat cess on all taxable services.

“Service tax of 14 per cent and Swachh Bharat cess of 0.5 per cent are chargeable on 30 per cent of total passenger fare equivalent to 4.35 per cent of the total fare on first class and all AC fares,” the circular said.

However, the service tax will not be applicable for tickets issued before November 15. Neither would the levy be applicable for general and sleeper-class travel.

With the hike, AC-I fares on mail and express trains from New Delhi to Mumbai are up by Rs 206 while the rise is of Rs 102 for AC-III fares from New Delhi to Howrah.

On the Delhi-Chennai route, the increased fare works out to about Rs 140 for the AC-II segment.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had in Budget 2015-16 proposed to levy a Swachh Bharat cess of up to 2 per cent “on all or certain services, if need arises”.
“Swachh Bharat cess is not another tax but a step towards involving each and every citizen in making contribution to Swachh Bharat. The proceeds from this cess will be exclusively used for Swachh Bharat initiatives,” the Finance Ministry had said while notifying the Swachh Bharat cess.
The government had in Budget 2015-16 estimated to collect over Rs 2.09 lakh crore from service tax. The Rs 3,800 crore collection from the cess would be over and above that. — PTI

WASHINGTON: Save it for the other Sharif, some reports and experts suggested last month as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif toured the US. Army chief Raheel Sharif, who wields real power in Pakistan, was on his way.
He is indeed but, in a curious twist, the US military, which has been traditionally close to the Pakistani military, has let it be known that Gen Sharif is coming without an invitation.
“COAS Gen Raheel Sharif is travelling to Washington, DC of his own volition and DoD (Department of Defense) officials are meeting (him) at his request,” a US defence official told Hindustan Times on Thursday.
News agency PTI, which first reported this development, said the general had sought meetings with defense secretary Ash Carter and joint chiefs of staff Gen Joseph Dunford.
While Sharif ’s reasons for seeking the meetings have not been publicly announced by Pakistan, the US is expected to cover “topics that we routinely cover with our Pakistan partners”.
As army chief, Sharif wields immense and real power in Pakistan, as did all his predecessors. But he is also currently riding a rare wave of popularity for a general.
Newsweek Pakistan declared him Man of the Year in 2014. And the day Prime Minister Sharif met President Barack Obama last month, The Wall Street Journal reported, “But next month, top American officials will hold talks with the man many people say calls the shots on the issues Washington cares most about: Gen Raheel Sharif.”Michael Kugelman, a US-Pakistan ties expert at Wilson Center, wrote around the same time: “The upcoming US visit of another Sharif – Pakistan army chief Gen Raheel Sharif – has much more potential to make waves and bring meaningful results.”
US officials don’t seem to see it quite the same way though. “That is interesting indeed! Though in some ways not surprising,” Kugelman told Hindustan Times in an email on Thursday.
It may have something do with his agenda, which hasn’t been announced yet. “My sense is that there is unease within the Pakistani security establishment that the US could reduce levels of assistance in the coming months, and Gen Sharif wants to make a pitch to keep the spigot open and the aid flowing.”
Also, many in the US believe that while the army chief may have moved decisively against the Pakistani Taliban, he has not done enough to degrade the Haqqani Network or Lashkar-e-Taiba.
But Kugelman argued, “Regardless of what is discussed, this much is clear — Gen Sharif will be warmly welcomed in Washington.”

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 10
Despite the notification on the ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) scheme, ex-servicemen today continued their protest and returned their gallantry and other medals, accusing the government of cheating them.
This is not the first time veterans have returned their medals. They did the same during the tenure of the UPA. Veterans said they would observe a ‘Black Diwali’ to protest the Modi government’s failure to keep its promises.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the ex-servicemen protesting over the OROP notification were misguided and that they should approach a judicial commission being set up as part of the scheme to discuss the issue.
“It’s their democratic right (to protest), but I think they are misguided. If at all they have a grievance, they (ex-servicemen) should put it before the judicial commission we are appointing,” Parrikar said at the commissioning ceremony of ICGS Samarth at Goa Shipyard Limited in Panaji. Yesterday, Parrikar had ruled out any more concessions on OROP. Ex-servicemen returned their war and other medals at various places in Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday to register their protest against the “diluted” notification of the OROP.
There were reports of veterans returning their medals in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala in Punjab and Panchkula, Rohtak, Hisar and Ambala in Haryana.

Protesters misled: Govt
The behaviour of ex-servicemen protesting the notification on the OROP scheme is unlike that of a soldier. They have been misguided —Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister

Government today issued notification for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen while Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Retd), Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement termed it unacceptable.
The long-pending ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen was tonight brought into force with government issuing a notification which will benefit over 25 lakh veterans and war widows.
However, the protesting ex-servicemen rejected the notification, saying their main demands have not been accepted and it has become “one-rank-five-pension.”
The notification is almost similar to the announcement made by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on September 5.
To begin with, pension would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from July 1, 2014.
The veterans had demanded that the period for pension should be financial year 2013-14 and not the calender year.
Also, they wanted April 1 as the effective date instead of July 1.
The notification said that in future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years. However, ex-servicemen had been demanding revision of pension every two years, if not one.
In his immediate reaction to the notification, Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement spearheading the protest, said “the notification will not be acceptable to the rank and file. It is not One-Rank-One- Pension but One-Rank-Five-Pension”.
Another key element of the notification is that the armed forces personnel who opt to get discharged on their request would henceforth not get OROP benefits.
“It will be effective prospectively,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar tweeted.
The statement said the previous government had made a budget announcement to implement the OROP and made a provision of Rs 500 crore.
“The present government undertook the task earnestly and realised that the actual additional annual expenditure would be Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crore at present and will increase further in future.
“Notwithstanding the financial constraints, true to its commitment, the present government has issued the government order to implement the OROP in true spirit,” a statement by the Defence Ministry said.
The notification said pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retiring in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service. It added that pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.
The veterans had demanded to take into account the maximum and not the average.
It said that the arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special/Liberalised family pensioners, and gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.
An important element in the notification was that personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3)1(i)(b), 13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.
The government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.
Detailed instructions along with tables indicating revised pension for each rank and each category, shall be issued separately for updation of pension and payment of arrears directly by Pension Disbursing Agencies.
The Defence Ministry said the issue of OROP was a long standing demand.
Defence Forces had been demanding it for almost four decades but the issue could not be resolved.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a commitment to implement it for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and accordingly the government had announced modalities for implementation of OROP on September 5, the statement said.
It added that the the notification could not be issued due to model code of conduct.
Meanwhile, Maj Gen (retd) Singh said, “If it is revision every 5 years and average of the scale then it is not acceptable. This is not One Rank One Pension, but One Rank Five Pension. This is against what Parliament had announced”.
He questioned why has the government announced July 1 as the effective date. By not announcing it as April 1, the government is trying to deprive the veterans and war widows of the funds.
“At the face of it, we find this notification highly irrational,” he said.
Col (retd) Anil Kaul, Media Advisor to IESM said not all demands were met by the government, but there was a climbdown on the premature retirement. He, however, added that he had not read the notification.