Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 13

Remains of US soldiers who died during the WW-II in Arunachal Pradesh were handed over to a US delegation in Delhi in the presence of US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter today.A US embassy statement said these were possibly the remains of US service members recovered by the Defense POW/MIA (Prisoners of War/ Missing in Action) Accounting Agency (DPAA).One set of remains was recovered in Arunachal Pradesh between September 12 and November 17, 2015. A second set of remains was unilaterally turned over to the DPAA by a third party from the same region.The remains recovered late last year are possibly associated with a B-24 crash on January 25, 1944, where a crew of eight personnel assigned to the 14th Air Force, 308th Bomb Group, were lost during a routine mission from Kunming, China to Chabua, India. The remains that were handed over to the DPAA are possibly related to a C-109 that crashed on July 17, 1945, travelling from Jorhat, India, to Hsinching, China, with a four-man Army Air Force crew.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter’s visit had promised more than it delivered. Or so it appears from the publicly released outcomes of his visit. At the last moment, India appears to have hung back from inking an agreement to allow access to each other’s military bases. But the decade-long magnetism for each other in the security sphere remains undiminished. Plans remain on course to jointly develop an aircraft carrier, a Bill in the US Congress seeks to bring India on a par with NATO in the transfer of sensitive defence technology and equipment while South Block is weighing an American proposal to assemble fighter planes in the country. Defence trade also remains vibrant and Indian orders have helped keep the American military-industrial complex humming.The defence agreements, the proposed legislation and plans to assemble American fighter planes in India add up to a sharp turn in India’s foreign policy. The implications of marching step-in-step with the Americans will resonate far and wide in India’s extended neighbourhood.  Moscow has already sent a warning shot by threatening to stop cooperation in nuclear submarines if the Indian tango with the US gets too intimate. China is already miffed with a US-India joint statement —the honorarium for Barack Obama gracing the Republic Day celebrations — that all but speaks of a lockstep by the two in South China Sea. As a result, Chinese plans for massive investment in India have disappeared in thin air. While the US policymakers are forthcoming on their expectations of a quasi military alliance with India, there is a deafening silence from the Indian side. Parliament should have dissected and analysed the policy implications like the spirited debates that took place on the Indo-US nuclear agreement. The Congress and the BJP are convinced that Western help is indispensible for India to achieve big power status. They differ only on the extent of flexibility in such a partnership.  A public debate and willingness to enlist the public endorsements would only deepen the sustainability of our security policies.

(From left) Arjan Singh Ghotra, Harpal Singh, Kanwar Singh

Washington, April 11

The Pentagon has allowed three more Sikhs to serve in the US armed forces while maintaining their articles of faith such as keeping a beard and wearing a turban — in the fourth such approval in less than a month.The decision, taken on Friday but made public only today, comes days after the soldiers filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defence (DoD), seeking to serve in the US armed forces without being forced to compromise with their articles of faith.Two have been accommodated in the Army National Guard, and one in the US Army Reserve, a media release said.Arjan Singh Ghotra, 17, has been accommodated to serve in the Virginia Army National Guard and will continue his service while attending George Mason University this year.“I will proudly wear my articles of faith with my military uniform,” he said.“I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to serve my country as an observant Sikh in the Virginia National Guard,” Ghotra said.Kanwar Singh has been accommodated with the Massachusetts Army National Guard, while Harpal Singh, a California telecommunications engineering specialist, will serve in the US Army Reserve through a programme available for non-US citizens with critical foreign language skills.All three are scheduled to attend basic combat training with their respective units this May, according to the release.On March 31, 28-year-old Sikh-American and decorated combat veteran Captain Simratpal Singh became the first active-duty Sikh soldier to receive approval to maintain his articles of faith while actively serving in the US Army.“We commend the US Department of Defence for its decision to allow these soldiers to serve with their religious turbans and beards,” said Sikh Coalition legal director Harsimran Kaur. — PTI

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 10

Forum for Awareness of National Security held a seminar on “Border management and the role of veterans” here today.Forum head Indresh Kumar said for the social, economic and political development of India, it was essential that its borders were secured from cross-border infiltration and trafficking of humans, drugs, fake currency and weapons.He added that the Indian landmass had about 15,000 km border and 7,500 km coastline.Pakistan, having been defeated in successive wars with India, had resorted to a proxy war and was indulging in terror activities, the latest example being the attack on Pathankot air base.JK Grewal, president, Punjab Chapter of Forum, said retired Army personnel have rich experience and depth of knowledge. No amount of training and technical knowhow could replace their experience. He said the Armed forces were short not only on officers but also on foot soldiers.It would be fortuitous to engage them as a parallel force, in order to make use of their inputs to train and brain storm projects, he added.Anil Joshi, local bodies minister; Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, former state Cabinet minister; ML Kumawat, former DG, BSF; Maj-Gen Dhruv C Katoch and others, also addressed the gathering.

Islamabad, April 5

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today formed a high-level judicial commission to probe any financial wrongdoing, a day after three of his children were named in the ‘Panama Papers’ for owning offshore companies prompting demands for an inquiry by the Opposition.Addressing the nation, Sharif announced formation of the panel to probe allegations against him and his family. “I announce to form a judicial commission that will be led by a former judge of the SC. It will weigh the allegations being levelled and will give its verdict after due investigation,” he said. The PM gave a detailed background of the businesses controlled by his family that he said were established years before Pakistan was founded. — PTI