Monthly Archives: October 2022

Proud moment: Abhishek Rawat, a resident of Ballupur, Dehradun, said hard work with determination helped him to achieve his goal. His sister, Akansha Rawat is a Flying Officer in the Indian Air Force, while his brother-in-law, SS Chauhan is a Lt Commander in the Indian Navy. Tribune photo: Abhyudaya Kotnala

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 11

Uttar Pradesh continued with its tradition of sending a larger number of young officers to the Indian Military Academy. The latest data compiled by the IMA clearly highlights that out of 565 Indian Gentle Cadets, the maximum number (98), who joined the elite Indian Army, were from Uttar Pradesh. It is followed by Haryana and Bihar which sent 60 GCs each to the Army while Uttarakhand stood third with 52 GCs.There was no representation from Tripura, Pudducherry, and Arunachal Pradesh while a GC each was from Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Goa. A total of 36 passing-out GCs were from Maharashtra, while 35 GCs belonged to Rajasthan and and 32 to Himachal Pradesh. The state known for its bravery, Punjab, this time sent only 27 GCs to the Indian Army while Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala sent 15 GCs and 16 GCs, respectively.

APPEAL TO ALL ESM ORGANISATIONS OF PUNJAB FOR UNITY – 

UNITED WE WIN – DIVIDED WE FALL

The floodlit international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district. Tribune File Photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Poonch, June 10

Heightened activity by nearly 15 suspected Pakistani militants on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC), opposite the Balakote sector of Poonch district, has been keeping the Army on its toes these days. “There has been increased activity in the Mathrenyni, Mora Shareef, Tarkundi Forward, Durooti, Balakote Forward and Lanjiote forward posts of Pakistan on the other side of the LoC opposite the Balakote sector. Movement of at least 14 or 15 ultras belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed in three or four groups has been observed,” said an Intelligence source.He said though there had been increased activity since May 15 this year opposite the Balakote sector, it had picked up momentum for the past nearly a week.“Commanding officers of three units deployed in the Balakote sector have been informed about possible intrusion bids by the Pakistani ultras. The Army has been closely monitoring the situation and adequate measures have been initiated,” said the source.“Backed by the Pakistan army, the ultras seem to be desperate to sneak into the Indian territory. In the past few days, three or four groups have been conducting reconnaissance of the area so as to sneak into the Indian territory,” he added.Following heightened activity on Pakistan’s side of the LoC, senior Army officers from the Rajouri-based 25 Infantry Division visited the Balakote sector recently for an on-the-spot review of the security grid, he added.“The Army is aware of the increased activity opposite Balakote and we have accordingly devised a strategy to outmaneuver them,” said an Army source.“Their job is to find ways and means to infiltrate and our job is to stop them and if they sneak in, then out job is to clear them. It is an ongoing game,” he added.In November last year, General Officer Commanding of the 16 Corps, which has the operational responsibility of the 224.5-km-long LoC, south of the Pir Panjal range, had put the figure of Pakistani militants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to a maximum of 700 in 35 to 37  camps.“One could draw an inference from the reports that half of them (ultras) are in launching pads close to the LoC on PoK’s side,” he had said.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 8

Contours emerging from last night’s India-US joint statement hint at a new script in the defence relationship of the two nations.The text of the logistics exchange memorandum of agreement (LEMOA) — which will allow US warships and planes to be refuelled and repaired in India — has been finalised. The US now recognises India as “major defence partner” and New Delhi’s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) means it can now shop armed drones and other long-range missiles.The joint statement was made around 3 am IST on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama met in the US. The LEMOA will not just help the US, it will act as a vital tool for India as it expands its Naval footprint and outreach. The US has a string of bases in East Africa, Persian Gulf, Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), The Philippines, Japan, Australia and Japan. Indian warships and planes can seek similar refuel and repair facilities at these bases on long deployments, which are very frequent nowadays.The LEMOA will cover four aspects — training, exercises, port calls and the humanitarian assistance. Indian planes used refuelling facilities at Djibouti for evacuating Indian citizens from Yemen last year. Both countries will have to seek advance permission to seek facilities and it does not entail any permanent bases for the US in India like it has in countries like Japan.A formal signing of the LEMOA could happen soon and the pact will go through the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The LEMOA will be facilitator as earlier such matters of refuelling and repair were considered on a case-to-case basis.The other important aspect of the statement is the US recognising India as a “Major Defence Partner”. This will be a new nomenclature for the US bureaucracy and lawmakers to apply as a priority-yardstick on dealing with India-related issues. Though this does not mean that India will get unhindered access to technology like the NATO allies of the US get, it will fix a kind of parameter and send a signal to the officialdom. The US is looking toward facilitating technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.

New Delhi a major partner

• In the joint statement issued on Tuesday, the US recognises India as a ‘Major Defence Partner’
• The new nomenclature means the US bureaucracy will deal with India-related issues on priority
• It will facilitate technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of the US’ closest allies
• India’s entry into the MTCR means it can now shop armed drones and other long-range missiles
• The text of the logistics exchange memorandum of agreement has also been finalised

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 7

India was today admitted into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama in Washington DC. The meeting lasted about an hour and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in matters such as climate change. The US reiterated its support for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). There were no big announcements. Both leaders have shared a personal rapport and as Obama demits office in five months from now, the idea behind the Modi visit is to consolidate the gains and to keep working. Modi thanked Obama, whom he referred to as a close friend, for the US support on the Missile Control Group and the NSG. Obama said they had discussed regional security and nuclear cooperation. From the US perspective, getting India to agree on the climate change deal is a priority. That is a part of the legacy Obama wants to leave behind. Indications are that India has agreed to go along with the US on climate change with Modi stating, “Hope we will be able to realise our dream of climate justice.”After the Obama-Modi meeting, the White House said: “Both countries are committed to working together and with others to promote full implementation of the Paris Agreement to address the urgent threats posed by climate change.” Admission into the MTCR brings India closer to membership in the NSG. According to sources familiar with the developments, India is pitching efforts to make sure that when its membership comes up for discussion at the plenary meeting of the NSG in Seoul later this month, it makes through. Sources say to achieve this, India has assigned senior diplomats to countries such as Ireland which are hostile to India’s entry into the NSG. They say the Indian strategy is to isolate China in the process. China has held that since India is a non-signatory to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), it should not be given NSG membership. The MTCR membership would also make it possible for India to buy the state-of-the-art surveillance drones, such as the US predator. Meanwhile, the US Deputy National Security Adviser Benjamin Rhodes, speaking in Washington today, indicated that the US would support India in its bid for NSG inclusion.

The significance of it

• The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is one of four international non-proliferation regimes
• Membership of the MTCR would require India to comply with rules, such as a maximum missile range of 300 km (186 miles)
• The group was set up in 1987 to limit the spread of unmanned systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction
• New Delhi has also applied for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a 48-nation club that governs trade in commercial nuclear technology
• With China opposing India, NSG membership will bemore difficult

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has claimed to have made a breakthrough in developing technology for utilising solar heat harnessed during the day for heating rooms during the night at extreme altitude.The Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), a DRDO laboratory based at Leh, has developed a shelter for troops that uses non-conventional energy for heating, instead of fossil fuel. The shelter, costing about Rs 60 lakh, was tested through the winter at Chang La, located at 17,600 feet in Ladakh, with temperature as low as minus 40°C. The DRDO established the world’s highest research station there last year.Scientists at DIHAR said while solar energy could be harnessed and stored in batteries for later use, the same is not applicable for solar heat and conventionally solar heat can be used only while the sun is shining. Claimed to be the only kind of shelter, it utilises phase change materials (converting solid to liquid and liquid to solid on change of temperature, thereby releasing heat) to store thermal energy collected from evacuated tube solar collectors. It has a greenhouse based thermal trap area over the roof and utilises greenhouse concept for creating a tunnelling effect to trap solar heat in the shelter.“The shelter maintained a temperature of 7-10°C when the ambient temperature stood around minus 30°C. Other shelters in similar conditions have temperature of minus 10-15°C,” a DIHAR scientist said. “However, there is a need to operate a diesel generator for six hours during the peak winter months (January and February) when the temperature falls below minus 30°C,” he said.At present, the Army uses “bhukaris” and generator-run electrical appliance to heat spaces like barracks and bunkers in Ladakh as well as the North-East, consuming lakhs of litres of kerosene and diesel every year. The non-conventional energy shelter would be environmentally beneficial in ecologically sensitive areas, besides generating carbon credits.

Tech to make troops’ shelters cosy

• It utilises phase-change materials (converting solid to liquid and liquid to solid on change of temperature, thereby releasing heat) to store thermal energy
• It has a thermal trap area over the roof that utilises greenhouse concept for creating a tunnelling effect to trap solar heat in the shelters for the troops

New Delhi: In a bonanza for over 1 crore government employees and pensioners, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, which had recommended an overall hike of 23.5 percent.

https://youtu.be/nnxA1f8JVa8

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The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Check out this chart to know the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission at a glance.

The killing of eight CRPF personnel in Kashmir on Saturday was a grim reminder of the unpredictable ways of terror: the terrorist has the advantage of the element of surprise. The slightest of laxity can give an opportunity to the enemy to strike with disproportionate gains. With the long experience of insurgency behind them, our security forces are well aware of where the weak links might be, and how to secure those. The latest strike, therefore, demands a rigorous review of whether there has been any decline in the daily discipline of following the procedures.What is more disturbing, however, is what followed the shootout. The Army took ‘credit’ for the counter operation that ended in the killing of two terrorists. This was vociferously objected to by officers of the CRPF, who accused the Army of taking away the attackers’ bodies and weapons unauthorisedly. For the common citizen, the death of personnel of any force is equally tragic. None is considered more valiant than the other. The ‘credit’ war, thus, indicates other unhealthy motivations at work. And these may be part of the larger reward and recognition system in place in the forces, particularly in the Kashmir valley.The importance of discipline in any uniformed or armed force for their effectiveness is well understood. In an insurgency such as in Kashmir, security personnel’s discipline or lack of it has serious political implications. The Army has faced serious embarrassment over accusations of fake encounters or the killing of innocent civilians. Besides giving their detractors a moral edge, unprofessional conduct drains away the populace’s support and acceptance. And it would be unfair to blame only the men in the field. The top leadership has to take the responsibility. Every indiscretion they overlook is tacit encouragement for more. Nowhere in the world have armed men amidst civilians earned any laurels, yet the Indian Army has largely acquitted itself well. But maintaining the professional reputation requires constant vigil.

After Pampore attack, CRPF is going Army way, which has armour-plated its buses that ply between Sonamarg and Banihal tunnel.

Ajay Banerjee & Shaurya K Gurung

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 28

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has decided to “armour plate” all its buses in Kashmir. The move comes after the deadly militant attack on its men on Saturday.

Editorial:Shootout and after

Two militants ambushed a bus carrying CRPF troops and killed eight while injuring 22 at Pampore in Kashmir on Saturday. The steel sheets on the bus body provided no protection as these are not meant to stop bullets. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd)The Army has already armour-plated its buses used between Sonamarg and Banihal tunnel. CRPF DG Durga Prasad said, “After the attack on a BSF convoy (at Bijbehara in Anantnag on June 3), we started looking at the type of arrangement the Army has made to use bulletproof material or sheets all along the sides of the buses.”The bulletproofing material can avoid casualties when persons inside the bus come under a hail of bullets. The DG had defended the application of the existing standard operating procedure (SOP), but said, “We need to look at it again on how best we can improve the existing SOPs.”Sources say all Army troops sit by the window while the adjacent seats are kept vacant so as to allow space to duck in case of any militant attack. The troops always wear bulletproof jackets, bulletproof helmets and carry a loaded weapon. Moreover, highway domination teams move ahead of all its convoys.The CRPF is mandated to ensure safety of civilian and VIP vehicle convoys moving on national highways, protect important buildings, including the state Assembly, and provide security for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. Any change in its existing duties can be effected only after a meeting between the Home Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The force was deployed in the state to reduce footprint of the Army.

Such attacks defame Kashmir and deal a blow to Islam. MEHBOOBA MUFTI, J&K chief minister

SRINAGAR: Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday paid tributes to the eight slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed by militants on Saturday and said such attacks “defame” Kashmir and deal a blow to Islam. “We are only defaming Kashmir and the state by these acts. We also deal a setback to the religion we practice,” Mehbooba said.

WASEEM ANDRABI/HTJ&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti paying tribute to CRPF men who were killed in a militant ambush in Pampore.

Eight CRPF personnel were killed and 22 others injured when militants attacked a convoy in Pampore on Saturday evening.

Two militants were also killed. A wreath-laying ceremony, attended by Mehbooba and deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, was held in Srinagar for the personnel.

“This is a fasting month when people should be seeking forgiveness and expiation for past sins. At this time, such attacks in which bread earners of families are attacked – someone’s father or someone’s son – is condemnable. Nothing is achieved by these attacks,” she said.

Mehbooba also spoke about how such attacks have a negative impact on tourism and industrial development in the Valley, adding that investors often back out when they hear of such incidents.

“India is attracting lot of investments in infrastructure development and healthcare but when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir, the investors shy away because of these incidents.

The worst sufferers of these attacks are people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. Speaking to the media, director general of police K Rajendra Kumar said, “It is a desperate act by the militants. The attacks over the past few days – at Anantnag, Bijbehara and Pampore – are desperate acts,” Kumar said, adding that these attacks are retaliation to the neutralisation of many militants over the last six months.

On Saturday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered his condolences in a series of tweets: “I salute the courage of the CRPF personnel martyred today in J&K. They served the nation with utmost dedication. Pained by their demise. My thoughts are with the families of those martyred today. May those injured recover soon.”

Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, union minister Kiren Rijiju described the killing of CRPF troopers as a “desperate attempt to create problems for the country”.

“We pay homage to the departed martyrs and send our condolences to the bereaved family members,” Rijiju was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.