Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 7
The Ministry of Defence on Monday approved a new ‘blacklisting’ policy that will tackle corruption in defence deals and having a method to deal with foreign companies who pay bribes.The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) that met under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar okayed the new policy.Its details shall be put out on the website of the MoD in a few days.Sources said the MoD has decided to do away with having a system of ‘blanket blacklisting’.The Tribune had reported details of this on October 26 on how the ‘blacklisting’ policy has been okayed. The DAC is the apex decision-making body of the MoD.The new policy will have a pointed product-specific ban, aimed at punishing the corrupt among the foreign suppliers and not hold to ransom the country’s military and defence needs. The new policy envisages that a person of a foreign company, if found to be indulging in corruption will not be allowed to deal in another case of the company’s subsidiary, sources said.During the tenure of the Congress-led UPA (from May 2004 to May 2014), a ‘blanket blacklisting’ was followed and several new procurements are held up.The MoD has decided to do away with ‘blanket blacklisting’ of foreign companies that were found guilty of offering bribes, a top official in the MoD told the Tribune.‘Blacklisting’ a firm may not be a good option as it just forecloses options for India. There are no more than 4-5 equipment makers who are largely integrators of specialised parts produced by niche companies.A sub-committee formed by the MoD will issue guidelines on the extent of blacklisting, its tenure and what all will be the procedure.In 2015 a committee headed by former Union Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh, after talking suggestions, submitted a report on Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) and suggested that misdeeds of an entity or its employees should not be visited on the equipment or system.In August 2014, just months after the Narendra Modi government took over the MoD informally decided that ‘blanket bans’ will not help and now this has been firmed up in way of a policy.The MoD banned the Bofors artillery gun in the late 1980s. Since then, there has been no artillery gun purchase. In 2013, the purchase of AgustaWestland helicopters was stopped midway. In both cases, suspected bribery charges emerged.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, after months of speculation and suspense, has finally made his choice (record fifth time) for the Pak Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He has chosen the ‘dark horse’ and the junior most general as the next Chief. Gen Bajwa has been preferred over the senior most Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat who has literally been kicked up-stairs. The other two in the probable list included Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, GOC of Strike Corps at Multan, who enjoyed wide popularity due to his professional acumen in shaping operational plans and policies leading to successful operations during Raheel’s tenure. However, his being out spoken and high profile may have gone against him. The fourth one in the race, an early favorite, Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday, may have lost out despite family ties. Did it have something to do with the leaking of information to Cyril Almeida? They will have to be found some sinecures or may resign. This will lead to five apex level changes: Chief of General Staff (CGS), two Corps Commanders, IG Training and Evaluation besides DG ISI. The current process has also seen some very interesting trends. The first one is that the process entailed suspense and even intrigue till the `dark horse’ was nominated, that too after all the mandatory ceremonials of the outgoing incumbent were over. Nawaz, after disregarding seniority, would hope that the new incumbent will buck the trend and remain loyal unlike his previous appointees. This last minute nomination and secrecy reflects insecurity and may impact continuity especially as the CGS is to be changed.The choice of Gen Bajwa has led to some Indian Jats suddenly discovering links with Muslim Jats of Sialkot region. We may recount that Gen Zia was a Mohajir blessed with liberal education at St Stephens. But he turned out to be a “Maulana General” who set the Pak army on the path of Islamisation. The other Mohajir, Gen Mushrraf tried to prove himself more Punjabi than the real Punjabis. The obvious lesson is not to stereotype Pak generals based on their background. Gen Bajwa may also want to live down his relationship with Ahmadiya relatives though his connections may have been played up by a rival. This may also free him of the shackles that Nawaz may have planned to keep him in check.Another complexity is that their responses are shaped by the deep state including the ISI, driven by its own interpretation of Pak national interests. Every new Chief goes through a normative process and may even display two to three character profiles depending on the length of his tenure. Musharraf-I was a hardliner with Kargil as his signature statement, Musharraf-II seemed to be yearning for a place in history and came very close to anchoring a possible solution in Kashmir, wanting to possibly match up to Vajpayee and Manmohan in statesmanship. Like Raheel, Gen Bajwa steps up from a low profile job, yet brings hands-on experience of 10 Corps with responsibility of PoK and LoC. Initial reports of his easy going in style need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Pak media’s attempts to project him as a pro-democracy general seem to be part of an orchestrated campaign that only the passage of time can validate. As regards his UN experience under an Indian GOC, the advice of his erstwhile [Indian] boss that projection in an international environment is different needs to be factored to rule out skewed profiling.Transformative Chiefs are becoming rare. Powerful ones have generally tended to be “roguish” and led Pakistan on dangerous pathways. Gen. Zia’s Islamisation drive and Gen. Musharaff’s Kargil misadventure are two such obvious examples. Gen. Raheel was also set on this dangerous path with BAT actions; one possible lesson is that no general should be allowed to start a private war for his own ends and especially towards the end of his tenure. Let us hope Gen. Bajwa respects civilian hierarchy that will pave the way for cooling down on LoC. Luxury of this window may not be for very long as with time Pak Chief is likely to become more assertive and autonomous.In sum, there is a now a new movie with a new hero and a new cast. Yet the story and script may remain the same as the deep state remains the ghost writer. The next Pak army chief is likely to remain focused on these interests and more importantly insecurities. Like they say more things change, more they remain the same. The challenge is to help Pak civilian structures to re-assert their supremacy in this narrow window before the Army starts asserting itself again.The writer was former GOC, Western Command, Indian Army
THERE WERE 90 SUCH INFILTRATION ATTEMPTS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2016, OF WHICH 54 WERE SUCCESSFUL
Harinder Baweja
NITIN KANOTRA /HTSoldiers stand near the encounter site at Nagrota, about 25 km from Jammu, where militants opened fire at an Army camp on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI: Infiltration of trained terrorists from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir is up by more than one hundred per cent in 2016.
According to the multi agency center (MAC)—which collates inputs from the army, paramilitary forces and the intelligence agencies— at least 75 terrorists have entered the state as compared to 30 militants in 2015.
Even according to the figures tabled by MoS (Home) Hansraj Ahir in the Rajya Sabha, there were 90 such attempts in the first six months of 2016, of which 54 were successful. Since July 15, the Army has foiled at least 14 such attempts. In comparison, 2015 saw 31 successful attempts.
The infiltration attempt at the Samba sector on Tuesday is a confirmation of the Army’s assessment that the snows are not likely to deter terrorists from making their way into Jammu and Kashmir.
Heavy snowfall makes for a formidable trek across the LoC but Lt Gen Satish Dua, Corps Commander, 15 Corps, told HT, just before demitting office, “We expect a more difficult winter because of the heightened state of alert after the surgical strikes and are prepared for any misadventure from Pakistan.”
The increase in infiltration numbers is only a part of the problem the security forces are gearing up for. “Pakistan is sending in trained militants not only to exploit the ground situation in Kashmir, which is still locked down after four months of protests, but is also consistently targeting the forces along the Line of Control and in the hinterland,’’ a senior intelligence officer said. Apart from ceasefire violations, the state has also seen terror attacks, including the one at Uri in September that killed 19 soldiers and another at the Nagrota camp in Jammu on Tuesday.
As indicated by defence minister Manohar Parrikar, terrorists are training their guns, not on civilians, but on security forces. The army, deployed along the line of control, has been particularly targeted since the surgical strikes on September 29.
Much against the skeptics’ expectations, the change of guard in the Pakistan army has been free from rancour. There was none of the earlier suspense about whether the previous chief will quietly hang his boots. Gen Raheel Sharif duly walked into the sunset after putting in three years as Pakistani army chief. The succession was equally smooth. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as should be the norm in any democratic country where civilian authority is supreme, dined out General Sharif and announced the selection of Gen Qama Javed Bajwa as his successor. What does the new appointment mean, if at all, to India?Apart from the flutter of excitement in Punjab because many Sikhs share his surname, India can draw solace from the cordial civil-military relations that have ensured the smooth transition. General Bajwa superseded four Generals, but both the military and civilian leadership had agreed that those seniors were already out in pasture. That left Bajwa and three others with the same seniority. Again there was no difference of opinion on the edge enjoyed by Bajwa for having led Pakistan’s largest formation, the X Corps. Otherwise, the army chief, or for that matter any army chief in any country, will be guided by his country’s interests.The apparent supremacy of the civilian leadership in the takeover process offers both India and Pakistan a chance to talk peace and normalisation. Theoretically, the army should be on the same page as Nawaz Sharif if he arms Sartaj Aziz, when he visits Amritsar next month, with proposals to defuse the tensions with India. Pakistan’s envoy in India has started putting out feelers in this regard and the tempo of cross-border fire has also abated. General Bajwa will likely pursue Pakistan’s core internal security interests — wiping out recalcitrant militants from south Punjab and ensuring the security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He will naturally pursue its two core external interests as well — Kashmir and Afghanistan. Both pit Pakistan’s security managers against India. Armies know only the idiom of confrontation and violence. Only diplomats and politicians can rewrite a new grammar.
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, November 26
Union Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre visited the Indian Military Academy (IMA) here on Saturday to see the training facilities at the prestigious pre-commission training establishment.Bhamre first visited the Chetwode Building where he was received by Lt Gen S K Saini, Commandant of the IMA. Lt Gen Saini briefed him about the facilities at the premier institution, besides the training activities at the academy.The minister went around the IMA, war memorial, Chetwode Hall and other institutes. He complimented the IMA for the excellent facilities and training methods adopted to mould young men into leaders of tomorrow.
Karachi, November 25
China will deploy its naval ships along with Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a navy official here has said, shedding light on a plan that is likely to alarm India.
China and Pakistan are currently building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Xinjiang to improve connectivity between the two countries. The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.
A Pakistan Navy official said the role of maritime forces has increased since the country has made the Gwadar port operational and speeded up economic activities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“China would also deploy its naval ships in coordination with Pakistan Navy to safeguard the port and trade under the CPEC,” the unnamed official was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.
In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move that could raise hackles of the US and India.
Experts feel that CPEC and the Gwadar port would enhance the military capabilities of both China and Pakistan, and make it possible for the Chinese Navy to easily access the Arabian Sea.
Having a naval base in Gwadar could allow Chinese vessels to use the port for repair and maintenance of their fleet in the Indian Ocean region. Such a foothold would be the first overseas location offering support to the Chinese navy for future missions.
Pakistani defence officials are keen for the Chinese navy to build up its presence in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, primarily to counterbalance India’s formidable naval force.
The Pakistani official also said that the country’s navy is considering buying super-fast ships from China and Turkey for its special squadron to be deployed at the Gwadar port for the security purpose.
“A squadron may have four to six warships,” he said on the sidelines of the on-going defence exhibition, IDEAS 2016, at the Karachi Expo Centre.
The ships would be bought soon keeping in view their immediate need in the fleet, he said, adding that two defence ships have already been deployed at Gwadar.
Another official of the naval force added that Pakistan has kicked off the process of establishing the largest shipyard of the region in Gwadar. A similar shipbuilding project is being deliberated at Port Qasim in Karachi.
The two advanced shipyards would design and develop ships and other security equipment for Pakistan Navy.
“The existing shipyard, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, lacks capacity to meet new requirements of the force. Its (PNSC) performance, however, would improve in competition with the two under consideration,” he said. — PTI
Respected Veterans,
Jai Hind.
May I request your kind presence at the Commemoration Meet (to pay homage to the Martyrs who laid down their lives fighting the Pakistan trained terrorists at Mumbai on 26 Nov 2008) at the National Military Memorial, Bangalore, at 9.30 AM on Saturday, 26 Nov 2016.
In order to commemorate the gallantry displayed and sacrifices made by some of our brethren while facing terrorists threat to public life in Mumbai a few years ago, specifically directed towards Taj and Oberai Hotels. After laying of some wreaths and paying respects to our gallant Martyr brethren, one or two persons will be requested to speak on the continued terrorist threat that the Nation and the citizenry are facing, from across our borders.
Regards,
Col Rajan
Bangalore, 9449043770
Mandi, November 23
The last rites of Lieutenant Narender Kumar was performed today with military honours at his native Kolni village, under Sarkaghat Sub-division of Mandi district. He was killed when the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday morning.The victim’s body was brought to the village this morning. A large number of people from his village and adjacent areas gathered at the funeral to pay respects to the departed soldier.MLA Col Inder Singh and other local leaders also attended the funeral and expressed condolences to the aggrieved family.The Lieutenant had joined the Army seven months ago after passing out of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. He did his secondary education from Senior Secondary School, Kolni, and completed his B-Tech from Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology in Punjab. He was posted in 25 Grenadier Battalion at Averi and was travelling in the train to Lucknow along with his colleagues when the train met with the accident. — TNS
