Monthly Archives: August 2018

NEW DELHI: Ahead of their induction, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have started training to operate the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, an official said on Tuesday.

Currently, four pilots and four flight engineers have been training on Chinook choppers at Delaware in the US since Monday.

The chopper is set to be inducted into the IAF soon and is expected to give a boost to IAF operations as the heavy-lift chopper can carry arms and ammunition as well as close to 300 troo ..

Lt General Asim Munir has also served as the commander of the Force Command Northern Areas. He was conferred Hilal-i-Imtiaz in March 2018.

Lt General Mukhtar assumed the office of the ISI director general in December, 2016.

The Indian Army HQ claimed in a paper that the reforms proposed by Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat would usher in a ‘revolution in military affairs’.

New Delhi: Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s proposals for radical reforms that restructure the soldiery are facing opposition from within the force, sources at the Army headquarters have told ThePrint.

At least two of seven Indian Army commanders have “expressed reservations” on cadre and force restructuring that aim to bring down manpower and eliminate structures such as a division in peace stations.

An Army commanders’ conference that began here Tuesday will be discussing the issues. General Rawat has scheduled Sunday, 14 October, the concluding day of the meeting, to brainstorm four studies on the reforms.

Also read: Indian Army reforms: Cutting administrative flab or needless downsizing?

“As part of the conclave, commanders and directorates at the Army headquarters will in a collegiate deliberate on important studies that have been ordered to meet future challenges,” said an official statement from the Army.

“There are four studies examining operational and optimisational issues of the Army and the headquarters as also human resources management aspects,” said the official statement.

“We are in the middle of a churn,” said one officer involved in the studies, “There is an academic debate that is on. It is okay to differ so long as you don’t throw a spanner in the works.”

Equivalent in rank to the vice-chief, Army commanders have full authority over their areas of responsibility. Any reform proposal, or any command from the headquarters, must have their full participation to be executed.

The seven Army commanders now are Lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane (East), Lt General Ranbir Singh (North), Lt General Surinder Singh (West), Lt General Cherish Mathson (South West), Lt General Satinder Kumar Saini (South), Lt General Pattacheruvanda C. Thimayya (Army Training Command) and Lt General Abhay Krishna (Central). The vice-chief is Lt General Devraj Anbu.

‘Less tail, more teeth’ 

In August, the Army headquarters circulated papers summarising the proposed reforms, saying they aimed to cut the ‘teeth-to-tail ratio’. In the statement on the conference, it added that the studies to be discussed “aim to improve the teeth-to-tail ratio, with the purpose of strengthening the structures within the Army to make it combat ready for the future”.

The teeth-to-tail ratio is the number of support personnel required to sustain units of combat soldiers. The lower the number of support personnel — the “tail” — the more the resources available to make the combat soldiers – the “teeth” – more efficient.

The Army headquarters claimed in a paper that the proposed reforms, which included an effort to restructure the cadre for the first time in 35 years, would usher in a “revolution in Indian military affairs”.

Among the most debated issues within the force that is also expected to dominate discussions at the commanders’ conference is the proposal to eliminate divisions and create “integrated brigades” or battle groups that report directly to corps headquarters.

A corps is the largest field formation in the Indian Army. Usually, a corps has about three divisions, a division has three brigades, and a brigade has three battalions. The numbers vary depending on the operational area.

Also read: Indian Army chief wants to revolutionise the military — by cutting manpower

Currently, a corps is commanded by a Lt General, a division by a Major General, a brigade by a Brigadier. This hierarchy could change if the proposal for integrated battle groups (IBG) is implemented. An IBG would be headed by a Major General, according to one proposal. This could make the rank of Brigadier redundant. Each IBG would have four to five battalions.

The Army commanders’ conference is held twice a year. The October conference also includes promotion boards that select officers for the senior ranks of Brigadier, Major General and Lt General.

Time and again Pakistan keeps talking about the use of tactical nuclear weapons against the Indian forces if any attempt is made to enter its territory. Pakistan’s clamour in fact grew louder ever since it came to fore that India has something called as the Cold Start doctrine which is said to be an offensive plan of the Indian forces intended to quickly mobilise forces and subdue Pakistan before it even considers nuclear retaliation. This is is said to be a plan of swift multi-pronged attack in the event of conflict.

Pakistan has hinted in the past that it would not hesitate to use tactical nukes if Indian forces advance. Pakistan’s short range missle NASR is the weapon that the Islamabad boasts of whenever the issue of Indian aggression comes up.

A tactical nuclear weapon (TNW) or non-strategic nuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon, generally smaller in its explosive power, which is designed to be used on a battlefield situations, in contrast to strategic nuclear weapons which are designed to be mostly targeted in the enemy interior away from the war front. Tactical nuclear weapons are of the range of 20-60 km with the blast radius of 3-5 km. These are developed to be used as deterrent against aggression on the border and not for a full-fledged war.

Pakistan claims that NASR can carry nuclear warheads of low yield with high accuracy. Pakistan has also claimed that it was designed to overcome missile defense systems.

Hypothetically speaking, if Indian Forces do enter Pakistan’s territory and Islamabad does indeed use tactical nukes then it would also be risking the lives of its own civilians as the device would detonate in Pakistani soil.

Another thing is once Pakistan uses a nuclear weapon in any form, Indian retaliation would be unimaginable as New Delhi will not be bound by ‘No First Use’ policy. India had declared ‘No First Use’ (NFU) as a policy; Pakistan is averse to it and feels that NFU in principle negates its deterrence advantage against India. Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are intended to compensate for conventional forces which is largely believed to be lagging behind India.

India’s options against Pakistan’s Tactical Nuclear Weapons ::

What Pakistan must keep in mind is that India has fairly developed secondary strike capability. India has ballistic missiles with nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines in short notice. Pakistan can rest assured that any use of nukes- tactical or strategic – the retribution will be swift, severe and devastating threatening its very existence.

A tactic that India can use is to get closer to populated areas in Pakistan which would force Islamabad to think of collateral damage if a nuke device is used in its own territory. Indian Army can use this tactic to negate Pakistani nukes by inserting divisons in densely populated Pakistani regions like Punjab. If Pakistan resorts to battlefield nukes then it would effectively endanger its own population also making Pakistan lose its status and face in international society and will create a soft spot for India.

Use of assets like QR-SAM, S-400 and Akash Surface to Air missile can effectively negate Nasr. But, that would require careful and effective surveillance about where NASR would be fired from and how it can be met mid-air with air defence systems.

Best would, however, be for India to hit the locations where NASR missiles are deployed with conventional short range weapons. It must be considered that since NASR is aimed at stopping advances, it would be stored at locations close to the border and not in some remote area like strategic nuclear missiles. Again, effective intelligence and precise prior knowledge of military installations would be essential.

Was awarded Vir Chakra for bravery and sacrifice in the 1965 war with Pak

Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

Nand Kishore, son of Tirkha Ram Yadav, was born at Dhawana village in present day Rewari district, which is part of the Ahirwal region. In the 1962 war with China two real brothers from Dhawana village, Sepoy Singh Ram, and his two years’ younger Sepoy Ram Kumar from 13 Kumaon, died fighting side by side in the battle of Rezang La. The elder was awarded Vir Chakra for his bravery.

Nand Kishore could not have formal education since there was no school nearby in the area. Whatever he learnt was in 4th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment in which he was enrolled on July 1, 1939.  Since there is no designated Ahir Regiment in the Indian Army, the Ahirs are mainly absorbed in Kumaon Infantry Regiment, besides logistics and combat support arms. At present, the overall strength of Kumaon Regiment comprises almost 30 per cent of Ahirs from all over India but mainly from north and central India, including  Bihar.

Considering his hard work, camaraderie and grit, Nand Kishore was awarded Junior Commission in the rank of Jemadar in 1961. Two years later, he was promoted to the rank of Subedar (Sub) and was given the command of 3rd platoon of ‘A’ Company in the battalion. As platoon commander, Sub Nand Kishore took Sepoy Tara Chand of his village as his ‘Sahayak’. During the 1965 war with Pakistan, by the end of September, the fighting ended in Poonch and Rajouri sectors but Pakistan-trained guerillas were still active along the ceasefire line in J&K. In some areas, they had entrenched themselves and the Army had to undertake extensive mopping-up operations.

In one such operation, 4 Kumaon was tasked with re-capturing Ring Contour, which overlooked and dominated the main bridge on the Kishanganga river. It was during the second assault and a fierce fight by ‘A’ Company of 4  Kumaon that the objective was captured, a fight in which Subedar Nand Kishore displayed the finest example of camaraderie and raw courage; a fight in which he was martyred but not before his platoon hoisted the National Flag on the majestic Ring Contour. For his conspicuous act of bravery, Sub Nand Kishore Yadav was deservedly awarded the coveted Vir Chakra. The battle account of his gallant act is recorded in the War Diary of 4 Kumaon.

To some, the impulsive reaction of Sub Nand Kishore might appear reckless, but a veteran who has been in the line of fire in the face of the enemy knows how high the emotions run, what camaraderie is all about, mission is all that matters and no price is high enough to pay for its accomplishment. Some people are like that. 

As a befitting tribute to the fallen junior leader, ‘A’ company of 4th Kumaon Battalion is referred to as ‘Nand Kishore Company’.

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)

The summary of gallant act in War Diary of 4 Kumaon reads…

On October 11, 1965, Sub Nand Kishore as Platoon Commander led the attack on Ring Contour. As the platoon reached the assaulting distance, it was pinned down by heavy automatic gunfire from the enemy in which Sub Nand Kishore was seriously injured and five of his men, including Tara Chand, his ‘Sahayak’, lay dead. Under the cover of own artillery and mortar fire, the dead and the wounded were evacuated to the Medical Aid Post around 300 yards in the rear. After regaining consciousness, the first thing he asked “Target capture hua”? He was answered in the negative. And then he asked “Aur Tara Chand”? He was told that Tara Chand is dead. Sub Nand Kishore thought for a while, borrowed a pistol from a signaler and without asking the medical officer, hastily limped back to the remaining personnel of his platoon on the front line, mumbling words like “Badla, dhava, kabza” (revenge, assault, capture) as he moved ahead. With heightened emotions and utmost fury, he rallied his men for the final assault. Seeing that a Browning machine gun was holding the assault, and assuming that the same gun killed his men, including his ‘Sahayak’, he called forward a rocket launcher. Despite a wounded shoulder, he fired two rockets and blasted the enemy’s machine gun and then joined the dash to the objective. Frightened by the fury of the assaulting Kumaonis, the enemy fled. But before the success signal was fired, a burst of indiscriminate firing by the fleeing enemy hit Sub Nand Kishore on the chest and he died instantly.

India needs the best of warriors, weapons and war strategies. This necessitates a quantitative reduction and a qualitative upgradation of the services’ manpower. The historic initiative of right-sizing need to be sustained, supported and carried forward. That can, hopefully, facilitate India’s graduation towards a world class military power.

Bhartendu Kumar Singh
Indian Defence Accounts Service

Large manpower of our armed forces is increasingly becoming a concern. Uncertain impact on combat capabilities apart, sheer numbers are also leapfrogging towards huge revenue and pension expenditure. There is insufficient money for modernisation efforts. Therefore, the recent initiative by army to study ‘right sizing’ challenge is a commendable policy step since this could propel India’s tryst with Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). However, unless the study is conducted in an open and transparent environment, the intended objectives would continue to elude.

The Indian Army has seen a four-fold increase in its manpower strength since 1947. None of the great powers like the US, Russia, China, the UK, or France have had this kind of increasing trajectory. In fact, all of them had a decreasing trend after the vortex of Cold War was over. For example, the US, which had over 3.37 million total armed forces personnel at the peak of Cold War in 1967, has 13.54 million personnel now. Similarly, China, which had a manpower strength of 4.9 million armed forces personnel during Cold War days, has now around two million personnel. Numerous studies have proved that the combat capability of the Chinese PLA has indeed been enhanced due to manpower rationalisation and trimming.

In the Indian context, sporadic manpower reduction efforts in the past ccould not succeed. Many strategic experts chaffed at the idea, partially out of what Samuel S Huntington may have called as ‘confused and unsystematic set of assumptions about civil-military relationship’. No serious and acceptable reform proposals were allowed to emerge on the discussion table. Even when civilian manpower underwent reductions at every level in the government and fresh recruits guided towards the new pension scheme (NPS), the military rank and file kept proliferating. The dominant theme being propagated was that of a massive shortage of manpower in the armed forces, particularly at the officer cadre level. Strategic experts had (and still have) their own narratives of manpower shortages and why urgent steps were needed to plug the same. Such assumptions of the ‘so-called shortages’ are based on archival notions of ‘authorised versus posted manpower strength’ and blissfully ignore the contemporary realities where the services’ engagements need to be functionally reviewed so as to do away with  superfluous activities. 

This dichotomy between global trends and the Indian approach is due to many factors.

1There is a civil-military compartmentalisation in national security consciousness. Despite attempts to forge a common approach to national security in institutions like the National Defence College (NDC) for senior civil and military officers, perceptional division remains in situ. The services, partly out of their training, working culture and professional military ethics, stand for a dominating security policy. Demands for more budget and more manpower have to be understood in this context. 

2The armed forces practice conservative realism and support established values, institutional practices and functional expanse. There is an institutional reluctance to revise them and learn from best practices elsewhere. Some of these practices, like the orderly system and the involvement in basketful of non-core activities like running educational institutions, commercial complexes etc, lead to avoidable proliferation of rank and file.

3 There are few lateral mobility options for armed forces personnel in other professional fields. Media hype and hoopla notwithstanding, our soldiers have to demand respect and remain at the margins of social life. For example, despite the armed forces remaining stout champions of democratic values, very few military men have managed a political career. Such economic, social and political marginalisation deprive them an encompassing and comprehensive outlook of society to appreciate issues such as manpower reduction.

Contemporary experiences show that numerical preponderance and military modernisation do not go hand-in-hand. Manpower has been reduced in many countries to rationalise ‘teeth-to-tail’ ratio and spend the precious penny on weapons. Further, the nature of warfare is constantly changing where the physical hand-to-hand fight is being replaced by new platforms such as cyber warfare. Instead of dismantling enemy tanks, the challenge is to cripple the enemy’s functional system in critical fields. When we hypothesise a war scenario 20 years later, war techniques would have become more automated and indeed robotised. Infantry and mechanised infantry would be performing rear guard duties. Thus, the technological imperatives necessitate a technically educated manpower profile to handle the future warfare scenario. In the Indian context, unless the numbers are reduced, a qualitative pushover is difficult.

The present initiative seems to be a response to public policy calls for manpower reduction and jointness since 2015 and a look beyond the Shekatkar Committee’s recommendations on manpower reduction. One of the reasons why the Shekatkar Committee did not come up to expectations was its inability to conceptualise the issues and ask the right questions to itself. For example, the political economy of military modernisation warrants that revenue expenditure be capped to a maximum of 50 per cent of the defence budget. Such issues were ignored. Perhaps, that explains why it could not go beyond cosmetic recommendations, necessitating a comprehensive study afresh by the army.

India needs the best of warriors, weapons and war strategies. This necessitates a quantitative reduction and a qualitative upgradation of the services’ manpower. The historic initiative of right-sizing need to be sustained, supported and carried forward. That can, hopefully, facilitate India’s graduation towards a world class military power.

Views are personal

China remains the biggest arms exporter to Pakistan. According to a report by RAND, Pakistan accounts for nearly 42% of China’s total arms sales. On the contrary, Pakistan’s arch-enemy India remains the biggest economic partner of China in the region with bilateral trade expected to touch $100 Billion.

China has emerged as a key supplier of major weapons to South Asian countries especially Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sales to both the nations amount to over 53% total Chinese arms sales between 2000-14.

The most notable Chinese sale Pakistan was of JF-17 fighters followed by an agreement to build the fighter jets in Pakistan under a joint venture.

China has continued to provide significant defence assistance to Pakistan including assisting develop the country’s nuclear program. During the mid-1970s Beijing covertly assisted Islamabad’s nuclear ambitions to counter New Delhi, according to the RAND report.

“In 1988, China agreed to supply and train Pakistanis to operate the M-11 solid-fuel rocket, with a 185-mile range and carrying a 1,100-pound warhead. In succeeding decades, China has sold Pakistan hundreds of fighter jets and signed agreements to sell frigates and submarines to Pakistan,” the report read.

China maintains strong defence ties with Pakistan and it is to check what Islamabad states as Indian belligerence. of late. According to the document, close ties with Pakistan, “the linchpin of China’s South Asia policy”, are based on three factors: ensuring China’s internal stability, balance against India and defending China’s growing economic interests.

At the same time, China-India economic ties are soaring at a rapid pace. India is China’s largest trading partner in the region and the bilateral trade between 2000 and 2013 was estimated to be at $65 billion (compared to a modest $14 billion between China and Pakistan). By 2020, India-China trade volume is widely speculated to touch magical $100 Billion.

With SSB interviews lined up over the next couple of months, it is time to gear up for this prestigious exam. Wear the most positive and outright attitude to ace this test of endurance and intelligence

Gauri Chhabra

One of the most prestigious and coveted body known for analysing candidates holistically is the Services Selection Board (SSB). It conducts personality and intelligence tests and interviews to determine suitability of a candidate applying for Indian armed forces. With SSB interviews lined up over the next couple of months, here’s a look at what this test is all about:

SSB Examination

Candidates applying for the Army/Navy/Naval Academy and Air Force have to secure the minimum qualifying marks separately in written test and clear the “officer potential” test. Candidates applying for the flying branch of the Indian Air Force,  also have to qualify the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) & Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) separately.

SSB Interview for NDA 142 course will commence in  January 2019.

SSB (Service Selection Board) is an organisation set-up by the Ministry of Defence that schedules, organises and conducts the SSB interview of the candidates applying for comissioned officers’ posts in short service and permanent commission. SSB interview is a five-day-long procedure, which includes two stages of testing as stage I & stage II. This test is organised at the SSB Centers (designated by SSB). The interview  includes intelligence & personality tests.

Interview procedure

Only those candidates that qualify the Stage I on the first day of reporting to the board are permitted to appear for Stage II. In case you do not clear Stage 1 screening test, then be prepared to be sent back on the very first day itself.

Stage 1: This stage consists of Officer Intelligence Rating (OIR) tests and Picture Perception & Description Test (PP & DT). Candidates are shortlisted on the basis of combined performance in OIR Test and PP & DT.

Stage 2: This stage is usually comprises a bateery of tests spread over a period of four days. The tests include  psychology tests, Group Testing Officer Tasks (GTO), Interview & Conference.

Scoring pattern

For selection in SSB, all three techniques — Psychology, Interview and Group Testing —  are important. Each technique has equal weightage. SSB is assessed out of 900 marks. Out of this, 225 marks are reserved for board conference and the remaining 675 marks are divided between the three techniques which mean each assessor has 225 marks to award. The conference marks are divided into three parts with the Interviewing Officer having a slightly larger share.It is not important to pass in all three techniques. In fact, most successful candidates  clear two out of the three techniques. Very few candidates clear all three, there are also a few candidates who actually pass in only one technique but get cleared by the Board after discussions during the board conference. It’s also possible that a candidate initially clears in all three techniques and yet fails at the Board conference.

When should you start preparing?

Well, the earlier you start  the better. The quantity of time never matters for preparations, what matters is the quality of time you put in and how sincerely you are preparing. The OLQ’s which are the most important aspect of SSB can’t be developed in a day.

Have an in depth knowledge of the pattern

To get through the SSB,  you should know what all would be asked in each test. What would be the pattern? What kind of candidates normally make it? The knowledge of all this would hold you in good stead since you will start practicing early. In the psychological tests, you cannot fake it. Give ample amount of time to know yourself, and analyse your positives and negative.

Introspect

Do a SWOT analysis of yourself. Write down everything you need to know about yourself and your near ones. This includes your positives, negatives, achievements. Basically an introspection of your personality. Your hobbies, interests and information related to that. Information related to your friends, family and their likes dislikes, and your likes and dislikes in them. Remember, you can’t fake it in SSB so either you have the personality they want or you don’t.

You come to know whether you have the right ethical values and whether you are cut out for the role.

Discipline your mind & body

The singular quality that would set you apart from others is discipline that becomes evident in the way you walk and talk. It is not just about walking in line and reaching on time. To be an officer you need to develop the qualities of an officer, and these cannot be developed overnight.

Therefore, if you have to gear up for the SSB, start preparing now. Wear the most positive and outright attitude you can and steal the show.

Selection drill

Day 0 (Reporting):

On this day candidates have to report at the selection center. Candidates’ original documents along with photocopies are verified on arrival. After this Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) forms are filled. In this form, the candidates have to fill their personal details regarding educational profile, family background, etc.

Day 1 (Screening Test):

Candidates have to take  an Intelligence Test (verbal & non-verbal) & Picture Perception Test. In PP test, slide (hazy or clear) is shown for 30 seconds and candidates have to write a story based on their perception. After this test, the group discussion round takes place. This sequence is commonly known as Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PPDT).

Intelligence Test: It comprises verbal as well as non-verbal questions. It is a written test that includes multiple choice questions. The time allotted to answering each question is 30 seconds.

Picture Perception and Discussion Test (PP & DT): This test includes story writing and discussion. A picture will be shown to the candidates for 30 seconds and candidates have to write a story based on the picture in 3 minutes.

Day 2 (Psychology Tests):

It is a set of written tests wherein candidates’ psychological suitability for the job is tested. These tests may include:

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): It is called as picture story writing. This test is very similar to PPDT. In this test, about 11 pictures are shown. Each picture is displayed just for 30 seconds, after that candidates have to write a story based on the picture within four minutes. After four minutes another picture is  displayed and the same procedure is followed till the last slide. The twelfth slide is blank where a candidate is supposed to write any story of his own choice.

Word Association Test (WAT): It is the second psychological test of SSB selection procedure. In this test, 60 words are shown back to back for a period of 50 seconds. The candidates have to write the first thought that comes to their mind for those words.

Situation Reaction Test (SRT): In this test, candidates get a booklet with 60 situations written on it and  they have to write their responses based on those 60 situations.

Self Description Test (SD): In this test, candidates have to write their opinion about their parents, themselves, friends, teachers & others. The time will be allotted 15 minutes.

Day 3 & Day 4 – Group Testing Officer Tasks (GTO Tasks):

These tests involve interactive indoor and outdoor activities as a combination of mental and physical work. These tests are as follows:

Group Discussion: In this round, a certain situation or topic (mostly current affairs) is given to a group of candidates. They are expected to discuss the various aspects of the issue. Group Task Officer observes each candidate during the course of the group discussion.

Group Planning Exercise (Military Planning Exercise): In this round, a model of real life practical circumstances is presented to a group of applicants. They have to write their own plan of action for the mentioned problem.

Progressive Group Tasks (PGT): In this round, a group of candidates has to cross some obstacles with the help of supporting materials such as rope, plank, wood log etc.

Half Group Tasks: This round is the same as PGT,  but the number of group members is half. Thus, candidates get more chance to show their potential.

Individual Obstacles: In this round, candidates are required to attempt 10 obstacles individually.

Group obstacles race or snake race: In this round, all group members compete with other groups. Candidates are required to cross certain obstacles with the snake-like rope.

Command Task: In this task, one candidate is given the “role” of a commander. He will be required to cross some obstacles with the help of 2-3 subordinates.

Lecturette: In this round, each individual has to give a lecture for three minutes on a topic selected by them.

Final Group Task: It is same as PGT. Candidates have another chance to show their potential.

Day 5 (Conference):

On the final day, all candidates and SSB members sit together and have a chat wherein the candidates are asked a few general questions. The conference is just to decide whether a particular candidate has been recommended as an officer or not.

Medical

After the SSB result, the recommended candidates have to appear before the medical board for their medical test. This also takes 4 to 5 days.  NDA candidates are examined both for Army and Navy unless otherwise instructed and endorsement of fitness status will be made accordingly.