Sanjha Morcha

H Offshore patrol vessel ‘Varad’ commissioned


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Enhancing Indian Coast Guard’s rescue and surveillance capabilities, its latest multi-mission offshore patrol vessel ‘Varad’, equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, was commissioned by Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here on Friday.

The 98-metre long craft, that can travel up to 10,000 km non-stop, is the fifth in the series of seven indigenously designed patrol vessels being built by the Larsen and Toubro Shipyard as part of the Centre’s Make in India programme.

The vessel, which can carry two engine light helicopters with night flying capabilities, also has four high-speed boats including two rigid hull inflatable boats for swift boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and patrol, the Coast Guard said.

It was commissioned by Mandaviya in the presence of Coast Guard Director General K Natarajan, Chennai Port Trust Chairman P Raveendran and senior government officials at the Chennai Port.


NATION Rafale alone not sufficient, says IAF Chief

B944FA46-F84A-49BA-86DE-5B27AF4A9897New Delhi, February 28

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshall RKS Bhadauria on Friday said the induction of 36 Rafale jets would not be sufficient to take care of the force’s requirements and the need of the hour was to focus on developing indigenous platforms. The IAF Chief was speaking at a seminar themed ‘Air power in no war no peace scenario,’ organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat also attended the seminar.

Stressing upon the importance of developing indigenous technology, Air Chief Marshal Bhaduria said, “The 36 Rafale jets will alone not provide us solution for the IAF’s need. We need to be able to use the indigenous Astra missile on the Su30s and across other fighter aircraft, like Mig-29, for better performance of air power.”

He said the Indian Air Force would be “very happy” if in the next air skirmish, weapons and missiles used by it are indigenously built. Rafale would need to be complimented with similar capabilities on other platforms, he said. — TNS


GOG IN UPBEAT MOOD : LT GEN TS SHERGILL PVSM ,VISTS PATHANKOT TO REVIEW GOVT FLAGSHIP SCHEMES MONITORED BY GOG

Gen T S Shergill PVSM Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab and Senior Vice Chairman of GoG reviewed the Govt Flagship Schemes monitor by GoG at Pathankot today.DC,ADC,SDMs,AC(Grievances)and GoG Officer of Pathankot  Dist attended. General also interacted with   GoG of the District

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Situation alarming in Delhi, Army should be called in: Kejriwal Death toll in violence reaches 20

Situation alarming in Delhi, Army should be called in: Kejriwal

New Delhi, February 26

The death toll in the northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 20 on Wednesday, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged that the situation has become “alarming” and the Army should be called in as police is “unable to control it”.

According to GTB Hospital authorities, the number of injured now stands at 189, however, the situation at the hospital “seems to be settling”.

Communal violence over the amended citizenship law had escalated in northeast Delhi on Tuesday as the police struggled to check the rioters who ran amok on streets, burning and looting shops, pelting stones and thrashing people.

On Tuesday, the death toll was 13.

“The death toll has risen to 20 today,” Medical Superintendent of GTB Hospital, Sunil Kumar, told PTI.

Earlier, at least four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) Hospital, a senior official said.

Later, while interacting with reporters, GTB MS said, from Tuesday midnight it is a “trickle of patients and not a gush of injured persons as was earlier”.

These patients have several kinds of injuries, including from gunshots, many sustained trauma from jumping from rooftops to escape violence, many received head injuries, he said.

“We are fully prepared with doctors, nurses, paramedics, consumables, linen and other paraphernalia and hoping that the situation won’t worsen from here,” he said.

Asked if the victims have been identified, Kumar sad, “Many people have been identified, some are yet to be”.

Chief Minister Kejriwal said the situation has become “alarming”, adding that he is writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“I have been in touch with large no. of people whole nite (night). Situation alarming. Police, despite all its efforts, unable to control situation and instil confidence (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

“Army shud (should) be called in and curfew imposed in rest of affected areas immediately. Am writing to Hon’ble HM to this effect,” he added.

After Monday night, incidents of arson, tension had smouldered in the National Capital and on Tuesday, streets in several localities like Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Kardampuri and Jaffrabad saw pitched battles between the members of two groups who also hurled petrol bombs and opened fire.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval late last night also took stock of the situation, sources said.Meanwhile, television visual showed DCP Northeast Ved Prakash Surya along with a posse of police personnel conducting a flag march in the violence-hit areas seeking to boost confidence of people and bring the situation to normal. PTI

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Capt Amarinder conferred with ‘ideal chief minister’ award

Capt Amarinder conferred with ‘ideal chief minister’ award

Former President Pranab Mukherjee confers ‘Ideal Chief Minister Award’ on Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh during the 10th Indian Students’ Parliament in New Delhi on Sunday.

New Delhi, February 23

The youth should play a constructive role in active politics as it is their duty as future leaders to transform the country’s destiny, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Sunday.

Speaking at a national conclave of the Bhartiya Chhatra Sansad (BCS) at the Vigyan Bhawan here, he also urged students to join politics not for glamour or power but to serve the country.

The BCS awarded Singh the ‘Adarsh Mukhya Mantri Puraskar’ and it was given to him by former President Pranab Mukherjee during the valedictory function of the four-day conclave.

Singh urged students who want to join politics to be well-versed with the socio-economic and demographic conditions of their states.

“Join politics not for glamour or power but to serve the country or your state to make it better,” he urged the youth.

“Politics is not an easy profession; rather it is a 24X7 job as, being elected representatives, you have to solve the problems of people besides addressing their grievances,” the chief minister said.

Singh was given the award for his path breaking initiatives to ensure good governance and holistic development in Punjab, according to a statement.

The values he practises have earned him recognition and eminence in society, it said.

The statement quoted Singh as saying,” Since we are on the way out and you (youth) are on the way in, it is your duty to serve your country with firm commitment, sincerity and honesty, upholding the cherished values of democracy.”

Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju, former Union external affairs minister Kunwar Natwar Singh, Auroville Foundation chairman Karan Singh, founder of the MIT World Peace University Vishwanath D Karad and BCS founder Rahul V Karad were present on the occasion. — PTI


Glorious army of volunteers

Glorious army of volunteers

Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)

THERE is this common wisdom in the military that ‘you never volunteer’. Yet, when the occasion arises, there is seldom a dearth of volunteers, even for the most dangerous missions.

Ours is a three-class armoured regiment and during the 1971 war, it was called upon to send a squadron for what could be called the ‘last man, last round mission’. Dogra squadron was detailed on this mission. Since it would have involved just one class (Dogra) in the regiment taking all the casualties, as second-in-command, I suggested that the force be raised to one-and-a-half squadron, two tank troops from each of the three squadrons and that I would command this group. The Corps Commander approved the plan. I held a darbar and explained the meaning of the regiment’s motto, nature of the task and the extent of casualties we may have to accept. I ended by asking for volunteers.

Troop leaders and troops fell over each other to volunteer. Two days before the launch of this force, some adverse situation developed in another sector of the corps zone and the regiment was moved post haste to that sector.

During the early Nineties, hundreds of young men who had crossed over to PoK had started coming back to the Kashmir valley after training in the use of weapons, etc. Those who were from South Kashmir were transiting through Poonch and Rajouri sectors at night.

To traverse through this area, the services of a local guide were required, especially as much of the Army was deployed in the depth areas. A batch of 25 terrorists was held up on the PoK side of the LoC, waiting for a guide to take them through this area. The guide was not too sure of being able to avoid Indian troops. This group was getting impatient and they finally decided to take a truck from the road below and drive up to Baflias (below Pir Panjal range, along the old Mughal route) and from there on they could be on their own to get to South Kashmir.

The guide arranged a truck, but no driver was available as the terrorists wanted only a Sikh driver. Those days there was much trouble in Punjab and these terrorists had been made to believe that Sikhs were with them.

The local police and Army intelligence came to know of this demand for a Sikh driver and the brigade commander’s jeep driver, overhearing the conversation about the demand for a driver, volunteered to drive the truck.

In civil clothes and with a pistol tied to his leg, he contacted the guide and at night took the truck to the designated point. The guide and his assistant brought this batch of 25 terrorists to where the truck had been positioned. The leader of this terrorist group and the senior guide sat with the driver, while three terrorists positioned themselves on the tool box above the driver’s cabin, while the rest of them and the junior guide got into the truck.

As the truck reached a particular bridge, a sentry stepped forward to stop it. Those sitting on top of the truck realised they had run into an ambush and shot the sentry. The leader of the group thought that they had been led into an ambush, so he shot the senior guide sitting by his side and the junior guide, as he jumped out of the truck to escape, was shot by those in the body of the truck. All this happened in a matter of 7 to 10 seconds and during this time, the driver opened the door of the truck and jumped over the railing of the bridge and landed on the sand bed. He got under the bridge with a pistol, ready to take on, were anyone to follow him.

Then all too suddenly two light machine guns opened up, followed by a rocket launcher. With all the explosives these terrorists were carrying, the truck exploded, killing all 25 of them. The driver was awarded Kirti Chakra and moved out of the area.

Whatever be the common wisdom in the military, there is never a dearth of volunteers, no matter how dangerous the mission.


Can A Repeat of The Pulwama Terror Attack Occur in Kashmir?

The Kargil sneak action by Pakistan at the lofty heights caught India by surprise in 1999 with much talk around the alleged intelligence failure. It took almost ten weeks to evict the intruders with many casualties, but what is rarely known is the extent to which the ‘surprise factor’ started to play on the minds of Indian commanders.

In August 1999 itself, we were reassessing every nook and corner of Kashmir for the potentiality of Kargil-2, the proverbial repeat which most senior commanders thought would inevitably occur. In October 2013 some large-scale terrorist activity at the Kupwara LoC was also initially assessed by some as Kargil-2.

Cut to 14 Febryary 2019, exactly a year ago, and we had the most horrendous event in the form of a 350 kilogram improvised explosive device (IED) blasted as a car bomb by a 20-year-old Kashmiri suicide bomber against a CRPF bus running as part of a convoy.

The attack claimed the lives of 40 personnel – the highest number of security men lost in any single incident in the 30-year-old proxy hybrid conflict sponsored by Pakistan.

Pulwama Caught India by ‘Surprise’

The ‘surprise factor’ was again very high; it happened against the run of events. First there was hardly a history of car bomb attacks in Kashmir; just three, with the last one in 2004. On the potential employment of a suicide bomber, the radicalisation of South Kashmir had given some forewarning but not enough.

Second, with infiltration under control and intra Valley movement under strict vigil, concentrating 350 kilograms of high explosive at one location appeared almost impossible. Yet it happened, springing a surprise on us.

On the first anniversary of the incident, it is irrelevant to even consider whether Pulwama was an intelligence failure.

Those who know the dynamics of hybrid conflict would always realise that hundred percent fool-proofing against surprise events of high intensity violence is just not possible.

After all, 9/11 occurred with 19 terrorists involved against the most high profile intelligence agencies of the world; and Brussels, London and Paris appeared cakewalks for the ISIS. Each day without a negative incident is an achievement of sorts for even high profile intelligence agencies. Thus surprise will always remain a major factor for consideration in any threat analysis.

Also Read : Most Wanted JeM Member From Pakistan Killed in Pulwama: Police

Pakistan’s Intent & Resources Available

So, can a Pulwama-2 occur anytime in the near future?

A professional military intelligence assessment would approach the issue by examining three aspects – Pakistani intent, resources available and the likely impact on the overall scenario.

On one thing, none in India will disagree, that the trust deficit with Pakistan is intense and Pakistan will apply little rationality to its decisions and actions when it comes to dealing with India, especially on J&K.ict initiation against India includes the 1965 Indo Pak War, the continuation of genocide in East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) the impact of which challenged India in 1971, the Kashmir situation in 1989, Kargil conflict of 1999, the Parliament attack 2001, Mumbai terror attack 2008, Uri terror attack 2016 and Pulwama 2019. Interspersed in between these events are several more.

India’s Tolerance Has Shrunk

In yesteryears of the proxy hybrid conflict situation, Pakistan’s assessed perception was that India’s level of tolerance for surprise and high intensity incidents was extremely high. Somewhere a misperceived notion appeared to have been created that India was completely deterred by Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and its first use of the nuclear doctrine, such that for India to think of war, a much higher red-line had to be crossed by Pakistan.

Although trans-LoC actions by the Indian Army in response to LoC-related incidents were common 20 years ago and became a little less frequent 10 years later, there is no doubt that strategic response through tactical level actions with total government ownership as a policy, came into effect only with the coming of the Modi Government at the Centre.

The surgical strikes of 2016, subsequent shallow strikes in Poonch sector in 2017 and the Balakot airstrike should have adequately conveyed to Pakistan that the level of tolerance in terms of red-lines had shrunk to a much lower level.

Also the fact that for India there is enough space for a calibrated response below full scale war.essively projected much higher by responses from 2016 to 2019.

Repeat Of Pulwama Would Be ‘Irrational’

Applying rational assessment to the prevailing situation, in which Pakistan finds itself with a dangerously failing economy, the likelihood of it risking crossing of assessed lower Indian red-lines should be extremely low. However, we come a full circle on the issue of rationality – something historically ignored by the Pakistan Army.

That makes an irrational act always possible especially when it wishes to display its muscular survivability even in the worst of times for the Pakistani nation. resources to repeat a Pulwama-type event? There is no doubt that the domination of Kashmir by the Indian Army and the police forces is much more profound today with intelligence agencies still in the process of dismantling the ecosystem, the system which has helped regenerate terrorism from time to time.

Does Pakistan or its proxies, possess the

Yet it must be remembered that within a month of Pulwama a potential repeat was prevented purely through providence; a similarly prepared car bomb malfunctioned and the potential bomber was captured two days later.

Also Read : ‘With BJP’s J&K Approach, Another Pulwama Bound to Happen’: Pak PM

With limited mobile internet facility in J&K both the ecosystem and the intelligence agencies are hamstrung; the former by limitation of coordination and the latter by the insufficiency of communication to intercept.There is an uneasy balance which seems to exist. If the lower intensity and frequency of operations since August 2019 is something to go by, it is either intelligence which has weakened with sources less active under enhanced threat to them, or the overall strength of terrorists and their leaders has drastically reduced. In such a scenario a major spectacular act will be difficult but not impossible. It is the desired impact which must be clear.

Pakistan would wish to have total deniability with some concocted solid evidence of an Indian ‘false flag’; mention of this is already being found in Pakistan media in relation to visit of President Trump to India.

That would be a preposterous eventuality, akin to the Chittisinghpura carnage of 19 March 2000 during the visit of former US President Bill Clinton, but not beyond the irrationality of Pakistan’s planners. That reminder should also make clear that thinking of only IED threats as a potential and proverbial Pulwama may be an inaccurate assessment.

What Pakistan’s deep state wishes is to kick-start the flagging militancy, force commitment of additional Indian forces, create conditions to realistically make allegations of human rights violations and prevent strengthening of the counter infiltration grid to allow scope of infiltration.

All this may not be achieved by one spectacular act but much depends on the nature and intensity of the event and where it fits into the graph of India’s red-lines.

Lastly, blinkers must not be on only for Kashmir, the Jammu region lies within the crosshairs too, and our focus must continue to remain balanced extending the scope of enhanced vigilance as far deep south as Kathua and Pathankot. Yes, a Pulwama-2 is certainly possible but the consequences of it for Pakistan will be far more unpredictable than ever before.

(The writer, a former GOC of the Army’s 15 Corps, is now the Chancellor of Kashmir University. He can be reached at @atahasnain53. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)


Should women be given command posts in the Army?

Like men, women should be judged on the basis of their professionalism and merit

Last week, in response to an ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on permanent commission for women officers, the government cited “physical” and “physiological limitations” in granting command positions to women officers in the Indian Army. To this, the Supreme Court responded that there is a need for administrative will and “change of mindset”. In a conversation moderated by Dinakar Peri, Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain and Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda discuss this question. Excerpts:

Could you provide an overview of the reasoning behind the government’s stand?

Lt Gen Hasnain: Till September 2019, permanent commission for women was restricted to only two departments: the Army Education Corps and the Judge Advocate General’s branch. In September, the Defence Ministry announced that it is opening this up to eight other arms and services from April this year, for women already selected for the Short Service Commission. So, permanent commission now is open in 10 departments, or what you call arms and services. Now, women’s careers can be furthered only if they get what are called command assignments or criteria appointments. The question is, how do you define a criteria appointment? The Indian Army is what is called a command-oriented Army. That is, anyone who has to be given further positions up the chain of command has to first be experienced in command at the level of a full Colonel, a unit command. So far, this was denied to women. That is the main issue.

My opinion is that the time has come for us to at least experiment, if nothing else, and that experiment needs to be done first with the Services — Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps and Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. In all these there are women who have been commissioned for the last 30 years as Short Service Commissioned officers. Many of them have commanded workshops. Some of them are in a position to be selected. The focus is on the word selected because they have to be selected through their confidential reports, a board of officers, a promotion board, which will determine whether they are fit to command. Only then will they command a unit.

Gen Hooda, apart from the point about gaining acceptability from other soldiers, the government has argued that there are other issues such as motherhood and domestic obligations. Do you believe that these are stumbling blocks in women holding command positions? For the last 30 years we have had women in the Army.

Lt Gen Hooda: There are challenges — domestic issues, fitness, pregnancy — all that has been quoted by the government in its affidavit. But this is an argument we had 30 years ago when we were inducting women into the Army. All these issues have been handled by the Army in a very mature manner over the years.

Coming specifically to the issue of whether they should be given command or not, there is very little justification in saying that while women officers can be company commanders, platoon commanders, second in command, [they should be excluded] when it comes to command appointments, commanding a unit, only on the basis that they are women. This argument doesn’t hold water. As Lt Gen Hasnain said, there is a board of officers to decide whether promotions to the rank of Colonel can take place or not for a particular officer. It’s not as if all male officers get automatically promoted as Colonels. In some cases, in some services, less than 30% of male officers are promoted to the rank of Colonel. The decision is made by a board of officers. Let the same board of officers decide whether a woman officer is fit to command a unit. Women should be judged on the basis of their professionalism and on the basis of merit.

The Commanding Officer holds a very significant position in the Army. What distinguishes the command positions and what’s the way forward to have women in these roles?

Lt Gen Hasnain: Let’s understand it from a career management angle as well as a functional angle. What are criteria appointments which someone has to fulfil before they can be promoted to even higher ranks? These appointments can be directly in command of troops or many times they are also not in command of troops. For example, there can be appointments in the Army Education Corps and the Judge Advocate General’s branch or such things where you have a certain responsibility, but you are not directly commanding troops. There are arms and services such as the Army Service Corps and Electrical and Mechanical Engineers where you have resources under your command and you have a large number of personnel under your command. In the Engineers Corps, a criteria appointment could be to set up an appointment such as the Commander Works Engineer who is responsible largely for projects of maintenance, of a lot of construction assets, and things like that, and very little responsibility for the personnel under you. So, there is a whole range of such responsibilities.

But the one important aspect is that the difference between a sub-unit command and the command by a Commanding Officer is that the Commanding Officer is the place where the buck stops. So the question many are asking is, do women have it in them to be able to accept that kind of responsibility? And will they be able to exercise that authority over male personnel under them? Now, this has only been experienced in sub-units where there could be 100-120 men serving under a lady officer of rank of a Major or Lieutenant Colonel and they have done extremely well in those appointments. So there is nothing wrong in giving them command assignments. That is why I said let’s experiment with it. Give it a five-year period, and if you find something drastically wrong, which I’m sure you will not, then maybe you can give it a review. But on the face of it, denying them this opportunity only on the basis of their gender is not legally correct, I think, though of course the Supreme Court will decide that. I don’t think it is morally correct. Because now that you have given them permanent commission, you’ve given them this on the basis of the assumption that they are equally good [as men], they’re responsible, and they can be developed to become better, I think it’s incumbent on the organisation to actually repose a certain level of trust in them and give them these command responsibilities.

Gen Hooda, you had written that there is some merit in not having women in combat roles. Can you elaborate on this?

Lt Gen Hooda: I think there is some justification in not permitting women in combat roles at this time. There are issues about soldiers and officers living on the front lines. Officers and their men all live together in, say, one bunker along the Line of Control. So, there are issues and if you are going to induct women in Combat Arms, try and shield them from some of these more difficult roles. At this stage, it could only invite more resentment regarding why we are having women in Combat Arms. We should keep that debate for later. Let’s start with mainstreaming those arms and services where women already are present.

You had mentioned stressful conditions like working in close proximity on the front lines. Now we’re talking about command positions, but combat roles in front line combat will come up after that. How can these issues be addressed?

Lt Gen Hooda: We need to look at things in a more practical manner. We’ve already started inducting women as permanent commission in some of the supporting arms and services. We need to completely integrate all the people in the Army, and that includes women officers. It’s ridiculous that we are fighting battles in court. The Supreme Court might give some judgment based on its wisdom. But within the Army, if we can internally resolve these issues, that will be a much better approach. So let’s look at both sides of the debate. And the fact is, you have to integrate women better in the Army, you have to give them their professional aspirations, their personal aspirations have to be met. Let’s start debating this and see how everyone can be pulled together. Frankly, some of the arguments that have been made in the Court — I dare say I’m using this word with a little caution — are regressive, and don’t reflect the reality on the ground today.

What were your efforts in this direction?

Lt Gen Hasnain: That’s a good question. I admit that I started with a negative mindset myself, way back in 1991. But my mind changed very early because of the demonstrated capability on the ground. In almost every arm and service, I visited in my own division on the Line of Control, I saw a detachment of engineers working feverishly on a particular operational track and the person commanding that detachment and spending time on the deck of the bulldozer at night, for three to four weeks with the men, was a lady officer. Thereafter, there have been many occasions where I’ve seen young women, convoy commanders, who’ve done a marvellous job under the most challenging circumstances in cases of ambushes on the Uri-Baramulla road.

Lt Gen Hooda: I will give you two stories. In 2005, I took over command of the Brigade from Lt Gen Hasnain, and we had this earthquake in September 2005. My Brigade Major wasn’t there [in Uri]. The officer below him, the captain who is called the G3, was injured. And we had no officers there, we were completely cut off. The Education Officer, Captain Rosie, performed the role of Brigade Major and she handled the whole operational side. Hats off to the way she handled it. So, I have no doubts about women officers handling responsibilities during a crisis. Then we had Colonel Santosh Mahadik, Commanding Officer of a unit, when I was the Army Commander, who was killed while fighting terrorists in September 2015. When my wife went to pay condolences, his wife said she wanted to join the Army. She was 35 years old, 10 years older than anybody who can get commissioned into the Officers Training Academy. We took up her case. She got commissioned in 2017 as a Lieutenant in the Ordnance (Corps). Now, the inspiration we get from her story is beyond words.

Generals, in retrospect, would you have taken orders from a woman officer?

Lt Gen Hasnain: Without blinking an eye, if someone above me, whether man or woman, was someone who demonstrated capability and leadership qualities, there is no question that I would not accept directions, orders. In the Army, we are trained to do that. It’s just a mindset [regarding women], we need to overcome that. I would have overcome it almost immediately.

Lt Gen Hooda: Soldiers respect professionalism, good leadership, irrespective of whether it is demonstrated by a male or female officer.

D.S. Hooda is a former Northern Army Commander; Syed Ata Hasnain is former GOC 15 Corps and is now the Chancellor of Jammu University.


Understanding the inner workings and selection process of army

For ease of understanding the Supreme Court’s (SC) judgment extending permanent commission (PC) to all Women Officers (WOs), including command opportunities, it is important to first understand what the army’s Arms and Services are, writes Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Lt. Col. Seema Singh (2L) and other women army personnel after the apex court’s decision to apply permanent commission to all women officers in the Indian Army, at Supreme Court on Monday.

Lt. Col. Seema Singh (2L) and othe
r women army personnel after the apex court’s decision to apply permanent commission to all women officers in the Indian Army, at Supreme Court on Monday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The entire issue of commissioning of officers into the armed forces is a complex one not easily understood outside the uniform. In the case of the army, it is rendered even more complex because of the presence of diverse departments, across Arms and Services. For ease of understanding the Supreme Court’s (SC) judgment extending permanent commission (PC) to all Women Officers (WOs), including command opportunities, it is important to first understand what the army’s Arms and Services are.

First are the so-called Combat Arms: Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Armoured Corps and also Artillery (the last is classically not counted among these, but by virtue of the nature of its task involving battle fires is colloquially counted as such). WOs do not get commissioned into these.

We then have the Combat Support Arms: Signals, Engineers, Army Air Defence, Aviation and Intelligence. WOs are commissioned in all five as these roles involve limited direct combat with the enemy.

Then come the Services: Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) and the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) who in conventional war serve in administrative support roles. WOs are commissioned in all three.

There are also two other departments: Army Education Corps (AEC) and the Judge Advocate General’s Branch (JAG); WOs are commissioned in both; in fact these are only two departments that, from 1992 onwards, have given PC to WOs.

From 1991 onwards, WOs have received Short Service Commission (SSC) in eight of the above 10 Arms/Services and PC in the two departments. In September 2019, the government extended PC to the eight Arms/Services too but restricted this to only WOs who have been commissioned from 2014 onwards. The order is effective from April 2020. A large number of WOs with SSC from earlier years continued to serve in the Army beyond their contracted period pending final resolution of a legal case for PC. The SC in its judgment on Monday has granted PC to all WOs, irrespective of year of commission. It is, however, unclear whether they will also have to undergo a selection process for grant of such PC as is applicable in the case of male officers.

There is a second and very important functional issue which the SC has included in its judgment — that of command opportunities. If WOs have to be placed in the same category as male officers with PC, with applicability of similar terms and conditions applicable to the latter, then their career management as PC officers has to be addressed. Thus far, under SSC, WOs were denied the requisite training and opportunity to assume command in the rank of Colonel which is the first “selection grade” rank. Male officers of this rank command units of respective Arms and Services but not all are given such opportunity; it is strictly through a stringent selection by a promotion board based upon confidential reports, record of service and qualifications. They are tested in command capability as Colonels and this makes them eligible for further selection for progression to higher ranks. The Indian Army, which is command oriented, tests its officers in command capability before any selection for promotion.

Now serving beyond the stipulated SSC terms, WOs too want command opportunity, which the army was reluctant to give them, citing acceptance problems by the men they will command as Colonels (by selection) and the physical challenges involved.

The SC has dismissed the army’s arguments and extended equal command opportunities to WOs. Since there is a deep selection procedure every WO is not going to get such opportunities — only 30% of male officers of the ASC, for instance are cleared by a promotion board. My personal experience with WOs serving under my command is that they are fully competent to command Services units; the Army may begin with affording them command of peacetime establishments such as supply depots and then graduate to operational units. As regards to Combat Support Arms, an experimental exercise must be done to ascertain command capability of selected WOs in both peace and field conditions under close supervision of senior male officers. These units have more manpower and bear operational risks of a higher order, which involves lives of soldiers. JAG and AEC departments where the criterion of testing is different have no such problems.

The SC is right in stating that “soldiers must have the physical capability to do one’s role … women in the army is an evolutionary process”. Some parts of the army can be expected to be unhappy about the judgment. However, it needs to be realised that the army’s selection process for command has stood the test of time. The evolutionary process will ensure that WOs progressively improve with further motivation of a career in the army. Their induction into Combat Arms is likely to be the next big issue which will need a separate debate although its time too will come, albeit after a longer wait.

(The writer is former GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps)

 


NCC plane crashes in Patiala, pilot dead

NCC plane crash, NCC pilot killed, patiala plane crash, punjab news, indian express

The micro-light airplane of Number 3 NCC Air Unit crashed in the military area near Patiala Aviation Club on Sangrur-Patiala road. (Express photo)

A pilot was killed and a cadet injured after a National Cadet Corps (NCC) aircraft crashed in Patiala on Monday.

According to the police, the micro-light airplane of Number 3 NCC Air Unit crashed in the military area near Patiala Aviation Club on Sangrur-Patiala road.

Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu confirmed that a pilot died and another cadet inside the plane was injured.

SSP Sidhu said, “The plane took off from the civil aerodrome strip of the club and crashed in the military area nearby after a few minutes. Group Captain GS Cheema died and an NCC cadet was injured.”

NCC plane crash, NCC pilot killed, patiala plane crash, punjab news, indian express  The plane took off from the civil aerodrome strip of the club and crashed in the military area nearby. (Express photo: Harmeet Sodhi)

The SSP said the cadet had sustained serious injuries.

“It was a two-seater plane. The crash took place around 12.50 pm. The deceased, Group Captain Cheema of the  Indian Air Force (IAF), was on deputation with NCC to train cadets. The injured cadet, identified as Vipan Kumar Yadav, a student of Government Mohindra College Patiala, has been shifted to Command Hospital, Chandimandir. He has received serious spinal cord injuries,” said SSP Sidhu.