Monthly Archives: October 2022

Brussels, February 3

NATO called Friday on Russia to respect the only treaty it has with the United States aimed at keeping a lid on nuclear weapons expansion and urged Moscow to allow on-the-ground inspections of military sites to resume.

The so-called New START Treaty was signed by Russia and the US in 2010. It caps at 1,550 the number of long-range nuclear warheads they can deploy and limits the use of missiles that can carry atomic weapons. It allows short-notice inspections of each other’s nuclear bases and support facilities.

“We note with concern that Russia has failed to comply with legally-binding obligations under the New START Treaty,” NATO ambassadors said in a statement.

The 30-nation US-led military alliance supports the treaty and believes that it helps to limit the expansion of nuclear forces.

The envoys said that Russia’s refusal to hold consultations or to allow US inspections since last August “prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the Treaty, and undermines the United States’ ability to adequately verify Russian compliance with the Treaty’s central limits.” “We call on Russia to fulfil its obligations under the Treaty by facilitating New START inspections on Russian territory, and by returning to participation in the Treaty’s implementation body,” the forum in which the two sides could consult, NATO said.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly ramped up his nuclear rhetoric since he ordered Russian troops into Ukraine almost a year ago, raising concern among Western allies and the public over whether he might actually use such weapons.

The US-Russia committee formed under the treaty last met in October 2021, but Russia unilaterally suspended its cooperation with the pact’s inspection provisions in August 2022 to protest US support for Ukraine.Inspections of US and Russian military sites under the New START treaty were paused by both sides because of the spread of the coronavirus in March 2020.

The US State Department warned on Tuesday that “Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control.” AP

The meeting between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan in Washington DC earlier this week was their first interaction under the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology. PTI file photo
The meeting between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan in Washington DC earlier this week was their first interaction under the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). This initiative had been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in May 2022 on the sidelines of the Quad summit in Tokyo. In the backdrop of China’s tech-driven expansionist ambitions, India and the US are keen to expand and strengthen their strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation. The White House statement has affirmed the two nations’ commitment to ‘fostering an open, accessible and secure technology ecosystem, based on mutual trust and confidence, that will reinforce our democratic values and institutions.’

Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations are an integral part of defence preparedness in the 21st century. This underscores the need for India and America to fast-track the $3-billion MQ-9B predator-armed drone deal, which has been in the works for the past five years. These drones are expected to help New Delhi bolster its surveillance prowess along the Line of Actual Control and the Indian Ocean — two regions where China has been busy flexing its muscles in recent years.

The detection of a Chinese ‘surveillance’ balloon, spotted flying over US airspace days ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Beijing trip, implies that there is no room for laxity when national security is at stake, even as China has claimed that it was a civilian airship used for research purposes. Last year, India remained on its toes in the Indian Ocean due to the presence of Chinese ‘spy vessel’ Yuan Wang 5, which docked at a Chinese-owned port in Sri Lanka despite New Delhi’s objections. Close collaboration between India and US in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum and telecom technologies, high-performance computing, co-production of jet engines, semiconductor supply chains and commercial space launches is a must to deepen defence ties. Such cooperation can give the two allies greater confidence to counter China, described by CIA Director William Burns as the ‘biggest geopolitical challenge’ that the US is facing.

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 3

The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a Pakistani drone reportedly carrying 5 kg of heroin near Kakkar village in Amritsar sector. The packet of narcotics was wrapped in a yellow adhesive tape.

Around 2.30 am, BSF personnel heard a buzzing sound of a flying object entering from Pakistan into the Indian territory near Kakkar village, an official said.

The BSF personnel shot down the drone and cordoned off the whole area. With the help of the police and agencies concerned, a search was carried out and a packet containing heroin was recovered, the official said.

1. @IND,O-CANADIAN VETERAN GROUP,SECY SUB AVTAR SINGH ,HONORED
2. @CONTACTS OF SPARSH OFFICIALS
3. @43 INDIAN TROOPS DIED ON DUTY IN AFRICA UNDER PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS SINCE UN’S INCEPTION: GOVERNMENT
4. @INDIA FLAGS WB MOVE ON INDUS ROW
5. @US VISA RENEWAL APPLICATION CAN NOW BE SUBMITTED THROUGH DROPBOX
6. @SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF INDIANS IN CANADA PRIORITY FOR GOVT: MOS MURALEEDHARAN
7. @LCA TEJAS AIRCRAFT TO BE AT CENTRE STAGE OF INDIA PAVILION AT AERO INDIA 2023
8. @REPUBLICAN SENATORS ASK BLINKEN TO HOLD CHINA ACCOUNTABLE FOR RIGHTS ABUSES, AGGRESSION TOWARDS ALLIES LIKE INDIA AND TAIWAN
9. @DRDO SEEKS INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP ADVANCED WHEELED AND TRACKED ARMOURED VEHICLES
10. @HERE IS WHY PAKISTANI-BANGLADESHI-ORIGIN COUPLE NAMED THEIR CHILD ‘INDIA’
11. @EXPOSE BLACK SHEEP IN FORCES HELPING DRUG PEDDLERS: AND DRUGS ARE AVAILABLE AT GROCERY STORES. PB GOVERNOR TO BORDER VILLAGERS
12. @PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TO GIVE JOB TO FORMER HOCKEY PLAYER CURRENTLY WORKING AS ‘PALLEDAR’

INDO-CANADIAN VETERAN GROUP,SECY SUB AVTAR SINGH ,HIGHLIGHTS SERVICES IT WILL RENDRED IN FUTURE ALSO HONORED FOR SUCESSFULLY RUNNING HIS AGENCY VICTORIA IMMIGRATION IN CANADA. THE GROUP IS AFFILIATED TO SANJHA MORCHA AND PRESIDENT CUN GEN SECY COL CHARANJIT SINGH KHERA IS MEMBER OF IT.

E-mail ID of various Officials:

Dr. Km. Gurpreet Kaur (CDA)
SPARSH PCDA PENSION Prayagraj
PCDA Pensions Draupadi ghat, Allahabad
Email Address: cda-albd@nic.in
Contact Number: 05322421867

Mr. Dharmendra Kumar Singh (Contact Number: 9389075910) and
Mr. Anshuman Sharma (Contact Number: 9936691809)
SPARSH Nodal Officer (Air Force)
SPARSH PCDA PENSION Prayagraj
PCDA Pensions Draupadi ghat, Allahabad
Email Address: sparshairforce.dad@gov.in
Contact Number: 9389075910, 9936691809

1. PCDA (P) Prayagraj (head) : pcdapprayagraj.dad@gov.in
2. SPARSH Call Centre: offr.record@gov.in
3. JCDA (Air Force): dcdaaf-delh.cgda@nic.in
4. JCDA, AF (CDA): dcdaaf_delh.cgda@nic.in,
5. CGDA: cgda-atpension.dad@hub.nic.in,
6. CGDA: cgda@nic.in
7. CGDA (grievances): grievancecgda.dad@gov.in
8. Financial Advisor and Joint Secretary Defence Finance: vedveerarya.dad@hub.nic.in
9. Financial Advisor (Defence Finance): fads1-mod@gov.in
10. Principal advisor (Defence Finance): geetachhabra.icoas@nic.in
11. Pension Adalat: pensionadalat.dad@hub.nic.in
12. Principal Director DAV: dav@iaf.nic.in
13. DAV Directorate of Air Veterans: dav.airmen@gov.in,
14. DPENGRAM: rakshapension@desw.gov.in,
15. Department of Military Affairs: jsg@nic.in
16. Defence Ministry II: mos-defence@gov.in
17. Defence Ministry: rmo@mod.nic.in
18. Secretary (Dept. of Ex-servicemen welfare): secyesw@nic.in
19. Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare: jsesw@nic.in
20. Secretary Kendriya Sainik Board: secretaryksb@gmail.com
21. Joint Director (Grievances) KSB: jdgrievancesksb-mod@gov.in
22. Deputy Secretary (CPENGRAMS): naresh.bhardwaj@nic.in
23. Under Secretary (Co-ordination/CPENGRAMS): dutta.rk@nic.in
24. Prime Minister’s Office: us-public.sb@gov.in
25. Under Secretary (Petition) President’s Secretariat: us.petitions@rb.nic.in

Reuters

Kyiv, January 31

Ukraine will receive 120 to 140 tanks in a “first wave” of deliveries from a coalition of 12 countries, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday.

Ukraine secured pledges earlier this month from a group of Western countries to supply main battle tanks to help Kyiv’s forces fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“The tank coalition now has 12 members. I can note that in the first wave of contributions, the Ukrainian armed forces will receive between 120 and 140 Western-model tanks,” Kuleba said during an online briefing.

V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, File photo
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PTI

New Delhi, February 2

A total of 143 Indian troops died on duty in Africa under UN peacekeeping missions since the United Nation’s inception, the government said on Thursday.

A total of 143 Indian UN peacekeeping troops died on duty in Africa under peacekeeping missions since the UN’s inception, the government said on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of women troops who have died during UN’s peacekeeping missions across the world is 35.

To a separate question, Muraleedharan said India continues to assist Sri Lanka in its economic development as also support it in overcoming its economic challenges, under India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

In January 2022, India extended a USD 400 million currency swap to Sri Lanka under the SAARC Framework and deferred successive Asian Clearing Union (A.C.U.) settlements of around USD 2 billion, he said.

A Line of Credit of USD 500 million was extended to Sri Lanka for importing fuel from India, he said.

“In addition, India has extended a credit facility of USD 1 billion for the procurement of food, medicines and other essential items from India. Humanitarian assistance was also provided to Sri Lanka by gifting essential medicines worth about INR 6 crores, 15,000 litres of kerosene oil and US $ 55 million LoC for procurement of Urea fertilizer,” Muraleedharan said.

The Tamil Nadu government has contributed rice, milk powder and medicines worth US$ 16 million, as part of the larger Indian assistance effort, he added.

Islamabad paying heavy price for nefarious state policy

Monday’s suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar snuffed out more than 90 lives, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for the deadly strike. – Reuters file photo

THE chickens have come home to roost for Pakistan. Notorious for aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism over the decades, Pakistan now finds itself at the receiving end. Monday’s suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar snuffed out more than 90 lives, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for the deadly strike. The outlawed terror group has proclaimed that it carried out the attack to avenge the death of TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani, who was killed in Afghanistan in August last year. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that ‘this is no less than an attack on Pakistan’, while terming terrorism as the country’s foremost national security challenge.

The audacity of the horrifying act is quite obvious: the mosque is located in the high-security Police Lines area, where the police headquarters and counter-terrorism officials are based. The TTP has upped the ante against Pakistani soldiers and cops since November last year, when it abruptly ended a ceasefire with the government. The terror outfit has been warning the police and the military to stay away from operations against its fighters in Peshawar, the capital of the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

The Peshawar attack shows that the confidence of both China and America in Pakistan’s counter-terrorism capabilities is highly misplaced. Islamabad’s problems are compounded by the Afghan Taliban’s brazen sheltering of Tehreek leaders and fighters. The TTP’s incessant strikes belie the Taliban’s tall claims of not allowing anyone to use the Afghan soil for attacks against any country. Already reeling under an economic crisis, Pakistan ought to take an unambiguous stand against terrorism in any form. If it wants Afghanistan to not harbour terrorists, it should do the needful too by dismantling the terror infrastructure on its own soil. India has rightly sensed that Pakistan is frustrated over its ‘increasing inability to use terrorists and their proxies.’Given its dubious track record, it will be an uphill task for Islamabad to regain the trust of the international community, whose support it badly needs to fight terrorism.

Asks why two processes to resolve conflict

New Delhi, February 2

India on Thursday questioned the World Bank’s decision to appoint a Court of Arbitration and a neutral expert under two separate processes to resolve differences between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in J&K.

Last week, India had issued a notice to Pakistan seeking a review and modification of the 62-year-old Indus Waters Treaty for management of cross-border rivers following Islamabad’s “intransigence” in handling disputes. “I do not think they (World Bank) are in a position to interpret the treaty for us. It is a treaty between two countries and our assessment of the treaty is that there is a provision of graded approach,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

India took the significant step of sending the notice to Pakistan conveying its intent to amend the treaty months after the WB announced appointing a neutral expert and a chair of Court of Arbitration to resolve differences over Kishenganga and Ratle projects. New Delhi has been particularly disappointed over the appointment of the Court of Arbitration.