Monthly Archives: August 2018

Union Minister Anurag Thakur speaks to the media in Delhi. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 15

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 4,800 crore allocation for the “Vibrant Villages Programme”, a centrally sponsored scheme, to ensure the comprehensive development of villages along China.

The financial allocation for 2022-23 to 2025-26 was approved at a meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and will include Rs 2,500 crore for the development of road infrastructure, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur told the media.

The Central government had announced the programme last year.

The scheme, Thakur said, would provide funds for the development of essential infrastructure and the creation of livelihood opportunities in 19 districts and 46 border blocks in four states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh along the northern land border of the country.

In the first phase, 663 villages will be taken up under the programme, he noted.

Thakur said the comprehensive development of villages along the northern border would improve the quality of life of people living there and help in encouraging them to stay in their native locations in these areas, thereby reversing the out-migration and adding to improved security of the border. — TNS

Cabinet nod for pact with SA

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the signing of an MoU between India and South Africa for cooperation in the disability sector. The government said the MoU would encourage cooperation between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, and South Africa through initiatives.

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

Bengaluru, February 15

Two of the world’s biggest exporters of weapons — the US and Russia — are looking to expand their ambit in the Indian defence equipment market. The move includes joint ventures and offers of “cutting-edge” technology.

Amid the excitement of the US-made F-35 jets and B1-B bomber arriving at the Aero India here, the Russian side on Wednesday made a significant statement on upgrading the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet of 270 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets.

Yury Slyusar, General Director, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), said: “We have defined the phases and the upgrade will take place in India. Our proposals will meet requirements of the IAF.”

As part of the plan, the Russians have to integrate India-made weapon systems onto Sukhoi. “We started ‘make in India’ long ago and have localisation of 60 per cent,” said Slyusar.

When asked whether or not IAF’s Sukhoi fleet would get a new engine, he did not specify what sort of power the new engine could provide. “We have offered more variants of engines for Sukhoi,” he noted.

To a query on Russia offering its fifth-generation fighter jet Sukhoi-57 to India, he said: “As the Russian federation, we are interested in foreign partners such as India for the jet.”

The UAC has also met with officials of HAL. “We spoke about the joint development of medium transport aircraft,” said Slyusar.

India is looking at a new transport plane and has asked global manufacturers to send offers. The UAC has offered a new plane with a carrying capacity of 20 tonnes and a range of 5,000 km.

Phases defined

Russia has defined the phases and the upgrade (of Sukhoi) will take place in India. Our proposals will meet the requirements of the IAF. — Yury Slyusar, Gen Director, United Aircraft Corporation

1VETERAN OF THREE WARS DIES AT 92

2. TRIBUTE TO HEROS

3.INDIA DOES NOT BELIEVE IN COUNTERING SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NEO-COLONIAL PARADIGMS: RAJNATH SINGH

4.MODI LEADS NATION IN PAYING TRIBUTE TO PULWAMA MARTYRS

5 PULWAMA ATTACK ANNIVERSARY: PM MODI, AMIT SHAH, RAJNATH PAY TRIBUTES TO SOLDIERS WHO LAID DOWN LIVES

6. OF 19 PULWAMA ATTACKERS, EIGHT ELIMINATED, SEVEN ARRESTED SO FAR

7.30 FACTS ABOUT SIKH REGIMENT सिख रेजिमेंट के बारे में ये 30 फैक्ट्स नहीं जानते होंगे (ਸਿੱਖ ਰੇਜਿਮੇੰਟ ਫ਼ੈਕ੍ਟ੍ਸ ) | SIKH REGIMENT

8.TURKEY QUAKE: NDRF CANINES BEAT MACHINES IN DETECTING SURVIVORS; TEAMS SHIFT TO HATAY

9 –10 FACTS ABOUT THE VADDA GHALLUGHARA

10.CAMILLA, WIFE OF BRITAIN’S KING CHARLES, WILL NOT WEAR DISPUTED KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND FOR CORONATION

11 PARLIAMENT HAS POWER TO CONVERT STATE INTO UNION TERRITORY, ALTER BOUNDARIES: SC

12ARMY LOOKING AT PROCURING AROUND 200 INDIGENOUSLY-BUILT PRACHAND AND LIGHT UTILITY HELICOPTERS

13 INDIA PLANS TO MAKE 470 JETS, FIRST TO ROLL OUT IN FEB NEXT YEAR

14.NEED NEW STRATEGIES TO COUNTER SECURITY THREATS, SAYS RAJNATH

15 ARMY TO PROCURE MORE ATTACK COPTERS FOR LAC

THE EXPRESS INDIA NEWS

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 14

A veteran of three wars, Maj Gen Amarjit Singh, has passed away in Noida. He was 92.

He was a veteran of three wars — India-China conflict in 1962, and India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971.

Major General Singh held an important post in Northern Command when the capture of Siachen glacier was planned on April 13, 1984.

The Army had pre-empted Pakistanis by a few days in taking Siachen glacier. Major General Singh was commissioned into the Dogra regiment and later moved to the J&K Rifles. Minister of State General VK Singh (retd) attended the last rites here on February 9.

PTI

Bengaluru, February 14

India does not believe in giving “sermons or cut-and-dried” solutions to countries in need of assistance, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.

In an address to his counterparts from various countries at Aero India here, Singh also called for united efforts to counter pressing security challenges, including the threat of terrorism.

The defence minister said India does not believe in dealing with such security issues in the “old paternalistic or the neo-colonial paradigms” and that it always preferred a collective approach to counter them.

“We consider all nations as equal partners. That is why we do not believe in imposing external or supranational solutions to a country’s internal problems,” he said.

“We do not believe in giving sermons or cut-and-dried solutions, which do not respect national values and constraints of the countries in need of assistance,” he said.

Singh noted that India supports the capacity-building of its partner countries so that they may chart their own destiny.

“There are nations which are richer, militarily or technologically more advanced than others, but it does not give them the right to dictate their solutions to the nations in need of support,” he said, in comments which are seen as an apparent reference to China.

The defence minister said this “top-down approach” towards solving problems has never been sustainable in the long run.

“Often, it leads to debt trap, reaction from the local population, conflict and so on,” he said.

Singh said India offers an enhanced defence partnership to friendly foreign nations. “We offer a partnership that is accommodative of national priorities and capacities,” he said.

“We want to build with you, we want to launch with you, we want to create with you and we want to develop with you,” Singh said.

“We wish to create symbiotic relationships, where we can learn from each other, grow together and create a win-win situation for one and all,” he said.

Aero India, Asia’s biggest aerospace exhibition, was inaugurated on Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 14

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today led the nation in paying tribute to CRPF personnel, who lost their lives in a terror attack on their convoy in Pulwama in 2019.

In a tweet, PM Modi said, “Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice.” Over 40 soldiers had died after a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into the CRPF convoy.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the nation could never forget their sacrifice. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also paid homage to the bravehearts saying the entire nation stood firmly with their families. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted: “Homage to our courageous jawans. We pay tribute by maintaining our vigil and countering cross-border terrorism.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute to the soldiers in a tweet: “A heartfelt tribute to the brave martyrs of the Pulwama terror attack. India will always remember his supreme sacrifice.” However, a few of the Congress have questioned the Pulwama attack and the Balakot airstrikes.

PTI

New Delhi, February 14

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in a terror attack on their convoy in Pulwama on this day in 2019.

He tweeted, “Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice. Their courage motivates us to build a strong and developed India.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to the CRPF personnel killed in the 2019 terror attack, saying the nation can never forget their sacrifice

“I pay homage to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on this day in the year 2019. The nation can never forget their sacrifice. Their valour and indomitable courage will always remain an inspiration in the fight against terrorism,” Shah tweeted.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the entire nation stands firmly with the families of martyrs. In a tweet in Hindi, Singh said the country salutes their courage and supreme sacrifice

“I pay my tribute to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the terrorist attack at Pulwama in the year 2019. This country salutes the courage and sacrifice made by these soldiers who got martyred. The entire nation stands firmly with their families,” Singh tweeted.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also took to Twitter to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.

“Homage to our courageous jawans who laid down their lives this day in Pulwama in 2019. We pay tribute by maintaining our vigil and countering cross-border terrorism,” he said.

Over 40 soldiers had made the supreme sacrifice after a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into the CRPF convoy.

In a retaliatory attack, the Indian Air Force targeted terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan.

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, February 14

On the fourth anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack, the police said on Tuesday that of the 19 terrorists involved in the attack in 2019, eight have been killed.

PM leads nation in paying tributes

Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice. Their courage motivates us to build a strong and developed India. Narendra Modi, PM

A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant, Adil Dar, had rammed his explosive-laden car into a CRPF bus at Lethpora in Pulwama, killing 40 personnel on February 14, 2019.

The attack was followed by the Army’s surgical strikes at militant camps at Balakote in Pakistan.

“Of the 19 terrorists and overground workers involved in the attack, eight have been killed, seven arrested and four, including Azhar Masood (JeM chief), Rauf Masood and (Ammar) Alvi, who all are based in Pakistan, are still alive,” Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar told reporters after paying tributes to the martyred CRPF men at Pulwama.

Kumar said the security forces had destroyed the Jaish network in Kashmir by killing their top commanders and lower cadre. “In the past few months, Jaish has reorganised and recruited some youth, but we won’t allow them to flourish,” he said.

The current strength of Jaish was 12, including five Pakistanis one of whom was Mossa Solaimani who was active in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, Kumar said.

Inspector General (Operations), CRPF, MS Bhatia said the situation in Kashmir had shown remarkable improvement since the Pulwama attack. “Situation in Kashmir has improved vastly … (anti-militancy) operations are continuing. Stone-throwing has ended. A record number of tourists arrived in the Valley. The terror eco-system has finished. There are no shutdowns. Overall there has been a remarkable improvement in the situation. And security forces are proceeding to wipe out the terrorism from the Valley,” Bhatia said.

“We are determined to protect minorities and in this regard several modules have been neutralised. The CRPF, police and other security forces have been ensuring protection to the minority community,” he said.