Monthly Archives: August 2018

Ukrainian aspirations to join NATO cannot fructify unless the war ends, as laid down by the current US administration.

Gp Capt Murli Menon (Retd)

Defence analyst

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘special military operation’ will be 18 months old on August 24, with little indication of an end anytime soon. US President Joe Biden has sanctioned the transfer of 80-odd F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands to beef up Ukraine’s air power, which has been dealt a severe blow by the Russians in recent days.

While the US is fighting shy of a direct involvement in the conflict, Biden said in Poland recently that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia”, indicating his resolve to bankroll the war effort indefinitely. In America’s eyes, even a prolonged stalemate would be a defeat for Russia. Analysts think that for Ukraine to win, it needs to regain all territories lost to Russia, including Crimea.

With the Ukrainian counter-offensive making a painful progress, the Russian military, battered and demoralised as it is, has put up a resilient show against western weapons and war tactics. The US backing and weaponry, however, are unlikely to render early results; some experts say that it could take a couple of years to tilt the balance in Ukraine’s favour. Meanwhile, Russia appears to be willing to sacrifice any number of its young men for its war cause.

The US presidential election next year is bound to have a profound impact on the US and the West’s inclination to indefinitely support Ukraine. Republican presidential contender Donald Trump has made it clear that he will end support for Ukraine, should he get elected. With some European leaders having a similar mindset, a ‘forever war’ would definitely favour Russia and not Ukraine. Recent Saudi efforts to rally 40 nations, including China and the USA, in support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace plan are aimed at bringing about full Russian withdrawal from the Ukraine territory, the return of abducted children and justice for war crimes.

Diplomatic options to terminate the war or achieve an armistice are thus unlikely to bear fruit, considering that Russia under Putin has never chosen to end a conflict at the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian aspirations to join the NATO cannot fructify unless the war ends, as laid down by the current US administration. Protection to the Ukrainian territory under the NATO treaty’s Article 5 would be similar to what happened in Korea and Germany after World War II. Thus, any plausible democratic Ukrainian accession into NATO and its ratification by parliaments of NATO members would serve to frustrate Russia’s efforts to prolong the war indefinitely. Joining NATO while pursuing unification within its 1991 borders is a call for Ukraine to take to consolidate the gains, if any, as a NATO member. That would also preclude any scope for a future Russian offensive on Ukrainian territory.

Now, what could be India’s stand while this uncertain European saga plays out? Clearly, a diplomatic one, considering the goodwill garnered over the years with both warring parties. Ukraine has categorically stated that it would welcome any ‘bigger and greater’ Indian role in ending the war, as stated by Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova during her April visit to India.

Meanwhile, having avoided any direct condemnation of Russia as an aggressor and having abstained several times from voting on UN resolutions, India has shown its inclination to contribute to peace efforts. India’s stand is clearly motivated by its dependence on Russia for 60 per cent of its defence hardware and the purchase of low-priced Russian oil, both strategically vital national considerations.

The Indian ambivalence in taking a pro-West stand amid its need to balance ties with an old ally has played out as a ‘diplomatic coup’. New Delhi has managed to keep its ties with Russia intact while deepening its links with the West through its Quad membership and G20 presidency. India has also been firm on not calling the Ukraine conflict a ‘war’ in its G20 communiques.

Be that as it may, western observers have tended to put much stock in the US supply of F-16s to Ukraine. While apprehensions were initially expressed about how it would take years to familiarise Ukrainian pilots — with their limited English proficiency — with western fighter platforms, US professionals have been training them on F-16 simulators. Ukraine is bound to encourage the entry of ‘volunteer’ F-16 pilots from the world over to cut down time frames for operationalising them on the new aircraft. This could alleviate the Ukrainian problem of finding an adequate number of Russian-origin fighters for the Ukrainian air force. The proclaimed aggressive professionalism of the Ukrainian fighter pilots is bound to contribute to their transition to operating F-16s.

Considering that the UK has been the other key backer of the Ukrainian war effort militarily, it is surprising why the Eurofighter Typhoon is not on offer. Possibly, on account (as, indeed, was the case with the US) of the UK wishing to neither up the ante against Putin nor make him cross the nuclear Rubicon. Also, it’s a fact that a comparatively limited number of any advanced fighter platforms would have to compete against the substantive Russian Comprehensive National Power to achieve favourable outcomes in the ongoing conflagration. The multiple war fronts in eastern Ukraine, Crimea and the Black Sea region would pose even bigger challenges for both adversaries to achieve their war objectives conclusively.

The advent of drone warfare only adds to the convoluted mix of tactical options. Though some countries, such as Pakistan, peddling heavy 155-mm shells to Ukraine shows an opportunistic trend implicit in a global conflict, India as a neutral entity needs to be careful about its licensed hardware, such as the indigenous BrahMos, finding its way into the battle zone, more so because of Russia’s desperation for accurate long-range missilery.

Sense of deja vu in poll-bound country

THE Prime Minister of Pakistan till April last year, Imran Khan is now reduced to being Prisoner No. 804 in the Attock jail. Five years ago, former PM Nawaz Sharif was rendered ineligible to contest elections after being sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. Imran had been the beneficiary as Sharif was knocked out of the fray weeks before the polls. Pakistan’s deep state was suspected to have orchestrated the judicial verdict against Sharif. A similar misgiving prevails in Imran’s case. Pakistan’s current economic freefall has remained unattended in this clash of institutions, making the common man sceptical of their ability to deliver the goods.

Imran has been facing relentless prosecution after his relationship with the army soured; he is now pinning hopes on the Supreme Court for his release. But in a polity where the system of negotiations and compromise has collapsed, the deep state and its political allies will try their best to make him ineligible for the elections scheduled for November. Not surprisingly, the global guardians of political rectitude have held their peace. Western powers seem to have green-lighted the impetuous and unpredictable rabble-rouser PM’s removal last year itself.

As if this internal turmoil were not enough, after two years in power, the Taliban in Afghanistan are unwilling to play the ISI’s game, having concluded that Islamabad has no economic heft and is hardly a model Islamic state. The ISIS seems to have got its second wind as the Taliban are apparently doing little to check its attacks on the Pakistani state. The recent suicide bombing that targeted a pro-army political party was claimed to be the handiwork of the ISIS. The onus is now on caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar to ensure a conducive environment for the elections. 

Our Correspondent

Jammu, August 21

Army men shot dead two terrorists from Pakistan during an infiltration bid in Balakote sector of Poonch district early on Monday morning. An AK-47 rifle, two magazines, 30 rounds, two hand grenades and Pakistan-made medicines were recovered during a search operation.

Took cover of fog

• The terrorists tried to infiltrate when there was poor visibility due to dense fog and inclement weather.
• Injured by gunfire, the terrorists turned away but later succumbed, said the Army.

Lt Col Suneel Bartwal, PRO, Defence, said intelligence inputs received from multiple intelligence agencies and the police suggested that the terrorists had been waiting to cross the LoC from Balakote sector. “Based on these inputs, our surveillance grid was placed on heightened alert and multiple ambushes were placed at suitable location,” he said.

On Monday morning, two terrorists were detected trying to cross the LoC during inclement weather, dense fog, thick foliage and undulating ground in Hamirpur area of Balakote sector.

As the terrorists approached the ambush sites set up by the Army, they were challenged and also fired upon. This forced the terrorists to flee. “However, effective fire resulted in one terrorist falling down on the ground near the LoC. Additional troops were then moved into the area and a search operation was started in the afternoon after the improvement of the weather and the visibility,” said Lt Col Bartwal.

“During the search, blood trails leading towards the LoC were detected. As per intelligence inputs, the two terrorists who attempted to infiltrate were injured but still managed to return across the LoC. They later succumbed to their injuries,” the PRO informed.

Task would have taken 22 days to complete: Drainage officials

Villagers in a jubilant mood after the construction of a bundh at Jagatpur Tanda village.

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, August 21

For three days, nearly 5,000 villagers cast away their deep-rooted political affiliations and also buried village rivalries to execute the onerous job of plugging a 300 feet wide, 30 feet deep breach at the Beas, a task which had become essential to their survival.

Officials say lives, livelihoods and livestock of hundreds of villagers living in 25-30 villages could have been washed away had the project been delayed by even a few hours.

Drainage officers said they were stunned at the speed and swiftness at which the mission was completed. They claimed under normal circumstances, it takes 20-22 days to finish such an exercise.

On August 17 evening, DC Himanshu Aggarwal was informed that a ‘dhussi’ had been breached at Jagatpur Tanda village. “It was imperative for us to start work immediately as the breach was getting bigger and bigger,” he said.

Two hours later, work started in right earnest. Hundreds of tractor-trolleys started bringing in soil from nearby districts. By the end of the exercise, 2.5 lakh sand-bags had been used. In all, the DC had to requisition 1,200 trolleys and 15 JCB machines from different departments.

As many as 18 floodlights were set up at four vantage points by Mandi Board officials. Four generators, too, were placed nearby. It was as if a country was preparing for a war. The supply of food packets and drinking water bottles seemed to be never ending. Youngsters had their two-wheelers ready just in case of a medical emergency.

Trolleys had to dump soil 200 metres away from the site because of the uneven terrain. From there, villagers carried sand bags on their back. “Indeed, where there is a will, there is a way,” said the emotionally drained DC at the end of the mission.

Mammoth task

• 5,000 villagers worked round the clock
• 2.5 lakh sandbags used
• 18 floodlights set up at four vantage points
• 4 generators for night operations
• 1,200 trailers brought in soil from nearby districts
• 15 JCB machines requisitioned by DC from various departments

With a nearly 50-metre stretch each sinking at two locations in Sanwara on the Chandigarh-Shimla National Highway-5, channelling traffic has become an arduous task for the Himachal police.. Photo: Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, August 21

With a nearly 50-metre stretch each sinking at two locations in Sanwara on the Chandigarh-Shimla National Highway-5, channelling traffic has become an arduous task for the Himachal police. More so as the lane facing the hill has been lying closed for traffic owing to mounds of debris flowing down the slopes following rain.

A narrow lane is available for motorists and vehicles from one side are permitted to cross at a time. Initially, only one portion of the road had developed cracks near an HPMC juice bar. The cracks, however, deepened and the road has sunk by a few feet now. Some showrooms, restaurants and hotels, including Hotel AAA, which lie next to the sinking site, have been declared unsafe and vacated by the authorities. Other structures in the periphery too face the risk of being damaged if the road sinks further as the repair work is yet to begin. Gaping cracks are also visible at another spot on the road. Policemen have been deputed to ensure the smooth movement of traffic as the highway faces a heavy influx of vehicles carrying essential commodities, tourists, apples and vegetables, besides inter-state and local buses.

Anand Dhaiya, Project Director, NHAI, said the restoration work at sites where the damage was less would begin soon while for more-damaged points such as Chakki Mor, an expert opinion was awaited. “Temporary restoration measures are underway. The work to clear the debris at various points on the Parwanoo-Solan highway is likely to be completed within two weeks,” said Dhaiya.

The residents, meanwhile, are awaiting permanent restoration of the highway as every spell of rain has been aggravating the situation.

Balwinder Singh, project in-charge of construction firm GR Infraprojects, said, “A tentative plan for restoring the damage has been sent to the NHAI. Once they approve it, the final design will be sent and the work will begin as per their directions. At least 12 vulnerable sites, including two at Sanwara, have been included where the restoration work is awaiting approval.”

Seema Sachdeva

AFTER sailing for 18 years, Capt Suneha Gadpande took a break from being an officer on ship last year, taking up a shore job as Marine Superintendent for Hafnia Shipping in Singapore. Aware that her biological clock was ticking, she’d frozen her eggs six years back. The 39-year-old is looking forward to a new phase in her life. She is aware that life won’t be easy if and when she returns to the ship as a single mother, but she is used to challenges coming her way ever since she joined merchant navy, a male bastion.

In the first batch of the girl nautical cadets of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in 2003, Suneha went on to command an all-women officer Indian tanker merchant ship, Mt Swarna Krishna, a first in maritime history. Having left the SCI in 2012 with a masters ticket, she became the first Indian woman to hold a senior rank in a multi-national shipping company. Honoured by former President Pranab Mukherjee for being among the 100 women achievers of India, she was recently recognised under ‘Bharat ki Laxmi Abhiyaan’ by PM Narendra Modi. All these achievements came with a multitude of struggles, which included facing hostile conditions, battling egos and making tough choices even at the cost of her career.

A strong advocate of gender inclusivity, Capt Suneha says, “For your voice to be heard, it is essential to prove your mettle.”

In spite of nearly 17 per cent of the seafarers worldwide being from India, second after the Filipinos (30 per cent), the presence of Indian women in merchant navy remains miniscule, at less than 1 per cent.

“Starting the career itself is quite challenging since most companies won’t let you reach them. It took me more than a year after completing BTech (Instrumentation) to find a company that was willing to take girls on board,” says Priyanka Sen from Rajasthan. After two years in the profession, this 28-year-old Electro Technical Officer is referred to as the ‘Dabangg’ girl. The initial bias and suspicion over her capabilities to handle the ship by herself have been replaced by respect, including from her male colleagues.

Second Officer Parul Luhach (30) from Faridabad agrees. “The hard reality that women were not welcome in merchant navy hit us after we finished our course. Not just women from our batch, even our seniors or super seniors had not been able to get any placements. It was after more than a year of completing the course that I was able to get an opening. Today, I see myself as a changed person. This profession has polished me.” Parul entered merchant navy purely by chance 10 years back. She was already in her first year at Delhi’s LSR College when a friend’s sister told her about the profession. Parul had a tough time convincing her Haryana Jat family that she wanted to enter this male-dominant profession. With support from her grandmother, she took the plunge. She doesn’t regret the life she has chosen.

Mohali-based Nidhi Walia (30) had never been a shy girl. However, as a girl cadet in the merchant navy a decade back, her confidence and ability to grasp and communicate well in English turned out to be a stumbling block initially. “Many male colleagues found my confidence hard to digest. For them, it would have been easier to deal with a woman who was not asserting herself. It was my family’s support that helped me pursue my passion to explore the world and earn well.” As Chief Officer, her work entails loading and offloading cargo, besides personnel management on the ship. “When you work with more than 20 men, it raises your confidence and you feel you can face any kind of situation in the world,” says Nidhi.

It is not all smooth sailing, for this profession brings with it loneliness. More so, when you are the only woman on a huge ship. According to Meenakshi Gupta, director of Hong Kong-based marine consultants and trainers Sygnus Marine, “Working in long shifts is not everyone’s cup of tea. Life at sea is extremely tough, even under the best of circumstances. Think of isolation, boredom outside of shifts, sea sickness, no Internet (the horror of not having Insta, Facebook and WhatsApp, in today’s world!), long contracts and no social life. For seafarers, in general, it isn’t easy, but more so for women due to the absence of emotional support from your own gender.”

Once on the ship, the most difficult part is not just dealing with professional hazards and lack of emotional support, but also pressure from families back home to get married. “Finding a match for women seafarers is not easy as most people find it difficult to accept that the woman will not be home for six to seven months after marriage. Mostly, a career break is required then,” says Parul.

Dr Malini Shankar, Vice-Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University, Chennai, says, “Earlier, very few women entered this sector but with emphasis on diversity and equality, one finds females enrolling in marine courses. Many shipping companies like Maersk and MSC are offering handsome scholarships to women cadets.”

“In 2018, we had only 2 per cent women enrolling in BTech. The number has gone up to 8 per cent. Their presence in BSc (Nautical Science) too has gone up from 2 per cent to 8.2 per cent — the most popular courses being BTech in naval architecture and ocean engineering. At present, there are 74 girls in nautical sciences, 97 in BTech, 53 in BTech (naval architecture).” Interestingly, many girls entering this profession are from North India, though one would expect those from coastal areas to have an overwhelming presence, Dr Shankar adds.

The maritime industry remains perhaps the last of the male bastions that women are still struggling to break into. According to a 2021 survey report, ‘Women in Maritime’, issued by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the proportion of women employed as seafarers globally is very small, and the percentage of those from India is barely 0.5 per cent.

The new Seafarer Workforce Report from BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping has warned that the industry must significantly increase training and recruitment levels if it is to avoid a serious shortage of officers. Given the growing demand for Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certified officers, the report predicted the need for an additional 89,510 officers by 2026 to operate the world merchant fleet. Currently, 18.9 lakh seafarers operate over 74,000 vessels around the globe. Female STCW-certified seafarers are estimated to be 1.28 per cent of the workforce. The IMO has been pressing to bridge this gender gap. Change is taking place, albeit slowly. Gender sensitisation is being mandated as part of the training courses. Most evident is the changing uniform of women. The loose men’s jumpsuits they had been wearing are being replaced by customised shirts and pants, besides availability of sanitary pads on ships. A proper maternity leave policy is also being reviewed. Many companies like the SCI have at least two women officers on board.

In an effort to become gender inclusive, a number of shipping giants are bringing in changes in their policies. Container logistics giant Maersk last year rolled out India’s first women seafarers’ cadet programme. As part of its ‘Equal at Sea’ initiative, it has set for itself an ambitious 2027 goal of women making up for 50 per cent of its fresh cadet intake. Presently, the company has 40 per cent of its naval staff coming from India. Interestingly, it has no Indian female seafarers at higher ranks, the company confirmed.

A woman officer, on condition of anonymity, says all this talk about getting more women on board is mere eyewash. Most companies are only interested in getting the diversity numbers, she claims, adding that women get bypassed for senior-level posts despite undergoing the same training. Hiring needs to be done not only at the entry level but also at operational levels, she adds.

“Gender sensitisation is the need of the hour,” says Harjeet Joshi, who was the first woman chairperson of the SCI. She flagged off the first all-women officer tanker merchant ship carrying 50,000 metric tonnes of inflammable cargo in 2021. The feat was repeated a year after. “The idea was to prove that women officers are as capable when it comes to handling even the most difficult of ships,” adds Joshi. “It is fashionable to talk about equality and diversity,” she points out, “but deep down, have we given up the grudges and perceptions? It will take decades for the mindset to change.”

It was a century ago in 1923 that Sumati Morarjee joined her father-in-law’s company, earning the sobriquet of ‘the first woman of Indian shipping’. With their grit and determination, Indian women are making their presence felt in merchant navy, one step at a time.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

With water continuing to be released from both Pong and Bhakra dams, inundating thousands of acres of land, some border outposts of the Border Security Force (BSF) too have been submerged along the Indo-Pak border.

With more rain forecast in Himachal Pradesh in the next three days, the state government is on high alert. One person is learnt to have been swept away in floodwaters in Dhaliwal Bet village of Dhilwan.

It is learnt that two outposts of the BSF in Ferozepur and Fazilka areas have been submerged, while four have been surrounded by water. Residents of Fazilka along with BSF personnel have built a 2,200-metre security dam on the India-Pakistan border to save their crops.

In Fazilka and Ferozepur, thousands of acres continue to be submerged. A state government report shows that crops on 4,168 acres in Fazilka have been damaged. As many as 1,321 persons were evacuated today, including 1,246 from Ferozepur alone. As many as 247 persons in these two districts, in addition to 28 in Tarn Taran, have been shifted to relief camps.

Today, 68,696 cusecs of water was released from the Pong dam and 58,400 cusecs from the Bhakra dam. The water level in the Pong dam remained 1.27 feet above the maximum limit of 1,390 feet. The water level in the Sutlej remained high at Hussainiwala (2,25,420 cusecs), though it has started falling at Harike (1,69,643 cusecs today against 2.80 lakh cusecs last week).

In Tarn Taran, too, 39 villages continue to be inundated, while 49 villages in Gurdasapur were impacted. The breach in dhussi bundh in Harike Hathar area has flooded 24 villages.

Kasur in Pak hit by floods too

Floodwater has reached Kasur in Pakistan. The maize crop has been significantly affected on the Pakistan side.

Rohtak, August 20

Six of the nine Army personnel who died on duty after their vehicle plunged into a gorge in Ladakh on Saturday night belonged to the region. While three of them hailed from Haryana, two were from Punjab and another from Himachal Pradesh.

Gunner Ankit, 24, from Gaddi Kheri village of Rohtak was the sole breadwinner of his family, which includes his mother, wife and younger brother. He joined the Army in 2018 after Class XII.

Gunner Manmohan Singh of Hathin village in Palwal joined the Army in 2016 to fulfil his father’s dream.

He completed his graduation while in service. Manmohan has left behind three elder sisters, parents and a one-year-old son. Naik Tejpal Singh, another deceased, belonged to Ujina Sangel village of Nuh. He was inducted into the Army in 2013. He has two sons aged six and three.

Critically injured jawan Anuj Kumar, who hails from Dhigana (Jind), joined the Army in 2021. “His father Bijender was also an Army man and died on duty about 10 years ago,” said Anuj’s uncle Rajbir.

Two from Punjab are Gunner Tarandeep Singh, 23, from Kamali village in Bassi Pathana subdivision of Fatehgarh Sahib, and Naib Subedar Ramesh Lal, 39, of Sarsiri village in Faridkot district. Havildar Vijay Kumar, another deceased, hailed from Nehra village of Shimla Rural in Himachal Pradesh.

Critically injured belongs to Jind

A critically injured soldier, Anuj Kumar, hails from Dhigana village of Jind district. He joined the Army in 2021. “Anuj’s father Bijender was also an Army man and died on duty about 10 years ago,” said Anuj’s uncle Rajbir.

For Armed Forces Officers and Veterans who may not be aware* :
In case of any emergency you can dial 1904 from your mobile and you will be connected to the nearest Army exchange. Identify yourself and the operater will connect you to the concerned office/r.
A really useful facility. It has been tried in different cities and those also work”

Similar number of 1932 for AirForce exchange

Whats App for suggestions on ECHS Matters:-9868857972

Complaints for Army issues :-9643300008

ECHS helpline:- 1800114115

Directorate of Ex-Servicemen Affairs:- 1800113999

Airforce helpline:- 1800115800

Navy helpline :-1800220560

Army helpline:- 1800116644

Please share with all Veterans & Veernaris.
Regards and Jai Hind 

Police record shows a ‘closed’ case of theft and molestation in summer ’90, but no word on gold seizure

Right from the time travails began chasing Second Lieutenant Shatrughan Singh Chauhan in 1990, a police station close to Srinagar’s central Lal Chowk filed an FIR against unknown army personnel, accusing them of theft. The complainant, Raja Begum, claimed army men took away two gold rings and Rs 3,000 from her home, after having harassed her daughters during a crackdown at her home in Batamaloo under Shergadi police station area.

Batamaloo, barely two km from the central Lal Chowk, is where Chauhan said the army recovered 147 gold biscuits (weighing 30 kg) in a search operation on April 11, 1990. According to the FIR filed the next day by Begum, wife of Abdul Wahat Matto, the incident took place near the Sufi shrine of Ziyarat Sharief. People of the locality say no such family lives there. Nor does anybody in the area remember a neighbour by the name of Begum’s husband. In the Banpora area of Batamaloo, which is a km from the shrine, a Mattoo family says they have no information about the 26-year-old matter.