Monthly Archives: August 2018

India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (IAC I) was commissioned in September by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

PTI

New Delhi, November 28

The government is set to positively consider the Indian Navy’s proposal for construction of a second aircraft carrier at a cost of around Rs 40,000 crore, in a major move that comes against the backdrop of rising concerns over China’s increasing forays into the Indian Ocean region.

Top government sources told PTI that the Defence Procurement Board (DPB), a key body of the defence ministry, has accorded in-principle approval to the ambitious proposal signalling the government’s readiness to go for the second indigenous aircraft carrier, to be known as IAC II.

The mega procurement proposal will shortly be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the defence ministry’s top body on procurement, they said.

The DAC, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is likely to meet on Thursday and it is learnt that the proposal for the IAC-II will be examined by it.

The DAC is also likely to consider the Indian Air Force’s proposal for procurement of an additional batch of 97 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft at a cost of Rs 1.15 lakh crore, the sources said.

The Navy has been making a strong push for having the IAC-II with a displacement of 45,000 tonnes which is estimated to cost close to Rs 40,000 with the envisaged specifications.

India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (IAC I) was commissioned in September by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore, INS Vikrant has a sophisticated air defence network and anti-ship missile systems.

It has the capacity to hold 30 fighter jets and helicopters. At the commissioning ceremony of the vessel, Modi called it a “floating city” and that it is a reflection of India becoming self-reliant in defence.

The sources said the IAC II will be kind of a repeat order of the IAC I.

According to the plan, the IAC II will be built by state-run Cochin Shipyard.

The Navy has been pitching for three aircraft carriers to deal with China’s growing naval prowess and its growing influence over the Indian Ocean region.

At present, India has two aircraft carriers—INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

INS Vikramaditya is a Russian origin platform.

The INS Vikrant has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.

Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

The IAC is 262 metre long, 62 metre wide and has a height of 59 metre.

On the procurement of additional 97 Tejas Mark 1A aircraft, the sources said the DAC is set to clear it.

With the additional fleet, the number of indigenously-developed Tejas aircraft being procured by the IAF would go up to 180.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF.

Jai Hind.
The GOC Karnataka & Kerala Sub-Area received the mortal remains of Veer Capt Pranjal at HAL airport Bangalore on night 24 Nov; and HE The Governor of Karnataka and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka paid their homage to the Brave Soldier by laying wreaths.
Yesterday, 24 Nov morning at the residence of Veer Capt Pranjal there was a huge congregation of serving Officers comprising the GOC K&K Area, the Stn Cdr and Comdts and COs and a large number of Officers, JCOs. NCOs & OR of all mil Est & Units, Mil Veterans & Civ who paid their homage to the departed soul by laying wreaths.
We also conveyed our deepest Condolences & our respects to Veer Naari Mrs Capt Pranjal and the parents & in-laws of Veer Capt Pranjal.
The mortal remains of Veer Capt Pranjal were then consigned to the flames at the crematorium with due mil honours.
Outpouring of Capt Pranjal Amar Rahe and Bharat Mata ki Jai rent the air.
Regards, Col Rajan

Martyred Capt MV Pranjal with his parents. As a child he had all the luxury as his father was MD of Manglore Refineries, he graduated from a top notch engineering college and could have easily bagged a cushy MNC job, but…but he chose to serve Indian Army. An alumnus of NDA he was inducted into Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and was serving it’s elite counter insurgency unit called Force Victor, an immortal in real sense.

Places visited

Uttarakhand

• Gurudwara Reetha Sahib, Champawat, Uttrakhand
• Nanakmatta

Andhra Pradesh

• Gurudwara Pehli Patshahi Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Bihar

• Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Sheetal Kund – Rajgir
• Patna

Delhi

• Gurdwara Nanak Piao, Delhi
• Gurudwara Majnu Ka Tila, Delhi^{[92][better source needed]}

Gujarat

• Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi, Lakhpat, Gujarat

Haryana

• Panipat

Jammu and Kashmir

• Hari Parbat, Srinagar

Punjab

• Gurudwara Shri Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurudwara Shri Hatt Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurudwara Shri Kothri Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurudwara Shri Guru Ka Bagh, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurudwara Shri Sant Ghat, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurudwara Shri Antaryamta, Sultanpur Lodhi
• Dera Baba Nanak
• Gurudwara Manji Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib
• Achal Batala^[93]

Sikkim

• Gurudwara Nanak Lama, Chungthang, Sikkim
• Gurudongmar Lake

Odisha

• Gurdwara Guru Nanak Datan Sahib, Cuttack, Odisha
• Gurdwara Bauli Math Sahib, Puri, Odisha

Pakistan

• Nankana Sahib
• Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Kartarpur
• Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooqabad
• Sultanpur Lodhi
• Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Gujranwala
• Gurdwara Beri Sahib, Sialkot
• Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal
• Gurudwara Chowa Sahib, Rohtas Fort
• Narowal

Bangladesh

• Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka

Afghanistan

• Gurduara Baba Nanak Dev Ji, Jalalabad
• Chashma Sahib Patshahi Pahili, Jalalabad

Iran

• Gurudwara Pehli Patshahi, Mashhad

Iraq

• Baba Nanak Shrine, Baghdad

Sri Lanka

• Gurudwara Pehli Patshahi Batticaloa
• Koti, now known as Kotikawatta

Saudi Arabia

• Mecca
• Medina

See also

• India portal
• Biography portal
• Punjab portal

• Fatehabad, Punjab
• List of places named after Guru Nanak Dev
• Bebe Nanaki

Proud moment…. on completion of 250 years by the Sikh Regiment, display by President ‘s Bodyguard’s of “SIKH MARTIAL ARTS” at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Have a look.

Patiala, November 25

A group of ex-servicemen squatted on railway tracks at the Shambhu railway station in this Punjab district for nearly 12 hours on Saturday when they were stopped from heading to Delhi for a protest over alleged anomalies in the “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) scheme, officials said.

The protest affected the train movement on the section, the Government Railway Police (GRP) officials said.

After being assured by officials from the district administration that the governor would meet them, the protesters lifted the dharna at about 4:30 pm, they added.

Some of the protesters had said earlier in the day that they were headed to Delhi on various modes of transport when they were stopped by police from entering Haryana via the Shambhu border.

A GRP official said the movement of trains going towards Delhi, Jammu and Amritsar was affected due to the protest.

“The dharna has been lifted and normal movement of trains restored,” he said.

Sources said around 250 ex-servicemen sat on the dharna at the railway station in the morning, but their number increased later on.

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 25

Troubled by illness, an ex-serviceman shot himself dead at his residence on Raikot Road of Jagraon on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Puran Singh. After the incident, the police reached the spot and shifted the body to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The police said the deceased was suffering from kidney disease for a long time and he was also undergoing dialysis. Even on Saturday, the victim was supposed to be taken to Ludhiana for dialysis. Meanwhile, he went to his room and shot himself near the neck with a licensed weapon. After listening to the sound of the gunshot, the deceased ‘s wife and daughter went to his room and found the man lying dead.

Tribune News Service

new Delhi, November 25

The security environment has been complicated by the advent of advanced as well as disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomous platforms, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said during the passing-out parade at the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala’s Ezhimala today.

The challenges emanating from the elements of cooperation, competition, contestation and conflict still persisted, he said. “These aspects transcend the traditional frontiers of land, sea and air to space, cyber and cognitive domains. Essentially, you will negotiate a challenging world with attendant uncertainties and complexities,” the Navy Chief told the passing-out cadets. To encounter the known as well as the unknown, and the actions under conditions of incomplete information, would always remain their highest and most urgent pursuit, he said.

In all, 159 cadets, including the first woman cadet of the Mauritius Navy, participated in the parade.

Truce holds, but Houthis target more Israeli ships

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, November 25

Hamas said it had decided to delay Saturday’s scheduled second round of hostage releases until Israel committed to allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza.

Israel had received a list of 13 Israeli Hamas-held hostages expected to be freed on Saturday in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire with Hamas on the second day remained peaceful, but the Houthis attacked an Israeli ship with a suicide drone.

Unconfirmed reports said the Houthis had hijacked another ship owned by an Israeli billionaire even as Hezbollah made an abortive missile attack on Israel. The prospects of the ceasefire being extended by a few more days brightened after a Qatari delegation landed in Israel and Hamas reportedly said it could muster another 20 hostages for release.

If this happens, Israel could extend the ceasefire by a couple of days. The death toll in Gaza was 14,854, according to the local health authorities but the humanitarian situation eased marginally after 200 aid trucks entered Gaza.

The Israeli-owned ship attacked by Shahed-136 suicide drone in the Indian Ocean reportedly belonged to Idan Ofer, the fourth wealthiest man in Israel who owns 210 bulk, container and crude oil ships, according to Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis. The extent of damage was not known but there will be a massive increase in the insurance for the billionaire’s fleet. Five days ago, the Houthis had hijacked the “Galaxy Leader”, which is linked with another Israeli billionaire. Unconfirmed reports said the Houthis had on Saturday also hijacked a second Israeli ship identified as “Zim Launda”. The apprehension is strengthened because the Yemenis were tracking this ship. Both in Israel and in Gaza, local communities feted those released in the exchange. It was an emotional welcome amidst the rubble in Gaza as women prisoners released by Israel met their parents after years, some by over a decade.

In Israel, people who lived in the devastated “Kibbutz Be’eri” gathered in a hotel where they now live to receive news about the prisoner release.

Action against others ‘in process’

Tribune News Service

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, November 25

Nearly two years after a major security lapse took place during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ferozepur, the Punjab Police today suspended seven officials, including a Superintendent of Police (SP).

The inquiry report by a committee formed by the Supreme Court to probe the lapse had indicted several top officials, including the then Home Secretary and the DGP, besides officials in the rank of ADGP to SSPs. The report had focused on IPS officials. It had, however, asked the state government to look into the role of Punjab Police Service officials in the security lapse. Those suspended include Bathinda SP Gurbinder Singh, who was Ferozepur’s SP when the security lapse took place. He was the in-charge of a reserve force formed to react to any call of emergency. Earlier, there was no mention that the reserve force was pressed into service immediately after the PM’s cavalcade was stopped on the way to Ferozepur due to a road blockade by farmers.

Those suspended

SP, Bathinda, Gurbinder Singh, DSPs Prason Singh and Jagdish Kumar; inspectors Jatinder Singh and Balwinder Singh; sub-inspector Jaswant Singh; and ASI Ramesh Kumar. All of them were posted in Ferozepur at that time.

The others suspended are DSPs Prason Singh and Jagdish Kumar; inspectors Jatinder Singh and Balwinder Singh; sub-inspector Jaswant Singh; and ASI Ramesh Kumar.

Home Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, who issued the suspension orders on November 22, referred to a report by the state DGP into the security lapse.

The Home Secretary told The Tribune that action against other officials was under consideration. The committee, headed by Justice Indu Malhotra (retd), had NIA’s former chief Kuldeep Singh, Chandigarh DGP Praveer Ranjan and Special DGP, Punjab, Sharad Satya Chauhan as members who recommended action against officials far senior than the suspended SP. It had specifically asked for strict action against three officials — then DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, Ferozepur DIG Inderbir Singh and Ferozepur SSP Harman Hans. It had also called for action against then Home Secretary Anirudh Tewari and other officials.