Monthly Archives: August 2018

In view of the rising hostilities with Pakistan, the Army Chief has been empowered to muster the Territorial Army, a reserve force, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today chaired a high-level meeting with the top brass of the military to…

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

In view of the rising hostilities with Pakistan, the Army Chief has been empowered to muster the Territorial Army, a reserve force, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today chaired a high-level meeting with the top brass of the military to review the security situation along the western border and the operational preparedness of the armed forces.

The minister’s review meeting comes in the backdrop of the layered Indian air defence mechanism having stalled Pakistan’s barrage of missiles and drones. Last night, Pakistan launched these all across the western front, threatening the Indian military and civilian infrastructure.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, the Army Chief, Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the Navy Chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and the Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, were present at the meeting.

The Defence Ministry, exercising powers under the Territorial Army Rule, 1948, issued a notification saying the Army Chief can “call out every officer and every enrolled person of the Territorial Army to provide for essential guard or to be embodied for the purpose of supporting or supplementing the regular Army”.

Of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions of the Territorial Army, the Army Chief has been empowered to embody 14 Infantry Battalions. These will be deployed in areas of the Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Army Training Command.

For the Territorial Army units embodied at the behest of other ministries, the cost will be debited from the respective ministries and will not be included in the budget allocation of the Defence Ministry, the notification stated.

This order shall remain in force for three years with effect till February 2028. The Territorial Army is under the administrative control of the Department of Military Affairs, chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff.

The Territorial Army is like reserve force. People enrolled in it can hold regular jobs outside the force and be called in case of an exigency. The Territorial Army can get officers from the regular Army too.

The Territorial Army is headed by a Lieutenant General rank officer.

Comes as MEA says thwarted Islamabad bid to hit 36 locations through 400 drones

Vijay Mohan Ajay Banerjee

Hours after India announced that Pakistan had launched nearly 400 Turkish drones at 36 locations across northwest India, and fired artillery guns, resulting in the death of “some” soldiers over the past 24 hours, a fresh wave of UAV attacks was reported from several places across the region, including J&K and Punjab, leaving at least three injured.

The Army said drones were sighted at 26 locations — from Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the West — along the Line of Control as well as the International Border on Friday evening.

The areas targeted included Jammu, Samba, Pathankot, Udhampur, Nagrota, Baramulla, Srinagar, Awantipora, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Jaisalmer, Lalgarh Jattan, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuar Bet and Lakki Nala. Explosions were also heard in some parts of Kashmir and Pokhran in Rajasthan, a desert region where India had conducted nuclear tests. Drone attacks on the Srinagar airport and south Kashmir’s Awantipora airbase were thwarted, officials said.

The Army said the forces were maintaining a high alert, and all such aerial threats were being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems.

Along the Line of Control, several ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army were reported. The Army said these threats were being responded to effectively.

Residents in these places reported seeing several drones hovering overhead and in some cases hearing the sound of explosions as well as anti-aircraft guns. Blackouts were enforced in many districts in north-west India as a precautionary measure and air raid warning sirens sounded at several places during the day.

In Amritsar, multiple drones were spotted in the Chheharta area and the road leading to the airport. In Ferozepur, where several drones were sighted, three persons were injured in a blast that hit their house at Khai Pheme Ke, the cause of which is not clear. They were admitted to a local hospital.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, at a briefing in New Delhi on the ongoing Operation Sindoor, said the armed forces responded “proportionately and adequately” to the aggression last night. He slammed Pakistan for “using civilian planes as shields” to fly close to the International Border and assailed it for attacking places of worship and its “preposterous” attempts to put the blame on the armed forces.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, speaking at the briefing, said India retaliated by launching armed drones at four air defence (AD) sites in Pakistan and “one of these destroyed an AD radar”.

Pakistan also carried out firing across the Line of Control (LoC) using large-calibre artillery guns and armed drones directed at Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in some losses and injuries to Army personnel. The Pakistan army suffered major losses in retaliatory fire,” she said.

The officer said that a possible purpose of the large-scale aerial intrusions drones by Pakistan, using Turkish Songar drones, many of which were shot down, was to test the AD systems, gather intelligence and also to target military infrastructure.

Col Sofiya Qureshi flagged Islamabad’s “irresponsible” behaviour for using civil airlines as shields, knowing fully well that any attack on India would elicit a swift AD response. “This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including international flights, which were flying near borders between India and Pakistan,” she said. The IAF demonstrated “considerable restraint” in its response, thus ensuring the safety of international civil carrier, she added.

Justice served, but war no good, reiterate 1971 war veterans

At least 100 terrorists killed: Rajnath at all-party meet

Some newspaper clips

Pakistan attempts hitting Jammu airport, city; 8 missiles intercepted, blackout initiated

Strikes to strategy

When SC praised Col Qureshi in verdict on permanent commission to women officers

Pakistan Army confirms India missile strikes in its territory, scramble jets in response

Night-long bombing, shelling, missile strikes; India repels multiple attacks by Pakistan

rack & attack: How integrated air defence grid shot down Pak missiles

Sensitive period: PM calls for alertness, synergy at security review meet with Secys

Exercising restraint, but all geared up to protect sovereignty: Rajnath

Masood Azhar’s brother eliminated in Bahawalpur strike

Valley border villagers flee to safer places amid artillery shelling by Pak

Role of air power in crossing the Rubicon again

Red alert for Pak on the terror front

On Pakistan radar, IAF base, defence labs put on high alert in UT

BSF suspends Beating Retreat ceremony on Attari-Wagah border

High alert in Punjab’s six border districts, schools shut

After blasts, missile debris sparks panic in Punjab border villages

India foils missile, drone attacks in North; neutralises air defence system in Lahore

India did the right thing by destroying the terrorist camps

Manav Mander Tribune News Service

In the face of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, war veterans of 1971 war from the city have expressed their strong support for the Indian armed forces, but are also of the opinion that nothing comes good from a war as it does not discriminate. It kills good, peace-loving people, and as well as those with bad intentions.

Brig Indermohan Singh (retd) said that India did the right thing by destroying the terrorist camps. “But war is not the solution as going on war means destruction and the economies of both countries do not permit to do that. India might be the world’s fourth largest economy, but that is due to the big business houses and not due to the government’s financial status. If we go to war, Pakistan may get financial help from Arab countries, but to whom will India look for help is what I wonder,” he says.

Further, Brig Indermohan, who had just three months of service under his belt when the war of 1971 broke out, added that war had always been a destructive force that only brings suffering and destruction. “The horrors of war can leave mental scars that may never fully heal, leading to long-term suffering and emotional distress. This trauma can also have a ripple effect, impacting families and communities for years to come,” says he.

Brig SS Gill (retd), a war veteran of 1971 war, says, “Armed forces have done their duty and not let the nation down. At this point there will be no full-fledged war, but Pakistan can retaliate and India is ready for that and will respond accordingly. The nation can sleep peacefully and the armed forces are there to take care of the country,” said Gill. It had been just a year since he joined the Army when India went on war with Pakistan in 1971 and was lucky to escape without injury when a splinter went through his turban.

Meanwhile, Lt Col H S Kahlon (retd), who was decorated with Vir Chakra for his valour in the 1971 war, is saddened with all that is happening in the country. “I am really disheartened with all that is happening presently and I do not want to comment on this,” said Col Kahlon.“It has been 54 years, but the images of war still stay with my father. War can never bring any good to any nation,” says Rinku Kahlon, son of Lt Col Kahlon.

Details of Ludhiana war Veterans

1. Brig Indermohan Singh-– Presently is President of IESL ,Head office in Delhi
2. Brig SS Gill — owner of Basra Restaurant in Ludhiana and President Ludhiana Area of Sanjha Morcha
3. Lt Col H S Kahlon Vrc –was GOG President of Distt Ludhiana

Says Op Sindoor still ongoing | Opposition fully back response

A day after the Indian military hit nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as part of Operation Sindoor, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed political parties that least 100 terrorists and their associates were neutralised in the non-escalatory strikes.

Chairing an all-party meeting at the Parliament House Complex here, Rajnath also said the operation, a national response after the dastardly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, was “not yet over”.

Quoting the Defence Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later said, “Raksha mantri told the meeting that it was an ongoing operation, which is why technical details cannot be shared. This was also why officials from the armed forces were not present at the meeting as they were busy with the operation.”

Rajnath also told leaders that while India did not want any escalation, it would respond appropriately should Pakistan launch an attack. He was speaking to politics parties just hours before the Defence Ministry issued a statement confirming that the Indian military had on the night of May 7 and 8 thwarted attempts by Pakistan to engage military targets across 15 locations at home and neutralised an air defence radar at Lahore.

The meeting saw the Opposition fully back the Indian response with Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge saying, “We fully support the government at this time of crisis.”

Though Kharge lamented the absence of PM Narendra Modi from the meeting, he said, “We do not wish to criticise anyone at this trying hour.”

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and CPM’s John Brittas sought a special session of Parliament to send out a message of national resolve after the Pahalgam attack.

Rijiju said the Defence Minister shared details of the non-escalatory operation with the Opposition and other parties and said the strikes were meant to take out terrorists as India exercised its right to respond. He said the armed forces exercised extreme caution and sensitivity not to affect civilians and the operation was focused on select terrorist-training camps operating from Pakistan and the PoK.

Data on casualties from Operation Sindoor was formally shared with the Opposition for the first time, with Rajnath saying that data on further casualties was being collated.

After Wednesday’s operation, the exact number of terrorists killed in the strikes was not immediately known, though estimates ranged from 70 to 100 casualties.

Some opposition members are also learnt to have sought clarity from the government on reports regarding a Rafale jet reportedly being shot down by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and whether the government should counter this propaganda. There was no response from the government on the query, sources privy to the developments said.

Broadly, the Opposition struck a note of unity at the meeting. “In this moment of crisis, we stand with the government. We listened to everything they shared. In the national interest, they said that matters of defence and security are confidential and cannot be fully disclosed. All of us expressed our support and said that during this time, we are with you. Whatever work you are doing, continue with it–we will stand by you in the interest of the nation,” said Kharge.

Rahul said the Opposition fully supported the government. “We gave full support. Some things cannot be discussed. Everyone supported the government,” he said.

Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay sought that the PM convene a meeting with all parties on the operation. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi complimented the armed forces and the government for Operation Sindoor and demanded that India should work to get Pakistan added to the Financial Action Task Force grey list and to get The Resistance Force proscribed.

“Across party lines, political leaders said there is no place for politics in such critical times. All leaders unanimously congratulated our armed forces on the success of Operation Sindoor and assured their full support to the government, with no dissent whatsoever,” said Rijiju. Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also attended the meeting.

Residents hear loud bangs, see red balls over the skies as Indian military engages Pakistan’s fresh escalation attempt, this time in a civilian area

Aditi Tandon Arjun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Civil defence drill was activated in Jammu city on Thursday evening after loud bangs were heard at least thrice at a close interval of about 15 minutes.

A complete blackout ensued as counter-measures were initiated.

Residents across Greater Kailash, RS Pora, Chhani Himmat reported hearing massive bangs in and around the city areas quickly followed by a spotting of several red balls in the air.

Akhil Razdan, a resident of Greater Kailash, Jammu, said it looked like a drone or a missile attack “very close to where he lived in Greater Kailash but it was intercepted very quickly.”

Razdan said he lived very close to the airport at a distance of around 7 km.

”I heard a loud bang and thought these were firecrackers. So I went to the terrace to look things up and spotted at least eight red balls in the direction of the bang. It looked like a drone attack from across the border which our air defence systems intercepted. As soon as the red balls were seen, the air sirens went off and there was a complete blackout,” Razdan said.

Vijay Kumar, an RS Pora resident, reported the same sequence of events thrice and said it was still continuing.

Residents of city were left shocked when multiple explosions started in the sky, specifically near Jammu airport and Sunjuwan Camp. At least eight explosions heard over Jammu.

Pakistan drones and missiles were intercepted close to Sunjuwan military base.

Indian air defence units intercepted/blocked eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia.

It was around 8.15 pm when the first wave of drones or missiles started. Red coloured interceptor were seen all around in the sky hitting the targets.

Electricity in entire region was snapped and sirens were activated. Many people were heard screaming as the interceptors hit the targets.

The attacks took place in at least five waves where multiple drones entered the sky of Jammu till 9.30 pm.

The fifth wave started at 9.22 pm.

National resolve amidst rising tensions

Editorial

IN the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor — India’s precision strikes on terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — the government on Thursday projected unity and resolve, even as tensions remain high and retaliatory hostilities continue. In response to attempted strikes by Pakistan, India pre-emptively neutralised missiles aimed at 15 major cities and destroyed a key air defence system in Lahore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-level review meeting underscored the gravity of the situation. Terming this a “sensitive period”, he called for institutional synergy and citizen safety as top priorities. The Whole-of-Government approach — focussing on civil defence, countering disinformation and safeguarding critical infrastructure — signals readiness beyond the battlefield. The directive to ministries to ensure emergency response protocols and operational continuity reflects a sober understanding of hybrid threats, including cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns. Lending equal weight to the day was Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s detailed briefing to an all-party meeting, where he confirmed the neutralisation of at least 100 terrorists. The Opposition, notably the Congress and the AIMIM, displayed commendable maturity, putting aside political divisions to rally behind the national interest. This rare moment of bipartisan consensus sends a strong message to both domestic and international audiences: when India’s sovereignty is challenged, its political fabric holds firm.

However, the larger picture remains fraught. With India stating that it has no intent to escalate but is fully prepared to retaliate, strategic restraint must continue to be balanced with credible deterrence. The emphasis must now shift from tactical victories to strategic stability. In the days ahead, civilian protection, diplomatic messaging and internal security will demand unwavering focus. India must continue briefing global partners and maintain transparency with its citizens, without compromising operational security. Even as Operation Sindoor continues, the unified political posture and institutional alertness offer a template for democratic resilience in the face of external threats.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who flanked Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri along with IAF Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during a press briefing on Operation Sindoor

Satya Prakash Tribune News Service

The achievements of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who flanked Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri along with IAF Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during a press briefing on Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, were specifically acknowledged by the Supreme Court in its February 17, 2020, landmark verdict granting permanent commission to women officers in the Army.

“Lieutenant Colonel Sophia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise named Exercise Force 18, which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India. She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in conflict affected areas,” a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud (since retired) had said.

The top court had cited Colonel Qureshi as an example of what women can achieve in the armed forces in 2020, more than five years before she famously addressed the press briefing on Operation Sindoor along with Wing Commander Singh. Born in Gujarat’s Vadodara, Qureshi graduated with a Master’s in biochemistry from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in 1997.

An officer in the critical Corps of Signals, in the past, she had been picked for the role of a military observer in Congo in 2006, besides being part of flood-relief operations in the Northeast. She broke the glass ceiling when in 2016, she became the first woman officer to lead its contingent at the multi-national field training exercise, Exercise Force 18, hosted by India for interoperability in sustaining peace among the ASEAN nations.

Allowing permanent commission to women officers in the Army, it said an absolute prohibition of women short service commission officers to obtain anything but staff appointments evidently did not fulfil the purpose of granting permanent commission as a means of career advancement in the Army. The court said the counter affidavit contained a detailed elaboration of the service rendered by women short service commission officers to the cause of the nation, working shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.

“Yet, that role is sought to be diluted by the repeated pleas made before this court that women, by the nature of their biological composition and social milieu, have a less important role to play than their male counterparts,” the top court had said.

“Such a line of submission is disturbing as it ignores the solemn constitutional values which every institution in the nation is bound to uphold and facilitate. Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force,” it had said.