Monthly Archives: August 2018

The positive reaction comes after Ottawa was urged to take action to protect the religious rights of people as Rath Yatra procession in Toronto turned tense

Ubeer Naqushbandi Tribune News Service

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the process of rebuilding ties between India and Canada is moving in a positive direction, following a year of strained relations over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.

The MEA’s comments come just days after India urged Canada to ensure the protection of religious freedoms, following tensions during a Rath Yatra procession in Toronto on July 11. Unidentified individuals reportedly hurled eggs at devotees, sparking outrage and allegations of racism and xenophobia.

During a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to a question on bilateral relations, said: “We had a meeting at the Prime Ministerial level in Kananaskis, where both leaders affirmed the importance of India-Canada ties. Both sides are now working to rebuild this relationship.”

He added, “We are also working towards the appointment of High Commissioners in both capitals. The movement in India-Canada ties is positive.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta last month. Modi had attended the summit on Carney’s invitation, his first visit to Canada since diplomatic tensions erupted last year.

Carney’s outreach is seen as a signal of the new Canadian government’s intent to reset relations with New Delhi.

Ties had plunged to an all-time low in 2023 after the killing of Nijjar, with then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging the involvement of Indian agents. New Delhi strongly denied the charges and accused the Trudeau government of harbouring pro-Khalistan elements on Canadian soil.

In October 2023, India recalled its High Commissioner and five other diplomats, while expelling an equal number of Canadian representatives.

Fifth probe into incident as family awaits justice

Punjab Police Offered crores to compromise

CBI TO INVESTIGATE COL BATH CASE : VEDIOS

CBI OVERTAKES COLONEL PUSHPINDER CASE

Mrs Jaswinder w/o Col Bath says she cried on Courts verdict for handing over to CBI

Akash Prime tested, can hit targets in Pak, China

Can’t win modern wars with outdated weapons, says CDS

Jaswinder Kaur Bath, wife of Col Pushpinder Singh Bath, addresses mediapersons in Patiala on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO

Jaswinder Kaur Bath, wife of Col Pushpinder Singh Bath, addresses mediapersons in Patiala on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO

The HC order of shifting the probe to the CBI from the Chandigarh Police, will be the fifth probe in the incident. Earlier, three probes marked in Punjab and the fourth by the Chandigarh Police ended in a stalemate.

Welcoming the Punjab and Haryana High Court directions to shift the case to the CBI, Jaswinder Kaur Bath, wife of Colonel Pushpinder Bath, today criticised the state government, Punjab Police and the Chandigarh Police for allegedly “conniving and conducting botched-up investigations to save the erring cops who assaulted her husband and son”.

To be deployed in high-altitude areas

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

After the success of the indigenous Akash missiles during Operation Sindoor, its next version, capable of deployment in high-altitude areas, was successfully tested today.Called Akash Prime, its navigation, flight path and accuracy have been fine-tuned for the Army’s needs to tackle airborne threats from either Pakistan or China.

The successful test was carried out at an altitude of 15,000 feet in Ladakh today, sources said.

The trial was carried out by the Army Air Defence along with senior officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, which has developed the system.

During the trial, the Akash Prime —- a surface-to-air missile — registered a direct hit against a very fast-moving airborne target in a high-altitude area in a rarefied atmosphere.

The need to develop the Akash Prime arose as the firing parameters and trajectory of the missile change when launched at high altitudes. The lack of oxygen pressure has to be factored into the trajectory of the missile.

The Army already has Akash missiles in its arsenal which were used with success in Operation Sindoor. The Indian Air Force uses the Akash-NG (New Generation), which offers a significantly extended range (70-80 km).

The focus of the Akash Prime is on enhanced precision and operational capability in specific, difficult terrains and extreme cold weather conditions, while maintaining a range of 30-35 km, consistent with the existing Akash variant of the Army.

Bats for having in place indigenous tech for drones

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan today said India could not win modern wars with outdated weapons, underscoring the need to adopt future-ready technology, primarily through indigenous development.

“Modern warfare has evolved, with weapons and combat equipment becoming smaller, faster, more efficient and cost-effective. The old, bulky rifles have been replaced by compact, lightweight weapons with extended range. This trend extends to tanks and aircraft, which are now faster and offer enhanced protection,” said General Chauhan. He was addressing a workshop on ‘Indigenisation of critical components’, hosted by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.

In another significant development, the General offered new insights into how Pakistani drone attack was countered during Operation Sindoor on May 10. “The enemy deployed drones and loitering munitions, but couldn’t harm our military or civil infrastructure. Most of their weapons were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means, with some even recovered almost intact,” the CDS said.

Stressing the need for self-reliance in warfare technology, the General asked domestic drone manufacturers to stop using foreign software or hardware. “We cannot rely on imported technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions. We must invest, build and safeguard ourselves,” he said.

General Chauhan said foreign weapons, sensors and their capabilities were known to all and adversaries could “predict tactics and doctrinal concepts based on the capabilities of these systems”.

“Dependence on foreign technologies weakens preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production and often leads to a shortfall of critical spares, he said.

Sources said the CDS had been working on plans to ensure indigenous hardware and software for controlling drones. The armed forces want three crucial technologies in future drones: secure communication using software-defined radios, GPS-free operations and the ability to beat the jamming of radio signals by the enemy.

Also, a comprehensive framework has been set up to filter out any software or hardware of Chinese origin in drones being supplied to the armed forces.

“Drones can shift tactical balance disproportionately and self-reliance in the field is a strategic imperative for India. Asymmetric drone warfare is making large platforms vulnerable and driving militaries to rethink the conceptual aspects of air doctrines,” the General said.

The event, which was aimed at developing a “strategic roadmap” for indigenisation, was attended by military leaders, defence experts, scientists, policymakers and private industry stakeholders.

Chandigarh Police fail to investigate :Col Bath case: May be senior officers from Pb in Chandigarh guiding

Mrs Jaswinder bath w/o Col Bath an exclusive Interview

Punjab & Haryana High Court Seeks Report from Chandigarh Police on Assault Probe Involving Colonel Bath, Questions Delay

Colonel Assault Case: High Court Summons SIT Head In Plea To Transfer Probe To CBI Over Alleged Inaction Of Chandigarh Police

HC seeks Chandigarh Police report in Colonel Bath assault case by July 16

Colonel assault case: High Court slams Chandigarh Police for shielding accused cops, summons SP

Colonel Bath assault case: HC slams Chandigarh Police for delay; directs SP to appear in court

Punjab & Harayana High Court Slams Chandigarh Police for shielding Accused