103th MES Day
Major General Harvijay Singh, SM (Retd) is a third-generation soldier, and his two sons are also Army officers. An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune, he was commissioned in the Corps of Signals in 1981. He is a specialist trainer and has trained soldiers in military training establishments at various stages of his career. As the Chief Instructor of the Military College of Telecommunications Engineering, he was strategizing issues and training professional soldiers on Communication Networks, Cyber Security and Electronic Warfare. A prolific writer, he contributes regularly to various professional journals. He has written three books related to Military History and Leadership and is the recipient of the prestigious ‘Scholar Warrior Badge’.
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is a striking example of how asymmetric warfare is evolving – especially when the weak become emboldened to take high risk, high-reward actions demonstrating that the concept of strategic depth with the weapon systems of today, is a myth. Ukraine Strikes Deep Operation Spider’s Web was a high-profile drone strike deep (upto 4000 kms) inside Russia carried out on 01 June 2025. The strike was led by Sluzhba Bezpeky Ukrayiny or Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). SBU is Ukraine’s principal internal security and counterintelligence agency. It conducts counterintelligence operations, combats organized crime and terrorism and protects state secrets and national security. Notably, it is subordinated directly to the President of Ukraine, is staffed by military personnel and operates specialized units like the Alpha Group (Special Forces).
The operation was planned over 18 months and strike drones were smuggled into Russia in trucks camouflaged as standard cargo loads. The attacks, using 117 remote-controlled First-Person View (FPV) drones, struck 41 strategic Russian Air Force aircraft at four locations and destroyed at least 13 while damaging others. Uniquely executed, the drones were launched from inside Russian territory after being transported from Ukraine in wooden cabins mounted on flatbed trucks and assembled in Russia on the sly. The ready to launch drones were smartly placed inside these wooden structures and moved close to the target areas disguised as commercial goods. The flatbed trucks had been hired and even the drivers were unaware of the contents. Once in place, the remotely operated roofs of the cabins were retracted and the hunters freed to target their unsuspecting prey, reminiscent of modern-day Trojan Horses! Notably, no Ukrainian personnel were harmed as agents who helped assemble the drones or enabled technical and communications support were evacuated prior to drone launches. Operation Spider’s Web establishes a template for deep strategic strikes at unsuspecting and underprepared target areas using adversary territory as a launch base. This methodology was partly replicated in Operation Rising Lion, wherein Israel targeted Iran’s military leadership, nuclear assets and critical infrastructure on 13 June 2025
. Thus, in a vast country like India surrounded by hostile elements, Rear Area Monitoring and Security assumes significant importance at all times. Strategic Objectives The main objectives of Operation Spider’s Web based on the effects, appear to have been to severely damage Russia’s long-range bomber capability, for which four aircraft types were targeted: • Tupolev Tu-95 (Bear) and Tupolev Tu-22M3 (Backfire) – Both used for missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. They carry Kh-101, Kh-555, Kh-22, and Kh-32 cruise missiles designed for long range precision strikes. • Beriev A-50 (Mainstay) – Similar to AWACS, the A-50 functions as a flying command post and radar station. Its extensive rotating radome enables it to detect aircraft, cruise missiles, and other aerial threats from hundreds of kms away. It therefore serves as a crucial force multiplier by coordinating all air actions. This has been an extremely valuable asset for the Russian Air Force. The strategic objectives were also to demonstrate Ukraine’s deep-strike capabilities using unconventional methodology integrated with drone technology, thereby, undermining Russia’s sense of strategic depth, exposing vulnerabilities in rear-echelon defences, and reshaping the psychological landscape just prior to the peace talks that had been scheduled on 02 June at Istanbul. The operation psychologically and materially disrupted Russian air power resources across the airbases. The Bases Targeted As highlighted earlier, there were no Ukrainian boots on the ground, just the telling use of technology, well coordinated timing, and comprehensive analysis of the terrain, the targets and the operating environment. 117 FPV drones targeted four Russian airbases as under: • Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia (4000 km from the frontline). In addition to strategic bombers, it hosts the MiG-31K carrying Kinzhal missiles. • Olenya Air Base in Murmansk Oblast in the Russian Arctic. It functions as a forward staging base for Arctic and Atlantic missions. • Dyagilevo Air Base in Ryazan Oblast. Functions as a rear area bomber base with training and refuelling capabilities. This dual role amplifies its strategic importance far beyond that of a conventional air base. •
Ivanovo Air Base in Ivanovo Oblast. Acts as a nerve centre for airborne command and control. Supports strategic bomber coordination and missile targeting. The pilots of the FPV drones, operating from Ukraine, targeted vulnerable points such as fuel tanks in the wings with the limited load of explosives that a FPV generally carries, leveraging the precision provided by the drones. The Drone Arsenal Ukraine deployed a multi-layered drone strike force combining FPV A FPV-drone struck military plane Tu-95 at Russia’s Olenya airbase during the attack
kamikaze drones, AI-guided autonomous systems, and long-range delivery platforms. The Osa Drone – Ukrainian for “Wasp” is an indigenous FPV quadcopter. Its payload was dual charges of 800 grams each (Shaped Charge and High-Explosive), which were designed to burn through aircraft fuselage and trigger internal explosions. A standard explosive then detonates outwards in all directions. The flight time of the drones was approximately 15 minutes and top speed 150 km per hour. A Shaped – Charge High – Explosive, uses a specically shaped casing to focus the explosive energy, (a V or U-shape made of a soft metal like copper). Upon detonation, the explosive core collapses the metal liner onto itself, forming a high-velocity jet of molten metal.
This jet can travel at several kms/second and has immense penetrating power, acting like an industrial cutting torch or a plasma cutter. The key purpose of this warhead is not to create a large blast, but to cut or sever the target along a line. Communications for Operation Spider’s Web were designed to tap into the existing civilian infrastructure. Active guidance by operators / pilots was kept to the minimum with reliance on AI and autonomy in flight, in effect, minimising interference by Russian SIGINT. Ukrainian operatives inside Russia used secure communications to coordinate logistics, including the movement of drones camouflaged inside the cabin cargo, by riding on Russian Telecom Networks using burner phones or anonymous SIMs. Civilian Russian truck drivers, unaware of the mission, received instructions on mobile phones to park at MEDALS & RIBBONS Oct. – Dec. 2025 designated locations and activate drone release mechanisms, oblivious of the intent or the effect. Possibly, the cabins equipped with batteries and solar panels could have used satellite uplinks, enabling remote activation of the drones. Each drone was equipped with multiple types of communications to ensure resilience, autonomy, and redundancy, encompassing analog video transmission for real-time piloting and encrypted digital links for command and control. The drone pilots coordinated the attack from undisclosed combat control points, using encrypted channels to manage drone swarms in real time. In addition, embedded autopilot systems with AI-driven trajectory planning allowed drones to operate semi-independently, reducing reliance on continuous operator input.
AI-Powered Autonomous System In addition to the truck delivered FPVs, a Mother Drone system (developed by Brave1 Tech Cluster (Ukraine’s defence innovation platform), that carries and deploys two FPV strike drones up to 300 km behind enemy lines using Visual-inertial navigation and LiDAR-based terrain mapping is likely to have been used. With no GPS dependency, it is immune to jamming and spoofing. Once launched, the system can identify, navigate to, and strike targets without human intervention. AI-based target recognition enabled these drones to autonomously identify, classify, and engage targets with minimum human inputs. At the core of this capability are machine learning (ML) and deep learning algorithms trained on vast datasets of images and sensor data. Some drones were trained to identify and strike fuel tanks on aircraft for maximum damage, which they effectively did. Extensive use of technology allowed the pre-programmed FPV drones to autonomously reach their designated targets. However, from videos released by SBU, at some time during the approach human pilots were seen to remotely intervene and guide the drones towards exact weak points on the aircrafts as planned, ensuring desired effects. Notably, while Ukraine stated that they launched 117 Drones, OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) analysts confirm only 41 FPV drone strike videos in the target areas are available. This indicates that some of the drones probably lost contact with the base station. Such losses are always likely and adequate reserves would have been planned for these operations.
Redundancy in technology and communications remains a strategic necessity for the survival of plans. The Impact – Financial and Strategic The drones specifically targeted exposed aircraft parked in the open, making them easy targets for precision strikes. The engine compartments and fuel tanks were struck, maximizing the chance of detonation and destruction. On the A-50 aircraft, the radar domes were 36 COMMENTARY precisely hit. In the maintenance and repair zones, at Dyagilevo Air Base, aircraft undergoing repairs were hit, compounding damage and delaying recovery An Independent Damage Assessment is as shown in the adjacent table. Destroyed Heavily Damaged A acked – Damage Unknown TU-95 7 1 2 TU-22M3 4 Ukraine claims that the strike damaged / destroyed 41 aircraft and estimates $7 billion in losses to Russia’s strategic aviation. The strike damaged Russia’s long-range strategic bomber fleet, some of a vintage that prevents repair or replacement, thereby crippling their strategic reach. A-50 2 6 AN-12 2 1 Total 12 3 10 Key Takeaways In modern warfare, the battlefield has no boundaries and can be shaped as per identified vulnerabilities. There is no FLOT – Front Line of Own Troops, just a web of hybrid tactics, psychological manoeuvres, and technological infiltrations. Complacency will prove costly and strategic depth is a fallacy. Strategy, planning and preparedness are essential but bold and audacious execution is difficult to defend against, hence security forces must master the fundamentals, and execute out of the box plans.
Propaganda and sabre-rattling are tools of perception warfare meant to blur the truth, twist the narrative, and create just enough doubt to stall decision-making. Victories emerge from the shadow of the Noise. Finally, drones are rewriting operational art and being used in wildly creative ways. In the future we are likely to see more disruptive technologies at work, with narratives difficult to envision now. Countermeasures will require layered technology and multi domain shields and doctrines. Surprise and deception remain crucial factors in modern warfare. Though difficult to achieve, these are essential in a world saturated with data, sensors, and satellite visibility. To achieve surprise, the Ukrainians assembled the drones in rented warehouses and launched them from civilian trucks blurring the line between military and civilian identities – thus citizens have to be aware and alert on issues of internal security. Human suicide bombers are a relic of the past, and erstwhile body switches are now being pressed thousands of miles away on ‘suicide drones’. Everything that needs to be secured must be secured. Major General Harvijay Singh, SM (Retd) is a third-generation soldier, and his two sons are also Army officers. An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune, he was commissioned in the Corps of Signals in 1981. He is a specialist trainer and has trained soldiers in military training establishments at various stages of his career. As the Chief Instructor of the Military College of Telecommunications Engineering, he was strategizing issues and training professional soldiers on Communication Networks, Cyber Security and Electronic Warfare.
Ahe Government and the Army have many welfare schemes and grants for widows and wards of soldiers who die in operations or in harness. Very often, many of the entitled beneciaries are unaware of these incentives, and continue to live primarily on the pension and medical benets provided. Several widows are informed about education facilities and support, but are not well versed with the processes to avail such benets. This report elucidates steps taken by the Radiant Group to assist. The Idea and the Spirit of the Initiative Radiant Sambandh is a welfare project of the Radiant Group of Companies.
This is a “Taking Care of our Own” initiative by the founder, Colonel David Devasahayam (Retd), CMD, Radiant Group of Companies. To lend weight to the initiative, Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, (Retd), former Army Commander Northern Command and former Vice Chief of Army Staff has joined the initiative as its chief mentor. Radiant Sambandh primarily works to educate the Next of Kin (NOKs) of Physical Casualties (PCs) of the Army on the welfare schemes and financial grants provided by the Ministry of Defence and the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV); and assists them in availing these benefits. Before you get confused by ‘military jargon’, let me just throw light on some of the terms. A PC is a soldier who dies while in service in a peace or a field area but is not classified as a Battle Casualty. The Army has many effective welfare schemes which are not availed by many NOK of PCs for multiple reasons including lack of awareness and language comprehension in filling mandatory forms resulting in MEDALS & RIBBONS Oct. – Dec. 2025 CHENNA
he Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
The deal was sealed for Rs 62,370 crore (Rs 66,550 crore with taxes) and is in addition to the 83 jets ordered in January 2021, taking the total to 180 aircraft. With the latest order, the MoD, which is a majority stakeholder in HAL, has reposed faith in the listed public sector enterprise despite it being 18 months behind schedule in delivering jets under the previous contract.
The fresh order is for 68 fighter jets and 29 twin-seater trainer aircraft along with associated equipment. The deliveries would start during 2027-28 and were expected to complete in next six years, the MoD said in statement.
As the Centre has been pushing for self-reliance, the newly ordered jets will feature 64 per cent indigenous content, with 67 additional items incorporated beyond those in the earlier contract for 83 planes. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar and an electronic protection suite would further strengthen the government’s ‘Aatmanirbharta’ initiative, the MoD said.
The ministry said the 97 jets would be the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured Tejas. A crucial aspect of the contract is the delivery timeline. HAL is facing a delay in supply of F-404 engines for Tejas Mark-1A from US firm General Electric. Nearly a dozen jets are ready at the HAL facility, but only three engines have been supplied so far. As a result, not a single jet has been delivered to the Air Force, which is battling a dwindling combat strength. The jet deliveries should have started in March 2024 and the engines should have arrived a few months in advance.
The MoD said the project was being supported by a robust vendor base as 105 Indian companies were directly engaged in manufacture of components. The production is expected to generate nearly 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually over six years, it said.
The Tejas programme is aimed at helping the Air Force replace its fleet of MiG-21s, which will be formally phased out at a ceremony in Chandigarh on Friday. The IAF is already operating 40 Tejas Mark-1 jets.
The Air Force currently has 31 squadrons (each having up to 18 planes) of fighter jets against the sanctioned 42 to counter a potential two-front challenge from Pakistan and China. With the phasing out of MiG-21, the strength would be down to 29 squadrons. The IAF’s fleet of Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000, all inducted in phases in the 1980s, is scheduled to retire in batches after 2029-30. These four types of jets are about 250 in number and are operating on an extended life cycle. As per projections, India needs to produce some 500 jets for the IAF over the next two decades.
Kashmir is a “direct issue” between India and Pakistan and the US has no interest in “asserting” itself between the South Asian neighbours on the matter, a senior State Department official said here.
The senior State Department official said on Wednesday that it is a “longstanding” policy of the US that Kashmir is a “direct issue” between India and Pakistan.
The official added that if the US is asked to offer its good offices on any issue, it is ready to help.
US President Donald Trump has “enough crises” on his hands and “we leave that (issue of Kashmir) up to India and Pakistan to solve,” the official told reporters at a briefing. “We have no interest in asserting ourselves between India and Pakistan.”
In his address to the UN General Assembly, Trump declared again that he had stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan.
The senior State Department official also said that “it is a fact that the United States was involved in that crisis and absolutely helped broker that ceasefire.”
India maintains that it does not want any third-party involvement in its discussions with Pakistan on issues such as terrorism, as New Delhi believes they must remain bilateral.
In major boost for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Tejas Mark-1A for Rs 62, 370 crore, excluding taxes.
The 97 jets are in addition to the 83 such aircraft already ordered by the Ministry of Defence from the HAL.
The contract signed today is for producing 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters — used for training purposes, along with associated equipment, for the IAF. The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years, the MoD said in statement.
Giving a push to self-reliance, the aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous contract of the 83 jets of the same plane signed in January 2021. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the ‘Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, electronic protection suite will further strengthen the ‘Aatmanirbharta’ initiatives.
The project is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components. The MoD, the production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years.
These 97 jets would be the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured Tejas aircraft.
In April last year, the MoD has asked public sector giant HAL to submit its commercial bid for producing 97 Tejas Mark-1A jets.The MoD holds a majority stake in the HAL, a listed company. The final approval for the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighters was given by a high-level meeting last month.
The programme will help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s, which are finally being phased out tomorrow at ceremony at Chandigarh.In all, 180 of the Tejas Mark 1A are to be supplied in two tranches. The first tranche is of the 83 such jets ordered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in February 2021 under a Rs 48,000 crore order, the contract for second tranche of 97 jets was signed today.
Separately, the IAF already has 40 Tejas Mark1 jets.
The IAF presently has 31 squadrons (16-18 planes each) of fighter jets against the mandate of 42 to tackle a collusive two-front threat against Pakistan and China. With the phasing out of the MiG 21, the strength would be down to 29 squadrons.
The IAF’s fleets of Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000, all inducted in phases during the 1980s, are slated to retire in batches beyond 2029-30. These four types of jets are about 250 in number and are presently operating on an extended life cycle.
As per the plan, India needs to produce some 500 fighter jets for the IAF in the next two decades.
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has blamed India’s support for Sheikh Hasina for straining bilateral ties, claiming the deposed former Prime Minister was responsible for the killing of young protesters during the Dhaka unrest.
“We have problems with India right now because they didn’t like what the students have done. And they are hosting Hasina, who created all this problem and killed the young people. That creates a lot of tension between India and Bangladesh. Also, lots of fake news on all kinds of propaganda is coming from the other side,” Yunus said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
On the regional front, Yunus stressed the need to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), calling it a “wonderful idea” that was allowed to wither due to political differences among member states.
He said the grouping should function like the European Union, allowing free movement of people and businesses across South Asia. “It’s like the European Union. That was a kind of image in which the SAARC was built. But somehow, one of our neighbours didn’t like that framework. So, it became almost a dead organisation,” Yunus said, without naming any country.
As an alternative, Yunus floated the possibility of Bangladesh joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), noting that Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had expressed support for the idea. “ASEAN would be a good place to go. So, we want to build it up–regional harmony and regional interconnectivity,” he said, while admitting that Myanmar’s opposition over the Rohingya issue remained an obstacle.He also highlighted the economic opportunities of greater regional integration, suggesting that Bangladesh could serve as a gateway to the Bay of Bengal for Nepal, Bhutan and India’s landlocked north-eastern states. “If you can’t do the whole SAARC, then we can have a mini-SAARC of our own in a business deal, not political or any formal treaty,” he said.
Yunus underlined that a broader regional economy, rather than narrow national boundaries, would ensure mutual benefits. He said Bangladesh was open to partnerships that could connect South Asia and Southeast Asia.
When the MiG-21 touches down on the tarmac at Chandigarh for the last time on September 26, having emblazoned the skies over the Indian subcontinent for 62 long years, it leaves in its wake some defining moments in India’s military history.
The ceremony being organised to mark the culmination of flying operations by the MiG-21 — at the same place from where its chequered journey had begun in 1963 — promises to be a dazzling affair, with a flypast by a never-seen-before multi-aircraft formation, simulated dogfights and sky diving.
A commemorative formation of three MiG-21 Bisons flanked by the indigenous Tejas fighter on either side and followed by nine Hawks from the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) in an arrowhead formation trailing tri-colour smoke has been specially formed for the event.
The SKAT will also put up a display of its signature aerial manoeuvres. A simulated dogfight between Jaguars and MiG-21s, freefall by the Akash Ganga skydiving team and a flypast by two formations of three MiG-21s each, with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh expected to be in the cockpit of one of the aircraft, are the other highlights of the ceremony. Among the crew participating in the final flypast is a woman pilot, Sqn Ldr Priya Sharma.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh Tripathi and six former Air Chiefs along with senior service officers and civilian dignitaries will attend the event.
Six MiG-21s from the IAF’s No. 23 Squadron, the Panthers, which is the last unit to be operating this aircraft, are in Chandigarh from their present base at Nal near Bikaner in Rajasthan. About two years ago, the IAF had moved the last two remaining MiG-21 squadrons, the other being the No. 3 Squadron, the Cobras, to Nal.
In 1961, the IAF opted to procure the Soviet-origin MiG-21, a third-generation jet fighter aircraft, over several other western competitors such as the British English Electric Lightning and the US F-104 Starfighter due to a combination of strategic, economic, political and operational factors. Over the next four decades, it formed the backbone of the IAF’s fighter fleet.
After cutting its teeth in the 1965 India-Pakistan War, where it performed the air defence role, the MiG-21 played a crucial role in the Liberation of Bangladesh Campaign, not only in achieving air superiority but also undertaking ground attack roles. A key operation was attacking the Governor House in Dacca (now Dhaka), considered by military historians as the final nail in the coffin that led to the collapse of the Pakistan army in the east.
The MiG-21s also rendered the Tezgaon airfield at Dacca out of action by carrying out never-attempted-before steep glide bombing missions to crater the airstrip. This resulted in the IAF gaining air superiority over East Pakistan, paving the way for unrestricted ground, air and naval operations.
In 1985, as Operation Meghdoot, India’s campaign in the Siachen Glacier, was underway, a MiG-21 executed a daring, but little known photo-recce mission over Skardu in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Equipped with an underbelly camera pod and flying just a couple of hundred feet above the ground, it photographed the new runway and adjacent areas to collect intelligence on Pakistani aircraft, airfield status and logistics. Skardu is a strategic Pakistani forward airbase and monitoring its activities was critical due to its role in supporting Pakistan military operations in the Siachen Glacier region.
MiG-21s were among the first fighters to go into combat on May 26, 1999, when the IAF formally entered the Kargil conflict along the Line of Control, launching the opening attacks at 6.30 am, targeting enemy camps, logistic routes and supply dumps overlooking key areas in Dras, Kargil and Batalik sectors.
On August 10, 1999, a few weeks after the Kargil conflict, a MiG-21 intercepted and shot down a Pakistani Navy Breguet 1150 Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft over the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat after it intruded into Indian airspace and ignored warnings.
Two MiG-21s from the No. 45 Squadron were scrambled. Sqn Ldr RK Bundela, flying the lead MiG-21 and later awarded the Vir Chakra, fired an R-60 missile from a 3-km range, hitting the Atlantic’s port engine. The plane caught fire, descended, and crashed near the border village of Talhar. All 16 Pakistani crew members, including five officers and 11 trainees, were killed.
Sqn Ldr Bundela and the ground-based fighter controller, Wg Cdr VS Sharma, were decorated with the Vayu Sena Medal.
The last known time the MiG-21 was deployed in a war-like situation was in 2019 after the IAF strike on terrorist camps at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan in the aftermath of a terrorist strike at Pulwana in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The MiG-21, the oldest fighter in the IAF’s inventory, was pitted against the F-16, the most advanced aircraft that the Pakistan Air Force flaunts, with the IAF claim that an F-16 was shot down in an aerial duel close to the Line of Control in Rajouri sector.
One of the MiG-21 pilots, Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman, fired an R-73 missile at an F-16, resulting in a radar blip, being tracked as an F-16, vanishing from the screen, according to a top IAF officer.
Varthaman’s own MiG-21 was also hit after he reportedly transgressed across the LoC in the heat of the moment and he landed inside the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after ejecting. He was captured but later repatriated to India and was decorated with the Vir Chakra.
Apropos of ‘Security stakes must spur jointness’; there is no doubt that joint operations are a sine qua non for success in every battle or war. However, what is the best way forward to achieve it? Even though jointly planned and executed, Op Sindoor was essentially dominated by the Air Force, which has emerged as a “service of choice” for achieving strategic paralysis of enemy forces deep inside their country. That is what the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, is saying loud and clear. Unfortunately, he is being projected as a spoilsport. It may not be in our country’s interest to pursue the creation of theatre commands.
Lt Col GS Bedi (retd), Mohali
UN resolutions useless
With reference to ‘Palestine recognition’; there is a growing global momentum against Israel amid increasing realisation that it is using the Gaza conflict to erase the possibility of a Palestine state itself. Tel Aviv has been deliberately crippling Palestinian Authority (PA) by withholding the latter’s taxes, affecting its essential functions. This has even prompted Israel’s ally Germany to consider sending financial aid to PA, all because of US backing. Trump can politically ill-afford to dump Israel. The UN can pass resolutions in favour of Palestine statehood, but it won’t make much of a difference to Israel or the Gaza conflict. There might be a split in the Western camp over Israel, but this isn’t enough to rein in Tel Aviv.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Thorat inspires respect
With reference to ‘Thorat, the soldier who saw 1962 coming’; Lt Gen SPP Thorat was indeed a remarkable soldier and a true professional. Thorat’s autobiography From Reveille to Retreat is a testament to his military career and foresight. His legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of professionalism in civil-military relations and the need for timely decision-making in the face of security threats. Thorat’s role in predicting the Chinese attack make him a significant figure in Indian military history. His humility, integrity and commitment to duty are qualities that inspire respect and admiration.
Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar
Self-reliance through awareness
Refer to the editorial ‘Swadeshi push’; to systematically achieve self-reliance, India must discourage imports of low-grade electronics, plastics and fashion items from China through sustained public awareness. Partnerships with Taiwan and Japan for semiconductor technology will strengthen domestic manufacturing. The steep US visa fee can help retain Indian talent, fostering innovation at home. Finally, increasing iron ore imports from Russia and expanding production of critical automotive and electronic components will firmly steer India toward a resilient, Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Turning the moral compass
Refer to ‘Dera Beas head meets jailed ex-minister Majithia in Nabha’; the Akali leader is facing multiple criminal cases, including drug-related charges. It is hard to comprehend the necessity or justification for the Dera chief to meet him. Their meeting reflects a visible inconsistency in jail protocols and privileges, raising concerns about equal treatment under the law. Religious leaders wield significant moral influence, and using that influence to meet controversial figures involved in serious criminal cases sends a wrong message to the public. Authorities must ensure transparency and fairness in such matters.
BS Kakkar, JalandharExtend rail link to Kalka
Refer to ‘50 years on, Centre shows green signal to Rajpura-Mohali rail link’; the much- awaited move will serve a limited purpose. The project should have been extended a few more kilometres up to Kalka or at least till Chandigarh. It would boost economic activity, connectivity and tourism. Thousands of people visit Chandigarh for work daily.
Vinay Kumar Malhotra, Ambala Cantt
The 4 HP NCC Company has been upgraded to a full battalion, now designated as 4 HP Bn NCC Hamirpur, with its cadet strength rising from 2,000 to 3,520. Commanding Officer Col GP Singh announced this expansion while addressing the media, highlighting that the upgradation would open new opportunities for youth across Himachal Pradesh.
With the increased intake, the battalion has sanctioned 18 new NCC units, taking the total number of institutions under its jurisdiction to 55. To manage the wider area of operation, an additional staff of 10, including an administrative officer, has been deployed.
Col Singh said 14 new units have been established in government colleges at Bhoranj, Jawalamukhi, Barsar and the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri. Institutions such as NIT-Hamirpur and Sainik Schoo- Sujanpur Tihra have also been brought under the battalion’s fold. Among schools, Government Senior Secondary Schools at Jhigriani, Patta, Kangoo, Tauni Devi, Bir Baghera and PMHS Jakhu Jangal, along with private schools MPS, AIMPS and SDPS in Hamirpur, now have NCC units.
The battalion covers institutions in Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Bilaspur districts. With greater intake, more cadets are expected to represent Himachal in national events. This year, 19 cadets have been shortlisted for the Republic Day pre-selection camp at Dalhousie, beginning September 28. Successful candidates will proceed to camps at Solan and Rupnagar, Punjab.
Col Singh stressed that NCC instills values of discipline, courage and leadership, while training cadets in drill, weapon handling, firing, disaster management, social service, adventure, self-defence and civil defence — preparing them to serve both the nation and society.
