Monthly Archives: October 2022

Was on deputation with NCB; 2nd to be suspended

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has suspended an Army officer in connection with the alleged custodial death of Border Security Force (BSF) constable Jaswinder Singh in Amritsar over a month ago. Jaswinder had been arrested by the agency in a drug-related case.

Major Amit Kumar, who is posted as Assistant Director with the NCB, was transferred immediately after suspension, said a senior NCB official while confirming the development.

Major Kumar is the second NCB official to be suspended in the case. Earlier, the bureau had suspended investigating officer Akash Rai, posted in Jammu. A departmental probe was also initiated against him.

The autopsy of Jaswinder had revealed as many as 34 injuries, including on his private parts. His family members have been alleging custodial torture since his mysterious death in NCB custody on March 20.

Jaswinder was picked up by the NCB in a drug-related case on March 3 from near Miran Sahib Chowk while returning to his house at Diwangarh village in J&K, near the International Border, after procuring medicines for his mother who was accompanying him at that time.

Posted in Tripura, the constable had come home on leave. Since the incident, the family, including his mother Gurmeet Kaur, brother Pupinder Singh and wife Lovejeet Kaur, has been seeking justice. Earlier, they had also met the District and Sessions Judge here, urging expeditious inquest proceedings apart from demanding an FIR against the NCB officials. The family has also approached Punjab and Haryana High Court for an impartial probe by an independent agency.

The post-mortem report had pointed out that all injuries were ante-mortem. However, the exact cause of death has been kept pending till receipt of the chemical examiner’s report from Kharar and histopathology findings from Government Medical College, Amritsar.

NCB officials had earlier claimed that Jaswinder died of a cardiac issue while being taken from Jammu to Tarn Taran via Amritsar on March 20 for recovery in the case. They had maintained that due procedure was followed, including judicial inquest proceedings. They claimed Jaswinder’s arrest was based on technical inputs during the investigation into cases involving his brother.

The Alliance of All Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association has sought restoration of old pensions, organised group A service status and withdrawal of a ‘draconian’ law passed by Parliament.

During a press conference, association general secretary Ranbir Singh stated that paramilitary personnel who maintain strict vigilance from streets to the borders, were repeatedly forced to appeal to the courts for their pensions, promotions and other welfare-related issues.

Alliance president ADG (retd) HR Singh expressed surprise at the Central Government’s passing of the CAPF General Administration Bill 2026 in Parliament, challenging the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on May 23, 2025, and demanded the withdrawal of this law.

Anand Nimbadia, ITBP IG (veteran), sought the creation of a separate ministry for central security forces to focus on their concerns and ensure consistent policy attention. Former BSF IG Vikas Chandra questioned how the government could label the country’s first line of defence force as a civilian force.

General secretary Ranbir Singh demanded the restoration of the old pension system for paramilitary forces. He said that ex-paramilitary families would hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on May 6, demanding the repeal of the black law and the restoration of the old pension.

The Command Hospital, Chandimandir, carried out its first heart retrieval for transplant, and in the process saved the life of a 14-year-old Sudanese boy admitted in a Delhi hospital.

The organ was harvested from a 42-year-old brain dead woman and airlifted to Delhi via a chartered flight within half an hour. The boy was terminally ill and in the last stage of the battle for life.

The hospital’s organ transplant team also retrieved her liver, pancreas and kidneys, thereby enabling multiple recipients a new lease of life through organ donation.

The process was undertaken through seamless coordination between the Chandimandir hospital, Army Hospital (Research and Referral), New Delhi, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research under the aegis of the Western Command.

Organ allocation by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation and swift creation of ‘green corridors’ ensured timely retrieval and transport.

Takes over XV Corps from Lt Gen Srivastava; vows to strengthen peace and stability

Lieutenant General Balbir Singh on Friday assumed the command of the Army’s Srinagar-based strategic XV Corps from Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava, who has been appointed as Quarter Master General at the Army headquarters.

Lt Gen Singh had earlier commanded the Victor Force, which looks after counter-insurgency operations in south and central Kashmir.

A statement from the XV Corps, often referred to as Chinar Corps, said Lt Gen Singh is a highly decorated and battle-hardened officer with over 34 years of service.

After assuming charge of the new role, the General Officer Commanding (GoC) paid respects at the Chinar War Memorial, honouring the supreme sacrifice of the nation’s bravehearts.

In his inaugural address, Lt Gen Singh reaffirmed his resolve to work in close synergy with the civil administration and the people of Kashmir to further strengthen the foundation of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

He exhorted all sections of society to join hands with the security forces in overcoming the persistent challenges, the statement said.

Lt Gen Srivastava relinquished the command and handed over the reins of the Chinar Corps after 19 months.

“His eventful and challenging tenure was characterised by meticulous execution of OP SINDOOR & OP MAHADEV, which brought the perpetrators of the dastardly ‘Pahalgam Attack’ to justice, incident-free conduct of the Amarnath Yatra 2025 and multiple initiatives in nation building,” the statement said.

In a post on X, the Chinar Corps said that on relinquishing the command, Lt Gen Srivastava paid homage at the Chinar War Memorial, honouring the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation.

“In his farewell message, he thanked all ranks of Chinar Corps, @JmuKmrPolice, Central Armed Police Forces, Civil Administration and the Awaam of #Kashmir for their steadfast support in fostering peace and harmony,” the post said.

Chinar Corps is responsible for guarding the Line of Control with Pakistan, besides countering terrorism in the Kashmir valley.

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The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has reshaped President Donald Trump’s case for taking control of Greenland—and exposed widening cracks in the NATO alliance

At first glance, greenland and iran have little in common—one icy, the other with scorching deserts. Yet the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran may, unexpectedly, have strengthened Pres ident Donald Trump’s arguments that the United States needs to own Green land—arguments he made most forcefully in January, horrifying European allies in NATO and the public, most of all in Denmark, which owns the territory. So when some of those allies declined to support the U.S. in its war that began more than two months ago, Trump’s stated goal of better protecting the nation in a fast-changing geopolitical and technolog ical era may just have made owning Greenland even more pressing, especially with the island on a poten tially unpredictable path to independence, experts have told Newsweek. Others, however, say that with the congressional midterm elections in November approaching fast, Trump’s hands are tied on any further moves on the Arctic territory. As much as he wants to own it, aggressive action could cost him votes, even among his core MAGA supporters who increasingly are unhappy about his growing foreign interventions. The White House has highlighted the connection

The White House has highlighted the connection president’s remarks in April on its X account as the U.S. and Iran prepared for talks in Islamabad on end ing the conflict: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREEN LAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” Other messages by the president on his Truth Social account also linked Iran, Greenland and NATO. The path between Greenland and Iran may be wind ing, but for the current U.S. administration they are part of something directly relevant: the future of trans atlantic cooperation and of NATO, the post-World War II defensive alliance that kept the peace during the Cold War and which turned 77 years old in April. Speaking on background, a White House official told Newsweek: “As President Trump has said, NATO was tested, and they failed. President Trump has made his disappointment with NATO clear, and as the president has emphasized, ‘the United States will remember.’” Perception of Security Threats At the heart of Trump’s arguments for owning Greenland is a gulf between American and European perceptions of security threats, said Michael Lucci, the founder of State Armor, a political organization that works for national security resilience at the state level

including Britain, France and Spain, were unwilling to fully or partially support the U.S. in its war on Iran, refusing basing or overflight to the Air Force or to send war ships to patrol or open the Iran-controlled Gulf of Hormuz. “The gap between American and Euro pean perceptions of security threats is quickly becoming unsustainable,” Lucci told Newsweek. “In January, European capitals took great offense when President Trump argued for U.S. ownership of Greenland. By March, America’s military was being denied the use of bases and airspace… because some NATO allies do not view Iran as a threat, and therefore took the position that undermining American lethality against the Iranian regime was the right thing to do,” Lucci said. “This underlines why President Trump argued for American ownership of Green land,” he continued. “Greenland has dra matic security implications for North America…and the gap between American and European perceptions of external threats continues to grow.” Others took note, too. “NATO insists US doesn’t need to own Greenland; havIng bases there is good enough for natl security,” KT McFarland, a former senior national security adviser who has served four U.S. presidents, wrote on X. “But NATO countries just refused us access to OUR bases to refuel, they won’t even let our planes overfly their airspace. They just proved the point why we DO need to own Greenland,” McFarland wrote. But it was an exaggeration. Germany continued to provide the U.S. with its Ramstein military base, and Romania in Europe’s southeast approved an American request to deploy capa bilities including for aircraft refueling and satellite communications, “effec tively expanding the geographic reach of allied air power,” wrote Alex Serban and Kirsten Fontenrose of the Atlantic Coun cil, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. For sure, it’s complicated. Others don’t see a connection—just chaos, albeit underlined by an “America First” policy. “The thread is naked self-interest and absolutism around America First. And anything else is transactional,” said Andy Pryce, a former British diplomat who specializes in countering information threats and cognitive defense. He is also a senior nonresident fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, headquar tered in Washington, D.C., with branches in London and Brussels. China’s Underlying Role Yet Pryce said that something even bigger underlined the logic of this complex geo political moment: China. Because China largely controls the global production and refining of rare earths, and has used this to pressure the U.S. for concessions as it seeks to displace America’s global standing. “So, [owning] Greenland is [about] rare earth metals, and potentially the sort of more peripheral arguments on defense, but they’re sort of taken care of anyway, in terms of the current treaty and the current capability they have in Greenland,” said Pryce, referring to a 1951 defense agreement between the U.S. and Den mark which allows Washington to main tain military installations in Greenland. “And I suppose underneath the immediate nt is that 77 million people voted for Trump and a decent proportion of those people knew what he is and what his agenda is globally, or lack of agenda glob ally. At the moment [he] has few guard rails, few checks and balances,” Pryce said. “We might want to kid ourselves…that somebody else becoming president and saying nice things about NATO changes the real-life deterrence, [but] I don’t think it does. I don’t see the political will to wor

hearing many Democrats jumping up and down shouting about this,” Pryce said. “So, I think any government in Europe would be crazy to think within the next 20 years that you’re going to have any degree of stability of the Atlantic…European governments really need to think long and hard about every aspect of their national security.” Three-way talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland on the island’s future began in January and are ongoing, though Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who recently submitted her government’s resignation, and her Green land counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen have opposed Trump’s bid to own it. “The administration is participating in diplomatic high-level technical talks with the governments of Greenland and Den mark to address United States’ national security interests in Greenland,” the White House official told Newsweek. “We are not going to participate in a back and forth through the media, but we are very optimistic that we’re on a good trajectory,” the official said. Right About Russia For years, the U.S. called on Europe to spend more on its own defense. Budgets fell instead. For years, too, Europe failed to see that Russia threatened its security, deeply frustrating the U.S. and weakening the transatlantic bond, said Lucci. “American leaders have become exas perated with Europe’s leaders because our European allies have consistently taken a much narrower view of security threats at the expense of European security,” he said. “

The American view of Russia as a per sistent threat to Europe was proven cor rect, but America’s leaders were unable to convince Europe’s leaders to stop buying Russian gas, strengthen their economies and build up their militaries until three years into Russia’s second invasion of Ukraine,” in 2022, he said. Russia is also waging hybrid war across Europe, with governments scrambling to respond. “Today, the U.S. argues that China, Rus sia and Iran are threats to both American and European security. European leaders do not seem to recognize [the] need for serious action to counter Iran and China, despite both of those regimes quite openly supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and despite the broader threats of Iranian-sponsored terrorism and CCP [Chinese Communist Party] economic and hybrid warfare upon Europe and the U.S.,” Lucci said. Midterms as a brake? Still, the midterm elections are likely to dampen any further effort to push for out right control of Greenland, at least kineti cally. “The Greenland debate won’t flame up again because before the midterms it would provide food for those who oppose it, and that’s both the breakaway MAGAs and the Democrats,” said Nathalie Vogel, a research fellow with the Center for Inter marium Studies at the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. “They’re saying, ‘He wants to involve us in another foreign adventure, but we have enough problems at home’. It would cost him the election and I don’t think it will happen,” Vogel said. She pointed out that polls showed that most Americans oppose the U.S. seizing Greenland, and bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress to prohibit the use of federal funds to annex or seize the territory without consent. With the Iran war, “the mood has got ten even worse within MAGA about for eign intervention,” Vogel said. Didi Kirsten Tatlow is a Newsweek senior correspondent, international affairs. Email her at d.kirstentatlow@newsweek.co

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Remember that Abu Dhabi doesn’t make its energy policies to suit India

KP Nayar

THE exit of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has a long and chequered history. It renders the rejoicing in India over Abu Dhabi’s decision premature and simplistic. Abu Dhabi joined OPEC as an individual emirate in 1967 and continued as a member after the UAE was formed in 1971. The UAE seldom stuck to its OPEC production ceiling from the early years of its membership of the cartel.

Unlike today, Dubai was not a tourism destination in the 1970s and oil produced by the Dubai Petroleum Company was an important source of income for the emirate. Dubai sold most of its oil in the spot market and refused to adhere to OPEC quotas imposed on the UAE. The nascent federation was not strong enough then to enforce its collective will on constituent emirates.

Therefore, it is important for those who make India’s oil policy to note that within OPEC — or now outside it — the UAE’s membership has seldom made much difference to the cartel. Rankings, production percentages and similar parameters are irrelevant in this context. That is why India’s notion that OPEC will be crippled because of last week’s UAE decision to quit the organisation is not founded in fact.

In 1982, when Mana Saeed Al Otaiba, the UAE’s first Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, returned home from Vienna after presiding over the 63rd OPEC Ministerial Conference, he called this writer and two other Dubai-based journalists for a conversation. When we asked about the meeting, he made a shrug-like gesture with both palms open upward, indicating that if the conference had any outcome, he did not comprehend it.

He then took out two sheets of the OPEC note paper, which had doodles on both pages. Otaiba, who was a prolific poet even before he became a minister at the age of 25, was known to doodle or write poetry during the OPEC meetings to idle away his time in attendance. Otaiba has to his credit a vast repertoire of poetry, fiction and scholarly books on Arabia’s petroleum industry.

A year later, returning from the London OPEC Ministerial Conference, Otaiba showed us, the same three journalists, a poem he had written during that long meeting. The poem, in part, read as follows:

These anecdotes are important now because Otaiba’s doodling and poetry reflected disdain for OPEC. Oil industry historians will aver that the UAE nearly quit the cartel on several occasions.

The path for OPEC was never smooth. It faced bitter break-ups many times. In the first five months of 1986, OPEC held four contentious ministerial meetings to discuss production ceilings for its members. In the preceding 12 months, OPEC ministers met eight times. Otaiba walked out of at least one of these meetings in Geneva. According to records maintained by the US government’s Energy Information Administration, OPEC’s disagreements pushed down oil prices to $9.25 a barrel that year from a high of $24.51 in 1985.

But OPEC did not fold up. There is no reason to believe that the UAE’s departure will be a fatal blow for the cartel. And it is unreasonable to expect that unless a day dawns when viable alternatives to oil are in currency, crude prices will ever again go down to $9.25 because OPEC is at war with itself.

Last week, in the evolving global energy scenario, India appeared to be setting much store by its close friendship with the UAE. Public discourse must dispel any impression that Abu Dhabi makes its energy policies to suit India. It crafts policies that are meant to protect its vital interests. Everything else is secondary.

There is also insufficient understanding in India that Abu Dhabi’s energy organisation sector is not a monolith. It has not been since the mid-1970s, when the Ministry for Petroleum and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) were separated. The ADNOC became responsible for oil and gas operations while the ministry decided oil policies.

In a rare interview in the 1980s, Mahmoud Hamra Krouha, a self-effacing Algerian who set up the ADNOC and was its first General Manager, told me that his mission was to double Abu Dhabi’s oil production through new drilling. This did not exactly square with the thinking within the ministry, which worried about overcapacity.

The bifurcation exists to this day. Krouha’s successor now is technocrat Sultan Al Jaber, who has the dual titles of Group CEO and Managing Director of the ADNOC. India engages with Al Jaber regularly, but it is imperative that India should be clear about what it now wants from the UAE in the context of its post-OPEC energy policies.

What are the emerging contours of these policies? Until the ongoing military standoff between the US and Iran ends and solutions to sticking points between them are found, the UAE’s goodbye to OPEC will not make an iota of difference to energy-consuming countries like India. How long that will take is anyone’s guess.

Hardly any crude passes through the Strait of Hormuz now because of the standoff. The only outlet for the UAE’s oil exports now is through its constituent emirate of Fujairah that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. But the pipeline to Fujairah port can handle only 1.8 million barrels per day. How much of this volume will the UAE export to India, which is only one of its global customers? Has India factored this critical limitation into its calculations about the UAE?

Ultimately, the Emiratis and Saudis are “brothers” while the Indians, Chinese or Japanese are their “friends.” Despite brotherly bickering, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are conjoined twins. Their latest annual non-oil trade totalled $41.3 billion, according to UAE government figures.

The UAE is the second biggest foreign direct investor in the kingdom while Saudi investments in the UAE are worth $4.3 billion. Like a sudden boycott of Qatar by three Gulf countries ended unexpectedly, the UAE-Saudi rift will also heal at some point. India must bear that in mind while making its policies.

Iran has reportedly destroyed several US military bases in West Asia amid the ongoing conflict that started February 28.

US media house CNN, citing its own investigations, has said Iran has damaged at least 16 US military installations across eight countries in West Asia, leaving some facilities severely degraded and partially unusable. Some studies in the US have estimated a likely spend of $40-50 billion to rebuild the damaged infrastructure.

CNN cited satellite images and interviews with officials in the US and Gulf states to report the unprecedented damage to military assets. A congressional aide familiar with damage assessments said these affected sites made up a significant share of US military positions in the region.

“There has been a spectrum of assessments,” the congressional aide said, adding: “From a pretty dramatic side, the whole facility is destroyed and needs to be shut down, to leaders who say these things are worth repairing due to the strategic benefit they give the US.”

Satellite imagery reviewed in the investigation indicates that Iranian forces primarily targeted advanced radar installations, communications infrastructure and aircraft. These systems are described as both costly and difficult to replace.

“It’s notable that they (Iranians) really identified those facilities as the most cost-effective targets to hit,” the congressional aide said as per CNN. “Our radar systems are our most expensive and most limited resources in the region,” the aide added.

The Pentagon’s comptroller, Jules “Jay” Hurst III, told lawmakers on Wednesday that the conflict with Iran had so far cost $25 billion. However, CNN said internal estimates placed the figure closer to $40-50 billion.

US allies in the Persian Gulf, who host many of these military facilities, have reportedly been heavily affected by the strikes and have privately expressed concern over Washington’s handling of the conflict.

The Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), a banned outfit, claimed responsibility for the 11.50 am blast

Suspected militants triggered a bomb explosion in Imphal West district near the Imphal airport on Sunday, the third anniversary of ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki communities in the state, officials said.

No casualty or damage to property was reported in the blast that occurred near a crematorium at Malom under Singjamei police station, less than a kilometre from the Imphal Airport.

The incident site is also close to a camp of the Territorial Army.

Following the explosion, the area has been secured, and the situation remains under close monitoring, officials said, adding that an investigation has been under way.

In a statement, the KCP said that it triggered the explosion to protest frequent bandhs, blockades and shutdowns in the state, which have been affecting normal life.

Ethnic clashes have left at least 260 people dead and thousands of residents homeless since 2023.

The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities started on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribes status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.

President’s Rule was imposed in the state on February 13 last year after the BJP-led government headed by Biren Singh resigned on February 9, following months of ethnic violence.

The 60-member assembly, which has tenure till 2027, had been put on suspended animation after President’s rule was imposed. It was revoked on February 4, hours before the formation of a new state government with BJP leader Y Khemchand Singh as the chief minister.

The two sides discussed strengthening navy-to-navy cooperation, bolstering the existing defence partnership, augmenting operational engagements, maritime security and promoting shared goals for a stable and secure maritime environment

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi with Myanmar Navy officials during his visit, in Yangon on Sunday. PTI

Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Indian Navy, who is on a four-day visit (May 2-5) to Myanmar, on Sunday held discussions with Rear Admiral Aung Aung Naing, Commander, Central Naval Command, Myanmar Navy.

The two sides discussed strengthening navy-to-navy cooperation, bolstering the existing defence partnership, augmenting operational engagements, maritime security and promoting shared goals for a stable and secure maritime environment.

Admiral Tripathi also met Rear Admiral Khun Aung Kyaw, Commander, Naval Training Command. Discussions focused on enhancing training cooperation and exploring future avenues of collaboration, with emphasis on improving interoperability and expanding training exchange programmes.

At the Naval Training Command, the Navy Chief was briefed on Myanmar Navy’s training infrastructure and ongoing initiatives between the two navies, including the effectiveness of the mobile training team, reaffirming India’s commitment to capacity building and professional exchanges.

Admiral Tripathi also formally handed over projects executed with the Government of India’s assistance, including a containerised small arms simulator and a rigid inflatable boat, aimed at augmenting maritime security in the Bay of Bengal region.

Earlier, the Navy Chief was received at the Central Naval Command Headquarters in Yangon with a ceremonial Guard of Honour.

During the visit, Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with General Ye Win Oo, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces; Myanmar Defence Minister General U Htun Aung; and Admiral Htein Win, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Navy, along with other senior officials.

The Indian Navy regularly engages with the Myanmar Navy through defence cooperation meetings, training exchanges and operational interactions, including the India-Myanmar Naval Exercise (IMNEX), Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR), port visits and hydrographic surveys.

Army seeks industry solutions for tech gaps in combat systemsA three-day North Tech Symposium will open in Prayagraj on Monday

After Operation Sindoor, two key Army commands — tasked with China and Pakistan — have joined hands with domestic industry to develop technology solutions in drones, AI, satellite communication, robotics and navigation systems.

A three-day North Tech Symposium will open in Prayagraj on Monday, focusing on sustaining troops and inducting the latest technologies. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the event. The Northern Command, headquartered in Udhampur, and the Central Command, headquartered in Lucknow, along with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), are hosting it.

The Ministry of Defence said 284 industry vendors were expected to participate. The domestic industry will present possible solutions to 87 specific needs of the Army. These requirements have been prepared by eight Army teams, and the industry was informed in advance. Existing technology gaps have been assessed, along with lessons from contemporary conflicts.

A key focus of the event will be drones, which have emerged as a potent warfare tool. The two Army Commands have asked industry to propose options for ‘kamikaze’ systems; vertically launched anti-tank loitering munitions; high-altitude drones with satellite communication capability; drone-based radar capable of penetrating tree cover; high-altitude, long-endurance surveillance swarms; and drone systems capable of neutralising radars.

Industry has also been asked to provide solutions using AI for decoding and translating intercepted enemy communications; AI-enabled real-time drone threat detection systems; AI-based counter-drone electronic warfare systems; AI systems for detecting camouflaged and concealed military assets; AI-enabled autonomous signal interception sensors; and AI-assisted automated combat communication systems.The two commands are also seeking aerial and ground robotic mission systems, including robots equipped with assault rifles and all-terrain remotely operated dozers.

The Northern Command is dual-tasked — handling Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The Central Command is responsible for the LAC in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The Ministry of Defence said, “The symposium is expected to serve as a bridge between defence forces, scientists, industry leaders and the academic community.”

It is centred on the theme “Convergence of Technology, Industry and Soldiering” and aims to provide a collaborative platform for the armed forces, industry, innovators and academia to address operational challenges through technology-driven solutions.