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The crash of the multirole fighter Mirage 2000 as it was taking off in Bengaluru and the death of two intrepid test pilots has dealt a heavy blow to the Indian Air Force and the ambitious Make in India initiative. It has also knocked the wind out of the sails of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). What adds to the worries is the fact that the Mirage was freshly upgraded and serviced by HAL under a 2015 contract and was being test-flown by young ace pilots before its re-induction into the Air Force.

The horrendous crash rate of MiG-21 — dubbed ‘flying coffins’ — is still fresh in public memory. In recent months, there have been a slew of crashes, including a Jaguar aircraft, a MiG-29 and Sukhoi 30 MKI. Though the overall annual crash rate has come down after the induction of the British Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), it hovers close to the red line, as the bulk of our air frames are, alarmingly, over two decades old. Some Sukhoi-30 squadrons are the exceptions.

Mirage 2000 was first inducted into the force in 1984 and proved its worth during the Kargil War with its accurate bombing runs that snapped the Pakistani supply line to intruders on mountain-top fortifications. The Friday crash was the 11th such, bringing down the three-squadron fleet of the IAF to 48. In 2011, India had inked a $2.4-billion contract with the original manufacturers to upgrade the fleet. While two aircraft were upgraded in France, it fell upon HAL to pick up the baton for the rest.

The probe will establish the actual cause, but prima facie HAL stands humbled in public perception. The spotlight is back on its technical capabilities. Several of its projects, including the Mirage upgrade, are trailing behind schedule. As imports often lead to political fracas which delays replacements, India must pump in funds to reduce foreign dependence. It speaks of our national security commitment when the IAF is expected to fix-and-fly refurbished planes. The ‘make do’ approach comes at an exorbitant cost, of both man and machine.

Jammu, January 24

The Pakistan Army on Thursday targeted forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district with mortars and small arms, an official said.

The Indian Army is effectively retaliating.

“Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by small arms fire and shelling with mortars in Sunderbani sector since 0915 hours,” the Defence PRO said.

The Pakistan Army also targeted forward posts in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Wednesday night, officials said.

Officials said the Pakistan Army is continuously firing 120 mm and 81 mm mortars when the reports last came in.

The shelling and firing has triggered panic among border dwellers.

Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh had said on Thursday last that a befitting reply would be given to ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops. PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rides a K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer built by Larsen & Toubro, in Hajira on Saturday, January 19, 2019. Twitter photo via PTI

Hazira (Gujarat), January 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured.

L&T had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army under the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The company has set up the Armoured Systems Complex at Hazira, around 30 km from Surat, to manufacture and integrate advanced armoured platforms, such as self-propelled artillery Howitzers, future infantry combat vehicles, future-ready combat vehicles and future main battle tanks.

The manufacturing complex is executing the ‘K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52-caliber tracked self-propelled Howitzer guns’ programme.

K9 Vajra contract involves delivery of 100 such systems in 42 months, which is the largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence.

L&T had signed a transfer of technology contract for guns with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also present at the inauguration Saturday. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 17

Six months after Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa spoke about using a blend of biofuel with aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for planes, the Indian Air Force today said it will fly an AN-32 transport aircraft on blended fuel over Rajpath at the forthcoming Republic Day Parade.

Two days ago, the Union Agriculture Ministry conducted a day-long seminar in Mohali, Punjab, to tell farmers how non-edible crops are needed to produce the biofuel.

At the flypast, the lead aircraft of the three-plane AN-32 formation will be flown using a blend of bio-fuel and ATF. It will be piloted by Squadron Leader Mehtab Sond of the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment.

It will be a blend of ATF and 10 per cent bio-fuel extracted from jatropha plant seeds using a technology patented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, the IAF said.

The IAF initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to reduce crude oil import and dependency by 10 per cent by 2021.

HAL copter succeeds in firing missile

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s indigenous Light Combat Helicopter has achieved a milestone by successfully firing a missile at a moving target
• HAL Chairman R Madhavan said it was the first time in the country that a helicopter carried out air-to-air missile engagement. With this, the LCH is ready for induction

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital, the Army Chief said that terrorism is a menace which is spreading its head like a `multi-headed monster`.

Army Chief Bipin Rawat on Wednesday warned that terrorism cannot be wiped out untill “nations continue to sponsor it as state policy”. He stated that terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital, the Army Chief said that terrorism is a menace which is spreading its head like a “multi-headed monster”.

Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as a state policy, Rawat said, without naming Pakistan.

“Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. A weaker nation is using terrorists as a proxy to put pressure on another nation to come to terms with it,” he said. He also asserted that Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard and should be concerned about it. On the Afghan peace process, he said there should be negotiations with the Taliban, but without conditions.

Rawat also said that there was a need to control social media as it was becoming a source of spreading radicalisation. He said a different kind of radicalisation was being witnessed in India and in Jammu and Kashmir, the youth were getting radicalised due to a lot of misinformation, disinformation, and a lot of falsehoods on religion being fed to them.

Radicalisation through social media is becoming one of the reasons for raising funds for terrorists organisations. “That is why you find more and more educated youth being drawn into terrorism,” he said.

“Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as state policy. Terrorism now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster. Terrorism becoming a new form of warfare,” said General Rawat.

“Pakistan always kept Taliban in its backyard. Pakistan should be concerned about it. There should be negotiations with Taliban, but without conditions,” he added.

“Need to control social media as it is becoming a source of spreading radicalisation. Radicalisation has taken a different form in our country. In Jammu and Kashmir, youth is getting radicalised due to misinformation & falsehood about religion being fed to them. This is becoming a form of warfare,” he further said.

“Biggest issue is that the social media needs to ensure that radicalisation does not happen through false information and misinformation. Radicalisation through social media is becoming one of the reasons for raising funds for terrorists organisations,” he added.

Raisina Dialogue is India’s annual flagship event on geopolitics organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and think tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

he 1965 armed conflict was formally brought to an end by signing this agreement at Tashkent on January 10, 1966. File photo

Kolkata, January 10

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday remembered the soldiers who laid down their lives during the India-Pakistan War in 1965, following which the Tashkent Agreement was signed on this day.

“On this day in 1966, Tashkent Agreement was signed by Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ayub Khan, ending the war between Pakistan and India. Homage to all the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. Jai Hind,” Banerjee tweeted.

The 1965 armed conflict between India and Pakistan was formally brought to an end by signing this agreement at Tashkent on January 10, 1966. PTI

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, January 4

The Sainik Welfare Board (SWB) organised a sammelan to redress the grievances of the ex-servicemen of the area and to sensitise them and their families about the welfare schemes launched by the Centre and state government. Local MLA Rakesh Pathania presided over the camp.

Officials of the Defence Pension Disbursing Officer (DPDO), Pathankot, listened to the grievances of the ex-servicemen and redressed most of them on the spot.

Brigadier (retd) SK Sharma, Director, Himachal Pradesh Sainik Welfare Board, addressed the ex-servicemen on the occasion. He briefed them about the activities of the board.

A free health camp was also organised on the occasion.

Pathania said the state government had approved a war memorial for Nurpur for which 22-kanal area had been transferred in the name of SWB and Rs 1 crore had been earmarked. He said the Centre and the state government were committed to the welfare of the Army and para-military forces. He also exhorted the ex-servicemen to take benefit of the programmes and schemes launched by the state and Central Government for their welfare. The state government had started to identify land for the proposed central school sanctioned for Nurpur area, he added.

Two-minute silence was observed on the occasion to pay homage to martyr Lance Naik Sapan Chowdhary of Sihal village in Kangra who lost his life as an avalanche hit an Army post in Poonch district of J&K Thursday.