Harcharan Singh, the first turbaned Pakistani Sikh, who made history by securing a place in the Pakistan army has now become the first Sikh to be decorated with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He was born in 1987 in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. His promotion to Lieutenant Colonel was approved after rigorous selection board evaluation conducted in late 2025. Minorities have faced a hard time finding space in the Islamic framework of statehood in the neighbouring country.
Confirming this, Pakistan Punjab’s Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora said though many Christians have served in the Pakistan army, no Hindu or Sikh ‘could qualify’. Singh had joined the Pakistan army in 2007 at the age of 20 as Captain. Initially serving in the Ordnance Corps, Singh later volunteered for a combat role and was posted to the 12th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment where he served in demanding operational and border areas while being at the rank of Major.
“Lt Col Singh’s achievement has proved that there is no barrier for the minorities in Pakistan, and that only talent speaks and sets the parameters for success. Lt Col Singh is an example of equality of all religions and unity in Pakistan. We, as part of the Sikh community, will give him a rousing welcome when he visits his hometown next,” he said.
Delighted at his brother’s success, Mastan Singh, the former president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) said, “Lt Col Singh is the pride of Baba Nanak’s city and the whole Sikh community, as well,” he said. At present, Lt Col Singh is posted at Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Army holds integration tour for specially-abled children
A national integration tour for specially-abled children from Ladakh was conducted under the aegis of the Army’s Fire and Fury Corps as part of Operation Sadbhavana from February 3 to 11.
A statement said the tour was carefully conceptualised as a platform for inclusive learning, cultural exchange and national integration.
“The objective of the tour was not merely to familiarise the children with the historical and heritage landmarks of the nation but also to provide meaningful exposure to India’s democratic values, diverse traditions and shared legacy,” it said.
On Wednesday, the entire entourage was flagged in amid cheer and enthusiasm of the young participants and their mentors by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Fire and Fury Corps.
The GOC complimented all participants and organisers for the flawless conduct of the programme. Senior military and civil officials, including Bhanu Prabha, Administrative Secretary for Higher Education, School Education, Technical Education and Skill Development, UT of Ladakh, attended the event and interacted with students, teachers and parents.
Officials said the itinerary across Delhi, Agra and Jaipur included visits to iconic monuments, institutions of national importance and interactions with distinguished dignitaries, including the President of India, the GOC-in-C South Western Command and the Governor of Rajasthan, which collectively contributed to broadening the children’s outlook and confidence.
“Special emphasis was placed on ensuring accessibility, safety and emotional well-being, allowing the participants to experience the journey with dignity and enthusiasm,” the statement said.
Officials said the Fire and Fury Corps was undertaking several initiatives to promote education in Ladakh, and inclusion of specially-abled children in such initiatives would enhance their morale and motivation.
“Such initiatives play a vital role in empowering children of Ladakh by fostering self-belief, social inclusion and a deep sense of pride in being an integral part of the nation. The tour stands as a sincere effort towards nurturing informed, confident and inspired young citizens,” the statement added.
Disability pension tax origin in CAG report, why ‘many retirees’ availed it
Amid protests over removal of income tax exemption to a section of retired military personnel getting ‘disability pension’, it turns out the decision to bring in new rules originated after a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in 2023 cited a ‘high number’ of retirees getting disability pension.
After the CAG report came out, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) formed a panel that included the three services and the Department of Ex-servicemen. The CAG, in a report presented in Parliament, had raised concerns about pensions awarded to a “higher percentage” of officers, especially medical officers.
The country’s top auditor had stated that 36-40 per cent of officers leaving service each year receive disability pensions, compared to 15-18 per cent of jawans. The CAG report noted a ‘significantly higher’ percentage of retiring medical officers (mostly doctors) receiving disability pensions – almost 44-58 per cent — medical officers retiring each year were getting disability pensions.
Moreover, more than 22 per cent officers and 13 per cent jawans were getting disability pensions for lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes, the CAG said. The disability pension is higher than the normal pension and is tax free.
After the DMA panel gave its report, the entitlement rules for casualty pension and disability compensation awards to armed forces personnel, 2023, were promulgated by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence. These reinforced that ‘disability pension’ is awarded to those invalidated out and ‘impairment relief’ is given to those retiring with a disability attributable or aggravated by service conditions.
Sources said the ministry was apprised how said officers nearing retirement were getting disability benefits for higher and tax-free pensions, warning about ‘fit’ getting placed in the lower medical category as they neared retirement.
The aim of the study was to protect the genuine interests of pensioners who get disabled during service while preventing the exploitation of its liberal provisions from misuse, officials explained.
Sources said the Income Tax Act, 1961, distinguished between two categories of disabled soldiers. First is those who get invalidated out on medical grounds attributable to or aggravated by military service and second are those retiring from service after completing their full tenure but have a disability.
The logic of income tax exemption to invalidated service personnel was apparently based on the principle that a soldier suffering a disability while serving the nation should not be further burdened by taxes on the compensation provided for that disability.
The provisions have now been introduced as an amendment in Clause 108 of Schedule III to the Income Tax Act for the forthcoming fiscal.
Indian Navy assumes command of Combined Task Force at Bahrain
n a landmark development underscoring India’s commitment to collaborative maritime security and capacity building in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond, the Indian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a key multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
The change of command ceremony was conducted on February 11 at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. It was presided over by VAdm Curt A Renshaw, Commander, US Fifth Fleet.
Deputy Chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti and senior military leaders from other member nations were in attendance. Commodore Milind M Mokashi, formally took over as Commander CTF 154 from the outgoing Commander of the Italian Navy.
CTF 154 is specifically oriented towards training and capacity building of member nations of CMF. It reflects the region’s growing trust in India’s professional expertise, operational experience and a role as a Preferred Security Partner among the 47 nations of the CMF.
CTF 154, established in May 2023, is dedicated to enhancing maritime security through multinational training programs across the Middle East and the wider region.
The training focuses on five core pillars: Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance and Leadership Development.
The task force conducts regular Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) events, exercises like Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, and outreach to build partner nations’ operational capabilities against common threats such as illegal trafficking, piracy and irregular migration.
CTF 154 operates alongside CMF’s other task forces: CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Maritime Security in Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Maritime Security in Red Sea).
The Indian Navy looks forward to a productive tenure, delivering high-impact training initiatives and reinforcing global maritime partnerships for peace, prosperity and security.
REQUEST TO HON’BLE FUNANCE MINISTER : Lt Gen Dr DP VATS
Two soldiers injured in the same operation must not be treated differently for taxation merely because one continued to serve longer.
The Finance Bill, 2026 has proposed to terminate income-tax benefits accruing from disability pension to those soldiers who have served and superannuated with disabilities.
According to the proposal, I-T exemption for disability pension will only be provided to a soldier who is invalided out of service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by service.
The tax exemption for disability pension which was provided for in the Income-Tax Act, 1922, was continued in the Income-Tax Act, 1961.
In June 2019, a circular issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) dropped a Finance Bill-like bombshell, but the Supreme Court stayed it on the grounds that a mere administrative circular cannot override established pension rules. Now, by amending the Income Tax Act itself, the government has had its way.
This is in effect a declaration of abandonment by the government that such soldiers who sacrificed their well-being in the line of duty are no longer worthy of support.
The rigours of military service are because the soldier follows orders and faces danger and extreme conditions of service subject to various difficult facets and areas where personnel are deployed in defence of the country. The very fact that the law caters to disability is proof of the recognition of the need to compensate a serviceman or woman for the bodily disability attributable or aggravated by her or his service.
A disabled veteran lives with a lifetime of limitations due to his medical condition. There are two clear outcomes of a disability: First, the disability that causes a soldier to be invalided out of service as the disability was so severe that he/she could no longer serve in the forces.
Second is the disability that is caused due to service but the individual is yet capable of serving (albeit under restrictions due to medical reasons) in what is called a ‘medical category’ in military parlance.
It is the second category that is being now taxed for their disability pension after they superannuate. The armed forces look after their own, especially their heroes who are incapacitated due to operations and even in peace-time service.
The case of a vehicle mechanic who lost his limb due to a vehicle toppling on him when he was repairing it is no less attributable than that of a soldier who gets shot by the enemy or terrorist and is termed a ‘Battle Casualty’. These individuals are considered on case-to-case basis and permitted to serve their full tenure.
It is a matter of pride that some such heroes have risen to top ranks and are held in deep regard by the military fraternity. The new condition seemingly denies the exemption from tax to the disability pension of these soldiers. The case of Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, who self-amputated his leg during the 1971 war, is a sterling example of raw courage.
However, his (or similar) sacrifice will now be taxable. How prudent is this recovery of tax from the disability pension of a person who never thought about severing his own limb for the security of the country? His words, “There is not apathy in bureaucratic circles but antipathy”, reverberate profoundly in military circles and will resonate with many a self-respecting patriotic Indian.
Disability pension is a compensation for permanent impairment attributable to military service. By linking its taxability to the mode of retirement violates the principle of equality.
Two soldiers injured in the same operation must not be treated differently for taxation merely because one continued to serve longer. Penalising perseverance by a disabled soldier by taxing his disability pension is both petty for a government and damaging for morale of those serving.
Cases of tax evasion in other spheres of economic and financial activities need to keep the tax lawmakers occupied. To say that it has been done to plug loopholes being exploited in the taxation of disability pension due to cases of misrepresentation and misuse by the military hierarchy is an administrative failure of the system.
Such cases must be dealt with departmentally and accountability of the defaulters must be fixed. This institutional failure must not be shifted onto those who have served the nation and paid a very high price. Veterans are not opposing reform, but they do not deserve retribution by way of law.
The average citizen needs to be aware of the ever-increasing animosity being generated by seemingly innocuous steps being initiated by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Many instances exist, some glaring but others innocuous in their introduction yet damaging the standing of the Armed forces. The case of the orders of opening of cantonment roads some years ago by a missive from the MoD created a messy debate.
Accusations of political favours and selective decision making aggravated the fissures in a strained civil bureaucracy-military relationship. The present follow-up action to ensure that the stayed 2019 CBDT circular gets legally implemented seems to be yet another instance in the same vein as with numerous other pinpricks such as One Rank One Pay anomalies and ration money disallowment (and its subsequent reinstatement).
The government should look at the larger picture. Efforts to accelerate procurement of arms and ammunition must be in sync with measures that are not detrimental to morale, training and risk-taking by soldiers.
On their part, the armed forces have to clearly differentiate those cases of disability attributable to and aggravated by military service and unambiguously lay down the criteria for grant of disability pension. Any misuse must be addressed through stricter scrutiny. Once the disability is granted, it must be honoured by bureaucrats and ministries alike as a service to the nation which must not be taxed.
In a move that will benefit former defence personnel, the Centre today amended rules to broaden the definition of “ex-servicemen” for re-employment in central services.
Officials said the amendment was aimed at removing ambiguity and ensuring uniform recognition of service rendered across different branches and categories of the armed forces, including Military Nursing Service, for the purpose of re-employment.
The key change relates to the definition under Rule 2(c)(i) of the 1979 Rules. The amended provision now explicitly includes persons who have served in any rank–whether as combatant or non-combatant–in the Army, Navy or Air Force, as well as those who have served in the Military Nursing Service.
According to a notification issued today, the government exercised powers under the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution to promulgate the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Amendment Rules, 2026.
The amended rules come into force with immediate effect from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, through the Department of Personnel and Training, notified amendments to the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, with the objective of widening the scope of eligibility for re-employment in Central Government services.
The notification was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training and signed by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Secretary. The principal rules were originally notified in 1979 and have been amended periodically in 1986, 1987, 2012 and 2020.
PM Modi avoiding debate on Naravane book, alleges Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi yet again attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, claiming that he did not come to the Lok Sabha to reply to the discussion on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address as he was afraid of a debate on the issue of former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane’s book.
He also dared those claiming that there was a threat to the PM from Opposition lawmakers last week to “file an FIR” against the persons threatening Modi.
Rahul said this while speaking to mediapersons outside Parliament. The Leader of Opposition was again not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The House was adjourned for the day without transacting any business.
The proceedings were completely washed out after repeated adjournments amid protests by Congress-led Opposition members, who objected to Rahul not being allowed to speak and also on the India-US trade deal. The Opposition has alleged that the government failed to safeguard the interests of farmers and was unsuccessful in getting the 18 per cent tariff on Indian goods removed in the deal.
After the House was finally adjourned for the day, Rahul along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and DMK’s TR Baalu, met Speaker Om Birla, where he raised the issue of not being allowed to speak. He also raised other matters, like the suspension of Opposition MPs, the allegation against women MPs “posing danger” to the PM and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s “offensive remarks” about the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Birla assured Rahul that he would get back to him on the issues after discussion with the government, sources said.
While speaking to reporters later, Rahul said, “My view is that the government is afraid of a debate. The PM did not come to the House that day because he was afraid of what we were going to say and even of being presented with Naravane’s book. I believe the government is also worried because issues such as the US deal and its impact on farmers will be raised during the Budget discussion.”
Alleging that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a false claim that the book was unpublished, Rahul said, “The book has been published and we have got a copy of it.”
Meanwhile, after a couple of adjournments in the morning, when the House reconvened at 2 pm, BJP MP Sandhya Ray, who was adjudicating the proceedings, called for a discussion on the Budget and invited Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to initiate it.
However, Tharoor said the LoP wanted to speak and he should be allowed to do so. But Rahul was not allowed to speak, as Ray insisted that he had not given any notice to speak. The LoP said Congress leaders had met Birla, who had committed to them that he would be allowed to speak and raise certain points before the Budget discussion, but the Chair was now “going back on its word”.
At this point, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju interjected and said, “No commitment was given by the Speaker to Rahul on being allowed to speak.”
Delhi Police to probe Naravane book leak, file FIR
The Delhi Police on Monday filed a first information report (FIR) at the Special Cell police station to launch a probe into the alleged leak and circulation of an unapproved and unpublished book by former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj M Naravane.
According to a senior police officer, the FIR comes after the police took cognisance of information found on various online social media platforms and news forums claiming that pre-print copies of ‘Four Stars of Destiny’ are being circulated.
“It was also reported that the necessary clearance for publication of this book is yet to be received from the relevant authorities. Upon verification, it was found that a PDF copy of a type-set book with the same title, and apparently prepared by M/s Penguin Random House India Pvt. Limited, is available on certain websites, and some online marketing platforms have displayed the finished book cover as if it is available for purchase,” said an officer.
