CHANDIGARH: The army will hold recruitment rallies in Hisar and Sirsa districts to fill vacancies of soldier general duty and soldier clerk/store keeper (technical) from July 27 to August 8. In Hisar, the recruitment will be held at Mahavir stadium. Interested candidates may get themselves registered online by July at website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. The candidates would be required to select Haryana as the state.

They would also have to furnish details such as names of father and mother, date of birth, serial number of matric certificate, e-mail ID and mobile number and names of tehsil, district and state. They would also have to upload scanned passport size photograph between 10 and 20 KB and scanned signature sized between 5 and 10 KB, he said.

He said that candidates would also be required to indicate marks scored by them in Class10 and other higher education courses according to the post being applied for.

Sartaj Aziz. File photo

Islamabad, June 13

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, has said that Islamabad’s credentials for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership are stronger than New Delhi’s if the 48-nation cartel agrees to form a uniform criterion for non-NPT states.Aziz on Sunday said Pakistan had diplomatically engaged numerous countries over the criteria-based approach for non-NPT countries.“If the group forms such a uniform criterion, then Pakistan has stronger credentials for NSG membership than India,” he said.Our strategy was to apply after India did, after which we would have immediately followed. We have had our application in an advance state of readiness for the past three months for this purpose,” Dawn quoted Aziz as saying in an interview.The top diplomat also claimed that Pakistan has gradually gathered support for the criteria-based approach.“Last week, I telephoned the foreign ministers of Russia, New Zealand and South Korea, who will in future head the NSG, and our viewpoint was that they should support the criteria-based approach, and we have gathered support for it, China was already supporting it,” he said.Aziz said the US had formed a policy to ‘build up India’ as their entire attention is towards containing the Islamic world and China.
“We cannot question them but we repeatedly tell them that you (US) are a sovereign country and can maintain any level of relations with any country, but if you increase the strategic and conventional imbalance in South Asia, our problems will increase,” he said while referring to the US support for India’s inclusion in the NSG.Talking about the country’s relations with India, he said things had changed as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration wanted to normalise ties, but according to their ‘preferences’ did not wish to discuss the Kashmir issue.“The whole world agrees that the two countries should start dialogue for lasting peace in South Asia,” he said.Responding to a poser about Indian ‘spy’ Kulbhushan Jhadav, he said India raised the issue of Pakistan’s non-state actors and their subversive activities in its country repeatedly and pressed that the former is a RAW operative.“But what is more important is that his (Jhadav) documentation is correct and we are preparing a proper dossier about his activities and network, so we can share it with friendly countries, the UN and the P5 countries,” said Aziz. ANI

Historic visit: President Pranab Mukherjee at Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra on Monday. A Tribune photo

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Accra (Ghana), June 13As India extended lines of credit to Ghana for socio-economic development in the African state, both countries today also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in civilian use of nuclear energy during delegation-level talks as part of the state visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to the African country.Terming this a “starting point” in nuclear cooperation between the two countries, government officials said India had the technology and expertise that could be used by Ghana.While a definite roadmap on nuclear cooperation is yet to be formulated and the subject is still in the conceptual stage, Ministry of External Affairs officials say while India can offer technical expertise and assistance to Ghana for (peaceful use of nuclear energy), Ghana has uranium deposits that can be optimally exploited and is also aiming to generate electricity from nuclear plants in around 10 years.Mukherjee, who is on a state visit to Ghana, today held talks with his Ghanian counterpart John Dramani Mahama in the rain-soaked capital of Accra, calling for taking Indo-Ghanian cooperation to the next level and increasing investments. Three memoranda of understanding (MoU) between the two countries were signed today. These were exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passports, establishment of a joint commission to review bilateral ties and investments and academic interaction between the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs in India and Ministry of Foreign Regional Integration of Ghana.A joint statement is expected to be issued by the two Presidents tomorrow. This is the first-ever visit of an Indian President to Ghana. During the past five years, India has extended approximately half a billion US dollars credit to Ghana, out of which around $200 million have already been utilised.Among the agreements are the construction of a 55-km railway line between Tema and Akasombo in Ghana, for which the EXIM Bank would be lending $400 million, is coming up. This is being considered very important as it will connect the main port of Ghana with the northern areas and the hinterland and bring out a socio-economic development in a sustainable manner.A fish processing plant has also been commissioned recently, which is expected to transform the life of fishermen by increasing their income. A sugar-processing plant has also just been commissioned that will benefit Ghana, which has a very high import bill for sugar, besides encouraging local sugar plantations.Education, low coast housing, advanced healthcare, agriculture and IT have been identified as other potential sectors for cooperation. Terming Indo-Ghanian relations warm and well entrenched in history, Indian diplomats said terror also formed a part of the talks and the two nations said the solution lied in collective action.http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/india-ghana-to-explore-cooperation-in-n-sector/251375.html

Proud moment: Abhishek Rawat, a resident of Ballupur, Dehradun, said hard work with determination helped him to achieve his goal. His sister, Akansha Rawat is a Flying Officer in the Indian Air Force, while his brother-in-law, SS Chauhan is a Lt Commander in the Indian Navy. Tribune photo: Abhyudaya Kotnala

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 11

Uttar Pradesh continued with its tradition of sending a larger number of young officers to the Indian Military Academy. The latest data compiled by the IMA clearly highlights that out of 565 Indian Gentle Cadets, the maximum number (98), who joined the elite Indian Army, were from Uttar Pradesh. It is followed by Haryana and Bihar which sent 60 GCs each to the Army while Uttarakhand stood third with 52 GCs.There was no representation from Tripura, Pudducherry, and Arunachal Pradesh while a GC each was from Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Goa. A total of 36 passing-out GCs were from Maharashtra, while 35 GCs belonged to Rajasthan and and 32 to Himachal Pradesh. The state known for its bravery, Punjab, this time sent only 27 GCs to the Indian Army while Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala sent 15 GCs and 16 GCs, respectively.

APPEAL TO ALL ESM ORGANISATIONS OF PUNJAB FOR UNITY – 

UNITED WE WIN – DIVIDED WE FALL

The floodlit international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district. Tribune File Photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Poonch, June 10

Heightened activity by nearly 15 suspected Pakistani militants on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC), opposite the Balakote sector of Poonch district, has been keeping the Army on its toes these days. “There has been increased activity in the Mathrenyni, Mora Shareef, Tarkundi Forward, Durooti, Balakote Forward and Lanjiote forward posts of Pakistan on the other side of the LoC opposite the Balakote sector. Movement of at least 14 or 15 ultras belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed in three or four groups has been observed,” said an Intelligence source.He said though there had been increased activity since May 15 this year opposite the Balakote sector, it had picked up momentum for the past nearly a week.“Commanding officers of three units deployed in the Balakote sector have been informed about possible intrusion bids by the Pakistani ultras. The Army has been closely monitoring the situation and adequate measures have been initiated,” said the source.“Backed by the Pakistan army, the ultras seem to be desperate to sneak into the Indian territory. In the past few days, three or four groups have been conducting reconnaissance of the area so as to sneak into the Indian territory,” he added.Following heightened activity on Pakistan’s side of the LoC, senior Army officers from the Rajouri-based 25 Infantry Division visited the Balakote sector recently for an on-the-spot review of the security grid, he added.“The Army is aware of the increased activity opposite Balakote and we have accordingly devised a strategy to outmaneuver them,” said an Army source.“Their job is to find ways and means to infiltrate and our job is to stop them and if they sneak in, then out job is to clear them. It is an ongoing game,” he added.In November last year, General Officer Commanding of the 16 Corps, which has the operational responsibility of the 224.5-km-long LoC, south of the Pir Panjal range, had put the figure of Pakistani militants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to a maximum of 700 in 35 to 37  camps.“One could draw an inference from the reports that half of them (ultras) are in launching pads close to the LoC on PoK’s side,” he had said.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 8

Contours emerging from last night’s India-US joint statement hint at a new script in the defence relationship of the two nations.The text of the logistics exchange memorandum of agreement (LEMOA) — which will allow US warships and planes to be refuelled and repaired in India — has been finalised. The US now recognises India as “major defence partner” and New Delhi’s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) means it can now shop armed drones and other long-range missiles.The joint statement was made around 3 am IST on Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama met in the US. The LEMOA will not just help the US, it will act as a vital tool for India as it expands its Naval footprint and outreach. The US has a string of bases in East Africa, Persian Gulf, Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), The Philippines, Japan, Australia and Japan. Indian warships and planes can seek similar refuel and repair facilities at these bases on long deployments, which are very frequent nowadays.The LEMOA will cover four aspects — training, exercises, port calls and the humanitarian assistance. Indian planes used refuelling facilities at Djibouti for evacuating Indian citizens from Yemen last year. Both countries will have to seek advance permission to seek facilities and it does not entail any permanent bases for the US in India like it has in countries like Japan.A formal signing of the LEMOA could happen soon and the pact will go through the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The LEMOA will be facilitator as earlier such matters of refuelling and repair were considered on a case-to-case basis.The other important aspect of the statement is the US recognising India as a “Major Defence Partner”. This will be a new nomenclature for the US bureaucracy and lawmakers to apply as a priority-yardstick on dealing with India-related issues. Though this does not mean that India will get unhindered access to technology like the NATO allies of the US get, it will fix a kind of parameter and send a signal to the officialdom. The US is looking toward facilitating technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.

New Delhi a major partner

• In the joint statement issued on Tuesday, the US recognises India as a ‘Major Defence Partner’
• The new nomenclature means the US bureaucracy will deal with India-related issues on priority
• It will facilitate technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of the US’ closest allies
• India’s entry into the MTCR means it can now shop armed drones and other long-range missiles
• The text of the logistics exchange memorandum of agreement has also been finalised

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 7

India was today admitted into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack Obama in Washington DC. The meeting lasted about an hour and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in matters such as climate change. The US reiterated its support for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). There were no big announcements. Both leaders have shared a personal rapport and as Obama demits office in five months from now, the idea behind the Modi visit is to consolidate the gains and to keep working. Modi thanked Obama, whom he referred to as a close friend, for the US support on the Missile Control Group and the NSG. Obama said they had discussed regional security and nuclear cooperation. From the US perspective, getting India to agree on the climate change deal is a priority. That is a part of the legacy Obama wants to leave behind. Indications are that India has agreed to go along with the US on climate change with Modi stating, “Hope we will be able to realise our dream of climate justice.”After the Obama-Modi meeting, the White House said: “Both countries are committed to working together and with others to promote full implementation of the Paris Agreement to address the urgent threats posed by climate change.” Admission into the MTCR brings India closer to membership in the NSG. According to sources familiar with the developments, India is pitching efforts to make sure that when its membership comes up for discussion at the plenary meeting of the NSG in Seoul later this month, it makes through. Sources say to achieve this, India has assigned senior diplomats to countries such as Ireland which are hostile to India’s entry into the NSG. They say the Indian strategy is to isolate China in the process. China has held that since India is a non-signatory to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), it should not be given NSG membership. The MTCR membership would also make it possible for India to buy the state-of-the-art surveillance drones, such as the US predator. Meanwhile, the US Deputy National Security Adviser Benjamin Rhodes, speaking in Washington today, indicated that the US would support India in its bid for NSG inclusion.

The significance of it

• The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is one of four international non-proliferation regimes
• Membership of the MTCR would require India to comply with rules, such as a maximum missile range of 300 km (186 miles)
• The group was set up in 1987 to limit the spread of unmanned systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction
• New Delhi has also applied for membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a 48-nation club that governs trade in commercial nuclear technology
• With China opposing India, NSG membership will bemore difficult

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has claimed to have made a breakthrough in developing technology for utilising solar heat harnessed during the day for heating rooms during the night at extreme altitude.The Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), a DRDO laboratory based at Leh, has developed a shelter for troops that uses non-conventional energy for heating, instead of fossil fuel. The shelter, costing about Rs 60 lakh, was tested through the winter at Chang La, located at 17,600 feet in Ladakh, with temperature as low as minus 40°C. The DRDO established the world’s highest research station there last year.Scientists at DIHAR said while solar energy could be harnessed and stored in batteries for later use, the same is not applicable for solar heat and conventionally solar heat can be used only while the sun is shining. Claimed to be the only kind of shelter, it utilises phase change materials (converting solid to liquid and liquid to solid on change of temperature, thereby releasing heat) to store thermal energy collected from evacuated tube solar collectors. It has a greenhouse based thermal trap area over the roof and utilises greenhouse concept for creating a tunnelling effect to trap solar heat in the shelter.“The shelter maintained a temperature of 7-10°C when the ambient temperature stood around minus 30°C. Other shelters in similar conditions have temperature of minus 10-15°C,” a DIHAR scientist said. “However, there is a need to operate a diesel generator for six hours during the peak winter months (January and February) when the temperature falls below minus 30°C,” he said.At present, the Army uses “bhukaris” and generator-run electrical appliance to heat spaces like barracks and bunkers in Ladakh as well as the North-East, consuming lakhs of litres of kerosene and diesel every year. The non-conventional energy shelter would be environmentally beneficial in ecologically sensitive areas, besides generating carbon credits.

Tech to make troops’ shelters cosy

• It utilises phase-change materials (converting solid to liquid and liquid to solid on change of temperature, thereby releasing heat) to store thermal energy
• It has a thermal trap area over the roof that utilises greenhouse concept for creating a tunnelling effect to trap solar heat in the shelters for the troops

In a demonstration of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and Indian Navy’s increasing footprint and operational reach, Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Shakti have arrived at Subic Bay on a three day visit, as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea and Western Pacific.

During the visit, the IN ships will have professional interaction with the Philippine Navy towards further enhancing co-operation between the two forces. In addition, calls on senior Government and military authorities, sporting and cultural interactions and sharing of best practices, aimed at strengthening ties and mutual understanding between the two Navies, are also planned. The visiting IN ships are also likely to conduct exercises with the Philippine Navy, aimed at enhancing interoperability in communication as well as Search and Rescue procedures, post departure from Subic Bay. INS Sahyadri is commanded by Captain K S Rajkumar and INS Shakti is commanded by Captain Gagan Kaushal.

    Bilateral relations between India and Philippines are characterised by strong bonds of friendship based on cultural and economic ties dating back to 7th Century AD. Indian cultural influence reached the Philippines indirectly via the two great Indo-Malayan empires, the Sri Vijaya Empire based at Sumatra and Majapahit Empire of Java, which traded with Philippines. Bilateral relations between the countries received a fresh impetus since the initiation of ASEAN-India Summit level partnership and establishment of East Asia Summit, of which India is a founding member. These annual summits have provided an excellent platform for regular meetings between leaders of both countries, the most recent being in November 2015, at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar where Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with the Philippine President. Bilateral trade between the nations stands at US $ 1.6 billion and India has substantial investments in Philippines in the fields of textiles, garments, IT, BPO, steel, Airport and pharmaceuticals.

    The Navies of both countries have been interacting with each other regularly through port visits. The last visit by an IN ship to Philippines was in October 2015, when Sahyadri berthed at Manila. The Philippines-India Joint Defence Cooperation Committee has been set up to enhance defence cooperation between the countries and has widened the scope of defence cooperation to include non-traditional threats as well.

    The current visit seeks to enhance maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy. It will further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between India and Philippines  and  contribute   to  security  and  stability in this vital part of the world.