Current Events :
Last Saturdy, Chief of Army Staff Bipin Rawat declared in an interview to the news agency ANI that India was now prepared for a “two-and-a-half front war”. By this, he meant that India was capable of fighting a war with China and Pakistan simultaneously, while also taking on internal security duties in Kashmir.
There was just one problem with his assertion: the facts on the ground do not support Rawat. Even his counterpart in the Indian Air Force is not so sure. Just a little over a year ago, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal BS Dhanoa, who was the vice chief at that time, said that the IAF fleet could not handle a two-front conflict. At a press conference, he had said: “Our numbers are not adequate to fully execute an air campaign in a two-front scenario”.
Modern conflict has made it clear that air power, and not land forces, generally shape the outcome of battles. If the IAF chief is clear that he does not have the fighter squadrons to fight on two fronts simultaneously, why did Rawat make such an assertion? This question is even more important given that even the Army, which Rawat commands, is far from fit to fight on a single front, let alone two or two-and-a-half fronts at the same time.
In March 2012, Chief of Army Staff General VK Singh wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the Army’s woeful preparedness in the event of a war. Singh wrote that the Army’s tanks were outdated and running out of ammunition, air defence was obsolete, and the infantry was short of critical weapons.
In February, newspapers reported that India had decided to make “urgent purchases” to make up critical deficiencies in its defence preparedness. Reports suggested that the Modi government had cleared purchases worth Rs 20,000 crore to help the Indian military “undertake at least 10 days of ‘intense fighting’ without worrying about ammunition, spares and other reserves”. However, much of the equipment listed for this urgent purchase – tank ammunition, artillery guns, assault rifles –was the same as those Singh listed in his 2012 letter to the prime minister. Clearly, in the four years since that letter, the pace of upgrading and modernising the Indian Army’s weapons has been far from desirable.
Also, if the military needed urgent purchases to just fight an “intense war for 10 days” in February is there any truth in Rawat’s assertion made four months later? As per established practice, the Indian military should hold enough reserves to fight for 40 days. With emergency purchases being made to undertake just 10 days of “intense fighting” what was the reality?
The fact is that while India’s military equipment is ageing rapidly, replacements are just not keeping pace. The majority of its infantry soldiers still use the outdated Indian Small Arms System, or INSAS, rifle, considered to be unreliable because of frequent jamming and an outdated design. There were reports last year that the government had cleared the purchase of 185,000 modern assault rifles, but no tenders have been issued so far.
Similarly, the Army’s artillery wing has not been modernised since the Bofors gun was inducted in the 1980s. In 1999, after the Kargil War, the Army drew up ambitious plans to induct nearly 3,500 new artillery guns of various capacities and capabilities in the next “15 to 20 years” under the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan. The first two light artillery guns landed in India only this month. Reality, clearly, is much harsher than an assertion.
All this means that structurally, the Army is in no better position than where it was during the Kargil war when India had to make emergency purchases of artillery shells from Israel. After the war, a committee was set up to recommend major restructuring by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. But most of the key restructuring recommendations, like appointing a Chief of Defence Staff, joint theatre commands, an integrated Ministry of Defence, are yet to be implemented.
The Air Force is in no better shape. It is authorised to have 42 combat squadrons as per the 11th plan, and is officially down to 33. Some senior Air Force officers say that the actual squadron strength may be less than that. This is so because the bulk of the Air Force fleet at present comprises the ageing MiG-21 aircraft, which are nearly 230 in number, and are slated to be eased out in the next 10 years. These aircraft continue to be deployed despite having crossed their maximum years of service due to India’s inability to replace them. In 2015, India decided to cancel a contract for 126 French Rafale aircraft, and instead decided to buy just 36. With the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft failing to find favour with the Indian Air Force, it continues to stare at a massive shortfall of aircraft.
As far as India’s naval defences are concerned, the Indian Navy, which is authorised over 190 sea-going vessels, is also struggling to maintain force levels. Its ambitious Project 75 submarine programme – under which six Scorpene-class submarines are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai – is almost five years behind schedule, and the submarines are nowhere near completion. In sharp contrast, the Chinese navy has already established a major presence in the neighbourhood, and is reported to have fielded nearly 12 naval vessels in the Indian Ocean according to Indian intelligence estimates.
India’s Special Forces are in no better shape. As the nature of warfare changes, the Special Forces are playing a leading role in all conflicts. Several recommendations, including by the Naresh Chandra Task Force set up by the previous Manmohan Singh-led government, have been made in the past to set up a joint Special Forces Command. But it has been stymied due to lack of consensus among the three services. All this is affecting India’s ability to operate in modern conflicts.
Rawat may believe that the Indian military is ready, but the facts on ground are a stark reminder that reality is very different from populist claims.
Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 23
Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh condemned the killing of three soldiers from Himachal in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir during an encounter with terrorists.Three soldiers — Havildar Damar Bahadur Pun, Havildar Giris Gurung and Rifleman Rabin Sharma of the Subathu-based 14 Gorkha Training Centre in Solan — were martyred while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on the intervening night of May 20-21.The Governor expressed sympathies with the family members and prayed for peace to the departed soulsThe Chief Minister expressed grief over their death. He said the brave soldiers of the state had always been leading from the front to safeguard the frontiers of the country and maintaining law and order. He said the supreme sacrifice made by the martyrs would always be remembered by the country.He expressed his sympathies with the bereaved family members and prayed for peace to the departed souls.Solan: Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment DR Shandil while expressing his condolences said their sacrifice would be remembered by the nation as they had shown exemplary valour by laying down their lives for the country.ADM Sandeep Negi said the soldiers would be cremated with full state honours at Subathu upon the arrival of their families from Nepal. TNS
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 17
The Northern Command of the Army today celebrated its 46th Raising Day at the command headquarters in Udhampur.General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Lt Gen D Anbu paid floral tributes to the martyrs, who have fallen in the line of duty serving the nation, at Dhruva war memorial on behalf of all ranks.Giving details, the PRO, Northern Command, said the Northern Command was raised on June 17, 1972, and has the unique responsibility of guarding the nation’s borders with both Pakistan and China. “The Dhruva Command has lived up to the faith reposed by the nation, be it combating Pakistan-sponsored terrorism or the Kargil intrusion in 1999. Deployed in extremely inhospitable and hazardous environment, which includes Siachen, the troops of the command continue to serve with utmost zeal and enthusiasm, drawing inspiration from the saga of bravery and sacrifice of their predecessors.”On the momentous occasion, the Army Commander, extended his good wishes to all ranks and their families and complimented the rank and file of the command for demonstrating extraordinary endurance, steadfastness, selflessness and an exemplary sense of duty during counter-terrorist operations.He also lauded the efforts of the troops in guarding the Northern Frontiers in the most inhospitable weather and the toughest terrain conditions. The Army Commander exhorted them to continue maintaining the exalted standards and strive for excellence through professionalism, dedication and devotion to duty.On this day, the troops of the Dhruva Command rededicated themselves to the service of the nation and reaffirmed their resolve to work for a safe and secure environment in the state of J&K.
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 21
Two more militants and a soldier were killed on the second day of a gunfight today in the remote Nowgam sector in north Kashmir, where the Army had on Saturday intercepted a group of infiltrating ultras, taking the death toll to seven.A defence spokesman said two more militants and a soldier were killed on the second day of fighting in the Nowgam sector, 120 km from Srinagar. Two militants and two soldiers were killed in the gunfight on the first day of fighting on Saturday, following which the operation against militants was halted for a night as soldiers cordoned off the forest area.“Four terrorists have been killed while three soldiers attained martyrdom,” a defence spokesman said about the operation. The spokesman said four weapons and “other war-like stores” were recovered from the site while the identities of the militants and their group affiliations were being ascertained.The spokesman said a sanitisation operation was underway in the area, indicating the gunfight was over and the militant group had been neutralised.The gunfight had erupted when the Army had intercepted the militants who were infiltrating into the Kashmir valley. The Nowgam sector is located in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district and is situated along the mountainous stretches of the Line of Control (LoC).This was the second major infiltration bid foiled by the Army in the past two months and came just a day after Defence Minister Arun Jaitley visited forward areas where he vowed an adequate response to ceasefire violations.Last month, four militants were killed by the Army close to the LoC in Kupwara district. The two foiled infiltration attempts in north Kashmir have come at a time when militants operating in south Kashmir are mounting intense pressure on the security grid.The security agencies estimate that 250 to 300 militants are operating in the Valley, a bulk of them in south Kashmir’s four districts where the local component of the militancy is dominant. In north Kashmir, foreign militants are believed to outnumber the local militants.
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, June 15
A youth who was accused of molestation by the wife of an Army soldier surrendered at the Rajouri police station today.The accused, Nadeem Ahmed, a resident of Jawahar Nagar, was booked by the police on a complaint of the victim on Tuesday. The victim had also alleged inaction by the police in dealing with her complaint and to express her resentment, she uploaded a video on the social media which went viral on Wednesday.Taking strong notice of the viral video, the state police chief directed the SSP, Rajouri, to take cognisance of her allegations and take stern action against the accused.The victim, mother of two children, had alleged that Nadeem Ahmed had been forcing her to adopt Islam and tie the knot with him for the past three years.On June 9, Nadeem allegedly intercepted the victim’s vehicle near the Jamola bridge and tried to outrage her modesty.“Well before the video went viral, the police acted swiftly on the complaint of the victim and registered a case against the accused under Sections 323, 341, 354 and 506 of the RPC. The allegations of the victim against the police are totally baseless,” said SSP Yougal Manhas. “The accused, who was absconding, surrendered before the police today,” he said.
Victim had alleged inaction by police
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 20
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has responded to an editorial published in this paper on May 19 with a “letter to the Editor”, in which he states that “it is only a small section of the media and rival political parties that doubt our sincerity and commitment to fulfilling our poll promises…. While I am not a miracle maker, I have, in just two months of governance, set the ball rolling in the right direction to bring the beleaguered state back on the path to progress”.The editorial titled “Return to governance: Captain faces an uphill task” can be read here.The following is the text of the letter written by Capt Amarinder Singh:Your editorial, ‘Return to governance — Captain faces an uphill task’ (May 19), does not only err on the side of a strong and unjustified bias but fails to reconcile the harsh realities of Punjab, which it has itself admitted to, with the tremendous strides made on the ground to address the multifarious problems inherited by my government from the erstwhile SAD-BJP regime.With neutrality on the part of the media becoming a rarity, one does not really expect a fair and unbiased assessment of the government’s performance from the so-called opinion-makers in the media. Having said that, it is sad, indeed, to see even senior journalists engaging in uncalled for criticism and choosing to ignore hard facts in favour of rhetoric. The Punjab situation, as it prevails today, requires not unwarranted criticism but collective thinking, with the media, a key contributor to shaping the state’s future. Unfortunately, the media, or at least a section of it, has adopted a confrontationist attitude, instead of supporting us in our difficult but concerted endeavour to clean up the widespread mess in the state.Had your opinion-makers taken a less myopic view of the prevailing situation, they would have realised that restoring systems that had been eroded over a period of 10 years could not be an eight-week job. They would also have been more realistic in their expectations of my government, which, even my worst critics would admit, has started in right earnest with the task of cleaning up Punjab’s mess.Fortunately, it is only a small section of the media and rival political parties who doubt our sincerity and commitment to fulfilling our poll promises. Or who actually believe, as your editorial says, that my promises to the people were fuelled by a “burning ambition” to come to power. But for their sake, I would like to point out that, while I am not a miracle maker, I have, in just two months of governance, set the ball rolling in the right direction to bring the beleaguered state back on the path to progress.Let me take the liberty here of citing just a few examples of what we have achieved on the ground in restoring the confidence of the people and putting the state’s development agenda on the right track. Elimination of the drugs promise, as you are aware, was my key promise to the state and its people. And you just have to check out the numbers, not merely of the arrests and the seizures but also of the youth knocking the doors of the rehabilitation centres, to realise how far we have come in ridding the state of this scourge. Now take industry, which the previous government had brought to its knees completely with its unfavourable policies. I am sure your journalists and opinion-makers would be aware of the kind of response we have received from leading captains of industry to our efforts to woo investment into the state, which will pave the way for employment generation to fulfil another of my government’s poll promise. As far as agriculture is concerned, while the unabated farmer suicides continue to be a cause for concern, the initiatives taken by my government on crop diversification and horticulture, etc. will go a long way in alleviating the woes of the farming community. And coupled with the farm debt waiver, for which we are working out the modalities, I see agriculture once again becoming the mainstay of Punjab’s economic growth, as it was till a few years ago. The signs of positivity are already there, as evident from the smooth procurement of the record wheat production this season, backed by the highest-ever payment to farmers in April.From ending the VIP culture to cracking down on the transport and sand mafia, and from taking steps to augment infrastructure and quality of education and health in the state to doing away with the halqa system — the list of initiatives we have taken to implement our poll promises is endless. Unfortunately, in analysing the current situation, your editorial writer failed either to consolidate all the hard facts or to apply common sense in drawing conclusions. He/she even failed to take cognizance of the simple fact that contrary to what has been suggested in the editorial, the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been extremely cooperative and supportive of my government’s efforts to bring Punjab’s growth back on rails. Given the support I have received so far from all quarters, including the Centre and industry, I am confident that not only will my government succeed in bringing the state out of its current state of ruination, but also will, in fact, restore it to its pristine glory, as one of the most economically developed states in the country.Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister
APPOINTMENT OF JUDICIAL MEMBERS TO AFT BENCH SOUGHT
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service
Nonial Relief Camp (Nowshera), May 18It’s a quite unusual scene at the relief camp set up at Government Middle School, Nonial, where around 250 people from villages located near the Line of Control (LoC), including Sher Makri, Sarya and Bhawani, have taken a refuge.Their stay is a perfect glimpse of how much troubled and dangerous life border villagers live on a daily basis. They have been at the relief camp for a week. Their stay is likely to be prolonged in view of villagers’ reluctance to return to their native places as they don’t want to put their lives in danger.Pakistani firing and shelling has not only shattered their lives completely, but also separated family members and school friends from each other as many parents and children are being forced to stay separately at different camps due to space crunch.At Government Middle School, Nonial, about 250 migrants have been accommodated in 10 class rooms which don’t have proper mattings and beddings. During daytime, these rooms are used for conducting classes for the migrant children while the regular classes for students of the school are being held at a hall of the adjacent gurdwara.There are rooms in the school where about 35-40 persons are forced to sleep at night because some rooms are small in size and can’t accommodate large number of people.According to the affected families, their daily menu includes ‘mixed dal’ during lunch and dinner and ‘aloo nutri’ during breakfast. The community kitchen is being handled by the women staying in the camp. They are provided milk either on alternate days or after a gap of two days which means young children are being given ‘kawah’ (black tea) in place of milk.“Badi mushkil se jaan bachi hai ab waapis nahin jayenge (We saved our lives under difficult circumstances. We will not return to our homes now),” Sunita Devi, a mother of five, said while narrating the intense shelling from the Pakistan side on May 13 on her Sher Makri village.She said they had lost everything to the shelling and it was for third time that their house was damaged but they had not been paid any compensation. “Our cattle have perished. Our house is badly damaged and we have no money to meet the demands of our children. Ministers, MLAs and politicians make loud statements from AC rooms but it is the poor who are dying on the border,” she said.Satish Kumar, 37, of Sher Makri village bears lot of grudges against the ruling BJP at the Centre and in the state. He said, “Modi sahib kehte hai ki kada jawab denge par unko kya pata yahan to gareeb hi marte hai (Modi says we will give a befitting reply to Pakistani firing but he does not know that only poor are dying on the border).” He said, “Let them stay for one night with us on the day of shelling. They will come to know about the ground reality.”He said they had faced a similar situation last year when the villagers left their homes and took refuge in relief camps. “On August 8 last, we left our homes and were forced to stay in camps for a week. Thereafter, we stayed in camps for 25 days following border shelling on September 13 last year. Neither we were given any financial assistance at that time nor will we get this time. Let’s have a decisive battle to end this drama.”Another worry among the migrants is the well-being of their family members who are still stuck in border villages. “Our people have been requesting for bus service from Nowshera to the Sher Makri area (30-km distance) to shift the left-out people but no bus has been sent to ferry them safely to this place for the last three days,” said Ashok Kumar, a former naib sarpanch of Bhawani village.
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 14
The Military Engineering Services (MES) will outsource officers at the level of assistant engineer and junior engineer to overcome the staff shortage being faced while executing various construction projects.Averring that the workload of MES has increased multi-fold without proportionate increase in staff, a new policy issued by the Army Headquarters this month states that the huge spike in sanction of works necessitates engaging or employing consultants as planners and supervisors for the project duration.“These requirements are dynamic and based on actual workload of projects, which keep fluctuating. This would lead to holding of staff on required basis, thus relieving government burden of bench strength holdings till start of new project and long-term permanent accretion in such cases,” the policy adds.Stating that outsourcing would supplement dynamic requirements, as required, and act as a stop-gap arrangement where deficiency exists, the policy stresses that outsourcing would not be permitted for sensitive defence installations or classified projects. Further, only Indian nationals would be engaged and police verification would be required for all outsourced staff. They would be bound by the Official Secrets Act and confidentiality clauses.The shortage of civilian staff in MES is serious. According to a report tabled by Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence earlier this year, the present manpower holding of the MES is just 61,722 against the requirement of 1,96,493, accounting for a deficiency of over 48%.The supervisory staff is deficient by 37%, industrial staff by 41% and other basic staff by 64%. Staff shortage has cropped up over a period of time. Reduction in manpower due to annual direct recruitment plan, where two-third of yearly wastage vacancies were deducted from 2001-09, prolonged recruitment process and poor intake are among reasons cited for this.
