Current Events :
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) lauded ex-servicemen on Veterans’ Day, saying their unwavering courage continues to inspire every Indian.
“Occasions such as Veterans’ Day and Armed Forces Flag Day are not only opportunities to pay tribute to our brave soldiers, but also to extend meaningful support to them. I am confident that our veterans will continue to remain deeply committed to the cause of the nation,” the President said in a post on X.
“On Veterans’ Day, I salute the valour, dedication, and sacrifice of our ex-servicemen. Their unwavering courage continues to inspire every Indian,” Ms. Murmu said.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them” ‘John F Kennedy’ At the time of our independence the Indian defence forces continued to be com manded by British officers designated as Commander-in Chief, first by General Lockhart till Dec 31, 1947 and later by General Bucher who stayed in office till 14 Jan 1949. General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa got the privilege of being the first Indian C-in-C of India from Jan 15, 1949 to Jan 14, 1953. These two dates are commem orated as Army Day and Veterans’ Day respec tively. Indian defence forces are pure volunteers known for selfless devotion to the Nation and readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Nation must honour their services by looking after their interests post-retirement and by ensuring welfare support to the widows and children of the martyrs. India has actually done well to establish various organisations and mechanisms to provide required support to the retiring commu nity during transition and after; as also to address their grievances, if any. The intent behind most such measures is laudable yet many of them somehow fall short in delivery! Important Milestones Armed Forces Veterans Day was instituted in 2016 and this year we are celebrating the tenth. A lot of attention has been devoted to Veterans’ issues since last so many years but last ten years have seen more focus in this regards. An attempt is made here to list out important milestones in our journey so far to look after the interests of our soldiers once they hang up their boots. n Resettlement Division was set up under the Department of Defence in 1986. n Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare was established in 2004 having the following: n Pension Division. n Resettlement Division. nSainik Board consisting of 34 Rajya Sainik Boards and 410 Zila Sainik Boards. n Directorate General of Resettlement. nEx-servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme under which a total of 427 polyclinics are func tioning. n Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007; effected in 2009. “Various pay commissions which have improved considerably the financial health of both in — service and veteran communities
One Rank One Pension decision. n The protocol of sending home the mortal remains and according military funerals to the martyrs established during the Kargil War. Shortfalls and Unmet Expectations BALRAJ MEHTA On one hand it is heartening to go through the above list but on the other hand it is disappoint ing to observe serious shortfalls. Mostly it is due to the bureaucratic apathy, encouraged by restraint of a disciplined community resigned to suffering at the hands of a callous administra tion and political treachery. List of grievances is very long but I will restrict myself to major aspects: n Armed Forces Tribunals. In addition to the Principal Bench at Delhi, there are 10 regional benches at Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Jammu, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kochi, Lucknow and Mumbai. The staffing is inadequate and apart from four, the rest are almost non functional, not having been posted with judicial and/or administrative members for long. Nearly 28,000 cases were pending in various AFTs by end of 2025 and plight of the affected parties can only be imagined. to offset the limited promotional opportunities in rigid bureaucracies. Its benefits are being enjoyed by the Civil Services, the Police Services, the Foreign Service and even the Central Armed Police Forces. However, the defence forces have been kept out of the system in spite of the 7th Pay Commission Chair having recommend ed their inclusion. In actual fact the pyramid is much steeper in the armed forces, service con ditions much tougher and the retirement ages much less; yet the logjam continues! n Negative Outlook towards Pensions. There is a repeated outcry about rising pension bills. Admittedly it constitutes about 24 per cent of the Defence budget and stands at `1.61 Lakh Crores for the FY 2025-26. It is a big number but it needs to be kept in mind that the agreed terms of engagement cannot be done away with. We have to find additional resources for our defence budget by reprioritisation, stopping the waste and pilferage. Schemes like downsizing, Agniveer and the like are not permanent solu tions. Inherent Bias and Apathy n Appeals Against AFT Decisions. Much against the basic tenets of welfare of vet erans, govt officials are prone to file appeal after appeal against AFT judgements delivered against them. This persistent line of action delays justice to the affected parties some of whom are fighting for redressal for a decade or more! This pathologically negative attitude of the Ministry has been adversely commented upon by the High Courts. The cases are dragging on and it has become a case of “taareekh parr taareekh.” There seem to be absolutely no political direction to the babudom for removing the legal and pro cedural road blocks repeatedly being put in place by them. n Pay Commission Woes. Application of the Fitment Factor and pay bands have been creat ing confusion and various anomalies have sprouted up. One famous case, decided in favour of veterans but not being implemented by MoD, is of Brigadiers drawing more pension than Major Generals! There are other similar examples wherein a little concern would have resolved problems easily but the confusion remains and will, in all probability, be carried forward to the 8th Pay Commission! n ECHS. There is a severe shortage of funds cumulatively going up to more than 10,000 crores, as we stand today. Delays in release of funds, administrative restrictions and diversion have created havoc in this otherwise beautiful system which was meant to be cashless and capless. There are shortages of medicines and many hospitals have stopped providing treat ment due to a huge backlog of unpaid bills. Non Functional Upgrade (NFU). Introduced in 2008 for Group ‘A’ Services, NFU was designed Something strange is affecting the veteran com munity in India apparent in the all-pervasive disdain and widespread neglect. It appears that Indian soldier is remembered and honoured only during crises and forgotten thereafter. n Remember a politician saying not so long ago that soldiers get paid to get killed? n Remember how the veterans protesting peacefully demanding One Rank One Pension were brutally lathi charged by Delhi police in 2015? n Remember a retired Colonel and his son getting beaten up by Punjab Police personnel last year and the continued disinclination of police deptt and the State govt to carry out unbiased investigation? Ultimately the case was trans ferred to CBI under orders of the High Court and now some progress is being seen. n Remember the case of daughter of a deceased officer being duped of their house which could be restored to her only after intervention by CM of Uttar Pradesh? The pattern points to an inherent bias against soldiers once their service ends. While this may not be evident on paper, the conduct of the police, bureaucracy and civil administration towards veterans suggests otherwise. Despite some positive initiatives, far more must be done by both society and the government. Chanakya’s warning remains relevant: when a soldier must demand his dues, the ruler loses moral author ity. It is time we faced this reality
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A third generation ‘fire and forget’ Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top attack capability has been flight-tested successfully against a moving target by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The indigenously developed MPATGM consists of state-of-the-art indigenous technologies like imaging infrared (IIR) homing seeker, all electric control actuation system, fire control system, tandem warhead, propulsion system and high performance sighting system, DRDO said on Monday.
The weapon system has been produced by DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad. The missile can be launched from a tripod or a military vehicle launcher. It has an effective range of 4,000 metres.
Some components for the system have been provided by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune and Instruments Research and Development Establishment, Dehradun.
The thermal target system was developed by Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur to simulate the target tank. The IIR seeker is well accomplished with day and night combat operation capability. The warhead is capable of defeating modern main battle tanks. Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited are the development-cum-production partners for the weapon System.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO and its industry partners for the successful test, terming it as an important step towards self-reliance. Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V. Kamat said that the trial target was successfully conducted, thereby leading the weapon system for induction into the Indian Army.
Ruling that brain haemorrhage suffered while on duty is attributable to military service, the Armed Forces Tribunal has held that the death of a soldier cannot be attributed solely to alcohol consumption but other factors like posting to high-altitude area must also be considered.
Granting special family pension to the widow of an airman, the Tribunal observed that the airman, Corporal Jaswindra Singh, had been sent on duty to a high-altitude area despite being ill.
His request for exemption to be sent to Kurseong on medical grounds was declined by the Air Force authorities. There he was admitted to hospital as his condition worsened and ultimately his died from intra-cranial haemorrhage.
Special-family pension was denied to his widow on grounds that the death was not attributable to military service. Her appeals before the pensionary authorities also did not yield any results. The Air Force also contended that he had been a regular alcohol consumer for the past six years.
“We make it clear that the death of the petitioner’s husband was not definitely due to regular alcohol for the last six years. There could be other factors like high altitude, the fact that he had travelled to Kurseong from Purnia, etc. This vital aspect of the matter has not been considered by the competent authority while negating the claim of the petitioner for grant of special family pension,” the Tribunal’s Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Gupta and Maj Gen Sanjay Singh said.
“It is abundantly clear that the petitioner’s husband has passed away in performance of the bonafide official duty and as such the action of the respondents in declining the claim of the applicant for grant of special family pension is faulty,” the Bench ruled.
The Bench also observed that Kurseong is at a higher altitude than Purnia, where the airman was originally based, and that is why his medical condition worsened. “While Kurseong station does not come under the category of high altitude, that is 9,000 feet above sea level or more, it is certainly higher than Purnia and there would have logically been some efforts at making the tour,” the Bench said.
IIT Madras has achieved a breakthrough in defence technology by developing ramjet-assisted artillery shells that can extend the range of existing gun systems by nearly 50 per cent without compromising lethality. This innovation integrates a ramjet engine into standard 155 mm artillery ammunition, replacing the conventional base-bleed unit, and enables sustained propulsion after the shell exits the gun barrel.
The technology has shown substantial range improvements across multiple platforms, including Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), extended range from 40 km to 70 km; Vajra K-9 gun, extended range from 36 km to 62 km; Dhanush artillery guns, extended range from 30 km to 55 km, said IIT Madras.
The project, launched in 2020 in collaboration with the Indian Army, has undergone extensive gun and field trials, successfully validating clean gun exit, stable flight, and reliable ramjet ignition. This innovation aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, demonstrating how upgrading existing systems can deliver cost-effective, survivable, and future-ready firepower for modern battlefields.
The project was led by Prof PA Ramakrishna of IIT Madras, along with Lt Gen P R Shankar (retd), Prof HSN Murthy, Prof G Rajesh, Prof M Ramakrishna, Prof Murugaiyan, Lt Gen Hari Mohan Iyer (retd), Prof Lazar C and Dr Yogesh Kumar Velari.
rmy Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday warned Pakistan against sending drones across the Line of Control (LoC). He was addressing a press conference here ahead of Army Day (January 15).
He said the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan spoke on Tuesday and the issue of sighting of drones emanating from Pakistan was taken up.
There were multiple drone sightings on Tuesday while five drone intrusions were reported on Sunday evening along the J&K border.
The Army Chief said these drones were most likely sent for reconnaissance purposes.
He said the situation along the disputed boundary with China “remains stable but needs constant vigil”.
He cited two “turning points” during Operation Sindoor which, he said, turned the tide in favour of India. He said India was looking at creating a dedicated missile and rocket force on the lines of China and Pakistan. He termed it a “strategic necessity” in the current security environment.
He said since Pakistan and China had already created specialised rocket forces, it was essential for India to have one.
He pointed to the successful tests of the indigenous Pinaka system, having a range of 120 km, and said additional contracts had been signed to extend its reach to 150 km in the near term. Over time, the Army was looking at ranges of 300 to 450 km, alongside existing systems such as Pralay and BrahMos, to build a credible and layered strike capability.
Responding to a question on Operation Sindoor, the Army Chief dismissed suggestions of military-level nuclear signalling during the conflict. He said nuclear issues did not feature in talks between the DGMOs and nuclear rhetoric originated from political voices or public discourse in Pakistan, not its armed forces. He said the scale of firing and manoeuvres during the 88-hour period (May 7-10 last year) showed that the Indian forces were fully mobilised and prepared to launch ground operations if Pakistan had escalated further.
General Dwivedi identified two turning points during Operation Sindoor, one of them being the 22-minute strike on terror targets on May 7 which “disrupted Pakistan’s decision-making”.
“The second turning point was certain directions given to the tri-services on the morning of May 10 on what to do if the war escalates. They had understood it, and hence, called up our DGMO,” he said.
Pakistan, he said, had used satellites and had complete information about “which Indian warship, which strike corps and which plane was where”. “When they connected these dots, they realised that the time had come to stop this war,” he said.
On the border issue with China, he said, the “situation at the northern front remains stable but needs constant vigil. Our deployment along the LAC remains balanced”.
In October 2024, India and China had agreed to a patrolling arrangement along Depsang in eastern Ladakh along the LAC, ending their military stand-off that started in April 2020.
Since then, the special representatives of India and China —National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi — have met twice and agreed to work out a solution of demarcating a boundary.
The Army Chief said Operation Sindoor was ongoing and any misadventure would be responded to.
He said the mandate for integration was happening. “We are progressing towards theatre commands”.
Referring to the situation along the disputed boundary with China, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday that the situation remains “stable but needs constant monitoring.”
Speaking at the annual press conference ahead of Army Day on January 15, he added, “Situation at northern front remains stable but needs constant monitoring. Our deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains balanced.”
In October 2024, India and China agreed to a patrolling arrangement along Depsang in Eastern Ladakh, ending the military standoff that began in April 2020. Since then, the Special Representatives of India and China — National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi — have met twice and agreed to work towards demarcating the boundary.
Meanwhile, the Army Chief said Operation Sindoor, launched in May last year to strike at terrorist camps in Pakistan, is ongoing and that “any misadventure would be responded to.”
Addressing nuclear rhetoric during skirmishes with Pakistan, he clarified, “There was no mention of nuclear during the talks the two DGMO’s had during that period.”
“The nuclear rhetoric was being pushed by the political class,” the Army Chief said, without naming the Pakistan leadership that had been brandishing the threat.
Referring to post-May 10 developments, when the cessation of hostilities was announced, General Dwivedi said some forward mobilisation was pulled back by the end of May, “but our eyes and ears are open.”
On the future of the Army, he said integration is underway and progress is being made towards theatre commands. “By 2026, we will have an Indian Army capable of striking deep,” he added, highlighting significant upgrades and restructuring of forces.
He also detailed new raisings, including Bhairav light commando battalions, Shaktibaan regiments, Divyaastra artillery batteries, and Ashni platoons.
