Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama. — Tribune file photo

Washington, June 5

India is likely to enter the missile technology control (MTCR) regime this week, a move that will boost the country’s efforts to purchase Predator drones from the US and export its high-tech missiles to friendly nations.

An announcement in this regard is anticipated as early as this week, possibly during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US at the invitation of US President Barack Obama, sources tracking the development said.

The major breakthrough comes days after India announced that it is subscribing to ‘The Hague Code of Conduct’ against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, which is considered to be complementary to the missile technology control regime (MTCR).

India, had applied for its membership last year.

But it was facing strong opposition from a few member countries of the MTCR where decisions are based on consensus.

The Obama administration has strongly backed India’s membership into MTCR and three other export control regime — Australia Group, Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

Established in April 1987, the voluntary MTCR aims to limit the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks.

The MTCR regime urges its 34 members, which include most of the world’s key missile manufacturers, to restrict their exports of missiles and related technologies capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers or delivering any type of weapon of mass destruction.

Since 2008 India has been one of the five countries that are Unilateral Adherents to MTCR.

After MTCR’s announcement, India and the US are expected to fast track their discussion on sale of predator series of unmanned aircraft for the Indian military.

“Yes, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc is aware of India’s interest in Predator®-series Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA),” Vivek Lall, chief executive of the US and International Strategic Development of ‘General Atomics’, the largest privately-held American defence company which designs and manufactures Predator drones, said last year.

The Predator drone, which recently eliminated the Taliban leader in Afghanistan, is the preferred tool of the CIA.

Membership into MTCR is a huge boost for India’s ability to procure this capability. — PTI

PANIPAT, JUNE 3

Residents of Nangal Kheri village bid adieu to Amit Punia, who died dousing fire which engulfed the Ammunition Depot of the Army at Pulgaon inMaharshtra four days ago. The Army fireman was cremated with full state honours in his village this evening.Punia’s body was brought to his native village from Maharashtra in the evening.ADC Rajiv Mehta conveyed condolences on behalf of the district administration. Army officials also saluted the brave man. Amit, a bachelor, was the youngest son of Satbir Singh Punia of Bichpadi village in Sonepat who shifted to Nangal Kheri 30 years ago.He was injured in the operation to control the fire in the Ammunition Depot. He succumbed to the injuries on June 2. Mahipal Dhanda, MLA; Brig Rajiv Chopra, Major Gyanesh, Sewah sarpanch Khushdil and hundreds of villagers attended the cremation. — TNS

Jawan Mahesh Gurung’s body being taken for cremation in Dehradun. Tribune photo: Vinod Pundir

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 25

The brave son of Uttarakhand, who died fighting infiltrators in Chandel district of Manipur on May 22, was cremated with full military honours in Haridwar today. Public representatives and top brass of the Army paid floral tribute to martyr Havaldar Mahesh Gurung before he was consigned to flames.A pall of gloom descended on the city when the body of Gurung was brought to his residence, Daudwala, Dehradun. Relatives and neighbours consoled the bereaved family members. Locals and neighbours waited for hours to pay tributes to the martyr, whose body was draped in the Tricolour. Gurung’s father, mother, wife and other relatives were inconsolable during the cremation ceremony.Amid chanting of slogans like “Gurung Amar Rahe”, and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, Gurung’s body was taken to the Sati Ghat in Haridwar. Ayush, the 13-year-old son of Gurung, performed the last rites. Despite Ayush was inconsolable, he decided to follow the footprints of his father. Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Cabinet Minister Dinesh Agarwal and Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi were present at the cremation ground.

The Indian Army climbers were amongst the initial lot of mountaineers to successfully climb Everest after a hiatus of two years as the peak was closed due to the devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal last year

The 30 member Indian Army’s Everest Massif Expedition 2016 was flagged off by Lieutenant General MMS Rai, Vice Chief of the Army Staff on March 30.

Indian Army mountaineers led by Lieutenant Colonel Ranveer Jamwal and a team of six army mountaineers successfully summitted Mount Everest (8848M) at dawn on May 19.

Concurrently, the Lhotse Summit Team under Major Nooruddin Ahmed is attempting to summit Mount Lhotse (fourth highest peak in the world at 8501M).

The Indian Army climbers were amongst the initial lot of mountaineers to successfully climb Everest after a hiatus of two years as the peak was closed due to the devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal last yearThe 30 member Indian Army’s Everest Massif Expedition 2016 was flagged off by Lieutenant General MMS Rai, Vice Chief of the Army Staff on March 30. Five members of the team will also be participating in the tough and intensive ‘Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon’ on May 29, considered to be one of the toughest trail marathons in the world. (ANI) –

Arun Joshi
Sainik Colony, the yet-to-come-up enclave for ex-servicemen who are state subjects, is being seen as a challenge to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. It has triggered rumours of facilitating non-local settlers, with the aim of outnumbering Kashmiri Muslims.

Protests against the proposed Sainik Colony for state subjects in Bandipora, north Kashmir. It is being seen as a ruse to alter the state’s demographic composition. Tribune Photo: Amin War

AN angry discourse in Kashmir over the proposed setting up of a “Sainik Colony”, a residential enclave, for the  ex-servicemen   of Jammu and Kashmir who are permanent residents is singeing the atmosphere at the start of the summer season. Whatever way this issue may be looked at, the core question is being deflected: Whether the  state subject ex-servicemen have a right to own a house or piece of land in the place where they were born and brought up? There is no law in the state constitution — Jammu and Kashmir has its own constitution — that bars any state subject from  having a house  or calling for a colony after retirement from the Army.  Separatists are playing an emotional card.It is part of the separatists’ agenda to project Kashmir as a land of troubles, where normalcy would remain a chimera unless  the K-issue is resolved on their terms. The deemed mainstream is faithfully obliging them to seek relevance  by reading from their script against the non-locals,  who are nowhere on the horizon in this issue. Kashmiris  get emotionally involved  with intensity when they  suspect that some wrong is being done to them even when it is not perceptible. And if the issue is taken  off  the radar, they feel that their narrative and protests have been able  to defeat the design  and claim  a victory  of sorts. Delhi, as always, is living in denial mode, overlooking the gravity of the situation. If 2010, when massive street protests and killings left Kashmir blood-soaked, is the reference year for peddlers of this “locals-versus-non-locals rhetoric”, then  difficult days are ahead. Kashmiri Muslims have a perennial sense of  victimhood — partly genuine and partly infused by the fear-instilling narrative of their leadership. Here is where the strategy of tapping  this emotive reservoir works .  The core idea is to take the populace further from the idea of India, which itself is fragmented the way it has been perceived in Kashmir  over the decades. The denial of justice in the absence of accountability and transparency for the wrongs committed in  the past have made them suspicious and contemptuous of each and every move. The proposed colony fits into this framework.An emotionally surcharged atmosphere keeps the conflict rolling. That is what the vested interests are seeking to achieve by attempting to provoke the street protests  against the colony,  which the state government has said, will not get any land. The doubters have not heeded the assurances given by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that “no land will be given for the colony, though the state subject ex-servicemen had sought it.” Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah insists, “the colony is being set up  and it is  a ruse to settle non-locals.” He has accused the Chief Minister of telling lies. Mehbooba’s  retort is: “The proposal was mooted in 2012 when Omar was the Chief Minister.” The verbal duel is  continuing. This squabble is a delight for separatists who see “India conspiring against Kashmiri Muslims” in everything. There  was no need for  the mainstream to be apologetic, because the proposed colony is only for those holding  a Permanent Resident Certificate. The PRC or the state subject is a document given to those whose forefathers were born in the state and  automatically entitled to citizenship rights. That includes the right to buy immovable assets in this state.  This is hereditary. No outsider can become a state subject even if one has lived in the state for decades.   The two “mainstream” parties — the PDP and the National Conference  fear that they would get washed away once the floodgates of the reservoirs of emotions are opened into streets of Kashmir. Omar has seen that in 2010, when he was the Chief Minister. More than 120 youth were killed and he has not been able to overcome the impact of that year. Mehbooba Mufti doesn’t want a repeat.A toxic narrative of India seeking to “change the demographic composition,” is a favourite with the separatists and some of their self-appointed cheerleaders. Generating hatred against India is in the core. The “mainstream”, out of sympathy with the issue or due to the compulsion of surviving against these odds, willingly surrenders its stated positions in an attempt to be seen as part of the excessively  Kashmir-centric and religious narrative. The monster of unemployment has  driven  thousands of  Kashmiri youth to seek enrolment in the Army. Once that happens, they and their families become the targets of  militants. A number of ex-servicemen have been killed over the years.  Most of the ex-servicemen live in villages and don’t have individual security for their homes. That is why they wanted to have a residential enclave that would offer them a sense of security.  Shockingly, the yet-to-come-up colony is seen as a  challenge to the special status of  Jammu and Kashmir. It has triggered rumours of non-local settlers outnumbering Kashmiri Muslims in their own land.  Examples of Israeli settlements in Gaza and West Bank of Palestinian territories are cited to reinforce the fear-mongering discourse. Since 1990, the term “non-local” has assumed a different definition. It is evident from the mounting opposition to return of Kashmiri Pandit migrants (original natives of the Valley) and settling them in proposed safe zones. The migrants are being told repeatedly, “You are welcome (to the Valley) only if you return to your neighbhourhood (from where they were uprooted in 1989-1990 when radicalism surged in Kashmir)”. It is a sugar-coated warning on the “welcome” signboard.Muslims losing their majority is a time-tested theory which the separatists leadership applies, mostly at the onset of summer to  summon  youth to protest in streets — disrupting studies, destroying the income  of the daily earners, scaring away tourists  and injecting political instability. All these serve the vested interests and show the Indian nation in a poor light. Right-wing demagogues from the cow belt, having no idea about the sensitivities  of Kashmir, jump in. They speak in the language  that gives Kashmir a reason to resist the flamboyant “Indian-ness”. Mehbooba and others are  also unhappy. She had recently made it clear that any challenge or perceived challenge to the special status of the state, results in difficulties and peace, that is more important than anything else, is threatened.  This kind of more-patriotic-than-thou utterances causes trepidation  in Kashmir.  Such rabble-rousers help the secessionists to gain credence. Conciliation, not confrontation, works in sensitive areas. Nowhere in the proposal is there a mention of non-state subject, but the opponents  point out that there also is no mention that the colony would be exclusively for the state subject ex-servicemen.  As of now, the proposed colony seems out of question. So, where do  the ex-servicemen go? Should they shift to places outside the Valley or the state? The agenda of weeding out the state subject ex-servicemen from Kashmir would then have been accomplished. This also serves to dampen the sprits of all those who stand or intend to stand in queues to be recruited in the Army.  Unemployment will rise and that is a recipe for more trouble and the idea of India is under threat of being consumed. 

ajoshi57@gmail.com

GUWAHATI: The Army jawans of an infantry battalion deployed in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday roughed up a captain after one of their colleagues died during a “routine training activity”, apparently upset over the jawan being asked to march despite complaining of chest pain.

Army officials in Guwahati denied there was anything even approximating “mutiny” in the unit, as some initial reports suggested.Sources said four to five jawans turned emotional after the death of the jawan following chest pain, and got agitated when they were being consoled by their battalion adjutant, the captain, leading to a scuffle. No one was injured.Defence spokesman Lt Col Suneet Newton confirmed the death during routine training. He said it occurred in the northeast region, but declined to confirm that the infantry unit was deployed in Arunachal. “This is not a case of mutiny,” he told TOI.

The incident is being investigated by Army authorities as is the practice in all cases of death during training exercises, he added.