Beijing, May 31

China on Thursday welcomed India and Pakistan’s decision to observe the 2003 ceasefire agreement to stop cross-border firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and expressed the hope that the two countries would properly resolve their differences.The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on May 29, during a conversation over the hotline, agreed to fully implement the ceasefire pact of 2003 in “letter and spirit” forthwith to stop cross-border firings in Jammu and Kashmir.“We commend the positive actions taken by both sides,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.“We hope that both sides could properly resolve their disputes through dialogue and consultation and maintain regional peace and stability,” she said.The LoC has been witnessing increasing hostilities in the past few months.According to defence sources in New Delhi, a total of 908 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army were reported till May 29 in the current year as against 860 incidents during 2017.Indian DGMO Lt Gen Anil Chauhan and Pakistan’s Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had reviewed the prevailing situation along the LoC and the International Border in J&K, following which both sides agreed to fully implement the 15-year-old ceasefire understanding. PTI

Ramban: A cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from a hideout at Kalimasta in Gool following a four-day-long joint search operation by the Rashtriya Rifles Uniform Force and the police in Ramban on Friday. Police sources said the arms and ammunition were found from a cave in the Kalimasta forest. The recovery includes one AK-56 rifle, .303 rifle, 7.63-mm Star pistol, a UBGL grenade, one magazine each of AK-56 rifle, .303 rifle and 7.63-mm Star pistol, 126 rounds of AK-56 rifle, six rounds each of .303 rifle and 7.63 Star pistol, besides UBGL hand grenades, two RPG rounds, explosive material and utility items such as clothes, blankets and utensils. OC

Recoveries made by Army in Kupwara sector today incl this foldable/ collapsible ladder…walls are no longer a hindrance..

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 23

Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Sapta Shakti Command, on Wednesday reviewed the conduct of the ongoing exercise Gandiv Vijay in Rajasthan. The Army Commander was accompanied by Lieutenant General PC Thimmaya, General Officer Commanding, Chetak Corps.The two-month long training exercise aimed to train commanders and soldiers in their offensive tasks concluded on Wednesday. The exercise validated the concept of speedy mobilisation and dispersed deployment of offensive forces with the ability to converge at a point of decision.During the exercise, synergy between mechanised forces, infantry, artillery, engineers, elements of Special Forces and Air Force was practiced and fine tuned. An array of modern sensors was deployed and the participating troops got an opportunity to operate in a transparent battle field.While interacting with the Army Commander on conclusion of the exercise, the participating troops conveyed their satisfaction on the content and conduct of the exercise.

Jammu, May 22

A 70-year-old woman was among the two people injured as Pakistani Rangers opened fire and lobbed mortars along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir early on Tuesday, triggering panic among border residents and forcing many to take shelter in government-run camps.“The cross-border firing and shelling continued unabated and has spread to all sectors from Akhnoor to Samba along the IB,” a senior BSF official told PTI.He said BSF troops guarding the border retaliated effectively and exchanges between the two sides were continuing when the reports last came in.Inspector General of Police, Jammu, SD Singh Jamwal, said one person was injured in the fresh firing in the worst-hit Arnia sector of Jammu district.Madan Lal Bhagat, a resident of Pindi Charkan village of Arnia, was hit by splinters in the abdomen and foot after a mortar shell hit his house in the early hours of Tuesday, the officials said, adding that he had been admitted to Government Medical College.Police said a 70-year-old woman identified as Kaushalya Devi was also injured in the firing.Jamwal said police parties had been deployed and were helping people shift to safer places from affected areas.Jammu Divisional Commissioner Hemant Kumar Sharma said relief camps had been activated at safer places all along the IB, especially in RS Pura and Arnia sectors, which witnessed heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan over the past two days.Hundreds of people had reported at these camps set up in educational institutes and other government buildings, Sharma said, adding that adequate facilities had been made available at these camps so that the displaced people did not face any problem.He said all schools vulnerable to Pakistani shelling had been closed along the IB as a precautionary measure. PTI

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 16

“Guardians of Governance (GOGs) are playing proactive role in ensuring effective implementation of administrative reforms and various development and welfare schemes of the government with zeal and dedication.The positive results of launching the unique and innovative scheme are quite visible on the ground level,” said the Senior Adviser to the CM, Punjab, Lt General TS Shergill while adding that keeping in view the success of the scheme, the state government has decided to extend the GoGs’ existing strength of 2,900 to 6,000 by end of the year.It would also achieve the target of bringing all the villages under the umbrella of the scheme to ensure transparent, hassle-free delivery mechanism of different public utility schemes at the cutting edge level.Lt Gen T S Shergill, who was chairing the meeting of SBS Nagar GoGs at Rattewal (SBS Nagar), on Wednesday said as per filing reports on various issues by GoGs were concerned, Tarn Taran district was going on top where maximum percentage of issues highlighted by the GoGs, had been addressed while in rest of the state the address rate is eighty percent. He asked DC Amit Kumar and SDM Aditya Uppal to act swiftly on thereports as soon as they get them from GoGs.Speaking on the success rate of the GoG’s working, Gen Shergill said the motive behind bringing out the scheme had been much attained. After the issues by the GoGs were highlighted, the district administration and the state government are getting a huge success to sort out them out within a stipulated time while earlier it was not easy to deal with these type of issues due to the want of a proper channel, he added.Urging the sarpanches and other public representatives of the villages to cooperate with the GoGs positively to redress their problems, he said the concept of GoG was devised for the betterment of society and to plug the loopholes in the use of development grants and effective implementation of welfare schemes.Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar asked the GoGs to work as eyes and ears of the administration.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 13

In what will be a significant step towards India’s ‘Act East policy’, India and Vietnam will conduct their first bilateral naval exercise later this month, marking the continued upswing in relations.The exercise will be conducted in Vietnamese waters in May-end. The exercise will be conducted in what China’s considers its backyard. To put it in perspective, it’s like the navies of China and Bangladesh practising in Bay of Bengal.A flotilla of three Indian warships — INS Shayadri, INS Kamorta and INS Shakti — is on its way to Vietnam, sources said while confirming the first-ever bilateral exercise at sea. Two of these ships on Sunday reached Thailand on a separate visit and one reached Malaysia. The warships will go to Vietnam before heading to the Pacific Ocean for a joint exercise called ‘Malabar’ with the US and Japanese navies.The naval exercise comes just four months after the armies of the two countries conducted their first-ever land–based exercise in January-end this year at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.India-Vietnam relations have gained momentum in the past decade. In November 2009, the two countries had signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation. This was preceded by strategic partnership agreement in 2007.During PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Vietnam in 2016, the bilateral relationship was elevated from a ‘strategic partnership’ to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’. Modi had, in his first year in office in 2014, said: “Our defence cooperation with Vietnam is among our most important ones.”India is already training the Vietnamese navy in operating its small fleet of Russian-origin Kilo-class subs and has announced an increase in its efforts to train more personnel. India and Vietnam have set a target of $15 billion in bilateral trade by 2020, from $7 billion at present.WHY it’s significant

• Vietnam is one of the six countries locked in a maritime territorial dispute with China in hydro-carbon rich South China Sea
• Its seabed holds trillions of cubic feet of gas and billions of barrels of crude oil
• Indian warships INS Shayadri, INS Kamorta and INS Shakti will participate in the exercise

Srinagar, May 3

The Army on Thursday said it held an interactive session with nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals from Banali, Barnet, Pakhlan and Batangi villages of north Kashmir’s Salamabad area. The Army said it discussed their impending migration towards Western Massif and both tribes put forward their views and established a common understanding on maintaining harmony and peaceful environment in the area.“The Army assured full cooperation and assistance to the communities in terms of medical assistance and security. They were also informed about the medical camp scheduled at Karamthal in July,” the Army said.Meanwhile, the Army on Thursday said it had conducted a pre-recruitment and physical fitness training camp ahead of a recruitment rally at Larnoo in Anantnag district. “With the aim to train and prepare youth for an upcoming recruitment rally, the Army is carrying out pre-recruitment and physical fitness training for youth of Larnoo,” the Army said. — TNS

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 23

The Air Force is upgrading the older variants of its Mi-17 helicopters by equipping them with electronic warfare (EW) suite to increase their capability to operate effectively in a hostile environment.
According to IAF sources, 90 of these medium-lift helicopters — 56 Mi-17 and 34 Mi-17 1V variants — will be upgraded by No.3 Base Repair Deport in Chandigarh in collaboration with state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The IAF approached BEL in this regard last month.
The move to upgrade the older series comes in the backdrop of a project to retrofit the latest version, the Mi-17 V5 that entered services a few years ago, with similar EW equipment. Last year, BEL was also approached to equip some Mi-17s with advanced navigational aids.
The EW suite comprises of a radar warning receiver (RWR), a missile approach warning system (MAWS) and a counter measure dispensing system (CMDS). The RWR detects radio waves emitted by radars and electronic surveillance equipment whereas the CMDS enables the crew to imitate counter measures or evasive action against enemy radars and missiles by firing chaff or flares.
The MAWS is meant to alert the crew about any incoming ground or air-launched missile and also cue the CMDS to trigger. Mi-17 helicopters are used for special operations as well as close air support, logistic supplies and troop movement, requiring them at times to operate at low altitudes and slow speeds, thereby making them vulnerable to missile attacks.
The Air Force expects the programme to upgrade the 90 helicopters to be completed in 48 months. This includes training an initial batch of pilots, flight engineers and flight gunners to operate the new systems.

Dassault eyes more India deals

• French aviation major Dassault Aviation held its executive committee meeting in New Delhi to reaffirm commitment to the ‘Make in India’ policy.
• “The company’s executive committee rallies around the huge challenge to highly contribute to the ‘Make in India’ and Skill India policies that will lead to India’s self-sufficiency in the aerospace domain,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
• India is buying 36 Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation in an off-shelf purchase. The company is also in running for the 110 fighter jet tender floated by the Indian Air Force and interested in the 57 fighter jet purchase by the Navy for aircraft-carrier operations. TNS