Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

India has once again emerged as the world’s largest importer of weapons and military equipment, accounting for 13 per cent of all such international imports. Saudi Arabia, United Arab  Emirates,  China  and Algeria  are the next four biggest global importers.These trends have emerged from a report released by the Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) today. The assessment was done for a five-year period (2012-2016).(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Titled “Trends in international arms transfers-2016”, the report says, “India was the largest importer of major arms in 2012-16, accounting for 13 per cent of the global total.”Comparing two five years blocks — 2007-11 and 2012-16 — the report says, “India’s imports increased by 43 per cent and were far greater than those of its regional rivals, China and Pakistan, in the most recent period.”The SIPRI report said a major reason for the high level of imports is that the Indian arms industry has failed to produce competitive indigenously designed weapons. The USA had 14 per cent and Israel 7.2 per cent share in the Indian market, it said. “Based on existing orders and weapons, Russia will remain, by far, the main supplier of major arms to India for the foreseeable future,” the report said. Russia accounts for some 68 per cent of all military equipment supplies to India.However, the report said India expects increasing deliveries due to several major orders from France (another traditional supplier), the US, South Korea and Spain— which recently became arms suppliers to India.During the period studied by SIPRI, India procured fighter jets, a sea-borne  aircraft  carrier and  Mi-17 V5 helicopters from Russia; specialised transport planes, the C-130J Super Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster along with maritime surveillance planes Boeing P-8I from the US; UAVs and radars from Israel.

IndiA – the Arms importing Behemoth

In 2012-2016, India continued to dominate the world as the largest importer of major arms, according to the latest report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

Observing that prima facie there were discrepancies in the vigilance policies governing promotion and postings of officers, the Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal has restrained the Ministry of Defence from filing the post of Chief Engineer (CE), Delhi Zone, in the Military Engineer Service (MES).In his petition, Dev Raj, Joint Director General (Personnel and Training), Western Command, said when he was promoted as CE in June 2016, he was considered to be cleared from the vigilance, but when his case for posting as CE of a zone came up, he was not considered on the ground that he hadn’t got the vigilance clearance. Dev Raj, an Indian Defence Service of Engineers cadre officer, averred that an officer junior to him was posted as CE Delhi. The Delhi Zone CE oversees construction and maintenance of all Army official and residential buildings in the NCR.Dev Raj claimed he was implicated in a case related to procurement of pipes in 1995. Though vigilance gave him a clean chit at the initial stage, inquiry was ordered many years later and he was held blameworthy. The MoD said  vigilance criteria for promotion and posting to a sensitive appointment are different.However, observing that the MoD used same facts to promote and deny the officer the posting, the CAT said: “The act of creating this artificial distinction between these two situations does not appear logical or even legal.”

Major Satish Dahiya

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, February 15

The two-year deputation of Major Satish Dahiya (32), who sacrificed his life while fighting terrorists during a special operation in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, was about to end this month and his family members were expecting his next posting in Jaipur (Rajasthan).They also got his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter – Priyansa – enrolled in a play school in Jaipur recently, but the destiny had another plan for Major Dahiya. The braveheart had returned to his posting station on January 2 after spending 20 days in the village.“Since Jaipur was believed to be his new posting station, a rented accommodation was already taken for him. Even, his wife had started residing there after getting their daughter enrolled in a school,” said Sunil Kumar, cousin of Major Dahiya.Major Dahiya was the only child of Anchal Singh who runs a brick-kiln in partnership with his two brothers in the village. Major Dahiya had joined the Army Supply Corps (ASC) in 2009 and the Rashtriya Rifles in 2015 on deputation for two years.“Major Dahiya had led several operations successfully during his career. He was also the part of the teams which conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan last year,” said Major Naveen Phoghat who was here to console the bereaved family.Earlier, a pall of gloom descended on the village as soon as the tragic news of his death reached here last evening.“A large number of villagers spent sleepless night at Major Dahiya’s house yesterday as they had lost their brave son,” said Ishwar Singh, a villager.Shocked father Anchal Singh and mother Anita Devi were unable to speak and they responded to relatives and co-villagers merely by shaking their heads.Major Dahiya’s wife Sujata Choudhary said she was proud of her husband who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland. “I will send my daughter to the Army to serve the nation,” she added.Bhup Singh, uncle of Major Dahiya, said that he talked to him over phone when he was about to launch the operation yesterday. “Major Dahiya told me that he himself will call back after the operation,” he added.Sarpanch Nihal Singh said that Major Dahiya had not only made the village proud by attaining martyrdom, but also set an example of patriotism for the youth of the village.“More than 50 youths from the village are serving in the Army and the paramilitary forces, but Satish is the first who sacrificed his life for the country,” he added.

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 13

On Sunday when a fierce gunfight was underway in south Kashmir, youth from the area made a desperate attempt to help the local militants escape. The locals threw stones not only on security personnel laying the cordon but also on the operation teams engaging militants.The tendency of helping out militants which started last year, especially in the four districts of south Kashmir, continues to be “worrisome” for the forces, which have stepped up anti-militancy operations.This year, at least 15 militants, 10 of them locals, have been killed in various gunfights. During most of these operations, local youth in an attempt to show support to the militants threw stones to distract the security forces engaged in the operations and helped militants escape the cordon.“In a few places militants succeeded in escaping, taking advantage of the law and order situation,” an Army officer said. “In Sunday’s encounter in Kulgam, the locals helped three militants flee, even as their four associates were killed.”Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid said stone-throwing during encounters was a “difficult situation”. “It is a difficult situation. We have been advising people not to come out of their homes during gunfights and allow the security forces to do their job. There are clear directions to avoid civilian casualties,” Vaid told The Tribune.The forces have been regularly asking people to stay away from encounter sites and in fact restrictions are usually put in place by the District Magistrate of the districts on the movement of people under Section 144, CrPC, around the encounter site, but it does not seem to yield any result.“No one seems to pay heed to the advisory during encounters,” admits a police officer in south Kashmir. “We have a law and order component ready at encounter sites to stop stone-throwers. The stone-throwing is carried out by vested interests who to try to shift the focus of the forces from neutralising the militants.”Earlier this month, when a newly recruited local Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was arrested from a mosque in the volatile Pulwama after he was persuaded to give up arms, forces had to face a tough law and order situation.“Whenever a cordon is laid, announcements are made from mosques, requesting people not to come out,” said CRPF spokesman Rajesh Yadav. The CRPF is engaged in the dual roles of fighting militants as well as handling the law and order situation in Kashmir.Last year two persons, including a college student, were killed in firing by the security forces after a crowd tried to break the security cordon in Pulwama.

Stone-throwing by youth

• This year, at least 15 militants, 10 of them locals, have been killed in various gunfights. During most of these operations, local youth in an attempt to show support to the militants threw stones to distract the security forces engaged in the operations and helped militants escape the cordon.
• The forces have been regularly asking people to stay away from encounter sites and in fact restrictions are usually put in place around the encounter site, but it does not seem to yield any result.

Clashes erupt in South Kashmir as civilian shot in crossfire; one dead, 24 injured

Suhail A Shah & Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Anantnag/Srinagar, Feb 12

Two soldiers, four militants and a civilian were killed in a gunfight in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district today, triggering clashes in Kulgam and Anantnag that left one dead  and more than 24 injured. Three Armymen, including a Major, were injured in the encounter. The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The deceased Army men were identified as Lance Naik Bhandoriya Gopal Singh, 33, and Sepoy Raghubeer Singh, 31. Acting on a tip-off, teams of the Army and J&K Police cordoned a cluster of houses at Nagbal Frisal, Kulgam, 55 km from Srinagar. “The teams searched a house twice but found nobody there. The third time,  militants hiding inside opened fire, killing two soldiers and a civilian,” DGP Shesh Paul Vaid said. Ashiq Reshi, 40, son of house owner Abdul Majeed, was also killed.The DIG, South Kashmir Range, SP Pani, said four militants, two from Hizbul-Mujahideen and two from Lashkar-e-Toiba, were killed. “All of them hailed from Kulgam district. One of them had been missing since January 14. Three militants escaped.” While the Army claimed the civilian was taken hostage by the militants, the locals claimed he was used by the soldiers as a shield. “The operation was halted following inputs that a civilian was trapped inside. We tried to rescue him, asking the village elders to use the public address system to urge him to come out, but he didn’t,” explained Brig R Chakravarty, Commanding Officer, Sector-1, Rashtriya Rifles. “At 5.30 am, we entered the house. The civilian tried to flee. But the militants opened fire, killing him as well as two jawans,” he said.Locals and the family of the slain civilian refuted the Army claim. “Abdul Majeed and his sons Ashiq and Muhammad Shafi were taken into custody after the village was cordoned. The Army personnel took Ashiq along as they entered the house. He and two soldiers were killed in cross-firing,” they said.Ashiq’s killing triggered fierce clashes in Kulgam and Anantnag. Mushtaq Ibrahim (22) of Anantnag was killed and more than 24 were injured. Sixteen sustained bullet injuries. The separatists have called for a shutdown on February 13 and “Kulgam Chalo” on February 15 against the killing of civilians.  The slain militants were identified as Mudassir Tantrey, Wakeel Thokar, Farooq Ahmed Bhat and Mohd Younis Lone.

Four militants, two jawans die in Valley encounter; protests erupt

SRINAGAR: Two civilians and as many jawans were killed in the bloodiest day in Kashmir in a while on Sunday that saw a gunfight between security forces and militants, which was followed by violent protests.

Four militants were also killed in the encounter that prompted hundreds of people to descend on the streets of Kulgam in south Kashmir and its adjoining areas.

One of the civilians was a protester and the other was caught in the crossfire.

The opposition National Conference demanded a probe into the firing, and Kashmiri separatists called for a strike on Monday to protest crackdown by the security forces. At least 21 protesters were injured when police used bullets, pellets and tear gas shells to repel amassing demonstrators.

The protester killed in the firing was identified as 24-year-old MushtaqIbrahimfromSirgufwara. The youth probably died of bullet wounds, said deputy inspector general of south Kashmir SP Pani, adding that the other injured protesters are stable.

Security forces had cordoned off a house where the alleged militants were holed up at Kulgam’s Frisal village on Saturday night before the gunfight began Sunday morning. Late Sunday evening, a police spokesman identified the four militants as locals of south Kashmir. While two belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, two others were associated with Lashkar e Taiba. The spokesman said that during the initial cordon three militants managed to escape from the spot.

The two slain soldiers belonged to 1st Rashtriya Rifles and were identified as Raghubeer Singh of Uttarakhand and Bhandoriya Gopal Singh of Gujarat.

Schoolchildren pay tributes at the memorial of the Sikh warrior, General Sham Singh Attari, in Amritsar on Friday. Sunil Kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 10

Residents of border villages paid rich tributes to legendary Sikh General Sham Singh Attari on his 171st martyrdom day at his village and memorial at Gateway of India in the Naraingarh area here today.Deputy General Officer Commanding of 15 infantry division Sushil Sharma was the chief guest on the occasion. He paid floral tributes to the Sikh General at Sham Singh Attari statue. Among others, the members of Sham Singh Attari clan, Col Kuldeep Singh Sidhu and Col Harinder Singh, were also present on the occasion. The Punjab Police jawans paid tributes by reversing their arms.Meanwhile, a martyrdom-day programme was also held at Sham Singh Attari Memorial at Attari.The legendary General sacrificed his life during the first Anglo-Sikh war.

ATTARIWALA REMEMBERED

The army paying tributes to Shaheed Sardar Sham Singh Attariwala at his memorial near India Gate on the Amritsar­Attari road. Attariwala led the Sikh army after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death, attaining martyrdom in the 1849 Anglo­Sikh war.

L TO R—MAJ GEN SPS GREWAL,LT GEN TS SHERGILL Congress leaders , Virbhadra Singh, Capt Amarinder Singh and Harish Rawat with OROP leader Maj Gen Satbir Singh (retd) in New Delhi on Thursday.

FRONT ROW–BRIG PRAHALAD SINGH,COL CJS KHERA, COL RS BOPARAI, COL DAYIA,MAJ NS MULTANI ALL SANJHA MORCHA TEAM

 

 

L TO R—MAJ NS MULTANI,CAPT KHUSWANT SINGH,COL CJS KHERA, COL RS BOPARAI,MAJ GEN SATBIR SINGH,

An Indian Army contingent marches during the 68th Republic Day parade in New Delhi. — File photo for representation only

New Delhi, February 7With some instances of security personnel using social media to focus on their grievances, the government on Tuesday said it is not desirable that armed force personnel indulge in such acts as mechanisms to raise such issues already exist within the system.Replying to questions in Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, while highlighting improvements made towards dietary and clothing needs of jawans, said under the Army Act, there was a system of grievance redressal which should be followed.In case of a problem, the Chief of Army Staff has also been provided with a mechanism of redressal and even the Defence Minister could be approached and Grievance Boxes have also been placed at various places, he said.Complaints should come through proper channel and “we will redress it,” Parrikar said.During the Question Hour, members raised the issue of a BSF jawan who had complained of diet in a social media post.One of the members asked Parrikar that though BSF fell under the Home Ministry, how would he view if Army jawans, too, aired their problems through the social media.Parrikar also said the government has improved the dietary provisions for soldiers and there has been increase in the scale of meat, chicken for JCOs and authorisation of chilled, frozen meat as basic ration.He said extension of special ration available for those posted in Siachen Glacier to troops across the country anywhere above 12,000 feet has also been undertaken. The number of eggs provided in the diet per person has been increased from one to two, the Minister said.Parrikar also said large-scale procurement of bullet-proof jackets and helmets has also been undertaken as were rifles and other equipment. More than one lakh bulletproof jackets would be procured by the end of 2017, he said. — PTI 

Jammu, December 28

Visiting Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur and forward areas of White Knight Corps (16 Corps), Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh interacted with troops and addressed officers of the Northern Command during his farewell visit.He was accorded a warm farewell by officers and jawans during his visit to all locations. In his address, the Army Chief complimented the soldiers of the Northern Command for their professionalism, selfless commitment and dedication to the nation.He also appreciated their role during the recent unrest, ceasefire violations and in counter-terrorist operations. He exhorted the troops to continue to work with zeal and dedication to overcome numerous challenges.The Army Chief commended the synergy between all security agencies and civil administration in Jammu and Kashmir. — TNS