PM Narendra Modi speaking at the second Raisina Dialogue. ANI photo

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Pakistan must walk away from terror if it wanted to walk with India. He was addressing the second Raisina Dialogue here. Modi said the people spoke in one voice to mandate my government to bring change.         (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)              “Reform would not be enough until it transforms our society. Our economic growth, the welfare of the farmers, and security of our nation…all of them are deeply impacted by the developments of the world but the reverse is also true.“The world needs India’s rise also. The world is going through profound changes. Physical borders may be less relevant in this age.                       “Globalisation gains are at risk and economic gains are not easy to come by. Non-state actors are significant actors to the spread of challenges.                       “Sabka saath, sabka vikas not just for India but the whole world.  In the last two-and-half-years we have partnered with almost all neighbours.”                       The Prime Minister recounted how he had invited all leaders to his swearing-in.“My vision for our neighbourhood led me to invite leaders of all SAARC countries, including Pakistan, for my swearing-in.“Next week I will host the Crown Prince of Abu Dabhi. In our relationship with China we have sought to tap the vast economic aspect. It is not unnatural for two large neighbours to have differences,” Modi said.

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

The Central Bureau of Investigation today arrested former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi, alias Julie Tyagi, and lawyer Gautam Khetan on charges of irregularities in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. The three will be produced before a CBI court tomorrow.Tyagi, 71, is accused of influencing the Rs 3,600-crore deal in favour of UK-based helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland during his tenure as the IAF Chief from 2004 to 2007. Tyagi has repeatedly denied the allegations. A CBI statement said: “A case was registered on March 12, 2013 under sections 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 7, 8, 9, 12 & 13(2), 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against then Chief of Air Staff and 18 others.  It was alleged the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) entered into criminal conspiracy with other accused persons and in 2005, conceded to change IAF’s consistent stand that service ceiling of VVIP helicopters (6,000 metres) was an inescapable operational necessity and reduced the same to 4,500 metres. Such changes in operational requirements (ORs) made the private company based in UK eligible to participate in the request for proposal (RFP) for VVIP helicopters.”“It was revealed during investigation that such undue favours were allegedly shown to the UK-based private company by accepting illegal gratifications from the accused vendors through middlemen/relatives, including his cousin and an advocate, etc, who accepted the illegal gratification for exercising influence through illegal means, or using personal influence over the public servants concerned,” the statement said.Sources said based on the CBI complaint, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had booked the former Air Force chief and some members of his family. In July 2014, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Tyagi and 20 others. He was questioned repeatedly by the ED and for four days by the CBI this year.Sources say investigations have revealed that the Tyagis allegedly entered into a consultancy deal with middlemen in 2004, when Air Chief Marshal Tyagi’s cousins were certain he would be the next Air Force chief and in a position to influence the deal.The sources said Tyagi is accused of reducing the required flying ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m thereby helping AgustaWestland to qualify for deal. The CBI said payments were made through Tunisia-registered companies controlled by Switzerland-based intermediaries Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa and transferred to accounts in India and Mauritius.While investigating the case, the CBI had issued Letter Rogatory (judicial request) to multiple countries to gather more leads and evidence, the sources said. SP Tyagi was allegedly paid kickbacks by middlemen through cousins, Julie, Sandeep and Dosca Tyagi, the sources said.

Rs 450-cr bribery case

August, 1999: IAF proposes replacement of Mi-8s due to operational constraintsMarch, 2002: A global request for proposals issuedMarch, 2005: IAF changes key requirements in acquisition favouring AgustaWestland February, 2010: MoD concludes contract with AgustaWestland for 12 helicopters February, 2012: Amid reports of ‘unethical’ dealings, MoD seeks report from embassy in RomeMarch, 2013: CBI registers FIR against Tyagi, 18 othersJanuary, 2014: Government terminates pact with AgustaWestlandMay 2, 2016: CBI begins grilling TyagiDecember 9: SP Tyagi, cousinSanjeev Tyagi, alias Julie, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan held

Rules bended

• Former IAF Chief SP Tyagi is accused of reducing the required flying ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000m to 4,500m, thus helping AgustaWestland to compete for the Rs 3,600-crore deal
• In return, around Rs 450 cr in kickback was paid through Tunisia-registered firms controlled by Swiss-based intermediaries Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa and transferred to accounts in India and Mauritius

CBI arrests former air chief Tyagi in AgustaWestland helicopter case

NEW DELHI: The CBI arrested on Friday former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi and two others allegedly for taking bribes ina `3,727-crore deal to buy AgustaWestland helicopters for government VIPs.

This is the first time a retired service chief has been arrested in India’s military history. The arrests, including of Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev alias Julie and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, are the first in the case. Sources said all three were called for questioning on Friday, and later arrested after they “refused to cooperate” with investigators. They will be produced before a court on Saturday, and the CBI is expected to seek their remand for custodial interrogation.

The arrests came nearly three years after India scrapped the contract for 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers following allegations of corruption. The deal was signed in 2010.

Six companies – Italy based Finmeccanica, its UK-based subsidiary AgustaWestland, Mohalibased IDS Infotech, Chandigarhbased Aeromatrix, IDS Tunisia and IDS Mauritius – also figured in the report. Investigations gathered pace after an Italian court of appeals pointed fingers at 71-yearold Tyagi in April 2016, observing that there were “unmistakable indications of corruption” by an Indian officer.

In an FIR filed in March 2013, the CBI had named 13 people – including the former air force chief; his cousins Sanjeev alias Julie, Rajeev alias Docsa and Sandeep; three alleged middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke; former Union minister Santosh Bagrodia’s brother Satish Bagrodia; IDS Infotech managing director Partap Aggarwal; Aeromatrix CEO Praveen Bakshi; former Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi; former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini; and IDS Infotech legal advisor Gautam Khaitan – as the accused in the case. Defence minister Manohar Par rik ar had said in the LokSabha that some members of the UPA government were the real beneficiaries, while Tyagi only received “chillar” – or small change – from the scam.

“It was revealed during an investigation that such undue favours were allegedly shown to the said UK-based private company (AgustaWestland) by accepting illegal gratification from the accused vendors through middlemen and relatives, including his (Tyagi’s) cousin and an advocate. They accepted the illegal gratification for exercising influence through illegal means, or using personal influence over the public servants concerned,” CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said.

All the three had been questioned by investigators on a previous occasion.

According to the CBI, Tyagi allowed the air force to reduce the service ceiling for choppers from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres – helping AgustaWestland enter the fray. The firm’s choppers are not capable of flying up to 6,000 metres.

Besides this, the agency alleged that Haschke – through his Tunisia-based company Gordian Services Sarl – entered into several consultancy contracts with AgustaWestland from 200405 onwards. He also made consultancy contracts with Tyagi’s cousins on a back-to-back basis. The CBI managed to trace at least two remittances totalling 3.26 lakh euros from Hashcke to the trio.

Investigators also reported other payments made by Haschke and Gerosa to the accused. The inflow of remittances to the Tyagi cousins’ accounts and the softening of air force’s stand on service ceiling matched closely in terms of time, the CBI alleged.

According to the FIR, Haschke and Gerosa managed to send 5.6 million euros to India through Mohali-based IDS Infotech and Chandigarh-based Aeromatric Info Solutions, and kept the remaining sum of the 24.3 million euros received from AgustaWestland for themselves.

The agency alleged that British middleman Christian Michel received 30 million of the 51 million-euro kickbacks paid by AgustaWestland. It is suspected that Michel channeled funds to India through a Singapore-based company.

India had scrapped the contract with AgustaWestland on January 1, 2014.

BATTLEGROUND KITCHEN: MY MOTHER (SENIOR TITAN), WHO THOUGHT I WAS STILL A TODDLER, TOLD THE MAID THAT SHE WOULD DECIDE MY MENU. THE MAID RELAYED THIS NEWS TO THE JUNIOR TITAN (MY WIFE), WHO LAUNCHED A SURGICAL STRIKE

I discovered the real meaning of ‘crossfire’ when I picked up the Brigadier’s rank and was posted to Amritsar.

As a Second Lieutenant, the first piece of advice given to me by a senior Major was: Don’t ever get into the crossfire of Titans. He went on to add: Be neutral, no loose statements, no favourites, and remain away from the ‘power camps’. Curiosity prompted me to ask him about the Titans of the armed forces. His quick reply was that they could be the Commanding Officer, Second in Command, Brigade Commander, Divisional Commander, etc. And he further told me that generally the heat is generated both on the professional and social fronts. I surmised that somewhere this Major had been hurt in the ‘crossfire’. The word ‘etc’ came into force much later in my life. My wife and my mother could easily be termed as Junior Titan and Senior Titan. Both the ladies were thrilled that I had donned the rank of a Brigadier and were possessive to the hilt.

The first salvo was fired by my mother who declared that we will move into the Flag Staff House only after visiting the Golden Temple. The Junior Titan, my wife, countered this by saying that “nobody should dictate us”. Nonetheless, the Senior Titan prevailed.

Then, my mother declared her arrival dates unilaterally. We had only two television sets. On one, I followed the news and sports, while on other the better-half watched the entertainment channels. My mother’s impending arrival prompted my wife to pick up a third TV as the Senior Titan started her day with Gurbani.

Their next battleground was the kitchen. My mother, who thought I was still a toddler, told the maid that she would decide my menu. The maid relayed this news to the Junior Titan, who launched a surgical strike. “It’s either “her” or “me”, “she thundered over my hotline. By afternoon, I had exhausted all my negotiation skills. In the evening, my wife announced the verdict to my mother: The Senior Titan could decide the menu only twice a month. Winner: Junior Titan.

The score-settling became a daily routine, and the next in the firing line was our Labrador named Bossy, who resented the Senior Titan from Day 1 as the latter had banished her to one corner of the house. The hatred between two was mutual. Bossy never believed in losing and was quick to jump on my mother’s bed when she wasn’t around till she received a solid whack of her walking stick.

My driver was the next to add fuel to the blazing fire. Seeing my mother limp, he suggested that ‘Bada Sahib’ arrange her meeting with the ‘fauji doctor’. Thus began the bi-weekly ‘Free Consultancy Journey’, which was followed by my mother calling the doctor for tea. It was no surprise when he went on to become the ‘sincere beta’ and we were told to learn from him.

By now, two distinct camps had emerged. Senior Titan had the doctor, driver and the gardener, while the Junior Titan had the cook, maid and Bossy. Fortunately, I was intelligent enough to adopt the role of a UN observer with total immunity for my reactions.

Finally, we got a breather when the Senior Titan announced her decision to visit my sister for three months. She left with a parting shot: “All those who look after the parents, will be blessed by the Almighty.”

In his address at the 6th annual conference of Heart of Asia, Ghani harshly criticised Islamabad. File photo

Amritsar, December 4

In a hard-hitting attack on Pakistan, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday accused it of launching an “undeclared war” on his country by covertly supporting several terror networks including the Taliban.In his address at the 6th annual conference of Heart of Asia, Ghani harshly criticised Islamabad and said an international mechanism must be put in place without “playing games” to find out who was benefiting from terrorism, extremism and other illicit activities.He said time has come for concrete action against terror infrastructure and those support it, and quoted a top Taliban commander saying unless terror sanctuaries were allowed in Pakistan, the outfit will not last even a month.He said despite Afghanistan’s bilateral and multilateral ties with Pakistan, the “undeclared war” that started in winter of 2014, has intensified after the recent Brussels conference on Afghanistan’s transition.Slamming Pakistan’s habit of denying cross border terror attacks, the Afghan President called for setting up of international mechanism to verify reality of such attacks which have increased in the last few months.He also sought setting up of a global fund to contain terrorism.”There should be an Asian or international regime, whatever is acceptable to Pakistan, should be put in place to verify frontier activities and terrorist operations.”We do not want blame game, we want verification,” he said, without mincing words.”We need to set up a fund to combat extremism,” Ghani said.Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz was among representatives of 30 countries who attended the conference inaugurated jointly by Ghani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”We thank Pakistan for their pledges of USD 500 million for reconstruction of Afghanistan. This fund Mr Aziz could very well be used to contain extremists because without peace any amount of assistance will not meet the needs of our people,” he said, adding that no amount of money could assist Afghanistan if there is support to terrorists by Pakistan. PTI

Aziz not allowed to visit Golden Temple: Pak; India cites security concerns

Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. PTI

Amritsar, December 4

Pakistan today claimed that its Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz was not allowed to visit the Golden Temple and speak to Pakistani mediapersons at the hotel where he was staying, even as India said it was done due to security considerations.Sources in the Pakistani High Commission said Aziz had planned to visit the Golden Temple but was not allowed citing security concerns.Aziz, who arrived here last evening, wanted to interact with Pakistani mediapersons who accompanied him at the Radisson Blue hotel, the venue of the Heart of Asia conference, but was not given permission by security personnel, the sources said.Indian government sources said the permission was not given considering his security.”Security was very tight. Permission was not given due to security reasons. Security of our guests is paramount. India ensured no untoward incident took place,” they said.There was a tiff between Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and security personnel at the hotel after they denied Pakistani journalists entry to the venue.After security personnel denied permission for Aziz’s interaction with the Pakistani media at the conference venue, the Pakistani High Commission planned the interaction at another hotel but that too was not allowed, the Pakistani High Commission sources said.Later, Basit spoke to the Pakistani media. Aziz left for Pakistan by a special aircraft around 8 PM.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had visited the Golden Temple yesterday, while Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visited it today.Apparently, the parents of Hamid Ansari, who is at present lodged in a jail in Pakistan, were waiting for a meeting with Aziz at the Golden Temple.Mumbai-based Fauzia Ansari and her husband Nihal had come here, hoping to request Aziz to release their son from prison, who has already completed his jail term.Hamid, an IT engineer and MBA degree holder, had gone to Kabul on November 4, 2012 from where he reached Pakistan allegedly to meet a Pakistani girl he had been in touch with through e-mails. — PTI

 

 

NEW DELHI: The army is “one team” and soldiers must make their complaints internally, General Rawat said, referring to recent videos of jawans. He announced the setting up of the Chief of Army Staff Redressal and Grievance Boxes. “Whoever has any complaint can tell me directly,” he said, adding that the identities of soldiers will be protected.

Army chief asks troops to have faith in seniors, promises grievance redressal in right earnest

From page 1 NEW DELHI: Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday asked soldiers to directly communicate their grievances to the force’s senior leadership rather than taking to social media, amid a few security personnel, including an army man, going public with their problems by circulating video clips.

“Let troops have confidence in the senior leadership. Their grievances will be addressed in right earnest,” Rawat said in his first press conference after taking over as the army chief on December 31.

He said he had issued orders for “suggestion and grievance” boxes to be installed at several places in the Army headquarters so that complaints could reach him directly, and a similar model would be replicated right down to the force’s lower formations.

Rawat’s comments came a day after a lance naik posted a video on social media condemning soldiers being employed as ‘sahayaks’ by officers. The chief said social media was a twin-edged weapon that could be both favourable and detrimental..

The army chief, however, said the ‘sahayak’ or ‘buddy system’ was an important part of the force’s culture as the officer and his buddy forge a personal relationship and take care of each other.

“If someone can’t perform a sahayak’s duties, they are let off,” he said.

Rawat said the soldiers should submit their grievances along with their names but their identities would not be revealed.

He said the army would not let a communication breakdown happen and soldiers’ problems would be resolved. If soldiers were dissatisfied with the handling of their grievances, they could use other channels, he added.

In a video clip released on Thursday, lance naik Yagya Pratap Singh, who is posted in Dehradun, said that after he wrote to the Prime Minister, the defence minister, the President and the Supreme Court last June, the PMO directed his brigade headquarters to look into his case.

Bengal CM warns Centre of legal action

Exercise was conducted last year as well, GOC Bengal area (officiating) Maj Gen Sunil Yadav said. PTI file photo

Kolkata, December 2The Indian Army on Friday refuted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that troops were deployed at toll plazas without the state government’s knowledge.”This is being done in coordination with local police authorities. The exercise was earlier planned for November 27 and 28. The dates were changed to November 30 to December 2 on a specific request by Kolkata Police due to Bharat Bandh called on November 28,” said GOC Bengal area (officiating) Maj Gen Sunil Yadav. “We deny all charges with all contempt.” Allegations of collection of money by Army personnel are also totally baseless.”

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Maj Gen Yadav said the Indian Army’s Eastern Command had conducted a similar exercise in November 2015 and that two inspectors of the Kolkata Police had surveyed the toll plaza on November 27.Banerjee had called the army deployment “unprecedented and a very serious matter”.”The issues raised by the police were addressed and were telephonically informed to the police,” he said. “It is happening in nine states now across 80 locations… We have our specific targets for data collection. After doing the work for 36 hours our work was done and we had left the toll plaza near Nabanna. The exercise will continue as planned earlier and will end tonight.”(Read: Controversy over army deployment in Bengal echoes in Parliament)A defence spokesperson said on Thursday that the army usually conducted a biennial exercise throughout the country with the aim of getting statistical data about the load carriers that could be made available to the army in case of an emergency.”There is nothing alarming about this and it is carried out according to government orders”, Wing Commander SS Birdi had said.The exercise gave an estimate about the number of vehicles passing through a certain area that could be tapped during operations, he had said. Banerjee, who left the secretariat on Friday evening after staying put for 36 hours in protest, threatened to explore “legal options” if the army was not withdrawn.

We have never seen such arrogance (by Centre). If army is not withdrawn we will explore legal options,” she said.

https://www.facebook.com/ANINEWS.IN/videos/1079210382191724/

Banerjee said she had great respect for the army, but was “sad” at the manner in which they were being used for “political vendetta”. — Agencies

Manmohan Singh releases Congress manifesto for Punjab. —Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 9

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday released the Congress manifesto for Punjab and hailed state unit chief Amarinder Singh as someone whose leadership a financially-strained Punjab needed.Blaming 10 years of Akali-BJP rule for the current economic mess in Punjab, Singh described the state manifesto of Congress as a forward-looking, visionary document that will help put the state back on track.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Releasing the manifesto in the presence of Amarinder Singh, Ambika Soni and AICC Punjab in charge Asha Kumari here, the former prime minister said: “Punjab is a state with potential, but this potential was not utilised in the last 10 years.The people of Punjab need a better tomorrow in terms of agriculture and manufacturing. Captain sahab’s leadership is badly needed by the state. I sincerely believe that under the leadership of Capt Amrinder Singh, we will undo the damage done to Punjab in 10 years. People of the state will have higher per capita income and better infrastructure and agriculture growth. “Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh gave details of the manifesto, which promises to hit at drug cartelswithin four weeks of government installation, ending VIP culture, one job per family, waiver of Rs 67,000 crore farm loans, houses to the homeless and free education for weaker section girls from KG to PhD. Read: Cong manifesto sacred promise to people, vision document: Manpreet

”We took six months to prepare the manifesto. We have gone through villages and reached out to the people. In Punjab we have Rs 5 crore deficit in budget. To tide over all this we have come with programmes for people from every walk of life. Rural debts are Rs 67 000 crore.We will  negotiate with the banks so farmers don’t have to pay, “ Amarinder Singh said.

He referred to Congress ‘ Ghar Ghar main Naukri’ plan to target 90 lakh new voters this time in the age group 18-35 years. The Congress has also promised Rs 2,500 stipend to unemployed youth registered in the state till they get jobs.”We will stop drugs in four weeks’ time, create an industrial pool, offer 33 pc reservation for women in government and contractual jobs, “Amarinder Singh said adding that he will keep all the promises.He also mentioned the creation of Guardians of Governance department in the CMO and ex-servicemen will be overseeing progress of schemes for veterans.Among other sops Congress offered to end 10 year exile in Punjab is free smart phones for students.

Manmohan on demonetisation

“Demonetisation will have an impact on the elections of Punjab. I said in Parliament that it would adversely affect GDP growth. New data shows GDP down from 7.6 per cent to 7.1 per cent. Demonetisation will deeply harm GDP growth,” the former prime minister said.

Highlights:

—No travel for CM in state helicopter

—No state banquet to anyone, except foreign dignitaries

—One job for every household

—Total elimination of political interference in police functioning—Commission of inquiry to find false cases registered against political activist during last 10 years

—Police and political nexuses would be broken

—Free insurance for police

—Third-party audit of expenditure in last three years

—Teachers for teaching only, no other duty

—Free textbooks to all students, books would be available online also

—200 scholarships for bright students to study abroad under the Partap Kairon scholarship scheme

—Electricity tariff for industry pegged at Rs 5 for five years                    —Freight subsidy for industrial products

—No advance tax, no imprisonment for traders in tax cases

—33 per cent reservation in all housing schemes

—50 per cent jobs to Punjab residents in industry

—Old-age pension Rs 1,500 per month

—Public sector thermal plants will be run at optimum level, re-negotiation with private thermal plants on electricity rates

—New ministry for retired defence personnel

—Free education for girls from Class 1 till PhD

—Special security scheme for media

—State kitchen to provide meal at Rs 5 per head

— Ending VIP culture: Abolishing red beacon lights except on emergency vehicles, 90% cut in security personnel for politicians and officials,

2-year ban on foreign travel except where mandatory, medical insurance to reduce financial burden on government.

— Punjab river water for people of the state only: No new canal construction, including SYL, to be allowed

.— Zero tolerance for drug business

— Employment generation: Shaheed Bhagat Singh Employment Generation scheme for youth, unemployment allowance of Rs 2,500 per month till job provided to those registered with the bureaus.

— Agriculture & Allied Occupations:Farm  loan waiver, free power to farmers, increase in crop compensation, crop insurance.

Navy Chief: LCA Tejas ‘not good enough’ for aircraft carriers, need new jet

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 2

Aimed at countering a growing Chinese submarine fleet, India is reviewing its submarine action plan with an immediate target of having 22 underwater vessels by 2021-22.The Navy is also looking at a new fighter jet for its aircraft carriers. It has found the naval version of the light combat aircraft (LCA) — presently being inducted by the IAF — “not powerful enough” to takeoff from the short runaway of the aircraft carriers.Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, said: “We would sort out the void of submarines by 2021-22 when the fleet will have 22 vessels.” “We are studying the long-term maritime capability plan and this review shall include submarines,” Admiral Lanba said.The present plan to make 24 submarines by 2030 has not been enough as the first sub under the plan — the Kalvari — is slated to be commissioned early next year. India currently has 14 submarines: nine Kilo-class (EKMs), four German-designed HDWs (SSKs) and one Akula class nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) on a 10-year lease from Russia (since 2012).In comparison, China is rapidly expanding its submarine fleet. The US Department of Defence, in its annual report to the US Congress, spells out the rise of China’s submarine fleet. The report, “Military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China 2016”, says: “The People’s Liberation Army Navy places a high priority on the modernisation of its submarine force and presently possesses 61 vessels. By 2020, this force will likely grow to between 69 and 78 submarines.”On the LCA Tejas, the Admiral said: “It is not yet up to the mark”, and the Navy is looking for a temporary replacement jet to launch off the carriers. The Navy will continue to back the DRDO on Tejas’ development. “The naval version of the LCA is heavier. When fully loaded, it does not have the required engine thrust,” the Navy Chief said. The available runaway on aircraft carriers is 250-275 m. At the moment, MiG-29K would operate from INS Vikrant, but another fighter jet would be required within the next five years.

India to train B’desh Navy

• The Indian Navy will train the Bangladesh Navy in operating Chinese submarines obtained by the eastern neighbour from Beijing. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar discussed the training during his two-day visit to Bangladesh on Thursday. The first of the two submarines were handed over to Dhaka on November 14, but India is not overtly worried at the development.

Joint operations and precise planning in the war led to India’s victory sooner than Pakistan expected

dEFENCE mINISTER jAGjIVAN rAM WITH iNDIAN TROOPS AFTER THE VICTORY IN THE EASTERN SECTOR

KV Prasad

The iconic picture (see page 1) of General Jagjit Singh Aurora seated next to General AAK Niazi and overlooking the signing of the instrument of surrender of 93,000 Pakistanis on December 16, 1971, and flanked by senior officers of the Indian Armed Forces remains permanently etched as a prized trophy of the war that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

The war itself may have lasted slightly over 12 days but its preparations began a good nine months before the commencement of open hostilities on December 3, when Pakistan Air Force pounded major airfields in the northern India.

A classic battle plan drawn on boards much in advance and gone through with a fine tooth comb in the war rooms included the thrust in the Eastern Sector, the real area where teeming millions from across the then East Pakistan began pouring into India to escape atrocities and brutalities inflicted by the Pakistan army against its own citizens.

Military historians have recorded in detail the plan mounted in the Eastern Theatre to work its way around Pakistani army stationed in East Pakistan and factoring possible Chinese collaboration with the Indian Navy and Air Force playing a complementary or supplementary role in the final march towards Dhaka.

The Indian Army was tasked to mount strikes from three directions through the Siliguri Corridor where the 33 Corps under Lt. Gen ML Thapan were to capture Gaibanda and Bogra via Pirganj, while containing Rangpur and Dinajpur. Push to Jessore through 2 Corp under Lt. Gen Tapeshwar Nath Raina with key objectives to capture Jhenida and Magura with a view to secure ferry sites on River Padma and Madhumati. 4 Corp under Lt. Gen Sangat Singh with three army divisions, three squadrons of armour and eight battalions of East Bengal regiment was to cut through to Dhaka taking Chittagong, Ashuganj and Sylhet sectors. The Gorkhas played a significant role in the fall of garrison at Sylhet.

Navy: The Eastern Theatre also saw for the first time operations in tandem by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. The latter moved in its sole aircraft carrier INS Vikrant under Captain Swaraj Prakash along with frigates INS Brahmaputra and INS Beas to attack Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar after Pakistan’s American-built diesel submarine PNS Ghazi sank outside Visakhapatnam harbor in the wee hours of December 4. Besides Chittagong, the naval manoeuvre choked Pakistan’s sea lanes of communication to vital ports of Khulna and Chalna.

Air Force: Participation began early when it started lifting troops and material to forward locations. Besides providing support to ground forces, IAF Gnats downed two Pakistani Sabres and damaged the third intruder over Boyra on November 22, in the Eastern Sector. The Indian Air Force established supremacy in this sector two days after the war was declared with devastating attacks on major Pakistani air fields in East Pakistan, besides dropping para-troops across rivers.

The IAF delivered the coup de grace on December 14 with four MiG-21s and four Hunters bombing the Government House in Dhaka where Governor AM Malik was holding meeting with officials which ended all resistance.

While jointness is much talked about in military circles, the 1971 War showcases joint operations. In his book, India’s Wars — A Military History 1947-1971, Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramanian quotes Lt. Gen Shamsher Mehta (Retd) recalling, ‘informal camaraderie, pre-launch bonding, and free-flowing operational communication, where rank and protocol did not matter, was the hallmark of operations in the 4 Corps Sector. However, what was also clear was that this synergy was “personality driven” and not “institutionally driven” joint operations that was on display’.

THE security forces know this the world over: the desperate always find ways to cross the borders. The Indian army, despite taking every precaution in the blue book of counter-insurgency, has suffered unacceptably high casualties in yet another militant attack in Jammu & Kashmir. Militants have been continuously probing the army’s defences in the state ever since the Central Government sought to preen over the “surgical strikes” when it went on to suggest it had ended Pakistani appetite for staging violent incidents in India. But the army has since then fended off three attempts to break into their garrisons. The militants finally hit pay dirt in Nagrota on early Tuesday morning.Clearly, the first round of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gamble of punitive military action against Pakistan has not paid off. Pakistan is in its zone, playing this cat-and-mouse game of ceasefire violations and launching attacks by hastily trained militants to keep the Indian leadership off-balance. On the other hand, its envoy in Delhi is a picture of contrived reasonableness as he sidesteps all the recent violence from Uri to Nagrota and offers to hold talks “if India is interested”. Modi’s adoption of the policy of an eye for an eye very early in his tenure has now made it difficult for him to walk back from that approach.The Prime Minister has painted himself in a corner. His anti-Pakistan cheering crowd will not easily allow him to pick up the tools of diplomatic and political rapprochement with Pakistan. After all if the “surgical strikes” were payback for the Uri hit, then according to their logic, India should carry out another round of attacks to avenge the deaths of 25 soldiers since then. A SWOT analysis would show that India will always come second best against the well-honed Pakistani purveyors of “giving the [stronger] enemy a thousand cuts”. Modi needs to utilise Pakistan foreign policy pundit Sartaj Aziz’s offer for talks when he visits Amritsar this weekend. Bilateral ties have been well muddied as the Prime Minister himself has led the jingoistic charge against Pakistan. But being a proponent of out-of-the-box thinking, it is also time for him to review this singular accent on a muscular approach.