Jammu, July 27

To honour the sacrifices of brave soldiers who laid down their lives during the 1999 Kargil war, the 19th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas was observed on Thursday at Shradhanjali Park, Udhampur, with solemnity and dignity.Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Northern Command, along with a large number of personnel andcivil officials, paid homage to the martyrs by lighting candles.The day is a special occasion for the Army as it is the anniversary of the rarest battle which was fought and won in the most adverse and challenging conditions.Observing Vijay Diwas was a humble tribute to the martyrs and an acknowledgement of their valour andsacrifice, a Northern Command spokesperson said

Jammu, July 28

Amid a spike in terror attacks on security forces in Kashmir, the police are set to purchase 50 bullet-resistant bunker (BRB) vehicles with a higher level of protection from gunfire.The J&K Police have recently floated tenders for the purchase of the 50 BRB 4X4 vehicles with NIJ-III level protection that would shield them against fire from self-loading rifles (SLRs) and AK-47 rifles.The NIJ-III level is a standard set by the US-based National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for body armour.Hundred militants and 43 security personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in the first six months of this year, the government informed the Rajya Sabha recently.Sixteen civilians were also killed during this period, which saw 256 incidents of violence.The police will get 50 bullet-proof bunker vehicles for protection of security personnel against terror attacks in insurgency-hit areas of Kashmir, a senior police official said on Saturday.The BRB vehicles should have specifications to give protection against fire from SLRs and AK-47 rifles on four sides at 90 degree angle of attack from 10 metre and roof at 45 degree of the attack from 10 metre, the official said.The NIJ standard “Ballistic Resistance of Body Armour” is a minimum performance standard developed in collaboration with the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).The NIJ level-III protection is tested to stop 7.62mm full metal jacket lead core rifle ammunition.The bullet resistant glasses should have the required thickness with finest optical quality minimum distortion to be used as transparent armours, which must be capable of withstanding NIJ level-III protection, he said.The official said the vehicle must give protection against 8 kg of TNT and equivalent and its underbelly shall be protected against blasts of two hand grenades.The vehicle must be able to accommodate 10 people in a bullet-proof single cabin, the official said.As per the specifications, the fuel tanks of the vehicles should also be bullet-proof.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir last year, he had announced a package of Rs 500 crore for the modernisation of the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the PM Development Programme and that is under procurement.Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir recently said in the Rajya Sabha that in 2017, 342 incidents of “violence” were reported in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 213 militants were killed. A total of 80 security personnel and 40 civilians were killed last year, Ahir said. — PTI

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow , July 17

On the second death anniversary of former Indian hockey captain Mohammad Shahid on July 20, his widow Parveen plans to meet the PM in New Delhi and return his awards. She is hurt at the government not keeping its word on naming a stadium or tournament after him.Shahid, one of India’s finest hockey players known for his dribbling skills, was the national team captain in 1985-86. He scored the goal that helped India win the gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He was decorated with the Arjuna Award in 1980–1981 and Padma Shri in 1986.Speaking to The Tribune, Parveen said when her 56-year-old husband passed away in Gurgaon two years ago, she was promised by then Minister of State for Sports Vijay Goel that an all-India tournament would be named after him. “Several important persons visited my house in Varanasi and promised me help. One of the promises made was that the Diesel Locomotive Works stadium in Varanasi would be re-named after my husband, who was a Class I officer with the Indian Railways.“A board with my husband’s name was hung at the DLW stadium. I was told a senior minister would formally rename the stadium. But nothing happened. The board too has been removed”, she complained. After numerous written complaints to the PM’s office in Varanasi and several futile attempts to meet the PM, who represents the Varanasi constituency, Parveen has finally decided to return the awards which, she says, mean nothing.Varanasi District Magistrate Surendra Singh, who met her on Tuesday, took note of her grievances.

Her grouse

Mohammad Shahid’s widow Parveen says govt hasn’t kept word on naming tourney/stadium after him. She now plans to meet the PM. One among India’s finest hockey players, Shahid captained the Indian team in 1985-86.

Our Correspondent

Kangra, July 15

The Commander of Rising Star Corps, Lt Gen YVK Mohan, on Saturday launched a plantation drive. As many as 2,700 saplings will be planted in the Yol Cantonment area.Lt Col Devender Anand, defence spokesperson, said the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Rising Star Corps, led the drive by planting a sapling at ‘Tank Trophy’ on the Brigade Bazar road in Yol Cantonment.He said the GOC highlighted the importance of plantation in the wake of global warming and ecological imbalance.Lt Col Anand said the ‘Go green’ drive aimed at encouraging people to plant more and more trees.

NEW DELHI: Private companies can now manufacture uniforms for the defence services.

Branded fabric and fashion retailer Raymond has begun supplying uniform cloth to the defence ministry’s Canteen Stores Department (CSD) for Indian Air Force and Indian Army, the army has said.

Raymond cloth is now available for army’s olive green uniform, commonly known as OG, and IAF’s summer dress.

“Initial order quantity has been supplied to most of the CSD depots,” said Col Aman Ana ..

In a re-run of the scrapped MMRCA race, the same six companies with the same aircraft will compete for the same order from the same customer.

New Delhi: Tragedy and farce hang like spectres over the Indian Air Force’s efforts to procure fighter jets.

The first ended in tragedy, and a deadline of sorts for a second, or third, attempt ends Friday, with six foreign vendors’ responses to a 73-page Request for Information (RFI).

In the re-run of the scrapped MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) race, the same six companies with the same six aircraft would be intending to compete for the same order from the same customer. Only, this time the customer, Indian Air Force, has pared down the numbers from 126 to 110.

“…Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results used to be a definition of lunacy,” former navy chief and aviator, Admiral Arun Prakash (retired) tweeted recently in response to a discussion on the RFI. “It would be a great shame if logic, economics and jointness do not persuade IAF and IN (Indian Air Force and Indian Navy) to select the same aircraft. MoD (Ministry of Defence) should consider issuing a fiat.”

Admiral Prakash was highlighting the fact that the navy was also looking to procure 57 deck-based fighter jets. Though the requirement of carrier-borne jets is demanding of a maritime capability, he has argued in favour of looking at synergies among the platforms of the different services.

Competing jets

Boeing’s  F/A-18E/F  Super Hornet Block III, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 70,  Dassault Aviation’s Rafale F3R, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab’s Gripen E and Russian United Aircraft Corporation’s MiG-35 will be vying for a IAF contract conservatively estimated at $18 billion over 12 years. Four of these six companies are also in contention for the navy order.

In the time that the last tender was scrapped (2015) and now, the aircraft have been made more modern in a military aviation equivalent of software upgrades on smartphones. In that time, the Modi administration contracted 36 Rafales from France in a befuddling government-to-government order.

Befuddling because the IAF had projected a requirement for 126 (six squadrons) of the aircraft. Its projection was based on the government’s operational directive to be prepared for a two-front war. The directive has remained unchanged since 2009.

Between 2015 and now, the IAF was also asked to consider buying 114 single-engine fighters through a competitive process. That was scrapped, again, in April and the current RFI was issued. This one, like the MMRCA contest initiated in 2007, does not specify the number of engines that the winning aircraft should have.

Consequently, among the six competitors are two single-engine fighters (the F-16 and the Gripen) and four twin-engined ones.

There is one big difference, though, with the scrapped 2007 tender: the foreign vendors are now required to tie-up with an Indian ‘strategic partner’ that may be a private sector entity. The last MMRCA race had specified the defence public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd as the ‘lead integrator’.

After extensive flight evaluation trials, the IAF down-selected the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Rafale. The Rafale was announced as the winner because it was relatively cheaper. But the two aircraft were the most expensive to begin with.

Next stage

Now, the IAF has said it wants to buy 82 single-seat fighters and 28 twin-seaters. Most (75 per cent) of the aircraft will have to be made in India. This would mean that the global majors will have to set up assembly lines in the country.

The RFI responses is only the first stage in a long-drawn procurement process. After examining the responses, the defence establishment will draft the Request for Proposals (RFP) — the actual global tender. The RFP will lay down in detail the technical parameters the IAF wants for its next fighter jet. It is unlikely that they will be very different from the parameters that led to them choosing the Rafale, 36 of which have been contracted.

After trials and evaluations, the government will select the aircraft with the cost factor likely to override many of the other considerations. A contract negotiation committee will finally determine the value of the order. It was at this stage that the last MMRCA contract came unstuck.

Ranju Singh, wife of lieutenant colonel Dharamvir Singh, officer commanding (OC) of M-sector Imphal, in a complaint to Imphal police station, said her husband was reportedly taken away by armed jawans, Nanda and Major Rathod on early Sunday morning from their quarter

Ranju Singh, wife of lieutenant colonel Dharamvir Singh along with their kids. (File)

The wife of an army officer posted in Imphal lodged a police complaint against two other officers for kidnapping and wrongful confinement after her husband was allegedly taken away by the accused.

Ranju Singh, wife of lieutenant colonel Dharamvir Singh, officer commanding (OC) of M-sector Imphal, in a complaint to Imphal police station, said her husband was reportedly taken away by armed jawans, Nanda and Major Rathod on early Sunday morning from their quarter.

The officers were charged with under section 346/365/363/120-B IPC and 27 Arms act for wrongful confinement, kidnapping and kept concealing with criminal conspiracy by using arms.

“On July 1 morning at around 6:30 am, I woke up and saw my husband was ready and doing pooja. Then somebody knocked on the door, we both saw 8 to 10 armed jawans in uniform standing outside. With my husband, I also went outside, I saw two officers lt. col. Nanda and Major Rathod along with one JCO”, said Ranju.

Read | Army refutes allegations of wrongful detention made by officer’s wife

The officer-in-charge asked Dharamvir to get dressed in army uniform as he was to be taken under custody as per the direction of Colonel Ranjan Singh CO 3CISU, added Ranju while claiming that no warrant was given to her. Since then, Dharamvir did not return to his family nor did the authority gave information on the whereabouts of the officer immediately.

On Tuesday morning, Dharamvir called his wife on her mobile informing that he was at Corps Military Police (CMP) surrounded by guards and hung up the phone, revealed Ranju. Ranju along with her two daughters came to visit Dharamvir on June 30 at his posting place at M-Sector but they informed that they have moved to a friend’s place out of fear.

“I want my husband to be brought back with same respect, I want him to be respected by Indian Army as he is a good officer. Please help my husband and my family”, appealed Ranju speaking to reporters in Imphal.

According to police, authority from the M-sector post reported to the police that Dharamvir was not arrested but currently at CSIU Dimapur unit.

Pakistan’s slow descent into the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list was preordained. The US was chaffing at Rawalpindi’s covert support to the Taliban and now that it had agreed to come to the negotiating table, it was important to keep it under pressure by choking its sources of financing, mainly from Pakistan. Pakistan’s promulgation of an ordinance in February did address a few Indian concerns but none was convinced about their permanency given its back history of slipping upon dutiful promises. However, its leadership’s reflex reaction of blaming a US-India conspiracy is disturbing. By now it should have realised that the worm has turned as far as dirty money is concerned; even rock-solid tax havens have been forced to come clean.Even if the Pakistani leadership’s lament about victimisation is taken on face value — and there may be a grain of truth since most of the other seven on the grey list are politically estranged from the US — it has certainly acted irresponsibly by allowing UN-sanctioned individuals to roam free and test the electoral waters? Pakistan’s nudge-and-wink approach towards some serious purveyors of violence has not just extracted a heavy toll outside its borders but inside as well, including 3,000 of its soldiers. The FATF also needs to be questioned about the effectiveness of its methodology that is six years old for Islamabad remains unreformed despite being put on the grey list and black list for a total of five years since 2008.Pakistan may not immediately feel the pinch of FATF’s listing because of the cushion of Chinese promises to fund the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. But its development needs far exceed what the yuan can provide and it will have to pay higher costs for international bonds and to borrow from multilateral bodies. At the same time, Pakistan requires time to implement the recommendations because its interim government has no mandate to make policy changes. Yet the leadership needs to realise that the screen of victimhood is no safeguard against the pain it suffers for using militancy as a permanent instrument of state policy.

NEW DELHI: If India wants to send Pakistan another strong message again, India “can definitely” hit them again with surgical strikes + , said the Army officer who oversaw the first such strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC), in a comment today to news agency ANI.

Lt General (Retired) DS Hooda also said the 2016 decision to hit the terror camps came from the Centre and the military agreed with it.

“Decision (on conducting surgical strikes) finally came from political leadership but military was in agreement that we needed to do something. If we want to send another strong response to Pakistan in the future we can definitely do it again,” said General Hooda.

Video footage of the surgical strikes + across the LoC, which took place on September 29, 2016, was aired on TV news channels on Wednesday. The eight-minute-long video shows how the Special Forces of the Indian Army crossed over the LoC and destroyed the targets on the Pakistani side of the LoC.The footage was reportedly shot from drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and was captured on thermal imaging cameras used by the Army to monitor the operation.

The operation was monitored from a control room in Udhampur, Headquarters of Indian Army’s strategic Northern Command,” General Hooda, the then Northern Army Commander told Times Now.

“One of the major challenges that the team that went across, faced was that the camps were located close to Pakistan Army posts,” Hooda added.