Defence and India Shiny brass bullets, a familiar sight for nearly two centuries, to make way for cartridges made of fibre

The traditional shiny golden-coloured brass bullets that have been a familiar sight for almost two centuries will be replaced by cartridges with fibre shells, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) launching a project to develop ‘polymer cased ammunition’ for small arms.

In polymer cased ammunition (PCA), the shell is made of high tensile polymers that can withstand the heat and physical forces involved in the ballistic action as well as the physical firing sequence involving loading and ejecting. The cartridge’s base rim and the projectile or the slug are, however, of standard metal composition. The use of polymers in ammunition cases not only cuts production costs but reduces the weight of the cartridge by 25-30 per cent, thus having a direct impact on the load carried by a soldier as well as logistics, experts said.

An article published by the US Marine Corps, which is actively introducing PCA, stated that it is significantly lighter and easier to haul than traditional brass-cased ammunition. Furthermore, polymer weighs less and offers more durability when compared with brass and other metals commonly used in weapon systems. It also absorbs heat expelled from the casing, preventing the weapon from overheating, allowing soldiers to fire for longer periods.

While PCA is lethal, firing a metal slug, a plastic bullet is non-lethal with a slug made of plastic or hardened rubber that is generally used for crowd control or containing mobs.

Though the introduction of polymer cartridges has recently gained prominence, with the militaries in some countries like the US and Australia being in the process of transitioning from experimental development to operational service, it was first developed in the early 1950s.

These were initially used in shotgun cartridges that are traditionally made of paper or cardboard. The history of the brass cartridge that is to be replaced dates back to 1812, when a Frenchman, Jean Samuel Pauly, created the first integrated cartridge using a brass base.

The first self-contained metallic cartridge was invented by a French gunsmith, Louis-Nicolas Flobert, in 1845, and after further improvements by various experts, it began to be widely adopted from the 1850s.

Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service

“Retracing History, Inspiring the Future.” With this adage, the Indian Army has embarked on a 12-day summer expedition along the historic Old Silk Route in Ladakh, traversing 264 km across altitudes ranging from 11,000 to 18,000 feet.

Retracing one of Asia’s oldest trade routes, the expedition celebrates Ladakh’s rich cultural heritage while fostering endurance, teamwork, and leadership in one of the world’s most challenging terrains, according to the Army.

“Honouring the past, embracing the present, and strengthening the enduring bond between the Indian Army and the people of Ladakh,” the Army’s Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, which is responsible for operations in Ladakh, said.

The Old Silk Route was a vital trans-Himalayan trade route connecting Tibet to Central Asia through the picturesque Nubra Valley and the capital town of Leh in Ladakh, allowing merchants to deal in silk, spices, pashmina wool, salt, and other local merchandise.

After crossing treacherous passes high up in the Karakorams, goods-laden caravans halted in the Nubra Valley in northern Ladakh, also known in local parlance as Ldumra or the Valley of Flowers. Villages like Panamik and Tegar were important tax-collection and resting points.

Thereafter, Leh, across the Khardung La, among the world’s highest motorable passes, was a major halting and trading center where merchants from South Asia, Tibet, and Central Asia gathered to exchange goods. Leh and Nubra have become popular tourist destinations, especially those seeking adventure in the highlands.

Nubra is also home to the Bactrian camels, an endangered species of small, hardy, double-humped camels that were employed in caravans in days of yore.

These camels, native to the rugged region, were abandoned in the wild by traders after the Silk Route was shut down. Only a few hundred Bactrian camels are reported to survive, and these are used for joy rides for tourists visiting Nubra.

Recently, the Army adapted these camels, after extensive research by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, for frontline patrolling and ferrying supplies to remote border outposts. Their load-carrying ability is almost double that of mules and ponies.

The move comes amid India’s ongoing collaboration with the UK to develop and manufacture advanced marine engines in the

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence, yesterday cleared the proposal for setting up a Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems.

The move comes amid India’s ongoing collaboration with the UK to develop and manufacture advanced marine engines in the country. Sources said such engines must undergo extensive real-time testing across multiple iterations and under varied operating conditions before they can be integrated into naval platforms, making the testing facility a critical component of the programme.

In 2022, India and the UK announced a partnership on electric propulsion capability following a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In a joint statement, the two countries announced the formation of a joint working group to promote military and industrial collaboration in maritime electric propulsion systems.

Later that year, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GE Power Conversion as part of efforts to advance cooperation in the field. GE Power Conversion has played a key role in developing the UK’s electric propulsion capability, which is currently deployed on Royal Navy destroyers and aircraft carriers.

In November 2024, the defence ministries of India and the UK signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on cooperation in the design and development of electric propulsion systems.

The SoI provides a framework for collaboration in the co-design, co-development and co-production of electric propulsion capabilities for future naval platforms. The Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) planned to be constructed at an Indian shipyard are expected to be equipped with a full electric propulsion system.

It is when we have to render unto Caesar what is definitely not Caesar’s

Avay Shukla

TS eliot had dubbed April as “the cruellest month” in one of his poems. I am sure he had his reasons for doing so, but it does reveal that he was not one of the four crore Indian taxpayers. For, had he been one, he would have vehemently disagreed — in India, the cruellest month is July, and it has nothing to do with a delayed monsoon or a pensioner’s annual ordeal of submitting a Life Certificate to prove that he is still alive and kicking.

The cruelty of the month derives from the fact that it is the month when we have to render unto Caesar what is definitely not Caesar’s — a large part of the wages of our toil have to be handed over to Ms Sitharaman as income tax, along with an ITR which is as decipherable as the Dead Sea Scrolls and needs an expensive CA to do the job.

I have just shelled out one-fourth of my annual income, comprising pension, interest from fixed deposits, a dash of capital gains, and a drizzle of royalties and remuneration for my books and articles from grudging editors and publishers. The wolf is not at my door yet, but it is getting closer every year. And, for the life of me, I cannot see the justice in the government looting a large portion of my coffers every year, without doing anything for me in return. Whatever happened to the adage — No quid pro, no quid?

I can understand a tax on my pension, since the government is entitled to recover some part of what it paid me for doing nothing for 35 years. I can also see the logic in taxing the interest on deposits, etc — it is passive income, unearned moolah I have not laboured for. But why capital gains? If property prices go up, it’s not because of the government, it’s because of relentless population growth, rapid urbanisation because the villages continue to languish in poverty and lack of development, because of the dismal failure of the Smart City programme.

The government’s only contribution is to ensure that the cities keep deteriorating, but will take its undeserved cut for any price increase. Take shares: they go up, in spite of a failing economy and declining FDI and FPI (the government’s contribution!), because of insider trading, price rigging, cronyism, and a gullible retail investor. The inexplicable rise of the Sensex has nothing to do with economic logic and the government’s contribution again is zero, if not negative. So why should Ms Sitharaman get a share of this gain?

Taxing what the editors and publishers pay me (after many reminders!) is a raid on my intellectual, if not personality, rights. Writers are doing a public service by keeping alive the habit of reading, an activity (or lack of it) that is on ventilator support. Nobody reads nowadays, lacking the attention span to read more than 140 words, preferring reels and emojis. A recent study by the Booker Awards Institute reveals that only 4 per cent Indians read books (about the same number as those paying income tax — is there a connection here?).

Nobody other than Shashi Tharoor or Chetan Bhagat makes any money by writing, the rest of us get by on crumbs from the Amazon toast. We also take a huge risk every time we put pen to paper, not knowing when we might be hauled off to a police station for sedition, criminal defamation or contempt of court. I learn banks are now offering special FDs termed Bail Deposits: the interest on them starts at a low 4 per cent but goes up by 1 per cent for every year you stay out of jail; the full amount can be redeemed after eight years or whenever you are arrested, whichever is earlier.

Even the interest income from these deposits shall be taxable, with an ‘anti-national’ surcharge. There are rumours that insurance companies, sensing a great market opportunity, will shortly launch insurance policies to provide financial cover for arrests under UAPA and deportation under the Citizenship Act. Now that the Passport has been shown its place, they expect this market to grow at a CAGR of 20 per cent.

There used to be a time (which I can barely recall now) when the best things in life were supposed to be free. No longer. They are now taxed at 18 per cent GST. It is no coincidence that the words “taxidermist” and “taxman” have their first three letters in common. The only difference between them is that the taxidermist skins you after you are dead, while the taxman does so while one is still alive. And the final question: now that it has been officially declared that no Indian has a document which provides “conclusive” proof of his citizenship, how come we still have to pay taxes as Indians?

A TURNING POINT IS ABOUT INITIATIVE, NOT THE FINAL VICTORYEL ALAMEIN: 1 – 27 JULY 1942 & BEYOND : Maj Gen Harvijay

Lt Gen Lakhera and the remarkable story of 4 Kumaon

Citizens not slaves, can’t be externed for anti-govt stir: HC

Counter-UAV systems among Rs 52K-cr defence acquisitions

Army Chief Gen Dhiraj Seth outlines ‘VIJAY’ roadmap, pushes modernisation and self-reliance

Army’s 2 regional commands facing Pakistan get new commanders

Nabipur rejoices over Lt Gen Sahi’s achievement

india making efforts to control rivers, Pakistan alleges yet again

Maj Gen Harvijay Singh, SM)

World War II – After the capture of Keren and Asmara by mid-1941, Indian Divisions drove the Italians out of Eritrea freeing the Red Sea from any threat …. they were then reverted to North Africa where the situation had changed for the worst.

German General Erwin Rommel landed at Tripoli in March 1941 with the legendary Afrika Korps. By April 1941, Desert Fox as Rommel was known was in Egypt and started pushing the allies back eastwards.

Tobruk fell on 21 June 1941 – a major victory for Rommel.

The Afrika Korps was checkmated at El Alamein between 1-27 Jul 1942 and shattered on 4 Nov 1942 …. driven 2,000 km west across Libya, and finally surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943, ending the North African Campaign.

Two years of sterling performance of Indian Divisions:

4th Indian Division (5, 7, 11 Infantry Brigades) fought in every major phase of the North African Campaign, Central India Horse (Light Tanks).

5th Indian Division (9, 10, 29 Infantry Brigades), executed a disciplined fighting withdrawal, held Alam Halfa Ridge where Rommel’s last major offensive in Egypt was defeated.

3rd Indian Motor Brigade. Fought aggressively suffering heavy casualties (equipped with Fordson trucks, limited radios, and very light anti-tank capability). Delayed Rommel long enough for the Alamein line to stabilize.

Later joined by, and 10th Indian Division (20, 25 Indian Infantry Brigades). Used for the final encirclement.

Lest we Forget – the fighting skills and bravery of the Indian Divisions need to be celebrated with great pride.

El Alamein covered an area of 80 Sq Kms between the sea and an impassable depression in the desert 100 Km west of Alexandria and 240 Km northwest of Cairo. Rommel aimed to seize Alexandria and threaten the Suez Canal.

After a series of defeats, 8th British Army commanded by General Claude Auchenlek took defence at El Alamein: laid miles of mines and dug tank traps. By now the Allies were close to their supply bases in Egypt … Rommel had stretched himself.

Rommel had superiority in armour. Auchinleck had superiority in artillery, and his forces were well dug in.

 5th Indian Division (Ball of Fire) was deployed around the Ruweisat ridge. On 14 July 1942 the Germans attacked in force but were beaten back after a fierce fight.

 Although the Allies stopped the offensive, it was viewed as a failure since Auchinleck failed to decisively destroy the enemy despite possessing a far larger force.

• His counterattacks were piecemeal, lacking armour–infantry coordination.
• The 8th Army remained reactive, not dominant – there were many missed opportunities.

Auchinleck was replaced and General Bernard Montgomery took command on 13 Aug 1942.

With his supply lines overextended, Rommel could have withdrawn. However, he and Hitler were obsessed with taking Alexandria and Afrika Korps remained in El Alamein.

Both sides were exhausted and there was a lull in the fighting. 5th Indian Division was relieved by 4th Indian Division and left for Iraq to recoup.

By end Aug Rommel planned to strike a decisive blow north of Alam el Halfa Ridge – a wide southern hook to outflank El Alamein and strike Montgomery’s rear ….. fuel starvation, air attacks, minefields, and 4th Indian Division’s defence however turned it into a final failed offensive.

Montgomery counterattacked but broke when the Germans were pushed back to their starting positions. Both sides again rested to build up their strength.

The strategic turning point of the North African Campaign was the 1st Battle of El Alamein (July 1942) and Alam el Halfa (30 Aug – 5 Sep 1942) – a turning point is about initiative, not the final victory.

By early 1943, 4th Indian Division had fought in more battles than any other Allied division in the North Africa. It was repeatedly thrown into the toughest sectors:

• Benghazi – After the collapse of the Italian 10th Army in early 1941, it pushed rapidly through Cyrenaica, entering Benghazi as part of the 8th Army’s advance.
• Tobruk – Early 1941: part of the forces that captured the port from the Italians. Later 1941- 42 part of the defence of Tobruk against the Afrika Corps.
• Wadi Akarit (6 April 1943) – One of the finest actions against the withdrawing Germans: an assault on the Fatnassa Heights creating a breach that forced a 240-km Axis retreat toward Enfidaville.
• Enfidaville – Spirited battles in the tough mountainous Tunisian terrain.
• Tunis – Final push to end the North African campaign.

During the North African campaign, if you walked into the bar of Shepheard’s hotel in Cairo, the barman always asked – which division? If you answered 4th Indian Division, drinks were on the house. The story might be apocryphal, but it glorifies 4th Indian Division – regarded as one of the “greatest fighting formations in military history”.

4th Indian

5th Indian Division
When the Division came under my command in South-East Asia towards the end of 1943, it had already had three years’ hard fighting in Africa. In 1941 it had played a leading part in the defeat of the Italian Army in the Sudan, Eritrea, and Abyssinia; in the summer of 1942 it had been very heavily engaged with the Germans and Italians in the crucial battle of the Knightsbridge ‘Cauldron,’ and in the fighting withdrawal across North Africa to the defence of the Alamein line…when I first met the men of this Division, soon after the formation of the South-East Asia Command—indeed it was the first Division that I visited—its reputation was already high…the Division was heavily engaged in the first land battle to be fought since the Command had been set up…and a large share of the credit must go to the Fifth Indian Division for the first decisive victory against the Japanese since they had invaded two years previously…(the) land victory at Kohima and Imphal, in which the Division played an important part, proved to be the turning-point of the Burma Campaign…The Division continued to fight and to advance throughout the rest of the war, except for one period of rest and reorganization…Its record was second to none and I was proud to have such a fine formation under my command. Louis Mountbatten in his memoirs paying

tribute to the 5th Infantry Division

The passing of Lieutenant General Madan Mohan Lakhera (retd), former Governor of Mizoram and former Adjutant General of the Indian Army in Uttarakhand on June 29, is certainly a loss not only to the military fraternity, particularly the Fourth Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment with which he had gone to war and later commanded, but also to the Himalayan state that is among the largest contributors of officer and men to the Armed Forces.

Among the Army’s oldest and most illustrious infantry battalions, it is closely associated with decisive post-Independence military operations in Kashmir, Goa and Siachen, being the first to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra and the first to entrench on Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield.

Born in the village of Jakhand in Tehri Garhwal in 1937, he had served as the 8th Governor of Mizoram from July 2006 to September 2011. Prior to this, he was the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from July 2004 to July 2006 and also held the additional charge as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from February 2006 to December 2006, becoming the first person from the Garhwal region to hold a Governor’s appointment.

An alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned in June 1958, and participated in the 1961 campaign for the Liberation of Goa, 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars and several other important operations, including high-level appointments in counter-insurgency environment in Jammu and Kashmir.

As a Lieutenant Colonel, Lt Gen Lakhera had commanded the illustrious Fourth Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment in Jammu and Kashmir from December 1975 to July 1978. Also known as the Fighting Fourth, it was this battalion that was awarded the first Param Vir Chakra, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

The recipient, though posthumous, was Major Somnath Sharma, who was killed in action during the Battle of Badgam on November 3, 1947, while repelling Pakistani infiltrators near the Srinagar Airport.

In October 1947, the 4 Kumaon was deployed in Delhi in aid of civil authority when it was ordered to move to the Kashmir Valley. The battalion’s D-Company, under the command of Major Somnath Sharma, was airlifted to Srinagar on October 31, 1947. At that time, his left hand was in a plaster cast because of an injury sustained on the hockey field, but he insisted on being with his troops in combat.

The company was deployed on patrol duty west of Srinagar. On November 3, a group of around 700 infiltrators approached Badgam and the company position was surrounded from three sides and came under heavy mortar fire. Major Sharma realised the importance of holding onto his position as both the city of Srinagar and the airport would be vulnerable, if lost.

In his book, “Operation Rescue: Military Operations in Jammu and Kashmir, 1947-49”, Lt Gen SK Sinha, former Vice Chief of Army Staff and Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, wrote that despite being heavily outnumbered and under intense enemy fire, Maj Sharma urged his men to fight on bravely. Frequently exposing himself to danger as he moved from post to post, he continued to lead from the front. Despite the forward two platoons falling, he clung to his position with the depth platoon.

While he was busy engaging fighting the enemy, a mortar shell exploded on the ammunition near him. His last message to the Brigade HQ received a few moments before he was killed was, “The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are hopelessly outnumbered. I will not withdraw an inch, but fight to the last man, last round.”

“Major Sharma’s company held its ground, and the survivors withdrew only when they were almost completely encircled. His inspiring leadership delayed the enemy for six crucial hours, allowing reinforcements to take up positions at Hum Hom and stem the enemy advance,” states the citation accompanying his award. Sepoy Dewan Singh Danu was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra in the same battle.

Besides being associated with India’s first Param Vir Chakra, 4 Kumaon also shares a distinguished link with two successive Chiefs of the Army Staff — General SM Shrinagesh and General KS Thimayya — who served as Army Chief from May 1955 to May 1957 and from May 1957 to May 1961, respectively. Both officers had served with the 4th Battalion of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment in the erstwhile British Indian Army, which was reorganised as the 4 Kumaon after Independence.

Tracing its origins to 1788, when it was raised to maintain order in Berar and safeguard the northern frontiers of the princely state of Hyderabad, the battalion has since participated in numerous campaigns, both in India and overseas.

It was the 4 Kumaon that spearheaded the induction of Indian troops into Siachen Glacier when the Operation Meghdoot was launched by the Indian Army in 1984 to pre-empt Pakistan from taking control of the strategic high ground that has since remained the world’s highest and coldest battlefield and India’s longest continuing military operation.

In March 1984, the battalion, under the command of Lt Col DK Khanna and supported by elements of the Ladakh Scouts, undertook a perilous march across the snowbound Zoji La pass. Carrying full battle loads and maintaining strict radio silence to avoid detection, the troops trudged for days through treacherous terrain, according to historical accounts of the operation. At the time, Lt Gen Lakhera, then a Brigadier, was commanding an Infantry Brigade based in Kanpur.

The first column led by Major RS Sadhu was tasked with establishing a position on the heights of the glacier. The next column, led by Captain Sanjay Kulkarni, secured Bilafond La, a 17,880 feet high mountain pass that is a tactical choke point and vital for retaining control over the glacier.

The remaining columns, led by Captain PV Yadav, advanced further and, after four days of arduous movement, secured the other key heights along the Saltoro Ridge. By the conclusion of the mission, about 300 Indian troops had dug in on the glacier’s crucial peaks and passes.

When Pakistan launched its ill-fated Operation Ababeel in April 1984, its troops approaching the Saltoro Ridge found the Indian Army firmly entrenched and in control of all major mountain passes and commanding heights along the ridge on the glacier’s western flank.

Citizens cannot be made slaves of the government, and externment orders cannot be passed merely because a person is involved in agitations and protests against it, the Bombay High Court has said while quashing a year-long order against a local politician.

A Single Bench of Madhav Jamdar also remarked in a lighter vein that with the ongoing “horse-trading” in Maharashtra politics, the petitioner could consider switching parties to get all the FIRs registered against him closed.

Petitioner Saeed Ahmad Abdul Wahid Chaudhary had moved the HC challenging the externment (often referred to as ‘tadipaar’) order passed against him after he was booked through a bunch of FIRs for staging protests and raising slogans against the Centre, BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The police claimed these protests were staged without due permission from the authorities. The court, in its order, said there was nothing on record to show that the protests had caused any harm and, therefore, by themselves, could not be grounds for passing the externment order under the provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.

The HC noted that the externment order affected Chaudhary’s fundamental rights, freedom of speech and expression and also his right to live with dignity. “Why externment orders for slogans? Can’t citizens raise such slogans? Why can’t citizens protest against government actions and decisions?” the court questioned.

Citizens were being made slaves of the government, the HC said, adding that if anybody protested, agitated or questioned the actions of the government, then cases were slapped against them. “Even you (Chaudhary) should switch sides. Anyways, horse-trading is going on in entire Maharashtra. You have some FIRs against you. Consider switching sides; there is a washing machine,” Justice Jamdar quipped. PTI

STAGING a peaceful protest is every Indian citizen’s democratic right, as repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court and various high courts. Can the police be justified in slapping FIRs on a protester and debarring him from entering a city merely for criticising the government and the ruling party? The Bombay High Court’s answer is an unequivocal “no”. Setting aside the Mumbai Police’s externment order against a political activist, the HC has observed that a morcha or a protest against decisions of the BJP-led Centre cannot by itself be a ground for drastic action that impacts the person’s fundamental rights. Justice Madhav J Jamdar’s sharp observation that “citizens cannot be made slaves of the government” is set to have reverberations far beyond Maharashtra.

Dissent is not a crime; it is a form of expression protected under Article 19 of the Constitution. Treating it as a threat to public order without credible evidence of violence or danger erodes the very freedom that distinguishes a democracy from an authoritarian state. The HC rightly noted that the FIRs registered against the petitioner largely related to alleged violations of prohibitory orders during protests, punishable by relatively minor provisions of the law. Such allegations fall far short of justifying the severe restriction of banishing him from his city for a whole year.

Justice Jamdar’s assertion that the police are “public servants” and not servants of political leaders is equally significant. His suggestion, made in a lighter vein, that the petitioner should consider switching parties to get the FIRs quashed through the government’s “washing machine” sums up the sorry state of affairs in the season of defections. The ruling serves as a timely reminder that citizens are not subjects to be silenced — they are the sovereign voice of the Republic.

Approval also granted for pseudo satellite-based surveillance for IAF

Drawing lessons from Operation Sindoor and the military standoff with China, the Defence Ministry on Friday approved a counter-UAV system for the Army and a pseudo satellite-based surveillance platform for the Indian Air Force.

A shipborne unmanned aerial system for the Navy and a new category of jet-powered kamikaze drones for the Army were also cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex procurement body of the ministry.

The DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — the first stage of the acquisition process and an in-principle administrative approval — for proposals worth Rs 52,000 crore.

For the Indian Air Force, approval was granted for the procurement of High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS), which will provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), telecommunications and remote-sensing capabilities.

The HAPS platforms will feature fixed wings similar to aircraft and will be powered by solar energy and onboard batteries. They are essentially ultra-long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles that operate in the stratosphere, typically at an altitude of 20 km.

A pseudo-satellite flies high enough to perform many functions associated with a geostationary satellite, remaining over a designated geographical area for weeks or even months at a time, but at a fraction of the cost of launching a satellite into space. Unlike conventional satellites, which eventually burn up or become space debris, HAPS can return to base, land on a runway and be redeployed.

For the Army, the DAC approved the procurement of the Akash Tarang anti-UAV system, an electronic warfare platform designed to neutralise incoming drones.

The Ministry of Defence said the system would provide effective anti-drone protection to Army formations. Rather than relying solely on kinetic interception through guns or missiles, Akash Tarang employs radio-frequency jamming, spoofing and other electronic countermeasures to disrupt the command links and navigation signals of hostile drones.

The DAC also approved the procurement of jet-powered kamikaze drones, along with man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) systems, medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) systems and very short-range air defence systems (V-SHORADS).

The MPATGM will strengthen infantry units’ ability to counter armoured and mechanised threats. The MRSAM system will provide medium-range air defence against a range of aerial threats, while the V-SHORADS will enhance the Army’s close-range air defence capability.

For the Navy, the DAC approved the procurement of Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems (NSUAS). Equipped with advanced sensors, these platforms are expected to significantly improve the Navy’s situational awareness and surveillance capabilities.

The Army Chief, Gen Dhiraj Seth, on Wednesday stressed the need for speeding up modernisation and laid out five priorities — “VIJAY” — each alphabet of the acronym signifying a priority.

Gen Seth, who took charge on Tuesday, inspected a guard of honour on the lawns of the South Block on Wednesday and then saluted his father, Lt Gen KM Seth (retd), who was present in the audience.

Gen Seth’s tenure as the Army Chief also brings in the first woman ADC, Capt Shivani.

Gen Seth said VIJAY stood for “vigilance; innovation and transformation; jointness and integration; aatmanirbharta; and yodha”. This covers the entire gamut of tasks Gen Seth has laid out for himself and the Army. “Aatmanirbharta” and “yodha” mean self-reliance and soldier.

Military service runs in Gen Seth’s family

Gen Seth’s family also has a deep association with the armed forces. His father, Lt Gen KM Seth (retd), served in the Regiment of Artillery. The Army Chief’s younger brother, Rear Admiral Ravnish Seth, serves in the Navy. An engineer by profession, he is currently posted as Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Ship Repair Yard in Karwar. One of Gen Seth’s two daughters is engaged to Flight Lieutenant Kanishk Malik

Explaining the importance of VIJAY, Gen Seth said the Army would maintain constant vigilance along the borders and against emerging threats. “We will also ensure a high level of operational readiness to respond effectively to any challenge to national security,” he said.

On “innovation and transformation”, Gen Seth said his focus would be on innovation in both doctrine and technological solutions. “Innovation will remain an integral part of our thinking, our systems and our capability development. At the same time, necessary transformations will be undertaken in keeping with the changing character of warfare,” Gen Seth said.

“Jointness and integration” will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Army and maintain complete synergy and coordination with the IAF and the Navy.

On “aatmanirbharta”, Gen Seth said, “With indigenous capabilities and technologies developed within the country, we must build a self-reliant Army. The overall aim will be to win our wars with indigenous solutions.”

On “yodha”, he said, “From Agniveer to the senior-most veteran, each one is a yodha. These yodhas are the greatest strength of our Army. Enhancing the technological threshold and training standards of our soldiers will be among my foremost priorities.”

He said the Army was combat-ready and a battle-hardened force, fully prepared and capable of meeting every challenge in the operational domain. “Our aim is to build a technology-enabled, future-ready Army, which is fully empowered and capable of operating across multiple domains,” he said.

Gen Seth expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for reposing their trust in him and for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the Army.