New Delhi: The relationship between India and Bhutan is based on the pillars of trust, goodwill and mutual understanding. The two neighbours have a close civilizational, cultural and economic relationship that dates back centuries. Bhutan considers India as Gyagar, meaning the holy land, as Buddhism originated in India, which is the religion followed by the majority of Bhutanese.
The relationship between the two countries further strengthened with the establishment of diplomatic relations between them in 1968.
The basis of this relationship is formed on the solid foundation of the Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of 1949 which emphasises “perpetual peace and friendship, free trade and commerce, and equal justice to each other’s citizens.”
Bhutan not only shares a 699 kilometres long boundary with India adjoining four Indian states but is also a key player in two of India’s cardinal foreign policy elements – Neighbourhood Policy and Act East Policy.
For India, Bhutan’s socio-economic development and territorial integrity have always been a key plank in its foreign policy agenda. The two countries have a close strategic partnership, with India providing assistance to Bhutan in various sectors, including economic development, infrastructure, education, health and security.
India is not only Bhutan’s biggest development partner but also the most important trading partner both as a source and market for its trade in goods and services. India provides not only the transit route to a landlocked Bhutan but is also the biggest market for a number of Bhutan’s exports including hydroelectricity, semi-finished products, ferrosilicon and dolomite.
Bolstering strategic relations, India deployed its Military Training Team (IMTRAT) in Bhutan to train the Bhutanese security forces in 1961 and since then has been responsible for Bhutanese security. A number of engagements pertaining to security and border management issues, threat perceptions, coordination of Indo-Bhutan border entry exit points, and sharing of real-time information, among other aspects are being undertaken by the two countries on a regular basis.
The Doklam standoff between Indian and Chinese forces in 2017 has made the security matter even more important and has led to even better coordination and partnership between Indian and Bhutanese forces to secure the strategic areas.
The Indo-Bhutan relationship has development cooperation and hydroelectricity generation as its cornerstone. The two countries have committed to jointly develop 10,000 MW of hydroelectricity capacity in Bhutan. The completion of the 720 MW Mangdechhu hydropower project in Bhutan has been deemed an achievement of the partnership between the two countries. This has propelled discussions of the Sankosh Hydropower Project building between the two countries.
The two countries did not deter from their commitment even during the COVID-19 pandemic and commissioned the first-ever joint venture project – the 600 MW Kholongchhu hydropower project during the testing time. The project is aimed at generating surplus hydroelectricity for Bhutan which will be exported to India aiding Bhutan’s revenue as well as employment generation.
India’s assistance to Bhutan’s development is not limited to the hydropower sector but encompasses almost all the sectors including education, health, infrastructure, social services, environmental protection and technology advancement, amongst others. As per Bhutan’s 12th Five Year Plan (2018-2023), India is providing grant assistance to the tune of INR 4,500 crores, along with a transitional Trade Support Facility of INR 400 crores over a five-year period to reinforce the economic linkages.
In the realm of scientific and technological cooperation, the recent launch of a joint India-Bhutan SAT satellite by ISRO marks a new era of India – Bhutan relations. This satellite is expected to enable Bhutan by providing real-time data and high-resolution images for land mapping and facilitating managing its natural resources, forests and agriculture.
This development is in line with the growing India-Bhutan relations in new avenues such as advanced technology, space and digital systems.
Several key initiatives have already been launched in the fields of digital and space, such as RuPay, the integration of Bhutan’s DrukREN with India’s national Knowledge Network and the establishment of Ground Earth Station by ISRO to harness the services of South Asia Satellite. Thus, India is enabling the development of Bhutan’s digital and space infrastructure so as to harness the potential of Bhutanese youth via skill development and employment generation.
Through digital and space cooperation, not only India is spreading its technological footprint but Bhutan is also getting benefitted from India’s investments, research and development, technological know-how and expertise in bringing about transformation in various sectors in Bhutan of the 21st Century.
The ties between India and Bhutan have over time matured into comprehensive partnerships and cooperation on a wider range of issues spanning energy security, business and trade, security and intelligence sharing, digitisation, space technology and conservation biology sectors, amongst others.
India always stood by Bhutan in adverse situations and challenging times in past and Bhutan acknowledged it. As a friendly and helpful neighbour, India has been responsive to Bhutan’s needs exemplified by the support extended to Bhutan supplying essential goods and services and whatever requisites from time to time.
Bhutan expressed gratitude and appreciation for India at the UN General Assembly for its “heart-warming goodwill” and “valuable support” in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines under New Delhi’s ‘Vaccine Maitri initiative’ that enabled the Himalayan country to make the nationwide rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme when the entire globe had been reeling under the unprecedented health crisis. The two countries shall be proud of their relationship which is based on trust, shared cultural values, mutual respect and partnership in sustainable development.

Kuala Lumpur: India seeks to speed up plans in the Indian Ocean amidst growing Chinese presence in the region. Indian aims to convert the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into a shipping and tourism hub with connections to South-East Asia, reported The Star, a Malaysia-based publication.
In a recent meeting, Indian and Indonesian officials agreed to “encourage sail tourism, cruise ship visits, and interaction between tour operators” between the two countries to increase connectivity between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Aceh where India is helping to develop the deep sea port of Sabang.
Officials from both countries have agreed to help create opportunities for investors.
Strengthening links between Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Aceh, 150 km apart, is part of the Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific signed in 2018 between the two countries, according to The Star report.
Rajiv Bhatia, retired Indian ambassador and Distinguished Fellow at Gateway House, a think-tank, as quoted by The Star, said: “The broader context (of this cooperation) is closer political and economic ties. The idea is that there should be deeper and closer cooperation, and for that, infrastructure should be in place.”
“India’s approach in the past (towards the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) used to be so restrictive, to not do any development of the area and not allow foreign powers. Now there is an evolution in thinking,” Bhatia added.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a population of around 400,000 people, including aboriginal tribes and Jarawas who inhabited the island for years and live off the land.
According to environmentalists, the proposed development would destroy ecologically and culturally sensitive areas of these islands.
The government’s ambitious infrastructure plan includes a leisure zone, a film city, a residential district and a tourism-specific economic zone, underwater resorts and beach hotels in Little Andaman, an island of about 707 sq km, according to The Star.
According to a Home Ministry letter in March 2022, the airport will be a joint military-civil, dual-use airport under the operational control of the Indian Navy, according to a Home Ministry letter in March 2022.
Recently, Mizzima News reported that the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation can be perceived as another expansionist attempt by China to amplify its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) by investing in ports and infrastructure in the IOR countries, especially in South Asia.
According to the report, against the backdrop of the recent setbacks that China faced in the region, including in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum is a clear attempt by Beijing to reclaim some of the lost ground.
China, which has an eye on the strategic benefits the IOR has to offer, has repeatedly said the Indian Ocean is not India’s ocean. The country is looking towards expanding its economic, military, and political influence in the region, the report said.

Milrem – Kalyani THeMIS UGV
The THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) by Estonian firm Milrem Robotics is in service with the Indian Army. This was revealed in the Indian Parliament by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt. THeMIS was listed among the major defence equipment imported in the last three years.
The quantity and date of purchase of the UGVs are unknown. However, the UGVs are likely to have been procured under emergency procurement powers granted to the Army. Indian Army has a net requirement for over 700 ‘autonomous combat vehicles’ with capabilities similar to that of THeMIS.
Milrem has collaborated with Indian defence major Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL) to offer the system in India. The role of KSSL in supplying the UGVs remains unclear. Milrem redirected queries by Overt Defense to Bharat Forge, the parent entity of KSSL, which did not respond by the time of publication.
THeMIS is primarily competing with Gridbots Titan UGV for the larger tracked UGV requirement of the Army. Titan has undergone multiple trials including in the Thar desert and high altitude regions such as Ladakh. Gridbots has also tied up with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and has integrated BDL’s Amogha-III ATGM onto Titan. This configuration was displayed during DefExpo held in October 2022. Both Gridbots and BDL are Indian firms.

Gridbots Titan with BDl Amogha-III ATGM at DefExpo 2022
The Army had conducted a UGV experiment in December 2021 in which THeMIS participated. However, it is unclear what comparative trials the THeMIS went through prior to the import. While emergency powers were occasionally granted to the armed forces to quickly fill capability gaps, products bought largely tended to be imports.
In order to combat this, the MoD has specified that domestic firms be preferred for emergency procurements. Yet the opaque nature of such procurements and partnerships with Indian firms could allow foreign products to be preferred over those truly developed in India.
THeMIS is used by over 16 countries. The UGVs are also being delivered to Ukraine. THeMIS can be equipped with a wide variety of equipment for CASEVAC, fire support, mine clearing and other missions.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 5

A three-day Sikh History Congress, which got underway today, discussed multiple issues including the need for Sikhs to write and express history of their community.

Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar, the chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), said, “A large part of modern India’s map is due to the Sikhs (who opted for India and not Pakistan)”. The congress is being hosted at the Khalsa College in Delhi University.

“The most important contribution of the Sikhs is their urge to stand up against atrocities,” said Prof Tanwar, adding that Sikhs have suffered the most and listed the agitations launched by the community to free the country from the British. Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) was the chief guest.

Defence Minister, Chief of Air Staff to attend event

A Gnat fighter aircraft will be mounted on a pillar at the Sector 8-9-17-18 traffic lights, adjacent to the Indian Air Force Heritage Centre at Government Press building in Sector 18, Chandigarh. Pradeep Tewari
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Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, January 5

After a string of delays, the country’s first Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre will finally be thrown open to public on January 31.

The centre, being set up at the Government Press building, Sector 18, will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit and other dignitaries.

Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, will visit the centre on Friday to take stock of the preparations. The centre, which is expected to draw tourists from both within the country and abroad, will offer an insight into the rich legacy and glory of the force. The IAF will showcase its vintage aircraft, armament, memorabilia and other artefacts, including audio-video displays.

Among the top attractions at the centre will be a simulator offering visitors the experience of flying an IAF aircraft. This will also act as a platform to motivate and facilitate the youth to join the force. This will not only help provide employment opportunities but also strengthen the force and reinforce national integration. A souvenir shop has been set up for visitors, says an official.

The star attractions, however, will be five vintage aircraft, including a Gnat that is being put up at an adjacent intersection. In 1971, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Gnat detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence of Kashmir Valley against Pakistan air attacks. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Another aircraft, a MiG-21, has been installed in the parking area of the centre. The fighter aircraft first entered service in 1963.

Air Force “Kanpur-1”, installed inside the centre, was the first one to have been built by India in 1951 by Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh

The IAF had received the vintage prototype aircraft from Punjab Engineering College (PEC) here for display along with other aircraft at the centre.

Installed on the rear lawn of the centre, HPT-32 primary trainer aircraft was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and used for training young flight cadets.

A MiG-23 MF, installed at the rear end of the centre, is a swing-wing interceptor capable of delivering an array of missiles, bombs and guided weapons.

5 vintage aircraft on display

• Gnat, used in 1971 to defend Kashmir valley, to be showcased at Sector 8-9-17-18 light point
• MiG-21, which first entered the service in 1963, installed in parking area of the centre
• “Kanpur-1” vintage aircraft from PEC, first one to be built by India, displayed inside centre
• HPT-32 primary trainer aircraft, made by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, will be put up on rear lawn
• MiG-23 MF, a swing-wing interceptor, installed at the rear end of the centre

LEST WE CHOOSE TO FORGET: GUTS AND GLORY ON FOREIGN SOILS – V

WORLD WAR – 1

Festubert;

On 17 May 1915, a company of 15^th SIKHs (Now 2^nd Battalion, the SIKH Regiment) were in occupation of a section of a German trench. Area between the two had been barricaded with corpses; the stench was un-bearing.

Their state of ammunition was critically low. Resupply from the reserve trenches 250 yards away could enable them to hold out. British units had attempted to do so twice, on both occasions the officer in command had been killed and the party practically wiped out; a frightful situation to say the least. Only a desperate action could save the day.

Lieutenant John Smyth, 15^th SIKHs, was ordered to take a bombing party. He took with him ten bombers from a crowd of volunteers. It became difficult for him to reject volunteers and finally he chose randomly perhaps looking for bigger guys who could pull the heavy load. The names of these heroes must be recalled.

They were Lance-Naik Mangal Singh, Sepoys Lal Singh, Sucha Singh, Sampuran Singh, of 15^th SIKHs, Sarain Singh, Sundur Singh, Ganda Singh, Harnam Singh, of 19th PUNJABIs and Fateh Singh and Ujagar Singh, of 45^th SIKHs.

They set out with a gusty battle cry: ‘Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’, taking two boxes containing ninety-six bombs. Dropping over the parapet they wriggled their way through the mud, pulling and pushing the boxes along with them. They used pagris attached to the boxes and the men in front pulled them along, over and through the dead bodies, those behind pushed.

Even before they progressed a few yards, Fateh Singh fell, severely wounded.

In another hundred yards, Sucha Singh, Ujagar Singh and Sundur Singh were shot.

Extreme bravado and faith in their Guru kept the remaining six going. They had nearly reached the end, when, Sarain Singh and Sampuram Singh were shot dead, and, Ganda Singh, Harnam Singh and Mangal Singh were wounded.

The second box had to be abandoned. Lieutenant Smyth and Sepoy Lal Singh, wriggled their way ahead yard by yard. Water around them churned by a hail of bullets, and, clambered up the far bank amongst their cheering comrades.

Both were unhurt, though their clothes were perforated by bullet holes. However, shortly afterwards Lal Singh was struck by a bullet and killed instantly.

In the final count, all ten Brave Sikhs were casualties. Once again after Saragarhi all Sikh Soldiers in a detail, had fallen executing an extreme and impossible task. For them the ‘izzat’ (pride) of the regiment and devotion to duty was above any other fear and danger.

So ended one of the most gallant episodes of the World War I.

 “Attaching their puggarees to the fronts of the boxes, the men pulled them over or through the dead bodies, all of the party lying flat on the ground. At any moment the bombs in the boxes might have exploded, for the whole of the ground was hissing with the deluge of rifle and machine gun fire, while the air was white with the puffs from bursting shrapnel.” Page 37, Leader Newspaper (Melbourne), Saturday 31 July 1915

Lieutenant Smyth was awarded the Victoria Cross. Lance Naik Mangal Singh received the Second Class Indian Order of Merit, while the Indian Distinguished Service Medal was conferred on all sepoys of the bombing party; another and only collective award after the epic battle of Saragarhi. Many critics have felt the Sikhs deserved higher gallantry awards; for the gallant bombers, this was never a consideration.

The Indian Armed Forces stand tall among their global peers because of their rich battle-hardened heritage, high motivation and tough training.

………………Contd, because these stories must be told

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, January 4

The Indian Army, which has its elements deployed in multifarious and often difficult terrain, is developing satellite-based systems to track and monitor troop movements and facilities in remote areas.

Thousands of troops and scores of army convoys move each day for operational, logistic and administrative purposes across the length and breadth of the country, while many military facilities are located in areas where communication is a challenge. The systems, with embedded artificial intelligence, will assist in effective monitoring and quick decision-making during contingencies.

The project to develop the systems has been placed in the 8th edition of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) that was issued in December 2022. DISC is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence for supporting start-ups MSMEs and innovators to create prototypes and commercialise products and solutions in the area of national defence and security.

“The armed forces operate in rugged and inhospitable terrain where the tracking of deployed troops or assets becomes challenging due to the topological conditions. In view, a pervasive network footprint offered by satellite communication could prove beneficial for such geo-tracking applications,” the DISC document reads.

The system for tracking troops would have two elements – a ‘user’ element in the form of a small terminal that can be carried by mobile teams or vehicles to transmit its positional information to a centralised server using the satellite link, and a ‘logging’ element comprising a server along with the requisite digital capability for displaying and archiving the positional information transmitted by various user terminals.

A secure geo-satellite supported IoT platform for real-time monitoring of remote facilities and assets from dedicated control centres operated by the Army is the other system under consideration.

“Facility monitoring assumes critical importance in both civil and military parlance. Many installations store a variety of equipment and stores, each requiring specialised storage and environmental conditions. Any deviation of these environmental specifications could be detrimental or hazardous,” the document reads

“This becomes challenging when the storage facilities are located at remote locations. Hence a remote monitoring and control solution, based on Internet of Things (IoT) would be ideally fulfilling the requirement,” the documents adds.

The army is looking at developing an IoT-based sensor-control loop working through satellite link that is able to offer machine-to-machine (M2M) communication for relaying the sensor data to a central location for archiving and analytics. The system should be able to achieve automatic control action without human intervention in a near real-time manner. 

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, January 4

In a two-pronged strategy to match the Chinese airfields located across the Line of Actual Control, the Ministry of Defence has invited bids to upgrade the Nyoma airfield in eastern Ladakh into a full-fledged base with allied infrastructure. Separately, it has approved a new airfield near Kaza in Himachal Pradesh.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had, in December last week, invited bids for upgrading the Nyoma airfield at a cost of Rs 214 crore. Located close to the Indus and some 180 km south-east of Leh at 13,700 feet, it is a part of the Ladakh plateau and is already being used by helicopters and special operation planes such as C-130J, which can land on mud. The plan now is to have a full-fledged fighter jet base that can launch and recover planes and also carry out minor maintenance jobs.

Securing LAC

• Nyoma airfield to be upgraded at a cost of Rs 214 crore; it’s located close to the Indus, some 180 km south-east of Leh at 13,700 feet
• Rangrik airfield to come up in Spiti valley, close to Chepzi in Tibet from where Chinese troops come for patrolling at LAC

The BRO plans to complete the upgrade in two years, according to the tender document. The site is spread over 1,235 acres where a 2.7-km runway with allied military infrastructure will come up. The alignment at Nyoma is such that aircraft can land from both directions.

The other important aspect is having an airfield at Rangrik in Spiti valley near Kaza. These parts of Himachal have a flat-plateau type terrain. Across the LAC in Tibet is located Chepzi, the place from where Chinese troops come for patrolling close to Chumar and Demchok. The airfield will connect civilian flights too as the Spiti valley gets blocked due to snow in winters.

US-based policy research organisation, The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), had in March released its report “How Is China Expanding its Infrastructure to Project Power Along its Western Borders”, which says “China has been constructing or upgrading 37 airports and heliports in Tibet and Xinjiang since 2017”. “The pace of this activity sped up significantly in 2020. That year alone, China began constructing seven air facilities and initiated upgrades at seven others,” the report said.

Air power expansion is being supplemented with new road, rail and infrastructure-enabling rapid movement of troops, etc. In 2021, China completed the construction of a road and tunnel system connecting Nyingchi (facing Arunachal), allowing military easy access to the LAC.

New Delhi, January 4

US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) and Bharat Forge Limited, India, have announced a partnership to manufacture main landing gear components, subassemblies and assemblies of armed drones — Predator.

India has already leased two unarmed variants of the Predator for surveillance and is looking to procure 30 armed variants, 10 each for the Army, Navy and the IAF. Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar had last month elaborated on the ability of leased drones saying, “We found it of great value. It provides much reach in terms of surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region.”

Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, said, “GA-ASI is eagerly looking forward to working with Bharat Forge in the critical field of aerostructure manufacturing.”