With an ever-increasing influx of terrorists, drugs and weapons entering the Indian territory from the borders, there remains a continuous challenge to recruit fresh blood in the BSF and train them for any counter-insurgency. Tribune reporter Deepkamal Kaur and photographer Sarabjit Singh take a round of the BSF training camp at Kharkan in Hoshiarpur, which is well-equipped with ranges, grounds and instructors for specialised training
Taking up a daunting task to train its recruits involved in the first line of control, the Subsidiary Training Centre of the Border Security Force at Kharkan in Hoshiarpur has a lot to offer.
A firing range instructor takes a class of trainees around the target area at Kharkan camp.
Spread in an area of 898 acres along the Una road, multiple batches of more than 1,400 fresh recruits and in-service personnel are currently taking a rigorous training here before they join the 2.50-lakh strong force and are made capable enough to guard the 3,323 km India-Pakistan and the 4,096 km India-Bangladesh borders.
The tough regime for the 10-month training shapes up both their personality and built.
Most of the current trainees, who include over 900 women, hail from Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, West Bengal and Maharashtra. The 44-week rigorous training for the freshers includes PT, running, rope climbing, trench jumping, weapon handling, shooting practice, battle inoculation and horse riding.
Women trainees hone their shooting skills at the firing range on the STC grounds.
The Kharkan campus is well equipped with shooting ranges, training areas, stadium etc. It encompasses 224.5 acres of forest area around where several herds of monkeys, wild cats and snakes thrive. It is in this jungle that the trainees learn to set up camps. Despite cold weather, recruits have to wake up early in the morning and reach the training grounds even when it is still dark. The tough regime that they are made to follow for the 10-month training shapes up both their personality and built. The instructors training them on the campus share that there is a drastic change in the looks, conduct and posture of the trainees on the occasion of the passing-out parade and when their families catch up with them, it is difficult for them to recognise their wards.
BSF trainees parade with weapons.Kharkan Camp IG Madhu Sudan Sharma and Commandant (Training) SS Mand during a meeting.BSF trainees practice rope climbing during a training session.A BSF trainee practices monkey method rope climbing.A jockey tries his hand at tent pegging at STC Kharkan Camp.A women trainee crosses a trench as a part of the daily drill.The entrance to Sub-Training Centre of the BSF at Kharkan in Hoshiarpur.
In 2022, China-Pak Will Fine-tune Combined Operations Against India
Fitness and sound health of aircrew is imperative as flying, particularly in the fighter aircraft stream, involves physical, physiological and psychological stress
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 4
The Indian Air Force is developing a real-time health monitoring system for aircrew that will continuously assess the fitness levels of pilots during flight and relay a warning in case of any abnormality.
According to sources, the Air Force has already drawn up the conceptual requirements for the system and is taking the project forward in collaboration with the industry as well as the medical establishment.
“What we are looking at,” an IAF officer said, ”is a wearable sensor like a wrist band or a stick-on patch that records the pilot’s parameters like blood pressure, temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation level continuously or at periodic intervals and is integrated with the aircraft’s communication system so that the information is transmitted to ground control.”
In case of any deviation in parameters, the sensors can sound an alarm and air traffic controllers and medical specialists can take preventive or corrective steps by advising the aircrew on how to handle the situation, he added. This is a step further in enhancing flight safety as a large proportion of aircraft accidents are attributed to human factors.
Fitness and sound health of aircrew is imperative as flying, particularly in the fighter aircraft stream, involves physical, physiological and psychological stress. Fighter pilots are exposed to high g-levels, noise, lower oxygen levels and high cognitive workload.
“With in-flight refuelling, the duration of fighter flying has increased, which also enhances associated risks like fatigue and physical discomfort. Remaining confined to restricted cockpit space for a long time with little physical movements also has adverse effects on the body and mind,” an officer said.
Recently, the IAF’s newly inducted Rafale fighter jets had flown non-stop to India from France, a journey covering about 7,000 km in more than eight hours. It was an unprecedented cockpit experience for the IAF.
Even though it was a level flight at sub-sonic speed with much reduced exposure to g-levels, the pilots had to remain alert and carry out all in-flight procedures, besides sitting in the same position in a cramped space for an extremely long time.
A study published by the IAF’s Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bengaluru, in 2021 revealed that the pain and discomfort following a six-hour prolonged restraint sitting were highly noticeable along with a significant change in the calf circumference and other physiological parameters due to effects of venous pooling. “The effects so observed could have potential flight safety implications and affect mission effectiveness,” the study observed.
Work on bridge, renaming of Arunachal areas reveal intent
Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets at border posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including areas of eastern Ladakh, to ring in the New Year. For an instant, this goodwill gesture made the prolonged standoff between the two sides recede into the background. Not surprisingly, the mirage of bonhomie has proved to be short-lived. The PLA is relentlessly building infrastructure near the LAC, making it crystal-clear that China is in for the long haul. The Chinese are constructing a bridge on the Pangong Tso lake that will shorten a distance of 180 km on the Tibet-Xinjiang highway, thus helping them deploy troops faster between the north and south banks of the lake.
In another telltale sign of provocative posturing, China recently renamed the Sela pass, eight villages and towns, four mountains and two rivers in ‘Zagnan’ or South Tibet — the name used by Beijing for Arunachal Pradesh. The move comes amid ongoing construction of the Sela tunnel, likely to be ready by June this year, by India’s Border Roads Organisation. The tunnel is expected to facilitate faster movement of Indian troops in Arunachal’s Tawang, a strategically located district bordering China. It was in the Tawang sector that Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brief face-off in October last year. That month, the 13th round of Corps Commander-level military talks had ended in a stalemate. No round of talks has been held since then.
New Delhi has rightly been holding Beijing responsible for not walking the talk on ensuring long-term peace and tranquillity in the border areas. While remaining in a state of high alert, India should continue to ramp up infrastructure along the LAC. India’s efforts to bolster its military prowess, including the deployment of a state-of-the-art air defence missile system, are undoubtedly keeping China on tenterhooks. Exercising restraint in the face of provocation will be a challenge, even as every Chinese misadventure must evoke a firm response. Matching the hostile neighbour’s battle-readiness will hold the key to a stable balance of power in the region.
Navy’s Boeing P-8I aircraft begin operations from INS Hansa
The Navy’s Boeing P-8I aircraft used for long-range maritime reconnaissance have commenced operations from the west coast of India. The planes will be based at INS Hansa, Goa. The Navy said two aircraft arrived on December 30. — TNS
Tricolour at Galwan valley, Army defies Chinese pitch
Indian soldiers pose with the Tricolour as part of New Year celebrations at Galwan valley in Ladakh. pti
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 4
Within days of Chinese claims of unveiling their country’s flag at Galwan valley, it turned out that the Indian troops too had unfurled the Tricolour there on the New Year’s Day.
Sources in the security establishment released a set of pictures that show fully armed troops of the Indian Army carrying US-made Sig Sauer rifles and holding a large Tricolour as part of New Year celebrations at Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh.
Sri Lanka clears pact with india for oil tanks
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved a milestone deal to modernise most of its strategic Trincomalee petroleum storehouses jointly with India. The development comes before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Colombo after bad blood due to a soured deal for fertilisers.
The move is seen as a flag-for-flag response to a video by the Chinese state media purportedly showing PLA soldiers unfurling their national flag in the region three days back. The two armies had exchanged sweets and greetings on January 1 at 10 spots along the 3,488-km-long undemarcated boundary. Sources say the Chinese flag unveiling and sloganeering was not at Galwan valley where troops of both sides had clashed in June 2020.
The video could have been shot anywhere along the Galwan river valley bed on the Chinese side. There are no geo coordinates to indicate that it was shot at the LAC, claim the sources. The image of Chinese troops shows white-coloured markings on the mountain. There is no marking visible on the mountains at the spot where the Galwan river enters Ladakh from Tibet.
The Galwan river enters India after a sharp westward bend and some 7 km downstream joins the Shyok river for its onwards journey into the Indus. The LAC is close to the bend where the river takes a westward turn. Part of the valley is on the other side of the LAC and some part is in India. The images, which the Indian side clicked, showed a fully occupied post and small platoon of men clothed in winter clothing, snow boots and fully armed.
CDS Rawat chopper crash: No technical snag or sabotage; bad weather identified as prime reason
Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 12 others were killed in helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi, January 5
No technical snag or sabotage and bad weather leading to a phenomenon called Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) is believed to have been identified as the prime reason for the crash of the IAF helicopter near Coonoor that killed CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 others, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Air Marshal Manvendra Singh who headed the tri-service investigation into the crash apprised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the findings of the probe on Wednesday.
The people cited above said the investigators have ruled out any possibility of technical snag or sabotage in the crash of the Russian-origin twin-engine Mi-17V5 helicopter that was flying from Sulur airbase to Wellington on December 8.
According to experts, the CFIT refers to a phenomenon when an aircraft under control is piloted into the ground, water or other terrains largely due to bad weather or pilot error.
The CFIT generally takes place in bad weather conditions or when a flight is landing.
There is no official comment on the probe report either by the Indian Air Force or by the defence ministry.
According to the IATA (International Air Transport Association), CFIT refers to accidents in which there was a collision with terrain, water, or obstacle, without indication of loss of control of the aircraft.https://c956867aa86e2c5796f39f6b9272cd3a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
“The critical distinction in these types of accidents is the fact that the aircraft is under the control of the flight crew,” it said.
The Federal Aviation Administration of the US government described CFIT as an unintentional collision with terrain (the ground, a mountain, a body of water, or an obstacle) while an aircraft is under positive control.
“Most often, the pilot or crew is unaware of the looming disaster until it is too late,” it said.
The people cited above said a sudden cloud cover could have resulted in the CFIT.
“At times, a pilot may lose situational awareness when there is a visual disruption,” said an aviation expert.
Visuals of the helicopter captured by locals before the crash had shown that the chopper was flying at a low altitude.
The chopper had crashed around eight minutes before its scheduled landing at Wellington.
The people said the probe team examined all likely scenarios for the crash including possible human error or whether it was a case of disorientation by the crew when the helicopter was preparing for landing.
Gen Rawat’s wife Madhulika, his defence advisor Brigadier LS Lidder, staff officer to the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Col Harjinder Singh and decorated pilot Group Captain Varun Singh were among 13 others killed in the crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
Air Marshal Singh, who headed the probe team, is currently serving as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Bengaluru-headquartered Training Command of the IAF.
He is known to be one of the best air crash investigators in the country.
Before taking the reins of the Training Command, the Air Marshal was the Director General (Inspection and Safety) at the Air headquarters and developed various protocols for flight safety while serving in the post.
Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and a number of senior officials of the ministry were present when the IAF officials briefed the defence minister. PTI
Naval aviation gets President’s Colour. Here’s all you need to know of the honour
New Delhi: The 70-year-old Naval aviation, which started as a fledgling Fleet Requirement Unit with ten amphibian Sealand aircraft in 1953, is set to be awarded the President’s Colour, the highest honour bestowed on a military unit in recognition of its exceptional service to the nation.
Incidentally, the Indian Navy was the first amongst the three Services to be awarded the President’s Colour on 27 May 1951 by the then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad.https://e428dbf707006b0b2696166e1cd5713d.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
While the Navy is often associated with the ships, the aviation wing has emerged as an integral part of the naval operations, both defensive and offensive in nature.
“For supremacy or control of the Indian Ocean, naval aviation is very important,” former Navy chief Admiral Prakash (retd) told ThePrint.
The retired officer, who is one of the four Navy chiefs to come from the flying branch, a list that also includes current chief Admiral Karambir Singh, says that while post World War II, many countries could not afford naval aviation, India along with the major powers focussed on it.
“There is no doubt that the Navy is all about the ships. However, helicopters have merged as an integral part of a surface vessel in the last 30 years or so,” Admiral Prakash said. “The first defence of a surface ship is its on board helicopter. The helicopters these days are equipped with missiles, depth chargers and torpedoes which counter the threat.”
He further explained that while a ship can detect a submarine at a range of 3-4 miles, a submarine can detect a surface vessel from about 20-30 miles. However, a naval aviation aircraft can detect both from much further distances.
The former chief explained that air power is very important and hence an aircraft carrier is able to dominate 300-350 miles around it because it is equipped with fighter aircraft.
“There is the sea-borne aviation that includes the fighters and the helicopters. Then there is the land -borne naval aviation that includes the P8I aircraft which has huge reach and is used for both surveillance and anti-submarine operations,” he added.
History of Indian Naval Aviation
The Indian Naval Aviation came into being with acquisition of the first Sealand aircraft, an amphibious plane, on 13 January 1951. The formal birth of Naval Aviation was the Commissioning of the INS Garuda, a Naval Air Station at Kochi, on 11 May 1953.
The first Sealand (IN101) joined the Fleet Requirement Unit, which later became the first Indian Naval Air Squadron, INAS 550, on 17 June 1959 with 10 Sealand, 10 Firefly and three HT-2 aircraft.
India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was commissioned in 1961, with her integral squadrons of British Sea Hawk Jets, French Alize ASW aircraft and French Alouette III helicopters.
Induction of INS Viraat along with legendary Sea Harriers in the mid-1980s brought new strength to the carrier operations of the Navy. Now the MiG 29Ks on the INS Vikramaditya lead the way for India’s carrier operations.
The Indian Naval Aviation at present has nine air stations and three naval air enclaves along the Indian coastline and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
It now is a force with more than 250 aircraft comprising carrier-borne fighters like the MiG 29K, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters and remotely piloted aircraft (RPA).
Over the years, different kinds of rotary wing platforms, including the Alouette, the S-55, Seaking 42A and 42B, the Kamovs, indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter and the latest in the line, the MH60R – have been inducted.
Maritime reconnaissance (MR) operations of the navy also grew from the 1970s with the induction of the Super-Constellation from the Indian Air Force in 1976, the IL-38 in 1977 and the TU 142 M in 1989. The Dornier 228 was inducted in 1991 and Boeing P 8I aircraft in 2013.
Incidentally, Naval Aviators have been decorated with one Mahavir Chakra, six Vir Chakras, one Kirti Chakra, seven Shaurya Chakras, one YudhSeva Medal and a large number of Nao Sena Medals (gallantry) over the years.
New Delhi: Nudged by the Supreme Court, the Centre has decided to induct women under the permanent commission scheme through the National Defence Academy (NDA).
Appearing before a bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhatti said the decision was taken late Tuesday after consulting with the three service chiefs.
However, she requested the court to order a status quo for the exams being held this November, which will screen applicants for the forthcoming academic year, as the government needs time to implement its decision which will require infrastructural changes.
Appreciating the government’s move, the bench asked Bhatti to put the developments in the form of an affidavit, which, it added, should also outline the future plan.
The top court is hearing a PIL by advocate Kush Kalra, who has sought that the NDA open its doors to women aspiring to join the armed forces. The NDA is one of the two modes for direct entry to the armed forces and the exam is held by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC).
On 18 August, as an interim measure, the Supreme Court had permitted women candidates to take the entrance exam for National Defence Academy (NDA) that was initially scheduled for 5 September but was pushed to November.
In its prima facie view, the bench had noted NDA’s admission policy is “based on gender discrimination”.
“We direct the respondent to take a constructive view of the matter in view of the judgment of this court (in the matter related to permanent commission for women in the army),” the bench said.
On Wednesday, Bhatti, at the outset informed the bench about the new policy decision. She said the idea was always in the thought process but at the seeding stage. Once implemented, it would be an instrumental, path-breaking and generational reform, she added.
In response, the bench said if Bhatti was instructed properly before the last hearing, then the court would have refrained from issuing any instructions.
“It is not a happy situation when we (courts) have to step in. We periodically nudge the authorities and step in only when nothing happens,” the court said.
Armed forces, it added, is a respected institution, but “on gender equality front, they have to do more”.
Justice Kaul further said the court was not averse to giving some time to implement the policy decision, but wanted the government to put it on record before the court.
As a judge of the Delhi High Court, it was Justice Kaul who had authored the path-breaking judgment directing the government to grant permanent commission to women officers who joined the Army as short-service commission officers. His judgment was challenged in the Supreme Court, which was finally upheld in February 2020.
