YK Joshi, Lieutenant General

Jammu, June 6

The Army’s Northern Command devised a four-pronged strategy, including running awareness campaigns, to support the civil administration’s fight against the pandemic even while delivering on its commitments on the security and law and order fronts, Lieutenant General YK Joshi has said.

He said the force reached out to the distressed population in the rural, remote and mountainous areas of the UT through hundreds of ‘Covid patrols’ to lend help in the fight.

The four aspects of the strategy include raising Covid awareness, offering medical services to the ex-service personnel and their dependents to take the load off the civil assets, allowing the use of military medical assets for civil population and pro-actively helping boost the capacities of the civil administration to meet the increased demand during the second wave of Covid, he said.

The Kargil war-hero said, “Special helplines for ex-servicemen were established, means and methods put into place to actively help them even in the remotest areas and each of them telephonically contacted and educated about the Covid or non-covid facility nearest from their place of residence.” — PTI

It has also summoned suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal

Ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 7

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kotkapura police firing incident will conduct a second round of questioning of ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini at Punjab Police Officer’s Institute in Mohali’s sector 32 at 11 am on Monday.

It has also summoned suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal and other officers concerned with the 2015 incident in which cops opened fire at a mob protesting against the sacrilege incidents.

Saini was DGP at that time.

The SIT is probing who ordered the firing at the mob and whether it was justified.

Hailakandi/Aizawl, June 6

Two abandoned houses along the Mizoram-Assam border have been burned down by unidentified persons, fuelling tension along the volatile inter-state border, police said on Sunday.

Both the states claimed that the incident took place inside their territory on Friday night but no casualty was reported as the houses were empty.

While Assam put the blame on “miscreants from Mizoram”, the neighbouring state pointed the accusing finger at “Bangladeshi immigrants who wanted to flare up the border dispute”.

Hailakandi district Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur claimed that besides burning down the two empty houses belonging to Ali Hussain and Saidul Islam, miscreants from Mizoram have also erected a structure 300 metre inside Assam’s territory near Gutguti area in the district.

An investigation is underway to ascertain the identity of the miscreants involved in the incidents and cases have been registered, she said.

Security has been beefed-up in the area and patrolling has been intensified, the SP said.

The matter has been taken up with higher-level authorities in Mizoram and hopefully, the issue will be resolved soon, Kaur said.

Kaur, along with Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha and Ramnathpur police station officer-in-charge Liton Nath visited the area to review the prevailing situation.

The location falls under the inner-line reserve forest area and is very difficult to reach from the Assam side, she said.

Vanlalfaka Ralte, the SP of Mizoram’s Kolasib district, however, claimed that the abandoned houses were located in Zophai area near Bairabi town in the district.

“The houses, abandoned since February this year, were earlier occupied by non-tribals hired by Mizos to look after their paddy fields.

“We suspect that the burning of the houses was a political ploy by Bangladeshi immigrants to revive the border issue between the two neighbouring states,” he told PTI.

The area where the incident took place is within the territory of Mizoram and not within the inner line reserved forest area, he said, adding that the owners of the field have land pattas (documents) in Mizoram and pay land taxes to the state government.

A case has been registered with the Bairabi police station and a manhunt launched to nab the accused.

Since October last year, there have been frequent incidents of burning of houses, allegations of land encroachment and even a bomb blast inside a closed school along the 164.6-km-long Mizoram-Assam border.

The previous incident had taken place near Gallacherra border outpost, under which Gutguti falls, in February and since then, many residents had vacated their houses, Kaur added. PTI

GOC Ambala Sub Area alongwith his Director ECHS; Director RC Chandimandir as well as SO ECHS Stn Cell Chandimandir paid a visit to ECHS Polyclinic Chandigarh today afternoon. The GOC was taken around the entire area. He also interacted with ECHS members present. He was highly satisfied with the visit and conveyed his appreciation for the improvement carried out in the Polyclinic

GRATITUDE

1. When the Corona pandemic’s second wave had fatally engulfed India, a gp of very sprited Indian friends got together in the USA to do something for their Country. Under Mayuri Gosh, this gp contributed, raised and collected money to buy oxygen concentrators for their Countrymen.
2. As it was basically their hard earned money, Mayuri, who works for the World Economic Forum, was very apprehensive that their gift should not get diverted to any unscrupulous agency/org. With this background, she probed the prospect to give these concentrators to an org whose conduct and integrity was beyond reproach- the Indian Army.
3. Being from a civilian background and with no knowledge of the environment here, she got in touch with her close and trusted friend who happened to be a die hard Army brat for help. This Army brats parents resided in Chandigarh and he happens to be Veteran Brig HS Gill, Shaurya Chakra from 17 Para Field Regt
4. Within hours, working through multiple time zones, the proposal was put forth by Brig HS Gill (Retd), SC to Col BB Sharma, OIC ECHS Polyclinic, Chandigarh if he would accept the concentrators. Chandigarh was selected as the receiving org as its credentials were excellent and it happened to be the home ECHS of the Indian Veterans. The issue with its nuts and bolts was processed by Brig TS Mundi, Stn Cdr, Chandimandir and within a day a formal reply was forwarded to the donors of the Army’s and ECHS’s acceptance.
5. In the subsquent week and before the arrival of the items, a lot of coordination, cajoling and managing bureaucratic minefds was carried out by the Stn HQ, Chandimandir to ensure a safe receipt of the concentrators at Delhi Customs. That it was managed without duties and taxes is a feat by itself.
6. These 19 x 10 ltrs, top of the line Oxygen Concentrators have very aptly been distributed to all the ECHS Polyclinics under Stn HQ, Chandimandir as also the Comd Hosp (WC) for their optimum use. The two concentrators received by ECHS Chandigarh are part of this largesse of Mayuri Gosh and her band of dedicated patriots.
7. Our grateful thanks and a salute for their tremendous commitment

ribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 5

The graduation ceremony of the 117th Course of the Army Cadet College (ACC) was held at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, on Saturday, with 29 cadets being conferred degrees by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

ACC is an integral feeder wing of the IMA and was established to train and induct deserving soldiers into the Army’s officer cadre. 

After three years of training at ACC, the graduating course will join the IMA for one year of pre-commissioning training.

 Congratulating the cadets in his convocation address for completing their challenging three years of training at ACC, Lt Gen Harinder Singh, Commandant IMA, said that the degrees which the cadets have received represents a major milestone in their career and marks the end of an initial, but immensely important phase of their professional life.

He said that ACC alumni have excelled over the years, won the highest gallantry awards and have risen to high ranks. These illustrious predecessors have left an excellent legacy for all of them to emulate.

Brigadier Shailesh Sati, Commander ACC, highlighted the commitment and dedication shown by the cadets and appreciated them for their all-around excellence despite the challenges faced due to Covid restrictions.

Seventeen cadets graduated in humanities and 12 in the science stream. The Chief of Army Staff’s gold, silver and bronze medals for overall performance were awarded to WCA Rituraj Singh, WCC Vikram Gautam and WCQM Dubal Rana, respectively.

The Commandant’s silver medals went to Budal Rana (first in-service subjects), Birendra Singh (first in humanities) and Rituraj Singh (first in science stream). 

The Commandant’s Banner was awarded to the Bogra Company for excelling in various competitions like sports, academics, camps, debates and interior economy.

Headquarters of Army’s static sub-areas being merged with HQs of operational formations

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 5

The Army has initiated the process of merging sub-area headquarters, which are static establishments located across the country, with headquarters of operational formations located in the same station or their vicinity.

The move is part of the Army’s ongoing organisational restructuring to optimise its manpower and resources and its basis lies in the recommendations of a study group that was formed a few years ago to review the existing hierarchy.

According to a circular sent to all Army Commands by the Staff Duties Directorate at Army Headquarters a few days ago, 13 sub-area headquarters are to be merged with the headquarters of co-located formations like corps.

Sub-areas are commanded by officers of the rank of Major General, designated as General Officer Commanding (GOC), who reports to the area commander, a Lieutenant General. who in turn functions under the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Command in whose territorial jurisdiction the area lies.

There are a few independent sub-areas, not reporting to an area, and some that are not co-located with a formation.

Under the new hierarchical set-up, the GOC of a sub-area will be re-designated as Major General (Land, Works and Welfare) posted at corps headquarters, reporting to the corps commander instead of the area commander. Similarly, other officers and staff at sub-area headquarters will be adjusted at corps headquarters with new designations and modified charters of duties.

A sub-area is a static formation which does not control any combat or operational elements but is mandated for providing administrative, logistical and infrastructural support to formations and establishments in its territorial jurisdiction. It is also responsible for local station matters, accommodation and welfare of ex-servicemen through station headquarters, besides being an interface with the local administration for providing aid to civil authorities in times of need.

As an offshoot to the merger, station headquarters, which is responsible for managing the internal affairs of a particular military station, will now have a permanent station commander instead of the commander of the locally based operational formation like a brigade being the ex-officio station commander.

As part of its reorganisation plans, two new posts at the level of Lieutenant General were created at Army Headquarters in December 2020. These are Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) and Director General Information Warfare.

Read more at:

The defence ministry has cleared a two-decade-old plan to procure six conventional submarines with the ability to stay underwater for weeks. The order will create competition that will involve defence sector giant Larsen and Toubro and public owned Mazagaon Dockyards Limited.

The Rs 43,000 crore project is the first under an ambitious strategic partnership model to involve the private sector in large military projects

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/construction-of-six-advanced-submarines-for-indian-navy-approved/articleshow/83228961.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

India has repeatedly said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the country is capable of solving its own problems
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday announced to convene a meeting of the foreign ministers of Muslim nations in Islamabad next year to highlight the issue of Kashmir and get their support.
He was addressing a gathering of political workers of his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party in his home town of Multan.
“If God grants me time, then in March 2022 I will invite the foreign ministers of the Islamic world to Islamabad and try to rally them on the Kashmir issue,” he said.
India has repeatedly said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the country is capable of solving its own problems.
India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.
India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.
Qureshi also warned Afghan leaders to stop issuing insulting statements against Pakistan otherwise the country would stop even talking to them.
He took strong exception to the remarks of Afghan National Security Advisor who had called Pakistan a brothel house.

Indian Army has moved K-9 Vajra howitzers to Ladakh
A great deal has already been said about the Chinese perfidy in quietly tearing up the Panchsheel, while prosecuting actions leading up to the 1962 war. Genesis of the Galwan clash was tactical in nature is, however, belied by the build-up and standoff that followed the conflict
by Maj Gen Neeraj Bali (Retd)
The history of China’s duplicitous behaviour with India is long and well-chronicled. Strategic wisdom demands that we do not read the adversary’s intent with our template of ‘rationality’; two of our neighbours have repeatedly demonstrated the core wisdom of that thought by acting with ‘cultivated irrationality’.
A great deal has already been said about the Chinese perfidy in quietly tearing up the Panchsheel, while prosecuting actions leading up to the 1962 war. China’s occupation of Wangdung in the pasture of Sumdorong Chu in 1986 was unprecedented and largely inexplicable. It resulted in a massive counter move by the Indian Army, moving troops and logistical set up to the Lungro La and Hathung La massifs. In the early 1990s, I was a part of an Indian contingent that attended a Border Persons Meeting with the Chinese Army. Even to my inexperienced mind, it was more than evident that while there was bonhomie at the display, the Chinese had every intention of letting the border question simmer.
When Prime Minister Modi came to power, India made a substantial effort to reach out to China. During the visit of Xi Jin Ping in September 2014, the Prime Minister personally accorded a warm and affectionate welcome, escorting the Chinese premier to his home and later characterising the relationship between the two countries as ‘two bodies one spirit’. It must be noted that during that very visit, there were unconfirmed Hindustan Times and The Guardian reports of the incursion of 200 People Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers into Indian territory.
Then, of course, there was the 2017 10-week standoff at Doklam that repeatedly threatened to spiral into a violent clash of larger proportions. Mercifully, that prognosis did not run its course, though many commentators felt that China would regard the outcome as a loss of face for itself.
What led to the bloody skirmish at Galwan on 15/16 June 2020, resulting in multiple casualties on either side? The ground-level explanation is that the PLA troops retaliated when the moves of an unarmed party led by Colonel Santosh Babu of the Bihar Regiment, asking the PLA unit to remove temporary structures from the Indian territory, spun out of control.
The issue of the carpeting of the road from Darbuk to Daulat Beg Oldie along the Shyok River by India was also currently on the Chinese minds. The Chinese may have perceived the development of that axis as a clear and present threat to the Aksai Chin highway.
The analysis that the genesis of the Galwan clash was tactical in nature is, however, belied by the build-up and standoff that followed the conflict. Indeed, it points to a Chinese design at a far deeper level.
It has been analysed that the Chinese have long held the growing strategic partnership between India and the US with unmasked suspicion. Even back in 1998-2000, when Strobe Talbott and the Indian foreign minister Jaswant Singh had held several rounds is well-reported talks to resolve matters relating to nuclear power and non-proliferation, China saw it as an attempt by the US to prop India as a countervailing force against a rapidly growing China. The more recent cementing of that relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi might have revived that conspiratorial notion. Under the Modi government, India had begun to embrace powers like Japan, which might have exacerbated that sense of unease. Was the Galwan skirmish – and what followed in its aftermath – an attempt to ‘re-establish China’s supremacy and send a message of caution to India?
Or should we read this as an unprecedentedly belligerent Chinese foreign policy, increasingly in evidence since Xi ascended to power? It appears to have opened several fronts – with the US, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, the EU, Bhutan and India, even while it struggled to erase the PR disaster over its role in the origin and spread of the COVID 19 pandemic. Has China decided to shake off its cloak of ‘soft power’ and asserts itself as a pre-eminent power on the world stage? Was Galwan merely a marker in that quest?
Last month, a respected analyst and scholar Fareed Zakaria called China’s approach damaging to itself. In a recent Washington Post article titled ‘Xi’s China can’t seem to stop scoring own goals’ it called out Chinese propensity of the recent period as ‘over-reactions and surmised that ‘China’s current foreign policy is far removed from its patient, long-term and moderate approach during the Deng Xiaoping era and after. Now Chinese diplomats embrace conflict and hurl insults in what is known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy.’
The aggressive Chinese approach even flies in the face of its economic efforts to reap handsome benefits from globalisation.
In light of these conclusions, what should our stance and approach be?
Uneasy calm prevails in the area of last year’s conflict. Till microscopically verified, claims of disengagement and withdrawal can hardly be accepted. It is also evident that our build-up of over 60,000 troops and logistical infrastructure, made with impressive speed and herculean effort, must not be reversed in the foreseeable future; the cost of maintaining this posture in Eastern Ladakh is high, but the deployment must be treated as inevitable.
India’s economic disengagement would hardly cause a mortal blow to China’s economy, but the signal is unmistakable; we will pursue all that we can to uphold our security. This approach must unrelentingly continue.
This moment in history is pregnant with the possibility of reaching out to the West and countries in the Pacific Ocean region for meaningful strategic partnerships. Many countries in the area are smarting under China’s heavy-handed approach and would be more than willing to establish alliances. Malaysia expressed its annoyance to the Chinese envoy over ‘suspicious’ Chinese air activity only last week.
It may be a cliché that today’s India is not the India of 1962 but it still bears repeating. The Indian Army has come a huge distance from the 303 rifle-wielding braves that stood and fell along the banks of the icy Namkha Chu, in the shadow of Thag La. The political leadership and the Army have shown a resolve that reflects that confidence. While we must do everything to ensure that no tactical action leads to a strategic mistake and maintain peace along the LAC, our current strategy must be bolstered and continued.
After Galwan, the country has displayed that it does no longer brings a knife to a gunfight. That is not merely a motivational statement; it is also a sound basis for our future strategy.