New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has introduced a new Bill that seeks to prevent the workers of establishments that are engaged in “essential defence services” from going on strikes, or the lockouts of such units.

Essential defence services refer to establishments engaged in production of goods or equipment required for any purpose connected with defence.

According to the government, these services are those the “cessation of work of which would prejudicially affect the production of defence equipment or goods; or the operation or maintenance of any industrial establishment or unit engaged in production of goods or equipment required for any purpose connected with defence; or repair or maintenance of products connected with defence”.

Introduced earlier this week, the Bill will empower the government to prohibit agitation or strikes among such workers. It will also empower the government to ban lockouts in units engaged in these services.

At the heart of the ordinance and the Bill likely lay a strike proposed by the employees’ federations of ordnance factories from 26 July — against the government’s decision last month to corporatise them.

Also read: China in focus, Army’s Strike Corps units reach Ladakh as part of ‘rebalance’ strategy

What does the draft law say?

The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021 says it is meant to provide for the maintenance of essential defence services “so as to secure the security of the nation and the life and property of public at large and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”.

It will empower the government to prohibit strikes, agitations of workers employed in establishments the government decides to mark as essential defence services, and prevent lockouts of such establishments.

If a person employed in an establishment engaged in such services starts or takes part in a strike considered illegal under the proposed law, they will be liable to disciplinary action (including dismissal) and imprisonment for up to one year or with fine which may extend to Rs 10,000 or both.

The penalties are higher for those instigating or giving financial aids to such strikes.

The Bill also prohibits layoffs by employers for workers of industrial establishments engaged in these services.

Why now?

In its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill specifically cites the Indian ordnance factories, the oldest and largest industrial setup under the Ministry of Defence, whose employees’ federations had called for an indefinite strike from 26 July against the government’s decision to corporatise them last month.

This proposed indefinite strike perhaps triggered the ordinance and the Bill — on such a short notice — even as defence sources insisted that the move had been on cards for a long time.

The strike was proposed after the government decided to corporatise the 41 ordnance factories across India into seven 100 per cent government-owned corporate entities, registered under the Companies Act 2013. The decision was taken to improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies, and streamline functioning.

The federations then declared an indefinite strike from 26 July despite the government’s assurances to take care of the employees’ conditions of service.

While bringing in the Bill, the government said it is essential that an uninterrupted supply of ordnance items to the armed forces be maintained for the defence preparedness of the country and the ordnance factories continue to function without any disruptions, “especially in view of the prevailing situation on the northern front of the country”.

“… it was felt necessary that the Government should have power to meet the emergency created by such attempts and ensure the maintenance of essential defence services in all establishments connected with defence, in public interest or interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India or security of any State or decency or morality,” it said.

Also read: LoC, cameras, action — how hi-tech equipment is helping Indian Army guard the border better

Impact on OFB and others

The Bill will affect the nearly 80,000 workers employed across Indian ordnance factories — considered among the critical organisations in defence — and other establishments the government might tag as engaged in essential defence services.

The Bill does not explicitly state whether private companies in critical defence services will be covered under it.

In the past, attempts to change the functioning of the ordnance factories have been met with stiff resistance from the employees’ federations. Three federations had called for a strike over the proposed move last year too, but subsequently called it off after a “conciliation meeting” with the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

This is despite three committees on defence recommending corporatisation between 2000 and 2015 and it being listed as one of the 167 transformative ideas to be implemented within the first 100 days of the second term of the Modi government.

A senior defence official pointed out that while those engaged in essential defence services may not be allowed to go for strikes, and may face punitive actions after the Act comes into effect, the draft law also takes away the employers’ rights to lay off workers.

“It is a good Bill which has been brought considering the past strikes carried out by defence PSUs and others,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Also read: Defence Ministry issues tender for over Rs 40,000 crore to build 6 submarines domestically

New Delhi: Specialised elements of a Strike Corps have reached Ladakh and the soldiers are undergoing reorientation training and familiarisation as part of the Army’s efforts to ‘rebalance’ its deployment on the northern, western and northeastern borders.

According to sources in the defence and security establishment, various new elements from the Strike Corps have reached Ladakh, including certain artillery units with specialised firepower, armoured and mechanised columns as well as the infantry.https://7adaf996796edf2f1ba77f47ee0e6b5e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“This is part of the re-orientation training. This is not a permanent deployment as they will come back to their stations after some time. They will be replaced by the rest of the elements from the particular Corps. The Strike Corps will come into play when there is a need,” a source told ThePrint.

This development comes at a time when China continues to amass thousands of soldiers close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and carries on with heavy military construction activities on its territory, which is a clear indication that it is preparing itself for the long haul.

Also read: China revises Galwan Valley clash toll to 5, says PLA troops were ‘besieged’

New strategy for Ladakh

In April, ThePrint had reported that the Army put in place a new summer strategy for Ladakh and also implemented key changes in the Order of Battle (ORBAT).

To counter the continued deployment by China, India has retained more troops and equipment in Ladakh, besides the 3 Division, which is in charge of the LAC, and the 14 Corps Reserve.

This is in addition to the Strike Corps that will now operate in Ladakh.

In January last year, Army chief General M.M. Naravane had announced that the Army will be looking into rebalancing deployment and strategy along the borders.

As part of the efforts, a major decision taken was the dual-tasking of a Strike Corps. This means that the Strike Corps, which used to focus only on Pakistan earlier, will now have to look after China as well. China will also be its primary focus henceforth.

For this, the Strike Corps had to let go of some of its formations while retaining others.

The armoured division of the Strike Corps had also become the Army Headquarters Reserve Division as part of the new strategy.

The corps also had a new division attached to it and they specialise in mountain warfare.

Furthermore, the 17 Mountain Strike Corps (MSC), which was earlier the only Strike Corps deployed against China, also got one more division attached to it from the East. Prior to this, the 17 MSC were operating with only one division.

Sources said that key changes of this rebalance have been implemented and the focus will now be on reorientation and training of the soldiers to cater to their new task.

(Edited by Rachel John)

Also read: LoC, cameras, action — how hi-tech equipment is helping Indian Army guard the border better

Army ranks are better known than those of officers of the IAF and Navy, and the consequences can be quite annoying — and funny

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. PTI file photo

Gp Capt Paramvir Singh Sodhi

The Indian Air Force, the Indian Army and Indian Navy are part of a bigger gamut called the Indian Armed Forces and all three sister services need each other to meet their professional goals and civil recognition.

It is a known fact that for various reasons, the ranks of the Indian Army are more well known and recognised by civilians, though thanks to Wg Cdr Abhinandan and Shahrukh Khan, who played the role of Sqn Ldr Veer in the movie ‘Veer Zara’, the ranks of Wing Commander and Squadron Leader have better resonance. To overcome this problem, the IAF and Indian Navy officers sometimes introduce themselves to civilians by quoting their rank equivalent to the Indian Army.

A friend, who is a Group Captain in the IAF (equivalent to Colonel in the Army), happened to visit Hyderabad and ended up staying in a hotel near the airport as he could not get accommodation in any Officers’ Mess. The polite but enthusiastic receptionist made him fill in the personal details and said, “Dear Captain, here are the room keys.” His words, though courteous, irked the Group Captain. He told the receptionist, “You can either address me as Group Captain or you can call me by my name. If you address me as Captain, you are demoting me by three military ranks. The equivalent of a Captain is a Flight Lieutenant in the IAF.”

The receptionist listened attentively and replied with extraordinary courtesy, “Sure Captain, I will follow that.” The Group Captain understood that explaining to him the ranks was to throw pearls before a swine and he moved on.

The receptionist could make out that the guest was not happy and immediately informed the lady who was in charge of customer care. She called up the officer in his room: “I am aware of the incident, sir, and will personally look into this. You can trust me Commander.” The military officer, keeping his calm, informed the young and energetic lady that Commander is a rank in the Indian Navy and its equivalent in the IAF is Wing Commander. He asked her to educate herself about the military ranks using Wikipedia. She assured him that such a mistake would not occur in future.

After making the entire hierarchy of the hotel staff familiarised with the ranks of the Indian Air Force, the confident Group Captain thought he had brought a change in the knowledge level of employees and they would not cause any embarrassment to officers in future. With these thoughts, he moved on to check out of the hotel only to find that his name on the bill was prefixed with the rank of Lieutenant. This was the last nail in the coffin. With a heavy heart, the Group Captain bid goodbye hoping that some day people will understand and know the equivalence of military ranks.

Military ranks and their equivalent should be taught as part of the school curriculum, and especially so when these can be used as titles under the purview of Article 18 of the Constitution.

Soldiers during a special event for narrating the stories of Operation Vijay at Lamochen near Dras in Ladakh on Sunday. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 25

Under a unique effort, the Northern Command on Sunday organised a session under which gallantry awardees narrated stories of how the battles were fought during the Kargil conflict from May to July, 1999.

Called Operation Vijay, July 26 is observed as the Vijay Diwas. The storytelling was organised by the Army at Lamochen near Drass where the epic battles on Tololing, Tiger Hill, Pt 4875 and other prominent features were narrated.

Kargil War heroes — Subedars Sanjay Kumar and Yogendra Singh Yadav — both Paramvir Chakra awardees were present.

Among the visitors were other gallantry award winners, widows and families of the brave men who lost their lives. The narration took everyone down the memory lane.

Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have deep-rooted martial legacy

Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 26

Recruitment of airmen in the Air Force from Punjab and Haryana has witnessed an increase over the past three years while intake into the Army from these states has dipped.

The number of airmen recruited from Haryana in 2018, 2019 and 2020 was 859, 1501 and 1719, respectively. Even the intake of sailors into the Navy from Haryana has seen a noticeable increase, with 637, 659 and 404 persons opting to join the maritime force over the aforementioned years.

On the other hand, recruitment of personnel below officer rank from Haryana dipped from 4, 994 in 2018 to 3,859 in 2019 and 3,825 in 2020, according to figures placed by the Ministry of Defence in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Haryana is among the top states in the country to contribute manpower for the defence services, both in the officer cadre as well as the ranks. The Infantry’s Jat Regiment predominately draws troops from this state.

While recruitment of airmen from Punjab has also seen a consistent increase from 69 in 2018 to 78 in 2019 and 100 in 2020, intake into the other two services have declined.

In 2018, the number of soldiers recruited from Punjab was 7.079. This fell to 5,117 in 2019 and then rose to 5,821 in 2020. The number of sailors joining the Navy from Punjab and Chandigarh was 115 in 2018, 133 in 2019 and 66 in 2020.

Punjab, like neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, has a deep-rooted martial legacy and family tradition to join the defence forces. Besides forming a significant part of various arms and services, most troops in the Infantry’s Punjab Regiment, Sikh Regiment and Sikh Light Infantry hail from Punjab. The Dogra Regiment and a part of the Punjab Regiment draw troops from Himachal Pradesh.

While the intake of soldiers in the Army from Himachal Pradesh rose from 3,266 in 2018 to 3,309 in 2019 and 3,571 in 2020, the numbers for the other two services have fallen. In 2018, 38 persons from the hill state joined the Air Force, which fell to 19 each in the succeeding two years. In the Navy, recruitment of sailors fell from 57 in 2018 to 50 in 2019 and 20 in 2020.

Intake into the armed forces varies each year and depends upon retirements, premature release and attrition due to casualties and injuries. At present, as many 1,10,877 posts in the rank and file of the three services are lying vacant. According to MoD’s data, this includes 90,640 in the Army, 7,104 in the Air Force and 11,927 in the Navy besides another 1,206 in the medical stream.

As far as the officer cadre is concerned, the total shortage is 10,849, which includes 7,912 in the Army, 610 in the Air Force and 1,190 in the Navy. In addition, the services are short of 444 medical and 693 military nursing officers.

Military personnel, families converge in Drass

Indian Army soldiers during a special event narrating the stories of Operation Vijay at Lamochen near Drass in Ladakh, on Sunday, July 25, 2021. PTI

Ladakh, July 25

The epic battles of Tololing, Tiger Hill and others were recalled and 559 lamps lit in a tribute to the martyrs at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass area of Ladakh as events to mark the 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas commenced on Sunday in the presence of top military officers, family members of the army personnel and others.

President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit Drass on Monday to pay homage at the Memorial, located on the foothills of the Tololing.

A special meet recalling the many inspiring stories of Operation Vijay was organised by the Army at Lamochen near Drass early this morning which was attended by a number of military personnel including the gallantry award winners and families of Kargil War heroes.

An account of the battles on Tololing, Tiger Hill, Pt 4875 and other prominent features of the daring feat achieved by the valiant soldiers of the Indian Army were narrated with these very landmarks visible to the audience as they were taken down memory lane,  PRO Defence Col Emron Musavi said.

At the Memorial, 559 lamps were lit, symbolic of the lives sacrificed for the nation, he said.

A fusion of military bands put up a display which was followed by a solemn ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony.

A memorial service was held where the attendees paid silent tribute to the fallen heroes with moist eyes.

Col Musavi said the last event of the day was ‘A Twilight with Brave Hearts’ with the soldiers at Polo Ground, Drass.

Later in the evening, a performance by the fusion band of Indian Army along with their lighted pipers was conducted, the PRO said.

He said the trailer of Captain Vikram Batra’s biopic, ‘Shershah’ – produced by Dharma Productions – was also released and ‘Maa Teri Kasam’, a soulful and emotive song, conceptualised by Northern Command screened.

Batra sacrificed his life fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil War in 1999 at the age of 24 and was posthumously awarded the highest wartime gallantry award—the Param Vir Chakra.https://963a554f49f9916d14c8fa206fd65a7c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country’s Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil.

The day is observed as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to commemorate India’s victory.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly ‘Mann ki baat’ radio address, mentioned Kargil Vijay Diwas and asked the people of the country to pay tributes to those who made the nation proud in 1999. PTI

More than 15 months into the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh, the deadlock persists as India and China are not agreeable on the sequence of pulling back troops.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 25

More than 15 months into the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh, the deadlock persists as India and China are not agreeable on the sequence of pulling back troops.

Sticking point

• India says troops in close proximity should ‘disengage’ first, while de-escalation and de-induction can take place later
• China says de-escalation and de-induction should take place first, while troops in close proximity can ‘disengage’ thereafter

Kargil Vijay Diwas today

HUMBLED BY SACRIFICES

I pay tribute to the bravehearts who fought for and defended the sovereignty and integrity of our great nation. I am humbled by the sacrifices of our families that unflinchingly sent their loved ones into battle. On this day, let us rededicate ourselves to be resilient and fearless in the face of adversity. – Gen MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff

Salute to bravehearts

The Kargil war is a symbol of the valour and discipline of our armed forces, which the entire world has witnessed. This time, this glorious day will be celebrated in the middle of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’. That’s why it becomes even more special… Let us all salute the bravehearts of Kargil. – Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Both sides have around 75,000 troops lined up on either side of the 832-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. India wants a three-step process to be followed. The first step being disengagement from areas where troops are within close proximity. The next two steps — de-escalation and de-induction —would entail pulling back troops and equipment to the pre-April 2020 home bases.

Commanders of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) want that “de-escalation and de-induction” should take place first. The troops in close proximity can “disengage” thereafter, sources say.https://9b7d56225b55455ce2806a86c4d5ef96.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Indian side sees a red flag in the sequence suggested by China. The terrain of Tibetan plateau is flat on the Chinese side, which means the PLA can induct troops quite rapidly. In some cases, it may take less than 8-10 hours by road or rail.

In case of India, the two roads leading to Ladakh (one via Srinagar-Zojila and the other via Manali) remain closed due to snow for around seven months in a year. For India, the terrain does not allow rapid induction as several high passes, which get snowbound from October, can hold back even the infantry. Senior military commanders (Lt Gen-level) of either side last met on April 9. Since then, the dates and agenda for the next round of talks are being firmed up. PLA’s insistence on its own sequence of pullback is the stumbling block. Negotiations will take some time, sources say. On February 10, troops of either side started “disengagement” along the banks of Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial lake. Following disengagement from that area, the process remains stalled.

The present position of troops from both sides is not face-to-face, but they are within the striking range from where rapid redeployment is possible. There have been no face-offs and no escalation since February. Both sides remain in touch. “We continue to hold dialogue,” sources maintain.

There have 1,450 contacts made through either the phone or physical meetings at designated meeting points at Daulat Baig Oldie and Chusul, sources say. A hotline exists between these points, they add.

The House also compliments weightlifter Mirabai Chanu for wining a silver in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics

M Venkaiah Naidu. PTI file

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 26

On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas on Monday, Rajya Sabha paid homage to soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict that took place between India and Pakistan in the icy heights of the Himalayas in 1999.

“The display of exemplary courage, selfless dedication and unflinching determination towards the goal of the mission by our soldiers in treacherous terrain in inclement weather will remain etched in our memory forever. The saga of their unparalleled valour and gallantry will continue to inspire generations after generations to dedicate themselves to the cause of the nation. Today, on behalf of the whole House and on my own behalf I pay glowing tributes to the indomitable spirit and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers who went above and beyond their call of duty to protect our motherland and secure our lives,” Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said reading out from a written statement.

The House then observed silence in memory of the soldiers who died.

The House also complimented weightlifter Mirabai Chanu for wining a silver in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Naidu said she had made all Indians proud.

At 5.62 lakh, Punjab has the third highest number of ineligible beneficiaries under PM-Kisan scheme. – File photo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 20

The Centre has transferred nearly Rs 3,000 into the accounts of over 42.16 lakh ineligible farmers under the PM-Kisan scheme and it was now in the process of recovering the amount.

The maximum ineligible beneficiaries who received the money were in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Punjab, according to a written reply by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in the Lok Sabha to a question related to disbursal of funds under the scheme. Under PM-Kisan, the Centre transfers Rs 6,000 each year to farmers across the country in three equal instalments. The scheme has eligibility criteria, like the farmer should not be an income tax payee.

Tomar said Rs 2,992 crore was to be recovered from 42.16 lakh ineligible farmers who had got money under the scheme. The maximum ineligible farmers who got the benefit were in Assam (8,35,268), followed by Tamil Nadu (7,22,271), Punjab (5,62,256), Maharashtra (4,45,497), UP (2,65,321) and Gujarat (2,36,543). The money to be recovered is around Rs 554 crore in Assam, Rs 437 crore in Punjab, Rs 358 crore in Maharashtra, Rs 340 crore in Tamil Nadu, Rs 258 crore in UP and Rs 220 crore in Gujarat.

Incidentally, around Rs 41 crore is to be recovered from 41,445 ineligible persons in Haryana, Rs 16.4 crore from 15,503 persons in HP and Rs 3,28,000 from 30 persons in Chandigarh. Among the large states, the smallest number of ineligible beneficiaries was in West Bengal where Rs 76,000 is to be recovered from 19 persons.

Maximum ‘beneficiaries’ in Assam

• The maximum ineligible farmers who got the benefit were in Assam (8,35,268), followed by Tamil Nadu (7,22,271), Punjab (5,62,256), Maharashtra (4,45,497), UP (2,65,321) and Gujarat (2,36,543)
• The money to be recovered is around Rs554 crore in Assam, Rs437 crore in Punjab, Rs358 crore in Maharashtra, Rs340 crore in Tamil Nadu, Rs258 crore in UP and Rs220 crore in Gujarat.

Chennai: The Defence Corridor in Tamil Nadu could be instrumental in placing India on the global map with a landmark manufacturing deal that is taking shape. A consortium of industries, spearheaded by TVS and Sons, is preparing to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will enable the manufacture of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). When this fructifies, India will join the group of elite nations, and emerge as the fifth country in the world that can produce indigenous AWACS.
It is learnt from multiple sources including the Aerospace Industries Development Association of TN, that discussions are on with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) to develop a vendor ecosystem for this investment-heavy proposal. “Talks are still at a preliminary stage but the idea is to create a ‘Made-in-India’ SPV, to strengthen the defence sector,” confirmed an official.
TVS and Sons is taking the lead to set up the SPV unit, multiple sources confirmed to DT Next. “As this is an investment-intensive business, the Chennai-based group has been in talks with stakeholders such as the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the state government in this regard,” added the official. Entering the defence business will also mark a significant diversification for the logistics player. This new direction would envisage an investment of over Rs 1,000 crore and with the Centre accelerating the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission, especially in the defence front, it is being seen as a timely decision. When contacted, R Dinesh, Joint MD of TVS and Sons did not confirm the developments. Former DRDO Chairman S Christopher, whose dream has been to produce an aircraft in TN, is at the forefront of this project. When DT Next reached out to confirm the development, he replied in the affirmative. “My aim is to get the TN Defence Corridor started as fast as possible,” said the IIT-M alumni. Creating an ancillary ecosystem requires a long gestation project, involving huge investments, however, once the infrastructure is set, it can be used to execute smaller projects, making this a pioneering initiative to kick-start the entire defence corridor, he added.
The IAF currently has just three Israeli Phalcon AWACS, with a 400-km range and 360-degree radar coverage, and two indigenous ‘Netra AEW&C aircraft. During Dr Christopher’s stint at the DRDO as Chief Designer and Program Director, he was instrumental in giving the indigenous touch to AWACS, used by IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of Balakot-fame. As per a KPMG report, Data Patterns (a leader in indigenously developed electronic systems in the defence and aerospace domain, Chennai), Mistral Solutions (Bengaluru), Astra Microwave (Hyderabad), TUNGA (Technology Upgradation of Naval, Ground, and Air Systems, an original equipment manufacturer of new-age drone technologies based out of Chennai with its Centre of Excellence in Design Engineering located at IIT Madras research park) and Airworks (Hosur) are the five companies that will be involved in the prestigious project, while TVS and Sons will act as the nodal company driving it.