Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, Commandant, IMA, reviewed the parade

The event was a prelude to the final passing out parade, scheduled to be held on June 12, and marked the culmination of training of 341 Indian and 84 foreign gentlemen cadets.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 10

The historic Chetwode Drill Square at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, on Thursday played host to the Commandant’s Parade for Spring Term-2021. 

The event was a prelude to the final passing out parade, scheduled to be held on June 12, and marked the culmination of training of 341 Indian and 84 foreign gentlemen cadets.

Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, Commandant, IMA, reviewed the parade and exhorted the cadets to maintain high ideals and pursue excellence at all times.

Stressing that the Army’s reputation rested firmly on their shoulders, he said that they had earned this honour with hard work and they needed to retain it by living up to the Army’s core values of character, competence, commitment and compassion.

Acknowledging and complementing their commitment to serve the nation and uphold the legacy of an unbroken chain of heroes and patriots, the Commandant said that there was no guaranteed success in the profession of arms, but unquestionable integrity will certainly tilt the odds in their favour.

Courage, physical and moral, must be evident in their actions and decisions and therefore, they must acquire the wisdom to differentiate between right and wrong and possess the strength of character to stand by their values, morals and ethics even in the most strenuous of times, he said.

The Commandant also extended his felicitations to the 84 cadets from the friendly foreign countries for having endured the rigorous regimen of training, exhibiting excellent transformation and now getting ready to don the ranks in their respective armies, as most proficient officers.

Addressing them specifically, he said that the strong bond of togetherness that they had developed at IMA would foster into a bond that will keep the diplomatic and military ties between our nations stronger and vibrant. He expressed confidence that the spirit of the Indian Military Academy will guide them in their future courses of action.

Among the foreign cadets from nine countries, 43 were from Afghanistan, 18 from Bhutan and 13 from Tajikistan. Mauritius and Vietnam had sent four and two cadets, respectively, while Maldives, Kyrgyzstan, Tonga and Srilanka had sent one each.

Junior Under Officer Kinley Norbu, a cadet from Bhutan, was awarded the motivational trophy for his all-round performance during his training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. File photo

New Delhi, June 10

Junior Under Officer Kinley Norbu, a cadet from Bhutan, was awarded the motivational trophy for his all-round performance during his training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. Norbu was adjudged the ‘best in physical training, ‘best in turn out’ and ‘the best in drill’. He will pass out of the IMA after completion of pre-commission training June 12. A special award of recognition was also presented to Ehsanullah Saadat from Afghanistan on being adjudged for the best in service. — TNS

The additional intake at NDA will take overall strength to around 2,400 cadets. It will also cater for foreign cadets and IAF cadets training for ground duty roles.

 National Defence Academy (NDA) campus |

New Delhi: The National Defence Academy (NDA) is being expanded and its annual intake of military cadets will be progressively increased by around 400 to cater to the shortfall of officers in the armed forces, ThePrint has learnt. 

The intake is also being increased keeping in mind a demand for training of foreign cadets and ground duty cadets of the Indian Air Force (IAF). 

Formally inaugurated at Khadakwasla, Pune, in 1955, the premier tri-service military training institution currently has 18 squadrons. About 2,020 cadets are undergoing training at NDA at present. Each squadron has about 120 cadets.

Defence sources told ThePrint that two more squadrons would be added to the existing squadrons, thus taking the overall strength to around 2,400 cadets.

The government sanction letter to this effect has been accorded last month, the sources added. 

“The intake will increase. This will primarily cater for the current shortfall of officers in the armed forces, but also take care of the growing demand for training of foreign cadets from friendly countries and IAF cadets who are training for ground duty roles in NDA,” a defence source said.  

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha in 2019, Minister of State for Defence Sripad Yesso Naik had said that there was an overall shortage of 9,427 officers in the armed forces. This includes a shortage of 7,399 officers in the Army, 1,545 officers in the Navy and 483 officers in the IAF, against the authorised strengths of the three services.

Move to also cater to IAF ground cadets and foreign cadets

While the NDA has traditionally been taking IAF cadets as pilot trainees, the institution has started training air force cadets for ground duties since last year. The second batch of cadets reported in March-April this year.

Ground duty officers in the IAF include those in non-flying branches such as administration, logistics, maintenance and accounts, among others. These trainees were earlier trained directly at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Telangana. Now they will be trained both at the academy and the NDA.

As for foreign cadets, there are currently about 20 per course. “The aim is to take it to 50 per course,” a second defence source said.  

ThePrint had earlier reported about the plans for increasing vacancies for foreign defence services officers to attend the training courses at the various institutions. 

Sources said the additional vacancies would be released on a half-yearly basis, which means around 30-35 additional vacancies per course would be admitted. 

Every year, two batches graduate from the NDA. The entire training period for a cadet in NDA is three years, which is divided into six terms. 

Every six months, a single batch or a course of cadets graduate from the academy.

Also read: New marching tunes, no more pre-1947 battle honours — armed forces set to get more ‘Indian’

Infrastructure to be enhanced

The existing infrastructure at NDA would accordingly be enhanced for the additional squadrons. 

Currently, training cadets at NDA are divided into five battalions. There are four battalions with four squadrons each, and the fifth has two squadrons.

There are also plans to enhance the capacity of the cadets’ mess, the Arun Khetrapal parade ground as well as the auditorium called Habibullah Hall, which is named after Maj. Gen. E. Habibullah, the first NDA commandant. 

Sources also said that the enhancement of NDA infrastructure is being undertaken keeping in mind a possible intake of women cadets in the institution.

“While the idea is just at a preliminary stage, it must be noted that girl children have started joining Sainik schools,” the first source quoted above said. “If, in the future, it is permitted to train women cadets in NDA, the requisite infrastructure should be there.” 

Sources said the decision could also have stemmed from the fact that the last two terms were almost fully subscribed.

While the number of vacancies released by the UPSC for NDA varies from course to course, the vacancies for the 147th course released in December last year was 370. 

Lakhs of candidates appear for the National Defence Academy (NDA) examination and the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination to join the defence services every year. 

NDA has been continuing with the training of the cadets despite the pandemic with all Covid-19 protocols. 

Last month, the ceremonial Passing Out Parade of the 140th Course of National Defence Academy (NDA) was conducted, but families of the cadets could not attend the event due to Covid restrictions. 

Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh reviewed the parade. His picture doing push-ups with the NDA cadets had gone viral. 

(Edited by Arun Prashanth)

Also read: Army gets going on plan to buy over 1,700 ‘future tanks’ that will become its main battle tanks

New Delhi: Even as guns have fallen silent at the Line of Control (LoC) following a ceasefire with Pakistan, terror recruitment in Kashmir continues despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown.

According to sources in the security establishment, at least 40 youths have joined terror ranks this year while 50 are “missing”. Several of those “missing” are suspected to have joined terror groups but have not been included in the official count by the police and security forces as the recruitment is not established yet.

“This year there have been around 40 who have joined terror groups, basically the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Al-Badr. However, around 50 are still missing,” a senior-level source told ThePrint.

This continuing trend of recruitment was also confirmed by another arm of the defence and security establishment, which is involved in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

“Yes, we have not been able to arrest this recruitment trend. The trend in numbers is around the same as 2020 and that is a worry,” a source said.

Meanwhile, several new groups with different names have cropped up in Kashmir to provide a front to traditional Pakistan-sponsored terror organisations. This will allegedly allow the country to claim deniability on these terror groups.

On 2 June, ThePrint had reported that while there had been no ceasefire violations since 25 February, Pakistan’s support to terror elements in Kashmir continues through hawala operators and other means. The scale of the support, however, is smaller than before now.

Incidentally, BJP leader Rakesh Pandita was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama district the same night.

Also read: Pakistan blames India for Quetta blast, but experts see no impact on efforts to ease tensions

FATF factor behind Pakistan’s peace initiative

Defence and security sources believe the peace initiative by Pakistan, which led to the ceasefire in LoC, is a move to escape the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action against it. The FATF is a Paris-based global body against money laundering and terror financing.

Pakistan was placed on the ‘grey list’ by FATF in 2018 and has been struggling to come out of it since.

On Monday, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering, a regional affiliate of FATF, had retained Pakistan on “enhanced follow-up” status for sufficient outstanding requirements. However, it did improve the country’s rating on 21 of the 40 technical recommendations made by the global watchdog.

“Pakistan’s peace moves are to get itself out of the grey listing of the FATF and to showcase to the world that it is not supporting terror and is actually wanting peace with India. So yes, while there has not been any infiltration attempt since February end or any ceasefire violations, the support to the terror groups in Kashmir continues,” another source told ThePrint.

Also read: Govt bans 42 groups including LeT, JeM for involvement in terrorist activities

Old terror groups get new fronts

Pakistan is attempting to ensure that while terror continues in Kashmir, no attack can be traced to the country, according to sources.

“The terror situation in Kashmir is at a stage which is under control from a security point of view given the history of the place. This is primarily because strict instructions have been given by the ISI and the Pakistani establishment to terror groups against any infiltration at LoC or big attacks that will bring a spotlight on terrorism in Kashmir,” said a source quoted earlier.

To this end, Pakistan has been propping up various fronts for original terror groups since early 2020. These fronts establish these groups as indigenous and ‘revolutionaries’.

“All the traditional terror groups, which were operating from Pakistan with direct support of the ISI, like the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba), Jaish-e-Mohammad have now got frontal organisations with peculiar names to showcase that Pakistan has no role in the terror activities in Kashmir,” the source said.

Most of the recent recruits have joined The Resistance Front (TRF), which is a front for LeT. Another front for the LeT is the People’s Anti Fascist Front, which claimed the attack on Pandita.

Similarly, the infamous 313 Brigade of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen has converted into what is now known as the Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force.

The Lashkar-e-Mustafa is a front for JeM, which came into the spotlight following the Pulwama attack in 2019.

Also Read: Pakistan keeps making bad decisions with India. Its insecurity is hurting peace

Hizbul sees decline in recruitment and operations

Meanwhile, the operations and recruitment for terror group Hizbul Mujahideen has declined, primarily because of tensions in its headquarters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

One of the earliest terror groups in the region, the Hizbul Mujahideen is largely believed to be indigenous since it was formed in 1989 by Kashmiris who crossed over to PoK for arms training.

However, it also comprises sections of Kashmiris from PoK, who are known as Pir Panjal, along with Pakistani Punjabis among its ranks.

Sources said there is widespread discontent among the ranks in PoK with many who had crossed over now doing normal jobs to earn a living.

“As per inputs, the salaries paid to the HM cadres in PoK have not been revised for several years. Salaries still range from about Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 10,000-11,000 (about Rs 6,000) for single men to about PKR 17,000 for those with family,” a source said.

Terror recruitment remains a worry 

Even if there is no spike in recruitment, sources in the security establishment noted that the continued recruitment is still a cause for worry.

“These recruits don’t even have arms initially and many of them after two weeks or so get pistols. In many encounters since last year, pistols have been recovered from the dead terrorists. The fact that many of these boys preferred to fight to death with pistols than surrender like in many other cases, shows the level of brainwashing that is happening,” a source said.

According to another source, measuring success based on how many terrorists are killed needs to change, instead the focus should be on ensuring that recruitment comes down. “This kill based grading system needs to change,” the source said.

Incidentally, former 15 Corps Commander Lt Gen. B.S. Raju had withdrawn the points system for recovery of arms and ammunition. The points earned by each unit for various operations helped it earn citations and other forms of recognition.

Meanwhile, the government is also working on a surrender policy for new recruits but it is yet to be finalised by the home and defence ministry.

According to official statistics, 131 Kashmiri youth had joined terror groups in 2020 till early October. This was higher than the 117 recruitments in 2019.

The highest recruitment in the last few years happened in 2018 with 214 youngsters joining terror groups.

(Edited by Rachel John)

Also read: Indian Army has new strategies for Pakistan, China: Punitive deterrence, credible deterrence

Farmers, under the banner of the Krantikari Kisan Union, proceed to Delhi.

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 9

To commemorate the martyrdom day of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur on Delhi borders farmers in large numbers under the banner of Krantikari Kisan Union left for the National Capital in a convoy of buses and cars today. They started from Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College campus.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders Nirmal Singh Riona and Amrik Singh Romi said, “The morcha is commemorating the martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur on Delhi borders.”

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur abolished the feudal system and made farmers owners of the land they were cultivating, they added. The Union government wanted to make corporate houses owners by taking away land from farmers, they said. Farmers would not allow this to happen even if they had to make sacrifices, they added. — OC

Farmer was unable to sell his 5-tonne produce due to Covid-induced lockdown

Ramgarh/Bokaro, June 10

Unable to sell his bumper watermelon harvest of 5 tonnes due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, a 25-year-old Jharkhand farmer offered the produce to soldiers of the Sikh Regimental Centre (SRC) at Ramgarh, who instead bought it at the market price.

Touched by the gesture of Ranjan Kumar Mahto, a Ranchi University graduate who chose farming as a profession, SRC officers, including commandant Brigadier M Sri Kumar, visited his farm in adjoining Bokaro district and bought the produce.

The soldiers and their family members visited the 25-acre farm at Kander with gifts, groceries and food packets for farm labourers and took the entire 5-tonne produce in their own vehicles to SRC, located 15 km away.

“It was heartening to see drip irrigation on 25 acres of land but unfortunately, the poor farmer could not sell the produce. We saw women workers too.

“We came to know that he had launched the venture two years ago but suffered losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and cyclone Yaas,” Brigadier Kumar, also the president of the Ramgarh Cantonment Board, told PTI.

Mahto had decided to make agriculture his profession after failing to get a job.

He took the 25-acre land on lease at an annual rent of Rs 5,000 per acre and undertook watermelon cultivation on six acres with an investment of Rs 15 lakh.

“However, there were no buyers during the lockdown.

The crop started to rot. Nobody in the village was ready to buy it even for Rs 2 per kg. We sought help from various circles but to no avail.

“Finally, I decided to offer the produce to our brave soldiers for free and approached the cantonment,” he told PTI.

Mahto has employed around 40 women labourers and also planted capsicum, brinjal and other vegetables

11th round of Corps Commander-level talks was held on April 9

Disengagement at the Pangong lake area in eastern Ladakh. PTI file

New Delhi, June 10

India on Thursday once again called for completion of the disengagement process at the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh to pave the way for both the Indian and Chinese troops to consider de-escalation and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity in border areas.

At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, referring to the last rounds of military and diplomatic talks, said both sides agreed on the need to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols.

“We have repeatedly stressed that completion of disengagement in other areas would pave the way for the two sides to consider de-escalation of forces and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity and enable progress in bilateral relations,” he said.

Bagchi was replying to a question on the status of the talks between the two sides on the border standoff.

The 11th round of Corps Commander-level talks was held on April 9 while the last edition of diplomatic negotiations under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs took place on March 12.

“During these meetings, both sides agreed on the need to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols,” Bagchi said.

India and China are locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks. The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops at the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach towards this end at the 11th round of military talks.

Last month, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.

Gen Naravane also said that India is dealing with China in a “firm” and “non-escalatory” manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh, and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.  India has been insisting on complete disengagement at the remaining friction points to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ladakh. PTI

Last week, Pakistan’s foreign ministry called for a probe into what it called the seizure of nuclear material

Photo for representation.

New Delhi, June 10

India hit out at Pakistan on Thursday for making an unverified claim that some material seized recently in Jharkhand’s Bokaro was uranium and described it as an attempt by Islamabad to malign the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the material seized was not uranium and asserted that India maintains a stringent law-based regulatory system for internationally-controlled items, which is reflected in its “impeccable” non-proliferation credentials.

“The Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, after due evaluation and laboratory analysis of the material sample, has stated that the material seized last week is not uranium and not radioactive,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

“The gratuitous remarks about India by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, drawing upon a media report, indicate their disposition to malign India without caring to check or verify facts,” he said at a media briefing.

Bagchi was replying to a question on Pakistan’s official remarks in response to a media report on the seizure of the suspicious material in Bokaro last week.

“Let me also reaffirm that India maintains a stringent law-based regulatory system for internationally-controlled items, which is reflected in our impeccable non-proliferation credentials recognised by the international community,” he said.

Last week, Pakistan’s foreign ministry called for a probe into what it called the seizure of nuclear material.

Asked about reports of security concerns at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, Bagchi did not give a direct reply but said the MEA maintains contacts with local authorities regarding the safety and security of its diplomatic premises.

“The MEA maintains contact with local authorities regarding the safety and security of all our diplomatic premises, which we believe is the responsibility of the host government,” he said. PTI

A Chinese national was apprehended by the BSF along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Malta district on Thursday, officials said. File photo

New Delhi, June 10

A Chinese national was apprehended by the BSF along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Malta district on Thursday, officials said. The man is being questioned by officials of the BSF, local police and intelligence agencies, and further details would be known once the session ended, they said. TNS

Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor’s Parade held at the at the Indian Military Academy on Tuesday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 8

In the run-up to the Passing Out Parade (POP) scheduled to be held at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on June 12, the Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor’s Parade was conducted on Tuesday.

A total of 341 Indian and 84 foreign Gentlemen Cadets displayed their immaculate turnout and precision marching. This marks the preparation for the grand finale later this week and symbolises the culmination of rigorous training and transformation of a cadet into a young officer. 

The parade was reviewed by Maj Gen JS Mangat, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor of the Indian Military Academy. He complimented the cadets and encouraged them to strive for professional excellence. He also emphasised the importance of valour, honour, ethos, and fine traditions of Indian Army. https://4101b6bb03d512dfdb5e51c028dd09f0.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“The Gentlemen Cadets have been taught to lead by example and the soldiers who would be under their command should look up to them with pride. Indian troops are the best in the world, simple by heart, with unquestionable loyalty and hearts filled with patriotism. But then, as an officer you have to earn their respect and trust by your action, conduct and demeanor and above all by the truthfulness and purity of your intention and action. Once you have earned their trust and loyalty, they will follow you to every battle and win it for you,” Maj Gen Mangat said.

He also mentioned the efforts of the faculty and the hard work of the gentlemen cadets that went in the training regimen amidst the global pandemic and challenges posed by Covid-19.

He also extended his felicitations to cadets from nine friendly foreign countries on successful completion of the training and wished them all the success ahead as they carry with them the cherished memories of their time at IMA.