The visit comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to the neighbouring country

Army Chief General MM Naravane inspects a guard of honour at Shikha Anirban in Dhaka. PTI

Dhaka, April 8  

Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Thursday paid tributes to the fallen heroes of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War after arriving in the country on a five-day visit to further strengthen the close and fraternal ties existing between the armed forces of the two nations.

Naravane is visiting Dhaka at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart, Gen Aziz Ahmed.

The visit comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to the neighbouring country.

The Chief of Army Staff paid tributes to the fallen heroes of the 1971 Liberation War by laying a wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban in Dhaka Cantonment.

“Gen Narawane on 1st day of his 5-day visit to #Bangladesh paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the #ShikhaAnirban today,” Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army), tweeted.

He was welcomed with a guard of honour at Senakunj.

“#COAS will be meeting the three Service Chiefs of Bangladesh’s #ArmedForces,” it tweeted.

The Indian Army chief will share his experience during the seminar on United Nations Peace Support Operations. He will also witness the culmination exercise, hardware display and closing ceremony of the joint military exercise ‘Shantir Ogroshena’, a multilateral UN-mandated counter-terrorism exercise from April 4 to 12, the Indian Embassy here said in a statement ahead of the visit.

Besides the armies of Bangladesh and India, the exercise is being participated by Bhutan and Sri Lanka along with observers from the US, the UK, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The visit will further strengthen the close and fraternal ties existing between the armed forces of the two countries, it said.

The Army chief will also interact with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on April 11

“This visit from April 8 to 12 will further deepen the bilateral relationships between the two armies and act as a catalyst for closer coordination and cooperation between the two countries on a host of strategic issues,” Army Spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said in New Delhi.

The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In reflection of close ties, India is also hosting a number of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war that led to the liberation of Bangladesh.

Around 93,000 Pakistani troops had surrendered before the joint forces of the Indian Army and the “Mukti Bahini” on December 16, 1971 that paved the way for the birth of Bangladesh.

The Army chief is also scheduled to visit the Mujibur Rahman memorial museum in Dhanmondi where he will pay tributes to the founding father of that country. PTI

Manhas’ five-year-old daughter was seen kissing her father’s picture on a mobile phone

A screen grab from video.Jammu, April

Days of anxious silence gave way to relief and celebration at the house of CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas here as the news of his release from Maoist captivity broke on Thursday.

Family members and relatives of the commando, who was abducted by Maoists after an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh on April 3, were moved to tears as they saw visuals of him stepping out of an ambulance on a news channel.

Also read: Abducted CRPF commando released by Maoists in Chhattisgarh

Manhas’ five-year-old daughter was seen kissing her father’s picture on a mobile phone.

“This is the happiest moment of my life. I always remained hopeful of his return and want to thank the Central and Chhattisgarh governments and everybody else who stood by us during the testing times,” Manhas’ wife Meenu told reporters at their house in Burnai on the Jammu-Akhnoor road.

Twenty-two personnel from various security forces like the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force, its Bastariya battalion and those from the District Reserve Guard and STF of the Chhattisgarh Police were killed in the ambush.

Thirty-one security personnel were also injured in the encounter. PTI

Bhadauria visits Bengaluru, interacts with test crew of Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment and engineers of Software Development Institute

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. PTI file

New Delhi, April 8

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Thursday flew a Su-30MKI fighter jet in Bengaluru to witness its “capability enhancement”, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

“CAS (Chief of Air Staff) visited Bengaluru and interacted with test crew of Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) & software engineers of Software Development Institute,” it said on Twitter.

The ASTE conducts flight testing of aircraft, airborne systems and weapons prior to their induction into the IAF.

Bhadauria reviewed ongoing projects during his visit on Thursday and flew a Su-30MKI aircraft to “witness the capability enhancement on successful completion of one such project”, the IAF stated. PTI

Rafale: French media house cites confidential documents from ED; Dassault rejects allegations

New Delhi, April 8

In a startling revelation, a French media house has claimed that an Indian business intermediary was secretly paid millions of euros by Dassault Aviation, maker of Rafale fighter jets, and French defence electronics firm Thales. The French team had succeeded in removing the anti-corruption clauses from the fighter contract.

French media house ‘Mediapart’ published the third and final part of the series on the Rafale deal. It said: “Mediapart has obtained a number of confidential documents from the ED (Indian Enforcement Directorate) case file, which shed new light on the behind-the-scenes events of the Rafale deal”.

“Dassault and Thales paid Sushen Gupta several million euros in secret commissions to offshore accounts and shell companies, using inflated invoices for software consulting,” said the report. These payments were besides the questionable contract, , worth 1 million euros, with Dassault for making replica models of Rafale jets.

According to information gained by Mediapart, Gupta obtained confidential documents from the Indian Defence Ministry on the dispute between India and France over the purchase costs of Rafale.

The report said, in August 2015, “Indian negotiators concluded, in a confidential report, that the overall purchase price for the jets, including their weaponry, should be 5.06 billion euros. But in January 2016, Dassault proposed more than double the price: 10.7 billion euros, excluding the missile equipment.” “For the French camp, Sushen Gupta’s assistance was to prove precious. He obtained confidential documents from the Indian Defence Ministry on the subject of the dispute over the purchase costs. These included the minutes of meetings by the Indian negotiating team.

The report said the Indian Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that there were insufficient grounds for opening an investigation into the matter. But that decision was made without the information gathered in the probe by the ED in another case. — TNS

Photo for representation only

New Delhi, April 8

Ahead of another round of high-level military talks with China, India on Thursday said it would like to see disengagement at remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh that could lead to restoration of peace and tranquillity along the frontier.

The 11th round of Corps Commander talks is scheduled to start at 10.30 am on Friday at the Chushul border point on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, sources in the security establishment said.

Meanwhile, China said India’s proposal for restoration of status quo of April 2020 in eastern Ladakh could be discussed at the meeting. — TNS

Dhaka, April 8

Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Thursday met Bangladesh’s Army, Air Force and Navy chiefs, and discussed issues of mutual interest and matters on bilateral defence cooperation besides bolstering strategic ties between the two neighbours.

Naravane also paid tributes to the fallen heroes of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War after arriving in the country on a five-day visit to further strengthen the close and fraternal ties existing between the armed forces of the two nations.

Naravane is visiting Bangladesh on the invitation of his counterpart Gen Aziz Ahmed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had travelled to the neighbouring country around two weeks ago.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said today that the forces should completely shed the “colonial-era syndrome”. Speaking at the Vivekananda International Foundation, General Rawat sought to highlight how a changed global environment demands a change in outlook and policies.

General Rawat was speaking on the theme ‘Shaping the armed forces to meet likely current and future challenges’. “We cannot fight the next war premised on the experiences and structures of the past wars,” said the CDS. The way forward is jointness, integration and modernisation in line with the changing security environment and utmost optimisation of resources.

“A series of initiatives are being undertaken that will change the way Indian armed forces fight and the way capability is developed. Greater emphasis would now be on advancing jointness and integration across the board to shape congruent perception for the three armed forces to jointly operate efficiently and effectively. The central theme is to be future ready by balancing preparedness for today’s requirements with what we need to do differently to meet tomorrow’s challenges,” he said.

With the threat of a two-front war simultaneously with China and Pakistan always looming, Army Chief General MM Naravane said on Tuesday India is “facing renewed challenges” along its borders. Keeping this in view, military officers undergoing training should keep themselves abreast of these developments, he said.
Making this observation in his lecture on ‘Developments along the Western and Northern Borders and their Impact on the Future Road Map of the Indian Army’ at Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, Tamil Nadu, he also focused on enhanced synergy and jointmanship amongst the Army, IAF and Navy.
“He (Army Chief) emphasised that the nation is facing renewed challenges along its borders and exhorted the students on the need to remain abreast of all developments,” said the Indian Army’s statement.
Naravane was on a two-day visit to the college. The lecture was delivered to the faculty and officers attending the 76th staff course at the college.
Commandant of the College Lt General MJS Kahlon gave an update to Naravane on the ongoing training activities and incorporation of new initiatives with specific reference to professional military training on “jointmanship” among the three services, the Army’s statement said.
The Army Chief was briefed on the changes being undertaken in the training curriculum and infrastructural development as a step towards enhancing the role of DSSC as a centre of excellence for professional military education, it noted.
He complimented the college for maintaining a very high state of training in spite of COVID-19 pandemic constraints, the statement said.

Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has told India’s national security adviser that he was prepared to declare a moratorium on fighting in Kashmir, Financial Times has reported.
The British newspaper reported on Tuesday that the Pakistan Army chief “has launched talks with nemesis India to secure an eventual meeting between the neighbouring countries’ prime ministers”.
The newspaper reported that it gained information from “three people with direct knowledge of the matter”.
According to the report, Pakistan’s General Bajwa has told India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval that he was “prepared to declare a moratorium on fighting in Kashmir”.
FT further reported that Pakistan military’s public relations arm denied that Bajwa had pledged a moratorium on hostilities. “It’s a pack of lies,” said a spokesman. “It is all speculation.” However, the Indian Army chief recently said the line of control, which separates Indian and Pakistani controlled parts of Kashmir, had been “silent” for the first time in five years. “This really bodes well for the future,” he said
Several reports in recent weeks had hinted that Bajwa and Doval are spearheading the negotiations, which comes nearly two years after New Delhi revoked Kashmir’s limited autonomy which had frozen its relations with Islamabad.
Financial Times reported the latest initiative was “reportedly” launched by Bajwa in January and was backed by Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the UAE’s ruler, and his national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan made “a positive start with a ceasefire on February 25”.
“The next steps include reopening border trade, pandemic response co-operation and India’s participation in an anti-terror drill to be held in Pakistan. If successful, a meeting between the prime ministers could happen in the next 12 months,” the newspaper reported.
“There is a senior-level dialogue going on in preparation for a potential meeting between Modi and Imran Khan,” Financial Times quoted a person with knowledge of the back-channel efforts.
Pakistan had flip-flopped last week on the trade commitment with India when it first announced it would allow sugar and cotton imports from India and then backtracked from it, saying trade would only resume once Kashmir’s special status was restored.
An Indian government official, however, said the talks were still going ahead and that the rhetoric from Khan’s government was intended to satisfy the conservative element in his support base, the newspaper reported. Politicians “have to make these symbolic gestures”, the official said.
In the weeks since the ceasefire was announced, Bajwa has struck a conciliatory tone, saying it was time to “bury the past and move forward”. He lamented that the potential of Kashmir has “remained hostage” to the dispute, conspicuously omitting any reference to restoring its special status. India has reciprocated in kind and Modi made headlines for wishing Khan a speedy recovery from coronavirus on Twitter.