New Delhi: After numerous delays and extensive trials, the Indian Army is set to finally place an order for 118 indigenously manufactured Arjun Mark 1-A ‘Hunter Killers’, which will have all-weather capability and better fire power and stability than the Arjun main battle tank (MBT).

Army sources told ThePrint that the Mark 1-A, which weighs 68 tonnes and features a 120mm main gun, has cleared all tests, and that cost negotiations with its developer, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), are complete. The sources added that the Army has pushed the file to place the order, which will be done “soon”.

The move comes as a big boost for the Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), a DRDO lab.

Also read: Tanks, fighter aircraft will soon be on their way out like Sony Walkman: Army chief

The major improvements

“The tank comes with 14 major improvements that the Army has sought, which will make it the most potent and self-protective tank in the Army’s inventory,” V. Balamurugan, director of the CVRDE, told ThePrint.

Balamurugan said the first tank will be rolled out from the factory within 30 months of the order of intent (the technical term used for the order) being placed.

He explained that four upgrades were made to the firepower of the tank, besides other developments, including new transmission systems.

The Mark 1-A includes an improved gunner’s main sight, integrated with automatic target tracking. This would enable the tank crew to track moving targets automatically, and engage them even when Arjun is on the move.

The Arjun Mk-1A’s gun is controlled by a computerised integrated fire control system, giving the tank has a high first round kill capability. The gun’s day-and-night stabilised sights, coupled with automatic target tracker, guarantee accurate engagement even in dynamic conditions, a senior DRDO official told ThePrint.

Other than the conventional fin stabilised armour piercing discarding sabot and high explosive squash head ammunition, the Mark 1-A comes with thermo baric and penetration-cum-blast ammunition.

Also read: Indian Army tanks now have sharper night vision equipment developed by DRDO

The Arjun saga

The Arjun MBT project was initiated in the mid-1970s, but the first two regiments of the tank were inducted into the Army starting 2004. Even then, they have never been used to their optimal capability because of a variety of reasons — including excess weight, issues with certain parts, and availability of spare parts.

The Arjun MBT had performed better than Russian T-90s during a desert trial conducted by the Army in 2010. However, reliability and availability weighed on the Army’s mind. The force argued that weight of the MBT, 62.5 tonnes, was a handicap as it meant that Arjun was too heavy for roads, bridges and canals along the Pakistan border.

The Army, in 2010, proposed an improved version of the tank, which would be called the Mark II, and was to have over 80 improvements, including 15 major ones.

However, this also meant that weight would increase further.

Also read: How Army-IAF fight over Apache helicopters cost India an extra Rs 2,500 crore

Cannon-launched guided missiles

In 2012, the DRDO offered the Arjun for trials with all the major enhancements, except one — a cannon-launched guided missile (CLGM).

The Army had insisted on having that capability, since other tanks like the T-90 also had it.

The DRDO roped in the Israelis and sourced the Lahat CLGM, which could conclusively hit targets between two and five kilometres away. The trials validated the CLGM’s laser designator.

However, the Army wanted a missile that could hit targets as close as close as 1.2 km, Balamurugan said.

He added that the Israelis took about a year to decide on producing it, but by then, the DRDO had decided to go in for an indigenous CLGM.

Talks between the DRDO and the Army continued until March 2018, and it was finally agreed that the next batch of Arjuns, to be called Mark 1-A, would be supplied without the missile firing capability.

“The process for building that (CLGM) is already on, and could actually be integrated on the Mark 1-A as they start rolling out,” Balamurugan said.

As far as weight is concerned, he said that though the Mark 1-A weighs more, it has been designed in such a way that pressure exerted at specific points is much lower.

New Delhi, March 21

The Delhi government on Saturday said the novel coronavirus was causing “terrible financial stress” to the poor and announced that those receiving ration from fair-price shops would get 50 per cent extra for next month.

During his first-ever digital-only press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal doubled the pension for widows, differently abled and elderly for this month.

Urging people to stay indoors, Kejriwal said the government had not imposed a lockdown in Delhi for now, but would have to do it if the need arises in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

“We are extremely concerned about daily wagers, labourers who have been hit hard over the coronavirus crisis; don’t want anyone to go hungry,” he said, adding that lunch and dinner would be provided for homeless in night shelters.

The Chief Minister said restrictions due to COVID-19 were causing terrible financial stress to the poor.

“Seventy-two lakh people in Delhi get ration from fair-price shops. Ration per person is being increased by 50 per cent. It will be provided free,” Kejriwal said.

The government has doubled the pension for widows, differently abled and the elderly for this month, he said, adding that would benefit 8.5-lakh beneficiaries.

“The government has also reduced the size of social, religious and political gatherings to not more than five people,” Kejriwal said. “It has not imposed a lockdown in Delhi for now, but will have to do it if the need arises.” Considering some people may have to travel due to an emergency, 50 per cent of the buses will ply on roads in Delhi during the ‘Janata curfew’ on Sunday, he said.

The Chief Minister urged the elderly to stay indoors, and skip morning and evening walks for time being as “they are the most vulnerable group and need special care”.

He announced that the goods and services tax would be waived to make it more affordable for those who needed to be quarantined and were opting for the paid hotel facility.

New Delhi: With approximately 1.4 million personnel, the Indian Army has become the world’s largest ground force, pulling ahead of China, which cut down its strength by half and is instead focusing on its navy, air force and technology.

According to the Defence of Japan 2019 report, released late last year, China has the third largest ground force in the world following India and North Korea, with approximately 9,80,000 personnel.

The Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) was always regarded as the largest army in the world with an approximate strength of two million soldiers.

India, which has been keenly watching the PLA’s modernisation, is just in the initial stages of building a leaner and modern technology-enabled force as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.

However, while China has been working on a massive modernisation of its force, India’s modernisation plans for its large personnel-driven force have been stalled by a cash crunch and a constantly increasing pension.

The Indian Army has so far carried out four transformation studies and is working on trimming its force by about 1.5 lakh personnel, which could take a minimum of five years.

Also read: The 3 major reforms for Indian Army restructuring and what they will mean for the force

China’s head start

Chinese president Xi Jinping had in 2015 announced the downsizing of the PLA to make the force leaner and reliant on modern warfare.

The unprecedented reform began in November that year during which the focus shifted to technology for cyber and space and futuristic weapons besides giving a greater emphasis on building up the PLA’s Navy and the Air Force.

“Since 1985, China has continuously sought to modernize its military by curtailing the number of personnel and streamlining organizations and systems through reforms, including those currently being implemented, in order to improve operational capabilities … China has rapidly modernized its missile forces in recent years,” the Japanese military document said.

Also read: PLA SSF: Why China will be ahead of everyone in future cyber, space or information warfare

PLA ground forces cut by half

In January 2020, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported that China had cut the size of its land-based PLA by about 50 per cent and significantly boosted its navy and air force as part of an “unprecedented” strategic shift designed to transform its army into a comprehensive modern force.

The report indicated that the four other branches of the PLA — the navy, air force, rocket force and strategic support force, which is responsible for areas such as cyberwarfare — together make up more than half of the Chinese military, overtaking the army, which has traditionally been the dominant unit of the PLA, the South China Morning Post reported.

Shanghai-based military analyst Ni Lexiong was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the overhaul marked a significant strategic shift from having a homeland-based defensive force to one with the capacity to allow Beijing to flex its muscles beyond its national borders and to protect its interests overseas.

“He explained that modern warfare puts a greater emphasis on superiority in areas such as the air, space and cyberspace — further reducing the importance of the ground force,” the report said.

India’s military has been in the process of operationalising cyber and space commands for several years now. It also lags behind in incorporating future weapons while China and other countries such as US and Russia are way ahead.

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 21

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced a comprehensive relief package for the 1.65 crore daily wagers, small businesses, MNREGA beneficiaries as well as the old age, disability and widow pension holders to tide over their loss of livelihood due to the Covid-19.

CM Yogi said each of them would be given free ration for a month that includes 20 kg of wheat and 15 kg of rice. The 80,000 PDS shops across the state would distribute the free ration under the supervision of a nodal officer.

The relief measures are based on the recommendations of the three-member committee set up after the Cabinet meeting on March 17 to provide a subsistence wage to daily wagers during this period by suggesting ways to help the most marginalised.

The committee headed by the Finance Minister included the agriculture and labour ministers. It was expected to submit its report within three days.

CM Yogi said the roughly 20.23 lakh construction labourers registered with the Department of Labor would be paid a subsistence wage of Rs 1,000 directly into their bank accounts.

Additionally, the same subsistence wage would be paid to the 15 lakh persons doing odd jobs identified in a statewide survey. They are cart pullers, rickshaw drivers, kiosk owners, and small businesses impacted by the closure of markets.

CM Yogi said orders have been issued to pay all pending wages to the MNREGA beneficiaries before the end of March. The 83.83 lakh beneficiaries of the old age, disability, and widow pension would also be paid their April-May pension in advance to help them face the crisis.

According to the Chief Minister, if any person in either a rural or urban area is still left out from the safety net he or she should go through the district administration to demand the Rs 1,000 subsistence wage.

Appealing to the people to remain calm and abstain from stocking things more than required, Yogi assured of adequate food supplies, medicines, sanitisers, masks and other essential items in the state.

Entry of Outsiders banned at Ram Mela

Lucknow: In view of the growing menace of Covid-19, the Uttar Pradesh Government has banned the entry of outside pilgrims at the annual Ram Mela in Ayodhya beginning March 25. The Ayodhya district administration on Saturday issued an advisory preventing outsider pilgrim from entering the holy city until April 2. Ayodhya district magistrate Anuj Ojha said pilgrims entering the district would be stopped at the border. TNS

New Delhi: The Indian military has banned all non-essential foreign travel for its personnel as part of precautionary measures amid the global coronavirus outbreak.

Defence sources told ThePrint that an order to this effect has been issued for all three Services – Army, Air Force and Navy. It will remain in place until further orders are issued upon reviewing the situation.

This means that all study or project-related tours abroad are to be put off unless extremely necessary.

Sources also said that all Indian military personnel abroad have been asked to take adequate precautionary measures, avoid any public gatherings, and follow the policy laid down by the respective Indian embassies.

“In the military, especially the Army, it is all about community living. Large groups stay, eat and work together and hence the spread of the coronavirus is a threat,” a source said.

Besides the Army, which was the first to come out with a set of guidelines to its personnel, the IAF and the Navy too have issued orders now.

While the IAF has a limited team abroad currently, including the personnel who are in France for training under the Rafale fighter jet programme, the Navy has several personnel out in the international waters who could make port calls.

Navy sources said that a health advisory has been issued to all ships moving in international waters.

Earlier this month, the Navy was forced to postpone its largest-ever multilateral naval exercise, Milan, involving over 30 countries due to the coronavirus threat.

Services at the forefront

While the military is taking precautions, it’s at the forefront of India’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

The three Services have set up quarantine facilities at multiple locations across the country that can take in thousands of civilians if needed. The forces are in the process of identifying more sites to set up such facilities, said the sources.

In a first, a medical team, consisting of mostly military doctors, reached Maldives Friday as part of India’s bid to help its neighbours in setting up quarantine camps and treatment of coronavirus.

Kolkata: In order to check non-essential social gatherings that may spread Covid, West Bengal government on Saturday ordered closure of all restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, amusement parks, museums and zoos in the state from Sunday. A home department notification stated the order would remain in force till March 31. It stated that in case of a social gathering, held under exceptional circumstances, it must be very small in size so that social distance could be ensured. TNS

AIMIM: Memorials can’t protect people

Aurangabad: AIMIM’s Maharashtra unit head MP Imtiyaz Jaleel said memorials could not protect people in times of a pandemic which was why it was important to build hospitals instead. Funds allotted for constructing memorials should be utilised for building hospitals, he stressed. Taking to Twitter, Jaleel said, “No smarak (memorial) of any leader would protect you in times like these! Hospitals will! That’s why I am opposing memorial building and instead asking for hospitals to be made with that money (sic).” PTI

Washington, March 21

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper on Friday held a telephonic conversation with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and praised India’s COVID-19 initiative for SAARC countries, the Pentagon said.

The two leaders discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and underscored their commitment to close communication during this period in order to maintain momentum on initiatives that reinforced their comprehensive global partnership, the Pentagon said in a readout of the call.

“During the call, the two leaders also discussed bilateral defence priorities, including the ongoing regional cooperation and initiatives to enhance military-to-military engagement and defence trade,” it said.

Esper expressed his appreciation for India’s leadership in coordinating COVID-19-related relief efforts among South Asian countries and conveyed his intent to visit India at the earliest opportunity, the Pentagon said.

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, Esper had postponed his scheduled travel to India this month.

He has been roped in by President Donald Trump to combat the coronavirus that has so far infected more than 13,000 Americans and claimed 230 lives. PTI

New Delhi, March 22

The total number of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in India has reached 315 on Sunday, including the foreign nationals.

As of 10.45 pm, on Saturday, out of the 315 cases, 22 were discharged and cured of the virus across the country, the Union Health Ministry said.

While the updated state-wise list is yet to be uploaded, the Ministry said four coronavirus related deaths have been reported in the country so far.

“The total number of confirmed cases so far in the country as on March 21 at 10:45 pm, including foreign nationals was 315,” the Ministry said. — IANS