Popular singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh was spotted at Singhu border in the National Capital Region (NCR), extending support to the farmers agitating against the three new farm laws brought in by the central government.
Diljit urged the government to accept the demands of the farmer.
‘I have come here not to speak but to listen to you. I compliment you for having created history. We used to hear tales that inspired us and now we have seen history being created yet again,’Diljit said, addressing the farmers and the media.
“I want to urge the government to accept the demand of farmers. I would also like to urge the media to support us, these farmers are sitting peacefully with their demands, please show that and support us,” he added.
After addressing the crowd in Punjabi, Diljit shared his views in Hindi and said: “(I am) Talking in Hindi so you don’t have to Google.”
He urged the media to show how the farmers are sitting peacefully.
“Show the reality. There is no khoon-kharaba (bloodshed),” he said.
“Muddon ko na bhatkaya jaye. Koi khoon kharabe ki baat (nahi ho rahi hai). Twitter aur bahut sari baatein hoti hain. Ghumate hain. Hum haath jodhke ke yeh vinti karte hain ke yeh hi dhikhaya jaaye, and yeh ke hum sab peaceful baithe hain (there are attempts to divert the issue. There is no violence. We request you to show that things are peaceful here),” he said.
The singer also sat down with the farmers, and spent some time with them.
Diljit’s visit comes after his much-publicised Twitter war with actress Kangana Ranaut earlier this week. IANS
Sons and daughters of farmers win us medals. They are aware that if they had remained tillers of land, they would have lived their lives in obscurity and, in many cases, penury. They are grateful for what sport has given them. And they have their hearts with farmers’ protest
Gurbax Singh Sandhu (L) & Kaur Singh have announced they’d return their awards.
This list, made up almost off the cuff but with some knowledge of their declared histories, is of sportspersons hailing from all corners of India — and Nepal, in one case. They’ve raised India’s flag at international sports events and, hand at heart, whispered the national anthem standing on the podium, watching the Tricolour go up. They have another thing in common — they are sons and daughters of farmers.
Sons and daughters of farmers win us medals in multi-sports events such as the Olympics and Commonwealth and Asian Games. They are aware that if they had remained tillers of land — their own, or someone else’s as farmhands, like their parents — they would have lived their lives in complete obscurity and, in many cases, penury. They are grateful for what sport has given them. And they have their hearts with the farmers’ protest.
Soldier-farmer
Kaur Singh had fought in the 1971 war against Pakistan. He also won a gold medal in boxing in the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi and thus is a true legend — farmer, war hero and sports star. His photograph with Amitabh Bachchan from 1982 — the actor playfully planting a fist on the boxer’s square jaw — stirs memories of his heyday. In his old age, after having served in the Army and in the fields, Kaur Singh found out he had to borrow money to be treated for a heart ailment, and had to be rescued by a handout from the Punjab Government.
Kaur Singh was awarded the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri, and he has decided to return these to show solidarity with the protesting farmers.
A shooter — also a farmer and soldier — once told this writer a tale of him failing to do the right thing. “I once used money that was provided to me for training to repair my home, which was in a bad state, in my village,” he said, with some regret. He thought of it as a minor moral failure, but a failure nonetheless. His story made two things clear — that it’s the sons and daughters of farmers or economically deprived families who opt to become jawans in the Army, and it’s the sons and daughters of farmers or people used to manual labour who join sports that pose extreme physical challenges. In short, they provide food, soldiers and sportspersons to the country.
Over 90 per cent?
Tough sports that require extremely strenuous training don’t attract city-bred kids from privileged backgrounds. The supply to the Indian teams in combat sports such as wrestling, boxing, judo is completely rural — or their practitioners move to a city for coaching — because city kids don’t go for sports that could hurt them badly or leave a mark on their faces. Also, tennis courts, badminton courts or golf courses are available in cities, not in villages.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that over 80 per cent of Indian athletes in Olympics sports are from rural backgrounds, and most of them from farming families or ‘mehnatkash’ households, as Gurbax Singh Sandhu, former national boxing coach, puts it.
Sandhu lives in Patiala, but his father was a farmer in Mohammadpura village in Ludhiana. He coached the national boxing team for well over two decades and it was with him in charge that Indian boxing began to emerge as a force. Sandhu has decided to return the Dronacharya Award he was given in 1998.
Sandhu estimates that well over 80 per cent of sportspersons who join physically punishing sports — including track and field events — are from farmer families or from among those used to manual labour, the ‘mehnatkash’ people. “They are hardy people,” he says. “They work in the fields from their childhood, and are willing to push their physical limits. We can make them train harder.” Boxer Mary Kom from Manipur or kabaddi player Mamatha Poojary from Karnataka, to name two, exemplify this.
At the National Institute of Sports in Patiala, an instructor estimates that more than 90 per cent in the latest batch of coaching trainees are from rural backgrounds — they are from families of farmers or allied fields such as dairy/poultry. He himself is a first-generation non-farmer. “I am from a farming family, and my uncles and cousins still till land,” says the instructor. He says sportspersons are aware of the problems of the farmers — that’s why they’re firmly in solidarity with them.
Need a solution Centre must lower the tempo of acrimony
Another round of talks over the farm laws is scheduled for December 9, a day after the Bharat Bandh call given by the protesting farmers. Saturday’s meeting between the Union ministers and farmers’ leaders, the third of the week and fifth overall, did raise hopes for a brief moment that a solution could be in sight. The Prime Minister’s consultation with Cabinet colleagues hours before was seen as a pointer to a softening of the Centre’s stand, especially since going back or having a relook at decisions it has projected as bold and revolutionary has not been the Modi government’s style. The farm leaders, for now, are refusing to budge over their core demand for repeal of the legislation.
The agitation has been bolstered by a wave of popular support, exemplified by the daily announcements of eminent sportspersons, writers and other people of repute returning national awards. Singers and artistes have lent an emotional chord; many have chosen to mark their presence at the protest sites. A sense of urgency while recognising the scale and scope of the crisis at hand will perhaps force a climbdown to reach a middle ground sooner rather than later. As the negotiations continue, both sides also need to lower the tempo of acrimony. The protest organisers have to double up efforts for maintaining the vibe of a peaceful congregation of citizens otherwise upset and angry. The ruling BJP has an even bigger responsibility, to ensure that a divisive narrative is not allowed to take shape and discourage attempts to discredit dissent.
Rail services have remained paralysed in Punjab for the past over two months as part of the protests, but it took the march towards the national capital for New Delhi to take notice. Now that the protesters are being heard and seen, the Union Agriculture Minister’s appeal to let senior citizens, who have a sizeable presence at the protest sites, and children go home will go unnoticed.
Opposition backs farmers’ Bharat bandh Seeks rollback of ‘retrograde’ agri laws I Stir may spread beyond Delhi, warns Pawar
Vijender Singh with Arjuna and Dronacharya awardees at Singhu border. The boxer has threatened to return the Khel Ratna award if the ‘black’ laws are not revoked. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui
Tribune News Service/PTI
New Delhi, December 6
The Congress, NCP, TRS, DMK and the AAP on Sunday joined other opposition parties in extending support to the Bharat bandh on December 8 called by farmer unions, which have been protesting on Delhi’s borders for 11 days, demanding repeal of the new farm laws. The Trinamool Congress, RJD and the Left parties, besides 10 central trade unions, had on Saturday backed the countrywide strike.
NCP chief and former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar warned the Centre that if the deadlock continued, the agitation would not be limited to Delhi and people from across the country would come in support of the protesting farmers.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Pawar led a grouping of 11 opposition parties to issue a statement today, declaring their support for the bandh. “We extend our solidarity with the farmers’ ongoing struggle and extend our support to their call for Bharat bandh, demanding the withdrawal of retrograde agricultural laws and the electricity amendment Bill,” said a statement signed by Sonia Gandhi, Pawar, DMK’s MK Stalin, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, NC’s Farooq Abdullah, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, All India Forward Bloc’s Debabrata Biswas and RSP’s Manoj Bhattacharya.
The leaders said the farm laws passed in Parliament “in a brazen anti-democratic manner threaten India’s food security… lay the basis for abolition of the MSP and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multinational agri-business corporations.”
The opposition leaders asked the Centre to adhere to democratic processes and meet the “legitimate demands of our kisan-annadatas”. Pawar, whose NCP is part of the Congress-led UPA, said farmers from Punjab and Haryana contributed the most to the country’s agriculture. “I hope wisdom dawns on the government and it takes cognisance to resolve the issue. If this stalemate continues, the protest will not be limited to Delhi, but people from every nook and corner of the country will come in support of the protesting farmers,” he said.
Laws illegal, says SC Bar Association chief
Supreme Court Bar Association president Dushyant Dave has termed the Centre’s farm laws “unconstitutional and illegal” and offered his services free of cost to the farmers. The top court has already decided to hear pleas challenging the laws. PTI
Don’t make it a prestige issue: Adhir to PM
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has urged the PM to repeal the three agri laws without making ‘this a prestige issue.’ He said the ‘anti-farmer’ and corporate-friendly laws would end up “hurting” farmers’ earnings. TNS
Diljit’s Rs1 cr gesture
Chandigarh: Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh has reportedly donated Rs1 cr to purchase woollens for protesters
Panchayat in Mansa dist to return award
Bathinda: The Tamkot village panchayat in Mansa has decided to return the Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puruskar
4 JJP MLAs back stir
Hisar: Four JJP MLAs have announced support to the farmers. They are RK Gautam, Ishwar Singh, Ram Karan Kala and Amarjeet Dhanda
BJP MP Hansraj Hans gheraoed in Moga
Moga: BJP LS member Hansraj Hans was gheraoed by angry farmers here on Sunday
BRO adopts new techniques for controlled blasting in road construction
Amid enhanced scope of work and impetus on improving infrastructure in far-flung areas, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is adopting new techniques for controlled blasting developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) that would be more effective for undertaking construction works in rugged terrain.
Following a memorandum of understanding signed by the BRO with the CSIR’s Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), a team of scientists from the institute undertook a series of field visits and spent several months at various sites to suggest blast designs on various border roads.
According to a senior BRO officer, difficulties faced in rock blasting during the cutting and formation work of roads in high altitude areas, both in the northern as well as north-eastern theatres, is among major reasons for slow progress of construction in the hills.
“Field reports from units responsible for critical border roads, including those in Ladakh, Arunachal and Uttarakhand, have confirmed that controlled blasting techniques developed by the CIMFR has been effective and safe in enhancing the pace of road construction works,” the officer added.
A fresh agreement on ‘Advice on Controlled Blast Design for Excavation of Rock at BRO Road Construction Sites’ was signed between the BRO and the CIMFR a few days ago. The tie-up is for a period of five years which can be extended on mutual consent.
The technology of controlled blasting techniques would enable proper fragmentation of rock and muck. It would ensure that drilling efforts are substantially reduced and the blasting is more controlled and optimum slope stabilisation is achieved.
The progress enhancement due to CSIR-CIMFR technique has been appreciated by the BRO officials and other states, leading to the signing of the current agreement for a period of five years which can be extended further upon mutual understanding.
Blasting, which involves the use of various types and quantities of explosives, is a highly technical and hazardous activity that requires a high degree of planning, task evaluation and impact assessment, a BRO officer said. One of the biggest hazards of blasting is flyrock (fragments of rock that get thrown around) that can pose a danger to the personnel, the equipment or the structures in the vicinity.
“The challenge in controlled blasting is to ensure that fragments and debris are restricted within a specified area through blast design patterns and also to correctly assess the blast induced ground vibration levels and air overpressure in places which are prone to landslides or where built-up structures are present,” the officer said.
The BRO, which is tasked with the construction and maintenance of critical road network in border regions, had stepped up its activities recently to ensure that the lines of communication to forward areas along the border with China remain open.
A number of strategic bridges were also inaugurated this summer and more are in the pipeline.
Bharat Bandh’: Transport services, essential supplies likely to be affected in Delhi on Tuesday
armers during their agitation against the Centre’s new farm laws, at Singhu border in New Delhi. PTI
New Delhi, December 7
Transport facilities and supplies of essentials like vegetables and fruits are likely to be affected in the city on Tuesday as various unions and associations of cab drivers and mandi traders have decided to join the ‘Bharat Bandh’ strike called by farmers’ unions demanding the repeal of Centre’s three farm laws.
Some of the taxi and cab unions, including those associated with app-based aggregators, have decided to join the one-day strike.
The work at major wholesale vegetable and fruit markets is likely to be hampered with a section of traders favouring the farmers’ demands.
“I have received calls from several traders’ associations for strike on Tuesday. I believe the mandis at Ghazipur, Okhla and Narela will also be closed due to ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers,” Adil Khan, chairman of Azadapur Mandi, said.
Khan said he personally has appealed to people from all walks of life to support the farmers who feed the country.
Chairman of Ghazipur wholesale mandi for vegetables, fruits and poultry and meat said many traders’ association in the market have said they will join the strike.
Some auto and taxi unions in the city have also decided to join the ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Tuesday.
Kamaljeet Gill, president of Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, comprising mainly drivers working with cab aggregators, said drivers will not run their cabs associated with Ola, Uber and other app-based aggregators on the day.
President of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters’ Association Sanjay Samrat, in a statement, said several unions including Delhi State Taxi Cooperative Society and Kaumi Ekta Welfare Association will join the strike.
However, many other auto and taxi unions have decided to continue normal services despite their support to demands raised by the agitating farmers.
Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto Rikshaw Sangh, and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union said “important” auto, taxi and last-mile vehicle driver unions will not join the strike.
Chandu Chaurasia, vice president of Capital Driver Welfare Association, said the demands of farmers need to be met by the government but it should not be achieved by causing inconvenience to ordinary people.
Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and All India Transport Welfare Association (AITWA), in a joint statement, said trade and transport sector will function normally despite the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call.
“No farmer body has contacted us or sought our support with regard to Bharat Bandh. So trade and transport service will continue normally in Delhi and other parts of the country,” the statement said.
Delhi Police have made adequate arrangements to ensure normal movement of people on roads during the proposed ‘Bharat Bandh’, an official statement said.
A traffic advisory has been issued for the smooth movement of vehicles. Anybody who tries to disrupt normal movement or forcefully closes shops will be strongly dealt with as per law, it said.
Delhi Police have made an appeal that the normal life of common citizens and residents of the city should not be disrupted. — PTI
Why Indian Navy is getting a camouflage uniform like the Army and Air Force
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh at the Naval Air Station in Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar Island, on 13 November 2020. Photo: Twitter/@SpokespersonMoD
New Delhi: For the first time, the Indian Navy has introduced camouflage uniform on the lines of the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of a larger uniform rationalisation and standardisation measure, ThePrint has learnt.
Navy sources said officers started using the new uniform with digital camouflage pattern a few months ago.
Camouflages or battle dress uniforms (BDU) are fatigues that are worn by the armed forces as the standard uniform for combat. The battle dress is generally camouflaged, either in monochrome such as shades of green or brown to approximate the background or in a disruptive pattern as in the latest change.
The new camouflage uniform will be worn by Navy personnel only on Fridays and ashore as of now, the sources said. For sea, there are existing fire retardant overalls, which would be used by the personnel.
Based on a study, which included looking at uniforms worn by navies around the world, the Indian Navy adopted its digital camouflage pattern, the sources said.
“The pattern is formed of small rectangular pixels of colour. This is much more effective camouflage than standard uniform pattern as it mimics the dappled texture and rough boundaries found in natural settings,” said a Navy source.
The Navy has the largest number of uniforms at 16 — each for different occasions — among the three services. The Army has nine and the IAF has 15. All the uniforms are numbered.
Navy sources told ThePrint the camouflage uniform, sanctioned in June 2019, will replace Dress No. 10A — the light blue half-sleeve shirt and navy blue trousers.
“Introduction of this uniform for the entire service will eliminate dress No. 10A from the Navy inventory and lead to reduction in the number of uniforms and associated accoutrements being worn by Navy personnel,” the Navy source quoted above said.
The uniform has already been introduced for officers. For sailors, it will be introduced by October 2021 as it involves large procurement chains, the source added.
Former Navy spokesperson Captain D.K. Sharma (retd) told ThePrint the trials for the new uniform were carried out when Admiral Sunil Lanba was the Navy chief.
“The uniforms were also introduced in the Naval Academy earlier. It is procured centrally for the sailors from the source and thereafter stitched at various naval bases. Navy uniforms have evolved from the khaki uniform to the blues to the Dungarees/overalls and the disruptive pattern is the latest change,” he said.
Navy officers added the move also brings in an uniformity with other foreign navies, who have camouflage uniforms.
“For instance, in exercises with other navies, there would not be a mismatch as against earlier,” a senior Navy officer said.
“The blue uniform (which is now being replaced with the camouflage uniform) was also mistaken at times with the IAF uniform. It, too, had a short life of about 10 years,” the officer added.
Officers are granted allowances periodically to maintain their own uniforms. All sailors are entitled to free uniforms.
More changes in uniforms
A few other changes have also been introduced by the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) last month with respect to Navy uniforms.
Navy sources said it has been decided that naval personnel will stop wearing dress number 4A and 4B.
Dress number 4A comprises a peaked cap/white turban, white bush jacket, shoulder rank stripes, ribbons, name tally, chest badges, white trousers and uniform accoutrements. It is worn on ceremonial occasions like meeting diplomats or heads of states, etc. 4B is the same as 4A, but with medals instead of ribbons.
Sources said it has also been decided that naval personnel will wear dress number 8A with medals as summer uniform on relevant occasions.
Dress 8A comprises peaked cap/white turban, white half-sleeve shirt, shoulder stripes for officers, arm badges of ranks for POs and below, ribbons, name tally, chest badges, white trousers. It is the regular everyday white uniform worn by naval personnel.
Dress number 5 and 6 will not be used for the time being, sources said.
Dress number 6 comprises peaked cap/white turban, white full-sleeve shirt, black bow tie, white mess jacket, shoulder stripes, black summer trousers, and black cummerbund. It is the evening formal mess uniform for summers.
Dress number 5 comprises peaked cap/white turban, white full-sleeve shirt, black bow tie, black mess jacket, stripes on sleeves, black cummerbund, and black winter trousers. It is the winter evening mess uniform.
New Delhi: The Navy is looking at leasing an unspecified number of mine counter measure vessels (MCMVs) and naval utility helicopters (NUHs) to fill a critical gap even as it pursues a larger contract for such systems to be made in India with foreign collaboration, ThePrint has learnt.
The Navy, which has taken on lease two Sea Guardian drones from a US firm besides a logistics ship from an Indian private firm for travel between Kochi and Lakshadweep, is looking at leasing certain equipment, sources in the defence and security establishment said.
It took twoi months from the movement of the file for the drones to arrive in India.
The drones were leased while India pursues a larger tri-service procurement of 30 lethal Predator drones from the US.
Talking about future leasing plans, a Navy source told ThePrint, “We have sought information for possible lease of MCMVs. We are actively looking at getting them.”
The source added that the force is looking at the option of leasing equipment wherever there is a capability gap and the time to overcome it takes longer than what is convenient.
“The leasing is not just for training and familiarisation process. There are certain areas where there is a huge capability gap. While the larger procurement process is on to fill the gaps, leasing of such equipment can be used in the interim period,” the source said.
Giving the example of MCMVs that are used to clear harbours and other critical areas of mines laid by enemy submarines and vessels, the source said countries like Russia, South Korea and even the US have such equipment which can be taken on lease.
At one point, the Navy had 12 of them, but now have zero now and are dependent on kits fitted on smaller ships to counter the threat.
The Navy has been unsuccessfully trying to procure these vessels since 2005. Attempts to procure MCMVs from South Korea’s Kangnam Corporation failed after the company was hit with controversy twice, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the project.
The first controversy broke during the UPA government when allegations that the firm had appointed ‘consultants’ for the contract, in a violation of Indian procurement rules, surfaced. The firm came back into the picture a second time when Manohar Parrikar was defence minister. It was shortlisted to tie up with Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) for the contract.
However, when Nirmala Sithraman became defence minister, she cancelled the contract after the company failed to commit fully on Transfer of Technology (ToT).
Sources said NUHs could also be taken on lease under the Strategic Partnership (SP).
Addressing his annual press conference Thursday, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh had indicated the force is not looking at the NUHs being offered by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Replying to a query from ThePrint, Admiral Singh said the NUHs are being pursued under SP, which is aimed at providing an impetus to private defence players.
The Navy, which was in talks with HAL over the helicopter deal worth USD 3 billion, is no longer keen on acquiring the aircraft.
Admiral Singh has strongly come out in support of a third aircraft carrier, saying it is needed as the Indian economy grows towards the USD 5 trillion goal.
He said the Navy will formally move the proposal to the government for a third aircraft carrier after gathering the technical information sought from various countries.
“As the Navy, we are absolutely clear of the utility of the carrier. This is because air operations are integral to naval operations, and air power at sea is required since the Navy is all about reach and sustenance,” he said.
He added: “If you are a nation that is aspiration and you want to become a USD 5 trillion economy shortly and you want to do well, you will have to go outwards and seek the world. The nation does not want to be navy tethered to shore. For that aircraft carriers are absolutely necessary.”
ThePrint had reported in February that the Navy is firm on its plans for a third aircraft carrier despite Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat’s scepticism.
The Indian Navy currently operates aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, while INS Vikrant is under construction in Cochin and is due for commissioning in 2022.
Both vessels have a displacement (measure of a vessel’s weight) of 45,000 tonnes each and the Navy is keen on a third vessel of higher displacement.
Admiral Karambir Singh says Navy will prioritise ordnance delivery, networking and unmanned solutions such as drones/UAVs with the resources that’ll be made available to it.
New Delhi: The Indian Navy has approached the Ministry of Finance with some funding models, especially for shipyards, similar to the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) model, its chief Admiral Karambir Singh said Thursday.
The IRFC is the finance arm of the Indian Railways, which raises resources for expansion and running through capital markets and other borrowings.
“Those (models) are still under discussion, and if they come through, then possibly we will be able to provide a little better liquidity to these shipyards,” Admiral Singh said, without detailing what the funding models are.
The Navy has been battling a depleting budget, which it had repeatedly emphasised is too little to cater for its future acquisitions and inadequate to meet its committed liabilities. In the last Union Budget, the Indian Navy was allocated only Rs 41,259 crore against the projected amount of Rs 64,307 crore.
The Navy chief was speaking to the media a day before India celebrates the force’s contributions on Navy Day, 4 December.
Admiral Singh said the force will prioritise ordnance delivery, networking and unmanned solutions such as drones/UAVs with the resource envelope that will be made available to it. Ordnance delivery includes gunnery systems, missiles and launchers, while networking comprises maritime domain awareness, combat management systems and targeting, among other things.
He said the Navy is aware of the Covid-19 situation, and is hopeful the economy is going to bounce back very quickly. But whatever resources are given to it, the Navy will have to make sure procurements under its Maritime Capability Perspective Plan are prioritised to meet requirements.
In the three priority areas of ordnance delivery, networking and unmanned solutions, indigenisation is helping the Navy as certain equipment becomes available at a lower price.
Earlier this year, the Navy had inducted two ‘Predator’ drones on lease for a short period. Admiral Singh said they are capable platforms with endurance of over 33 hours. The drones’ manufacturer, American energy and defence firm General Atomics, will be responsible for their maintenance, while operations will be in the hands of the Navy.
“As far as the revenue is concerned, the main focus is on our spares and inventory holding. We are working on it very aggressively to make sure that we have a smart inventory and carrying costs are less,” he said, referring to the operational logistics supply chains for spares and other inventories.
Future tech, underwater capabilities
The Navy chief said some introspection has also gone into the MCPP recently, and a lot of focus has been put on future technologies, unmanned solutions and networking, keeping in mind the threats envisaged.
The document, which lists the Navy’s long-term procurement plans, is often re-evaluated keeping in mind emerging future threats.
Admiral Singh also said the underwater domain awareness and capability is a key focus area for him, and the force is focussing hard on being able to do war-fighting in the underwater space.
He said the P-8Is —long-range surveillance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft — are great force enablers in this aspect, and when the MH-60R helicopters arrive from the United States, they will also help out in this particular domain.
He added that the Kamov 28 helicopters that are undergoing upgrades will also become far more potent for the underwater space, and that the three services’ for 30 HALE UAVs is being advanced.
Admiral Singh said the two Predators leased earlier are pre-production models and the planned procurement of 30 Predators for the three services will have much more underwater and ASW capability.
The lease option could be used in case there’s a gap found in achieving critical capabilities, he explained, adding that the lease option has also been used for logistics for the naval bases in the Lakshadweep islands.
Admiral Singh said the Navy deployed its P-8I long range reconnaissance aircraft on the northern borders on several occasions during the ongoing stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh. Earlier, the Navy had also deployed the P-8Is for surveillance during the 2017 Doklam stand-off with China at the countries’ tri-junction with Bhutan.
“The P-8I is a potent platform that has certain equipment that can be used on the border. Based on the requirements of the Army and IAF, we have deployed the P-8I on several occasions. We have also deployed the Heron UAV from one of the northern bases,” he said.
The Navy chief admitted that the Covid-19 pandemic that has defined 2020 and permeated and disrupted lives, and the near-simultaneous attempt to change the status quo on India’s northern borders, has increased the complexities in the security situation.
“This dual challenge scenario continues as we speak,” he said.
However, he assured there has been no infringement into Indian maritime boundaries, even as Chinese research vessels and fishing vessels have been deployed in the Indian Ocean Region.
New Delhi: Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane will be travelling to Saudi Arabia and the UAE next week, in an unprecedented move that is being seen as a sign of the growing ties between India and countries in the Middle East.
Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that Gen. Naravane’s visit will be four days long, during which he’ll meet his counterparts and other senior officials in these countries.
The Indian Army chief will also be addressing the Saudi National Defence College.
Sources said this will be the first trip by an Indian Army chief to Saudi Arabia. Naravane’s visit to the UAE will follow close on the heels of one made by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Over the past few years, India’s relations with countries in the Middle East, especially with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have grown, and Gen. Naravane’s visit is being seen as an extension of that.
The visit comes at a time when Pakistan’s relationship with the Saudi Arabia, once its strong ally, has plummeted.
Decades of close economic, political, and military ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had hit a bump in August this year when the South Asian country’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, criticised the West Asian country for failing to call a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on the Kashmir issue.
Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visit to Saudi Arabia, to ease the diplomatic strain between the countries, ended with him being denied a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Incidentally, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif heads a Saudi Arabia-led Islamic military coalition.
On Tuesday, India had strongly condemned a missile attack that targeted an Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea city of Jeddah last week.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of Saudi Arabia against such attacks.
India needs free, fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism even more as it faces multiple crises.
But the news media is in a crisis of its own. There have been brutal layoffs and pay-cuts. The best of journalism is shrinking, yielding to crude prime-time spectacle.
ThePrint has the finest young reporters, columnists and editors working for it. Sustaining journalism of this quality needs smart and thinking people like you to pay for it. Whether you live in India or overseas, you can do it here.
State Stalwarts
DEFENCE MINISTER
Minister Rajnath Singh
ALL HUMANS ARE ONE CREATED BY GOD
HINDUS,MUSLIMS,SIKHS.ISAI SAB HAI BHAI BHAI
CHIEF PATRON ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
LT GEN JASBIR SINGH DHALIWAL, DOGRA
SENIOR PATRON ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
MAJOR GEN HARVIJAY SINGH, SENA MEDAL ,corps of signals
.
.
PATRON ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
MAJ GEN RAMINDER GURAYA ,MADRAS REGIMENT
sanjhamorcha303@gmail.com
PRESIDENT SOUTH ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
COL SS RAJAN BOMBAY SAPPERS,
PRESIDENT UTTARAKHAND ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
COL B M THAPA ,BENGAL SAPPERSS
PRESIDENT HARAYANA STATE CUM COORDINATOR ESM
BRIG DALJIT THUKRAL ,BENGAL SAPPERS
PRESIDENT TRICITY
COL B S BRAR (BHUPI BRAR)
PRESIDENT CHANDIGARH ZONE
COL SHANJIT SINGH BHULLAR
.
.
PRESIDENT PANCHKULA ZONE AND ZIRAKPUR
COL SWARAN SINGH
INDIAN DEFENCE FORCES
DEFENCE FORCES INTEGRATED LOGO
INDIAN AIR FORCE
Air Officer C-in-C WESTERN AIR COMMAND
AIR MSHL S PRABHAKARAN AVSM VM
AOC-IN-C, EASTERN AIR COMMAND
Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia
AOC-in-C SOUTH WESTERN AIR COMMAND
Air Marshal Vikram Singh
AOC-IN-C, SOUTHERN AIR COMMAND
Air Marshal J.Chalapati
AOC-IN-C TRAINING COMMAND
AIR MARSHAL SK GHOTIA VSM
AOC-IN-C MAINTENANCE COMMAND
Air Marshal Jagdish Chandra
Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command
ice Admiral R Hari Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Eastern Naval Command
Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, AVSM, NM
Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command
