New Delhi, June 11

Almost eight months after theft on board the indigenous aircraft carrier in Kerala’s Cochin Shipyard, where INS Vikrant, is under construction, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested two suspects from Bihar and Rajasthan.

An NIA spokesperson said the agency arrested Sumit Kumar Singh (23), a resident of Bihar’s Munger district, and Daya Ram (22), a resident of Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh, from their houses.

The two were allegedly involved in the theft of computer hardware components from the under-construction Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd. The theft on board the vessel was reported in September last year.

According to NIA officials, four computers were dismantled and hard disks, RAMs and processors were stolen from the IAC in September last year.

The stolen items included five micro-processors, 10 RAMs, five Solid State Drives (SSDs) from the Multi-Functional Consoles (MFCs) aboard the ship.

The MFCs form part of the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) of the project.

IMPS is a computerised system used onboard ships to monitor the working and course of the vessel and to warn against safety risks.

The spokesperson said that during multiple searches in Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat conducted on Wednesday, some stolen electronic devices were recovered and incriminating materials seized.

The case was first registered by Kerala Police on the complaint of the Cochin Shipyard authorities about the criminal trespass and theft of certain critical electronic components installed onboard the IAC.

The NIA took over the probe on September 26 last year under several sections of IPC and Information Technology Act.

The NIA had taken up the case following concerns over national security as sensitive information was stored in these hard disks.

An NIA spokesperson said it conducted a detailed investigation into the “blind case” and analyzed fingerprints and palm-prints of more than five thousand persons, who had worked for the IAC project during the relevant period.

A large number of witnesses were also examined.

The NIA had also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh in March this year for giving credible leads in the case.

INS Vikrant is the first indigenous aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. The work on the ship’s design began in 1999, and the keel was laid in February 2009. As of 2019, the ship is expected to start sea trials in February 2021 and enter service as early as 2023. The project cost has neared Rs 20,000 crore.

With the completion of INS Vikrant, India will join the ranks of US, UK, Russia, France and China in the construction of flight carriers. IANS

New Delhi, June 11

In a sharp retort to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer to share experience of his government’s cash transfer scheme, India on Thursday reminded him that the size of its economic stimulus package to deal with the coronavirus pandemic is as large as Pakistan’s GDP.

The response by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came hours after Khan, in a series of tweets, offered to share with India Pakistan’s experience of implementing its “successful” cash transfer programme following reports of how poor people in India are battling poverty in view of the coronavirus lockdown.

“Pakistan is better known for making cash transfers to bank accounts outside the country rather than giving to its own people. Clearly, Imran Khan needs a new set of advisers and better information,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during an online media briefing.

“We all know about their debt problem (almost 90 per cent of GDP) and how much they have pressed for debt restructuring. It would also be better for them to remember that India has a stimulus package, which is as large as Pakistan’s annual GDP,” he said.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package for various key sectors to deal with the adverse impact of the pandemic.

In his tweets, Khan said his government has successfully transferred Rs 120 billion in nine weeks to over 10 million families in a “transparent manner” to deal with the fallout of COVID-19 on the poor.

“I am ready to offer help and share our successful cash transfer programme, lauded internationally for its reach and transparency, with India,” the Pakistan prime minister added. PTI

Kathmandu, June 11

Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said his government will seek a solution to the Kalapani issue through diplomatic efforts and dialogue on the basis of historical facts and documents.

“We will get back the land occupied by India through dialogue,” Oli said while responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday.

Souring of ties — the trigger

• The ties between India and Nepal came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh Pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.
• Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

He claimed that India built a Kali temple, created “an artificial Kali river” and “encroached the Nepalese territory through deploying the Army” at Kalapani. The river defines the border between the two countries. Oli’s claim comes amid a raging boundary row between the two countries with India sternly asking Nepal not to resort to any “artificial enlargement” of territorial claims after Kathmandu released a new political map laying claim over Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.

 

KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister

Our ancestors founded and saved this country through their struggles. We will be able to establish our territorial integrity if we remain firm

The ties between India and Nepal came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh Pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Nepalese officials say Nepal had control over the area before 1962, when the India-China war took place. At that time India stationed its army seeking permission from then Nepalese rulers for temporary purpose, but it never removed its forces, they claim.

Although there are border issues in other areas such as Susta but the government has given priority to Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territories have not been captured by deploying army in other parts of its international border, Oli said in response to a question in Parliament.

Earlier this week, the Nepalese Parliament unanimously endorsed a proposal to consider a constitution amendment bill to pave way for putting the new political map that includes Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in Nepal’s national emblem.

A discussion on the issue started in the Parliament since Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Shivamaya Tumbahanfe tabled a Bill for the second amendment to the Nepalese Constitution to incorporate the new political map of Nepal on May 31.

Prime Minister Oli said he was happy to learn that the unprecedented unity has been shown both within and outside the Parliament on the issue of national unity and territorial integrity. “Our ancestors founded and saved this country through their struggles. We will be able to establish our territorial integrity if we remain firm,” he said.

Prime Minister Oli also raised objection to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s reported remark that Nepal should not repeat the mistake which Tibet made. “If Adityanath spoke about that, it was not appropriate,” he said.

“It is not appropriate to threaten Nepal in that way… This should not have been spoken by a chief minister of UP,” he said. —PTI

• Under the Indian Navy’s “Samudra Setu” operation, naval ship ‘INS Shardul’ on Thursday brought back 233 Indians to Gujarat from Iran.
• The ship set sail from the Bandar Abbas port of Iran on June 8 with these Indians, mostly fishermen from Valsad district of the state, said the defence PRO.
• The ship is docked at the Porbandar port. The authorities have made arrangements to send the passengers to their native places. PTI

• he historic Chetwode Drill Square at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, played host to the Commandant’s Parade for Spring Term 2020 on Thursday.
• The parade marked the culmination of training of 333 Indian and 90 foreign gentlemen cadets from nine countries. A full-dress rehearsal for the passing-out parade is scheduled for June 13. TNS

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 11

Intelligence agencies, in a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), have alerted about a nefarious design of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which has created a new terror brigade to wage a “virtual war” against India.

Sources, while confirming that a report has been forwarded to the ministry for “appropriate action”, said the ISI had named the brigade as “Defenders of Pakistan”, which had been assigned the task of carrying out its operations “in the virtual mode by creating social media handles and hashtags”.

“Thousands of handles and hashtags are being created to fuel anti-India sentiments. The ISI is in the process of hiring around 550 tech-savvy persons, who also know how to handle and manage social media platforms,” said a top Intelligence Bureau (IB) official. The official said, “We have reported to the ministry that they have put in place a plan to distribute such hired persons in a dozen odd teams and assign them the task to radicalise Indian youth and draw them towards terrorism in a number of ways.”

The IB officials said the report also mentioned a recent meeting held by the ISI in Rawalpindi, where the plan was chalked out to allot the tasks of waging “1,000 fights” with India by exploiting the cyberspace to further this agenda.

As part of this design, ISI teams have begun their activities, as recently they widely circulated fake videos of police beating Muslim youths in mosques. Security experts are of the view that the ISI has devised the online mode to foment trouble in India.

Jammu, June 11

A soldier was killed and a civilian injured as the Pakistan army shelled villages and forward posts along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Thursday.

On Thursday night, Pakistan resorted to shelling and firing with small arms on the Army’s forward locations and on civil areas in Tarkundi, Rajdhani and other villages in Manjakot tehsil.

“Naik Gurcharan Singh, hailing from Gurdaspur district, was injured in the shelling in the Gambhir sector. Later, he succumbed to injuries,” said Lt Col Devender Ananad, PRO (Defence).

A resident of Rajdhani village, Namitullah, also received splinter injuries in the shelling. — OC

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Rajouri, June 11

An Army jawan lost his life in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Manjakot sector of Rajouri district on Wednesday night. A civilian was also injured in Rajdhani village of Manjakot sector.

The deceased was identified as Naik Gurcharan Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur district in Punjab. His body has been shifted to Rajouri hospital for autopsy.

“Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling in civilian areas along the LoC in Manjakot sector on Wednesday night. An army jawan and a civilian were injured in the ceasefire violation. Pakistan has been targeting civilian areas along the LoC for the past few days with its sole aim to push armed militants into Indian territory,” a source said.

“In the early hours of Wednesday, Pakistan targeted the civilian areas in Nowshera sector. Later, it initiated ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars in Balakote sector of Poonch district. The Army has been retaliating befittingly,” sources said.

The mortal remains of Lance Naik Gurcharan Singh (29), who was killed in unprovoked shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu & Kashmir, were consigned to flames at his native village here with full military honours on Thursday.

A civilian Namitullah Khan was also injured in the shelling on Wednesday night.

Wrapped in the Tricolour, the body arrived at Harchowal village amid the chants of ‘Gurcharan Singh amar rahe’ and ‘Indian Army Zindabad’.

Gurcharan’s father Salvinder Singh, himself a veteran, said that he was proud of his son for laying down his life for the country.

Soldier’s wife Ranjit Kaur, who is in Punjab police, said she was proud of her husband and would send their son Agamjot Singh to serve in the Indian Army.

He is survived by two children and wife.

A large number of people including officials from the Army, police and district administration attended the funeral. Balwinder Singh, Batala Sub Divisional Magistrate, laid a wreath and paid tribute to the martyred soldier on behalf of the Punjab government.

On June 4, an Army havildar was killed in mortar shelling in Sunderbani sector in Rajouri district.r the past few months, Pakistan army has been desperately trying to push militants into Rajouri and Poonch districts under the cover of heavy artillery, mortar shelling and firing on the Indian army’s forward locations and civil areas. — With inputs from PTI

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 11

Even as diplomatic talks are on between India and China, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is currently witnessing its biggest-ever military buildup. In fact, this is several times bigger than the 1962 war.

Unlike 1962, the forces on either side are now backed by latest technology such as satellite imagery and UAVs besides long-range guns, contemporary fighter jets and radars.

The Indian assessment is clear — the Army stays at the LAC if People’s Liberation Army (PLA) doesn’t withdraw and restore status quo ante as on April. The cutoff date of status quo ante is April.

LAC resolution to be peaceful: India

India on Thursday said a series of diplomatic and military engagements with China have underlined the need to arrive at an early resolution of disputes on the LAC. In recent weeks, India and China have maintained communications through established diplomatic and military channels to address the situation in areas along the India-China border. tns

Over the past three decades, India has gradually built up troops and bases close to the 3,488-km LAC, allowing quick addition of soldiers and equipment. It is the PLA that has mobilised troops, guns, tanks, fighter jets at a rapid pace at its bases located across the Indian territory in HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. India has reportedly moved its rear formations up the Himalayas. Some 1.50 lakh troops are mandated for the China front under normal circumstances. However, in emergencies, the numbers can be ramped up. The Army is 13 lakh strong.

In Ladakh, one half of the 14 Crops is mandated to face China. In Himachal and Uttarakhand, specific brigades exist. In Sikkim, the 33 Corps is positioned. Arunachal is divided among two Corps — the Tezpur-based 4 Corps that looks after the western part and the Dimapur-based 3 Corps. Besides, a division of the Mountain Strike Corps exists.

The IAF, besides the fighter jets, has special operations planes and heavy-lift aircraft apart from hundreds of helicopters to quickly move troops.

In the areas facing Sikkim, China has upgraded its facilities at Shigatse, to house greater number of fighter jets and attack platforms. Similarly, Chinese bases to the north and east of Arunachal Pradesh have facilities to launch attack platforms.