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Army alerts officers, special forces’ troops against suspected enemy spy ‘Oyesomya’

Five defence officials were honey-trapped by the foreign intelligence operatives in the period between 2015 and 2017

Army intelligence has issued an advisory to its personnel against a suspected enemy spy, believed to be targeting officers and Special Forces’ troops through an Instagram profile ‘Oyesomya’, news agency ANI has reported.

The Army has reportedly cited a now-defunct Instagram profile along with the picture of the suspect spy and asked army personnel to remain alert as it could be a possible enemy spy.

There have been several instances of honey-trapping of defence personnel. As many as five defence officials were honey-trapped by the foreign intelligence operatives in the period between 2015 and 2017, Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Subhash Bhamre had informed Rajya Sabha in February.

As per the information provided by the minister, three personnel including two from India Army and one from the Indian Air Force (IAF) were apprehended in 2015 whereas two more Army personnel were arrested in 2017 in similar cases.

 In the recent past, there have been cases including that of an Air Force Group Captain who was honey-trapped by a foreign operative through social media. He was leaking information to her.

Another jawan was arrested by the Army intelligence in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan after he was found to be in touch with a Facebook profile of a Pakistani spy who was drawing information from him in exchange of money.

The jawan, identified as Sombir, belongs to Haryana and was posted in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. Sources in the Army told ANI that the jawan was in touch with a suspected ISI spy using the profile name of ‘Anika Chopra’ on Facebook, was chatting regularly on the platform and exchanging details and information about the jawan’s armoured unit and its movement.

A BrahMos employee was also arrested for the same charges last year at the Nagpur plant of the missile firm.


All over in 90 seconds, families didn’t know, say Balakot pilots

› Our objective was to strike the (terror) camp and we have done that… Their (Pak) objective was to hit our army places. They could not and that is the bottom line BS DHANOA, Indian Air Force chief

GWALIOR: The Indian air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot was “over within 90 seconds” and the mission was carried out with such secrecy that not even close family members of the assault team knew about the developments, two pilots part of the predawn operation on February 26 said on Tuesday.

Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter planes destroyed the JeM camp in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s province after entering Pakistani airspace for the first time in 48 years following a suicide bombing claimed by the terror group that killed 40 troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14.

“It was over in 90 seconds; we released the weapon and we turned back,” said one of the Mirage 2000 fighter pilots in the first such account of the Indian airstrike.

“No one, not even my close family knew,” the IAF pilot said, asking not to be named.

“Next day, when news broke, my wife asked me whether I was part of the attack. I kept quiet and slept off,” he added.

The Pulwama attack led to an escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan and pushed the two countries to the brink of war as the IAF strike was followed by an engagement by Pakistani combat jets near the Line of Control (LoC) on February 27. Pakistan later released IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, whose jet went down across the LoC, under global pressure, easing tensions between the two nations.


Territorial Army Jobs: Recruitment of Officers for 2019 – Any Graduate / B.E. / B.Tech in Electronics Engineering / Electrical & Electronics Engineering / Electronics & Communication Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Equivalent Degree Holders Can Apply

Indian Territorial Army (TA) works as a second line of defense after the Regular Indian Army in case of need. It recruit its officers & soldiers from various recruitment exams & provide them training. Although it is not a profession, occupation or a regular source of employment. Selected candidates will be required to attend training programmes of Territorial Army for few months every year and during their training they will receive pay, perks, allowances, ammunition etc as regular army officers. Notification for Officers recruitment in Indian Territorial Army is out for the year 2019Any Graduate / B.E. / B.Tech in Electronics Engineering / Electrical & Electronics Engineering / Electronics & Communication Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Equivalent Degree Holders Can Apply online for this recruitment.

Exam Name:  Recruitment of Officers in Indian Army 2019

Organization Name:  Territorial Army

Post Offered: Selected Candidates Will Be Posted As Lieutenant in Territorial Army

Salary / Pay Scale: During Their Engagement with Territorial Army, Selected candidates will be placed in 7th Pay Matrix Level 10 with initial basic pay of Rs. 56,100/- Plus usual allowances.

Total Vacancy: Vacancies will be decided by the Territorial Army in Due Course as per Organizational Requirements.

Educational Qualification: Any Graduate / B.E. / B.Tech in Electronics Engineering / Electrical & Electronics Engineering / Electronics & Communication Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Equivalent Degree Holders Can Apply  

Age Limit: Candidates in the age group of 18 to 42 years are eligible.

Selection Process: Selection Process is As Under –

  • Candidates will be shortlisted for SSB Interview based on a Preliminary Screening Test. Scheme of Preliminary Written Exam is Given Below.

  • Those candidates who will Successfully Pass the written exam will be called for Service Selection Board (SSB) Interview.
  • Those candidates who successfully pass the SSB Interview and found medically fit will be placed in India Territorial Army as Sub Lieutenant.

Application Fees: Candidate have to pay Rs 200/- (Rupees two hundred only) as Application Fee.

Last Date of Online Application Through The Link Provided Below: 25.06.2019

Apply Online

Download Official Notice


AFPI felicitates 20 commissioned cadets

5 CADETS OF THE 201315 BATCH HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED AS LIEUTENANTS IN ARMY, WHILE FIVE OTHERS HAVE TAKEN OVER AS FLYING OFFICERS IN IAF

MOHALI : Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) on Wednesday honoured its 20 cadets of the 2013-15 batch who have been commissioned into the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) this year.

RAVI KUMAR/HTNewly commissioned officers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute in Mohali on Wednesday.Out of 20, 15 cadets have been commissioned as lieutenants in the Army, while five others have taken over as flying officers in IAF.

After getting trained in the third course of AFPI, the cadets went for three-year training to National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune. The 15 candidates, who have been commissioned as lieutenants, further underwent one-year training at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, while the others pursued oneyear training at IAF Academy, Dundigal, Telangana.

119 FROM AFPI CRACKED NDA ENTRANCE SO FAR So far, seven batches have completed their training at AFPI. From the first six batches, 119 cadets have joined NDA and other service academies for further training. 55 out of the 119 cadets have been commissioned into various forces, while remaining 64 are undergoing training at NDA.

This year, 17 students of the seventh batch have cracked the entrance examination of National Defence Academy with Govind Gupta and Kushal Sharma, both from Patiala, securing fourth and 11th ranks, respectively. The 17 students are expected to join NDA later this month.

Gagandeep Singh Dhami, who belongs to Hoshiarpur and has topped the course as a fighter pilot, said, “Achieving such great heights was only possible because of AFPI. If they wouldn’t have groomed us well, we would have not been here.”

As many as 152 officers from all over India were commissioned into the IAF during a passing-out parade at Dundigal academy on June 15.

AFPI director BS Grewal said he was happy that Punjab government had started a venture that is giving wings to the youths to fly high.

“We will continue to train them (youths) with zest so that institutes produce more officers who will make the nation proud,” he said.

At present, AFPI is conducting the training of eighth and ninth batches. Students of the eighth course are studying in Class 12 and will appear for the National Defence Academy entrance examination in November this year.

The preparatory institute was set up by the government of Punjab in 2011 to train youths from the state for defence forces.

The first batch passed out in April 2013.

SHEMROCK SCHOOL HONOURS CADETS

Shemrock School, Sector 69, which had enrolled the 20 cadets for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations, also felicitated them on Wednesday.

School chairperson Amarjit Singh Bajwa said, “They (cadets) have made us and this institution proud. They have now become an inspiration for others,” he said.

SANGRUR FARMER’S SON DONS ARMY OFFICER’S UNIFORM

MOHALI: Hardships did not deter the confidence and dreams of Harpreet Singh Somal, a Sangrur farmer’s son, who has been commissioned as a lieutenant in the Indian Army.

The 22-year-old who hails from Sangrur’s Kanakwal village, underwent training at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), Mohali, from 2013 to 2015. He was among the 20 other cadets who were felicitated by AFPI on Wednesday.

Recalling his struggle, Somal said, “Being from a poor background, there were always financial issues at my home. But my parents supported me at every moment and encouraged me. Now, my aim is only to work for my nation and serve my country’s people.” Somal’s father Harbans Singh said he didn’t want to see his son in the same profession. “I always wanted to see him as an educated person and today, he has won my heart by becoming an officer,” he said. Somal underwent threeyear training at NDA, Pune, and one-year at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the Indian Army during a passing-out parade at IMA on June 8.

Somal said he was inspired by one of his senior at their school in Sangrur. “I was inspired by him when he told me about the course. I decided to join the institute and crack the examination.” “After completing Class 10, I joined Shemrock School, Sector 69, Mohali, which guided us about the course,” he said.


IAF helicopter rescues 2 women trekkers from Dodra Kuar area in Himachal

IAF helicopter rescues 2 women trekkers from Dodra Kuar area in Himachal

They were airlifted from the Highland trek by an IAF chopper and flown to Annandale in Shimla. PTI file

Shimla, June 7

The two women trekkers who were stuck in Dhanrash area in Dodra Kuar sub-division were rescued by an IAF helicopter on Friday.

Sudha Bhattacharjee and Supriya are residents of Delhi.

They were stranded there since Thursday because of knee injury and hypothermia, said Dodra Kuar SDM Ratti Ram.

He said they were airlifted from the Highland trek by an IAF chopper and flown to Annandale in Shimla.

They were admitted at the military hospital at Jatog.

Bhattacharjee is the wife of an army officer, said Praveen Kumar, an army spokesperson here.

Both are under treatment and out of danger.

There were 10 trekkers on their way from Rupin Pass to Sangla when the two women failed to trek further, sources said.

 


JeM militant killed in encounter in J&K’s Anantnag district

JeM militant killed in encounter in J&K’s Anantnag district

Srinagar, June 8

A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant was killed on Saturday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, police said.

According to police sources, the slain militant has been identified as Iqbal Ahmad of Anantnag’s Dooru area. The gunfight took place in Nowgam village of Verinag area.

“The militant’s body has been recovered. Search operation is still going on in the area,” sources said.

The gunfight occurred after the militants fired at the security forces who were carrying out a search and cordon operation in the area.

“Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to trace the militants,” police sources said.Mobile Internet facility has been suspended in Anantnag as a precautionary measure. IANS


Missing IAF aircraft: Congress attacks defence ministry, asks why An-32 was not upgraded

Missing IAF aircraft, Missing IAF An 32 aircraft, AN 32 upgradation, AN 32 missing craft search operations, SOS Signal Unit, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress attacks defence ministry, India news,

The IAF plane had 13 people onboard (Reuters photo for representation)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Congress questions govt over failing to upgrade An-32 aircrafts despite an agreement
  • The plane had eight crew members and five passengers onboard
  • In 2016, a An-32 aircraft had disappeared and was never found

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday attacked Defence Ministry for not upgrading the Indian Air Force’s An 32 aircrafts, one of which went missing over Arunachal airspace on Monday.

The An-32 aircraft, with 13 onboard, had taken off from Jorhat in Assam and was destined to the Mechuka Air Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh. The plane stopped communicating with ground staff 35 minutes after takeoff.

Quoting a report in a defence news portal, Randeep Singh Surjewala said that he was sad to learn “that missing AN-32 had SOS Signal Unit that’s OBSOLETE” and questioned the government on why were the aircrafts were not upgraded despite an agreement.

“Pray for safety & well-being of IAF personnel & crew of missing Aircraft AN-32. Sad to know that missing AN-32 had SOS Signal Unit that’s OBSOLETE. Govt must tell- Why was upgradation of AN-32 not completed despite India & Ukraine agreement of 2009?” Surjewala’s tweet said.

The story shared by Randeep Singh Surjewala says the missing aircraft was equipped with a single Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) called the SARBE 8, manufactured by the British Firm Signature Industries. According to the report in Indian Defence News, the SARBE 8 has been out of production since and 2005 and the company said that they went effectively obsolete by 2009. The SARBE 8 Emergency Locator Transmitter was replaced by a unit called the SARBE G2R-ELT, now sold by Orolia, a US and France based company set up in 2006.

While the ELT installed in the missing IAF An-32 jet may still have been operational, no signal from the unit has been detected by rescuers trying to home in on the wreckage of the aircraft.

Referring to a 2016 case, when another IAF An-32 vanished over Bay of Bengal, Surjewala questioned the government why it did not take mitigating measures to prevent any future incident.

“Despite a similar accident earlier of losing an AN-32 aircraft en route to Andaman and Nicobar islands & which was not tracked, why have mitigating measures not been taken by Defence Ministry?” Congress spokesperson said.

In a series of tweets, Randeep Singh Surjewala also raised queries on as to why An-32 was being used the treacherous terrain when the IAF has aircrafts better equipped for the route.

Missing Air Force An-32 Had SOS Signal Unit That’s 14 Years Obsolete – Indian Defence News

Search for missing IAF plane underway

The defence officials on Tuesday said that a massive search operation involving a large fleet of planes, choppers and ground force was underway and satellite imagery being used to trace an AN-32 transport plane of the IAF.

Aircraft equipped with advanced sensors including C-130J, AN-32 and Indian Navy’s long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8I were deployed besides Mi-17 and ALH helicopters of the Army to locate the missing plane, officials said.

ISRO’s Cartosat and RISAT satellites are taking images of the area around Menchuka to help the rescuers find the plane.

Officials said the area has thick vegetation and difficult terrain which are making the rescue operation challenging.

The IAF on Monday said the aircraft took off from Jorhat at 12.27 pm for the Menchuka advance landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, and its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm.

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1 soldier killed, 7 others injured in blast during ‘training activity’ along LoC in J&K’s Poonch

1 soldier killed, 7 others injured in blast during ‘training activity’ along LoC in J&K's Poonch

he blast took place during handling of explosives. Tribune file

Jammu, May 22

An Army man was killed and seven others were injured in a blast during a “training activity” along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Wednesday, officials said.

“On Wednesday at 0915 hours, during a training activity on a military post in Mendhar sector, one soldier was critically injured and later succumbed to injuries”, a Defence public relation officer said.

Seven others suffered minor injuries and two of them were taken to the nearest military hospital. Their condition is stable, the officials said.

The incident took place at the Dhera Dabsi forward post of the 12 Madras Regiment, they said. PTI


INS Ranjit to be decommissioned on May 6

New Delhi, May 3

INS Ranjit, an Indian navy destroyer built by erstwhile USSR, will be decommissioned on May 6, officials said on Friday.

The third of the five Kashin-class destroyers, it was commissioned in 1983 and has rendered service to the Navy for over 36 years.

“On May 6, a glorious era of INS Ranjit, being the frontline missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, is going to end,” the Navy said in a statement.

The ship will be decommissioned at a solemn ceremony at the Naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

The ceremony will be attended by personnel who have served onboard the INS Ranjit in the past, and officers and sailors from the commissioning crew, it said.

The chief guest for the ceremony would be Lieutenant Governor Andaman and Nicobar Islands Admiral (retired) Devendra Kumar Joshi.

“INS Ranjit was constructed as Yard 2203 in the 61 Communards shipyard in the town of Nikolev in present day Ukraine. The keel of the ship was laid on June 29, 1977, and she was launched on June 16, 1979,” the statement said.

The ship was given its Russian name ‘Lovkly’, which means agile, and was commissioned as INS Ranjit on September 15, 1983, with Captain Vishnu Bhagwat at the helm, it said.

The officer went on to serve as the chief of naval staff during the period 1996 to 1998.

In her maiden sortie, the destroyer traversed through the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Arabian Sea, the statement said.

The ship has the distinction of serving in both the western and eastern seaboard and has been the Flag Ship of both the western and eastern fleets.

INS Ranjit took part in PASSEX with the US Navy in 1991-92 which was a precursor to the Malabar series of exercises with the US Navy.It also took part in the first INDRA (India-Russia) exercise with the Russian Navy in 2003, according to the statement.

The ship also participated in the first ever SAREX with the PLA Navy in November 2003.

The ship in 2007 took part in the first ever Malabar exercise in the Pacific Ocean as well as the first ever INDRA series of exercises in Russian waters, the statement said.

The ship was actively deployed as part of the Navy’s relief operations post the 2004 tsunami and cyclone Hud-Hud in 2014.

In recognition to her service to the nation, the ship was awarded the Unit citation in 2003-04 and 2009-10, the statement said.

“As the sun sets on May 6, the Naval Ensign and the commissioning pennant will be lowered for the last time onboard INS Ranjit, symbolising the end of the Ranjit era in the Indian Navy,” it said. PTI


Imran: Pak hopes to have ‘civilised relationship’ with India after polls

Imran: Pak hopes to have ‘civilised relationship’ with India after polls

File photo of Imran Khan. Reuters

Beijing, April 27

Pakistan’s relationship with India remains the “only problem” for peace and stability in the region, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said and expressed hope of establishing a “civilised relationship” with New Delhi after the Lok Sabha elections are over.

Unless there is peace and stability in region, economic prosperity is difficult for Pakistan, and that is what right now the Pakistan government is working on, Khan who is in China to take part in the 2nd Belt and Road Forum, (BRF) said while addressing the China International Cultural Communication Centre here on Friday.

Khan said Pakistan hopes that the political solution in Afghanistan will succeed and the war-ravaged country attains stability.

“Whatever happens in Afghanistan affects the Pakistan’s bordering areas. So, we are working for a peaceful region. We have decent relationship with Iran and we are trying to strengthen them,” he was quoted as saying by state-run APP news agency.

“The only problem right now is our relationship with India. But we are hoping that after the Indian elections, we will again hope to have a civilised relationship with India too,” he said.

Since his arrival here on April 25 to take part in the BRF meeting which concluded on Saturday, the Cricketer-turned-politician refrained from speaking on India-Pakistan ties which in the last two months have experienced severe strains following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e Mohammed which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

His emphasis during the visit appears to be firming up more projects for the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of China’s ambitious trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The BRI is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature global infrastructure policy. First announced in 2013, the project promises to build ports, roads and railways to revive the ancient Silk Road and create new trade corridors linking China to Asia, Africa and Europe.

The BRF forum aims to showcase the progress of the BRI since it began in 2013. The CPEC is opposed by India as it is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In his address at the roundtable meeting of the BRF forum presided by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Khan termed the CPEC as a transformational project which would play an important role in boosting connectivity between the Gwadar Port in Pakistan and Xinjiang region of China.

He also underscored the importance of greater connectivity among the BRI participating countries and proposed four specific areas for particular focus, including digital connectivity, mobility of labour, cultural connectivity and sharing best practices in knowledge and innovation.

To advance these proposals, among other things, Khan also suggested setting up of BRI Tourism Corridor to improve labour skills and mobility and creating multi-lingual digital platforms.

He also mooted cooperation among the BRI countries for poverty alleviation and campaign against corruption. In his speech at the cultural centre, Khan said the BRI had come as a blessing for Pakistan.

“Belt and Road Initiative has given us an opportunity to catch up with other nations. CPEC has provided an opportunity for Pakistan to attract investment not just from China, which is the fastest growing economy in the world now. So obviously, China is a main home from where we hope to invite investors,” he said.

Khan also met Managing Director of International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing and reportedly discussed the bailout package.

Pakistan is currently undergoing a severe balance of payment crisis, despite large infusion of investments from China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The meeting reviewed the relationship between Pakistan and the IMF.

Khan identified the areas of reform and initiatives being undertaken by his government to stabilise the economy, control inflation and achieve fiscal balance, the APP report said.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of the IMF programme and to work towards an agreement for which a fund’s delegation is coming to Islamabad.

The two sides agreed on the need for a social safety net for the vulnerable groups of the society. PTI