ALONG THE INDIA-CHINA BORDER IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH:  “You will be out for the next five days,” the Indian Army Major said in a matter of fact tone. The group of 12 men he was addressing sat on a Mountain ridge. It had been snowing since morning. The brown rocky sliver of land was slowly turning white. “Your job will be maintain the sanctity of the Line of Actual Control, watch out for movement of Chinese troops, take note of their new locations and report back,” was his brief.

No matter how bad the weather is, long-range Foot Patrols of the Indian Army are regular along the nearly 900 km McMohan line – drawn by the then British Foreign Secretary Henry McMohan in 1914 to demarcate the border – that is now the de-facto border between Indian and China. There are several areas along the line claimed by both, often leading to face-offs and transgressions.
On mountain peaks over 14000 feet high, a literal cat and mouse game plays out every day.  “We have to ensure that the Chinese not only know we present but that we constantly watch them,” a senior military commander told NDTV.

In the past, China has claimed not only Tawang but the entire Arunachal Pradesh. Therefore, as a counter, India tries to dominate every ridge and mountain pass through foot patrols and border posts. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army instead is positioned deep inside Chinese territory.

“Our aim is to meet Chinese patrols whenever they cross what we consider our territory. This gives a clear message that we are serious about our claims,” the commander said.
On average, every foot patrol covers over at least 25 km of mountainous territory often climbing over several peaks. For the past few years, Indian soldiers are also being trained to speak Chinese dialects. “It is easier to tell them that they have crossed over to our territory,” an official said.

India and China signed the Border Defence Cooperation (BDCA) in 2013 – an agreement to reduce misunderstandings and improve communications between the two nuclear-armed states along their disputed border.  Both sides now meet regularly. “The agreement has helped us solve local issues,” Brigadier Kushwaha adds.

Back in Tezpur, the 4 Corps Headquarters – which protects Tawang and the western Arunachal Pradesh – the assessment is that as India bridges the infrastructure, military and economic gap – the Chinese will become more aggressive.

The bridge will connect Jammu and Kashmir, HP and Punjab

A CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE IS A DECK WITH ONE OR TWO PYLONS ERECTED ABOVE THE PIERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPAN. CABLES ARE ATTACHED DIAGONALLY TO THE GIRDER FOR SUPPORT

BASOHLI: North India’s first cablestayed bridge — the fourth of its kind in the country — that will provide connectivity to three states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab was on Thursday thrown open to traffic.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated the bridge named ‘Atal Setu’ on the Ravi at Basholi, situated on the DuneraBasohli-Bhadharwah road in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district and dedicated it to the nation. Union minister of state in Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh and army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag were also present.

Described as an engineering marvel in this part of the country, the Basohli bridge is the fourth of its kind in India. The other three cable-stayed bridges are — Hooghly bridge at Kolkata, Naini bridge in Allahabad and Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in Mumbai, officials said. The bridge is strategically important from the defence point of view as well.

With the bridge thrown open, connectivity and tourism among the three states are expected to improve. The work on the maiden cable-stayed bridge in the state started in September 2011 on the demand of people of Basohli where over 22 villages were submerged in water and evacuated to other places after the construction of Ranjit Sagar dam.

The 592-metre span bridge was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of `145 crore. It is a joint venture of Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) and SP Singla Construction group.

Out of the 592-metre span bridge, 350 metres is cable-stayed while rest is plain bridge. “A typical cable-stayed bridge is a deck with one or two pylons erected above the piers in the middle of the span,” officials said, adding, “The cables are attached diagonally to the girder to provide additional supports.” “The pylons form the primary load-bearing structure in these types of bridges. Large amounts of compression forces are transferred from the deck to the cables to the pylons and into the foundation,” they said.

The officials said these bridges have a low centre of gravity which makes them efficient in resisting earthquakes.

“Cable-stayed bridges provide outstanding architectural appearance due to their small diameter cables and unique overhead structure,” they added. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi set into motion the bridge’s construction by laying the foundation in May 2011.

Tribune News Service,Jammu, December 20

A Rashtriya Rifles Battalion under the Romeo Force has set up a water supply project for the locals of Hillkaka village in Surankot tehsil of Poonch district. The project was dedicated to the locals today.The village was facing shortage of drinking water.Under the project, a water tank of 15,000-litre capacity has been constructed near a perennial spring and pipes connected to it supply water to the village.The sarpanch of Hillkaka village said government employees, teacher and locals were present on the occasion. He thanked the Army for providing the much-needed facility.

About the project

• Under the project, a water tank of 15,000-litre capacity has been constructed near a perennial spring and pipes connected to it supply water to the village.

Washington, December 17

Voicing concern over Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programmes, the US has asked it to restrain them and avoid any developments that might lead to increased risk to nuclear safety and strategic stability.“I wanted to say that we do share your concerns particularly about the development of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. We’re concerned most by the pace and the scope of the Pakistan’s missile program, including its pursuit of nuclear systems,” Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson told lawmakers during a hearing on Pakistan convened by House Foreign Affairs Committee.“We are concerned that a conventional conflict in Southwest Asia could escalate to include nuclear use as well as the increase security challenges that accompany growing stockpiles. We have had a very active dialogue at the highest levels with the Pakistanis in which we have made clear the nature of our very specific concerns,” Olson said yesterday in response to a question from Congressman Brian Higgins.He said the United States has asked Pakistan to restrain its nuclear and missile programmes.“As with all nuclear-capable states, we have urged Pakistan to restrain its nuclear weapons and missile development and stressed the importance of avoiding any developments that might invite increased risk to nuclear safety, security, or strategic stability,” he said.“We are not negotiating a 123 agreement with Pakistan,” he said. His remarks came after US lawmakers asked the American government to be tough on Islamabad as it does not seem to be sincere in improving ties with India and has accelerated the pace of arsenals’ production.Higgins during the hearing alleged that Pakistan is not sincere in improving its relationship with India.“Pakistan is involved in an arms race against what it believes is its existential threat with India. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Pakistan could have 350 nuclear warheads in the next decade, becoming the world’s third biggest nuclear power, outpacing India, France, China, and the UK,” he said.“There is no positive sign of any improved relations with India because Pakistan justifies its nuclear proliferation as a deterrent against aggression from the outside. So the United States has to get tougher with Pakistan. We have to call them out on this double game they have been playing, not this year, not last year, not five years but for the past 15 years,” Higgins said.“Pakistan, let’s be truthful about this, plays a double game. They’re are military partner, but they’re the protector and the patron of our enemies. And this has been going on for 15 years. Since 2002, US aid to Pakistan, economic and military, has averaged about $2 billion a year. Pakistan’s annual defence budget is only about $5 billion a year.”He said if Pakistan falls apart or if Islamic extremists take over, it’s a nightmare scenario for the US.“It’s a big country, about 180 million people, it has a lot of Islamic extremists, and it has nuclear weapons. And to have Islamic extremists with nuclear weapons is a primary goal of al-Qaida and it would be major victory for them and the outgrowth of al-Qaeda, the Islamic state and a major defeat for us, the US,” Higgins added. — PTI

Concerned’ at Pak’s nuke arsenal

• Richard Olson (in pic), Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has said the US is concerned at the pace and scope of the Pakistan’s missile programme, including its pursuit of nuclear systems
• The US is worried that a conventional conflict in Southwest Asia may escalate to include nuclear use, he said
• He asked Pakistan to ‘restrain its nuclear weapons and missile development’ and avoid any developments that might invite ‘risk to nuclear safety, security, or strategic stability’

Ex-servicemen agitating over the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP) issue today threatened to intensify the protest if their demands were not met by the Centre within three weeks.

Ex-servicemen from across the country on Sunday held a ‘Sainik Akrosh’ rally in New Delhi to protest the government notification on the ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) issue.

They threatened to intensify the protest if their demands were not met by the Centre within three weeks even as they decided to not vote for BJP in the upcoming assembly elections.

The United Front of Ex-servicemen (UFES), an umbrella body of associations of ex-servicemen which is leading the protest, demanded that the Centre appoints “formally” former Army Chief and Union Minister V K Singh as the mediator between them and the government to resolve the issue “immediately”.

The protesting ex-servicemen, who have been agitating at the Jantar Mantar for the last 183 days, claim the OROP scheme announced by the government is different from its original definition that was agreed upon between the two sides.

“There is no demand… the (OROP) scheme that parliament approved and the notification issued are different,” Major General Satbir Singh (retd), who is spearheading the ex-servicemen’s agitation, said.

“There are seven major mistakes. They (government) are telling the nation they have given the OROP but they have actually finished it,” he said.

Singh also slammed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his alleged statement that more ex-servicemen were satisfied with the OROP scheme announced by the government.

“We are sad (that) Jaitley said most veterans have agreed to the scheme… it is a lie… look at the number of people who have come,” he said.

“The number would be even bigger had our other colleagues reached here in time. Jaitley claims their OROP is acceptable to most of us, it is a lie. More than 99.99 per cent of us are against it,” he claimed.

Aiming to mount pressure on the NDA government, the UFES urged its members to not vote for the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections in several including Assam.

The veterans claimed it were the votes of ex-servicemen which helped BJP improve its tally in the 2014 Lok Sabha – more than what the NDA major itself had expected, they claimed.

However, the government has “cheated” veterans by not giving the OROP they wanted and BJP had promised to give, Singh said.

“You saw what happened to the party in Delhi and recently Bihar. We urge the members to not vote for it in upcoming polls now if our demands are ignored,” he added.

The UFES also called upon ex-servicemen present at the rally to boycott Republic Day celebrations this year.

Singh also announced the UFES rejected 7th pay commission report, saying it is over and above OROP.

The government came out with a notification on OROP on November 7 but the veterans still remain unsatisfied. They have demanded that OROP should be implemented from April 1, 2014 and not July 1, 2015 as in the government notification.

OROP principle is in perpetuity and cannot be fiddled with, they maintain.

Giving the government 15 days to begin discussions with them to resolve the impasse on the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP), ex-servicemen on Sunday announced that they would boycott the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 unless OROP is implemented in its rightful form.

“We will give the government 15 days to begin discussions and a notice period of another seven days beyond that. After that we will take the protest to the people. We will boycott the Republic Day celebrations and we will also request the ex-servicemen contingent that marches on Rajpath on January 26 to boycott the parade, Maj. Gen. Satbir Singh (retd), Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) said at a rally in Delhi.

Early this month, the ex-servicemen had announced that the government has agreed to appoint V.K. Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs to mediate between the government and veterans. However, Maj. Gen. Singh said that the government failed to adhere to that and demanded immediate action.

Maj. Gen. Singh said that the veterans would not vote for the BJP or its allies till OROP is implemented in its rightful form. “We voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections because of their assurance on OROP. But they have failed to honour it,” he told The Hindu.

Col. Anil Kaul (retd), media advisor, IESM, said that the notification issued by the government on November 7 is flawed and deviates from the accepted definition of OROP.

Veterans have listed seven points of deviation in the notification. The major issues of disagreement are the issue of pre-mature retirement (PMR) and pension equalisation. The notification stated that “those opting for PMR henceforth on their own accord will not be eligible for OROP”, which caused major concern among the serving community. On the equalisation, veterans have been demanding it annually as against five years proposed by the government in the spirit of the definition of OROP.

Simran SodhiTribune News Service,New Delhi, December 12

India and Japan today signed an agreement on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, bringing to end years of tough negotiations between the two countries. The agreement was signed during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India. Another hallmark agreement signed between the two countries is building of the first bullet train network between Mumbai and Ahmedabad at a cost of about Rs 98,000 crore.The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on nuclear energy was signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abe. “No friend will matter more in realising India’s economic dreams than Japan. We have made enormous progress in economic cooperation as also in our regional partnership and security cooperation,” said Modi after signing the deal.Abe in return said his country’s public and private sector would act in unison to support the growth of India. It is also learnt that during the one-hour summit meeting between the two Prime Ministers, Abe said he was pleased that the two countries had an agreement and that it ‘wouldn’t have been accomplished by other Prime Ministers. No other leaders could have done it”.While the MoU on nuclear deal brings an end to the negotiations between India and Japan, the process is yet to be completed. Yasuhisa Kawamura, Press Secretary accompanying Abe, at a media briefing explained that the final document will have to “withstand the scrutiny of the Diet (parliament)” before Japan can go ahead with the implementation side of the deal. In other words, the MoU today lays the groundwork for the final agreement which will be signed after technical details have been sorted out.Kawamura also said if India was to go in for another nuclear test, “It will be quite natural for Japan to review the cooperation”. But he added Japan did not see that happening. The joint statement issued at the end of the summit states: “The two Prime Ministers welcomed the agreement reached between the two governments on the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India for cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and confirmed that this agreement will be signed after the technical details are finalised, including those related to the necessary internal procedures.”Another significant announcement was in the area of defence that Japan would now be a regular partner in the India-US Malabar exercises.

Key pacts signed

• Transfer of defence equipment and technology; Security measures for protection of classified military information
• Regular consultations on maritime safety and security of sea lanes of communication; Japan to be a regular partner in the India-US Malabar exercises
• Amendment of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to help reduce tax avoidance
• $12 bn Japanese fund for its companies to manufacture in India. Another $5 bn under Overseas Development Assistance to India
• India to extend ‘visa on arrival’ to Japanese people from March 1 next year PTI

Japan to import Maruti cars

• In a first, Japan will import cars from India. ‘Maruti (Suzuki) will manufacture here… The Japanese company will manufacture here and export it to Japan,” PM Narendra Modi said. Maruti expects to export Baleno to Japan from January 2016 with a target of 20,000 to 30,000 units a year. — PTI

He died defending Kashmir, his own land was grabbed

LONE WINNER OF MVC AND VICTORIA CROSS, DAUGHTER REGRETS FORGOTTEN MEMORIALS

MANSA: Remembering Mansa’s naib subedar Nand Singh — lone winner of the twin bravery awards of Victoria Cross and Maha Vir Chakra — on the eve of 68 years of his martyrdom, his daughter, Amarjeet Kaur (68), regrets that the state government has forgotten his family and village.

Sushma meets Sharif, Aziz; Islamabad assures of speeding up probe into Mumbai attacks
Afzal Khan & Simran Sodhi
Tribune News Service
Islamabad/New Delhi, Dec 9
Ending months of deadlock, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today in Islamabad announced the resumption of a comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan that will include peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen.
In a joint statement issued after Swaraj met Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Pakistan PM on Foreign Affairs, both sides condemned terrorism and resolved to cooperate for eliminating it.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Swaraj announced that the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries would meet and discuss the modalities to hold the comprehensive bilateral dialogue. “India and Pakistan have decided to restart the composite dialogue. It will now be called comprehensive bilateral dialogue. It will include all issues from composite dialogue and much more,” she said.
The two leaders noted the successful talks on terrorism and security-related issues in Bangkok by the two NSAs and decided that the NSAs would continue to address all issues related to terrorism. Pakistan has assured India of “steps to expedite the early conclusion” of the Mumbai attack trial, something that India has been pressing for long.
Both sides decided to ask the Foreign Secretaries to work out the modalities and schedule of the meetings under the dialogue, including peace and security, confidence-building measures, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control, humanitarian issues, people-to-people exchanges and religious tourism.
Earlier today, Swaraj called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Their hour-long meeting centred on improving bilateral ties and removing the irritants that have dogged the relation. Officials at the Pakistan PM’s house described the meeting as cordial and constructive.
Swaraj was received by Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz on her arrival at the PM’s residence. Greeting the External Affairs Minister with a smile, Sharif thanked her for coming to Pakistan.

Logjam off, talks on

• The Foreign Secretaries of the two countries to meet and discuss modalities for dialogue
• Comprehensive dialogue to include discussion on security, confidence-building measures, J&K, Siachen, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism
• The national security advisers of the two sides will address all issues related to terrorism

India’s no to cricket ties

• India on Wednesday told Pakistan that there could be no cricket series between the two countries
• Sources in the foreign establishment said India conveyed the message during the bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Pakistan PM on Foreign Affairs
• Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shahryar Khan also confirmed the news in Pakistan

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1117
ANSWERED ON: 04.12.2015
One Rank One Pension
GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY
SUDHEER GUPTA
SANTOSH AHLAWAT

SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM
BHOLA SINGH
SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH
SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD
K. ASHOK KUMAR
PARASURAMAN K.
GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR
T.G. VENKATESH BABU
KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH
FAIZAL P.P. MOHAMMED
K. C. VENUGOPAL
GAURAV GOGOI
N.K. PREMACHANDRAN
NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN
SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI
P. KUMAR
NARANBHAI KACHHADIA
GANESH SINGH
ANTO ANTONY
C. N. JAYADEVAN
VIJAY KUMAR S.R.
ELUMALAI VELLAIGOUNDER
KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL
GEETHA KOTHAPALLI
SRINIVAS KESINENI
JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA
SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI
RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY
ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN
RAMA KISHORE SINGH

Will the Minister of
DEFENCE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has notified the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen and widows;

(b) if so, the details and the salient features of the scheme;

(c) whether ex-servicemen have expressed their dissatisfaction with the nature of the OROP scheme notified by the Government and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the corrective measures taken / being taken by the Government in this regard; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to extend OROP to premature retirees and proposed to recalculate pensions every five years instead of annually and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(a) Yes, Madam. Government order on One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been issued on 07.11.2015.

(b) Salient features of the OROP are as follows:

(i) Pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 01.07.2014.
(ii) Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retired in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.
(iii) Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.
(iv) Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of Special / Liberalized family pension and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.
(v) In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

(c) Certain ex-servicemen associations have been demanding for changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision, coverage of future PMR cases etc.

(d) The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

(e) Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3) 1(i)(b), 13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively and in future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

Source: PDF/WORD(Hindi) PDF/WORD

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