Promotion IPS 1995 batch as DIG ( GP 8900)

Rajesh Kumar is likely to join the Special Protection Group (SPG) as DIG. He is 1995 batch IPS officer of J & K cadre.

Source : Whispers

I am Doing Well Boys

Ms Sushama Nath Secretary, Department of Expenditure Ministry of Finance has been given additional charge of the post of Member (Finance), Atomic Energy Commission, Space Commission and earth Commission.She is 1974 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.

Source : Whispers

Indian Navy and Indonesian Navy to conduct two weeks of coordinated patrol from 18 Oct 09

The 14th cycle of the Indian Navy-Indonesian Navy coordinated patrol codenamed ‘IND-INDO CORPAT’ is scheduled from 18 Oct to 05 Nov 09. The operation will be under the overall control of Vice Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi, Commander-in-Chief of Andaman Nicobar Command (CINCAN) and Commander of Indonesian Western Fleet Command (PANGARMABAR). The units operating will be under the tactical command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andaman & Nicobar) at Port Blair and DANGUSKAMLABAR (Commander of Sea Security Group of Western Fleet) located at Tanjung Pinang.

India and Indonesia share an International Maritime Boundary of about 300 nm. In pursuance of navy to navy cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region the Indian Navy and the Indonesian navy conduct coordinated patrols of the International Maritime Boundary Line. The purpose of the coordinated patrols is to prevent Piracy, armed robberies, poaching, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities.

The Indian Navy will be deploying one Landing Ship Tank (Medium) INS Mahish under the command of Cdr MVR Krishna and one Fast Attack Craft INS Trinkat under the command of Lt Cdr Pushkar Kumar. In addition there will be one Indian Naval Dornier. The Indonesian Navy will be deploying one corvette and a Dornier aircraft.

An opening ceremony for the CORPAT is scheduled on 19 Oct 09 at Belawan, Indonesia and the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andaman & Nicobar) Cmde P Suresh, will lead the Indian delegation. The closing ceremony will be conducted on 04 Nov 09 at Port Blair.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=53231

Soldier killed in accidental mine blast in Jammu area

Jammu, Oct 18 (IANS) A soldier was killed and three others seriously injured, when they accidentally stepped into a mined area close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district Sunday.

According to reports reaching here, a patrol party of 5 Maratha Light Infantry accidentally stepped into the mined area in Mendhar sector of Poonch, 210 km north of Jammu. One soldier died on the spot, while three others were seriously injured.

Most of the portion of the 744-km-long LoC that divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan has been mined, primarily to check infiltration from the Pakistani side.

http://trak.in/news/soldier-killed-in-accidental-mine-blast-in-jammu-area/15253/

India ready to take on Taliban

For the first time, India has said it is prepared to handle any threat to its security from the Taliban. Defence Minister AK Antony has said, "The situation in Pakistan is serious. Pakistan must tackle the situation sincerely and seriously. We are ready for any challenge to security, be it from Taliban or any other terrorist group."
The Indian Army Chief added, "We will give an appropriate and strong response to any possible threat from Taliban."
Last week, the new head of the Pakistan Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, warned that his men will bring their war to India "after establishing an Islamic state in Pakistan". The warning was issued in footage aired by Britain's Sky News. Reacting to that warning, Indian officials had told a TV channel that they were taking the threat seriously, but that the Taliban's anti-India posturing was aimed at galvanizing support in Pakistan. The Taliban's series of brutal attacks in Lahore and Peshawar over the last 10 days killed more than a hundred people, and saw women and children being taken hostage.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=17228

Army gets New World Class Dental centre at Delhi

Army Dental Corps has been making the Indian Army biting fit since 1941 since it came into existence. The AD Corps has special inspection and treatment procedures for the armed forces soldiers that they inspect each and every soldier once a year and provide him necessary Dental treatment to make him Dentally fit. Army has established a world class state of the art Army Dental Centre (Research & Referral) at Delhi Cantt. The dental centre will cater for the dependent clientele for all treatments needs from routine dental treatment to Orhtognathic surgery, dental implant, maxillofacial silicon prosthesis to indigenous cast titanium implants for traumatic battle casualties with loss of orofacial structures. The centre has independent cone beam computerized tomography, Titanium casting, laser welder and contemporary dental laboratory for metal, metal ceramic and all ceramic restorations.

The Army Dental Centre (R&R) has been developed to cater to Post graduate training in various disciplines of Dental sciences, training for Dental auxiliary staff and to conduct world class research. It was conceived as an apex facility for Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial care in the country. The infrastructure houses contemporary surgeries and research facilities.

The facility is one of the most modern and is designed as a compact G+2 structure with amalgamation of modern architecture with traditional aesthetics. It has Compact triple winged structure with contemporary architecture with three pointed star wings merging in the esthetically decorated central lobbies. It consists of latest hospital management services like CCTV, wireless LAN system, cable TV, PA system, nurse/patient call system, UPS backup power supply. The building is centrally air-conditioned both for summer and winter season with adequate measures for fire protection and alarm system. The facility has its own well equipped library with latest journals, museum, auditorium and contemporary hospital management gadgets. The hospital area has been beautifully landscaped to make it environmentally friendly.

Director General Dental Services Lt Gen SB Sehajpal, AVSM, VSM in his welcome address reiterated that Army Dental Corps is committed towards clientele satisfaction and providing best possible dental treatment equivalent to anywhere in the world. The new complex will help the Corps towards its goal of making the Indian army biting fit.

Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Chief of Staff Committee Gen Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC while inaugurating the new building, said, that the army has taken the lead in establishing and developing a dental treatment centre with vision for next two decades. Mrs Kirti Kapoor, President AWWA also graced the occasion and appreciated state of art equipments new building of the Dental Centre .

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=53272

Pak using jihadi elements to destabilise India

Washington, Oct 19 (PTI) India has charged Pakistan with using 'jihadi' elements to "destabilise" it and Afghanistan and expressed willingness to normalise relations with Islamabad if it takes one step towards peace.

"It (Pakistan) has been one of actually using jihadi militants as an instrument of destabilisation in both Afghanistan and India. And we think that's wrong," Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in an interview.

"Let me say one thing very clear to you. We actually have a vision of a peaceful subcontinent. India is not interested in being a threat to Pakistan or any other country," Tharoor said.

"We want good relations with our neighbours. And we actually believe, fundamentally at the strategic level, that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pakistan is in our interests," he said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/338087_Pak-using-jihadi-elements-to-destabilise-India--Tharoor

Stick to basic tasks

Why are the Chinese so nervous, huffing and puffing away over something as innocuous as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s election-related visit to Arunachal Pradesh and the Dalai Lama’s spiritual journey to the revered Buddhist monastery in Tawang? These demarches were preceded by a gratuitous statement that Arunachal is part of China and India should best back off from there.

This bluster, sometimes expressed though the columns of party journals, targets India for not responding to China’s boundary ‘concessions’ and for adopting a hegemonistic attitude towards its neighbours, Pakistan and Nepal included. The Sino-Indian boundary is still ‘disputed’ and while negotiations are in progress, the matter has not been settled and hence the status quo ante, as perceived by Beijing, must prevail.

The facts are otherwise. China has dragged its feet on boundary demarcation, refusing to exchange sector maps as settled through talks so as to avoid inadvertent incidents of innocent trespass. It has also blandly gone back on one of the agreed principles of understanding, namely, that settled border areas shall not be brought into question during the boundary talks. It has violated this seminal principal by claiming ‘possession’ of all of Arunachal, particularly Tawang, and adopting ludicrous rhetorical positions.

India does not need to be unnerved by such conduct that betrays a sense of uncertainty and anxiety over the situation in China’s borderlands in Tibet and Xinjiang which remain restive. Arunachal went to the polls once again and registered a 75 per cent vote in a democratic process that Communist China does not understand and deeply fears.

China has done remarkably well in many ways. But it is replete with inner contradictions and social disharmonies. Economic liberalism and modernisation do not go well with a tight party dictatorship, the suppression of religious freedom and rural-urban and regional disparities. All monoliths are solid until they crack.

There has, however, been too much media and right-wing hype about alleged Chinese designs on India by projecting growing capabilities into malevolence. This mix of jingoism and fear is immature. Chinese military modernisation and technological displays are impressive but India has no need to match either of these in numbers or idle showmanship.

Ours is not an aggressive posture and the Chinese have a shrewd idea that 1962 is ancient history and adventures are best avoided. This does not mean that India should not improve its border infrastructure and connectivity and uplift living standards in all outlying regions.

Talks welcome
If Manmohan Singh meets the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Bangkok on Oct 23 on the margins of the East Asian summit, this should offer opportunity to iron out recent wrinkles in bilateral relations. Among these is a new red herring being dragged across the trail as a result of reports that the Chinese plan to dam the Tsangpo river at Zangmu with an installed capacity of 450 MW.

Even if this be true this is probably a modest run-of-the-river hydro project with little consumptive use and no hint  of diversion northwards. Such a project would be fully within China’s right to build.

Indian news reports continue to be singularly ill-informed about Tibetan geography, topography and hydrology. The water resources ministry must take the rap for such national ignorance, which has deeper roots in the downgrading of geography as an educational discipline. For one thing, the Tsangpo (Siang/Dihang in Arunachal) is confused with the Brahmaputra (which is formed in Assam after the confluence of the Siang, Luhit, Dibang and Noa Dihing, all substantial rivers in their own right). So the ‘Brahmaputra’ is not being diverted anywhere and will not ‘run dry.’ In any event more than 70 per cent of the run-off of the Brahmaputra is generated south of the Himalayas.
Reference is made to a report by Li Lung, ‘Tibet Water Plan to Save China’ (2005), through the Great Western Route Project, by diverting over 200 billion cubic metres of water from Tibet to North China, 120 BCM of this coming from the ‘Brahmaputra basin.’ This diversion is proposed at a far higher latitude in Tibet.

The possibility of harnessing the great U-Bend of the Tsangpo as it drops into India from Tibet is also confusingly discussed as a possible source of pumping power for moving water north. While many old time generals and ideologues have commended the Great Western Diversion Project, a number of technical experts, economists and ecologists have panned this a fantasy.

So while India keeps a wary eye on water resource developments in Tibet, it does not need to become hysterical and thrown off balance and diverted from the real tasks of diplomacy and development. Earlier reports of floods form extreme river surges in Arunachal and in the Sutlej Valley were mistaken for Chinese mala fides. They were in fact the result of debris/glacial lake outbursts in remote Himalayan Valleys.

These, with glacial and permafrost melting and aberrant weather, is going increasingly to impact the entire Himalayan-Karakoram region on account of climate change. Cooperation in meeting this common challenge is what India and China should be talking about.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/31279/stick-basic-tasks.html

Situation in Pakistan is very serious: Antony

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

SECURITY CONCERNS: Defence Minister A.K. Antony interacts with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik and Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor at the Territorial Army’s 60th anniversary parade in New Delhi on Monday. —

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Monday expressed concern over the spread of terrorism and noted that the situation in Pakistan is “very serious” and that necessitated serious and sincere action to meet the challenge.

“The situation in Pakistan is very serious and also terrorism is spreading. To fight terrorism, everybody should act seriously and sincerely. It applies to Pakistan,” Mr. Antony said on the sidelines of the Territorial Army’s (TA) 60th anniversary parade here.

Series of attacks

Mr. Antony’s observation comes in the backdrop of a series of attacks by the Taliban on the Pakistan Army, including the storming of the Army Headquarters at Rawalpindi, and New Delhi’s consistent stand that Islamabad should act against the perpetrators of the November last Mumbai terror attacks.

On the Taliban’s threat to attack India, he said the nation was prepared to meet any challenge from Taliban militants.

The armed forces maintained eternal vigilance and the country was prepared to meet any challenge to its integrity and national security.

‘Real menace’

Asked to comment on the attack in Iran by an organisation said to have links in Pakistan, Mr. Antony said that while he was not willing to say anything offhand, the reality was that terrorism was spreading and becoming a real menace to the world.

Earlier, addressing the parade, the Minister pointed out terrorism continued to be a prime source of concern not only for India but the entire world.

As India assumed an increased role in defining international policies and initiatives, the need of the hour was to secure both the external and internal environments, he said.

“Given the security concerns of the times we live in, our armed forces have a particularly crucial role to play in securing our country from external and internal threats,” he said.

Commending the TA for setting the benchmark of professionalism since its inception, Mr. Antony said the citizens’ army had a great responsibility in augmenting the regular Army, be it during war, national emergencies, or for peace.

Praises TA

The Minister lauded the TA’s role, especially the Infantry and Home & Hearth Infantry Battalions, and departmental units from the railways, oil sector, and the general hospital.

He had a special word for the work being done by the TA’s unique Ecological Battalions.

“The untiring efforts of the ‘Green Warriors’ in afforestation, environment development and preservation of the fragile ecology in various parts of the country is praiseworthy,” he said. 

 http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/20/stories/2009102056730100.htm

Geelani seeks total military pull-out

Hard line Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today demanded complete demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir and said demonstrations would be held starting October 23 over the issue.

The 77-year-old leader told reporters that there would be no provocative slogans during the protests.

He addressed mediapersons after a brief meeting with his supporters at Lal Chowk and claimed that he reached there from his Hyderpora residence by giving the police a slip.

The government, however maintained that he had been allowed “free movement” under the orders of the Single Bench of Chief Justice Barin Ghosh of October 9.

After the press conference, Geelani went to Kothi bagh police station to negotiate the release of five of his supporters, who were detained after he met them earlier in the day. — PTI

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091020/j&k.htm#1

2 RR units pulled out of valley

Days after Home Minister P Chidambaram held out an olive branch to separatists, the Army has pulled out two Rashtriya Rifle battalions from the valley.

The reduction of troops in Kashmir has been a major demand of the separatists and mainstream parties like the NC and the PDP, too, have been pushing for it in the view of improved security situation. The 33 Rashtriya Rifles is being moved out of Handwara in north Kashmir, while 49 RR from Qazigund in south Kashmir.

Lt Col JS Brar, Srinagar-based Army spokesperson, told The Tribune that “the redeployment of troops is a dynamic process in a counter insurgency operation and is carried out at various levels based on periodic security reviews”.

Official sources said the exercise was part of the Union government’s decision to rationalise troops presence and at least three CRPF units were also pulled out from different parts of Kashmir in recent months. Though the pull out of two RR battalions would not make a big difference on the ground, its symbolism could be significant at a time when all round attempts were being to break the impasse on the Kashmir issue. Coming days may see more developments.

There are 36 battalions of the RR, the counter-insurgency force of the Army, deployed in the valley alone while 27 others were in the Jammu division, which is much bigger in area but has militants’ movements confined to a smaller region.

The sources said the two units withdrawn from Kashmir would be deployed in Reasi district, which had of late seen a spate of encounters.

Chidambaram in his recent visits to the valley had been at pains to emphasise an increasing role for the state police as violence had come down while agitations had increased.

Security officials said the number of militants active in the state, especially in Kashmir, remained at their usual level and the number and intensity of infiltration bids had only gone up recently. “It’s not that the threat has deceased. But we believe we are in better control and such decisions also have a political message,” a senior official said.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091020/j&k.htm#1

GCM’s presiding officer himself under lens

While a general court martial (GCM) assembled to try an Army captain for illegally possessing an imported weapon and trying to sell it off in the civilian market has accepted the defence plea that it does not have jurisdiction to try the case, it also kicked up a controversy, with its court’s presiding officer facing a separate court of inquiry (COI) for irregularities in procurements.

The court, held at Meerut, accepted the defence plea on October 14, over six months after it was assembled. Under provisions of Army Rule 51, the court’s decision is to be reported to the convening authority, but it does not require any conformation from higher authorities.

The General Officer Commanding, 9 Infantry Division, Major-Gen Ranbir Singh, ordered the COI a few weeks ago while the GCM was in progress at Meerut. The COI has been completed and submitted for further action, it is learnt. The COI’s terms of reference are to investigate certain complaints received against the presiding officer, a colonel commanding an ordnance unit said.

The captain faced two charges under the Arms Act for possessing the weapon without a licence. He had allegedly tried to sell the weapon to a civilian while he was admitted to an Army Hospital in New Delhi. Another officer is also said to be involved in the case. The alleged transaction was revealed when they were caught in a raid conducted by the military intelligence.

Defence counsel Lt Col PN Chaturvedi (Retd) said they had raised the plea of non-jurisdiction because certain legal safeguards mandated under the Arms Act had not been complied with during the proceedings.

They had relied on a judgement by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a similar case, which was subsequently upheld by the apex court.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091020/nation.htm#4

Dockyard woes may hit N-sub delivery

Despite assurances from Russia, it is still not clear whether the Indian Navy would receive the INS Chakra, the Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine, originally named Nerpa, by next January, as had been promised by their government.

Indian Navy officials are keeping their fingers crossed over the issue after it emerged that the Amur Dockyard in Russia, which is repairing the vessel, halted work after payments from the Russian government were delayed.

The submarine was sent for repairs after a major fire in November 2008 killed three crew members and several workers of a shipyard where it was berthed. Officials of the Amur Dockyard told Russian media that they had run out of money and payments for work done on the submarine was due from their government.

As per the agreement India has with Russia, the submarine is to be inducted into the Russian Navy after which it would be leased to the Indian Navy for 10 years. The 10-year lease would reportedly cost India US $650 million. The submarine had to be leased out to India earlier this year but the deadline was moved to December following delays caused by the fire. And now, Russia has promised delivery by early 2010.

Under the revised schedule, an Indian crew of about 300 personnel would be trained with Russian experts aboard the submarine, before being able to sail on their own. 

A VM-5 pressure water reactor with an OK-650 reactor core with a capacity of 190-MW, would power the submarine. The maximum submerged speed of the submarine would be 33 knots while its surface speed would be 10 knots. It can dive up to 600 metres depth and stay submerged for 100 days with a full crew complement of 73.

The submarines are the quietest of all nuclear-powered attack submarines in the Russian Navy. Its arsenal includes 12 Granit torpedo tube-launched cruise missiles and Novator SS-N-15 Starfish and the Novator SS-N-16 Stallion anti-ship missiles.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091020/nation.htm#1

Strong defence bond with India: Roemer

Days after the Obama Administration cleared a $ 7.5 billion non-military aid to Pakistan, the United States Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer on Monday said New Delhi should not have any apprehension over its defence relationship with the US.

Inaugurating the joint air force exercise of the two countries, Cope-India, Roemer said, “Our relationship has come a long way.” Strategic and defence cooperation is one of the key pillars of the growing robust strategic partnership, said the US envoy, citing the example of IAF’s participation in the prestigious red-flag exercise in the US last year.

Making a strong case for selling the US-made military equipment to India, Roemer said, “Defence relationship (between India and the US) will be no different than the cooperation in the spheres of energy, science, technology, education, and trade.” He also allayed fears over reliability of America as a supplier of defence equipment to India.

“I know that some are apprehensive about reliability of the US as a supplier of military equipment to India. But I can tell you that our relationship is far different than it was even a few years back,” said Roemer, adding that Washington is ready to support India’s drive to modernise its armed forces. The US envoy opined that a strong strategic relationship between the two countries is crucial in addressing regional security challenges.

There’s a growing buzz in the defence circles that the US is eying a major chunk of India’s growing security needs. With India having a long-term military agreement with Russia, the US, in the recent past, has bagged orders, including long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the C130-J transporters and also the business jets for the VVIPs.

Referring to the C-130 Super Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, Roemer said, “I can assure you that the IAF will be very pleased with the decision to purchase the C-130 J. Your first aircraft will arrive in early 2011, a little over a year from now, and it will be everything you hope it to be.

We are proud to partner with you on this important programme,” he said. India has ordered for six C-130 J aircraft for its special forces operations and these aircraft will be based at the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad near the national capital. With regard to C-17, Roemer said a proposal to purchase this aircraft were at present under the Indian Defence Ministry's consideration.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091020/main4.htm