Asia Defence News International, Feb-Mar,2013

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Asia Defence News Asian Defence Analyses. Every Month

February 15 – March 14, 2013Volume VIII, Issue 3

100/- or US $10

Pak SponsoredTerrorism

NCC GroomsFuture Leaders

APS Pursuing

New HighwaysAF Displays Its

Fire Power Atron Fist-2013

Antony ForProactive Rolen West Asia

Tackling Terrorism

Chinese DamDesigns





Issued by: Additional Directorate General APS, West Block – III, R.K.Puram, New Delhi.

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AS IA DEFENCE NEWS | February 15 – Ma rch 1 4, 2013 |4

Special Reports14 Dealing With Pakistan, Learning As We Go

By P N Khera

16 Irony In Habibullah’s Description O AFSPA

By Cecil Victor

18 Pakistan : Foreboding O An Implosion

Armed Forces20 IAF Displays Its Fire Power At Iron Fist-2013

21 A Second Look At Procurement And Production

Policies

22 Deence Budget 2013

23 Russia Should Induct BrahMos In Its Armed Forces:

Antony

24 Cases Against Army 96.40 Per Cent False

27 Release O ‘Unit Commander’s Manual-2013’

28 Army Chie’s Visit To Japan

29 Northern Army Commander Reviews Security

Situation

30 Aerobatic Display Marks The Conclusion O Aero India

2013

34 INS Saryu Joins Indian Navy

36 New Director General Indian Coast Guard

Asiascape38 Antony For Proactive Role In West Asia

Cover Story7 NCC Grooms Future Leaders

9 Deence Minister Felicitates NCC Bravehearts

Interview Of The Month10 Army Postal Service: Pursuing New Highways

Contents

7

20

38

10

14



Internal Security39 Tackling Terrorism By Joginder Singh

41 Domestic Violence Growing In India

By Aradhna Chhachhi

Neighbours42 From Arms Importer To Exporter By Harminder Kaur

North East45 Chinese Dam Designs By Bikash Sarmah

Seawatch48 President: ISRO Should Lead Innovation And

Technological Advancement

48

42

39

Asia Defence News

International (ADNI)Established 1998

A publication of

w w w . a s i a d e e n c e n e w s . c o m

Patrons

Lt Gen (Retd) M M Lakhera,

PVSM, AVSM, VSM

Former Governor o Mizoram

I Ramamohan RaoFormer Principal Inormation Ofcer

Editor-in-Chief

P N Khera

Editorial Advisors

Hari Jaisingh

Y C Halan

Consulting Editor

Rachna Chhachhi

Executive Editor

Yogendra Bali

Contributing EditorHarminder Kaur

Associate Editor

Cecil Victor

Bureau Chief, USA

K. K. Kapoor, Washington D.C.

Bureau Chief, North East

Bikash Sarmah, Guwahati

Special Correspondents

Delhi: H.K. Verma, Sajid Ubaid

Lucknow: Naila Kidwai

Srinagar: Manzoor Zahoor

Jammu: Ramesh GuptaImphal: B.B. Sharma

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Editor, Printer and Publisher

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ASIA DEFENCE NEWS | February 15 – M arch 14, 2013 |6

Editor’s word _____________________________________________

P N Khera

Pak spne tem

he season o madness

is upon us once again.

he hanging o Azal

Guru has become causecelebre or Pakistan-

based terror groups to target crowded

localities in India, the Hyderabad blasts

being part o a convoluted connect high-

lighted by the reported remark by the

notorious Lashkar-e-oiba/ Jamaatud

Dawa terror mastermind Haz Saeed

rom his sae haven in Pakistan that

Hyderabad should be made part o

Pakistan.

he ostensible logic is that being

Muslim automatically brings them

under Pakistani suzereignty. Te igno-

ble ate o those who voted with their

eet during partition in 1947 and the

bloodletting in Bangladesh in 1971 not-

withstanding. In Bangladesh, Pakistani

agents provocateur who assisted the Pak-

istan Army in the genocidal attacks on

Bengalis are only now being given their

just deserts in war crimes trials that have

handed down death penalties or their

perdious collaboration with the Paki-

stan Army.

he blatant involvement o thePakistan military establishment in mur-

derous events ar beyond its shrinking

domain is seen not just in Aghani-

stan, India and Bangladesh but within

Pakistan itsel in its provinces o Balo-

chistan, the Khybar Pakhtunkhwa,

Sind and Punjab where Muslims are

being slaughtered with the trademark

tool o the Pakistan Army Inter-Services

Intelligence – the improvised explosivedevice.

he hanging o Azal Guru and

the terror response thereto condemns,

once again aer the trail o judicial con-

rmations, Azal Guru or the company

he has kept both in lie and in death.

Te Government o India did, nally,

complete its constitutional responsi-

bility by carrying out the sentence as

laid down by law. Tat there is much

justication or not handing over the

body to his amily is seen in the blood-

bath unleashed, among all places, in

Hyderabad which is the epitome o

Muslim culture in a nation that has the

second largest population o Muslims

in the world.

Te bomb blasts in Hyderabad have,

once again, raised the question whether

Nation India is a so state. It would

appear to be so given the example o that

other nation that has suered a horren-

dous terrorist attack on 9/11 with the

destruction o the World rade twin

towers. Te stringent security mea-sures taken aer that event in 2001 have

ensured that there has been no major

terrorist attack in the US over the past 12

years though there have been sporadic

but unsuccessul attempts.

he mindless manner in which

the alert sent by the Home Ministry

to the Andhra Pradesh government

was dismissed as being too general in

its content says it all. State governmentsinimical to the Central Government

have acted in ways that have encour-

aged terrorists to take advantage o

the situation. amil Nadu’s LE

ixation, West Bengal’s insensitivity

to events in the north-east and Ban-

gladesh, both o these and Gujarat’s

aversion to the concept o the National

Counter errorism Centre (NCC)

have le wide gaping holes in a security

network that must be total and well-con-

nected to be ecacious.

Te Union Home Ministry is now

trying to re-tailor the NCC to accom-

modate the reservations expressed by

State governments. At some level and

at some time all States and Union er-

ritories will have to bite the bullet and

sub-serve their regional contradictions

to a conederal approach to counter-ter-

rorism, remembering always that i we

do not hang together we could end up

hanging separately as Hyderabad has

shown.

As ar as ignoring the alerts that theHome Ministry sends out to the States

whenever there is a perceived threat o a

terrorist strike the words o John Donne

should be an object lesson: “Never send

to ask or whom the bell tolls. It tolls

or thee”.



| February 15 – March 14, 2013 | ASIA DEFENCE NEWS 7

_______________________________________________ CoVEr storY

he Prime Minister took

the salute at an impres-

sive ceremonial parade at

Garrison Parade Ground

by the NCC Cadets com-

prising o 17 marching and one mounted

contingents. It was a grand spectacle

o pageantry marked with precision, a

vibrant expression o pulsating energy and excellence embedded in the smart

drill by the ‘Young Custodians o the

Nation’, enthused with ervour o patri-

otism and kindling each heart with

pride. Fiy-one cadets rom six riendly

oreign countries participating under

Youth Exchange Programme (YEP)

also marched in sync along with their

Indian counterparts. It was a picture per-

ect – a true picture o aspirational India,

on their journey to become worthy

empowered citizen with sound values

inculcated by a common most powerul

binding orce –National Cadet Corps.

NCC Gm Fuue Leae The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh exhorted the NCC cadets to usher positive

changes in society and contribute their best towards nation building. He was addressing

the NCC cadets at the PM’s NCC Rally on January 28. He acknowledged the vital role and

commitment o the NCC to groom the uture leaders which is the need o the hour.

Dr. Manmohan Singh mentioned that NCC is the oremost organization that empowers the

youth with sound values and cherished ideals, yet oering plethora o opportunities to excel

in all walks o lie and become worthy citizens o our great nation, reports ADN

The Prime Minister

Dr. Manmohan

Singh with the

awardees o the best

cadets in dierent

categories, at the

Prime Minister’s NCC

Rally, in New Delhi

on January 28. The

DG, NCC, Lt. Gen. PS

Bhalla is also seen

The Prime Minister

Dr. Manmohan

Singh witnessing theperormance o the

NCC cadets, during

the Prime Minister’s

NCC Rally, in New

Delhi on January 28.

The Deence Ministe

Mr A. K. Antony, the

Minister o State or

Deence, Mr Jitendra

Singh and other

dignitaries are

also seen




COVER STORY_______________________________________________

Te smart march past was ollowed by a

display o versatile skills by the selected

cadets o three wings o the NCC. Com-

mencing with cadets mounted on their

stallions galloping in ront o the PM

dais carrying the National, Services fags

and the NCC ag symbolising “Unity

and Integration”. Te cadets carrying out

thrilling and daring drops rom Advance

Light Helicopters and MI 17 Helicop-

ters using slithering technique; attack

on an enemy position by Combat eam

comprising o NCC cadets, inducting

reinorcement, casualty evacuation

and Small eam Insertion Extraction.

Adventurous and thrilling Para Sailing

by NCC Cadets which was next in the

order kept the audience spell bound.

It was ollowed by ve ableaux com-prising Army, Air, Naval Wing, Sports,

Adventure and Environmental, Social

and community service activities mag-

niicently showcasing multiarious

activities undertaken by cadets including

Deo ibba Mountaineering Expedition

and orthcoming All NCC Mount Ever-

est Mountaineering Expedition. Te Air

Wing cadets then presented their fying

skills in their Zen microlites.

housands o young blossoming

cadets then perormed a scintillating

Mass P Display to the melodioustunes o ‘Hum Honge Karnyab’ and

“Sare Jahan Se Acha” played by Brass

Bands rom Birla Balika Vidyapeeth,

Pilani, Scindia School, Sainik School

Kapurthala and Pipe Band rom North

Eastern Region. Te versatile cadets

then presented mesmerizing display o

dance, diorama o a tribute to National

Integration through a unique usion o

culture, music and choreography. Tree

helicopters then showered petals on the

participants.

Prime Minster honoured those cadets

who excelled to become extraordinary

rom ordinary in various categories.

Tese awardees included cadets Kri-

tika Singh, Shubham Kumar, Omang

Shrivastava, Bhupender Kumar Singh,

Pushpender Singh, Mamta Chaudhary,

Senior Under Ocer RSM Cheema and

Surya Pratap Singh. Te Prime Minis-

ter Banner was awarded to Champion

Maharasthra Directorate.

he Rally was attended by a

number o dignitaries and eminentguests, including Deence Minister

Mr AK Antony, Minister o State or

Deence Mr Jitendra Singh, Deence

Secretary Mr Shashi Kant Sharma,

Chie o Army Sta General Bikram

Singh, Chie o Naval Sta Admiral

DK Joshi, Chie o Air Sta and Head

o Departments o oreign missions Air

Chie Marshal NAK Browne and others

important civil dignitaries.

Dr. Manmohan Singh

inspecting the Guard

o Honour, at the

Prime Minister’s NCC

Rally, in New Delhi

on January 28. The

DG, NCC, Lt. Gen. PS

Bhalla is also seen

Flying High




_______________________________________________COVER STORY

A

ddressing the NCC

cadets on January 23

during his visit to NCC

Republic Day Camp-

2013, he said that NCC

has made an eective contribution in

channelizing the energy o the youth

into constructive activities through

adventure and sports activities. In act,

adventure activities are one o the major

attractions or students joining NCC.

Mr AK Antony had also compli-

mented the Cadets or their superlative

perormance at Guard o Honour, Band

Display and Cultural programmes. He

also mentioned that NCC in itsel is an

institution dedicated to create ‘Lead-

ers o omorrow’, encouraging them todiscover their true calling, honing their

abilities to pursue their dreams and oray

into the world as empowered, respon-

sible and true citizen. By consistent

training eort o NCC, a New Order is

emerging ready to don the mantle o the

country’s leadership besides immensely

contributing towards Nation Building.

Earlier Mr Antony had conerred Rak-

sha Mantri Padak and Commendations

to select NCC Cadets or their exem-

plary courage and devotion to duty in an

impressive ‘Investiture Ceremony’ held

at the Camp. Cadets Hemraj Gurjar and

Cadet Shahida eli o Rajasthan Direc-

torate were awarded the Raksha Mantri

Padak or their extraordinary peror-

mance much beyond the call o duty,

dedication, and display o great pres-

ence o mind coupled with exemplary

courage and utter disregard to their per-

sonal saety in rescuing a lady drowning

in Jal Mahal lake, at Jaipur, while they

were attending Annual raining Camp

during September last year.

Senior Under Ocer Baber Ali o

Jammu & Kashmir Directorate was

awarded Raksha Mantri CommendationCard or seless sacrice and display

o strong ortitude and resolute while

encountering blizzards during NCC

Mountaineering Expedition. Petty O-

cer Cadet Prasad Kumar Das o Odisha

Directorate was awarded Raksha Man-

tri Commendation Card or displaying

indomitable spirit and extraordinary

courage during rescue o a Boat Crew

o a Boat that had capsized during Ocean

Sailing Expedition in Feb 2012 at Para-

dip Beach. Senior Under Ocer Angad

Sahlot o Delhi Directorate was also

awarded Raksha Mantri Commenda-

tion Card or his tenacious mental and

physical ortitude, consistency, and out-

standing perormance at Equestrian

sports by wining many laurels or the

country during National and Interna-

tional Meets.

Te Investiture Ceremony was ol-

lowed by enchanting, melodious

rendition by Cadets Band o North East-

ern Region and mixed band o Scindia

School and Sainik School Kapurthala

dressed in their vibrant multi coloured

attire and lithe movements. Raksha

Mantri visited the ‘Flag Area’ where hewas brieed by Cadets on their respective

colourul ableaux o State contingents

depicting various contemporary socio-

economic themes elaborately illustrated

and brilliantly displayed.

Later Antony was presented with

an impressive Cultural programme

showcasing the rich and diverse

cultural heritage and National

Integration.

defence Mne FelcaeNCC Baveea

Deence MinisterMr A K Antony said that

National Cadet Corps is

doing yeoman service to

the nation by transorming

the youth o the nation,

which has the largest and

youngest population prole

in the world, reports

Asia Defence News

The Deence Ministe

Mr. A. K. Antony with

the Raksha Mantri

Padak and Raksha

Mantri Commendatio

Cards winners, durin

his visit to the DG

NCC Republic Day

Camp-2013, in New

Delhi on January 23.

The DG, NCC,

Lt. Gen. P.S. Bhalla

is also seen




iNtErViEw oF thE MoNth _____________________________________

he Army Postal Service

is ready or many new

leaps orward with its

vast network o over 510

Field Post Oices and

many new services and acilities being

oered to Armed Forces. It is no lon-

ger only the amous carrier o letters

rom home or the lonely soldier at a

ar away outpost. It has opened many new highways o communications cover-

ing diverse elds like banking, insurance

and logistics. oday the APS has devel-

oped the capacity o direct delivery rom

source to the unit a package o upto 35kg

o equipment and instruments making

a signicant logistics development. Tis

and many other important development

in the role o the APS were explained

by Additional Director General Army

Postal Services Maj Gen A K Shori in an

exclusive interaction with Asia Deence

News Editor-in-Chie P N Khera in

connection with the Corps Day o the

APS on March 1. Te ast developing

new prole o the APS owed much to

the concept o Perception Management

ardently propagated and perected by

Maj Gen Shori who is deeply committed

to it. For nearly two years he held brie-ings and discussions at various levels,

rom unit to command, to explain and

obtain conviction or the concept. Now

he looks orward to his APS pursuing

modern new highways o communica-

tion. He also discussed the mission, the

vision and the goals o the concept while

elding a barrage o questions.

In the Mission Statement Army

Postal Service aspires to be an eectively

managed organisation, oering a wide

range o Communication, Financial and

Logistic Services relevant to the needs o

the troops and units in eld and peace by

increasingly utilising available technol-

ogy to enhance user satisaction.

he vision was to make available

wide range o communication, nan-

cial, insurance, logistic and retail post

services to the troops and units as pertheir needs is possible by re-positioning

the FPOs by utilizing available technol-

ogy. Hence, to enhance the relevance o

FPO as well improving the image and

relevancy o the Corps is the constant

approach o the organization.

Te goal was to re-position APS as an

integral part o Indian army, o iden-

tiy target audience o APS, o identiy

the reasons behind negative perception

Amy Pal sevce

Puung Ne hgay




_____________________________________IntervIew of the Month

and other areas requiring improvement,

o consolidate the positive perceptions

and to prepare an action plan to over-all improve the perception about APS

Te target audience was all Deence

units, Serving Deence personnel,

Families, Pensioners o APS Corps and

Schools.

We produce below some excerpts

rom the interaction:

sPECiFiC roLE iN BoostiNG MorALE

PNK: Army Postal Service (APS)

traces its humble beginning to 1856,

now having grown as a country-wide

network or the Indian Armed Forces.Could you trace the history o the Corps

and its evolution?

Maj Gen AK Shori, ADG Army

Postal Service: Field Post Oices

accompanied the British Forces to many

Frontier campaigns and expeditions to

Abyssinia, Malta/Cyprus, Aghanistan,

Egypt, Burma, Sudan, China, ibet and

Somaliland in 19th century. During the

two World Wars, the Field Post Oces

served in all the ar-fung theatres o war

in Europe, Arica and Asia.

Aer independence, Army Postal Ser-

vice unctioned as a wing o the Army

Service Corps till it was given an inde-

pendent status as APS on 1 March 1972

in recognition o its speciic role in

boosting the morale o the soldiers and

improving the communication network

in the Armed Forces.

MoBiLE ANd iNtErNEt AGE

PNK: Contrary to general public

impression o just receipt, dispatch and

distribution o mail o Armed Forcesorganization. APS is providing large

number o services to the troops. What

are various elds now being covered by

the APS Corps ?

ADG APS: Because o mobile and

internet acility easily available at the

doorsteps, the inter personal mails

traic has gone down drastically in

the last ive years. However, at the

same time the technology is opening

new opportunities also. For example,printed mail is increasing and thereby

maintaining the balance o volume

handled by APS. Te volume o letters

rom Jawans to amily and vice versa is

coming down due to rapid expansion

o mobile phone connectivity, but at

the same time business mail like deliv-

ery o debit/credit cards, pins o debit/

credit cards, monthly bank statements,

promotional mail, magazines, periodi-

cals etc have increased and continue to

increase every year.

Moreover, the e- commerce is giving

us new opportunities as the soldiers can

place the orders through internet, but

the consignments are to be physically

delivered. Te trac o volume o par-

cel mail is also increasing rom Jawans/

Ocers to amilies and their near and

dear due to increased capacity o pur-

chase. Tereore, the general perception

is not a act.

Over the years, APS has expandedits horizons by introducing many new

services like Postal Lie Insurance, Sav-

ings Bank, Speed Post, e-MO, e-Post,

Field Postal Order etc. FPOs provide

postal cover to Indian contingents o

UN Peace Keeping Forces also. Field

Post Oces have accompanied UN Mis-

sions to Mozambique, Somalia, Angola,

Rwanda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lebanon,

Congo, Sudan and Israel.

VAst NEtworK

PNK: APS also manages activities

like sale o greeting cards, mutual unds,

Postal Lie Insurance, Savings Bank

operations, etc. How does it manage this

huge responsibility? Has the economic

situation aected the system?

ADG APS: We provide all such ser-

vices through a vast network o Field

Post Oces. We also keep co-ordina-

tion with Department o Posts(DOP) to

Lt Gen Munish Sibal,

PVSM, AVSM** QMG

Col Comdt APS Corps

visiting National

Speed Post Centre

at 1 CBPO

Addl DG APS Maj Ge

AK Shori with the

troops during his visi

to HQ 15 Corps Zone




IntervIew of the Month_____________________________________

see which o the new services introduced

by DOP can be made available through

FPO to Jawans and their amilies. Since

the savings habits are changing because

o economic scenario, the savings oppor-

tunities earlier were limited to Small

Savings schemes or National Savings

certicates; but today the variety o

schemes like Monthly Income scheme,

Public Provident Fund and mutual

unds and SIPs o UI are also avail-

able through FPOs to the troops and

the amilies.

FiELd Post oFFiCEs

PNK: Our troops are located in the

most hazardous and ar fung areas, what

is the organization and strength o the

APS Corps, to perorm this challeng-

ing task?

ADG APS: We do have Field Post

Oces up to not only Bde level, but

even urther down to take care o spe-

cic operational requirements and all

the services are made available to the

units.

thE BENEFiCiAriEs

PNK: Apart rom Army, who else are

the beneciaries o the services o APS?

ADG APS: We serve, apart rom

Army, Air orce, Border Roads, Assam

Ries and other paramilitary troops

which are deployed in eld areas.

Good NUMBEr oF NEw sChEMEs

PNK : Indian Post & elegraph

Department had launched variousschemes in the eld o Insurance, Sav-

ings etc. Are those services being

extended to our troops also by the APS

and what is the network or implemen-

tation? How ar is the progress?

ADG APS: A good number o

schemes have been introduced by DOP

and APS also ensures that those are

made available to the troops and their

amilies.

My Stamp’ is a new product intro-

duced by DOP and APS. It is kind o

personalized stamp; a acility throughwhich one can get his photograph

printed adjacent to the stamp pero-

ration. As the photo is printed inside

a peroration, the photo o individual

becomes part & parcel o stamp. Initially

the service was introduced to be availed

through especially established ‘My

Stamp’ stalls during special occasions

such as “Special Cover release unction’,

‘Deewali Mela’, ‘Army Day Exhibition’

etc. Due to growing demand rom the

environment, acility o ‘My Stamp-

Retail’ has been provided or troops

through all FPOs. Under ‘My Stamp -

Retail’ acility customer has to provide

a good quality photograph along with

ee o Rs 300/-.

hiGhLY ProFEssioNAL sErViCEs

PNK: For providing such highly

proessional service, which are other

departments and organisations sharing

this responsibility with APS? What are

the mutual benets?

ADG APS: o make sure that thequality o training is excellent, three I

training labs have been established in

three dierent sectors – Eastern, North-

ern and Western. Tese are called Zonal

raining Labs. All these labs have been

equipped with state o the art technol-

ogy equipment and have started ull

edged training since July 2012. Now

APS personnel posted at ar-fung areas

need not to travel rom their locations to

Lt Gen KT Parnaik,

PVSM, UYSM, YSM Col

o Regt The Rajputana

Ries Army Cdr,

Northern Command &

Lt Gen Munish Sibal,

PVSM, AVSM** QMG

& Col Comdt APS

Corps visiting “My

Stamp” stall installed

during Golden Jubilee

Ceremony o 7 RAJRIF on 1 March 2012

Lt Gen Munish Sibal

QMG & Col Comdt

APS Corps presenting

Award to Brig APS HQ

EC during Army Post

Awards Function




_____________________________________IntervIew of the Month

APS Centre. In addition to these three

I training lab, an additional I training

lab has been established in APS Cen-tre to take care o increasing need o I

training. We are creating trained pool

o manpower to implement technology

projects successully.

iMProVEMENts ANd iNNoVAtioNs

PNK: What improvements, innova-

tions and new steps have been taken by

the Army Postal Service in the recent

past? What urther innovations are

planned?

ADG APS: During last one year gen-

erally our ocus was to strengthen andimprove the operational eciency with

the help o technology. We reviewed

the mail arrangement o Speed Post so

that delivery o this time-sensitive mail

could be urther improved. Special

eorts were made to create awareness

about gamut o services provided by APS

to troops particularly newly launched

debit Army ePost. Debit Army ePost

has been accepted by the environment

very well as a substitute o service tele-

gram because o easy accessibility o

FPO and user riendly eatures o the

service. Horizons o Philately were ur-

ther opened with introduction o new

service ‘My Stamp’. Concept o ‘Mobile

FPO’ has been launched or providing

postal acilities at the doorstep o sol-

diers and user units.

MorALE iN hiGh ALtitUdE

PNK: Communication and welare

are the basic needs to keep the mental

peace and morale o the men Armed

Forces, when they are serving in arfung areas in high altitude, desert, thick

jungles. How successul is APS in acquit-

ting its duties?

ADG APS: APS has been very

successul in its eorts and the

response o the troops and amilies

is also very positive as the volumes

keep on increasing every year. he

number o accounts, Postal Lie

Insurance policies, trac o Speed Post,

Parcel etc, -all are on the increase.

We are working on introduction o

new service o ‘Debit Army Logistics’or booking o parcels o army units,

on debit basis in which units need not

pay across the counter. Te expenditure

will be taken care o centrally on book

adjustment basis. In parallel, discus-

sion is on with Reliance or sale o Gold

Coins through FPOs on special conces-

sional rates or Indian Army & troops.

Module o on-line posting o PLI premia

deducted by CDAs is also under devel-

opment in concert with CGDA. Besides,

we are working on establishing APS Net

by linking FPOs and CBPOs through

central data centre or providing rack

& race o Regd SDS mails., which shall

be implemented in a phased manner. It

will be a great acility to units in getting

the status/disposal o important letters

sent through Regd SDS. Increasing vis-

ibility and an awareness about services

available through FPOs will be a con-

tinuous eort by installing touch- screen

ino kiosks at the key locations.

worKiNG shoULdEr to shoULdErPNK: Since APS has to largely depend

upon the Indian Posts and elegraphs,

are you satised with the joint unction-

ing o Civil Postal Services and APS?

What more needs to be done ?

ADG APS: We work shoulder to

shoulder with the DOP since it is their

products and services (except or SDS)

which are made available through FPOs.

A close co-ordination is maintained at

all level with the DOP ocials to make

sure that the all operational activities

are smooth.

rEMAiN rELEVANt

PNK: Your Message or the Postal

Warriors?

ADG APS: Te sta working in FPOs

and other oces is very hardworking,

sincere and dedicated. It is because o

their eorts only that APS has been

marching ahead, blending technology

successully. I wish them a grand success

in the coming years so that APS remains

relevant in the uture also.

Mrs Lokbala Shori has in her

own quiet way made an active

contribution towards the welare o

troops and their amilies o the Army

Postal Service Corps. She has initiated

new ventures at all the major Units o

APS located in Delhi, Kolkata, Kamptee

(Nagpur) etc., which includes running

o various courses in FWC or overall

personality development o amilies

& renovation o pre-nursery schools.

Her regular interaction with the

amilies during FWC has been a greatmotivation actor. Te wives o JCOs/

OR have acquired higher education

during the year and granted nancial

assistance o Rs 30,000/-.

She has made amily Welare

organizations unctional at the above

places where a good number o amilies

available to provide co-ordination,

mutual understanding, awareness and

oster espirit-de-corps.

Interaction with

amilies and children

by chie guest Mrs

Lokbala Shori during

FWC meet




sPECiAL rEPorts ____________________________________________

Attempts to internation-

alise the issue once

again are happening

just when Pakistan is

about to take over the

presidentship o the UN General Assem-

bly and be in a position to infuence and

manipulate proceedings to its advantage

in collusion with its “all weather riend”

China.

Tat Indo-Pak relations have come

close to resolving several o the issues

that bedevil them at dierent points

o time –the reported rapprochement

between Rajiv Gandhi and BenazirBhutto; the “understanding” over the

Siachen Glacier: at Agra the modus

vivendi over Kashmir with General

Pervez Musharra--appear in hindsight

to be wishul thinking on the part o

Indians.

BittEr LEssoNs

We have been learning bitter lessons

in our dealings with Pakistan at requent

intervals while Pakistanis unrelentingly

pursue their “unnished business o par-

tition” and Indians hope that peace and

amity can prevail even when ideas do

not match. Kargil was but one o several

such atrocious events. It was ollowed by

the Mumbai carnage or which Pakistan

has gone scot-ree; we could do noth-

ing when Parliament was attacked and

much the same could happen over the

beheading issue.

Whenever we have asserted ourselves

we have managed to infict condign pun-

ishment on Pakistan or its perdy. In

1984 Indira Gandhi made a correctassessment o the Pakistani mindset

when by a ew days she preempted a

sly attempt to grab the Siachen Glacier

under the guise o a mountaineering

expedition. How avidly Pakistan wanted

the glacier as part o a larger gameplan

in collusion with China unraveled over

time when it made everish attempts to

dislodge Indian troops rom the Saltoro

range that guards the approaches to

the glacier, losing its Qaid post in the

process.

FooLhArdY to trUst

Given this background, to trust Pak-

istan to adhere to the letter and spirit

o any agreement would be oolhardy

in the extreme. o expect it to adhere

to the proposed Actual Ground Posi-

tion Line in Siachen in the uture aer

Indian troops have withdrawn would fy

in the ace o what it did along the Line

o Control in 1999 with its intrusion into

a 60X10 km salient in the Kargil-Dras

salient.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,

who has made so much investment in

Indo-Pak peace, has had to watch the

unraveling under jihadi pressure o his

eorts to secure the Most Favoured

Nation treatment. A Line o Control

that had seen a marked reduction in

hostilities over the past ve years sud-

denly erupted with unprovoked ring

and renewed attempts at inltration. He

dealngwPakan,Leanng

A we G Time and again over the years since partition occurred in 1947 Indians have been surprised

by Pakistani belligerence and animosity capped most recently by the beheading and

mutilation o Indian soldiers in the Mendhar sector o Jammu and Kashmir. The true intent

and purpose o the brutality became clear when its Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar

insisted that the UN be involved in ascertaining what happened, reports P N Khera




____________________________________________SPECIAL REPORTS

That it will not be “business

as usual” should beillustrated with massive

retaliation every time

Pakistan or its proxies

indulge in acts o terrorism

or inltration across the

Line o Control. India has

given enough opportunity

to Pakistan to mend its

ways and by not unilaterally

declaring it a rogue state

that has committed war

crimes in Kargil, Mumbai and

Mendhar it has emboldened

it to continue down a path

that is raught with danger

or India

was orced by circumstances to make the

pronouncement that it could no longer

be “business as usual” with Pakistan

until it mended its ways. Simultaneously,

India’s Chie o Army Sta made it abun-

dantly clear that any urther provocation

would be met with massive and appro-

priate retaliation.

rEVisit PositioN iN J&K

Tat is how it should remain and

India should revisit its position on

Jammu and Kashmir and reassert its

claim to the whole o ormer princely

State in unequivoal terms demand-

ing that Pakistan adhere to the very

UN resolutions that it swears by. Te

resolutions very clearly have made it

mandatory or Pakistani troops to with-

draw rom the areas illegally occupied

by it in so-called “Azad Kashmir” beore

any urther action can be taken espe-

cially in the context o reviving the role

o the United Nations Military Observer

Group or India and Pakistan (UNMO-

GIP) as Pakistan is trying to do over the

beheading issue.

It must back this up with very stern

action in retaliation or any attempted

intrusions or iring across the Line

o Control. Iniltration must be

stopped at the line itsel by every

military means and all Pakistani echelons

giving support to such attempts should

be visited with a barrage o heavy

artillery; all the while keeping its

minimum nuclear deterrent in

readiness in case Pakistan tries to

resort to nuclear weapons.

Tat it will not be “business as usual”

should be illustrated with massive retali-

ation every time Pakistan or its proxies

indulge in acts o terrorism or inltra-

tion across the Line o Control. India has

given enough opportunity to Pakistan

to mend its ways and by not unilater-

ally declaring it a rogue state that has

committed war crimes in Kargil, Mum-

bai and Mendhar it has emboldened it

to continue down a path that is raught

with danger or India.

Enough is enough.

Rajiv Gandhi and

Benazir Bhutto

ina An Myanma sulwk tgee

Deence Minister Mr AK Antony called on the President

o Myanmar U Thein Sein in NayPyiTaw on January 22.

Mr Antony conveyed the importance placed by India on

enhancement o bilateral ties in all elds, including deence.

He noted that the recent exchanges o visits between both

countries at political and other levels had imparted a new

momentum to the bilateral relationship. Deence Minister AK Antony calling on the Myanmar President

U Thein Sein




SPECIAL REPORTS____________________________________________

It needs to be remembered that

the Armed Forces are executing

their Constitutional responsibil-

ity when deployed in aid o civilauthority in confict zones. Tat

is why the Act is applied aer a deter-

mination that it is a “disturbed area”.

Te current controversy in which the

Chie Minister o Jammu and Kash-

mir Mr Omar Abdullah has sought the

removal o the AFSPA rom parts o the

state which have apparently been sani-

tized is a le-handed tribute to the Army

which helped bring about a state o rela-

tive peace and calm. How ragile is the

current situation is best underscored

by the systematic manner in which sar-

panches o Panchayats (one o Omar

Abdullah’s claimed successes) are being

eliminated by the terrorists/separatists

under orders rom Pakistan.

Mr Habibullah was comment-

ing on the Justice Verma Committee

recommendations about amendments

to AFSPA so that armed orces and

police personnel are not given protec-

tion under the law i they commit sexualoences against women. I, as he sug-

gested, the Act was “against democracy

and the Constitution” it should have

been struck down suo motu when Jus-

tice Verma was the Chie Justice o the

Supreme Court o India.

rEMoVE LooPhoLEs

Nonetheless, i there are loopholes

within this Act Mr Habibullah him-

sel has suggested that they be removed

“aer discussion with the Army” imply-

ing thereby that it has its uses in areas

aected by militancy, insurgency and

separatism. In many o these occur-

ances in India’s case insurgency has been

encouraged and sustained by inimical

neighbours as in Punjab, Jammu and

Kashmir itsel and the north-east as

well. Such instigation has come rom

institutions that tolerate and encourage

beheading and mutilation as happened

in the Mendhar sector o Jammu andKashmir recently.

Women in confict zones around the

world tend to be the worst suerers.

Mr Habibullah does not avour death

penalty or rapists “because there is

opposition to it in several democratic

countries across the world”. Tat is why

it needs to be examined how demo-

cratic countries that launch military

operations beyond their own borders

either unilaterally or under the ag o

the United Nations or NAO protect

their soldiers rom legal action or acts

committed during their tenures abroad.

Set up aer the gang-rape in Delhi

the three-member Justice Verma com-

mittee in its report has recommended

amendments to the Armed Forces Spe-

cial Powers Act to remove the provision

o seeking sanction rom the central

government beore initiating any legal

action against an armed orces person-

nel should be done away with in case

o sexual crimes. Tese would include

crimes such as outraging the modesty o a woman and rape..

With respect to amendments in the

Act to ensure saety o women, Jus-

tice Verma has noted: “At the outset,

we notice that impunity or systematic

or isolated sexual violence in the pro-

cess o Internal Security duties is being

legitimized by the Armed Forces Spe-

cial Powers Act, which is in orce in

large parts o our country. It must be

iny in habbulla’decpn of AFsPA

That Chairman o the Minorities Commission Wajahat Habibullah should say that the Armed

Forces Special Powers Act is against democracy and the Constitution is ironic because he

served as Divisional Commissioner in Jammu and Kashmir when the Act was in orce in the

state during his tenure there between 1991 and 1993, says Cecil Victor

Security personnel

patrolling during

curew in Srinagar on

February 15




____________________________________________SPECIAL REPORTS

It is no one’s case that

rape and molestationo women and girls by

soldiers deployed under

the umbrella protection o

the AFSPA be condoned.

Mr Habibullah would know

rom personal experience

rom his tenure in J and K

whether immediate

action is not taken against

the accused where it is

proved that the crime has

been committed and the

allegation is not rivolous

and part o the propaganda

tool in the hands o terrorists

in every area where militancy

is endemic

recognized that women in confict areas

are entitled to all the security and dignity

that is aorded to citizens in any other

part o our country.”

woMEN iN CoNFLiCt ArEAs

o ensure protection o women in

confict areas, the report has also made

several recommendations that include

bringing sexual violence against women

by uniormed men under the purview o

ordinary criminal law and appointment

o special commissioners or saety o

women in confict areas.

“hese commissioners must

be chosen rom those who have

experience with women’s issues,

preerably in confict areas. In addition,

such commissioners must be vested

with adequate powers to monitor

and initiate action or redress and

criminal prosecution in all cases o

sexual violence against women by armed

personnel,” the report states.

he committee has also recom-

mended reorientation o training o

armed orces to include laws and issues

related to women’s saety.

Indian army jawans

guarding a orward

post

Ater going through myriad activities in Pune and Mumbai,

the ladies were delighted to meet Lt Gen SK Singh,Vice Chie

o Army Staf. The General urged the teachers to motivate chil-

dren or higher studies; he also inormed the teachers aboutthe vacancies in colleges in Maharashtra available to people o

Jammu & Kashmir.

The highlights o the itinerary included visits to the National

Deence Academy, Khadakvasla, The Bishops School, Pune Camp,

Cognizant Technologies, Pune, a cruise on the Coast Guard Ship

Samudra Prahari and visits to historical places and beaches at

Mumbai. The group had an interaction with teachers at the pres-

tigious St Mary’s School, Delhi and was awe struck by the modern

teaching methods being employed.

Lay teace Fm Kam Mee Vce Cef of Amy saffA motivated bunch o lady teachers who were agged o rom Kilo Force, Shariabad on 27th January,

reached the National Capital on 6th February. The ladies are currently on ‘Watan Ki Sair’, a National Integration

Tour conducted by the Kilo Force Signal Regiment as part o Operation Sadhbhavna, reports ADN

Vice Chie o the Army Sta Lt Gen SK Singh presenting memento

to lady teachers rom Kashmir




SPECIAL REPORTS____________________________________________

he Pakistan society is sit-

ting on a powder keg,

ready to blow up into a

confagration that would

hurt us all. At a juncture

when there is a beginning in orging a

long lasting peaceul and riendly rela-

tionship between India and Pakistan, a

stable Pakistan is sine qua non to the

economic resurgence o India and o entire South Asia. Tereore, there is

a need or a threadbare analysis o the

various actors, events, personalities

and ideologies that ail Pakistan and

have landed her into today’s sorry state

o aairs.

Pakistan’s gravitation towards chaos

must in no way be attributed to the

wo Nation Teory. Had it been so,

then a similar ate should have awaited

Bangladesh. Bangladesh chose a secu-

lar way o building its society. Ethnic

and linguistic homogeneity were identi-

ed and adopted as major driving orces.

Resultantly, Bangladesh today has set

course on a path o steady growth. But

in the case o Pakistan, the infexible and

archaic ideological dogmas have decapi-

tated mainstream political activity. Te

economic policies have beneted only the privileged class and have ailed to

lead towards equitable distribution o

wealth. Soon aer its creation Pakistan

ell into an abyss o despotic military

rule or at best a puppet government

under direct control o the Army. Te

autocratic leadership repeatedly ailed

to alleviate the miseries o Pakistan’s

teeming millions and pushed the state

towards the brink o total collapse in

terms o economy, law and order and

good governance.

thE strANGE triANGLE

Core ideological values o a nation

orm a vital hub around which the ele-

ments o national power converge to

provide a nation its existential strength

and a direction or uture growth. In

Pakistan’s case, the society is distinctly divided into three shades ideologies. A

part o its civil society believes in sec-

ularism, accommodates inter religious

dierences and is willing to provide

space to the dierent sects within Islam.

Tis segment o the Pakistani society

appreciates that all religions must adapt

to the social changes and believes in

social and economic growth.

Tere is another part o the Pakistani

Pakan :Febngof Animpln

The Two NationTheory that resulted in the birth o Pakistan on 14 August 1947,

was a vision inspired by two basic premises. The more widely propagated theory is

based on the alsely perceived assumption that there is a vast chasm between the

Hindu and Muslim communities and so, they cannot co-exist. The other premise

that ormed the backbone o this Two Nation Theory was inspired by a dream o a

great uture or Pakistan, ully realizing the vast economic potential o its land, once

reerred as the ‘bread basket’ o undivided India and also the mineral and gas deposits

that were abundant there. The cultural, economical and intellectual building bricks

o Pakistan were equally strong as those o India. But despite all the possibilities

that the nascent nation had, today it nds itsel in such a dismal state, that thevery viability o Pakistan as a nation is uncertain, according to ADN analysts

Indian Army in

Jammu and Kashmir




____________________________________________SPECIAL REPORTS

There is another part

o the Pakistani societythat proposes religious

undamentalism as the true

ace o Islam. They whip up

religious renzy to suit their

convenience and create

a ear psychosis amongst

the people by convincing

them that Islam is under

persecution

society that proposes religious unda-

mentalism as the true ace o Islam.

Tey whip up religious renzy to suittheir convenience and create a ear psy-

chosis amongst the people by convincing

them that Islam is under persecution.

A third part o the Pakistani soci-

ety aspires or a modern Pakistan and

desire to keep pace with rest o the

world, but are pessimistic and see no

light at the end o the tunnel. In any

democracy, it is upon the polity to pave

the way or growth. But in Pakistan’s

case, a hapless ractured polity has been

repeatedly betrayed by the political lead-

ership which has landed the country intosuch a chaos, that the very basis o dem-

ocratic orm o government in Pakistan

is threatened.

wAitiNG For disAstEr

Demographic pattern plays a major

role in the sustained growth o a nation.

Pakistan has a population o over 180

million today and will cross 258 million

by 2030. Out o 180 million, 110 mil-

lion are under 29 years. Tis horrendous

youth bulge, is in any case, a disaster

waiting to happen. No political system

can provide education, employment,

shelter, ood, water, electricity, health

and hygiene to such a huge population

or meet the aspirations o its youth.

Given today’s human development indi-

ces, maladministration, anarchy, lack o

inrastructure and the oreign debt, Pak-

istan is statistically, already a ailed state.

For over two decades now, Pakistan

economy has been surviving on the

loans and grants rom US, Saudi Ara-

bia and the OIC nations. o make upor the huge scal decits, successive

governments have resorted to printing

additional currency, urther weakening

the economy, skyrocketing ination.

Fundamental structural reorms were

long overdue but the successive gov-

ernments (civil or military) neither had

the political space nor the will power

to undertake such a mission. Pakistan’s

hugely disproportionate expenditure

on its deence budget, alsely justied

by an imaginary threat rom India has

urther drained her coers. A parallelever growing terrorist-maa-ISI econ-

omy and the policy o loot and scoot

adopted by rulers rom time to time, did

not allow Pakistan’s economy to recover.

FALsE ProMisEs

In many democracies, religion pro-

vides a guiding light or the ethos and

policies o the nation. Religion in a way

serves as a balancing orce. But in Pak-

istan’s case the religion leadership has

been usurped by staunch undamental-

ists who have misinterpreted the tenetso Islam to their benet. Tese religious

leaders spread nothing but intolerance

and hatred. Tey have anned terrorism

in the name o Islam by alsely project-

ing a threat to Islam and the interests o

the Islamic nations. Te state machin-

ery and the Pakistan Army can no longer

control the innumerable terrorist orga-

nizations that are bleeding Pakistan

white.

Having ailed to establish peace and

give a conclusive direction to the uture

equation with India, Pakistan Army

has its hands ull. It has to manage the

troublesome eastern and western bor-

ders, look aer internal security, ght

hardcore terrorism and yet maintain

a high level o preparedness to stage a

coup and take control o the country’s

administration whenever called upon

by the military leaders. No wonder

that the morale o overtaxed Pakistani

soldier is down in his boots. Attacks

on soldiers and police, suicide attacks,

bomb explosions, political assassina-tions and targeted killings are routine.

Recent skirmishes along the LoC, in

Uri and Poonch Sectors are the exam-

ples o adventurism by local military

commanders o Pakistan, challenging

the command structure o Army. It was

an attempt to escalate tension along the

LoC to create an excuse or downsizing

anti-aliban and anti-terrorist opera-

tions along Pak’s Western borders. Te

problems o Pakistan are exacerbated by

the uncontrolled activism o USA, civil-

ian government’s lack o control over

its military and intelligence agencies,

its ailure to protect the minorities and

secure regions controlled by the Paki-

stani aliban.

hEAdiNG towArds ANArChY

he ominous state o aairs in

Pakistan will inevitably drag her into

a black hole o anarchy and

subsequent collapse, unless o course

the people o Pakistan decide to

end their miseries and choose a

leadership, which pulls her out o

this abyss, through political, social

and economic resurgence towards a

peaceul, bright uture, matching steps

with the rest o the world. Continuation

o present state means, there is going

to be increasing anarchy. Te journey

o Pakistan to ‘ultimately being a ailed

state’ will be very short unless peoplewho matter, do not start seeing their

end too. Pakistan has become a ship

with too many holes under its belly

and too ew hands to stop the

leakage o water. It is time when the

stakeholders should realise that even

i they are playing their individual

games, when Pakistan implodes, it will

result in collective demise, a complete

annihilation.




ArMEd ForCEs ______________________________________________

Showcasing more than 30

types o platorms and

Weapons Systems amount-

ing to a participation o

about 230 aircra, this Fire

Power Display demonstrated the day

and night employability o air power

by rontline ghter aircra o the IAF

including - Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000,

Jaguar, MiG-21,MiG-27, MiG-29 and

Hawks. Te transport aircra included

– C130J, AN-32, Embraer and IL-76,

while Mi-8, the newly inducted Mi-17

V5 and Mi-35 Attack Helicopters

constituted the Rotary Wing ingredients.

Te Sarang Helicopter Aerobatic Display

eam and low level aerobatics by SU-30

aircrat were the added attraction

to the event

Being the Supreme commander o

the Armed Forces Te Honble Presi-

dent o India was the chie guest or the

event. Tis year or the rst time the

Prime Minister o India also witnessed

this mega event along with the Deence

Minister A K Antony.

Te IAF also showcased, or the rst

time, its Surace to Air Missile Systems

like the shoulder red IGLA, the vehicle

mounted and mobile OSA-AK M and

the longer range PECHORA. Te exer-

cise also showcased its latest acquisition

the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic trainer air-

cra and Bambi Bucket Operations by Mi-17 V5 helicop-

ter. he events at

- Iron Fist displayed

various aspects o

re power like Air

Deence Operations,

Counter Surace

Force Operations,

Urban Warare,

Combat Search

Rescue Operations, Assault Approach

and Landing, Combat Ofoading and

Short ake o by C-130 J at the Landing

Strip prepared at the Range.

Being a display o armament deliv-

ery skills by pilots at the end o their

training year, this year, or the rst time,

trainee pilots displayed their armament

delivery skills ying the Hawk trainer.

Light Combat Aircra (LCA) and Light

Combat Helicopter (LCH), two o the

most prestigious indigenous projects

ormed a part o the display. In addi-

tion, IAF’s Parajumping eam, Akash

Ganga, IAF’s Air Warrior Drill eam,

Air Warrior Symphony Orchestra also

perormed.Aimed at providing the nation the

reassurance that the IAF will deliver

whenever called upon, a demonstra-

tion o this magnitude was carried out

or the rst time by day, dusk and night.

Te exercise also aided commanders and

planners to gain better insight into the

potential and deployment capabilities o

aerial weapons. Very ew air orces in the

world can achieve this eat.

iAF dplay iFe Pe Ain F-2013

IRON FIST – 2013 was conceived as a visible demonstration o not only the deterrent and joint

war ghting capabilities o the IAF but also a reafrmation o IAF’s commitment to nation building

through its more benign and non kinetic capabilities. February 22, 2013 witnessed the Indian Air

Force demonstrate its operational capabilities by day, dusk and night at the sprawling acility o the

Pokharan Range, the largest air –to-ground weapons ring range or training in delivery o heavy

armament, near Jaisalmer, in the arid Rajasthan Sector, reports ADN

The President,Mr. Pranab Mukherjee

releasing thePostal Cover to

commemorate the50 Years o Air Power

o Indian Air Forceduring the Indian

Air Force Fire Powerdemonstration

Exercise ‘Iron Fist2013’ at Pokharan,

Jaisalmer, Rajasthanon 22 February.

The Prime Minister,Dr. Manmohan Singh

and the DeenceMinister, Mr. A. K.

Antony are also seen




_____________________________________________armed forces

he Deence Minister said

the Government is going

to have a second look at

both the Deence procure-

ment procedure and the

Deence production policy and amend

it in a manner so that the industry can

take more interest in Deence production.

stroNG ACtioN

Reerring to the recent allegations o

corruption in a deence deal, Antony

said the Government had taken strin-

gent action against six companies which

had resorted to unethical practices in

securing other deence contracts. He

said it is regrettable that lessons have not

been learned rom those episodes. Ant-

ony said the country can’t aord to lose

poor tax payers’ money to greedy play-

ers in the eld.

Te Minister had a word o advice

to the Armed Forces. He said while

drawing up the list o products or their

operational requirements, the Services

should look at the availability o the

same in the country rst. “Imports

should be the last resort”, he said.He said the public and the private sec-

tors have to synergise their competencies

in creating capabilities or technologies

in niche areas. Tis would promote sel-

reliance and oster our endeavor towards

modernization. It is important that the

private sector emerges as a major player,

ully geared to meet various operational

requirements o our Armed Forces

with requisite knowledge, expertise

and wherewithal. It is extremely rele-

vant to appreciate each other’s concerns,

strengths and opportunities which are

thrown up in this process. A strong

and vibrant partnership between the

public and private sector is crucial or

delivering the much-needed deence

technological upgradation.

iNdUstrY At tAKEoFF stAGE

Antony said, our domestic deence

industry is at a takeo stage. We need

collaboration at the global level to

leverage the beneits o the latest

available technologies. Government’s

policy on oset is expected to acilitate

this. “I would urge the industry to

come orward and take advantage o this

policy”, he said.

A secn Lk A PcuemenAn Pucn Plce

The Deence Minister A K Antony said here on February 20 that speedy indigenization in Deence

production is essential to eliminate corruption in procurement process. Addressing the Second

International Seminar on Army Air Deence in New Delhi, Antony said the Armed Forces, the

Government, the DRDO, the industry - both public and private sector should come together in

a mission mode so that the country can achieve maximum or indigenization in a reasonabletimerame. He assured that the Government would provide all support required to achieve this

objective, reports ADN

The DeenceMinister, Mr A. K. Antony releasingthe compendium onthe occasion o 2ndInternational Seminaon Army Air Deencein the 21st century,in New Delhi onFebruary 20.The Chie o ArmySta, GeneralBikram Singh andthe Director General Army Air Deence Lt.General Kuldip Singhare also seen




armed forces______________________________________________

he allocation was up by

Rs 25,169 crore rom last

year’s revised estimate o

Rs 1,78,503 crore. he

budget estimate last year

was Rs 1,93,407 crore but it was slashed

by Rs 14,904 crore later by the nance

ministry owing to the strain on the

economy.

In terms o comparison between the

budget estimates o the nancial year

2012-13 and 2013-14, the hike is 5.31

percent.

Te budgetary allocation this year

marked a reduction in GDP ration rom1.90 last year to 1.79 percent.

“Te deence minister has been most

understanding and I assure him and the

House that constraints will not come in

way o providing any additional require-

ment or the security o the nation,” the

Finance Minister said.

Te deence ministry is in a major

modernisation process with several

acquisitions in the pipeline besides

upgradation o inrastructure in the

northeast along with China border.

Among the major acquisitions in the

ong are the 126 multirole combat air-

cra, 22 Apache attack choppers and 15

heavy-li choppers.

Te deence ministry had last year

demanded Rs 40,000 crore more or

meeting its modernisation requirements

in addition to the Rs 1,93,407 crore but

that could not be provided.

An amount o Rs 14,904 crore was cut

rom its budget allocation. O this cut,

Rs 10,000 crore were rom the capital

expenditure and the remaining was romrevenue expenditure.

O the total expenditure by the Indian

government, deence expenditure would

account or 10 percent which is 1 percent

less than 2012-13.

In 2011-12, the government had allo-

cated Rs 1,64,415 crore or the deence

ministry and later, it was revised to Rs

1,70,937 crore. Increasing the allocation

by 13 percent, the government gave Rs

1,93,407 crore to the ministry or 2012-

13 but in actual terms it came out to be

around 4.45 percent due to the budget

cut in revised estimates.

Under the break up o the budget,

Rs 44,500 crore have been allocated or

pensions to be paid to retired deence

personnel and the DRDO has been allo-

cated Rs 5,500 crore.

O the Rs 1,16,931 crore allocated

or revenue expenditure, the army has

been allocated Rs 81,833 crore, the navy

has got Rs 12,194 core while the IAF

received Rs 18, 295 crore.

O the Rs 86,741 crore capital expen-diture und, the IAF has the largest share

o over Rs 38,000 crore ollowed by the

navy and the army. Tese unds are used

or modernisation o equipment and

raising new ormations.

Te major portion o these unds

would be used to procure aircra and

aero-engines or the services or which

Rs 33,776 crore have been earmarked

or the year 2013-14.

defence Buge 2013Amid its modernisation drive, the deence ministry got Rs 2,03,672 crore or 2013-14,

marking a hike o about 14 percent over last year’s revised allocation with Finance Minister

P Chidambaram promising more unds required or national security, reports ADN

MBT Arjun MK-1 tank passing through the

Rajpath during the

64th Republic DayParade-2013, in NewDelhi on January 26




_____________________________________________armed forces

Deence Minister said the

cooperation between

the scientists and sci-entiic expertise o

DRDO and NPOM

and many other organisations rom India

and Russia has proved that there is a way

to do things aster and take the lead in

the world. Te partnership has blos-

somed and yielded results, which have

not been achieved by any other country.

He admitted that the role o DRDO,

NPOM and the quality assurance

agencies in grooming this industry to

achieve high technology levels and a

superior quality product has indeedresulted in customer’s delight, that is,

our Deence Forces.

he Minister remarked that this

process has resulted in a new trend o

thinking, in terms o a collaboration and

joint venture, as India too could share its

technology and products with others.

On this occasion CEO and MD o

BrahMos Aerospace Dr. A Sivathanu

Pillai in his welcome address gave a

brie account o the growth and evolu-

tion o this joint venture. Chie o Air

Sta, Air Chie Marshall NAK Browne inhis address said that the modied Su-30

Mk-1 aircra will soon be equipped with

BrahMos missile. Dr. AG Leonov, Direc-

tor General NPOM, Russian Federation,

Dr. VK Saraswat, Scientic Advisor to

Deence Minister also spoke on the

occasion. Deence Minister also pre-

sented awards/trophies to some top

scientists and technologists associated

with this joint venture.

rua sul inuc BaM ini Ame Fce: AnnyDeence Minister A K Antony has said that Russia should induct BrahMos supersonic cruise

missile in its armed orces so that the success achieved in the joint venture will be ully

appreciated. Addressing the ‘Partnership Day’ marking the signing o Inter GovernmentalAgreement (IGA) between India and Russia or the ormation o BrahMos joint venture in

New Delhi on February 19, he said soon the Indian Air Force will have BrahMos both, on land

and air platorm, making it a real orce multiplier or all the wings o the Indian Armed Forces.

Army, Navy and Air Force consider BrahMos to be an important weapon due to its speed,

precision and power, he said. The Government has also decided to expand the inrastructure

at multiple centres to cater to larger production requirement o BrahMos missiles and

systems, reports ADN

The Deence Minister,Mr A. K. Antonyreleasing a coee

table book on occasioo partnership daymarking the signingo Inter-Government

Agreement (IGA)between India & Russor the ormationo Brahmos Joint

Venture, in New Delhion February 19. TheChie o Air Sta, AirChie Marshal N.A.K.Browne, the CEO &MD, Brahmos Dr A.Sivathanu Pillai, theScientifc Advisor toRaksha Mantri and DGDRDO, Dr. Vijay Kumar

Saraswat and DG,NPOM, Russia Dr A. G.Leonov are also seen




armed forces______________________________________________

Misinterpretation

o the recommen-

dations o the

Justice JS Verma

commission that

inquired into the phenomenon o rape

and murder aer the Delhi gangrape

appeared to give the impression that

military personnel were high on the list

o oenders. Te Verma Commission’s

recommendations on the responsibil-

ity o command or individual violators

is being studied in the spirit that it was

made: Every eort must be made to

stamp out the curse.O the 1618 cases registered with

the National Human Rights Commis-

sion and through human rights groups

and civil liberties groups and personal

complaints over a period covering 1994

to January 2013 in the endemic insur-

gency areas o Jammu and Kashmir and

the North East and other parts o the

country 1478 were ound to be alse or

baseless aer a thorough investigation.

CoNViCtioN iN 55 CAsEs

Most o the cases –1178 – have been

routed through the National Human

Rights Commission. In the 55 cases

that were ound to be true, 129 per-

sonnel were convicted and punished.

Eighty-ve cases are currently under

investigation.

In Jammu and Kashmir 999 cases

were registered, ollowed by the North

East (560) and the rest are within

the jurisdictions o the Western

Command, Southern Command,

Central Command and the South

Western Command o the Army.In Jammu and Kashmir alone 965

allegations were ound to be alse or

baseless. In the North East the num-

ber was 460 indicating that ling such

complaints is part o the propaganda and

mind-control methodology employed

in guerrilla warare to undermine and

demoralize the security orces.

Largely because the major insurgen-

cies in the North East like the Naga

and Mizo uprisings

have been contro-

lled, the allegations

o rape and mur-

der in particular

have been ew and

ar between.

sPUrt oF ALLEGAtioNs

Te allegations peaked between 1997

and 2002 when crossborder terrorism

was at its height encouraged by Paki-

stan Army Inter-Services Intelligence

both through the western sector as

well as through Bangladesh where theHarkatul Jihad Islami has grown deep

roots with Pakistani training and Saudi

Arabian money. In J and K it uctu-

ated between 139 and 166 through the

National Human Rights Commission.

Private groups made between 46 and 99

allegations within this timerame.

Tis was the time when major terror-

ists strikes took place against Parliament

House and the serial bombings in

Cae Agan Amy96.40 Pe Cen Fale

An analysis o data over the

past 20 years o allegations

o human rights violations

including rape and murder

by Army personnel shows

that 96.40 per cent o them

were alse, reports ADN

Army personnel

taking position during

an encounter with

militants including

a top commander

o Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT), holed up in

a house at Lolab in

Kupwara




_____________________________________________armed forces

Mumbai, Surat, New Delhi and other

places. Te security orces – military,

para-military, and local police orces –were under tremendous pressure rom

human rights groups and ake encoun-

ters became cause celebre.

However, there has been a marked

decline in complaints iled with

National Human Rights Commission

and through private channels with the

maximum being 79 in 2009. In some

places, this could be due to ailure o

the local police to le complaints but

the same cannot be said o the National

Human Rights Commission which is

very alert and quick to respond to suchallegations so as to bring relie to the

victims at the earliest.

GrEAtEr

AwArENEss

In the rst montho this year there

has been a spurt

o cases –48 by the

NHRC and one by

others (49) a phe-

nomenon attributed

to the greater aware-

ness caused by the

Delhi gangrape about

atrocities on women.

Te Justice Verma

committee made its

recommendationsin the context o the

ongoing controversy

over the imposition

o the Armed Forces

Special Powers Act in

the disturbed areas

o Jammu and Kash-

mir and in the North

East. Te Chie Min-

ister o Jammu and

Kashmir Omar Abdullah has asked that

the Act be revoked in areas where peace

has descended over the years.

Te Chie Minister was soon con-

ronted with realities on the ground

and a situation that had been brought

under control with the help o AFSPA

was soon ruptured with the serial

killing and criminal intimidation o

Sarpanches o Panchayats on the orders

o the Pakistan Army Inter-Services

Intelligence and a sudden resurgence

o ceasere violations along the Line

o Control.

ACtioN tAKEN rEPort

It would be appropriate that the

National Human Rights Commission,

which has routed the complaints made

to it against the Army, should call or an

“action taken” report rom Army HQ

and publish the ndings as part o its

own process o rectiying grievances as

and when they occur. It may well be con-

ronted by the need to book those who

have led alse cases against the armed

orces and security personnel to help

and abet the machinations o inimical

neighbours against India by bringing to

disrepute institutions that are intended

to uphold the Constitution and the ter-

ritorial integrity o the nation.

Te Armed Forces Special Powers Act

stands our-square against attempts to

undermine the unity and integrity o the

nation particularly by a neighbour that

has been unable to win any war against

India through direct military conron-

tation. Its use o proxies and terrorist

tactics should be recognized or what itis – an undeclared war – and conronted

accordingly.

Instead, there has been a tendency

to denigrate the very persons who are

entrusted with deending the nation.

It needs to be reiterated that in no case

will rape and murder by armed orces

personnel be condoned or be sought to

be brought within the protection o the

AFSPA.

It would be appropriate

that the National Human

Rights Commission, which

has routed the complaints

made to it against the Army,

should call or an “action

taken” report rom Army HQand publish the ndings as

part o its own process o

rectiying grievances as and

when they occur. It may well

be conronted by the need

to book those who have

led alse cases against the

armed orces and security

personnel to help and abet

the machinations o inimical

neighbours against India

by bringing to disrepute

institutions that are intended

to uphold the Constitution

and the territorial integrity o

the nation

Weapons seized rom

the terrorist in J&K o

display




armed forces______________________________________________

Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, Chie o Staf, Japan Mari-

time Sel Deence Force (JMSDF), called on Admiral DK

Joshi, Chie o the Naval Staf, Indian Navy at Naval Head-

quarters on February 25 in New Delhi.

During the meeting, a wide range o subjects o mutual

interest in the Maritime Domain were discussed. The

Indian Navy and the JMSDF have been collaborating

towards combating piracy o the Gul o Aden.

Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano also cal led on the Deence

Minister AK Antony. The JMSDF chie was on a two day

ocial visit to India.

Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano visited the Western Naval

Command Headquarters at Mumbai on February 26,where he interacted with Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha,

FOC-in-C Western Naval Command.

It may be recalled that the inaugural Indo-Japan

Maritime Aairs dialogue was held at New Delhi, in Jan-

uary this year.

Cef of Japan Mame self defence Fce V ina

The Chie o Sta, Japan Maritime Sel Deence Force, Admiral Katsutoshi Kawanocalls on the Deence Minister, Mr. A. K. Antony, in New Delhi on 25 February

The Chie o the Army Sta Gen Bikram Singh, chaired

the proceedings on 26 February and addressed the dele-

gates. He praised the battle readiness o the Mechanised

Forces which deliver the vital punch on the battleeld.

The COAS said that their commitment, morale, training

and operational capabilities must instill ear in our poten-

tial adversaries.

The COAS added that a resh impetus is required orchange in the Army towards pursuit o all round excel-

lence, the General exhorted all ranks o the Mechanised

Forces to ocus on efective training or integrated all arms

operations. He said that the Army has always been the

epitome o trust and discipline, or which they should

always be proud.

The COAS emphasised on the ocus areas enunciated

by him or all ranks o the Army. He also emphasised on

human resource development to improve the morale

and meet the aspirations o soldiers.

The conerence concluded on 27 February. During

the three day conclave important issues regarding mod-

ernization, realistic operationally oriented training and

human resource management issues were discussed.

Amy Cef Pae Bale reane of Mecane Fce

The Fith Biennial Mechanised Forces Conerence was hosted by the Armoured Corps

Centre and School, Ahmadnagar rom 25 to 27 February. A large number o senior

serving ofcers o the elite Armoured Corps, Mechanised Inantry and Brigade o the

Guards attended the Conerence that discussed issues relevant to the Mechanised Forces

o the uture, reports ADN

Gen Bikram Singh addressing the 5th Biennial Conerence

o Mechanised Forces




_____________________________________________armed forces

he COAS underlined the

act that the units o all

Arms and Services are

building blocks and the

cutting edge o the Indian

Army and it is on these units that the

edice o the Indian Army rests. Te

operational readiness and eectiveness

o the Indian Army is directly related

to their standard o training, motiva-

tion and morale. Te nature o combat,

peacetime requirements and socio-

economic environment are becoming

increasingly complex and demand quick

and dynamic response rom leadership

at all levels. his

warrants an organ-

isational culture and

unit climate that

breeds a high level o

individual excellence,

unit cohesion and

unctional eciency.

he publication

addresses all these

issues eectively.

While releasing

the publication, the COAS indicated

that ‘Unit Commander’s Manual’ pro-

vides guidance in command o a unit

and enables the COs and junior leaders

in establishing dynamism and excellence

in the unit unctioning.

releae of ‘Un Cmmane’Manual-2013’General Bikram Singh Chie o the Army Sta, released ‘Unit Commander’s Manual’ on the

occasion o the Army Day on 15 January 2013. The Manual provides a comprehensive

ramework in creating a culture o quiet efciency in unit unctioning and dynamism and

excellence in unit and sub unit ethos. It encompasses all aspects relating to Unit Routine,

Training, Motivation, Leadership Development, Administration, Regimental Institutes and

social activities. In sum, it ocuses on inculcating tenets o ‘Josh’, ‘Tezi’, ‘Sidhai’ and ‘Tehzeeb’

amongst all ranks which are essential prerequisites or mission accomplishment, reports ADN

Gen Bikram Singh releasing ‘Unit Commander’s Manual-2013’

He stated that a seamless and integrated approach by

all the stakeholders-- various union Ministries, coastal

State Governments and coastal communities is essential

or a ool proo coastal security. The Minister emphasized

that shermen in the coastal States are the eyes and ears

or overall coastal security and they should be made an

integral part o all our security planning.

Antony called or urgent and immediate action pos-

sible rom all stakeholders in matters o coastal security

and wanted all concerned to work in a coordinated man-

ner so as to ensure a seamless and robust coastal security

mechanism.

defence Mne reve te Pge in Caal secuy

The Deence Minister A K Antony reviewed the progress in steps taken to enhance the

coastal security o the country on 20 February. He acknowledged the action taken or

installation o 46 Coastal Static Radars (36 on mainland and 10 in island territories) which

would help in identication and monitoring o maritime trafc. Mr Antony asked theofcers to expedite Phase-II o Coastal Security Initiatives which would translate into a

robust and gap ree Maritime Domain Awareness, reports ADN




armed forces______________________________________________

During his our day

Japan visit, the COAS

had important inter-

actions and meetings

with a large number

o high level civil and military ocials

to include the Deence Minister, Chie

o Sta, Joint Sta JSDF and Chie o

Sta, JGSDF.

Both sides agreed on continuingeorts at enhancing bilateral exchanges

in the identied elds o humanitarian

assistance, disaster relie and UN Peace

Keeping operations and to explore deence

cooperation possibilities in new elds.

he COAS also visited important

training institutions like the Interna-

tional Peace Keeping Activity raining

Institute and the Fuji School besides vis-

iting the Middle Army HQs.

Te visit provided an impetus to the

deence ties and will urther cement the

strategic partnership between Japan

& India.

Amy Cef’ V t Japan The Chie o Army Sta (COAS), General Bikram Singh, visited Japan rom 11 – 15 February.

The visit was part o the ongoing high level exchanges between India and Japan and was

expected to urther boost the deence relations between the two nations, reports ADN

Visiting Army Chie

with the host

Guard o Honour or Gen Bikram Singh




_____________________________________________armed forces

he Army Commander

visited the ormations

deployed in the Valley

and praised them or

exercising a very high

degree o control and upholding the

highest ethos o Army and respecting

the Human Right norms while man-

aging the internal security situation,

prevailing in the Valley. He also awarded

the GOC-in-C, Northern Command

Commendation card to six personnel.

Army Commander reviewed the

security situation in the Valley in a joint security meeting with Lt Gen Om

Prakash, GOC, Chinar Corps, Mr Ashok

Prasad, Director General o Police,

Jammu and Kashmir, Mr K Rajendra,

Addl DGP Law & Order, Mr Ashok

Patnaik, Joint Director IB and Mr SM

Sahay, IGP, Kashmir at the Chinar Corps

Headquarters.

he General complimented the

Security Forces or the high level

o synergy exhibited by them while

dealing with the prevailing situation

in the Valley. He highlighted the

nuances o synergized approach in

dealing with the prevailing sensitive law

and order situation and maintaining

peace in the Valley. He assured that

Army will continue with its area

domination and provide operational

support in the sensitive areas or

dealing with the current law and order

situation in the Valley.

Nen Amy Cmmanereve secuy suan

Lt Gen KT Parnaik, GOC-in-C,

Northern Command visited thetroops deployed in Kashmir

Valley on 11th and 12th February,

and reviewed the operational

preparedness along the Line o

Control and security situation

in the Valley. He extensively

visited the troops deployed in

the orward areas, particularly

the High altitude areas o Gurez,

Kupwara, Uri and Gulmarg

Sectors along Line o Control,

reports Asia Defence News

Lt Gen KT Parnaik

interacting with

jawans

Army Commander

visiting a orward

location in J&K




armed forces______________________________________________

‘Sarang’, the helicopter

display team o Indian

Air Force, ‘Flying Bulls’

o Czech Rupublic

and valiant ‘Russian

Knights’ were among those who thrilled

the week-end crowd at the ninth edi-

tion o the biennial event organised by

the Department o Deence Produc-

tion. Deence Minister AK Antony had

announced on the inaugural day on Feb-

ruary 6 that the next Aero India would

be held in Bangalore rom February 18

to 22 in 2015.

Te air show also witnessed graceul

ight displays o 1930s vintage iger

Moth aircra, which made its ight

appearance aer a gap o 22 years. LCA

ejas showed some breathtaking loops

and vertical charlies in the skies.

widE VAriEtY

Aviation enthusiasts experienced a loto adventure, excitement and colours o

thrill over the last ve days. Te Sarang

team few our HAL Dhruvs. Flying Bulls

is one o the most accomplished Euro-

pean aerobatics teams and has been a

member o the Red Bull amily. It com-

prises o our pilots (three men and one

woman) and they presented ormation

aerobatics.

he Sukhoi-27 Russian Knights

aerobatic team o Russian Air Force

perormed demonstration ights or

the rst time in India.

MEsMEriZEd sPECtAtors

When the pilots o Sarang met the

spectators they were given a thunder-

ing applause. Hundreds o people were

eagerly waiting to meet these jambaaz.

Men, women and kids who were lucky to

shake hands with the team members got

surprise mementoes like stickers, key-

chain, posters and other goodies rom

the pilots.

Viewers and pilots both enjoyed eachother’s company. People thanked pilots

or their antastic and thrilling peror-

mances during Aero India 2013. Sarang

is the only helicopter based services dis-

play team in the world. “We enjoyed the

good gathering because the presence o

public encouraged us to perorm bet-

ter to best”, said Wg Cdr R C Pathak,

commanding ocer o Sarang team.

“We not only entertain the public but

Aebac dplay Mak teCnclun of Ae ina 2013Aerobatic display by metal birds enthralled tens o thousands o aviation enthusiasts at

Yelahanka airbase in Bangalore on February 10 as the curtains came down on the ve-day

Aero India 2013, Asia’s premier airshow, reports ADN

Flying Bulls

o Czech Republic

showing their

aerobatic skills as

part o ight display

o Aero India 2013

Deence Minister

Mr. AK Antony

addressing the

inaugural unction o

Aero India 2013 at

Bangalore




_____________________________________________armed forces

also encourage youth to join Indian Air

Force in our own way”, he urther added.

Sarang team includes 14 pilots, 5 engi-neering ocers and 132 technicians.

“For just 12 minutes o aerobatic dis-

play, our preparations and practice start

almost our hours beore because saety

o aircra and men is o utmost impor-

tant or us”, said Wg Cdr Vinod Negi,

deputy team leader o Sarang.

Sarang begins with entry in ‘Inverted

Wine Glass’ ormation. Te ormation

then changes over to ‘Line Astern’ or-

mation o ‘India’ as it is popularly called,

and Diamond ormation to acilitate the

viewers to get a closer look at the Heli-copters. Sarang 1, 2 and 3 then turn

together to perorm the star manoeuvre

which is unique to helicopter ying –

‘Te Stall urn’ known as the ‘Dolphin’s

Leap’. Te team then continually keeps

the audience glued to the skies with their

breathtaking manoeuvres. Te next is

the heart throbbing ‘Crossover Break’,

ollowed by the ‘Arrow’. Aer another

set o exciting manoeuvres the team

then regroups or its signature manoeu-

vre ‘Te Sarang Split’ in which the our

helicopter cross each other vertically and

horizontally to orm a knot.

Te Sarang Helicopter Display team

has evolved rom erstwhile ALH Evalua-

tion Flight (AEF) ormed at Aircra and

System esting Establishment (ASE)

on March 18, 2002. Aer completion o

the initial task o eld evaluation o the

‘Advanced Light Helicopter’ (ALH), the

unit was tasked with role o ormation

display ying to showcase the capabil-

ity o the indigenously manuactured

ALH and as ambassadors o the IndianAir Force. Te eam Sarang has been

derived rom the Sanskrit meaning ‘Pea-

cock’, the Indian National bird.

Te team made its debut perormance

at the Asian Aerospace Air show at Sin-

gapore in February 2004. Since then, the

team has perormed in 35 air shows in

India as well as abroad. Te team’s per-

ormance at Al Ain Aerobatic Show, UAE

in 5th January earned it a reputation as

one o the best

display teams in

the world.

sPECtACULAr

AEriAL

disPLAYs

Te Indian Air

Force Station,

Yelahanka was

a b u z z w i t h

p e o p l e o n

9th February 2013, the rst day opened

or the general public. People gathered

here to witness a glimpse o the amazing

display in the skies during the 9thedition o Aero India-2013 organized

by Deence Exhibition Organisation

under the Ministry o Deence rom

6th-10th February.

Many o them said that it’s a once

in a lietime chance to watch some o

the world’s nest aircras in a single

day. Nationals rom other countries

also enjoyed the show. “We have

watched many such displays around

the world but Aero India is certainly

one o the best shows”, said A Paul, a

citizen o UK.

he highlight o the day’s display

was the much-awaited Su-27 Russian

Knights team, which stole the show

with their awesome manoeuvres that

enthralled the public. Te other aero-

batic display included the ALH, LCH,

LCA ejas and ‘Sarang’ o Indian Air

Force and Flying Bulls o Czech Repub-

lic and F-16 rom the US.

ANtoNY iNAUGUrAtEd show

Aero India provided enormous busi-ness opportunity not only to India but

also to dierent regional markets o the

world. Inaugurating the 9th edition o

Aero India-2013, at Air Force Station,

Yelhanka, Bangalore on February 6, Mr

A K Antony said, in view o immense

opportunities available in the aerospace

industry the revised Deence Pro-

curement Policy o 2010 has provided

or more public-private partnerships

model to the industry. He appealed to

all stakeholders o deence industry to

take advantage o this policy initiative

and develop world-class products andtechnologies so as to make India a hub

in the entire sub-continent. He hoped

that this premier air show o Asia will

provide enough avenues or growth o

Indian aerospace industry. On this occa-

sion Mr Antony unveiled Aero Space

Policy o Karnataka state in the pres-

ence o Chie Minister o Karnataka

Mr Jagdish Shivappa Shettar. He also

announced that the 10th Aero India will

be held at Bangalore rom 18-22 Febru-

ary 2015.

Speaking on the occasion, Union

Minister o Civil Aviation Mr Ajit Singh

described Aero India as a ‘knowledge

platorm’. Giving a brie report card o

Indian aviation, he said that since this is

one o the astest growing aviation sec-

tors in the world, concentrated eorts

have to be made by all stakeholders to

sustain this momentum.

Mr R K Mathur, Secretary, Deence

Production, Ministry o Deence,

Mrs Naina Lal Kidwai, President,

FICCI, Mr Jagdish Shivappa Shettar,Chie Minister o Karnataka also

spoke on the occasion. Marshal

o he Air Force Mr Arjan Singh,

Minister o State For Deence Mr

Jitendra Singh, Chie o Air Sta, Air

Chie Marshal NAK Brown, Scientic

Advisor to Deence Minister and DG,

DRDO Dr V K Saraswat and Deence

Secretary Mr Shashikant Sharma were

also present.

Spectators enjoying

the air show at

Aero India 2013 at

Yalahanka, Bagalore




armed forces______________________________________________

Both India and China agreed to expand and enhance

bilateral exchanges covering the Army, Navy and Air Force

o both countries.

The two sides agreed to advance mutual strategic

trust and also enhance mutually benecial practicalcooperation.

The two sides reviewed the ongoing measures to main-

tain peace and tranquility on the Line o Actual Control

(LAC). The two sides agreed upon a plan o bilateral mil-

itary exchanges or 2013 which includes conduct o the

next joint military exercise.

Mr Sharma also called on General Xu Qiliang, Vice Chair-

man o China’s Central Military Commission. During the

discussion, General Xu called or enhancement o mutual

trust between the two countries and he said that consul-

tations need to be held between the two sides to ocus on

commonalities which are more important than the difer-

ences between the two countries. He said good relations

between India and China is important or both countries

as well as or world peace and security.

ina An Cna hl t Annual defence dalgue The Third India-China Annual Deence Dialogue took place in Beijing on January 14.

Deence Secretary Mr Shashikant Sharma led the Indian side and the Chinese Deputy

Chie o General Sta General Qi Jianguo led the Chinese side. The discussion took place

in a riendly and cooperative atmosphere and in a orward looking manner. The two

sides discussed bilateral, regional and international issues o common interests including

the situation in the Asia-Pacic region and in the India-China border areas, reports ADN

India-China Deence Dialogue

To mark the Golden Jubilee Celebration, a cycle rally

was conducted at Hussain Sagar Lake in the morning

ollowed by a colourul unction at Secunderabad Canton-ment later in the day. Large number o veteran soldiers

and their amilies rom across the State attended the unc-

tion. Senior veteran ocers addressed the gathering

and recounted their war experiences. The Commanding

Ocer o the battalion extended support to the battle

casualties and needy amilies. The battalion would be

conducting similar unctions at Bangalore, Trivandrum

and Chennai and reach out to maximum ex-Servicemen

and veteran soldiers o the Madras Regiment.

The 3rd Battalion Madras Regiment ondly known

as Thagdas is one o the most illustrious battalions o

the amous Madras Regiment o Indian Army. Thebattalion which was raised in 1962 is celebrating 50 Glo-

rious years o valour and sacrice in the service o the

nation. The Battalion traces its roots to 1777 when it was

rst raised at Trichi Fort. It boasts o a rich and glorious

history having won number o awards and medals both

on the borders as well as in counter insurgency opera-

tions. It is the rst battalion o the Indian Army to serve

twice on the Siachen Glacier where posts are higher than

20000 eet.

3 Maa hnu Famle of MayAn Veean sleAs part o its Golden Jubilee Celebrations, the 3rd Battalion Madras Regiment organized a

unction at Secunderabad Cantonment on 13 February to honour its veteran soldiers and

the amilies o soldiers who have sacriced their lie in the service o the nation




_____________________________________________armed forces

During the visit he called on the Israeli Deence Minis-

ter Ehud Barak. He also met Lieutenant General Benjamin

Gantz, Chie o the General Sta, Israel Deense Forces

(IDF), Major General Amir Eshel, Commander o the Israeli

Air Force and Rear Admiral Ophir Shoham, Director o the

Ministry o Deense (MOD) Directorate or Research and

Development (MAFAT) at HaKirya, in Tel Aviv, to discuss

a wide range o bilateral issues on the ongoing deence

cooperation between India and Israel.

The Air Chie visited the Israeli Air Force, Flight School,

located at Hatzerim air base and the other operational

bases towards overseeing the progress o various proj-

ects being carried orward as joint ventures between

the two countries, he also met and interacted with the

IAF ocers and DRDO ocials who ormed a part o theMRSAM Team.

Accompanied by Major General Amir Eshel, the Air

Chie visited ‘Yad Vashem’, Israel’s Memorial to the Jewish

victims o the Holocaust established in 1953 and ‘Memo-

rial o Indian Soldiers’ in Jerusalem, Indian War Cemetery,

in commemoration o sacrice o Indian soldiers who

helped liberate Haia in 1918, in World War I, to pay their

tributes. The Indian Army commemorates September

23rd every year as Haia Day to pay its respects to the

two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments that helped liberate

the city in 1918 ollowing a dashing cavalry action by the

15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The visit o Air Chie Marshal NAK Browne to Israel, as

the Chie o the Air Sta o the Indian Air Force, came

ater 12 years o him being posted as the Deence Atta-

che at Tel Aviv or a three year tenure. He was responsible

or establishing the Indian Deence Wing in Tel Aviv, in

April 1997.

iAF Cef V iael Towards consolidating the already robust bilateral military to military ties between India

and Israel, Air Chie Marshal NAK Browne, Chie o the Air Sta and Chairman Chies o

Sta Committee (COSC) was on a our day goodwill visit to Israel, reports ADN

For the IAF, this has been a singular achievement or the third con-

secutive year. Commanded by Flight Lieutenant Heena Pore, the

IAF Marching Contingent comprised 4 ocers and 144 airmen o

Ceremonial Contingent based at Air Force Station New Delhi and

Supernumerary ocers - Flight Lieutenant Anupam Chaudhary, Fly-

ing Ocer Gaurav Ahlawat and Flying Ocer Rahul T.

Be Macng Cnngen tpy The Indian Air Force Marching Contingent had been adjudged as the Best Marching

Contingent jointly with the Indian Navy, or Republic Day Parade 2013, amongst

the Armed Forces Contingents. The IAF and Navy were awarded the Best Marching

Contingent Trophy by the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri on

February 1, reports ADN

Air Chie Marshal NAK Browne with Chie o the General Sta, Israel

Deense Forces (IDF) at HaKirya in Tel Aviv January 21 during his visit

Indian Air Force and Indian Navy jointly awarded the Best

Marching contingent Trophy




armed forces______________________________________________

he maritime security o

India got a urther boost

today with the induc-

tion o state-o-the-art

new generation Naval

Oshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV), INS“Saryu”, indigenously designed and

built by Goa Shipyard Limited. Induc-

tion o INS Saryu is aimed at meeting

the increasing ocean surveillance and

patrolling requirements o the Indian

Navy. Te primary role o the ship is to

undertake EEZ surveillance, anti-piracy

patrols, eet support operations, pro-

vide maritime security to oshore assets

and carry out escort operations or high

value assets.

Capable o carrying a helicopter

(ALH) onboard, the ship’s weapon and

sensor outit includes a SRGM 76.2

mm gun with an electro-optic re con-

trol system, two 30mm guns as close in

weapon systems, latest navigational and

early warning radars, cha launchers or

sel protection and an integrated ESM

system to undertake all assigned mis-

sions. She is also equipped with two rigid

infatable ast motor boats.

Te ship is propelled by two SEM

diesel engines which are the largest

engines o its type to be inducted in the

Indian Navy, enabling the ship to achieve

speeds in excess o 25 knots. Te entire

propulsion and power management

o the ship is controlled electronically by means o a Remote Control Sys-

tem which incorporates the Automatic

Power Management System also. A

ully integrated LAN system onboard

along with a CCV management system

ensures optimal utilization o onboard

equipment and better crew eciency.

he ship has a complement o 8

ocers and 105 sailors who are accom-

modated in advance ergonomic cabins,

which provide improved crew comort

with enhanced space management.

Tis 105 meter vessel is the rst in

the series o our new class o NOPVs

designed and built by Goa Shipyard Ltd

or the Indian Navy.

In accordance with maritime tradi-

tions, the Commanding Ocer o the

Ship Cdr. Amanpreet Singh read the

‘Commissioning Warrant’ aer which

the National Flag and the Commis-

sioning pennant were hoisted or the

rst time. Te ship was dressed overall

with various fags

making the eventmore colourul.

VAdm K R

N a ir A VS M

CWP&A, RAdm

B S Parhar NM

Fla g O i c er

Commanding

Goa area and

Naval Aviation,

RAdm (Retd)

Vineet Bakhshi VSM CMD GSL and

senior ocers rom the Indian Navy,

Coast Guard and GSL were present dur-

ing the Commissioning Ceremony.

INS “Saryu” will help meet the

increasing requirement o the IndianNavy or undertaking ocean surveil-

lance and surace warare operations in

order to prevent inltration and trans-

gression o maritime sovereignty. Tis

vessel is suitable or monitoring sea lines

o communication, deence o oshore

oil installations and other critical o-

shore national assets. Besides, the vessel

can be deployed or escorting high value

ships and feet support operations.

Tis vessel is powered by twin diesel

engines and tted with state-o-the-art

Navigation, Communication and Elec-

tronic Warare Equipment. One 76mm

SRGM two 30mm CIWS Guns with Fire

Control System together with Six Cha

Launchers orm the main weapon pack-

age o the Vessel. Sporting a fight deck,

the vessel supports embarkation and

operation o a multi role Helicopter.

Te Vessel accommodates 08 O-

cers and 105 Sailors. With 25% reserve

uel capacity and an extended mission

duration capability o 60 days, the ves-

sel is designed to operate all year round.She would contribute substantially to the

maritime surveillance capability and

coastal security o India.

For GSL, this warship is the

culmination o many years o in

house design development and ship

build techniques. GSL is justiiably

proud o this milestone or Indian

Navy in the history o Indian

shipbuilding.

iNs sayu Jn inan NavyAir Marshal PK Roy, Commander-in-Chie, Andaman and Nicobar Command, commissioned

INS Saryu into the Indian Navy at Goa on January 21. INS Saryu is the lead ship o the

indigenous Naval Oshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) Project to be inducted into the Indian Navy.

Designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited, the ship aptly demonstrates the immense

potential o the country ’s indigenous designing and ship building capabilities, reports ADN

Saryu Commissioned




_____________________________________________armed forces

In his address during the commissioning ceremony,

Vice Admiral Muralidharan dwelt upon the criticality

o capacity building towards tackling emergent mari-

time challenges. He reiterated the need or continuous

vigil along the nation’s maritime rontiers to preserve

and protect our maritime interests. He urther stated

that several ar-reaching initiatives towards augmenta-

tion o manpower and orce levels were underway, that

would provide the requisite llip to the Coast Guard’s

capabilities.

Indigenously built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and

Engineers, Kolkata, the 50m long IPV displaces 300 tonnes

and can achieve a maximum speed o 34 knots, with an

endurance o 1500 nautical miles at an economical speedo 16 knots. Equipped with state-o-the-art weaponry and

advanced communication and navigational equipment,

it makes an ideal platorm or undertaking multiarious

close-coast missions such as surveillance, interdiction,

search and rescue, and medical evacuation. The special

eatures o the ship include an Integrated Bridge Man-

agement System (IBMS), Integrated Machinery Control

System (IMCS) and an integrated gun mount with indig-

enous Fire Control system (FCS).

The ship is commanded by Commandant (JG) CS Joshi,

and has a complement o ve Ocers and 30 Other Ranks.

Post commissioning, ICGS Rajratan would be based at Por-

bandar under the administrative and operational control

o the Commander, Coast Guard Region (North West).

Commander, Coast Guard Region (North-East) Inspec-

tor General KC Pandey and other senior dignitaries o the

Central and State Govt. were also present in the commis-

sioning ceremony.

Ca Gua sp ‘rajaan’ CmmneIndian Coast Guard Ship ‘Rajratan, the th o a series o eight Inshore Patrol Vessels

(IPVs) was commissioned by Director General Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral MP

Muralidharan in Kolkata on February 11, reports ADN

The Chie o Naval Staf Admiral DK Joshi visited Mauri-

tius (between 2 to 7 February). During the visit he handed

over an Inshore Survey Vessel (ISV) ‘Pathnder’ to the Min-

ister o Housing and Land, Mauritius. The handing over

ceremony was attended by the Indian High Commissioner

and the Commissioner o Mauritius Police. Whilst hand-

ing over the ISV, the Chie o Navy Staf stressed upon the

strong maritime ties between the two nations.

The ‘giting’ o ISV is in consonance with the ongoing

Hydrographic Co-operation between the two countries

and is yet another step in this direction. The cooperation

extends to support or the Mauritian National Coast Guard

and involves several acets o capacity building and capa-bility enhancement.

ina Gf ine suvey Veel t Mauu

Handing over o ISV ‘Pathfnder’

The Director General, Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral M.P. Muralidharan

commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Rajratan’, in Kolkata

on February 11




armed forces______________________________________________

Admiral Tapliyal since

commissioning in the

Indian Navy on 01 Jul

1977, has held a mix

o operational and sea

appointments. He is Navigation and Air-

cra Direction specialist and his various

sea appointments include command o

INS Ajay, Khukri, abar and Mysore.

He has also had the rare distinction o

commissioning INS Cheetah, as Navi-

gating Ocer, in Poland and INS Ajay

and abar as Commanding Ocer, both

in Russia. Te Flag Ocer has also been

the Fleet Operations Ocer, Eastern

Fleet at Visakhapatnam.

He has also held several challeng-

ing and prestigious appointments

on shore which include the appoint-

ments o Chie Instructor ND School,

Dy Director Naval Operations, Joint

Director Naval Plans at the Integrated

Headquarters o MoD and Director

Maritime Warare Centre Visakhapat-

nam. On promotion to the rank o

Rear Admiral, he took over as Chie

o Sta at Headquarters, Eastern Naval

Command and later served as Assis-

tant Chie o Naval Sta Inormation

Warare & Operations and Fleet Com-

mander o the Eastern Fleet. While he

was Commandant Indian Naval Acad-

emy Ezhimala, he was promoted to the

rank o Vice Admiral.Admiral Tapliyal is an alumnus o

Naval War College, USA and Deence

Services Sta College Wellington and

possesses two Masters Degrees in

Physics and Deence Studies. Te Flag

Ocer is a recipient o Ati Vishist Seva

Medal. He has been the Chie o Person-

nel at the Integrated Headquarters o the

MoD, prior taking over as the Director

General Indian Coast Guard.

Ne dec Geneal inanCa Gua

Vice Admiral Anurag G

Thapliyal, AVSM took over

as the 20th Director General

o Indian Coast Guard on

28 February. The Director

General has succeeded Vice

Admiral MP Muralidharan

AVSM & Bar, NM. An

impressive ceremony to

mark the occasion was held

at Coast Guard Headquarters,New Delhi, reports ADN

Guard o Honour or

New DG

Change o Guard




_____________________________________________armed forces

Lt General Ashok Singh has served as Deence and Mil-

itary Adviser in High Commission o India, Islamabad,

Pakistan rom December 2006 to July 2009. He was also

posted as Commander, Junior Command Wing at Army

War College Mhow. During this period in the Junior Com-

mand Wing, a new method o instruction and a new

assessment system were put in place, which encourages

practical application more than memorizing data.

He commanded the prestigious ‘Strike One’. Under his

able stewardship ‘Strike One’ successully drove throughone o the biggest exercises o all times ever conducted

by the Indian Army ‘Ex Shoor-veer’, which was witnessed

and highly appreciated by the cognoscenti.

The General was posted as Commandant to his

‘Alma Mater’ – National Deence Academy, Khadakvasla

w.e.. 7 August 2012 to 31 December 2012. During the

short stint o ve months at the

helm o aairs, impetus was given

to cadets training and administra-

tive wellbeing. Sports curriculum

was reviewed and reorganized

to ensure cadets play more

games and training is ocused on

individual development or all

round growth as potential ocers.

Administration directly linked withcadets was upgraded with ocus on

their ood, accommodation, revision o clothing and good

medical aid.

The general is married to Mrs Usha Singh and has a

son who is an Ortho Dentist and a daughter who is mar-

ried.

L Gen Ak sng i GoC-in-C suen CmmanLt General Ashok Singh, AVSM, SM, VSM took over as Army Commander o the ‘The

Southern Star’ on 1 February 2013. He is an alumni o St Anselm’s, Ajmer and was

commissioned into 7 Guards in December 1974. He is a second generation ofcer. His

ather was the rst commanding ofcer o the unit. He is a graduate o Deence Services

Sta College, Wellington, Long Deence Management College, Master o Management

Studies rom Osmania University and Diploma in Advance Sotware Technology. He has

held many command, sta and instructional assignments and has served in all types o

terrain that our country has to oer. He commanded 7 Guards in Op ORCHID (Nagaland),

commanded a Mountain Brigade on the Line o Control and counter insurgency in

Jammu & Kashmir and RAPID Div in deserts. The General Ofcer has been decorated withthe Vishist Seva Medal, the Sena Medal and the Ati Vishist Seva Medal respectively, during

his various command assignments, reports ADN

The highest gallantr y Award ‘Ash ok a Chakra’

winner, Brigadier Cyrus Addie Pithawalla, AC, VSM

on his promotion to the rank o Major General has

assumed on (16 January) the charge as the General

Ocer Commanding o the Andhra Sub Area. Com-

missioned into the 17 Jamuu and Kashmir Rifes, Major

General Pithawalla held several important assignments

during the past three decades and beore joining the new

posting, he served at the Integrated Deence Staf, Army

Headquarters New Delhi.

He was awarded the highest

gallantry award ‘Ashok Chakra’

three decades ago or conducting

a ierce encounter that led to

the capture o People’s Liberation

Army chie N Bisheshwar Singh,

a hardcore insurgent in Manipur,

in 1981.

Maj Gen Cyu Ae Paalla iGoC Ana sub Aea

Lt Gen Ashok Singh

Army Commander

Southern Command

Major General Cyrus

Ashok Chakra, Addie

Pithawalla The New

General Ofcer

Commanding, Andhra

Sub Area




AsiAsCAPE _________________________________________________

Addressing the 15th

Asian Security Con-

erence organized by

IDSA here on Febru-

ary 13, he said, “the

strong urge or change is clearly visible

across the region.” Dwelling at length on

the changes taking place in the Middle

East Mr Antony said, the voice o youth

is a universal message that is strongly

echoing across to governments in all

regions o the world. Deence Minister

said, the recent developments in all these

countries give us lesson that no govern-ment, or regime, can aord to ignore the

popular aspirations any more. Mr Ant-

ony emphasised that social media has

emerged as a potent and vibrant orce.

Te social media has served as a ‘orce

multiplier’ in the hands o the protest-

ers, he said.

He said “such transition unortunately

has been accompanied by large-scale

violence.” Expressing deep concern

on the ongoing violence in Syria and

supposedly the Al Qaeda taking over

the government in Mali, he

remarked “India can ill aord to

remain aloo rom the transormative

changes in its immediate and extended

neighborhood.” He cautioned the

audience that the “journey ahead will

be long, tortuous and ull o twists

and turns.” Since the developments in

West Asia have the potential o

changing the regional and geopolitical

landscape and the region being critical

or energy security, we have to beextremely tactul in saeguarding

our interests while dealing with the

problems o the region, he added.

Highlighting the importance o a

stable and peaceul West Asia on the

economic growth o our economy, Mr

Antony said, “In 2012 India received

US 70 billion dollars in remittances

rom oreign countries and a major-

ity o them came rom the gul region.

Tese remittances support nearly 40-50

million amilies in India and at the same

time contribute to local prosperity.

Adding urther that India’s trade with

the region is expanding and during

2011-12 our trade with Gul Coopera-

tion Council was more than 145 billion

dollars, he said that recent developments

have complicated the security situa-

tion in the region. During 2011 India

evacuated nearly 19,000 Indians working

in Libya. Given India’s vital stake in

peace and stability in the region, it

is natural or India to have an interestin abiding peace and security in the

region.”

At the outset, Director General,

IDSA, Mr Arvind Gupta gave the

welcome address. A galaxy o distin-

guished speakers and strategic experts

rom West Asia, North Arica, United

States, U.K, Europe, Australia, Pakistan,

Japan and China attended this three day

long conerence.

Anny F Pacve rlein we Aa

In the backdrop

o tumultuous

changes sweeping

the Middle East, the

Deence Minister Mr

A K Antony expressed

concern about the

saety and security o

Indians working in the

region, reports ADN

Deence Minister Mr.

AK Antony addressing

the 15th Asian

Security conerence




__________________________________________ iNtErNAL sECUritY

AGovernment Minister

being a lawyer, knows

ully well, that we have

no law in our country

against terrorism and

even i a terrorist makes conession

beore a Police Ocer, it is not admis-

sible in the court o law. A terrorist

can attack, make a conession and stillget away, because nobody wants to be

involved with the Court cases, as a wit-

ness. (Current Pendency 3.32 Crores

and less than 14000 judges in position),

It takes ages to get justice. Mumbai blast

cases o 1993 were decided aer nearly

15 years in 2008. So is the lot o cases in

all States in India.

Tere are certain types o crimes,

or which it is impossible to get any

independent evidence, but only the

statement o the accused. Tis category

includes terrorism or dacoity or Nax-

alism or Maoist killings or murder in

the night, (Remember Bhanwari Devi.

Madhumita murder to conceal the sex

escapade o politicians) rape, t or even

or atal road accidents.

EVEN GANdhi wAs sENtENCEd

When the British ramed laws in

1863, they were meant only or sus-

taining their rule in India. At the same

time, they took care, to ensure that only

the Britishers occupied the position o

Judges or Police Ocers, or even rac

Sergeants, that people accused o treason

were not let o. Even Mahatma Gan-

dhi was sentenced to imprisonment or

waging war against India, in which his

own writings were produced. Te

Supreme Court itsel has said that the

justice is judge centric and it is right,

as all o us, view the gravity o crime

dierently.

Rajiv Gandhi, the ormer Prime Min-

ister, was killed in 1991.Te Madras

High Court’s order in November, 2011stayed the execution o ormer prime

minister Rajiv Gandhi’s three killers

Te court also asked the government

to explain why it took 11 years or the

president to reject the trio’s mercy plead,

as the then President o India rejected

them in early August, 2011.

Te amil Nadu assembly then passed

a unanimous resolution requesting the

President to reconsider her decision.

tacklngtemCertain statements are made by the Government, to show that it means business, whereas it

is the opposite in actual practice. A Government Minister has expressed dissatisaction with

the award o 35 years jail sentence to Pakistani-American Dawood Gilani or David Coleman

Headley or his role in planning o the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, in which some American

citizens had been killed. He says; “We would have wanted him to be produced in court

here and ace trial because we suered the maximum damage rom him. We will continue

to strive to ensure that people like him are brought here and made to ace trial because

I believe that i the trial took place here, the punishment would have been even more

serious...We are a bit disappointed with the verdict. But we know that the judge also said

that the punishment was limited because under their criminal justice system he (Headley)was entitled to enter into a plea bargain and evade death penalty and extradition,” points

out Joginder Singh

Jharkhand DGP GS

Rath (L) along with

CRPF soldiers carry

the cofn o a jawan

killed in an encounte

with Maoists in

Latehar district, at

Ranchi on January 1




INTERNAL SECURITY__________________________________________

Politicians in Punjab and J&K have

made similar demands, or getting the

death sentence o some o their convicts

commuted.

sENtENCEd to dEAth

ill now that is nearly 22 years aer

the assassination o Rajiv Gandhi, the

death sentence on the killers has not

been carried out. More than 105 people

in India were sentenced to death in 2010,

but not even one, has been executed so

ar as , human rights watchdog Amnesty

International says Te Supreme Court,

in its wisdom, which has to be accepted

by the entire Government and nation,

as what it says is the law or the country,

reused to impose the capital punish-

ment in the Graham Staines, Jessica

Lall and Priyadarshini Mattoo murder

cases on the ground that these did not

all within the category o “rarest o rare.”

Even a two judge bench o the

Supreme Court said, some time ago, it

was time to revisit jurisprudence behind

imposition o death penalty. Te Apex

court asked the Union government why

provisions in some laws mandating com-

pulsory death penalty as punishment benot struck down as unconstitutional.

Te question arose in the argument

the Centre’s appeal against a Bombay

high court judgment diluting the man-

datory death penalty prescribed under

section 31A o Narcotics and Psychotro-

pic Substances (NDPS) Act or repeat

oenders trading in huge quantities o

contraband.

hough the Union government’s

appeal chal-

l e n g e d t h e

Bombay HC’sdecision to read

down Section

31A to provide

the concerned

judge with the

discretion o

imposing lie

sentence, a

Supreme Court

bench decided to take suo moto notice

o other similar provisions, in some

laws warranting mandatory imposition

o death penalty. Expressing its view onstatutory provisions mandating compul-

sory capital punishment, the bench said

prima acie it appeared to be violative o

Article 21 (right to lie) and Article 14

(non-discrimination/equality).

“Instead o declaring Section 31A

as unconstitutional, we accede to the

alternative argument o the Union

government that the said provision be

construed as directory by reading down

the expression ‘shall be punishable with

death’ as ‘may he punishable with death’

in relation to the oences covered under

Section 31A o the Act,” the HC had said.

It said: “Te mandatory death pen-

alty provided in Section 31A is in the

nature o minimum sentence in respect

o repeat oenders o specied activities

and or oences involving huge quanti-

ties o specied categories o narcotic

drugs.

Would it still be open or the court to

reduce the minimum sentence provided

or by the legislature?” the Union gov-

ernment asked and said oences allingunder NDPS Act had been held by the

apex court to be o such nature which

had deleterious eect and deadly impact

on the society as a whole.

A MUrdEr is A MUrdEr

A murder is a murder, however

ghastly or non ghastly it may be. Most

o the time, it is the result o well planned

conspiracy. As it is the conviction rate

o murders is one o the poorest in India.

As per the inormation available in

answer to an RI application, there havebeen nearly 1.27 lakh murders between

2005 and 2009 in the country. Yet, just

44,601 people have been convicted or

them in the last ve years, with a convic-

tion rate o 36.2%, As it is almost only

one out o three gets convicted and even

or them, there is a demand that they

should not meet their just desserts and

death penalty be abolished. It is accepted

by all countries that i criminals are let

o easily, the society will impose vigi-

lante justice, which has happened more

than once in India.Tere is no ear o law in India and

people will eel that they can get away

with literally not only murder, as the

above acts show, but with any crime.

Mumbai High Court observed on 12th

December, 2012.

“What is happening? Something is

seriously wrong. Tere was a time when

the presence o a single constable was

enough to deter crime. Now nobody is

araid,”

I Gilani had been extradited to India,

chances are that he might have been dis-

charged in the rst hearing. At least in

USA, he would never see the outside

o the jail, unlike India, where under

every plausible excuse or Republic Day

or Independence Day or Gandhi Jayanti

or or so called good behaviour, the Gov-

ernment remits the punishment.

It is time to remind the Government,

that the people’s good should be the

highest law. Our country men, also need

to be reminded that here there are not

enough jails, not enough policemen, noteven enough courts, to enorce a law not

supported by them. Facts are stubborn

things; and whatever may be our wishes,

our inclinations, or the dictates o our

passions, they cannot alter the state o

acts and evidence. Government should

heed the advice o Aristotle who once

said that “Even when laws have been

written down, they ought not always to

remain unaltered”.

Naxals rom PLFI

and Maoist surrender

beore ofcials at the

Kissan Bhawan in

Khunti District near

Ranchi on

February 18




__________________________________________INTERNAL SECURITY

Domestic violence

in India is a very

revolting issue and isimposed upon women.

Over 70 per cent o

women in India are victims o domestic

violence, in the last ew years the situa-

tion has worsened and there have been

several cases o domestic violence in the

urban areas. Despite so much o aware-

ness and education the urban areas are

no less than the villages when it comes

to issues like domestic violence.

Te article gave two such examples

o domestic violence, wherein newly

wed women have been beaten-up by

their husbands or in-laws. Shockingly,

these two are not the only cases, there

has been a rise in domestic violence, and

especially in an educated and socially

aware city like Hyderabad there have

been over 1000 cases o domestic vio-

lence that were registered last year. Tis

issue and situation is true or both work-

ing and non-working women, as one o

the victims clearly stated in the article

that most o the married women work-

ing in her organization ace domestic violence every day but volunteer to bear

with it silently.

thE MiNdsEt

In a developing country like India, it

is appalling to see statistics which indi-

cate that 57 per cent o the growing boys

and men think that a husband is justi-

ed in beating his wie, and 53 per cent

o women think that men are justied in

physically injuring their wives. Due to

the increase in this problem women lack

condence to stop their husbands, or totake any action against them. Also, most

men in our country think they have a

strong command over women and they

have no ear.

raditionally, this problem was prom-

inent in the rural areas, with the women

in the villages playing as victims, and

due to their lack o conidence and

dignity they would never le a case or

report particular events. But now as

education or women and awareness has

increased, also that there are many ree-

thinking, independent working women

who report to the police and talk to the

media about their problem, because they

don’t lack sel-respect or dignity. Domes-

tic violence is a very serious issue, and as

the two cases which have been addressed

in the article are the cases o women who

could share and be bold enough to break

through.

Tis has been written to create general

awareness, and also or the authorities

and everyone possible to nd a solution

or any kind o violence or disrespectagainst women, and this article is one

o the steps to spread this matter via

mainstream media. Reading this arti-

cle, many under- condent women will

gain the strength to report and share

their experiences and problems. Seeing

this happen, the uneducated women

too will be encouraged and motivated

to conront the problem. Moreover men,

who believe they can dominate women,

will eal the ear and the shame at being

exposed or their despicable acts.

here have been several opinions

and thoughts that have crossed my

mind or long-term solutions.

Education or juvenile men (who are

apparently adults) about respect or

women should be created. Literacy

or women in the rural and urban

areas should increase, and more job

opportunities or women should be

created. A strict law should be enorced

or any disgraceul action against

women. Te problem mentioned abovedoes not have a rapid solution, because

the solution or it needs to be planned

and in agreement with the law. o go

ahead with anything that would lead to

solving this problem, the government,

the judiciary and the police have to work

in alignment and rmness. And that

needs to emerge now, beore the women

o our society get rebellious and take the

law in their own hands.

dmec VlenceGng in ina“A woman is good only or two things: cooking and satisying her husband’s needs.” This was

stated by one o the victims in the recent newspaper article. She shared that her husband

said the aorementioned lines. Such things being said in this look-orward generation is

abysmally shameul and it clearly indicates the lack o respect our society has or women,

says Aradhna Chhachhi

A placard

at the Rally




NEiGhBoUrs ________________________________________________

In the world o arms, sales have

always been linked with the

commonality o strategic inter-

ests between two countries.

China has long indicated or-

eign arms sales is an important market

in which it wishes to compete and it

also helps enhance a country’s status as

an international political player. It has

been moving aggressively to make orays

in oreign markets as also to achieve its

strategic goals - o oil and energy secu-

rity, to undermine US policy in the

Middle East by building goodwill with

those countries that have antagonistic

relations with the U.S., and in the long

term preventing, what China views as,

its encirclement by the U.S.

Until recently China was the ourth

largest importer o arms. It has now

emerged as the sixth largest exporter o weapons just about trailing behind the

UK - the other major exporters being

US, Russia, Germany and France. It is

developing its own military industrial

base and is exacerbating nuclear and

missile technology prolieration in the

region.

ENtrY iN thE ArMs MArKEt

China made an entry in the arms

market in the 1980s when sanctions were

imposed on Iran and Iraq. It was willing

to provide weaponry to both combating

countries when the world withheld arms

supplies. It demonstrated it was willing

to send supplies without conditions and

in any quantity. Tereaer, China’s arms

sales have been targeted to Asian and

Arican nations. Recipient countries

over the past decade have been: Algeria,

Indonesia, Angola, Bangladesh, Guinea,

Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Myan-

mar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and

Zimbabwe. It has shown no inhibitions

in making irresponsible sales. Accord-

ing to a report by Washington based

Arms Control (ACA) Association, it

has continued to supply small arms and

ammunition to Sudan which has been

used in Darur by security orces and

government backed militia groups. Itsupplied rockets and anti-vehicle mines

to Libya under Colonel Muammar Gad-

da and ammunition, rocket-propelled

grenades, mortar bombs and mortar

launchers to Zimbabwe.

two ProNGEd strAtEGY

China is ollowing a two-pronged

approach – serving developing nations

whose requirements are basic and

simultaneously improving its capabil-

ities in advanced technologies. Most

Chinese weapons or export are less

advanced and sophisticated than weap-

onry made rom Western suppliers but

poor countries or those who cannot

access weapons rom the western sup-

pliers because o human rights violations

or do not have resources or on whom

sanctions have been imposed are happy

to take deliveries rom China.

China’s conventional weapons have

largely been developed rom Rus-

sian designs. Until 1992 when Russia

and China signed a military-technical

cooperation agreement China was still

turning out 1950s obsolete equipment.

Te military cooperation kick-started

Beijing’s military build-up according to

a Reuters report in 2012. As China’s

military spending soared it has createdits own military-industrial complex with

the private entities taking a lead role.

China is still suering rom iananmen-

era bans on Western Military sales to

the country and thereore, its own mod-

ern military industry is crucial. A robust

military industry is equally essential or

China which has been exing its mus-

cles to enorce its claims over aiwan,

has had confict with its Southeast Asian

Fm Am impe t Expe

Deant China exacerbating

prolieration in Pakistan and

Middle East says Harminder Kaur China’s growing

Naval power




________________________________________________NEIGHBOURS

neighbours over South China Sea and

even fared up tensions with Japan over

uninhabited islands in East China Sea.

iNtELLECtUAL ProPErtY riGhts

In its pursuit to build up its indige-

nous industry to urther its long term

strategic goals People’s Republic o

China (PRC) has even violated Russia’s

Intellectual Property Rights. A recent

report over Russia’s English-language

R television stated that China had

copied one o Russia’s most lucrative

military export items- the Sukhoi-27

ghter. Experts say that Chinese J11-B

is a Russian design stued with localelectronics. Russia gave China’s deense

industry the designs o the plane in 1995

aer the country agreed to purchase

200 kits to assemble the plane in China

under license. It built 100 planes in 2004

and then cancelled the contract or the

remaining 100 kits stating that the plane

no longer met with the requirements o

its Air Force. Tereaer, it put up the

J-11B up or sale in the international

market with Chinese made components

replacing many previously imported

rom Russia. Again China’s WS-10A

ai Hang turboan engine has similar

perormance capabilities to the Russian

AL-31F engine. Te J-11 has been built

at the Shenyang Aircra Corporation

where the Su-27K had been previ-

ously assembled. Tere are many other

instances. According to a study by Dr.

Richard Weitz, Director o the Centre

or Political-Military Analysis at Hud-

son Institute, China’s J-6 and J-7 ghters

were modelled aer MiG-19 Farmer and

MiG-21 Fishbed; China’s H-6 bomberwas based on the Soviet u-16 Badger;

and the PRC’s Y-5, Y-7 and Y-8 transport

planes strongly resemble the Soviet-era

An-2 Colt, An-24 Coke and An-12 Cub,

respectively.

Russian deense industry experts

believe the Chinese have also been copy-

ing Soviet-era submarine technology,

specically incorporating into China’s

new Yuan-class submarine inormation

and technologies derived rom the Kilo-

class diesel subs Russia has delivered to

the PLA Navy. Other suspicious caseso Chinese-made versions o Soviet and

Russian weapons being sold in third-

party markets include pirated versions

o the Kalashnikov assault rifes to cop-

ied versions o the Grad and Smerch

multiple-launch rocket systems. With

a relatively stronger military industry

and clear strategic goals China is moving

aggressively to export arms to Pakistan,

Middle East and other developing coun-

tries. In act while the U.S. has taken

oensive positions against Iran China

has moved a step closer to aid Iran andcontribute to prolieration in the region.

wEstErN tEChNoLoGY

Simultaneously China is also culti-

vating Israel to get access to Western

technology. Since the 1990s Israel is the

second largest supplier o weapons to

China aer Russia. Israel’s primary moti-

vation or selling weaponry to China is

nancial. Tere are two views on Israel-

China arms relationship. One opinion is

that Israel believes it can help convince

the Chinese government to stop proli-

erating to Israel’s enemies. Te other is,

Israel has no leverage over China. Te

latter seems to work towards its own

strategic goals o acquiring technol-

ogy and then through reverse learning

strengthen its own industrial base and

place as an arms supplier. Irrespective

o world concerns it continues to pro-

lierate in the region. Its major regional

beneciaries are – Pakistan, Iran and

Saudi Arabia.

ChiNA ANd PAKistAN

Pakistan and China have remained

steadast allies since the ormer rec-

ognized the country in 1950. heir

relationship has developed into long

term strategic partnership primarily as

a hedge against India and critically more

important to Pakistan than China. One

example o this is that when U.S. and

India signed civilian nuclear agreement

it secured a similar deal rom China. Te

latter has extended technical know- how

to build its arms industry, missile and

nuclear program including two nuclear

power reactors in Pakistan.

China’s role as an arms supplier to

Pakistan began in the 1960s when it

built a number o arms actories or it.

When the US imposed sanctions on

Pakistan in 1990 China became a major

supplier o arms to Pakistan. China has

ully aided Pakistan in its missile pro-gram. Its short and medium range

missiles are modications o Chinese

designs. It has also provided Pakistan

with nuclear technology and assistance.

Besides, it has provided Pakistan with

interceptor and advanced trainer aircra

and Airborne Early Warning and Con-

trol Radar System. Tey collaborated on

K-8 Karakorum light aircra, and are

now collaborating on JF-17 Tunder

Pakistan and China have

remained steadast alliessince the ormer recognized

the country in 1950. Their

relationship has developed

into long term strategic

partnership primarily as a

hedge against India and

critically more important to

Pakistan than China. One

example o this is that when

U.S. and India signed civilian

nuclear agreement it secured

a similar deal rom China. The

latter has extended technical

know how to build its arms

industry, missile and nuclear

program including two

nuclear power reactors

in Pakistan




NEIGHBOURS________________________________________________

multi-role combat aircra.

China also provided all the techni-

cal assistance to Pakistan to develop amajor port complex at its Naval Base

in Gwadar, Balochistan. In return or

all the nancial and technical assis-

tance to Pakistan, China gets access to

the Persian Gul. Te port is only 180

nautical miles rom the Strait o Hor-

muz through which hal the world’s oil

exports are shipped. Te port enables

China to secure its crude oil import

routes. It also provides its Xinjiang Prov-

ince, rich in oil and natural gas, access

to the Arabian Sea.

In act, China has contributed tonuclear and missile programme pro-

lieration in many other countries. It

not only aided Pakistan’s nuclear and

missile programmes but even contrib-

uted to prolieration in Iran, Libya,

North Korea, and Saudi Arabia. China’s

Nuclear Energy Industry Corpora-

tion has exported Miniature Neutron

Source Reactors to Pakistan, Iran, Syria,

Ghana, and Nigeria. Tese reactors run

on highly enriched uranium uel, which

has been supplied by China to recipient

states. It has also helped these countries

to convert these reactors to use low

enriched uranium uel.

ProLiFErAtioN iN irAN

Since China became an oil importer

in 1993 its rulers have accorded diplo-

matic priority to develop relations with

Middle Eastern oil producers. o secure

its strategic goal o securing oil and gas

to uel its economic growth it has bra-

zenly promoted Nuclear prolieration

and missile technology in Iran. Chinais now the second largest consumer o

petroleum products in the world and

it is importing almost 2bn barrels per

day, hal o this rom the Middle East

– Iran and Saudi Arabia. Tus while

the US single-mindedly tried to bring

pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear pro-

gramme China not only visited Iran to

seal a $100bn oil and gas deal with its

state owned Sinopec, and later its then

oreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing opposed

the issue o Iran’s nuclear programme

at the Security Council. It also movedahead to provide Iran with dierent vari-

ants o anti-ship cruise missiles such as

the Silkworm (HY-2), the C-801, and the

C-802. It has tried to bolster Iran’s anti-

ship missile capability. Jane’s Deence

Weekly has also reported that China

is producing several classes o tactical

guided missiles or Iran – the JJ/L-6b

and 10A, the KJ/L-10B and a new vari-

ant o the C-107 anti-ship missile.

Beijing has contributed substantially

to Iran’s nuclear and weapons programs.

China at times has also been seen to takecontrarian position to U.S. policies in

the Middle East. China believes that the

United States Middle East program has

gone beyond the scope o democratic

reorm and is moving more towards its

encirclement. Tus US policy o demo-

cratic reorm in the Middle East is seen

by China as a threat to its own politi-

cal system.

CULtiVAtiNG sAUdi ArABiA

China has ollowed a similar

approach with Saudi Arabia. Saudi

Arabia sees China as a counterweight

to U.S. Israel policy. China started cul-

tivating relations with Saudi Arabia in

the 1990s which led to the Strategic Oil

Cooperation agreement in 1999. Saudi

Arabia has opened its market or Chi-

nese investments and in return has

stakes in China’s rening business. Sau-

dis hope it will benet them as China’s

oil imports will grow substantially in

the years to come.

China has also become a supplier o missile technology to Saudi Arabia. It

has sold CSS-2s, intermediate range bal-

listic missiles that it had diculties in

acquiring rom other countries. Saudi-

U.S. relations have been on the decline

since 9-11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

since most o the terrorists were Saudis.

Te latter sees its relations with China as

a counterweight against urther deterio-

rations o its relations with Washington.

China also hopes that by building

strong diplomatic relations with Iran

and Saudi Arabia it can ward o exporto jihadi trouble rom these countries

among its 7.2 million strong Uighurs

Muslim population in Xinjiang which

has ercely protected its non-Chinese

ethnic identity.

wEAPoNs to CoNFLiCt ZoNEs

Tough China’s share in the arms

trade market has averaged to only

around $ 2 billion (with an exception in

2005 and 2007 when it was $ 2.7 billion

and $ 2.5 billion respectively) according

to a study carried out by US Congres-sional Research Service in 2012 it is

still a small player in the world

market with Pakistan remaining its

historical client and states in Asia,

Arica and near East seeking small

arms and light weapons rather than

major combat systems, the act that

it has succeeded in capturing 4 per

cent o the world market and has

bigger plans or the uture is worrying

or India and other world leaders,

particularly, because o its large increase

in sales to Pakistan and its support

towards prolieration o nuclear and

missile technology in the region. It has

been a cause o worry to the world that

China has shown no restraint in selling

arms even to regions o conict, espe-

cially, some southern Arica nations.

An eort was made by the UN in July

2012 at building consensus on agreed

standards or member states regarding

what types o conventional arms sales

should be made internationally to curtail

weapons trade comprehensively throughan Arms rade reaty. China was not

a member o the group o U.N. states

negotiating the nal dra. But it took

a public stand that it would not sup-

port any treaty that would prevent any

state rom making its own independent,

national decision or arms sales.

China’s current policies have

thus been a cause or great concern

or India.




________________________________________________ North EAst

China, known or its re-

netic dam activities, is at

it again. It has approved

the construction o three

more dams on the Brah-

maputra in ibet in addition to the one

being already built. Te Chinese cabinet

has recently approved a document that

mentions three dams to be built at Dagu,

Jiacha and Jiexu on the Brahmaputra.

Tese are to eed that country’s parched

north. Asked about the plans to build the

dams, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes-

man Hong Lei told a media brieng a

ew days ago that “China has always

taken a responsible attitude towards

the development o cross-border rivers”

and ‘‘any new project has to go through

scientic planning and study with con-

sideration o the interests o lower and

upper stream countries’’.

iNdiA PEEVEd

Nonetheless, India is peeved. China

did not inorm India o its plan to build

the three dams. Reacting to the report o

the Chinese scheme, the Indian Exter-

nal Aairs Ministry spokesman said on

January 31 that concerned over resh

reports o China building dams on the

Brahmaputra, New Delhi had taken

up the matter with Beijing, urging it to

ensure that the interests o downstream

States are not harmed by any activities

in upstream areas. “As a lower riparian

State with considerable user rights to the

waters o the river, India has conveyed

its views and concerns to the Chinese

authorities, including at the highest lev-

els o the Government o the People’s

Republic o China,” he said.

On February 1, External Aairs

Minister Salman Khurshid spoke to

reporters on the issue in New Delhi.

‘‘Te Ministry o Water Resources will

advise us whether these dams are just

run-o-the-river dams or storage dams.

Our understanding is that these are

run-o-the river dams, in which case we

would not be aected. We also have to

get expert advice on what is the down-

stream impact and how much water is

likely to be removed. We have indicated

(to China) that we have downstreamconcerns,’’ he said.

iMPACt oF dAMs

In the wake o the report, Assam and

Arunachal Pradesh decided to move

New Delhi to draw the attention o Bei-

jing or steps to neutralize the impact o

the proposed dams. Arunachal Pradesh

Water Resources Development Minis-

ter Newlai ingkhatra and his Assam

counterpart Rajib Lochan Pegu con-

vened a meeting in Itanagar on February

9 to discuss the chronic food problems

in the two States and measures to tackle

it. ‘‘We have no objection to China build-

ing dams. But the lives o the people who

have depended on the Brahmaputra or

ages should not be aected by the dams.

I the downstream ow o the river is

not aected, we have nothing to object,’’

the two ministers told the media. Pegu

said that Assam Chie Minister arun

Gogoi had already drawn the attention

o Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh

in writing.

As water has become a major bone

o contention between India and

China, New Delhi, according to the lat-

est reports, is now pressing Beijing to

have a water commission or an inter-

governmental dialogue or a treaty to

deal with the water issues between thetwo countries. A high-level inter-min-

isterial committee, comprising ocials

rom the External Aairs Ministry,

Deence Ministry and the Department

o Space, among others, met in New

Delhi recently to take stock o the sit-

uation and decided to take it up with

China. “Tough the issue (o having a

bilateral mechanism) has been part o

our discussions earlier also, the recent

Cnee dam degn

With its intent to build

three more dams on the

Brahmaputra in Tibet, China

poses a grave threat to

Northeast India in terms

o their possible serious

impacts downstream, writes

Bikash Sarmah

The Zangmu Dam is

gravity dam currently

under construction

on the Brahmaputra

River 9 km (5.6 miles

northwest o Gyaca i

the Tibet Autonomou

Region o China




NORTH EAST________________________________________________

move by Beijing has urther pushed the

matter. Tere is a need or some mech-anism to deal with the water issues

between the two countries on the lines

o what India has with other countries

like Pakistan,” PI quoted sources as

telling it on February 10. India has the

Indus Water reaty with Pakistan under

which the two countries share inorma-

tion and cooperate on the Indus matter.

With Bangladesh, India has the Ganges

reaty that establishes a 30-year water-

sharing arrangement and recognizes the

neighbouring country’s rights as a lower-

level riparian.

BiG hYdroPowEr ProJECt

In the wake o the Chinese move, the

Union government has now given the

go-ahead or a big hydropower proj-

ect in Arunachal Pradesh to mark the

country’s stake in the Brahmaputra, a

lieline or the highly strategic Northeast.

Te clearance to the 800 MW awang-

II hydropower project will pave the way

or its implementation. But can it coun-

ter China?According to Ashokananda Singhal,

president o an NGO called Jana Jag-

riti that is spearheading an awareness

campaign against China’s hydropower

projects on the upper reaches o the

Brahmaputra, China is building 26

hydropower dams on the river. Once

these projects are completed, “85 per

cent less water will come rom China

to India” during the summer months, he

has said. Tis is highly

alarming and must be

checked. he peopleo the Northeast must

demand o the Centre

to inorm them whether

what Singhal is saying is

true and whether i it is

so, what steps are being

taken to protect the

people dependent on

the river. Otherwise, i

Singhal’s is a gment o

imagination, the Union

government must ask him to urnish

proo. Tis is very serious.

AsiA’s NEw BAttLEGroUNd

Te extent to which China can pose

a threat to India vis-à-vis the Brahma-

putra is best illustrated in the classic

book Water: Asia’s New Battleground

by Brahma Chellaney, one o India’s top

strategic thinker and proessor at the

Centre or Policy Research, New Delhi:

“China thus ar has dammed rivers on

the ibetan Plateau to produce energy

and to channel their waters or irriga-

tion and mineral resource extraction.

Its new projects, however, carry loier

hydroengineering objectives, including

interbasin transers... In the same way

that it has voraciously sought to secure

assured, long-term supplies o other

natural resources by employing its new-

ound economic power, China is aiming

to increase its water supply by launch-

ing multi-billion-dollar water diversion

projects... In act, having depleted and

extensively contaminated its own major

rivers and groundwater sources throughunbridled withdrawals and lax anti-

pollution controls, China, in its bid to

meet its thirst or water and energy, now

threatens the ecological viability o river

systems linked to southern and south-

eastern Asia... Tere is plenty o evidence

to indicate that the upstream dams, bar-

rages, and other water projects on the

ibetan Plateau, besides leading to or-

est removal and soil and stream-bank

erosion, are already contributing to

greater uctuations in transboundary

ows and causing downstream ood-ing at times... a breach in an upstream

dam in ibet in mid-2000 not only

triggered ooding in the northeastern

Indian state o Arunachal Pradesh but

also led to Indian and Chinese troops

being put on alert... Aer all, with China

seeking to expropriate greater resources

o the rivers originating on the plateau,

the long-term geostrategic, economic,

environmental, and even social implica-

tions o its megaprojects can no longer

be ignored by the downstream coun-

tries and other players that have a stakein Asian peace and stability... o garner

wider backing or such plans, some o-

cial and Communist Party institutions in

Beijing have encouraged the publication

o supporting material. For example, an

ocially blessed book, enlighteningly

titled ibet’s Waters Will Save China,

has supported interbasin and interriver

water transer projects in ibet and

championed the northward rerouting

o the waters o the Brahmaputra...”

NEw dAMs oN BrAhMAPUtrA

New Delhi must take Beijing’s grand

plans to build three more dams on the

Brahmaputra in ibet very seriously,

because, as Chellaney has pointed out,

such dams could well be used or the

diversion o the waters o the Brahma-

putra towards that country’s north, thus

aecting the volume o the ow o the

river downstream severely and thus hit-

ting the tummy o a vast populace in

the northeastern part o India atally.

Since there is no water-related bilateralmechanism with China, India can only

get engaged with China in a compre-

hensive water-centric dialogue and try

to arrive at a win-win kind o mecha-

nism. For this, the Manmohan Singh

government has to knuckle down and

seek advice rom experts in the eld

or a solid homework beore approach-

ing China. Tis is now imperative. And

sooner the better.

Chinese trying to

enslave Brahmaputra



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sEAwAtCh __________________________________________________

Addressing the scientists

and engineers present

at Sriharikota the Pres-

ident said ISRO enjoys

t remendous trust

amongst our countrymen. Tis aith

and condence puts the onus back on

the organization to raise the bar o its

perormance, scale greater heights and

explore newer rontiers. For India tooccupy its rightul place in the comity

o nations, we must promote innova-

tion and technological advancement.

ISRO should be in the oreront o such

a movement.

he President said socially rel-

evant uses o technology that meet

country’s development goals are

imperative to address the demands

o population. Our endeavour must

be to lower the cost o access to space

through greater innovation and drive

towards technology renement.

dELiGhtEd At thE LAUNCh

Te President said, “I was delighted

to witness the remarkable launch o the

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

C20 SARAL Mission, along with six

more satellites today. It is a pleasure to bein the midst o distinguished scientists

and technologists who have gathered

here to celebrate the culmination o the

meticulously executed chain o events

and rigourous pre-launch preparations

or the Mission.

“I congratulate the Indian Space

Research Organization (ISRO) or suc-

cessully executing this Mission. I am

condent that the SARAL spacecra

launched today would unction as

planned and perorm as designed and

serve the intended applications in Ocean

opography, Coastal Altimetry, Ocean

currents monitoring and Animal migra-

tion studies worldwide. Te PSLV has

become a household name in our coun-

try and this mission would only rearm

this position through its ecacy, accu-

racy and reliability o this launch vehicle.“An important maniestation o

India’s bilateral cooperation with or-

eign countries is in the eld o Space

technology. I congratulate the French

space agency, Centre National d’études

Spatiales (CNES), or whole-heartedly

participating in this collaborative mis-

sion. Tis mission epitomizes the spirit

o the Indo-French partnership, which

the two nations have shared or decades.

Peen: isro sul Leainnvan An tecnlgcal

Avancemen

The President o

India, Mr Pranab

Mukherjee

witnessed

the launch o

Polar Satellite

Launch Vehicle

PSLV – C 20/

SARAL Missionon February 25

at Sriharikota,

reports ADN

The President,

Mr. Pranab Mukherjee

witnessing the launch

o Polar Satellite

Launch Vehicle

PSLV-C 20 SARAL

Mission, at Sriharikota

in Andhra Pradesh

on February 25. The

Chie Minister o

Andhra Pradesh,

Mr. Kiran Kumar

Reddy and the

Minister o State

or Personnel,Public Grievances &

Pensions and Prime

Minister’s Ofce, Mr.

V. Narayanasamy are

also seen




_________________________________________________SEawaTCH

“Curiosity is mankind’s second nature

and human beings have always sought

to unearth the mysteries that lie beyondour Mother Earth. Te desire to know

the unknown has driven us to inculcate

a scientic temper or inquiry.

iNdiA’s sPACE PErForMANCE

“India’s space programme is about

hal a century old though our rich legacy

o astronomy dates back to Aryabhatta

and Bhaskara. Due to the genius o our

space scientists led by stalwarts such as

Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Satish Dhawan,

Pro. U.R. Rao, Pro. Kasturirangan and

others, our space programme has overthe years become successul in deliver-

ing to our country indigenous capability

in design and development o satellites,

launch vehicles and space applications.

“It is heartening to note that in the

road towards sel-reliance, ISRO has

played a vital role in the enhancement

o technology levels and indigeniza-

tion o strategic materials. Te Indian

National Satellite System is today a

proud repository o the largest group

o communication satellites in the Asia

Pacic region. Our launch capabilities

have been duly acknowledged the world

over, with ISRO increasingly launching

satellites o other countries.“Challenges to our country’s progress

are many and they cannot be successully

countered without technology playing

a pivotal role in the eort. Tis is true

whether it is or ushering in a sustain-

able development paradigm, establish

a strong agricultural sector, respond to

climate change, building the rural sector

amongst others. Our space programme

has all along been an application-ori-

ented initiative, and hence, been an able

partner in our development process.

CoMBAtiNG hUNGEr ANd PoVErtY

“Our rst Prime Minister, late Pandit

Jawahar Lal Nehru had once said and I

quote: ‘It is science alone that can solve

the problems o hunger and poverty, o

insanitation and illiteracy, o superstition

and deadening custom and tradition,

o vast resources running to waste, o

a rich country inhabited by starving

people... Who indeed could aord to

ignore science today? At every turn we

have to seek its aid... the uture belongs

to science and those who make riends

with science.’

(unquote).

“Our scien-

tiic progress

has been built

on this philos-

ophy. We have

used space

applications to

bring govern-

ment closer to

people, par-ticularly those

who are ar

removed rom

urban centers

and reside in

remote areas

o the country.

Space-based

applications

like tele-edu-

cation and tele-medicine have enabled

greater access to our rural population to

these basic needs.

tELE-MEdiCiNE ProJECt

“Te telemedicine project has made

it possible or health care centres in

remote locations to connect with super

specialty hospitals in towns and cities

through INSA satellites or provision

o health care acility to the needy and

under-served population. I am told that

1.5 lakh people are availing o the tele-

medicine acility annually.

“Te EDUSA satellite has brought

about a change in the way education is

delivered in our schools, colleges and

universities, including the non-ormal

education system. Interactive education

has made it possible to bring education

closer to our students, particularly those

located in under-served areas.

“he Village Resource Centre

initiative, which connects resourcecentres like Agricultural Universities, Skill

Development Institutes and Hospitals

or training o people in diverse elds such

as agriculture, horticulture, sheries,

livestock, water resources, computer

literacy, micro nance and vocational

training, is commendable. Over ve

lakh people have availed o this acility

and I am sure many more will do so in

the uture.

The President,

Mr. Pranab Mukherje

addressing at the

launch o Polar

Satellite Launch

Vehicle PSLV-C 20

SARAL Mission,

at Sriharikota in

Andhra Pradesh onFebruary 25

Launch o Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C 20 SARAL Mission,

at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on February 25




Technology_______________________________________________

Mr Antony said the Indian industry is at the

threshold o becoming a global player in the ield

o inormation and communication technology,

engineering and manuacturing. The introduction

o Buy and Make (Indian category) is a signiicant

step that has been designed to enhance indigeniza-

tion with the opening up o the deence sector in India

to 100 per cent % Indian private sector in participa-

tion with oreign direct investment permissible up to

26 per cent. Antony hoped that the industry will

gradually assume the role o system integrator and

manuacturer o complete deence equipment

and systems. “This provides a major shit in the role o

private sector in India”, he said.

The Deence

Minister said

MoD is in the

process o revis-

ing the Deence

P r o c u r e m e n t

Procedure (DPP)

and the revised

DPP will be oper-

ational rom the

next nancial year. Describing osets as an integrated

part o our policy to promote indigenization, he said, the

policy has enabled greater participation o the deence

industry in the country.

Anny Ak inuy t Gve Up Mely Aue ta r&d

The Deence Minister Mr AK Antony called upon the Indian Industry belonging to both public and privatesectors to orsake their “miserly attitude” towards spending on research and development. Inaugurating an

International Seminar cum Exhibition on Naval Armament titled ‘NAVARMS-2013’ in New Delhi on January

31. Mr Antony said the Government has been keen to encourage the industry to realign its business

processes or strategic alliances and joint ventures. He said the government is also encouraging the

industry to step up the R&D eorts to remain globally competitive specially in critical technology areas,

reports ADN

Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Scientic Adviser to Rak-

sha Mantri & Secretary, Department o Deence R&D was

honoured with a Padma Bhushan. “It is DRDO that has

got the award and it is a recognition o DRDOs contribu-

tion towards nation building” said Dr. Saraswat as the

rst reaction to the news o three DRDO scientists get-

ting honoured with Padma awards this year.

Dr. Sivathanu Pillai, DS & CCR&D and CEO BrahMos and

Mr Avinash Chander, Distinguished

Scientiist and Chie Controller

Research & Development (Missiles

& Strategic Systems) are the other

two eminent scientists o DRDO who

have been honoured with Padma

Bhushan and Padma Shri respec-

tively.

Pama Aa F drdo scen

The country’s rst under-water-launched Missile B05

was successully fight tested on January 27, rom Bay

o Bengal o the coast o Visakhapatnam. The Missile,

developed by DRDO, was launched rom a pontoon and

was tested or the ull range. It met all the mission objec-

tives. The parameters o the vehicle were monitored by

radar all through the trajectory and terminal events took

place exactly as envisaged.

The Deence Minister Mr AK Antony congratulated

all the scientists

or the success-

ul launch o B05.

Scientic Adviser

to Raksha Man-

tri Dr VK Saraswat

congr atulated

the scientists and

technicians o DRDO on the successul fight test.

ina succefully Launce Ballc Mle Fm Une wae

VK Saraswat

The Deence Minister Mr A K Antony

inaugurating the exhibition on Naval Armament

in New Delhi on January 31





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