SOURCE: NDTV

In his first remarks since he retired earlier this year, former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has said that India was on the verge of escalating the conflict along the Line of Control (LoC) had the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) struck targets on Indian territory a day after the IAF attack on Balakot on February 26 this year.

”Since the PAF had targeted military installations on the 27th of February (a day after India struck the Jaish-e-Mohammed camp near Balakot), the Pakistan Army had now become a legitimate target and had their strikes been successful, we would have put a considerable weight of attack on their forward brigades,” he said. Continue reading →

SOURCE: SP Guide Publications

The biggest Make in India programme for the Indian Army to produce 2,600 Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICVs) at an estimated cost of 60,000 Crore ($8.5 B) under the Make-1 procedure has been dropped. “Development Agencies could not be shortlisted as the financial and technical criteria were found to be subjective in the selection process,” Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik stated in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on December 11.

The mega procurement case, which is in the works since 2009 to replace the Soviet vintage BMP-IIs, has been pushed back to the Ministry of Defence for a de novo look for re-initiation under a different procurement category, SP’s Land Forces has learnt from official sources. “Development Agencies could not be shortlisted as the financial and technical criteria were found to be subjective in the selection process,” Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik stated in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on December 11 Continue reading →

SOURCE: PTI

Stating that threats to national security are becoming more and more complex, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday advocated a “leaner and meaner force” which can secure quick victories. Delivering the inaugural Manohar Parrikar Memorial Lecture in Mumbai, Rawat also said that India’s response to terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama was much more “robust” compared to “inaction” after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

“Threats are becoming complex day by day, and it is important that we adopt a `whole of nation’ approach,and every citizen must be involved in national security,” he said. Continue reading →

SOURCE: PTI

The message of the Balakot air strike was to tell the Pakistani establishment and terrorist organisations that there will be a cost to pay for terror attacks in India which was effectively conveyed, said former Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa. He was speaking during a discussion on ‘Understanding The Message of Balakot’ on the second day of the Military Literature Festival organised here by the Punjab government and the Chandigarh administration.

“The message of Balakot, therefore, was to tell Pakistani establishments and terror organisations that there will be a cost to pay for terror attacks in India which was effectively conveyed,” said Dhanoa. However, he said, “on our side.. (there were) stupid mistakes for which remedial measures have been taken and people responsible will be punished.” Continue reading →

SOURCE: ANI

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday emphasized on the need to re-organise and deploy military resources in order to use defence budget in a fruitful manner. Speaking at Forum for Integrated National Security here, Rawat said that India should tamper its military ambitions with the size of the economy.”We must make sure that economic flight is calibrated with a span of our strategic stride. We must tamper our military ambition with the size of our economy and the budgetary allocation that we receive,” he said.

Stressing on the need to reorganize the military resources, he said, “We must cut the cloak to size. Too many tight-fitting garments will not suit us and oversize garments will only lead to avoidable expenditures.” Continue reading →

SOURCE: REPUBLIC TV

On Friday, the Indian Army issued an advisory on Twitter telling people to be cautious about the fake news that was being spread on social media about army operations in the North-East. They said that ‘disinformation’ was being circulated in the name of news and also put up some screenshots of accounts that had posted fake news about ‘encounters’ and ‘shooting’ done by the army. The Northeast has been ablaze with protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, post which army columns have been deployed in states to control the chaos.

Around 26 Army columns have been deployed in Assam to support the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to handle the situation in the Northeast. The strength of one column is about 70 personnel of all ranks. In the restive areas of Assam and Tripura, Assam Rifles is managing the situation. Continue reading →

SOURCE: ET

The Indian Army is working towards ensuring that a key war committee created during the 2017 Doklam standoff becomes institutionalised with better synergy under the new post of Deputy Chief (Strategy), as part of the army’s restructuring plans. The committee comprising the heads of military operations, intelligence, planning and perception management is created on an adhoc basis under the army’s Vice Chief.

This setup is established only during a war like situation, otherwise all these heads work under different verticals. The army has sent a proposal as part of an internal study on restructuring the army headquarters to the defence ministry to place all these heads under the newly proposed Deputy Chief (Strategy). Under him, all the mentioned heads will not only work together during a war like situation, but even during peacetime. Continue reading →

SOURCE: ENS

A top American diplomat responsible for monitoring international religious freedom has said that the US is concerned about the implications of the new citizenship law in India, while expressing hope that the government will abide by its constitutional commitments.

Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, tweeted on Friday, “One of India’s great strengths is its Constitution. As a fellow democracy, we respect India’s institutions, but are concerned about the implications of the CAB bill. We hope the government will abide by its constitutional commitments, including on religious freedom.” Continue reading →

SOURCE: PTI

Reliance Industries on December 13 said its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Ltd (RSBVL) has acquired over 51 per cent stake in Asteria Aerospace for Rs 23.12 crore. “RSBVL has acquired equity shares of Asteria Aerospace for a cash consideration of Rs 23,12,49,584. The said investment represents 51.78 per cent holding in the equity share capital of Asteria,” Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) said in a BSE filing.

The investment will further enable the group’s initiatives in emerging technology, it added. RSBVL proposes to make a further investment of up to Rs 125 crore, subject to Asteria achieving agreed milestones, and is expected to be completed by December 2021, it said. Continue reading →

SOURCE: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with Indian Air Force personnel in Kanpur and said the nation is proud of their services.

He was in the Uttar Pradesh city to chair the first meeting of the National Ganga Council. “Interacted with IAF pilots and other IAF personnel in Kanpur. India is proud of their outstanding service,” he tweeted. He also shared a group photograph with IAF personnel taken at the Air Force Station, Kanpur. Continue reading →

SOURCE: ENS

Punjab is Bharat and Bharat is Punjab, for no other region has defended the country like Punjab and faced internal as well as external aggressions.

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore made this statement while inaugurating the third edition of Military Literature Festival on Friday. Referring to ‘Bharta’ clan of ancient times residing on the banks of Parushni or Ravi river, who had given the name Bharat to the nation, the Governor said despite several odds, the brave people of this land rose out of their misfortunes and created the bread basket of India and also became its sword arm. He termed it appropriate that the festival was founded in Punjab in the city of Chandigarh. Continue reading →

SOURCE: PTI

Former chief of external intelligence agency RAW, Vikram Sood, on Friday suggested recruiting youngsters for intelligence gathering rather than post graduate ones keeping in mind future challenges. Addressing a book release event, he said, however bright civil servants might be, they are not fully equipped “to deal with that kind of information because they do not come with domain expertise that we will need 30 years from now.”

He said you need to have people who join you very early. “Like the armed forces do. They recruit a person at 18 or 19 (years). I don’t see why an intelligence operator who is going to collect the intelligence out in the field has to be a graduate or a post-graduate. Why can’t he come as a school leaver and we have our own training academy where we graduate (them). Then you have a person that you really want. Nowadays I think we all fish around,” said Sood, who retired as the RAW chief in March 2003. Continue reading →

SOURCE: DECCAN HERALD

While acknowledging discussions over the establishment of Pakistan-Israel diplomatic relations, Pakistan spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor some weeks ago quashed rumours that this would actually happen in November 2019. Pakistani journalist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid wrote about the country’s diplomatic-military decision-makers considering the need for ties with Israel in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on September 3, 2019, which marked 14 years of the first official meeting between the two states. On 1 September 2005, the then Pakistan and Israel foreign ministers Khurshid Kasuri and Silvan Shalom met in Istanbul.

Former president Pervez Musharraf had orchestrated the rendezvous to end decades of diplomatic stalemate between the two countries. However, nothing concrete materialised between them. Rumours surface from time to time, but the two states continue to maintain diplomatic silence. But their story is not as bland. Continue reading →

SOURCE: TNN

Former Indian Army chief General VP Malik (retd) claimed on Friday that foreign countries had overcharged India for satellite images, arms and ammunition needed to meet the sudden military requirements during the Kargil conflict two decades ago.“In every urgent purchase during the Kargil war, no matter from which country, they exploited us as much as they could.

When we approached one country for few guns, initially they promised us, but later supplied refurbished old weapons. We were short of some ammunition and when approached another country, we were given 1970 vintage ammunition,” Gen Malik revealed during a panel discussion on ‘Make in India and the Nation’s Security’ on the first day of the Military Literature Festival here. Continue reading →

SOURCE: ANI

Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Saturday said differences between India and Pakistan over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 might drag both countries to war. The Federal Minister for Railways said it is Pakistan’s responsibility to stand in solidarity with Muslims of Kashmir and India and the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi is creating problems for Indian Muslims is not acceptable to Islamabad.

Sheikh Rasheed, a known motormouth, issued the statement just two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been moving systematically with a Hindu supremacist agenda. Imran Khan’s statement came after the controversial Citizenship (Amendment Bill) 2019 was passed in the Rajya Sabha with an absolute majority on Wednesday.
Continue reading →