http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140122/main3.htm
India summons Pak
envoy after cross-LoC trade suspended
Tribune News
Service
New
Delhi/Srinagar/Jammu/Poonch, January 21
India today
summoned Pakistan Acting High Commissioner Mansoor after the cross-LoC trade on
the Salamabad-Chakoti and Chakan-da-Bagh-Rawlakote routes, a prized
confidence-building measure between the two countries, was suspended today as
the tense standoff at the Line of Control (LoC) worsened on its fifth day.
"While the
two Foreign Ministries were working towards resolving the matter through
diplomatic channels, it was surprising that Pakistan chose to hold hostage
trans-LoC trade and travel which were bringing immense humanitarian benefits to
the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the sake of persons indulging in drug
trafficking," the Pakistani diplomat was told by Rudrendra Tandon, Joint
Secretary (Pakistan) in the External Affairs Ministry.
A senior J-K
government official here said the cross-LoC trade, which takes place four days
a week —from Tuesday to Friday — with bartering facilities located at Salamabad
in north Kashmir's Baramulla district and Chakoti, on other side of the LoC,
has been suspended.
"Trading has
been suspended for today. We are not sure what will happen tomorrow, or next
week or next month. The matter is now between the governments," Deputy
Commissioner of Baramulla district, Ghulam Ahmad Khwaja, told The Tribune.
The suspension of
trade, which began on October 10, 2008, happens a day after Pakistani
authorities suspended the cross-LoC bus service on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and
Poonch-Rawlakote routes.
Over 600 Indian
traders from Kashmir and 165 traders from Jammu are associated with the trade
via Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh trade centres respectively.
The stand-off
began on Friday evening, the last trading day of the past week, when a haul of
contraband, believed to be 114 kg of brown sugar and estimated to cost Rs 114
crore, was seized from a Pakistani truck at the Salamabad trading facility.
The truck, which
was part of a cross-LoC trade convoy entering Kashmir from the Pakistani side,
was seized and its driver arrested by the state police. Traders in Jammu and
Kashmir are squarely blaming New Delhi for the present crisis. They have
accused the Indian Government of inertia that has kept both the trade routes
vulnerable to smuggling of contraband like narcotics and arms from PoK.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140122/main6.htm
N-sub Arihant
ready for trial in a few weeks
Tribune News
Service
New Delhi, January
21
Weeks ahead of its
slated sea trials, the Indian Navy today announced that a miniature version of
the indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant, shall be showcased
on Republic Day on January 26.
A model of the
submarine will be placed on an open truck and will form a part of the Republic
Day parade. The model will give fair idea of the strategic depth the submarine
will provide to the Navy.
The submarine is
set for sea trials in a couple of weeks from now. Rear Admiral LVS Babu,
Assistant Chief of Navy (Submarines) confirmed: “The submarine will be heading
for sea trials in the coming few weeks.” The nuclear reactor went critical on
August 10 last year.
Once the sea
trials are completed, the Navy is targeting a formal deployment by the end of
this year. The submarine, that has nearly 60 per cent local content, will now
start making shallow dives. Then it will undertake deeper dives for longer
periods. From there on, the vessel will be gradually loaded with weapons and
missiles and with each addition all parameters will be tested before the next
load is added.
For two months or
so each test will be conducted underwater. This will include the Submarine
Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). New Delhi has done 10 underwater launches of
the SLBM’s code named ‘B05’ using a submerged pontoon to mimic a submarine. It
can travel to 700 km while the bigger variant, so far known as ‘K-4’, can hit
targets 3,500 km away and will finally be installed on Arihant and also the
next two follow-on submarines of the same class.
A nuclear
submarine is militarily considered to be one of the most potent second-strike
platforms for retaliation to a nuclear strike. India has a no-first use nuclear
policy. Referring to nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, leased from Russia,
the Rear Admiral said: “It would facilitate the Indian Navy in maintaining a
strong stabilising and credible presence in the Indian Ocean, Arihant would
provide us with the option for sea based strategic deterrence, the third leg of
the (nuclear) triad”.
During the Cold
War, the US and the USSR kept their submarines on deterrence patrols, ready to
fire within seconds of a nuclear strike by the adversary, to act as a strategic
deterrent. Unlike conventional vessels, a nuclear-powered submarine does not
need to surface for up to nearly two months.
The submarine has
been developed jointly by the Indian Navy, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the naval
dockyard in Visakhapatnam and has cost Rs 15,000 crore to develop. Russian
designers have assisted in building the vessel.
Nuclear muscle
* Nuclear-powered
submarine Arihant (pic) is set for sea trials in a couple of weeks from now.
Once the sea trials are completed, the Navy is targeting a formal deployment by
the end of this year
* A model of the
submarine will be placed on an open truck and will form a part of the Republic
Day parade.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140122/nation.htm#9
Copter deal: CBI seeks Prez nod to examine two
Guvs
New Delhi, January
21
After the refusal
by the Law Ministry, the CBI has now approached President's office seeking
permission to record as witness the statements of Governors MK Narayanan and BV
Wanchoo in connection with the probe into the VVIP helicopter deal.
Sources said
permission has been sought from President Pranab Mukherjee's office to record
statements of West Bengal Governor Narayanan, who was the National Security
Adviser, and his Goa counterpart Wanchoo, who was the head of elite Special
Protection Group (SPG) guarding the Prime Minister.
The sources said
the agency has made it clear that the two Constitutional functionaries would be
approached as witnesses for recording their statements in the case.
The move comes
against the backdrop of the Law Ministry rejecting the plea of the CBI to quiz
the two on the ground that they enjoyed constitutional immunity.
The CBI had sought
permission to record their statement as part of its probe into alleged Rs 360
crore bribe in the deal that was scrapped by the government last month.
Seeking recording
of their statements, the CBI has said Wanchoo and Narayanan had participated in
the meeting in 2005 that allowed key changes in the technical specifications.
Sources said the
CBI had sought permission also on the ground that the President was the
appointing authority of of the Governors. The President may take opinion of the
legal experts before allowing the agency to record the statement, the sources
feel. — PTI
Agency’s plea
rejected
Sources said
permission has been sought from the President’s office to record statements of
West Bengal Governor Narayanan, who was the NSA, and his Goa counterpart
Wanchoo, who was the head of elite SPG guarding the PM
The move comes
against the backdrop of the Law Ministry rejecting CBI’s plea to quiz them on
the grounds that they enjoyed constitutional immunity
http://www.janes.com/article/32667/india-to-unveil-catapult-ii-self-propelled-gun-at-defence-expo-2014
India to unveil
Catapult II self-propelled gun at Defence Expo 2014
India plans to
unveil its Catapult Mk II self-propelled howitzer at the Defence Expo 2014
being held in New Delhi from 6-9 February.
The Catapult Mk II
self-propelled gun, seen here during firing trials in 2013, integrates the hull
of the Arjun Mk I main battle tank and the Russian 130 mm M-46 field gun.
(CVRDE)The Catapult Mk II self-propelled gun, seen here during firing trials in
2013, integrates the hull of the Arjun Mk I main battle tank and the Russian
130 mm M-46 field gun. (CVRDE)
The system
integrates the hull of the Arjun Mk I main battle tank (MBT) and the Russian
130 mm M-46 field gun, originally developed over 60 years ago and procured by
India since the late 1960s.
The Indian Army
Headquarters' Artillery Directorate tasked the Defence Research and Development
Organisation's (DRDO's) Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment
(CVRDE) to design the system in May 2012.
The first
developmental firing trials took place from 27 November to 5 December 2012.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/army-commander-reviews-situation-at-sino-india-border_905783.html
Army Commander
reviews situation at Sino-India border
Kolkata: Eastern
Army Commander Lt Gen MMS Rai on Tuesday reviewed the preparedness and security
situation of operational areas along the Sino-India border in Sikkim, defence
sources said.
Rai, who assumed
the charge earlier this month, is on a two-day visit to Sikkim and north Bengal
sector.
He along with
Sukna-based Trishakti Corps Commander Lt Gen KJ Singh will visit troops in
forward areas and take a first-hand report on all activities undertaken by the
Corps along the borders.
Singh briefed Rai
on various operational and administrative issues and the ongoing efforts in
maintaining peace and tranquillity along the borders with China as per Border
Peace and Tranquillity Agreement and the recently concluded Border Defence
Cooperation Agreement, the sources said.
The Army commander
appreciated the troops' efforts and commended their high morale despite being
deployed in tough and physically demanding conditions.
During his maiden
visit to the Corps HQ, he also paid homage to the martyrs of Trishakti Corps
and laid a wreath at the war memorial before flying out to the forward areas.
Rai is also
expected to call on Sikkim Chief Minister and Governor during his stay, the
sources added.
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/indias-army-chief-three-day-visit-calls-singapore-defence-minister-201
India's army chief
on three-day visit calls on Singapore Defence Minister
INDIA's Chief of
Army Staff is in Singapore for the first time since he took the top job in
2012.
General Bikram
Singh called on Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and his Singaporean counterpart
Major-General Ravinder Singh on Tuesday.
As part of his
three-day visit that will end on Thursday, Gen Singh will visit the
Multi-Mission Range Complex, the Singapore Army's 3rd Division and Armour
headquarters.
The Defence
Ministry said in a statement that Gen Singh's visit underscores the warm and
long-standing defence relationship between Singapore and India.
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