http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140211/nation.htm#4
India, China for hotline between armies
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News
Service
New Delhi,
February 10
India and China
today discussed additional confidence-building measures (CBMs), including the
proposal for setting up a hot-line between the two armies, for maintaining
peace and tranquillity along their more than 4,000-km border.
The two countries
simultaneously held the 17th round of talks between their Special Representatives
(SRs) and the 5th meeting of the working mechanism for consultation and
coordination on India-China border affairs here.
National Security
Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi led their
respective delegations at the SR level talks which would conclude tomorrow.
The Indian side
was led by Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary (East Asia) and consisted of
officials from the ministries of External Affairs, Defence and Home as well as
the army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at the meeting of the
working mechanism on border affairs. The Chinese side at this meeting was
headed by Ouyang Yujing, Director General of the Department of Boundary and
Oceanic Affairs in the Foreign Affairs Ministry and comprised representatives
of various departments.
The two sides are
understood to have discussed implementation of the Border Defence Cooperation
Agreement (BDCA) which was signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit
to Beijing in October last year.
The Indian side
drew China’s attention towards continuing incursions even after the signing of
the BDCA. However, it was also noted that the BDCA has certainly brought down
the incidents of incursions, much to New Delhi’s satisfaction. The two sides
also discussed the possibility of conducting joint exercises between their
forces.
Joint drills
The two countries simultaneously held the
17th round of talks between their Special Representatives (SRs) and the 5th
meeting of the working mechanism for consultation and coordination on
India-China border affairs
The Indian side drew China's attention
towards continuing incursions even after the signing of the BDCA. However, it
was also noted that the BDCA has certainly brought down the incidents of
incursions, much to New Delhi's satisfaction.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140211/nation.htm#26
Antony seeks
status report on Vikramaditya from Navy Chief
Tribune News
Service
New Delhi,
February 10
Defence Minister
AK Antony today sought a status report from Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi
following reports about "technical glitches" onboard seaborne
aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya during its voyage from Russia to India.
Admiral Joshi met
Antony in his office and is learnt to have clarified on the issue and given
details of the 15,000-mile voyage from Russia to Karwar, south of Goa. The Navy
Chief, it is learnt, told the minister that no major glitches were faced by the
over $2.35-billion warship during its journey to India.
According to
reports, the aircraft carrier faced some problem in cutting through choppy
waters at a top speed of around 56 kmph. Sources in the Ministry of Defence
said there was no written report from the Navy on the incident so far.
The vessel
delivery to India was delayed by more than a year after problems occurred in
its boilers during sea trials in Russia in September 2012. The warship was
handed over in November 2013 and it then set sail for India. It sailed non-stop
and was refuelled mid-sea.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140211/edit.htm#6
The enduring idea
of India
Lieut-Gen (retd)
Baljit Singh
Twelve generations
of Independent India have witnessed, may be without a conscious thought, what
is perhaps among the world's few very sombre and yet flamboyant performances,
namely "Beating Retreat" by the massed bands, pipes and drums of the
armed forces, which brings to end the Republic Day celebrations. The audience
of several thousand Indians drawn from the lowly aam aadmi, right up the scale
to the heads of the country's legislature, the executive, the judiciary and the
diplomatic missions is usually seated, twenty minutes before the commencement
and it is therefore natural that the specially created, vast open amphitheatre centred
on the Vijay Chowk, would hum like the beehive.
That was the
setting a few days ago, when President Pranab Mukherjee alighted in the
six-horse-drawn state coach, in itself a work of art and antiquity of over
ninety years! In clock-work precision, two posses of eight trumpeters sounded
the fanfare and intuitively, the spectators fell silent and searched for the
source of the music score, "Herald The Chief"! The trumpeters played
their hearts out, from beneath the domes surmounting the two towers of the
North and South Blocks, directly above Vijay Chowk, bringing the spectators on
the edges of their seats as they watched the President take his seat.
Further enhancing
this ceremonial ambience was a troop from the President's Mounted Body Guard,
attired in scarlet tunics with intricate gold lace-work and white mole-skin
breeches, astride well groomed and manicured horses, a heritage stretching to
the Madras Governor General's Guard, raised way back in 1778. The guard
salutes, and the massed bands strike the national anthem exuberantly as the
national flag is hoisted, at the venue. The audience bursts in vigorous
clapping, every face having misted eyes and wreathed in a smile! Now, that
indeed is symbolic of the enduring spirit of India and let no one tamper with
it.
Over the next 45
minutes the spectators cannot avoid tapping their feet to the rhythm of martial
music. The under lying theme of every tune is focused on patriotism and glory
of the Republic, such as "Kadam kadam budhaye chall, khooshi kay geet gaey
chaall, yeh zindgi hay kaumn ki too kaumn par lootaye chall….!" As though
to fortify this resolve, they next play out the rousing "Dhawaj Kay
Rakshak", leaving nothing to chance that the fortress is under trustworthy
and unfaltering vigil. The "Drums Roll" which follows, creates the
auditory crescendo of the thunder and volley on the battle field.
The "Last
Post" played by massed buglers, the national flag lowered and some 400
battle-inoculated, soldier-bandsmen wearing immaculate ceremonial uniforms,
symbolising time-tested loyalty to the country and heritage of valour, march up
the Raj Path playing to perfection "Sare jahaan say achha…!" As
though to underline that resolve, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the North and South
Blocks, and Parliament are flood-lit, signifying the eternal light even amidst
darkness. And the lotus fountains of Vijay Chowk cascade water in the colours
of the national flag. That too is the enduring idea of India and let every
Indian mount vigil against those who may dare to mess with it, ever.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chinese-troops-trespass-again-this-time-on-eve-of-special-talks/article1-1182702.aspx
Chinese troops
trespass on eve of special talks
On the eve of
India-China special representative talks on boundary resolution, troopers of
Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) transgressed into Chumar area of Eastern Ladakh,
resulting in a two-hour face-off with the Indian troops on February 9.
National Security
Advisor (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon met state councillor Yang Jiechi in the
Capital on Monday for the 17th round of SR dialogue with a mandate to define
3,488 kilometre Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two countries. The
talks end on Tuesday.
While India and
Chinese foreign offices have off-late converged on stabilisation of South Asia
including countries like Bangladesh and Nepal, the Chinese PLA continues to
posture on the LAC with Chumar being specifically targeted with frequent
incursions.
Government sources
said that seven PLA troopers transgressed near patrol point 62 in Chumar sector
around 9.40am with Indian Army troopers immediately engaging them in a
face-off. Although the Chinese troopers seemingly withdrew to their original
positions in the next 20 minutes, they returned with 11 more troopers joining
their comrades. The Indian Army reacted by sending in a large contingent even
as Chinese PLA ran circles on horseback trying to emphasise claim on the Indian
territory.
“The face-off ended around
noon after both sides engaged in banner drill reminding the other that they
there transgressing into their territory. Chumar has been the site of frequent
transgressions by the PLA since June 2012 and was the bone of contention during
the April 2013 Depsang incursions,” said a senior official.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/no-role-of-british-army-in-op-bluestar-says-former-army-chief/1/342862.html
No role of British
Army in Op Bluestar, says former Army Chief
Former Army Chief,
General Shankar Roychowdhury denied the role of British Army in the execution
of 'Operation Blue Star' while simultaneously blaming the Indian Intelligence
for its flaws. The former chief, during his visit to an educational institution
in the Jhargram district of West Bengal, ridiculed all allegations against the
Indian Army stating that no forms of external assistance were called for and
the fault lay entirely with the Indian political leaders of the time.
"It is
hilarious to hear that Indian Army will seek British Army's help. In political
front what letter has been exchanged between the Prime Ministers of the
respective Nations is not known to us," he said.
"I can assure
you that the Military Advice for operation was not asked for by Indian Army.
All on-ground operations were done by us. We might have committed mistakes but
we never came up asking for such a help. The mistake was basically done by IB.
Some mistakes happened in 1984 and the only people responsible for that was
Indian political leaders at that time," he added.
Declassified
documents in the UK indicated that Britain's Special Air Service (SAS)
officials had been dispatched to help India in the planning on the raid of the
Golden Temple.
However, Foreign
Secretary William Hague said Britain's role was "limited" and
"purely advisory" and had little impact on the actual assault.
Indian Foreign
Minister Salman Khurshid denied the allegations, saying there were no records
indicating this and the entire operation was carried out by the Indian Army.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/top-indian-army-official-meets-nepal-army-chief-114021001047_1.html
Top Indian Army
official met Nepal Army chief to discuss bilateral defence ties
A top Indian Army
official today metndian Armys Army chief General Gaurav Shumsher Rana and
discussed matters related to bilateral defence ties.
Adjutant General
of the Indian Army, Lt General Sanjeev Anand paid a courtesy call on Rana at
the Nepal Army Headquarters.
During the
meeting, they discussed about mutual cooperation and matters relating to
bilateral relations between the Nepal Army and Indian Army, according to a
statement issued by Nepal Army Headquarters.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/India-not-Enemy-in-Bangla-Wargames/2014/02/10/article2047496.ece#.Uvl4mM5W0a8
India not 'Enemy'
in Bangla Wargames
The Bangladesh
Army for the first time had a break from formulating its training around India as a threat. Its officers
recently undertook war games, which did not assume its border with India as the
warfront.
Surrounded on
three sides, India looms over the mindscape of Bangladesh. Not surprising,
therefore, that when Bangladesh military trains, the enemy it keeps in mind is
uncannily similar to India.
A war game, a
table-top exercise, is an indispensable tool to train senior military officers
to evolve and ratify tactics and warfare doctrines. The enemy is not named in a
war game. But based on the location of
international border and force levels, it’s very clear who the opponent
is. With India trying to forge closer defence ties with Bangladesh Army,
modifying the war game to make it less India-specific was an important
objective.
“If all your doctrines and war
postures are aimed at India, it does create a psychological barrier on how the
neighbour is viewed,” said a senior government official. Bangladesh military
plans for defensive manoeuvre, where the troops fall back to the next line of
defence and keep on delaying an invading army.It was naturally a sensitive
subject, which requires a change in mindset. During a bilateral visit in 2012,
the Indian Army chief had broached the subject to his Bangladeshi counterpart.
“We had requested them to mark international boundary for war games inside
their borders and change the force levels so that they don’t coincide with that
of India’s,” he said.
All the military training
institutions in Bangladesh were set up soon after the Independence by officers
who had trained with Pakistan Army. “The way the staff college has been
conceptualised and structured was obviously influenced by their training,” said
the official.
After two years, Defence
Services Command and staff college that select officers to be better equipped
for higher leadership role, made the changes -- the first time since the
inception of Bangladesh’s Armed Forces.
The last war game for the
training season began on January 23, 2014,and ended in about a week. It is
learnt that the ‘enemy’ in the war game did not correspond with Bangladesh’s
international boundary (IB) with India. “They delineated the IB inside their
territory, though the force levels remained the same,” said the official.
The new Bangladeshi Army
Chief, Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, is one of the first of the next generation leaders
to have no “organic links” with Pakistan Army.
The current period is widely
seen as the most opportune moment for India to improve ties with an amenable
Sheikh Hasina government and the Bangladesh Army. “Frankly, this is a golden
period for us,” said another senior official.
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