Indian Army: News and Discussion

[RPK]

19-member Army trekker group rescued - India - NEWS - The Times of India

KULLU: A team of 19 trekkers, including 12 Army personnel, was rescued from Pin Parbati glacier in Lahaul and Spiti district where it was stranded
due to untimely snowfall last week. The group, airlifted by the Army helicopters to Bhuntar airport late Sunday, has been taken to the headquarters, police said on Monday.

"Nineteen trekkers of the Pathankot-based AD Regiment were rescued by the Indian Army on Sunday. They had been stuck in the high altitude slopes of Pin Valley for the past many days due to hostile weather," Superintendent of Police K K Indoria said.

The Army personnel were on a routine trekking expedition from Kheer Ganga near Manikaran in Kullu district to Pin valley in Lahaul and Spiti. "Due to widespread snowfall, the expedition got stuck near Mantlai (in the Spiti Valley). As the weather cleared on Sunday, three military choppers were pressed into service and members of the expedition team, including six porters and a guide, were airlifted," Indoria said.

Sources at the Bhuntar airport, too, confirmed that three Army helicopters had been carrying out sorties since Saturday and that a bigger chopper was inducted in the search on Sunday. An officer who had been coordinating the rescue from Bhuntar said the trekkers had remained in constant touch with the headquarters

 

[RPK]

India denies firing by Chinese forces- TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos

A day after reports emerged of two jawans being injured in firing by Chinese forces, sources told TIMES NOW that India has denied the incident. The denial comes after; simmering tensions along the mountainous frontier with China appeared to have become serious, as highly placed intelligence sources have revealed that two jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the sentinel force along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), were injured in bullets fired from the Chinese side.

This was the first incident where bullets have been fired since the landmark 1996 Sino-India agreement in which both sides pledged not to open fire, no matter what the provocation, as a part of confidence-building measures.

The firing reportedly took place in Kerang in northern Sikkim a fortnight ago but has been kept under wraps. It was confirmed on Monday by a highly-placed intelligence source.

Sources cited this as yet another instance of China's maintaining pressure on the 2.1 sq km area of `Finger Point' in northern Sikkim. Last year, China had sent a vehicle-mounted patrol into this area, penetrating 1 km into Indian Territory.

 

[RPK]

Govt terms as incorrect report of firing by Chinese troops - India - NEWS - The Times of India

NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday termed as "incorrect" a media report which said that two ITBP jawans were injured in firing by Chinese troops in Sikkim recently.

"A media report about two ITBP jawans having been injured due to firing from across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has come to notice. The report is factually incorrect," External affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said in a statement here.

The report had claimed that the ITBP jawans were injured when Chinese troops had fired at them in Kerang in northern Sikkim about a fortnight ago.

 

[natarajan]

I think we should start making up our mind so that it wont be a shock to us in coming decades as chinese has using the concept of capturing inch by inch and our netas are always ignorant about small changes so its high to make up our mind that both kashmir and ap are disputed and not with us(

 

[youngindian]

Army Infantry commanders meet to discuss security issues

15 Sep 2009, 1954 hrs IST

Fast paced changes in the security situation along Pakistan and China border, Maoists threat, low intensity conflict and Army infantrymen's readiness to meet these challenges came up for discussion at a conference of infantry commanders that began at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (September 15). Chaired by Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, the biennial meet, which will go on till September 17, is further expected to discuss future increases in its strength, including raising of new units to deal with fourth generation warfare threats posed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and the Naxals in Central India.

The meeting, presided by Army's Director General (Infantry) Lt Gen Jasbir Singh, would also introspect on the infantry battalions' and formation's capabilities, training curriculum, and look at future technologies -- both weaponry and Information Technology -- for infantrymen. "The theme of the conference is 'Transformation of Infantry to Meet Future Challenges' and it will crystal gaze towards a vision for infantry of the future," Army sources said in New Delhi. India's ongoing Future-Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS) would also come up for critical examination in the subsequent days of the three-day conference, sources added.

"The main focus is on measures directed at transformation of the infantry into a lean, agile, versatile, optimally configured arm to conduct operations at short notice across the entire spectrum of warfare," Army sources said. The commanders of Infantry battalions and formations would debate means to adapt to modernisation, future weaponry and also come up with ideas for operational planning, training and management of assets and personnel.

"The changing geo-strategic environment, threat perception, technological advancements and training aspects are being discussed at the conference," they said. Officers of infantry from Army Commands, Operational theatres and training establishments were participating in the debates, sources said. A technical exhibition related to latest innovations and techniques in the field of weaponry and modern equipment systems at the Army's Infantry School was part of the conference, they added.

Army Infantry commanders meet to discuss security issues- TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos

 

[RPK]

Western Command celebrates its 62nd year

Indian Army's frontline Western Command Tuesday celebrated its 62nd raising day at its 'war memorial' (Veer Smriti) here at Chandimandir military station.

Lt Gen M.S. Buttar, chief of staff of Western Command, initiated the celebrations with a wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial. It was followed by soul-stirring 'salami shastra' and 'shoka shastra' salutes to pay homage to the brave martyrs of the command.

Raised on Sep 15, 1947, Western Command was popularly known as the Delhi and East Punjab (DEP) area command. Lt Gen Dudley Russel was the first army commander of this command.

DEP Command was formally named 'Western Command' on Jan 18, 1948. In 1954, its headquarters moved to Shimla from Delhi and in February 1985 it was moved to its present location at Chandimandir, about 10 km from here.

'Western Command played a cardinal role in all the wars since independence. It was instrumental in effectively subduing the Pakistani aggressions in 1947, 1965 and 1971,' said an official spokesperson of the Indian Army here.

'Apart from playing a significant role in war victories, Western Command was instrumental in combating terrorism in Punjab and in restoring normalcy and faith of civilians through its operation 'Rakshak',' he said.

Personnel of the command are actively engaged in counter insurgency operations in Jammu region. They have trained nine battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the training of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) battalions is under progress at Chandimandir.

 

[youngindian]

Indian Army replenishing posts along China border

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The Indian Army is replenishing its forward posts along the frontier with China in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, officials said Wednesday, adding this was an annual exercise.
“This is an annual exercise, named Operation Alert, that we conduct every year to replenish our forward posts along our borders with China before the winter and nothing more should be read into it,” a senior Indian Army officer told IANS.

“It has nothing to do with the reports of border skirmishes, which, in any case, the government has officially denied,” the officer added.

“There has been no mobilization beyond the routine activities that we normally carry on at this time of the year,” the officer said.

In the past months, there have been several reports of Chinese troops intruding into Indian territory in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir creating anxiety about Beijing’s aggressive designs.

The Indian government has, however, sought to play down the incursions, saying these are routine incidents that occur due to differences in perception about the Line of Actual Control.

China has officially denied its troops have intruded into Indian territory.

The Indian Army officer also pointed out that the force’s activities had little to do with the just-concluded high-profile war game conducted by the Chinese Army in which close to 50,000 troops had been deployed in a cross-country tactical mobilisation that was seen as Beijing’s efforts to improve its ability to move troops to Tibet whenever reinforcements were required.

Indian Army replenishing posts along China border (Lead)

 

[RPK]

Army hands over Bhujio fort to state govt - Rajkot - City - NEWS - The Times of India

BHUJ: In a historical development, Indian Army has handed over the possession of historic Bhujio fort, which has been an army base for over 200
years, to the state government. The decision was taken after the fort had become dilapidated with several of its ramparts falling apart post-2001 earthquake in Kutch.

Bhujio, which served as army base under British Raj since 1819, was retained by Indian Army as ammunition depot post-independence. Given the damage caused by the quake, the army decided to shift the depot elsewhere and decided to hand over the possession of the fort along with the hill to the government. The formal hand over took place on Monday.

"It also marked a historical day in the life of thousands of devotees who were deprived of religious ritual performed at Bhujangdev temple, situated atop the hill. Though army would allow pilgrims to climb the hill during the festival of Nagpanchami once in a year, pilgrims stopped visiting the area after the fort was damaged in the quake," said district collector R R Vasani.

"The administration willing to undertake the restoration of fort couldn't do so as the area fell under army's domain. We made a representation before the army in 2001 after the quake, urging it to hand it over to the administration. However, it couldn't materialize, as there was a two-year-long procedure on the proposal. Eventually, the army has handed over the fort to us," Vasani said.

Meanwhile, senior officers from Indian Army and district administration carried out the demarcation of area on the hill, painting it with white line from the fort to its entrance on Monday. According to district administration officials, the fort will be thrown open to the public in a day or two.

According to history books, Bhuj derives its name from the hill Bhujiyo Dungar. The city was established by Rao Khengarji I, first Rajput rulers of Kutch believed to have come to Bhuj from Sind or northern India.

Khengarji I chose the strategic location at the base of the hill Bhujiyo Dungar and named the city as Bhuj in 1548 AD. The city served as the capital of the princely state till 1947 AD. The rulers of Bhuj enjoyed great support from Mughal rulers also. But, after the decline of Mughals, rulers felt the need of security. As a result, the city of Bhuj was fortified. In 1819, the British overtook the fort.

 

[natarajan]

Army confirms lac exercise, ‘op alert’ to last 3 weeks

The Indian Army on Wednesday confirmed its heightened presence on India’s border with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Hindustan Times reported on September 14 that troops and 105-mm artillery guns were being ferried to points close to the LAC.

An army officer said on condition of anonymity that the exercise had been named “Operation Alert” and a division (about
14,000-15,000 men and officers) of the army was involved in the exercise.

He said, “The exercise has begun and it will last for another two to three weeks.”

Asked whether the Chinese authorities were informed about the exercise, he said, “It is for the Ministry of External
Affairs to do so.”

The 646-km-long stretch of the LAC that falls within the Ladakh region, about 260 km northeast of Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar, has recently been in the news because of Chinese incursions.

The army and the government, however, maintain that incursions by both sides are routine events due to differences in perception about the LAC. But there are anxieties that repeated incursions could mean Beijing’s hardening of stand on the border issue.

The local resident, especially in the areas close to the LAC, told Hindustan Times that they had not seen such activities in recent years.

The incursions also come at a time when Beijing had expressed its objection to the proposed visit of the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, to Tawang in India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is another point of dispute
between India and China.
source

 

[RPK]

PIB Press Release

Joint Indo-Tajikistan Army mountaineering expedition to Mount Stok and Gulap Kangri

To enhance the cooperation between Indian Army and Tajikistan Army, a mountaineering expedition was conducted to Mount Stok Kangri (20,551 ft) and Gulap Kangri (19,776 ft) in Leh region. The expedition flagged-in today by the Director General Military Intelligence , Lt Gen RK Loomba, at Army HQ, New Delhi.

The peak which belongs to the Stok Kangri Massif in the Leh region of J&K attracts mountaineers across the world. The route to this peak is long and difficult and requires expertise both in ice craft and rock craft.

The joint team comprising of 12 members of Indian Army and 11 Tajikistan Army was led by Maj KS Rajawat of Gorkha Rifles.

Prior to the expedition, the Tajik team undergone a special mountaineering training for 03 weeks at High Altitude Warfare School at Sonamarg in J&K to hone their skills in the field of mountaineering. On completion of the training at HAWS, the Tajik participants arrived Leh on 25 Aug. Thereafter, the joint team moved to Base Camp which was established at an altitude of 15,500 ft. Camp-I was established at 17,500 ft.

The team after negotiating a number of crevasses during the inclement weather and grueling march in high altitude terrain, successfully summitted Mount Stok Kangri and Gulap Kangri.

 

[youngindian]

Indo-Tajikistan Army team completes expedition to Leh From ANI

New Delhi, Sep 17: To enhance the cooperation between the Indian Army and the Tajikistan Army, a mountaineering expedition was conducted to
Mount Stok Kangri (20,551 ft) and Gulap Kangri (19,776 ft) in Leh region.
The expedition flagged-in today by the Director General Military Intelligence, Lt. General RK Loomba.

The peak, which belongs to the Stok Kangri Massif in the Leh region, attracts mountaineers across the world. The route to this peak is long and difficult and requires expertise both in ice craft and rock craft.

The joint team comprising of 12 members of the Indian Army and eleven Tajikistan Army was led by Major KS Rajawat of Gorkha Rifles.

Prior to the expedition, the Tajik team undergone a special mountaineering training for 03 weeks at High Altitude Warfare School at Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir to hone their skills in the field of mountaineering.

On completion of the training at HAWS, the Tajik participants arrived at Leh on August 25. Thereafter, the joint team moved to base camp which was established at an altitude of 15,500 ft. Camp-I was established at 17,500 ft.

The team after negotiating a number of crevasses during the inclement weather and grueling march in high altitude terrain, successfully summitted Mount Stok Kangri and Gulap Kangri.


Indo-Tajikistan Army team completes expedition to Leh

 

[SATISH]

Defunct Humanity: The Russian body armor will help Indians in the war against terror

New body armour for our COIN soldiers.

 

[nitesh]

now that's good thinking:

Indian Army mulls ambitious war plan - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

[nitesh]

On equal terms with China on the Pangong Lake

 

[Sridhar]

Defunct Humanity: The Russian body armor will help Indians in the war against terror

New body armour for our COIN soldiers.

IIRC an Indian Private Company is exporting Body armor to NATO, why we cannot buy them.

 

[Sridhar]

Need to outline Infantry’s modernisation: Lt-Gen Singh

BY :TOI
Indian Army’s Director-General (Infantry) Lieutenant-General Jasbir Singh has stressed on outlining the future modernisation of that Fighting Arm, the other Arm being the Artillery.
While addressing a three-day Infantry Commanders’ Conference — which began yesterday at the Infantry School in the nearby Military Headquarters Of War (MHOW) — the officer said, ”I am confident that the Conference will address lacunae besides honing the Infantry’s mobility and striking power.” An exhibition of weapons and defence equipment is also part of the Conference.
The Infantry School is the Army’s largest and oldest training establishment. It has trained not only infantrymen but also officers and senior commanders of Indian and many foreign armies. Its alumni have risen to the highest military ranks and scripted military history in India and abroad.
The total number of army, paramilitary, police and foreign students trained annually at the School, averages approximately 7,500. The School conducts training packages and programmes for commissioned officers, junior commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers.
The Army Marksmanship Unit at the School has provided outstanding shooters of national and international calibre. The School’s origins can be traced to the establishment of the School of Musketry in 1888 at Changla Gali in present-day Pakistan. Between 1888 and 1949, the School’s name and location changed many times.
The School remained the principal combined arms training establishment until 1964. It conducted the Junior and Senior Commanders’ courses attended by officers of all arms and services.
In 1964, the School provided the nucleus and its long experience to start the College of Combat, an institution designed to build the combined arms combat tradition in the Army.
Every Indian infantry officer starts his career at the School. It makes the most long-lasting impact on the infantryman’s outlook, about the essential need and role of the infantry in war. The tactical successes of Indian infantry in battles can rightly be said to have emerged from this School.

Need to outline Infantry’s modernisation: Lt-Gen Singh IDRW.ORG

 

[RPK]

Indian Army mulls ambitious war plan - India - NEWS - The Times of India

NEW DELHI: With instability in the neighbourhood and terrorists gaining ground in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Indian Army is considering the need
to make its infantry capable of being an "expeditionary force" in case of an "out of area contingency".

This bid, in line with the US Marines engaging in battle in war theatres situated in remote locations at short notice, indicates an ambitious intent. This would still need adequate platforms like large transport aircraft and possibly naval support but shows a preparedness to think ahead.

US forces are the only ones capable of real-time power projection and India is still way behind other armed forces as well. But with a large army and an unstable neighbourhood, Indian military planners might be shedding some of the traditional reluctance to look behind the borders.

So far, India has steadfastly refused to commit its troops in Afghanistan -- where US would anyway be careful of Pakistani sensibilities -- and stuck to building roads and other infrastructure.

The top Army commanders discussed how the force can be made more "lean, agile and versatile capable of conducting operations at short notice across an entire spectrum", Army sources said.

A three-day infantry commanders' conference in Mhow, which concluded on Thursday with Army chief Deepak Kapoor and all the top commanders and battalion heads in attendance, took stock of the force's war-waging materials and deliberated on how it can be prepared for an "out of area" role.

A major part of the three-day deliberations, held at the Infantry School, was spent on discussing the future outlook of Indian Army. The commanders stressed the need to review the training of middle-level officers and the need to improve the force's future firepower and surveillance mechanism.

Senior infantry officers from operational theatres shared their personal experiences pertaining to transformation of infantry to meet new challenges. The main emphasis was on adaptation as per the changing geopolitical environment, threat perception and emergence of new technologies and dovetail the same into the transformation process, a senior officer added.

The conflict in Afghanistan with spillover of battle-hardened terrorists from the Af-Pak theatre into India has already been engaging the armed forces considerably at home soil.

The Army has intensified its counter-insurgency operations in the higher reaches along the Line of Control in J&K with increased attempt of militants to infiltrate on the Indian side from across the border. It is estimated that about 300 militants are waiting at launch pads, a senior Army officer said here.

In the last two months, at least 10 to 12 infiltration bids have been made in each month, an Army officer said. In fact, India has taken up the matter with the US -- which is highly engaged with Pakistan with its anti-Taliban operations -- to put pressure on the latter to dismantle terrorist training camps in PoK.

Terrorist handlers from across the borders have made multiple launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) to divert attention of Indian troops while trying to push in militants inside India.

 

[youngindian]

No permanent commission for women in army: Govt

18 September 2009

NEW DELHI: There is no scope for granting permanent commission to women in the army, the government told the Delhi High Court on Friday.

Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium submitted before Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that the granting of permanent commission to women officers on short service commission in the Indian Army is out of question.

However, the court has stayed the retirement of the officers involved in the litigation till the final outcome of the case and the matter was posted for final arguments Nov 19.

The court was hearing the plea of over 20 officers who have filed a public interest petition challenging the government's proposal of Sep 29, 2008, to bypass them for future grant of permanent commission.

Currently, women are inducted in the army as officers under the Short Service Commission for a maximum period of 14 years though their male counterparts are eligible to receive permanent commission after five years.

But Subramanium was clear with his brief when he said the government policy would in effect be "prospectively" for future batches of women officers as the training and examination processes of women candidates have to be fine-tuned to suit the "additional avenues" opening up for them in the armed forces.

As an immediate succor for them, the solicitor general said: "Short Service officers are given an option to join a business course at top schools like the Indian Institutes of Management so as to immediately interface with a corporation."

But the bench did not agree with the government's contention and asked why there is a difference between male and female officers.

"We have doubts on why you should do it for male officers and not for the women. Why are they treated differently?" the court asked.

Rekha Palli, counsel for the officers, argued: "There are 35 percent vacancies in various departments. These women officers are highly trained and have been doing the same jobs for 14 years. But the armed forces do not want them any more despite the vacancies available."

No permanent commission for women in army: Govt - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

[natarajan]

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: Indian Army Special Forces For New 9mm Pistol

 

[ironman]

EADS Wins Parliament Security Contract

EADS Wins Parliament Security Contract​

The European major EADS Defence & Security has been selected by India to provide security solutions for the Indian Parliament in New Delhi. EADS will provide the TETRA radio network to provide the security for Indian Parliament.

EADS Defence and Security, through its line of business called Security & Communication Solutions, has teamed up with its local partner Sanchar Telesystems Limited to provide the TETRA network. TETRA is a state-of–the–art digital, encrypted communication system which will ensure voice and data communication, automatic vehicle and personal location and the capacity to connect to high speed data applications.

Mr. Sandeep Salunke, IPS, Director of Parliament Security indicated that the selection of the EADS TETRA system is based on a thorough process of technical evaluation. It has proved its performance superiority and meets the technical and operational requirements for securing the Indian Parliament. EADS TETRA has the capability to give secure technology for voice and data and offers interoperability between safety organizations in critical situations.

The ongoing beefing up of the Indian Parliament is a part of the Parliament Security contract of 2009 which entails investment in infrastructure and its dedication to the modernization of its security infrastructure. The digital communication system for the Indian Parliament has been on the Indian agenda after the terrorist attacks in November 2008.

This contract will be the second major EADS Defence & Security public safety and security TETRA venture in India. The first one was the 2008 TETRA radio network contract with the Andhra Pradesh Police which is already in operation. For EADS, this project is another challenge since Indian Parliament is situated in the heart of New Delhi which is the largest city by area. EADS Defence & Security is a world leader in providing mission-critical communication and command & control solutions through its integrated line of business Security & Communication Solutions (SCS).