Indian Army: News and Discussion

[nandu]

India plans civilian trek to Siachen

An aerial view of the Siachen Glacier, which traverses the Himalayan region,about 750 km northwest of Jammu. A file photo

The Army plans to take along 35 civilians including women, journalists, scientists from the DRDO and other glacial studies institutes, and mountaineers from among civilian enthusiasts as well as military training establishments

Notwithstanding Pakistan's vociferous protests earlier, India will organise a civilian mountaineering and trekking expedition to the forbidding Siachen Glacier for the fourth year in a row in October-November this year.

"The Siachen trekking expedition this year is in its planning stage and is likely to take place some time in October—November," an Army officer involved in the planning of the trek said here.

The expedition, which has now become an annual affair, is meant to showcase to the global community that Indian troops hold the Siachen glacial heights and Pakistan is nowhere near the Glacier, regarded as the world's highest battlefield.

Guns had boomed in the 78-km-long Glacier at an altitude of 18,875 feet till November 25, 2003, when a formal ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan came into effect along the 740-km Line of Control (LOC) and 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL).

During this year's expedition, the Army plans to take along 35 civilians including women, journalists, scientists from the DRDO and other glacial studies institutes, and mountaineers from among civilian enthusiasts as well as military training establishments.

The participants would be trained in mountaineering, skating and other such skills required to go through the arduous month—long trek to the Glacier, the officer said.

They would also be visiting some of the Indian Army positions on their way up the glacier and back.

The civilian Siachen expedition had run into a controversy when it began in 2007 after Pakistan lodged a strong protest, calling it "incongruous" to the ongoing peace efforts between the two countries.

Though the Army halted the trip immediately after the protest that year, it went ahead with the trekking expedition after a go—ahead was given by the UPA government later.

Every year since then, India continued with its Siachen expedition of civilians and mountaineering enthusiasts, even as Pakistan had voiced its concern.

Despite protests from Pakistan, India maintains it does not need Islamabad's approval to send trekkers to Siachen, which is essentially in Indian territory.

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article429570.ece?homepage=true

 

[RAM]

Tele-relief for troops on LoC

Rajouri, May 14: Government of India has slashed rates on satellite phone calls to its minimum for troops and paramilitary troops posted in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

This has provided big relief to troops guarding the Line of Control where mobile and landlines phone facility is not available or jammers are placed for security reasons.

Defense sources told Rising Kashmir that the government had slashed rates on satellite phone calls.

Earlier the call rate for one minute was Rs 5 per minute and now Rs 1 is being charged for the call duration of 5 minutes.

This would be a big relief for troops in various areas of Poonch. The new rates have come into force for few days back.

"On average each trooper guarding LoC had to use satellite phone for 40 minutes in 24 hours. This mean they were paying Rs 200 per day. Now 40 minute call is being charged at Rs 8 only," sources said.

Defense Ministry of India has provided satellite phone facility for troops in remote and border areas of Jammu Kashmir but due to high call rates, most of them could not call home frequently.

The troops were jubilant after they came to know about the decision.

"This has brought out depression level down. Phones are the only source which keep us in touch with out family," said a BSF trooper posted in Poonch. "This is a major relief government gave us."

BSF Commandant in Sawjian sector of Poonch area, Sandeep Chanan said the rates slashed by the government had come into force and their men were enjoying the service. "Our troops are happy. This is big relief for us."
http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=23398

 

[Anshu Attri]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/himachal.htm

Rohtang tunnel to be completed in 2015.

Shimla, May 14
Work on the Rs 1458 crore Rohtang Tunnel Project to link the landlocked tribal area of Lahaul with an all-weather road will finally take off in June. Stating this after a meeting with Chief Engineer, Rohtang Tunnel Project (Border Roads Organisation), P.K.Mahajan, here today, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the 8.80 km traffic tunnel would be completed by February, 2015.

He said the dream project of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would ensure that the people of the tribal belt were not cut-off from the rest of the world during winter due to snow on high mountain pass of the Rohtang.

The project would help connect the Kullu-Manali valley with Lahaul valley with a 10 m wide double-lane tube tunnel.

He said during winter months the state had been taking various precautionary measures to ensure safety of the travellers, who ventured to cross 13,050 ft Rohtang on foot, by establishing rescue posts on both sides of the pass.

The government had also been providing a helicopter service to airlift residents of the tribal areas when all other communication links were non-operational. The proposed tunnel would curtail travelling time substantially as distance between Manali and Keylong would be reduced by more than 50 km.

He said two more traffic tunnels had been proposed to be constructed, one on Darcha-Shinkola road in Lahaul and the other at Dhadra Dhank on the Hindustan Tibet Road.

 

[Prince]

Army to raise new battalions frm Sikkim, Arunachal

New Delhi: The Army is planning to raise new battalions comprising youth from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, states that have borders with China, on the lines of Ladakh Scouts.

The new battalions would be posted in their respective states.

The Army Commanders' Conference, which began its biannual session here today, discussed the plans to raise these new battalions in the two states bordering China, Army officers said today.

"The idea is to have battalions comprising sons of the soil from these two states. The battalions would be similar to the Ladakh Scouts, which are normally posted only in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir," they said.

On the prudence of having such battalions, officers said the two primary reasons were: the local youth's natural acclimatisation to the region's terrain, weather and environment and that they would fight to defend their land to the finish.

Asked how many battalions would be raised, they said finer details of the new battalions would come out after the Army commanders debated the issue threadbare.

Sikkim has a population of just 5.4 lakh as per 2001 census and according to government figures, 60 per cent of them are below 24 years of age. Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 10.9 lakh as per 2001 census and also boasts of a high youth population.

India's borders with China along Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh extends to 222 km and 1,540 km respectively. While China claims 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh as its own, it also claims a small tract of territory in Sikkim called the 'Finger Area' too.

While the border along Arunachal Pradesh remains disputed, China officially recognised India's sovereignty over Sikkim during then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Beijing in 2003.

The Army's Ladakh Scouts were raised in 1963 following the 1962 Sino-Indian war. The battalion was first used as pioneers and during the Indo-Pak Kargil war in 1999 they were accorded the status of full regiments of the Army. At present, the Army has five Ladakh Scouts regiments.

Ladakh Scouts officer Major Sonam Wangchuk is the latest recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second highest wartime gallantry medal. Earlier Chewang Rinchen had won MVC twice, first during the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war and again during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

The Ladakh Scouts served outside Ladakh only once in 2006-07 when one of their units was posted in Chandimandir, the seat of the Army's Western Command.
Army to raise new battalions from Sikkim, Arunachal

http://www.zeenews.com/news627367.html

 

[RAM]

Bangladesh restricts night-time movement along its borders

Bangladesh has enforced a restriction on movement of people along its borders with India during the night time to avert frequent incidents of killings of its nationals in cross-border shootouts. "The order was conveyed to the administrative authorities of the frontier districts and the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)" after the decision was taken in an inter-ministerial meeting with Home Minister Sahara Khatun in the chair, a spokesman of the ministry told PTI. He said that the local administrations were also asked to launch a motivational campaign engaging representatives from local communities to dissuade people from moving along the borders at night.

Rights group Odhikar in a recent report had said that a total of 910 Bangladeshis were killed between January 2000 and April 2010 in cross border firings, and Dhaka had raised the issue during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's trip to India in January this year. The spokesman said Mr. Khatun told the meeting that Dhaka would again ask New Delhi to take steps to stop the incidents "which takes place time and again" and had continued despite repeated assurances by Indian authorities.
According to newspaper reports, in a latest incident two Bangladeshis were killed and three others were wounded due to firing by the Border Security Force (BSF) at north-western Thakurgaon borders on Friday.
Officials said India had also restricted night-time movement on its side of the border to evade cross-border casualties in shootouts. The frontier shootout dominated the talks at the BDR-BSF director general meeting in New Delhi in March this year. The then BDR chief Major General Mainul Islam told PTI that the "earlier Indian assurance to stop it during our talks (in Dhaka in July 2009) was not reflected in their actions in the past months" when a number of Bangladeshis lost their lives. Meanwhile, BSF chief M.L. Kumawat said: "We are trying to drastically reduce the incidents of such killings in the frontiers". He, however, added that most of the cross-border killings usually take place at the "dark of night" when BSF enforces a nightlong curfew on their side of the frontier to check cross-border crimes.

Mr. Kumawat added that Indian nationals too were often killed in BSF shootouts but in most of the cases they were found to be "smugglers or terrorists" who tried to defy the curfew and trespass borders. He said only 15 per cent of such casualties took place during day time but such cases were extensively investigated both by Indian police and BSF and "we have told our counterparts how many BSF men faced stern actions for any such intentional killing". Mr. Islam at that time agreed with his counterpart and said the frontier Bangladeshi nationals were needed to be "more careful" in their movement in the frontline.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article431981.ece

 

[nandu]

Army Commanders Deliberate Over 'Quantified' Promotion Policy


New Delhi: The four-day army commanders' conference that began in New Delhi on Monday will review the new promotion policy, quantified system (QS), which came into effect last year. There could be some modifications based on the feedback sought from the different military wings.

Chief of army staff General VK Singh will review the policy. He has asked the military secretary for the policy letter based on which QS was evolved.

The new system, adopted after its success in the Medical Corps, grades officers on a computerised scale of 100, of which 90 marks are for annual confidential reports (ACRs), five for awards, honours and courses undergone, and the remaining are decided by the board members (or selectors). If the board members feel an officer has been wrongly judged, they can rectify his report by giving him the 5% marks at their disposal.

Earlier there was no value attached to attributes of an officer being evaluated and each parameter of an officer was taken into consideration as part of the complete report, called the -annual confidential report (ACR) being assessed by a competent authority. The ACR of any officer goes through atleast three levels, which means it is written and reviewed by three competent authorities, which are the Initiating Officer, Reviewing Officer and the Senior Reviewing Officer.

Two Boards each for every rank have been conducted in this one year plus, which are from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel, Colonel to Brigadier, Brigadier to Major General and Major General to Lieutenant General, all of which have been through the new system.

The previous system did not have a computerised order of merit, and had manual computation for selecting officers for the next rank, which in most cases was found wanting as a personal angle or a human factor would find itself weighing on the decision of the selectors, thereby prompting young officers to make complaints if they missed their next ranks. Therefore a quantity or value was given to all the attributes, like annual reports, awards, courses etc, so as to avoid the human error factor, and the computer was left to do the calculation and come up with a merit, of those to be selected

A year later, QS has been found unsuitable for senior ranks as pointed out by all formations of the army. An officer said, "The system is good for junior officers such as those being promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel and from Colonel to Brigadier, but not for higher ranks. In higher ranks, the number of reports written is less. If an officer misses out on even one report, he is out. In junior selection, an officer has more years to perform and subsequently, more ACRs, he has a lot of time to prove himself and earn better reports."

Though the new system did bring down some complaints at the junior level, but at the senior level since the Board members are senior officers and at some level those officers coming up for senior rank selection would have served under them at some point of time, it helps them assess better, since those officers are known to them, if their previous reports do not have a high ranking. Anomalies can be removed if any, if more weightage is with the selectors, unlike now where they are left only with five percent. Formations have written that more weightage be with the selectors or Board members so that reports can be rectified if there are anomalies or short comings seen in it.

With the increase in the number of vacancies in the higher ranks, after the AV Singh-II recommendations, the selection Boards for senior officers' promotions are being held twice a year, said an officer, especially number 1 SB (Selection Board), and Special Selection Board (SSB) which is for promoting Major Generals to Lieutenant Generals. Number 1 SB is for Brigadiers to Major Generals, number 2 SB for Colonels to Brigadiers and number 3 SB is for Lieutenant Colonels to Colonels. Out of all those being considered for promotion, atleast 50 percent officers make it to the next rank.

Earlier officers made it to anywhere between six and eight on a nine-pointer scale in their ACRs (annual confidential reports) and a few sevens often became the reason for rejection of an officer in a Board and be deemed unfit for the next rank which could be an error or even a senior's grudge towards a junior officer, who's ACR he was writing, which was thoughfully taken care of by the Army by computerisation, and helped at the junior rank selection level.

Any selection Board comprises officers senior by two ranks to the officers to be assessed, and generally has a strength of five officers in the panel.

Awards and honours too have weightage, in which distinguished awards for service like VSM (Vishisht Sewa Medal) and PVSM (Param Vishisht Sewa Medal) are considered only for the immediate rank for which the officer is competing, while gallantry awards are considered for the next two ranks, during promotion.

A LtCol remains in his rank for at atleast four years or more before coming up for promotion, while a Colonel too has that much time in his rank, but Brigadier and Major Generals hardly have a couple of years in which either they make it or miss the next rank.

http://chhindits.blogspot.com/

 

[nandu]

Army proposes new anti-Naxal training centre

New Delhi, May 18 (PTI) In the backdrop of major attacks by Maoists against paramilitary and central police personnel, the Army has proposed to set up a dedicated centre to ready the security men for the battle against the Naxals.

The proposal was made during the ongoing Army Commanders' Conference here and it was suggested that the new centre could be set up on the lines of the Army's Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) in Mizoram.

Army sources said here today that the Commanders discussed the issue and they were willing to offer the services of defence officers as instructors at the new school for training the paramilitary personnel.

The new centre, sources said, would be in addition to the anti-Naxal operations training that the Army has been provided for the last six years now.

 

[nandu]

Two Indian soldiers die in firing from Pakistan

Jammu: Two Indian soldiers were killed on Tuesday evening as their vehicle came under gunfire from Pakistan across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, military sources said.

Three soldiers were also injured in the incident at around 7 p.m. at Nangi Tikri area in Krishnaghati sector close to the Line of Control, about 200 km north of Jammu.

"Two soldiers died and three others were injured. There were five occupants in the vehicle," an army source said.

http://sify.com/news/two-indian-soldiers-die-in-firing-from-pakistan-news-national-kfsuAbhaich.html

 

[ahmedsid]

2 Indian soldiers killed in Pakistani firing

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/2-indian-soldiers-die-in-pakistani-firing/115659-3.html?from=tn

Two Indian soldiers were killed on Tuesday evening when heavy firing from Pakistan destroyed an army truck moving near the border in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, military sources said.
Three soldiers were also injured in the firing by the Pakistanis from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Nangi Tikri area of Mendhar. All five victims were in the truck.
The dead men were identified as Lance Naik Atul and Lance Naik Yogesh. Their full names were not immediately available.
This is the third such incident in the area this month. The earlier firing from Pakistani troops took place May 1 and 6.
Tuesday's attack took place around 7 p.m. when heavy firing hit an Indian Army 2.5 tonner.
The firing is seen as a major ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops.
A defence ministry spokesperson in Jammu told IANS that the two soldiers died "in hostile fire"

 

[ahmedsid]

Bloody Cheap Pakistani Tactics. I pray for the Dead Soldiers and their Families.

I just wish, Pakistan would sink into the Sea or Get wobbled by the Earth! Pakistan has its share of good people, But then I am sure most of them must have been killed by Suicide Attacks. All that remains are terrorists!

Yes, this is a Rant, and can be reported by the members and I am sure action will be taken by the Other Admins. But, I am pained hearing this news, early morning! And this pain is the Justification! God Speed

 

[RAM]

BSF for new devices to check Kashmir infiltration

The Border Security Force (BSF) is procuring new equipment that can give out alerts about terrorists from Pakistan sneaking into Jammu and Kashmir, say sources in the paramilitary force.The BSF is opting for Battle Surveillance Radar Equipment, which can alert the force about any movement well in advance, say the sources. It is being imported, the sources said, but did not specify from which country.The BSF in Jammu and Kashmir is responsible for guarding the 198-km international border from Rajpora in the south of Jammu region to Chicken Neck in the north in the plains. In the past two months, the international border has witnessed more than a dozen infiltration bids and ceasefire violations by Pakistan Rangers who guard their side of the border.

The BSF already has more than 1,500 hand held thermal image devices which work in all weather conditions and have often helped Indian border guards to check terrorist infiltration, the BSF sources said.Infiltration from Pakistan is becoming a major headache for the security forces, with militants attempting to cross over from all directions.
They have made repeated attempts from the Line of Control (LoC) that separates the Indian and Pakistani parts of Jammu and Kashmir and also the international border

http://www.hindustantimes.com/BSF-for-new-devices-to-check-Kashmir-infiltration/Article1-545276.aspx

 

[ganesh177]

Too sad this happened. RIP.
Pakistan will never have their tail straightened up.

 

[ajtr]

I'm more interested to know what indian army did in response ?Did they form human chain as they usually do with chinese on border or did they called for flag meetings of the commanders to lodge protests as they always do???

 

[Sridhar]

Army didn't retaliate as it was in the process of ascertaining the source of firing.
The possibility is that the militants had fired on the Army vehicle from near the fencing with the support of Pakistan Army, sources said, adding a flag meeting was likely to be held tomorrow in which Indian side will lodge a strong protest with Pakistan.

 

[sayareakd]

RIP for the soldiers and deepest condolences to the friends and families for their loss. Pakistan should be dealt with sift and iron hand. that is the language they understand.

 

[ajtr]

sridhar,
When LOC is no-man's Area isn't pak rangers equally culpable allowing the armed people near the fence(even if we take their explanation that militants fired from fence)?

 

[nitesh]

this is not a good news:

http://indiadefenceonline.com/1907/light-helicopter-project-faces-uncertain-future/

The helicopter model offered by Eurocopter was unable to perform high altitude hover-out-of-ground-effect (HOGE). The problem with ROE's Kamov was that the engine to be fitted on Kamov 226T will be Arrius 2G1 which is not yet certified. While Agusta Westland was facing serious problems due to some misunderstanding over some classification issue with the Defence Ministry.

 

[RAM]

Indian Army Military Police help line launched

New Delhi, May 20 (ANI): The Indian Army has launched the Police help line here.Army Chief General VK Singh inaugurated the facility on Wednesday during the biannual Army Commanders Conference.Common Military help line telephone number 155200 can now be accessed across the nation to provide assistance to military personnel.The number that is available at Military Police Control Rooms has been instituted to provide immediate assistance and be instrumental in solving and mitigating crisis being faced by military personnel.In addition, it will provide an excellent facility for the civil police and the public to contact the Military Police to provide first hand information of any situation where military persons are involved or has potential to affect the military persons.The telephone number has been allotted in coordination with department of telecommunication and can be accessed locally and from outside the locality by prefixing the STD code of that station.

The facility has been activated presently at some of the metro cities and state capitals, and is likely to be extended across the nation soon

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/20/indianarmy-military-police-help-linelaunched.html

 

[nandu]

Army averts major avalanche tragdey in Ladak

An Infantry Division in the Northern Sector conducted a rescue operation to save 73 precious civilians lives. In the afternoon of 18 May a landslide occurred 2 km short of Changla Top (Ht 17350 ft), in which 75 civilians and a large Number of vehicles trapped under huge heaps of snow.
On receipt of information, the General Officer Commanding pressed his rescue teams from Changla, Soldiers reached the site immediately. Fighting heavy odds due to strong winds and snow storm and blizzard like conditions, they evacuated six civilians buried under the snow. The critically injured, including Mr Mohammed Latif (District Social Welfare Officer, Leh) were evacuated along with others to an Army Detachment where first aid, trauma care and refreshments were provided. A Bangalorite, Mr A Balakrishnan got separated from his wife in the melee of the landslide and his whereabouts were not known while his wife was transferred to the Military hospital for the night.
In the meantime, two other rescue teams reached the incident site to work under most tiring conditions. The winds were blowing hard when they evacuated the civilians to safe zones. Mr Mohd Latif, while being evacuated further succumbed to his injuries. Some rescued civilians were dispatched to Tangtse, after first aid, while some tourists and drivers were provided first aid, shelter and food at Changla Top and retained for the night. Search operation of the Army rescue teams continued early next morning with the assistance of Army Avalanche rescue dogs, who found the body of Balakrishnan buried deep under snow. The Army provided succor and emotional support to Mrs Balakrishnan in organizing the transportation of mortal remains to Bangalore.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/05/army-averts-major-avalanche-tragdey-in.html

 

[nandu]

Army saves 2 leopard cubs barely 15-days-old!

The Indian Army's valour on the battlefield is well known. But the Army has always cherished the rich flora and fauna of the country and played a pivotal role towards environment protection and conservation of wildlife as well.
On 20 May 2010, the Jawans of Binnaguri Cantonment in North Bengal set a very fine example by saving the lives of two abandoned leopard cubs found near their training area. The cubs barely 15 days old were immediately examined by an army vet doctor. They were then handed over to Mr RC Roy, Range Officer, Forest Conservation Department by Maj Gen RK Rana, General Officer Commanding, Kripan Division.
The forest officials were highly appreciative of the efforts of the Army and thanked the General Officer for the sensitivity shown towards conservation of wildlife.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/