Indian Army: News and Discussion

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Army plans military schools in three states



By IANS,Raipur: The Indian Army plans to set up military schools in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha under the central command of the defence establishment, a senior officer said Wednesday.

"The first such military school is proposed to come up in Chhattisgarh," Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army's Central Command, told newsmen here.

He informed that there were only a few military schools in the country and the Army was exploring the possibilities of setting up new ones.

The officer remarked about the presence of thousands of armymen in Chhattisgarh's Maoist stronghold restive Bastar region for a jungle warfare training camp. "The Army still believes that Naxalites are their brothers and sisters, we have taken up several social responsibility works in the red zone near Narayanpur in Bastar region included health camp attended by hundreds of people," he said.

"When the Army was stepping into Naxal (Maoist) heartland, there were talks why were they were moving in the war zone. Now I can say that the war zone will be converted into a peace zone soon," Ahluwalia said referring to a number of social works being carried out by the armymen in violence-hit Bastar region.

Army plans military schools in three states | TwoCircles.net
 

Patriot

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Army's Air Defence Units Get More Fire Power




India after years of delay and neglect is finally adding much-needed teeth to the Indian Army' air defence units to guard against hostile aircraft, helicopters and drones attacking high-value targets.

India is planning to induct a wide array of radars and surface-to-air missile (SAM) which are valued over Rs 17,000 crore have been inked and several more are in the pipeline for the air defence artillery corps.

A major upgrade of the Army's air defence weapons is needed because over 70% India's existing inventory is obsolete or nearing obsolescence. The country's overall air defence may primarily be IAF's responsibility, but the Army too requires advanced surveillance, automation and weapon systems to ensure that it can detect and destroy any enemy aircraft much before they release their weapons.

While the IAF may be superior to it's Pakistani counterpart, the Pakistani Army air defence units across the border are much better equipped, with quick-reaction missiles and man-portable SAM's like laser-guided stingers and mistral.

To correct this technological imbalance, India has launched a massive procurement process for three types of SAM's - medium-range, quick-reaction and man-portable short-range missile systems - to replace the air defence corps' old Russian-origin Kvadrat, Strela and other systems.

These new weapons that will be inducted, will be in addition to the two regiments of indigenous Akash systems, with six firing batteries and hundreds of missiles each, ordered at a cost of Rs 14,180 crore. Deliveries of the Akash missile systems to the Indian Army will begin from March 2013 onwards. The IAF is also slated to get eight Akash missile squadrons out of which six of them will be based in the north-east to counter China valued at Rs 6,200 crore.

The 25-km-range Akash is designed to neutralize multiple aerial targets attacking from several directions simultaneously, including sub-sonic cruise missiles, in all-weather conditions.

Over and above the above mentioned acquisitions, another project worth Rs 750 crore is underway to upgrade about 50 Shilka anti-aircraft armoured vehicles, which are equipped with four 23mm automatic cannons each, and imported from Russia in the mid-1980's. Simultaneously, the Indian Army air defence units are also on course to induct about 30 three-dimensional tactical control radars, which can track airborne targets up to 90-km away and over 15 low-level light-weight radars, which can be used in mountainous terrain, for over Rs 1,500 crore.

With a massive budget for the financial year 2011-12, there are plenty of more weapons procurement programmes to be inked by the Indian Armed Forces. In the coming years, the Indian Army's air defence corp will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art weapons systems to counter any aggression from it's neighbours.
 

Galaxy

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Indian Army chief talks defence relations with Uzbekistan

New Delhi, Nov 19, (IANS) :

In keeping with its new focus on Central Asian nations, Indian Army chief Gen. V.K. Singh is on a three-day visit to Uzbekistan, where he held a free-wheeling discussion with its military leadership, seeking to enhance defence relations and furthering existing military exchanges, officers said here.

This is the first-ever visit by an Indian Army chief to Uzbekistan since its independence in 1991.

At Tashkent since Thursday, Singh met Uzbek Deputy Defence Minister and its Defence Forces Joint Staff chief Lt. Gen. B. Tashmatov, when the two sides discussed specifics of their bilateral programmes such as training of personnel and visits by military officers to each other's academies.

He also visited the Tashkent Military School, where he got acquainted with Uzbek military training practices. Singh visited the Uzbekistan's Samarkand province, where he was hosted by its governor Friday.

The Indian Army chief's visit is part of India's efforts to bolster its defence relations with Central Asian nations, as part of which Defence Minister A.K. Antony had visited Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in October this year.

The Indian Army chief will also be visiting Kazakhstan from Sunday to Tuesday. In Astana, Singh will also meet with Kazakh defence leadership. This will be the first visit by an Indian Army chief to independent Kazakhstan since 1996, when then army chief General Shankar Roy Choudhury was there to further bilateral defence relations.

Having a robust relations with all Central Asian nations, India has stepped up interaction with them, given their strategic location and a vast reservoir of gas.

The land-locked Central Asian nations are strategically important and that is the reason several other countries, including the US, are vying with each other to make their presence felt there.

India considers the Central Asian region its extended neighbourhood. With China and Pakistan showing greater interest in the region with an eye on its abundant natural resources, India's focus on these nations has naturally increased, what with plans by Indian oil companies to tap the gas reserves there.

Apart from sharing historical ties with Central Asian countries, India has a special cultural links with them, apart from defence and security relations.

In fact, India has built an air base in Aini close to Tajik capital Dushanbe and it is said that the project has served New Delhi to attain strategic reach.

With Uzbekistan, India has signed a number of trade, commerce, science and technology and agriculture agreements.

Moreover, India holds frequent joint exercises with armed forces of Uzbekistan for the last several years, apart from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) collaborating on some key projects with Krygyzstan.

India and Kazakhstan held strategic level talks in 2009 and the Kazakh president was invited as chief guest for the Republic Day parade that year. The two countries have developed close cooperation in fighting terrorism and promoting regional security.

Indian Army chief talks defence relations with Uzbekistan
 

sathya

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Army to get its first attack copter squadron next year



Twenty-five years after the Army established its own aviation wing to provide tactical air support to ground formations, it is getting its own dedicated attack helicopter squadron. This marks a notable shift in its operational capabilities and the beginning of a new chapter in the doctrinal book of the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) that has till now been largely restricted to surveillance and communication roles.

Sources said the first attack helicopter squadron is scheduled to be raised early next year with the induction of indigenously developed Rudra, the weaponised version of the Dhruv – the advance light helicopter that is already in service. The new squadron is likely to be attached with one of the Army's strike corps.

So far, the Army is the only customer for the Rudra that is stated to be undergoing weapons trials. The machine would be armed with anti-tank guided missiles, rockets and machineguns. It can also carry torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.

The basic concept of the Rudra is similar to that of the Russian made Mi-25/35 helicopter gunships in service with the IAF. Both are heavily armed with the capability to ferry 6-8 combat-ready soldiers in their passenger cabins. This serves the twin purpose of providing close air support to advancing mechanised formations or ground forces in varied operational scenarios as well as deliver troops to the combat zone as reinforcements or for special missions.

Such roles are presently fulfilled by the Mi-25/35, which though operated by the IAF, have been paid for by the Army. Over the years, the IAF has been opposing the growth of the Army Aviation on the grounds that all aerial assets should be with one force to make training, maintenance and logistics easier.

The AAC is primarily equipped with the Cheetah and Chetak light helicopters. Experts have argued
that for the AAC to be an effective combat arm it must have adequate offensive and ground attack capability to provide the requisite tactical air support.

The ACC got some teeth recently with the induction of the Lancer, which is basically the Cheetah retrofitted with two integrated weapons pods each carrying a machine gun and three rockets that can provide limited close air support.

The ACC has also equipped a limited number of Cheetah helicopters airborne battlefield surveillance systems, giving field commanders real-time operational information. The system can relay its feed to a ground based receiver unit as far as 400 km away or it can record the input on to a CD for later viewing.

Assault Fleet

The first attack helicopter squadron is scheduled to be raised early next year with the induction of indigenously developed Rudra, the weaponised version of the Dhruv – the advance light helicopter that is already in service.
The new squadron is likely to be attached with one of the Army's strike corps.
The Rudra is undergoing weapons trials. The machine would be armed with anti-tank guided missiles, rockets and machineguns. It can also carry torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
 

Galaxy

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Nepali youth defy Maoists to join Indian Army

Nepali youth defy Maoists to join Indian Army

The brigadier of the 1st Gorkha Rifles (GR), AG Kundalkar, on Sunday ruled out any impact of the call given by the Maoists to youth in Nepal for staying away from joining the Indian army.

"There is no impact of the threat given by the Maoists to the youth in Nepal for joining the Gorkha regiments. We are filling our recruitment quotas and have to drop people because of the rush and willingness of youth to join our regiments," Kundalkar said on the sidelines of a three-day reunion celebration of the 1st Gorkha Rifles at Gorkha Training Center (GTC), Sabathu, Himachal Pradesh.

He said 1GR was maintaining the 60:40 ratio of its recruits. "As per rules, we recruit 60 Indian and 40 Nepalese in every recruitment process. We have been maintaining the ratio and there is no fear of any decline in number of people from Nepal joining our regiments," Kundalkar said.

Maoist leaders in Nepal have been continuously threatening to return to the jungle to start another "people's revolution" in Nepal. They have also threatened people, particularly the youth, to stay away from joining Indian army.

Speaking on the occasion, the Central Commander, Major General, P Ravindranath, who earlier received a guard of honour followed by a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, said the training aspect had been enhanced on scientific patterns.

"Whole organisation (Gorkha Rifles) has evolved to manifolds. We have established state-of-the-art training centre for enhanced training to be imparted to our jawans," he said.

Nepali youth defy Maoists to join Indian Army
 

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Indian Army gifts Engg equipments to Myanmarese counterpart

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 24 2011: The 45th Indo-Myanmar Border Liaison Meeting between Indian Army Officers and Myanmar Army Officers is being held at Myanmar from Nov 24 to 28 Nov 11 .

A fourteen member Indian Army Delegation headed by Major General Binoy Poonnen, GOC Red Shield Division under the aegis of HQ 3 Corps left today morning for Myanmar to attend the Indo-Myanmar Border Liaison Meeting said a press release of the PIB (Defence) .

The Indo-Myanmar Border Liaison Meet is a landmark event where representatives of both the Armies interact and exchange views on matters relating to security of border areas and measures to be initiated to control insurgency in both countries.

The event also gives an opportunity to all the delegates to exchange views which help in further strengthening the friendly bond and co-operation between both the countries.

Major General Binoy Poonnen, VSM also handed over 18 Tippers to the Myanmar Army as part of assistance to Myanmar for Road construction today at border town of Moreh.

The Myanmar Army was represented by an officer from RCC Kalay, who took over these Tippers.

The event was attended by Indian Army delegation and officials of Myanmar Army, according to the press release.


Indian Army gifts Engg equipments to Myanmarese counterpart : 25th nov11 ~ E-Pao! Headlines
 

Galaxy

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Slow construction of border rods irks Indian Army

NEW DELHI: Indian government has admitted that only 15 out of 73 road projects were completed alongwith Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Indian army has also showed concerned over slow progress in construction of the border roads and demanded the government that infrastructure build-up within 50 km of LAC as well as LoC with Pakistan should be exempted from requisite environmental and other clearances.

"Out of the 73 roads identified as strategic border roads, 15 have been completed, 39 are scheduled to be completed by 2013 and the remaining 19 roads would be completed by 2016," said Indian defence minister A K Anthony in a written reply to a question in Rajiya Sabha (upper house of Indian parliament)

He said that the major factors for the sluggish progress are delay in getting no objection certificate for Forest and Wildlife Department and harsh weather conditions.

Anthony in his reply admitted that the progress in the construction of roads is slow since China has aggressively strengthened its military capabilities in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Now China has five operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000-km of roads in TAR, which had made it possible for China to swiftly move over 30 divisions army to the LAC, which outnumbered Indian forces by at least three ratio one.

The 15 roads constructed by India so far measure around 600-km out of the total of 3,808 km required for the 73 all-weather roads. The 73 roads, when completed would cover all the three sectors of LAC including Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

India has took several steps to strengthen her defence capabilities alongwith the China border These measures included planning for a new mountain strike corps (over 45,000 troops) after raising two new mountain infantry divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers in Nagaland and Assam. In addition to this India on LAC also deployed Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, spy drones, helicopters and missile squadrons in the northeastern border..

ONLINE - International News Network
 

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