ITBP jawans learn Chinese to avoid confusion with PLA

AVERAGE INDIAN

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NEW DELHI: Increasing incidence of face-offs with the Chinese army on the border has prompted the government to push its forces to learn Chinese. The idea is to have more and more personnel speak good Chinese so that they can communicate well during confrontations and escalation of tension is avoided due to any misunderstanding.

As many as 12 officers from ITBP, which guards the over 3,400km long Sino-Indian border have been enrolled for a two-year course in JNU's school of foreign languages. More are to follow, sources said.

ITBP DG Dubhash Goswami said, "We are increasingly stressing on learning the Chinese language. Our officers and jawans are enrolled in long duration courses. There is a perceptional difference between us and Chinese forces as far as border is concerned. Communication is important to maintain peace at the border."

Although this is not the first time that ITBP personnel are learning Chinese, such stress on learning the language well has not been there, said sources. "Earlier personnel would get to do short term capsule courses to enable them just to have a workable communication skill in Chinese limited to exchanging greetings or explaining positions. Till the 90s, in fact, force personnel were forbidden to attempt any communication with PLA as our skills were so poor that we used to only use sign language and that would lead to miscommunication," said an officer.

However, a lot has changed since then, he adds. "Earlier there would just be banner drills and patrolling confrontation where both parties would assert their claim to territory and then return to bases. There was no need for detailed communication. For the past couple of years though, there are more face-offs where confrontation continues for over a fortnight. Communication now cannot be avoided and sign language will not suffice. As forces are getting aggressive on both sides, miscommunication can lead to escalation of tension."

ITBP jawans learn Chinese to avoid confusion with PLA - The Times of India
 

sorcerer

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Army turns to artificial intelligence to break through Chinese language barrier

A Bengaluru-based company has come up with a solution that could help the Indian Army leap over the language barrier that has been impeding communication between soldiers deployed in forward areas and their Chinese counterparts.

Cogknit Semantics Pvt Ltd has offered the army an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solution that can translate Chinese into English or Hindi in real time, according to a new report prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on solutions to problems identified by the army.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat released the report, titled ‘1st Compendium on Solutions to Problem Statements,’ at the DefExpo-2018, which concluded in Chennai on Saturday.

The Chinese language barrier is one of the 130 problems identified by the Army Design Bureau (ADB) in three separate reports. Other problems include a drop in engine performance of tanks and infantry combat vehicles at high altitude, and the difficulties in laying bridges for movement of troops and vehicles in mountains.

An initiative of the Narendra Modi government, the ADB was launched in August 2016 and has been tasked with promoting research and development and acting as a bridge between the army and the private sector to meet the army’s requirements.

“It’s a 100% indigenous solution, a next generation AI product that can automatically carry out the translation. A soldier would require only a headset and a tablet,” said Deepak Kumar, director (defence solutions), Cogknit.

The company has told the army that the product could be deployed for trial at a week’s notice and does not require Internet connectivity.


The army had sought industry’s help in January 2018 to solve the language problem through the development of an “auto Chinese translator”.

“On a number of occasions, forums and activities, Indian Army members are required to interact with their Chinese counterparts. On all such occasions, language becomes a key barrier,” the ADB said in the January report.

The army acknowledged that the number of Chinese language qualified personnel/interpreters in its ranks was “negligible”.

Making a case for solving the problem, the army said “availability of genuine Chinese language translator” would also be of help to military researchers and strategic affairs analysts and “have a multiplier effect in the field of China studies in the Indian Army,” said the January report.

“Many issues can be resolved quickly if we can overcome the language barrier. It will also help conduct joint exercises and other interactions in a better way,” a senior officer said on condition of anonymity.

General Rawat heaped praise on industry for swiftly coming up with solutions to problems faced by the army. “In six months, we have got solutions to 80 of the 130 problems identified by us,” he said at a FICCI seminar here.


https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...age-barrier/story-jez4WQmcegpXAueCNR7ZnK.html
 

ezsasa

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Army turns to artificial intelligence to break through Chinese language barrier

A Bengaluru-based company has come up with a solution that could help the Indian Army leap over the language barrier that has been impeding communication between soldiers deployed in forward areas and their Chinese counterparts.

Cogknit Semantics Pvt Ltd has offered the army an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solution that can translate Chinese into English or Hindi in real time, according to a new report prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on solutions to problems identified by the army.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat released the report, titled ‘1st Compendium on Solutions to Problem Statements,’ at the DefExpo-2018, which concluded in Chennai on Saturday.

The Chinese language barrier is one of the 130 problems identified by the Army Design Bureau (ADB) in three separate reports. Other problems include a drop in engine performance of tanks and infantry combat vehicles at high altitude, and the difficulties in laying bridges for movement of troops and vehicles in mountains.

An initiative of the Narendra Modi government, the ADB was launched in August 2016 and has been tasked with promoting research and development and acting as a bridge between the army and the private sector to meet the army’s requirements.

“It’s a 100% indigenous solution, a next generation AI product that can automatically carry out the translation. A soldier would require only a headset and a tablet,” said Deepak Kumar, director (defence solutions), Cogknit.

The company has told the army that the product could be deployed for trial at a week’s notice and does not require Internet connectivity.


The army had sought industry’s help in January 2018 to solve the language problem through the development of an “auto Chinese translator”.

“On a number of occasions, forums and activities, Indian Army members are required to interact with their Chinese counterparts. On all such occasions, language becomes a key barrier,” the ADB said in the January report.

The army acknowledged that the number of Chinese language qualified personnel/interpreters in its ranks was “negligible”.

Making a case for solving the problem, the army said “availability of genuine Chinese language translator” would also be of help to military researchers and strategic affairs analysts and “have a multiplier effect in the field of China studies in the Indian Army,” said the January report.

“Many issues can be resolved quickly if we can overcome the language barrier. It will also help conduct joint exercises and other interactions in a better way,” a senior officer said on condition of anonymity.

General Rawat heaped praise on industry for swiftly coming up with solutions to problems faced by the army. “In six months, we have got solutions to 80 of the 130 problems identified by us,” he said at a FICCI seminar here.


https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...age-barrier/story-jez4WQmcegpXAueCNR7ZnK.html
anybody has a copy of this "1st Compendium on Solutions to Problem Statements,’ at the DefExpo-2018". i have been waiting for some time for such a initiative. i would definitely like to be proven wrong with my current opinion that IA focusses on products rather than technologies.
 

Armand2REP

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The only thing they need to learn is 'put your hands up or we will shoot.
 

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