News Analysis India

Tag: Indian Army

  • Salesman shot dead in second targeted killing at downtown Srinagar

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  In the second targeted killing in as many days, terrorists shot dead a salesman in Bohri Kadal area of downtown Srinagar on Monday evening.

    The civilian, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of Astengoo in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, sustained critical injuries in the attack that came at 8.10 pm and was rushed to the SMHS Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

    Ibrahim was working as a salesman in Kashmiri Pandit’s shop. After the attack, police and paramilitary personnel rushed to the area and launched a search operation to track terrorist. 

    On Sunday evening, militant had gunned down a policeman in Batamaloo area of uptown Srinagar.

    The targetted killings by militants have taken place despite beefing up of security, deployment of more troops and construction of bunkers in Srinagar.

    The security arrangements were tightened after last month’s targeted killings of migrant workers and minority community members by militants in Srinagar.

    Meanwhile, security forces arrested two terrorists from Anantnag and Pulwama, both affiliated with The Resistance Front, which is believed to be a shadow outfit of the Lashkar-e-taiba. In Baramulla, three overground workers of the militants were arrested.

  • Developing indigenous technologies to confront security challenges imperative: Indian Army chief 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Only indigenously developed technologies will be available to the Indian Army for full exploitation during conflicts and it is imperative to reduce dependence on foreign technologies, Army Chief General MM Naravane said on Monday.

    The Indian Army is undergoing rapid modernisation and it is increasingly looking for indigenous solutions for its operational needs, he said in his speech at an event of industry body FICCI.

    “I truly believe that during conflicts, in war-like situations, only indigenously developed technologies will be available to us for full exploitation across diverse domains,” he stated.

    Developing indigenous and local capabilities to confront emerging security challenges and reduce dependence on foreign technologies is, therefore, an imperative, Naravane mentioned.

    “The Army, in particular, is more suited to lead this initiative. India has an expanding industrial base and we are confident that most of core requirements of defence equipment can be realised in-house,” he noted.

    The average cost of acquisition is lower in the Indian Army that allows wide participation of MSMEs and start-ups, he said.

    The government’s initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) during an economic downturn as given much needed fillip to the domestic industry, he said.

    Lt Gen Shantanu Dayal, Deputy Army Chief (Capability Development and Sustenance), stated in his speech at the event that the two most important issues for the Indian Army during procurement of equipment and technologies are quality and costs.

    We are going to deploy these equipment in very challenging conditions so they have to be robust and of good quality, he mentioned.

    Dayal said the Indian Army is going to increase the share of the indigenous content during the procurement.

  • Search operation for terrorists in J-K extended to Khabla forest area, road briefly closed

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The main road connecting Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri to Thanamandi was briefly closed for traffic on Saturday as security forces extended the ongoing search for a group of terrorists to the Khabla forest following information about their suspected movement in the area, officials said.

    The counter-insurgency operation in Surankote and Mendhar forest in Poonch district and Thanamandi in Rajouri district entered the 27th day on Saturday.

    While the operation to track down the terrorists in the forest belt of Poonch-Rajouri was underway, the security forces received information about the suspected movement of terrorists in the vast forest area of Khabla along the Mughal Road in the early hours of Saturday, the officials said.

    An operation was jointly launched by the Army and the police in the forest area of Khabla but there was no contact with the suspected terrorists, they said.

    In view of the operation, the traffic on the Rajouri-Thanamandi road was suspended as a precautionary measure for the safety of commuters, the officials said.

    Nine soldiers, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), were killed in two separate encounters with the terrorists on the first day of the search operation in Surankote forest on October 11 and in Mendhar forest on October 14.

    A Pakistani terrorist, Zia Mustafa, who was shifted from Kot Bhalwal Central Jail, Jammu to Mendhar on police remand for questioning in connection with the operation, was killed when the security personnel accompanying him to identify a hideout in the Bhatti Durrian forest in Mendhar came under fire from the hiding terrorists on October 24.

  • Marriage halls to station CRPF jawans as additional troops rushed to J&K

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  As 5,000 additional paramilitary forces have been rushed to the militancy-hit Valley after recent targeted killings and encounters, the paramilitary CRPF men took over some marriage (community) halls in Srinagar to station troops there.

    The force took over marriage (community) halls at Shutrashahi area of uptown Srinagar and Illahibagh-Malbagh area of downtown Srinagar. These community (marriage) halls have been constructed by the government and used by the locals mostly for marriage functions after paying a commission to the administration.

    Local residents of the two areas have expressed concern over the taking over of the community centre by the CRPF. Meanwhile, CRPF spokesman Abhiram Pankaj said CRPF on its own choice has never taken over an inch of space anywhere.

    “We are here to assist and support the local police and local administration and it is their responsibility where they lodge us,” he said.

    The police and paramilitary personnel have also constructed bunkers in many parts of Srinagar city.

    Brief encounter in Srinagar hospital

    Militants on Friday gave a slip to security forces after a brief encounter in premises of a hospital in Srinagar.

    A police official said a brief exchange of gunfire took place between militants and security men at SKIMS Hospital, Bemina.

    There were no injuries or casualties on both sides in the brief gunfight. Immediately after the shoot-out, police, CRPF and army men launched a search operation to track down the militants.

    The police official said militants managed to escape by taking advantage of civilian presence.

    The security apparatus in Srinagar has been intensified after the targetted killings of persons from minority communities by militants last month.

  • ‘India must enhance its capabilities in line with changing world, modes of war’: PM’s Diwali message to troops

    By PTI

    NOWSHERA: India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday and noted that modern border infrastructure has been built to augment connectivity and troop deployment.

    Modi made the remarks while addressing soldiers on the occasion of Diwali at Nowshera sector in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The prime minister lauded the role played by the brigade here in surgical strikes.

    India had conducted the surgical strike on September 29, 2016, across the Line of Control (LoC) as a response to a terrorist attack on an Army base in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Modi said many attempts were made to spread terrorism here after the surgical strike but they were given a befitting reply.

    India must enhance its military capabilities in line with the changing world and modes of war, the prime minister said.

    He said that connectivity in border areas has improved — be it from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, Jaisalmer to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

    Borders and coastal areas lacking normal connectivity now have roads and optical fibres, and this boosts deployment capabilities as well as facilities for soldiers, the prime minister said.

    Modi also said that earlier the country had to depend mostly on imports in the defence sector but with his government’s attempts indigenous capabilities have gotten a boost.

    He hailed the courage of soldiers and said their capability and strength has ensured peace and security for the country.

    “I want to spend Diwali with family members, so I join you on this festival,” he said.

    Since taking over as prime minister, Modi has made it a point to meet troops in a border region on Diwali, starting from a visit to Siachen in 2014.

    Official sources shared photographs of him at an Army post in Nowshera.

    Army chief General M M Naravane had carried out an aerial reconnaissance of forward areas, including Rajouri, on Wednesday and he was briefed about the prevailing security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Jammu region.

    An Army operation against terrorists has been going on through the forest belt in the Poonch-Rajouri area.

    This has been the longest such operation in the recent past and it entered the 26th day on Thursday.

    Meanwhile, when Modi left his residence in the morning, there were minimal security arrangements in place and no traffic route was deployed to minimise any inconvenience, official sources said.

  • Defence Ministry approves acquisition of military hardware worth Rs 7,965 crore

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry on Tuesday approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 7,965 crore, including 12 light utility helicopters from HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), according to an official statement.

    The procurement proposals were approved at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry’s highest decision-making body on the matter. All of these proposals are under ‘Make in India’ with a focus on design, development and manufacturing in India.

    “As a further impetus to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India), a global procurement case of naval guns has been foreclosed with these guns’ quantity added to the upgraded super rapid gun mount (SRGM) being manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL),” it noted.

    Besides clearing the proposal to buy 12 helicopters, the DAC approved the procurement of Lynx U2 naval gunfire control system from Bharat Electronics Limited, the ministry’s statement said.

    The DAC also approved “mid-life upgradation of Dornier aircraft” by HAL to increase the naval capacity of maritime reconnaissance and coastal surveillance, it mentioned.

    Lynx U2 Fire Control System will enhance the detection, tracking and engagement capabilities of Naval warships and upgraded Dornier Aircraft will add to the Naval capacity of maritime reconnaissance and coastal surveillance.

    These SRGMs provide niche capabilities of engaging fast manoeuvring targets using guided munitions and range extensions, and are to be fitted on the warships of the Indian Navy, the statement said.

    “The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting of November 2, 2021, held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity for capital acquisition proposals for modernisation and operational needs of the armed forces amounting to Rs 7,965 crore,” it noted.

    All these proposals are under ‘Make in India’ with a focus on design, development and manufacturing in the country, according to the statement.

    The military equipment are being procured at a time the Indian armed forces are locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

  • Indian Army’s Parachute Brigade conducts Airborne insertion exercise along LAC in Ladakh

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Monday began an exercise of its highly specialised troops of the Airborne Shatrujeet Brigade (50 Parachute Brigade) along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh which happens to be the zone where they are locked in protracted standoffs with the Chinese PLA.

    “The Shatrujeet Brigade of Indian Army is conducting an Airborne insertion along the Northern Borders in Eastern Ladakh to validate its Rapid Response Capabilities, as part of an Airborne exercise and combat manoeuvres,” a source said.

    The exercise is a part of an overall three-day affair focusing on high altitude area Airborne Exercise along Northern Borders. Other arms and services are also participating.

    “The exercise also involves the conduct of Oxygen Combat Free Fall jumps and integrated battle drills by Airborne forces, mechanised columns and attack helicopters, validating capabilities and seamless integration.” added the source quoted above.

    Talking about the first day of the exercise the sources said, “On 01 November 2021, Airborne troops were inserted to a Drop Zone at an altitude of more than 14000 feet. Pre-acclimatised troops along with specialist vehicles and missile detachments were transported via C-130 and AN 32 aircrafts from five different mounting bases to validate inter-theatre move, precision stand-off drops, rapid grouping & capture of designated objectives with speed & surprise.”

    The exercise being conducted is challenging keeping the low temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees and rarefied atmosphere in super high-altitude terrain.

    The elements of the brigade have the flexibility and can be inserted, even behind the enemy lines, and gives strategic reach and operational mobility, added another source.

    Viewing the exercise as important Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (retd) said, “It’s a very effective deterrence capability and a threat-in-being China’s aggressive behaviour along LAC.” Lt General Bhatia is himself a paratrooper and was the DG Military Operations of the Army.

    The situation along the Line of Actual Control changed with Chinese troops engaging in a standoff in May 2020. Keeping the change in situation Indian Army conducted a precautionary deployment all along the LAC. Although there has been disengagement from the standoff points at Galwan, Gogra and North and South Banks of Pangong Lake the situation remains precarious. The standoffs continue at Hotspring, Depsang and Demchok.

    Though the troops have disengaged they have retreated back and around 60,000 troops from each side continue deployed near the 832-kilometre-long LAC in Ladakh. The Chinese showed disagreement with the Indian suggestions regarding the resolution during the 13th round of Corps Commanders meeting held on October 10. This meeting was held after a gap of two months.  

    The deployments of the forces along with their tanks, artillery, heavy equipment and missiles along the Eastern Ladakh are being viewed to be for a long time. Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane said in October, “It is a matter of concern that there is a large scale build-up taking place….there has been infrastructural build-up by the Chinese side and that means they are there to stay…If they are there to stay, we are there to stay too.”.

  • Experts predict a ‘hot winter’ in J&K; CDS Rawat asks forces to remain vigilant amid China and Pakistan threats

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  It will be a ‘hot winter’ in Jammu and Kashmir this year, with militancy related violence only set to escalate after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan as ‘battle-hardened’ terrorists vie to sneak into the Valley.

    According to senior security expert and former J&K Police chief Kuldip Khoda, the Taliban are not moving towards Kashmir as of now since they are dealing with ISKP.

    “However, the fact is that fighters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and other terror groups supporting the Taliban in the fight against the US army have come back to Pakistan. The only obvious choice for them is Kashmir,” he said.

    He said Pakistan’s strategy is to raise the pitch of militancy in Kashmir.

    “Now that they are free from Afghanistan, their first task is to send a message that ‘outsiders’ will not be allowed to settle in Kashmir. That is why, there were targeted killings,” Khoda said, referring to the gunning down of five migrants in October.

    On nine soldiers being killed during the army operation that has been going on in Poonch for three weeks, he said it “can be a morale booster for militants”.

    Khoda said the security agencies should be worried because the militants who are infiltrating now had been in Afghanistan for a long time fighting the US troops.

    “They are battle-hardened and better trained… There will be higher casualties on both sides as the operations against militants will increase,” Khoda said.

    Asked whether he foresees a ‘hot winter’ this time, he said all indications are that the violence will go up. “Traditionally, violence level in winter is less because the mountain passes used for infiltration get closed due to snowfall. However, militants will try to focus on IB and LoC in Poonch and Rajouri.”

    Another security analyst said the violence level may rise in Jammu if militants target IB and LoC to infiltrate. Some security analysts said pushing of battle hardened militants is an attempt to open a double front. “While these terrorists may launch attacks against security forces, the local militants may go after soft targets,” said an expert.

    Meanwhile, the territorial ambitions of China and Pakistan require the Indian armed forces to remain alert and deployed along disputed borders and coastal areas round the year, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat said on Sunday.

    The CDS stated this while delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture at All India Radio.

    “The quintessential visionary that Sardar Patel was, he had assertively voiced the need of an independent Tibet as a buffer state between India and China, as can be found in his correspondence with the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,” he said.

    Rawat said history is witness to the fact that whenever a country neglects its armed forces, the external powers are quick to exploit it.

    In the 1950s, India overlooked this important lesson of history and allowed the security apparatus to drift and the Chinese shook the country up in 1962, Rawat said.

    “We had to relearn this lesson through an ignominious experience. Post-1962, we have had several skirmishes against the Chinese — at Nathu La in Sikkim in 1967, at Wangdung in 1986, at Doklam in 2017 and the recent skirmishes in the eastern Ladakh,” he noted.

    The outcomes have made it clear that the Indian armed forces are alert and determined to defend national territory, he said.

    This, he said, has helped the Chinese and our leaders to pursue agreements for maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and several other confidence-building measures to improve relations.

    “Territorial ambitions of China and Pakistan require India’s armed forces to remain alert and deployed along disputed borders and also along the coastal regions round the year,” he asserted.

    The current border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted in May last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas of eastern Ladakh and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, India and China completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February.

    Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.

    Rawat, in his speech, also recalled the role of the Indian armed forces in controlling the post-partition violence in India.

    “No one had fathomed that the scale of mayhem due to the communal frenzy that was unleashed due to the partition of our nation.

    “Large scale violence between people who once lived as one community resulted in the loss of thousands of innocent lives in 1947,” he said.

    The police force was limited in numbers, not fully trained or equipped, and was suffering from the trauma of communal fighting, he mentioned.

    “The communal frenzy of that time was beyond the control of the police. The armed forces were then called in to control the furious rioting and enforce civil order,” he added.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Army focuses on Eastern Sector, strengthens its defences towards ‘Rest of Arunachal Pradesh’

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: While the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army are locked in a standoff in Eastern Ladakh, the area of “Rest of Arunachal Pradesh (RALP)” is gaining attention.  Sources in the Army feel India is boosting its road infrastructure and is reorienting the forces as China has raised its infrastructure and deployments on its side.

    Arunachal Pradesh is generally divided into Kameng area on the west and Rest of Arunachal Pradesh.  “Rest of Arunachal Pradesh is an area of concern for us,” a source said. Also admitting the need for better infrastructure, the officer said that we have also raised our deployment in the RALP.  “Till 2010 there was only one Division of the Army for the entire RALP but now a major deployment of the 3 Corps is responsible for the LAC,” the source said adding that Chinese have built roads all across.

    India’s Border Roads Organisation is focusing on the area for roads with a push from the government. One of the biggest projects to connect the remote locations of Arunachal Pradesh is in process with Detailed Project Reports finalized.

    This will be the Trans-Arunachal highway which was delayed due to land compensation. As informed earlier by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, “The Arunahcal Frontier highway will connect Dirang-Tawang road, Nafra, Lada, Bameng, Chayangtajo, Sarli, Damin, Parsi Parlo, Tali, Taliha, Siyum, Mechuka, Tato, Payum, Tuting, Singa, Dibang valley and Anjaw onwards upto Vijaynagar.”

    Rijiju had said that this will be one of the toughest and biggest border road projects in independent India. Sources also added that for the sake of better integration of the border population and faster connectivity two tunnels have been planned under Brahmaputra and the DPR for one of them is complete.

    The Engineer Task Force of the exclusive Mountain Strike Corps (17 Corps) are also busy developing the road infrastructure as they have specialised equipment to continue work in harsh terrain. Sources added that there also has been reorientation of the forces towards the LAC since there have been relative peace in the areas of the Northeast.

    he RALP has gained attention since Chinese PLA mobilized its reserve troops to the training areas after the standoff began in Eastern Ladakh and since then they have remained there.

    Lt Gen MK Pandey, Commander in Chief, Eastern Command recently said, “We have observed build up by Chine close to LAC essentially in terms of habitat and that has led to correspondingly a greater number of troops that are located there. It is an area where we have differing areas of perception on the LAC.”

    He was commenting on the area of Asaphila where both India and China have areas of differing perceptions. “The Chinese have become aggressive with increased patrolling and increased frequency of the senior commanders towards the LAC. They come for patrols and make a mess. They even leave tents and spades,” added another source.

    Eastern Command handles the 1346 kilometers long Line of Actual Control including Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. This command has three corps 33 Corps (Sikkim), 4 Corps (Kameng Sector) and 3 Corps (Rest of Arunachal Pradesh) to handle the LAC.

  • Welcome women cadets to NDA with same sense of fair play, professionalism: Army chief

    By PTI

    PUNE: Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane on Friday said as the National Defence Academy (NDA) opens its doors for women cadets, it is expected that they are welcomed with the same sense of fair play and professionalism.

    He was addressing the cadets after reviewing the passing out parade of the 141st course of the NDA here.

    “As we open the portals of the NDA for women cadets, we expect you to welcome them with the same sense of fair play and professionalism as Indian armed forces are known world over,” General Naravane said.

    Last month, the Defence Ministry had informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA will be out by May next year.

    But observing that induction of women to the NDA cannot be postponed by one year, the apex court had allowed female candidates to take the exam in November this year and not wait till May 2022 as requested by the government.

    In his speech, the army chief also appealed the cadets to keep abreast with new technology to counter the contemporary challenges.

    He said he was greatly honoured to review the parade.

    “A little over 42 years back, when I stood as a cadet at the same drill square as you stand today, little I could have imagined that I would be reviewing this parade,” he said.

    “From here on, you will step into the respective career service academies for more focused military training. You will don different uniforms, but always remember that no single service by itself can fight and win modern wars,” he added.