News Analysis India

Tag: Indian Army

  • Mortal remains of one pilot of chopper that crashed into Ranjit Sagar dam found

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The mortal remains of one of the two pilots of an Army helicopter that crashed into the Ranjit Sagar Dam lake near Pathankot nearly two weeks ago were found, military sources said on Sunday.

    The search and rescue operation for the mortal remains of the second pilot (Captain Jayant Joshi) continues, they said.

    “Mortal remains of Lt Col AS Baath retrieved from a depth of 75.9 metres at 6:19 pm from the Ranjit Sagar lake. Efforts to retrieve mortal remains of the second pilot continue,” a source said.

    The Rudra helicopter belonging to the Army Aviation wing had crashed into the lake on August 3 when it was carrying out a training sortie.

    A multi-agency team was carrying out the search and rescue operation.

    It has already recovered the wreckage of the chopper along with some pilot gear.

    The chopper belonged to the Army’s Pathankot-based Aviation Squadron.

    “The wreckage of the #ArmyHelicopter that had crashed into the #RanjitSagarReservoir has been identified at a depth of approx 80m from the surface of the reservoir. Heavy duty #RemotelyOperatedVehicles are being flown in to assist the recovery operationsm,” the Army’s Western Command tweeted four days ago.

    Officials said the rescuers were facing difficulty in view of the fact that the expanse of the dam is 25-km-long, 8-km-wide and more than 500 feet deep.

    The Army is coordinating the efforts of Indian Navy deep divers’ team consisting of two officers, four junior commissioned officers and 24 other ranks, Indian Army special forces divers’ team consisting of two officers, one JCO and 24 other ranks, multi beam sonars, side scanners, remotely operated vehicles and underwater manipulators, which have been flown in from Chandigarh, Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi and pressed into action at the crash site, they said.

    They said this deep underwater operation is especially challenging due to the near-zero visibility below 50 m owing to the colloidal nature of water in this season which adversely impacts accuracy of sonars and other sensors.

  • Six Army men get Shaurya Chakra for anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India’s third-highest gallantry medal in peacetime, Shaurya Chakra, has been awarded to six Army personnel including posthumously to one for displaying bravery in anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir last year.

    The recipients of the prestigious award are Major Arun Kumar Pandey, Major Ravi Kumar Chaudhary, Captain Ashutosh Kumar (posthumously), Captain Vikas Khatri, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar and Sepoy Neeraj Ahlawat, according to the Indian Army.

    It said four Army personnel were conferred the Bar to Sena medal while 116 others were named for the Sena medal on the eve of Independence Day.

    According to the Army, Major Pandey of the 44th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles led an anti-terror operation in a village in Jammu and Kashmir on June 9 and 10 last year and showed “unparalleled courage” while neutralising two hardcore terrorists.

    Major Chaudhary of 55th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles “exhibited exceptional resoluteness” and fortitude in leading four successful operations by his unit resulting in the elimination of 13 terrorists, the Army said.

    An operation led by him on June 3 last year was specifically mentioned in his citation.

    Captain Kumar of 18th battalion of the Madras Regiment has been conferred the Shaurya Chakra award posthumously for displaying “indomitable courage” and professional acumen of “highest order” in saving the life of one of his fellow soldier and eliminating a hardcore terrorist in an operation on November 8 last year.

    Captain Vikas Khatri from the 16th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles was deployed as part of a special task of “area domination patrol” in Jammu and Kashmir under the challenging terrain at the height of 12,000 feet on the nights of December 12 and 13 last year.

    The Army said he eliminated one foreign terrorist despite heavy retaliation, showing raw courage and bravery.

    Rifleman Kumar from the ninth battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles was part of a cordon and search operation launched on the night of July 16 based on specific intelligence inputs of the likely presence of terrorists in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Kumar physically wrestled with the terrorist, who was shocked by the ferocity of the assault.

    He kept attacking the terrorist with the butt of his weapon in spite of sustaining a gunshot wound,” the Army said.

    “Unmindful of his injuries, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar neutralised the terrorist from point-blank range ensuring no injuries to own troops or the civilians,” it added.

    Sepoy Ahlawat has been conferred the Shaurya Chakra award for showing “exceptional gallantry beyond the call of duty and nerves of steel” during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir on June 20 last year, the Army said.

    One hardcore Pakistani terrorist was eliminated in the operation, it said.

    Detailing about the incident, the Army said a group of terrorists was firing indiscriminately towards the inner cordon of the troops in a bid to escape, taking cover of civilians in the area as human shields.

    It said Ahlawat waited for an opportune moment and fired accurately on the fleeing terrorists after exercising extreme restraint and displaying composure in the face of a rapidly escalating situation.

    “One of the terrorists was eliminated on the spot. The second terrorist opened heavy fire towards Sepoy Ahlawat at close range. Despite the grave danger, he showed indomitable courage to hold onto his position and continued engaging the second terrorist, injuring him and damaging his sophisticated M-4 Assault Rifle,” it said.

    The gallant actions of Ahlawat led to the elimination of a Pakistani terrorist, the Army said.

  • Welfare Step: Indian Army will grant more Honorary Commissions to its Junior Commissioned Officers

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As a measure of welfare the Indian Army has decided to raise the numbers of Honorary Commissions granted to serving Junior Commissioned Officers on Independence Day and Republic Day in their last year of service as recognition of their exemplary service and contribution in the Armed Forces. The first such list is slated to be released on Saturday.

    Conveying the decision taken on Friday, the Army said,  “The ratio for grant of Honorary Commission since 1984 has been 12:1000 for Honorary Lieutenants and proportionate vacancies for Honorary Captains.  Acknowledging the contribution of Junior Commissioned Officers,  the Government has now revised the ratio to 15:1000 for Honorary Lieutenants.”

    With the grant of Honorary Commission comes the immediate raise in the salary as per the rank and thus enhances the associated pension post retirement. The Honorary ranks are either Lieutenant or Captain.

    On an average every Unit has about 40 JCOs which changes as per the Arms namely the Infantry, Armoured or Artillery and the services like the Army Service Corps, Ordinance of the many.

    There are around one lakh Junior Commissioned Officers in the Indian Army of around 1.3 million strength. The three levels at which people join the Army are as the Commissioned Officers, JCOs and the Other Ranks (OR). 

    The JCOs are considered to be the link between the officers and ORs and are repository of operational experience due to long years of service within the units and the consequent association with the ORs. They retire from the Unit they had joined after recruitment as soldiers. For the commissioned officers Unit associations are upto the rank of Colonel.

  • India’s armed forces are ready to deal with any security challenge: CDS Bipin Rawat

    Gen Bipin Rawat said India is a peace-loving nation but it had to train its forces for war considering the kind of challenges it has been facing.

  • Divers, specialised equipment roped in to search for Army chopper that crashed at Ranjit Sagar Dam

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Multi beam sonars, side scanners, remotely operated vehicles and underwater manipulators of the Army, Navy, Air Force and other agencies have been pressed into service to locate the pilot, co-pilot and remains of the Army helicopter which crashed into the reservoir of the Ranjit Sagar Dam a week ago. The equipment has been flown in from Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Chandigarh. Another team of sea divers of the navy has been requisitioned from Kerala to join the search operations. International assistance may also be sought for the search operation.

    The Army authorities are leaving no stone unturned to search for the Army Aviation Corps Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which took off from Mamun military station near Pathankot and crashed into the lake last Tuesday morning during a routine sortie. It was carrying on board a lieutenant colonel and a captain and crashed and sank into the Ranjit Sagar Reservoir which is 25 kilometres long, 8 kilometres wide and more than 500 feet deep on August 3. An Army official said they are coordinating the efforts of navy (2 officers, 4 JCOs and 24 other ranks), Special Forces divers of the army (2 officers, 1 JCO and 24 other ranks).

    “The search operations continue unabated in spite of bad weather and rain. Expertise and equipment of Army, Navy, IAF, National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), SDRF, NGOs, State Police, Dam Authority and private firms from all over the country have also been pressed into action,” he added.

    The officer stated that this deep underwater operation is especially challenging due to the near zero visibility below fifty metres owing to the colloidal nature of water in this season which adversely impacts accuracy of sonars and other sensors. The lake bottom is muddy and full of silt, boulders, caves besides an uneven surface.

    “No efforts are being spared for early conclusion of the search operations. A small area of 60m by 60m has been localized and special sonar equipment flown in from Kochi is being employed to enable the search operations to enter their final phase. There are 10 to 12 divers at the job to trace the wreckage,” he said.

  • Offensive defence: Army to ready its first set of new battle groups by September end

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is giving the final touch to the Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs), the ambitious combat formation aimed at making the force more lethal and suitable to fight a modern war with the support of technology.

    The IBGs are agile, brigade-sized, and self-sufficient combat formations. In case of hostilities, they can swiftly strike against the enemies. Every IBG will be tailor-made and will be based on the three Ts — Threat, Terrain, and Task.

    A source said on Monday, “The officials led by the military operations met on Monday to finalise the formation of the Integrated Battle Groups with officials of other wings in presence.”

    All the officials concerned worked together as it affects almost all the Arms and the services of the Army and with them together decisions will be swift, the source added.

    ALSO READ | India to take part in drills with China’s People’s Liberation Army and Pakistani Army 

    In the first go, of the two IBGs planned one is coming up under the 9 Corps mandated to operate on the Western Borders with Pakistan. The other one is being raised under the 17 Corps raised as the sole strike Corps to operate along the Northern borders with China. The aim is to firm up two IBGs by September end.

    The IBGs will be self-contained fighting formations with the elements of every arm and service mixed together as per the terrain and operational requirements.

    As reported earlier by The New Indian Express, each IBG will have a troop strength of around 5,000, bigger than a Brigade (3000-3,500) but smaller than a Division (10,000-12,000). These will have a mix of every arm and service like Infantry, Artillery, Armoured, Engineers, Signals, Air Defence, and others. In the initial phase, the Army has decided to reconstitute its standing forces into 12 modernised IBGs. The forces reassigned and reconstituted would be smaller but swifter with greater combat thrust.

    As per the plan, there will be four IBGs under the nine Corps, five or six under 33 Corps, and three under the 17 Corps.

    More formations will be approved once the first set is raised as the ambition is to do away with the Division Headquarters which function under the Corps and remove one complete layer from the organisational setup.

  • Schools in Jammu & Kashmir to be renamed after security men killed in militant violence

    By Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: The administration has decided to name schools in Jammu and Kashmir after the police, CRPF and army men killed in militancy-related violence in the Union Territory in the last three decades.

    Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Raghav Langer in an order has directed Deputy Commissioners of all 10 districts of Jammu region — Jammu, Kathua, Doda, Poonch, Ramban, Samba, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Udhampur and Reasi  — to identify schools for being named after the security personnel killed in militancy violence in J&K in over three decades of militants.

    The Divisional Commissioner directed all 10 DCs to identify government schools in villages, municipal wards of their districts that can be named after the slain security men.

    “A committee may be constituted at district level to prepare such details after due verification,” reads the circular.

    “SSP/ADC/DPO or AC Panchayat/Representative of the Army/etc can be included in the committee to finalise the list at district level,” further reads the circular.

    The DCs were directed to submit the list of such schools that can be renamed before August 5, 2021 to the Divisional Commissioners’ office for further action in the matter.

    The directions from Divisional Commissioner Jammu has come after J&K government directed that tri-colour be hoisted on all government buildings and offices including schools across the UT on Independence Day.

    Reacting to government order on naming of schools after security men killed in line of duty, PDP leader Mohit Bhan tweeted, “Another government order to divide, politicise armed forces & civilians in the name of nationalism”.

    ”8000 political workers in J&K have given the supreme sacrifice of their lives to keep the democracy alive since 1947 – 2021 where’s their honour ?,” he tweeted.

  • Army ‘strong and tall’ in face of challenges on ‘active, unsettled’ borders: Gen Naravane

    By PTI

    PUNE: Army chief General M M Naravane on Friday said the Indian Army stands “strong and tall” in the face of challenges faced on both “active and unsettled” west and north borders where exigencies have increased during the coronavirus pandemic.

    General Naravane said he has always maintained that wars are not fought between two armies, but they are waged between two nations.

    His remarks came on a day when the Indian Army said that Indian and Chinese armies have completed the disengagement process and restored the pre-stand-off ground position in the Gogra friction point in eastern Ladakh.

    Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the golden jubilee celebrations (1971-2021) of the Television Wing of the Film and Television Institute of India, General Naravane hailed the role of mainstream cinema in reinforcing core values, preserving the diverse culture of the country and galvanising it in times of crisis.

    ALSO READ | Indian, Chinese armies complete disengagement at Gogra Point

    The Chief of Army Staff, however, said that “stereotyping” of characters and Indian armed forces officers should be avoided.

    “On a lighter note, I have always found the stereotyping of Indian (armed forces) officers in the films, both amusing and intriguing.

    The beautiful heroine’s father is always a ‘khadoos’ (rude, snobbish) colonel, wearing a silk gown with whisky in one hand and a shotgun in the other.

    That really intrigues me.

    “Well, creative license is understood, I believe that stereotyping of communities and characters needs to be avoided. Let’s start believing in it,” he said.

    The Army chief said the nation is passing through a challenging period.

    “The exigencies on our active and unsettled borders, both west and north (an apparent reference to Pakistan and China), have only increased in the times of the pandemic. The Indian Army, your Army, however, is strong and tall in the face of these challenges,” General Naravane said.

    He said war movies have immortalied Indian soldiers and highlighted their courage.

    “War movies had always an enduring impact on people of all ages, especially our youth. These films have immortalized our soldiers in the hearts of every Indian.

    “We have grown up watching these films, which have captured the valour of armed forces. It served to reinforce the supreme sacrifice of a soldier in national conscious,” he said.

    General Naravane said a large number of TV serials, too, have depicted the life and challenges of soldiers and creating awareness in the society while encouraging the youth to join the armed forces.

    He thanked FTII for its efforts in recent times to reach out to the youth of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Your workshops on screen play writings, acting, film making have been received with great enthusiasm in the (Kashmir) Valley and the personal initiative of FTII director Bhupendra Kainthola was the key to the successful initiative,” the Army chief said.

    He added that the coronavirus pandemic halted such programmes but said the Indian Army would like to play a role of a facilitator to restart the initiative.

    The Army chief said interaction and outreach of popular actors in difficult areas have further reinforced the existing bond between the military and the society.

    “I would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge the role of the entertainment industry in making this possible,” he said.

  • Army helicopter crash: Search operation for missing pilots resumes in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The search operation to trace the missing pilots of an Army helicopter that crashed into the Ranjit Sagar dam lake in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua resumed on Wednesday, officials said. The crash occurred on Tuesday morning.

    The rescue operation was suspended at night. The dam is located about 30 kilometers from Pathankot in Punjab and the lake in which the helicopter crashed is shared by Punjab and J-K governments. Deep sea divers of the Navy are also part of the operation, the officials said.

    The depth of the crash site has been measured to be over 200 feet. Some pieces of the helicopter were found on Tuesday after forces and boats were mobilised for the search operation, Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) RC Kotwal had said.

    Eyewitnesses had said the chopper was flying over the lake when it suddenly came down and crashed into the water. During Tuesday’s search operation, a helmet, two big size bags, one shoe, I-cards and some helicopter parts were recovered.

  • Corps Commanders agree to disengage from Gogra, reply from Chinese government awaited 

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The military hierarchy of India and China which met under the leadership of Corps Commanders took a decision to disengage from Gogra (Patrolling Point 17A). “Both the Corp Commanders agreed to disengage from Gogra but the final go ahead is to come from the political hierarchies of both the government,” a senior official said.

    There is a platoon level strength stationed in standoff mode at Gogra. Once the go-ahead comes, soldiers will retreat to a designated position on ground and will leave a buffer zone in between on the pattern of the buffer zone at the North Bank. During the 12th meeting held on Saturday Lt Gen PGK Menon Corps Commander (14 Crops) led the delegation from Indian Army and Maj Gen Liu Lin, Commander South Xinjian Military District of the Chinese PLA.

    In an earlier step towards ameliorating the tensions both India and China had earlier disengaged their troops along with their weapons and equipment including tanks, artillery guns and mechanized vehicles and had created buffer zones at the North and South banks of the Pangong Tso.

    The Chinese troops at the North Bank had moved back North of Finger 8 and Indian soldiers retreated close to Finger 3. The area in between will be the buffer zone with a temporary moratorium on patrolling from both sides.

    Also, the troops were disengaged from Galwan (Patrolling Point 14) which was the sight of deadly skirmishes leading to loss of lives of soldiers from both the Armies.

    As reported earlier by the TNIE the officials on ground had indicated the disengagement to take place both at Gogra and Hotspring (Patrolling Point 15) but the decision could be arrived at one of the two.

    The Chinese rushed in soldiers after the clashes at Finger 4 in May 2020 and the standoff deployment was done at both the Banks of the Pangong Tso, Hotspring, Gogra, Galwan. The Standoff also existed at Depsang and Demchok.

    The rallies of talks have been to bring the deployment level to the status quo ante, which existed prior to May 2020. There are mirror deployments from both sides with the Chinese moving in four divisions along the Eastern Ladakh Line of Actual Control. Indian army has also mobilised and stationed four divisions to counter any movement and also to handle the standoff deployment.

    Other than talks at the various levels, the hotline was used extensively. There have been frantic talks which used to be up to five hotline calls in a day. “The Hot Line talks between May 2020 and till July have been 1450 times.” said an official. A new hotline, sixth so far, was established on Sunday between Indian Army in Kongra La, North Sikkim and PLA at Khamba Dzong in Tibetan Autonomous Region to further the spirit of trust and cordial relations along the borders.

    There have been 12 meetings so far between the Corps Commanders (Senior Higher Military Commander Level: SCML), 10 between the Division Commanders (Higher Military Commander Level: HCML) and 55 Delegation Level (Sector Commanders or Brigadier Level).