Indian Military News

[Guest]

<b>Two Indian soldiers go missing in US</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Two Indian soldiers have gone missing during a joint exercise with US troops last week in California and Indian authorities are approaching the state department for help in tracing them.

The Army contingent involved in the joint exercise with American troops at Camp Pendleton in California, found that two of its men -- <b>Sanjay Mahato and Santosh Thapa</b> � were missing, sources in the External Affairs Ministry said.

The troops were participating in exercise Shatrujeet (victory over enemy).

The exercise was part of expanding Indo-US defence cooperation and it was in 2005 that a team had gone to Camp Pendleton for the first time. The next year, US Marines came to India for an exercise at Belgaum.

Immediately, the authorities got in touch with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for assistance in locating the two men, who were being treated on " absent without leave", the sources said, adding assistance was also sought from the Indian Consulate in San Francisco which took up the matter with the state department.

However, with nearly 10 days having passed by, the Indian Mission will now take up the matter with the US State Department to press authorities in Los Angeles to help trace the two soldiers, the sources said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

Another big achievement of Moron Singh, destroy Army for good.
<b>सेना में पैसा बढ़ा नहीं, हैसियत घटी सो अलग</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Apr 01, 02:29 am

नई दिल्ली [जरनैल सिंह]। इसके पीछे पड़ोसी देशों का अनुभव हो या 'नौकरशाही वर्चस्व' और मजबूत करने की मंशा पर छठे वेतन आयोग ने जिस तरह भारतीय सशस्त्र बलों (थल, वायु व नौसेना) के अधिकारियों की हैसियत सिविल ही नहीं पुलिस अधिकारियों से भी कई दर्जे कम की है उससे सेना में जबरदस्त आक्रोश पनप रहा है। यही वजह है कि सैन्य अधिकारियों का सेना छोड़ने का सिलसिला वेतन आयोग की रिपोर्ट आने के बाद भी बदस्तूर जारी है।<b> रिपोर्ट आने के बाद से 25 अधिकारी सेना छोड़ने का आग्रह कर चुके हैं। </b>

सैन्य अधिकारी मान रहे हैं कि सेना पर 'सिविल अथारिटी' का शिकंजा कसने की आड़ में जिस तरह से कम अनुभवी नौकरशाहों व पुलिस अधिकारियों का कद बढ़ाया गया है उसे देख देश का प्रतिभावान युवा सेना को कभी भी प्राथमिकता नहीं बनाएगा।

पांचवें वेतन आयोग ने सेना के एक कर्नल को पुलिस के डीआईजी के समकक्ष रखा था लेकिन छठे वेतन आयोग ने ब्रिगेडियर को डीआईजी के समकक्ष कर दिया है। जाहिर है, कर्नल का दर्जा अब सिविल सेवा में निदेशक के बराबर है।<b> पांचवें वेतन आयोग के मुताबिक एक कर्नल का वेतन 17,100 रुपये मासिक था तो डीआईजी का 16,400 रुपये मासिक। ओल्ड वारंट आफ प्रेजिडेंस में भी एक डीआईजी को सेना के ले. कर्नल व कर्नल रैंक के मध्य में बताया गया था। बावजूद इसके कि एक कर्नल बनने के लिए 20 साल लग जाते हैं और सिविल अधिकारी को इस दर्जे तक पहुंचने में मात्र 13 साल लगते हैं। प्रशिक्षण के डेढ़ साल का समय अलग है। सिविल सर्विस में अधिकारी 17 साल में संयुक्त सचिव बन जा रहा है जबकि उसके समकक्ष मेजर जनरल को इस पद पर पहुंचने के लिए 33 साल लग जाते हैं। </b>

यही नहीं सीधे चुन कर आए शत प्रतिशत आईपीएस अधिकारियों का डीआईजी पद तक जाना तय है और सिविल अधिकारियों का संयुक्त सचिव के पद तक। सेना में 10 फीसदी अधिकारी ही ब्रिगेडियर और सात फीसदी मेजर जनरल बन पाते हैं। सैन्य अधिकारी को छंटनी का सामना 19 साल की सेवा के बाद ही करना पड़ता है जब यह तय होता है कि वह कर्नल बनने लायक है या नहीं?

एक सैन्य अधिकारी का कहना था कि जब अनुभव में आधे और कम चुनौतीपूर्ण जिम्मेदारियों को देख रहे सिविल व दूसरी सेवाओं के अधिकारियों की हैसियत बढ़ेगी और सैन्य अधिकारियों की घटेगी तो फिर देशभक्ति के जज्बे को कहीं न कहीं तो चोट पहुंचेगी ही।
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[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Soldiers must be paid well </b>
Pioneer.com
Ashok K Mehta
The three Service Chiefs sitting as supplicants before the Defence Minister last week, asking for more, was a depressing sight. The armed services sought no favours when they asked the Sixth Pay Commission for a 50 per cent hike in their pay and a four-and-a-half time increase in their allowances. To enable them to argue their case properly, they also sought a representative of the services on the pay panel, mindful of the fact that the Fifth Pay Commission had overlooked the case of the services altogether. This demand was rejected. What they got was a 32 per cent hike, doubling the allowances and emphasis on the fact - in case any of us were in the danger of forgetting - that their rank, pay and allowances were to be benchmarked with the civil services.

The armed forces had thought that Justice Srikrishna, who seemed so receptive when they put forward their arguments, would see things from their point of view. Justice Srikrishna saw merit in their argument that there must be something to compensate the services for two things that arise out of their professional obligations: One, their constant exposure to hazardous situations and the danger to their life and limb; and, the tough physical standards that are demanded of them. Any slip up in this can cause them to lose their job, as passing the 'medical' is as important as a serviceman's intellectual ability to fight. This applies to both officers and Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR). None of the civil services - certainly not the IAS and not the police either - have this as a ground of disqualification and dismissal at any point in their service career.

In addition there are the work conditions that take a toll of your family life - harsh, long periods of separation from families, and with PBOR, problems in getting leave that are manifesting themselves in the numerous incidents of suicide and fragging. To make up for all this, what was envisaged was a Military Service Pay (MSP) for the armed forces. In other militaries across the world, this is called the 'X Factor'. In the US, it is called 'Additional Pay for Difficulties of Military Life', in Australia, 'Service Allowance' and in France, 'Special Pay'.

In all these countries, MSP is a percentage of the salary. This is where the problem lies. The Sixth Pay Commission accepted the conceptual aspect of MSP. But it made it a fixed element, a kind of permanent allowance to be paid to officers up to the rank of Brigadier. All officers were to be given this allowance of Rs 6,000 and all PBOR to be paid Rs 1,000.

Through one gesture, the Sixth Pay Commission turned into a gratuity, a kind of 'tip' to soldiers, what should have been a percentage of their salary. What this means essentially is that while the 'hardship' suffered by the civil servants has been woven into their pay and allowances which has been enhanced, the 'hardship element for a soldier serving in Siachen or fighting in the North-East remains frozen at Rs 6,000/1,000. The Government's argument is that any changes will upset the parity of officers with the civilian bureaucracy. But wasn't that the general idea?

This is not the only problem. Officers above the rank of Major General will continue to remain in one-pay grade no matter how young they are when they pick up their rank. In the private sector, this kind of stagnation of pay would not have been tolerated. It is the plight of PBOR that is particularly worrying. They retire relatively young, and for the sake of being offered jobs in the Central Paramilitary Organisations, will have to give up the pension they were getting from the military. This is highly simplistic solution for a complex problem.

Newspapers have gone to town about how the Service Chiefs have been equated with the Cabinet Secretary. This is not new and nothing to celebrate. What was long overdue and has happened at last is the upward revision in the pay of the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Corps.

In the Pakistan Army, the salary of a Captain is around Rs 15,000, that of a Lieutenant Colonel is Rs 20,000 and a Colonel earns between Rs 20,000 and 25,000 a month. A Brigadier gets Rs 30,000 and above. A Cadet gets around Rs 10,000 a month. The pay scale in the Army is not very high as officers are directly commissioned as officers in 17 grades. But as everyone knows, there are perks in the Pakistan Army that are unmatchable. The salary is tax free - so while everyone else in Pakistani society pays taxes, the armed forces have let themselves off on that score. The Fauji Foundation is a vast organisation that takes care of every aspect of the life of a soldier - from plots of land to building houses to medical relief. And most important of all, when you're in service - either fighting on the front or posted in the Ministry of Defence - there are no civil servants, police or Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), breathing down an officer's neck when he recommends a particular piece of equipment for purchase.

The older generation of officers is a content lot. Several of my friends say wonderingly that they never thought they would be so comfortably off because they are used to spending very little money on themselves. But for young, ambitious and eminently qualified mid-level officers, the prestige of being called a military officer provides as much a rush as having the money to take your family out for the weekend. This is a treat that no longer costs Rs 100 for an evening movie at the Roxy and dinner at DSOI. This applies to PBOR who are getting smarter and ambitious.

In a recent set of advertisements that is currently running on television, Shahrukh Khan says: "Thoda aur wish karo." It is time the Service Chiefs, instead of wishing, thumped the table a little. It takes a big bang to make little men hear.
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[Guest]

<b>Haryana to get Defence University soon</b>
http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/13/stories/...110700.htm

[Guest]

<b>Indian Air Force to place order for Akash missile system</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/13/stories/...371000.htm

BANGALORE: The Air Force will soon place a production order for the guided, medium range surface-to-air Akash missile system.

With the process for placing the order with the public sector enterprise Bharat Electronics (BEL) already set in motion with the Ministry of Defence, official sources said the public announcement could be expected “within a matter of days.”

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the Akash, complete with its radars, mobile launchers, control centres, battle field management software and other support systems, will be utilised by the Air Force against aerial attacks, both in the form of aircraft and missiles. The initial order will be for two squadrons.

The Akash, which is in the same class as the U.S.’ Patriot, Israel’s Barak and the U.K.’s SAM, can destroy targets 25 km away, has a supersonic speed of 600 metres a second, and can intercept targets such as the Cruise missile and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Over 700 kg in weight and 5.78 metres long, the Akash is fired by solid propellants and can destroy multiple targets. It can be fired from both trucks and tracked vehicles. The indigenous missile is expected to cost the exchequer relatively less than similar missiles which are in the range of Rs.5 crore to Rs.6 crore each.

For the Air Force, which now deploys missile systems mostly of Russian vintage, the Akash will be a long overdue replacement, fructifying a good 21 years after the project was launched.

The delay had forced the defence forces to rethink elements of their air defence modernisation plans, with the Air Force even planning an order for the short range Spyder missile system to plug gaps in its air defence capabilities.

DRDL Project Director R.R. Panyam told The Hindu that the Air Force had “fully cleared the Akash after elaborate user field trials,” at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa last December. He expects the two squadrons to be delivered to the Air Force in around three years.

Besides transferring the required technology in the form of documents for the Akash’s production to BEL, the DRDL will provide support from outside throughout the life cycle of the missile, which is expected to be 20 years. The production of the Akash is also expected to give a fillip to the fledgling Indian defence industry since BEL, which has the responsibility as the final integrator of the entire missile system, has already identified around 300 industries, a majority of whom are in the private sector, as possible partners for the programme.

Giving an indication of the public-private partnership, Dr. Panyam said that while the public sector Bharat Dynamics Limited would be integrating and testing the functionality of the actual missile after outsouring some of its sections, BEL will be manufacturing the radar and Larsen and Toubro or Tata Power Corporation producing its launcher.

He added that Larsen & Toubro and Walachand Nagar Industries could be manufacturing the missile’s rocket and ramjet propulsion systems.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<b>Indian Army to acquire new lethal quick reaction missiles</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Army_to...how/2983412.cms

NEW DELHI: Army has floated global tenders worth Rs 3,800 crore to acquire new range of quick reaction surface-to-air missiles to provide air cover to its rapid formations.

The missile will have a range of 8 to 9 kms to strike air targets like low flying fighters, armed helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles, army sources said here.

This is the third biggest army tender to be floated within a span of 60 days. Army had earlier invited Request For Proposals (RFP) for induction of heavy artillery towed, wheeled and tracked guns.

Under the acquisition programme, Army plans to buy 18 to 20 launchers of such missiles, with the Request For Proposals being sent to companies in Israel, French, European consortium MBDA and French and Russian Companies.

The new Missiles seek to replace the army's ageing shoulder fired Sam-7 missiles, Strela missiles as well as Russian acquired ZU-23 rapid firing guns.

"The Missiles are being sought to be bought on technology transfer, with initial few launchers being brought off the shelf and the remaining to be assembled in India", a top army officer said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<b>ISRO sets world record with 10 launches</b>
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story...EWEN20080048092

India's PSLV-C9 has successfully injected ten satellites into orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), set up 35 years ago, may be a baby among the world's space faring nations. But, it is competing with the other biggies to set world records.

And the mission, which has given ISRO an edge over other competitors, is the launch of India's latest Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The launch vehicle took off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and has launched 10 satellites - a feat which has created a world record.

PSLV weighs 230 tons - the weight of almost 50 elephants - and is as high as a 12-storey building.

The launch vehicle has put two Indian and eight foreign satellites into orbit, it has beaten the current world record of hoisting eight satellites at one go accomplished by Russia almost a year ago.

At lift-off, the first stage of the rocket ignited. Three minutes after the flight, the massive heat shield peeled off. And then, one after the other, the third and fourth stages ignited taking the rocket higher.

Almost 15 minutes after the flight, India's mapping satellite called CARTOSAT 2-A was the first one to be put into orbit and 45 seconds later, the experimental remote sensing satellite, called the Indian Mini Satellite, was put into orbit.

After a gap of 100 seconds, all the babies on board were sequentially dropped off one by one, with a gap of 20 seconds each with the mission ending almost 20 minutes after lift-off.

The first foreign satellite to be dropped off was CUTE from Japan and the last to be ejected was RUBIN from Germany.

The high-resolution mapping satellite CARTOSAT 2-A, which, while placed at a height of over 600 kilometres, can identify objects as small as a car.

[Guest]

<b>A General's letter in anguish to the PM</b>

[Guest]

<b>Army's plans to tackle officer shortage</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The deliberations on how to overcome shortages of officers, more felt in units conducting anti-insurgency operations, came in the backdrop of army facing a recurring shortage of over 11,000 officers against sanctioned strength for the past several years.

Now the army has proposed a higher ratio of Short Service Commissioned Officers as compared to Permanent Commissioned Officers and looking into prospects of picking up recruits who have cleared Class XII and then letting them choose a college of their choice for graduation on monthly stipends, before being enrolled as officers in the army.

The Commanders also gave the nod for the novel idea of paying monthly stipends to cadets undergoing military training in military academies.

Though, army sources did not mention the figure, it has been proposed that a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 be paid to all cadets in all military academies.
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Serious situation, private sector is more lucrative now. They should increase salary and life insurance amount. Harship is another reason, couple of my class mates recently quit forces and moved to private sector.

[Guest]

<b>India to acquire six more submarines: Naval Chief</b>

[Pandyan]

<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Apr 29 2008, 12:42 PM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Apr 29 2008, 12:42 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Serious situation, private sector is more lucrative now. They should increase salary and life insurance amount. Harship is another reason, couple of my class mates recently quit forces and moved to private sector.
[right][snapback]81035[/snapback][/right]
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Very outdated methods of recruitment and retainment is also another reason. There is no flexibility available for potential officers. If one were to compare US recruitment of officers with Indian, all the problems shine through. Just an example, shortest service obligation (for officers) in the US Army happens to be 3 years, while in India, you have to do either 5 years or choose the forces as your entire career. With long commitments like that, people will hesitate to join.

[Capt M Kumar]

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/312366.html
A love story may have touched off a tumult in the Indian Air Force. A woman officer, a flight lieutenant, is set to marry a sergeant. The IAF is carrying out a survey of all its women officers to gather feedback to ‘evolve guidelines’. Is this a gender issue? Or does it mirror the larger challenge for the military - of dealing with inevitable change without losing its custom and character?

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&:thumbsup--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' /><!--endemo--> NDA cadet excels in international competition in Italy
31 May 2008, 1352 hrs IST,PTI PUNE: Cadet H Pathak of the National Defence Academy (NDA) has been adjudged the second best in an international competition in Italy on the Law of Armed Conflict from among 120 cadets from 18 different countries.

The event took place at the end of April in San Remo and had cadets from 28 military academies as participants.

"It is an impressive achievement. Not only did Cadet Pathak demonstrate an excellent level of theoretical knowledge, but he was also very good at applying the law to the situations that were presented to the candidates," said Brigadier (Retd) M B Anand, consultant for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He said the Indian cadet missed the top spot by the "smallest margin".

In the team competition, R Sankrit was teamed with cadets from America and France and together they won the silver medal.

His team was beaten by a trio coming from the US, Denmark and Finland.

The third Indian cadet who travalled to Italy for the competition, was Kathyat.

"In my opinion, a similar national or regional competition should be conducted in India.

"Apart from providing exposure of this contemporary and highly relevant subject to the future Indian military leadership, this event will go a long way in exhibiting how important India regards the teaching and implementation of international humanitarian law," Anand said.

The Law of Armed Conflict, also known as International Humanitarian Law, is a branch of public international law, which governs situations of armed conflicts.

It seeks to mitigate the effects of war and armed conflicts of either international or internal nature.

[Guest]

<b>IAF revives world's highest airstrip after 43 yrs</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->LEH (JAMMU AND KASHMIR): The Indian Air Force (IAF) Saturday achieved a major strategic feat when it landed an AN-32 aircraft at the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airstrip - the highest airstrip in the world.

The strategic airstrip, in the inhospitable Ladakh district in Jammu and Kashmir, is located close to the Line of Actual Control (LOAC) with China near the Aksai Chin area.

"History repeated itself when an Indian Air Force fixed wing aircraft (AN-32) landed at DBO, the highest landing airstrip in the world at 6.30 a.m. This is a twin-engine aircraft landing at DBO after a gap of 43 years," Air Marshal P.K. Barbora, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Western Air Command, announced.

Regular operations by AN-32 class of aircraft will be initiated in due course of time, Barbora said.

The crew members of the historic flight were Group Capt S.C. Chafekar, Wing Commander M. Aserkar, Wing Commander S. Verma, Wing Commander A. Ray and junior warrant officer R. Verma.
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[Naresh]

[center] <!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo--><b><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>Govt hints at doubling defence expenditure</span></b> <!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo-->[/center]

<b>NEW DELHI : <span style='color:red'>Notwithstanding Pakistan's unilateral freeze on its defence spending and a request to others to follow, India on Tuesday hinted at doubling its defence expenditure as its current spend was much below the world average despite a booming economy.

Defence minister A K Antony on Tuesday said the modernization of armed forces was one of the top most priorities of the government. "Our defence budget is just 1.99% of the GDP, which is one of the lowest in the world. The ideal situation would be 3% of GDP, which is the global average," he added.</span></b>

Antony's comments came just a day after Pakistan premier Yousuf Raza Gilani made a statement that his government had decided to reduce the defence budget and "hoped to see a reciprocal gesture from its neighbour for the sake of peace and prosperity of the region". Pakistan's current spending on defence is nearly 3% of its GDP at around Rs 275 billion.

Antony's remarks are not only a rebuff to Pakistan but seen as an assertion of the fact that India's strategic and defence preparedness are no more Pakistan oriented. The focus has shifted to China.

"Armed forces all over the world are modernizing and becoming technology intensive. We must adopt a joint approach, keeping in view the varied security challenges being faced by our nation," he said stressing on "integration of tri-service approach in thought and in action".

The defence minister said the country's most important challenge in the foreseeable future still remains the growing instability in its neighbourhood. He said India has continuously expressed serious concerns on cross-border terrorism and has reiterated the importance of Pakistan fulfiling its commitment against terrorism. Antony said it is yet to be seen whether the recently formed government in Pakistan is able to address issues of national security, religious fundamentalism and cross-border terrorism effectively.

He warned that forces within J&K and those outside, who do not want successful conduct of elections and peace in the state, will try their best to disrupt the democratic process. "We will have to keep a constant vigil and intensify our efforts to ensure conduct of free and fair elections in an atmosphere of peace," he said.

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[shamu]

But, where is the money going to come from?

[Guest]

<b>India wakes up to plan for busting Chinese satellites </b>

Pioneer News Service | New Delhi

Realising the need to protect its satellites and space assets in the wake of China acquiring the capability to shoot down satellites through missiles, the Government on Tuesday announced the formation of an Integrated Space Cell.

Unveiling India's steps to meet the new challenge and project the country as a power to reckon with in the arena of space-based defensive and offensive capabilities, Defence Minister AK Antony said the cell would work under the aegis of the Integrated Defence Services Headquarters to counter "the growing threat to our space assets".

Refraining from naming China or any other country to blast out satellites in space, Antony told the two-day unified commanders' conference of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), "Though we want to utilise space for peaceful purposes and remain committed to our policy of non-weaponisation of space, offensive counter space systems like anti-satellite weaponry, new classes of heavy-lift and small boosters and an improved array of military space systems have emerged in our neighbourhood."

He said the cell would act as a single window for integration among armed forces, the Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Incidentally, the ISRO recently launched an array of satellites, including military-specific units, and was scheduled to launch some more sophisticated satellites in the near future.

The Integrated Space Cell, sources said, would act as a precursor to the proposed Aerospace Command comprising the three services. On the anvil for the last four or five years, the Government recently asked the three armed forces to jointly come up with a detailed plan.

The Aerospace Command would protect the assets in space through network-centric weapon systems, advanced sensors capable of tracking down missiles and take evasive action and in some cases adopt offensive posture, they said. The Integrated Space Cell would do the groundwork by conceptualising the defensive systems for space assets, resources needed for extensive array of weapons and other devices and platforms to deliver the systems, they said.

Meanwhile, Antony gave the go-ahead for setting up of a defence informatics centre on the lines of the National Informatics Centre. It will cater to the e-governance needs of the Armed Forces, the Defence Ministry and other associated organisations.

He also announced the establishment of a Defence Information Technology Consultative Committee (DITCC), comprising eminent personalities from the Defence Ministry, the three Services, the Ministry of Communications and IT, academia and the industry. "DITCC has evolved a roadmap and a common approach for the integration of information technology in our Armed Forces," he added.

The two-day conference is focusing on various issues pertaining to ongoing process of jointness among the three Services, higher defence management and a conceptual way forward. Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal FH Major, Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, Chief of Integrated Service Command Lt Gen HS Lidder, commanders and senior officers from the Service Headquarters and the Defence Ministry attended the meeting.


<i>For any comments, queries or feedback, kindly mail us at pioneerletters@yahoo.co.in </i>

[acharya]

Indians suffer most deaths in UN peace corps

Sun, Jun 15 12:40 AM

Bleeding on foreign soil, Indian troops have recorded maximum fatalities in United Nations peacekeeping missions around the globe. The deadly legacy of conflict has claimed the lives of 127 Indian personnel, a number much higher than that of Pakistan and Bangladesh -- the top two troop contributing countries to the UN. Figures released by the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, covering the period 1948 through May 31, 2008, attribute the deaths of 2,474 international peacekeepers to "malicious acts, illness or accident".

Over 1,700 casualties were reported during the past two decades. The death count includes 97 Pakistanis and 84 Bangladeshis.

With 8,862 troops, India is the third-largest contributor; Pakistan and Bangladesh have 10,623 and 9,037 troops serving. Most Indian troops have died in Congo and Somalia.

Captain G.S. Salaria, posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for courage in Congo in 1961, is the only Indian officer to be awarded the medal for fighting on foreign soil. Canada and Ghana share the second slot with a death tally of 114.

UK and France come next having lost 98 troops each. The UN released the figures within days of observing the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on May 29.

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<b>Long-range missile set for launch test in Tel Aviv</b>

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi, Jun 12 The long-range surface to air missile (LRSAM), which is jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad with second biggest weapons supplier Israel, is ready to go for launch test to Tel Aviv.
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<b>'Sudarsana chakra' for Army</b>
Saturday June 14 2008 14:37 IST
Tiki Rajwi

T'PURAM: Sudarsana Chakra,’ the powerful weapon of Hindu mythology, which does a U-turn homewards after each destructive mission, may not be far from becoming a very real member of India’s futuristic military arsenal.

Buoyed by the success of the Indo- Russian venture BrahMos universal supersonic cruise missiles, Indian scientists are contemplating a re-usable projectile which will revolutionise the war theatre.

‘‘It’s basically a delivery system, which will return after delivering the warhead,’’ A Sivathanu Pillai, DRDO chief controller (Research and Development) and CEO and MD of Brah-Mos Aerospace, told Express on the sidelines of a function here.

Today, missiles - supersonic or subsonic - are ‘use-and-throw’ devices which destruct along with the target.

The re-usable version can be very roughly compared to an unmanned aerial vehicle used normally for reconnaissance, but of the lethal weapon type. The plus point of a reusable projectile is that the delivery system, which transports the payload - in this case it could be a nuclear warhead - can be used multiple times for delivering warheads.

The advantages, Sivathanu Pillai said, are many; the obvious one being reduced cost of missile production. Though the delivery system will have to carry enough fuel for a round trip, even that would not be an expensive proposition, as the fuel is kerosene-based, he said.

Though India is planning a hypersonic version of the BrahMos missile, the re-usable version will not be a variant of it, Sivathanu Pillai said. The hypersonic versions will be able to fly above Mach 4, or four times the speed of sound. The supersonic BrahMos missile developed jointly by India and Russia and inducted by the Indian Army and the Indian Navy flies at Mach 2.8 speeds.