Bill Introduced In US House To End All Non-Defence Aid To Pakistan

A bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to end all non-defence aid to Pakistan as Islamabad "provides military aid and intelligence" to terrorists.

The bill sought that the entire amount be redirect to infrastructure projects in the United States.

Introduced by Congressmen Mark Sanford from South Carolina and Thomas Massie from Kentucky, the legislation will prohibit the US State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from sending American taxpayer money to Pakistan. Instead, these funds will be redirected to the Highway Trust Fund, the account that pays for road infrastructure in the United States.

The lawmakers highlighted that Pakistan "knowingly" and repeatedly provides resources and safe havens to terrorists and terror organisations.

Slamming Pakistan, Mr Massie said that the United States should not funnel money to a government that "provides military aid and intelligence to terrorists".

This common-sense bill puts America first by reallocating tax dollars to roads and bridges at home instead of funnelling money overseas, he added.


Mr Sanford said, "When the American people support other nations, our generosity shouldn't be used to reward terrorists with US taxpayer dollars. Couple this with the fact that the Highway Trust Fund will be $111 billion short by 2026, and it simply makes financial sense to re-purpose these funds for our infrastructure."

Senator Rand Paul, who introduced the companion legislation in the Senate, said we fail to protect the country and steward taxpayers' hard-earned money when we support countries that chant "death to America and burn our flag".

"Let's bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden," he said.

The United States, post 9/11, has provided nearly $34 billion in aid to Pakistan, including $526 million in 2017 alone.

ndtv

Indigenous submarine project still a non-starter

Eighteen months after an extension was granted by the Defence Acquisition Council for Project P-75 (I), which involves the construction of six diesel-electric submarines at a cost of $10.9 billion, neither an Indian shipyard nor any foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has been selected “to get cracking on the project.”

Six submarines planned to be constructed as part of Project P-75 (I) have a deadline coming up. The diesel-electric submarine project has an acceptance of necessity (AoN) date that is set to expire on Tuesday.


Labyrinthine process ::

“All defence procurement proposals go through a labyrinthine procurement procedure,” said a senior official at an Indian defence shipyard seeking anonymity. “The first is the AoN stage and then the tendering stage. The first approval for P-75 (I) came in 1999. The delay is hurting everybody,” said the official.

Noting that the project was slated to be the first one to be undertaken under the strategic partnership model, the official said, “Now the AoN extension is set to expire on February 6, without a single shipyard or a foreign collaborator getting selected.”


Building plan ::

In the second part of Phase I of the country’s 30-Year Submarine Building Plan, six submarines were planned to be constructed as part of Project P-75 (I). The decision was first approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in 1999.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved, in October 2014, the construction of all six submarines in India, by an Indian shipyard, with transfer of technology from a foreign collaborator. At the same time, it also approved the constitution of a multidisciplinary core committee to help with the identification of suitable Indian shipyards. Though the core committee shortlisted five shipyards – Hindustan Shipyard, Mazagon Dock, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Larsen and Toubro and Reliance Defence – Larsen and Toubro's Kattupalli facility in Tamil Nadu and Reliance Naval and Engineering's shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat, were found to be the only two eligible to participate in the P-75 (I) programme.


SP model ::

Sources said the core committee submitted its report to the Defence ministry in May 2015, and the same was discussed by the DAC in September 2015. It was then decided that the project be based on the strategic partnership (SP) model as the experts committee had also recommended the same.

“The SP model aims to rope in private firms to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign entities,” officials said.

The two Indian shipyards submitted their bids in partnership with an international shipyard. Sources indicated that four foreign shipyards – the Naval Group, Russia's Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau, Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Sweden's Saab Group - have responded to the government's request for proposal (RFI) for the project.


Defence PSUs’ role ::

The project could have got delayed for another reason. Sources indicated that there is a provision in the SP Policy that “the defence ministry could also include and consider the role of a Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to undertake production arrangements, including transfer of technology in the project.”

In this regard, defence PSU Mazagon Dock and Hindustan Shipyard, who were earlier slated for the P-75 (I) project as partners, could be contenders, as they have the necessary infrastructure already in place, sources said.


Undue delay ::

However, the delays have been taxing both Indian shipyards as well as foreign collaborators. “We are waiting for the government’s nod to launch the process to select the Indian shipyard for joint manufacture of the submarines with the chosen foreign entity,” an official said.

Noting that it would take another seven years, after all the contracts have been inked, for the first submarine to roll out, the official maintained that another extension of the AoN, “which is a given, would just be an exercise in futility unless the government decides to move ahead and announce the shipyard and its foreign partner.”

 thehindubusinessline

US has offered India co-production of armoured carriers along with Israel: Government

The US has made an offer to India to develop and produce armoured personnel carriers as part of a trilateral venture also involving Israel, the government said today.

Replying to a question, minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre, however, said discussions on the proposal have not been completed.

The APCs are armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.

Asked about government retracting the process to acquire a batch of Spike missiles from Israel, Bhamre said the decision was taken as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was developing the weapon.

He said there is no government decision to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence contractor.

In November last year, the defence ministry had decided to retract the process to acquire a batch of Spike missiles from Israeli firm Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.

Subsequently, the ministry had asked the DRDO to develop similar missiles with indigenous technology.

Official sources had said the proposal to acquire the missile system from the Israeli firm faced hurdles when it apparently expressed reservations in ensuring full transfer of technology as per the provisions of the 'Make in India' initiative.

They said the government is considering purchase of Spike missiles from Israel through the government-to- government route to meet immediate requirement as it will take at least 4-5 years for the DRDO to produce the weapon system.

India's defence ties with the US and Israel have been on an upswing in the recent years.

 economictimes

India to begin talks to acquire Israeli anti-tank missiles

The Narendra Modi government will begin talks to buy Israeli anti-tank guided missile Spike, with a meeting between Israel’s visiting defence secretary Major General (retired) Udi Adam and his Indian counterpart Sanjay Mitra on Monday.

Adam’s two-day visit beginning Monday is set to be significant as South Block officials said the defence ministry will negotiate to buy at least 3,000 Spike missiles manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems through a government-to-government (G2G) route.

This will meet the army’s urgent requirements and fill the gap before the indigenous Nag anti-tank missile system is inducted.

The talks follow the government’s cancellation this January of a US $900-million order to make Spike missiles in India through full transfer of technology. The defence ministry hopes to buy the Israeli missile at a cheaper price as the tech transfer clause will not exist now.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is developing the Nag, has no objection to the government’s plans to buy the Israeli missile so long as the tech transfer term is not applied.

The Nag’s heat-seeker guidance system is at a test stage and the missile’s commercial production is likely to take some time. The third-generation Nag with a range of 4km was tested successfully last September by the DRDO.

The Spike is an advanced fire-and-forget weapon since the 1980s as it can be launched from the an infantryman’s shoulder to hit tanks and aircraft 4km away, or 25km for no-line-of-sight targets that the missile seek out with its heat-tracking system.

It will be manufactured under the Make in India rubric by Kalyani Strategic System-Rafael JV in Hyderabad for global exports.

Senior officials, requesting anonymity, said India and Israel are set to sign an inter-government agreement once the price of the Spike is finalised by the negotiating committee under the country’s director general (acquisition) and manufacturer Rafael Systems.

The price will dictate how many missiles and launchers India will buy, but the officials said the government could settle for 3,000 Spikes to meet the army’s requirements.

“The cancelled order was for 3,000 missiles with another 5,000 from the Hyderabad factory. The order now should be around 3,000 Spikes, with the army having the option to purchase the missiles from the joint company in Hyderabad,” one of the officials said.

 hindustantimes

Air force close to sealing a mega Make in India defence deal

Inching closer towards finalising the defence deal for 56 transport aircraft to replace the Avro plane fleet, the commercial bids for the programme is expected to be worth over Rs 15,000 crore are going to be opened in the near future.

The programme is the first major 'Make in India' programme in defence sector under which 56 Airbus C-295 transport aircraft are to be produced indigenously in partnership with the Tata group.

Of the 56 planes, 16 would be bought off the shelf from Europe, while the remaining would be acquired from the Tata facilities in India.

"The commercial bids submitted by the joint venture would be opened shortly for the programme after which, if required, there will be negotiations over price and other formalities," sources told MAIL TODAY.

The Avro replacement programme became important for the service after the closure of a similar plan to develop multirole transport aircraft with the Russians. The field trials of the aircraft have already been completed at various locations across the country, and the plane has met the Air Force's requirements, the sources said.

Though the Avro replacement programme was envisaged by the Air Force under the UPA government, it made real progress in 2015 after the NDA government studied its requirement for the services. It was accorded the final nod by the Defence Acquisition Council in May 2015.

In May 2013, the ministry had issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to original equipment manufacturers, including US firms Boeing and Lockheed Martin, European multinational Airbus Defence and Space and Antonov of Ukraine, among others. They were required to tie-up with an Indian private firm.

However, only Airbus and TATA responded to the RFP. The DAC had approved the Air Force's proposal to go ahead with the single-vendor proposal. Generally, the Defence ministry avoids going for single vendor tender to avoid monopoly and keep away the charges of favouritism.

The programme has attracted many other services also as the Coast Guard has already selected it for its maritime reconnaissance programme under which the DRDO will develop six such planes for the force. The Navy is also likely to come up with a similar programme where it would want to develop an anti-submarine warfare and surveillance platform using the indigenously produced C-295s.

The aircraft is also being offered to the other agencies, including the central police forces and the National Disaster management Authority, who need fixed wing planes for rapid deployment of troops and in times of natural calamities.

"Increase in the requirement of planes by the other agencies will help us in reducing the cost of the planes," the sources said. Sources said with the increasing demand for fixed wing planes, it was expected that the requirement for the planes would be close to 80 such planes.

 indiatoday

Indian Navy sub no match for expanding Chinese fleet: military specialist

The Indian Navy's third domestically manufactured Scorpene class submarine launched Wednesday cannot compare for quality and quantity with the rapidly upgrading Chinese navy, Chinese experts said Thursday.

The Indian Navy launched Karanj from Mazagaon dock in Mumbai on Wednesday, Indian channel ndtv.com reported.

"India developed the Scorpene class submarines to replace its old Kilo class submarines," Song Zhongping, a TV commentator and military expert, told the Global Times.

"Scorpene class submarines are conventional powered submarines, which were made by the French," Song said.

India plans to enhance its defense capabilities by importing technology and building more such submarines, Song said.

Scorpene class can be equipped with an air independence propulsion system, he said, ensuring continuous submergence. They can also carry torpedoes and exocet guided missiles.

Scorpene submarines have sophisticated stealth features and the ability to launch crippling, precise attacks, ndtv.com reported.

The reported added that at a time when the Indian Navy submarine fleet is aging fast and against the backdrop of a Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, the Scorpene submarines significantly boost the Indian Navy's potential fighting ability.

"But China has left India behind in constructing submarines and naval power," Song said.

China's high-tech ships - whether Type 052D, Type 052C destroyers, Type 054A frigate or Type 056 corvette - are multiplying fast, Song said, showcasing the rising strength of the Chinese navy.

 globaltimes

Commanders authorised to deal with ‘safe havens’ in Afghanistan, Pakistan: US

The Trump administration’s South Asia strategy gives US commanders in the region the authority and resources they need to deal with “terrorist safe havens in both Afghanistan and Pakistan”, says the White House.

The strategy that President Donald Trump announced in August last year underlines the US determination to defeat the Taliban in the battlefield in order to force them to accept the current administrative set-up in Kabul.

As part of this strategy, the Trump administration recently increased drone strikes at alleged terrorist safe havens in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and reports from the region suggest that several ‘commanders’ of the dreaded Haqqani network were also killed in those attacks. But so far, the US administration never spoke of authorising its field commanders to deal with the alleged safe havens inside Pakistan.

But the document the White House released on Tuesday night went a step ahead, indicating that American commanders in the region also had the authority to deal with alleged terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan.

“President Trump’s conditions-based South Asia strategy provides commanders with the authority and resources needed to deny terrorists the safe haven they seek in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” it stated. “President Trump is making clear to our allies that they cannot be America’s friend while supporting or condoning terror.”

The White House also mentioned an executive order, issued earlier this month, to suspend security aid to Pakistan, saying: “The president has suspended security assistance to Pakistan, sending a long overdue message to aid recipients that we expect them to fully join us in combating terrorism.”

The document, released while the president was finishing his first State of the Union speech, focuses on issues that Mr Trump either missed in his speech or just mentioned them without elaborating his position, such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He mentioned Afghanistan once but did not refer to Pakistan. However, political observers in Washington interpreted his appeal to Congress to make a law, ensuring that US aid goes only to friends, not to enemies of America, as a veiled reference to Pakistan.

“Tonight, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to friends of America, not enemies of America,” said the president, earning a warm applause from his supporters.

Mr Trump said he had authorised his commanders in Afghanistan to directly engage the militants who attack US and Afghan forces, but he did not mention Pakistan.

“As of a few months ago, our warriors in Afghanistan have new rules of engagement,” he said. “Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.”

On Tuesday, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan also explained the Trump administration’s South Asia strategy, indicating that Washington had stayed engaged with Pakistan to solicit its support in implementing this policy.

“Our fight is with the Taliban and with extremist elements, terrorist groups here in Afghanistan,” said Mr Sullivan while talking to a group of journalists in Kabul.

He said that the South Asia strategy was a regional policy, focused on improving the situation in Afghanistan, but it’s a broader regional approach that includes a relationship with Pakistan, India and other countries in the region.

“We will continue our dialogue with Pakistan. Our position, the president’s position has been made clear about our expectations for Pakistan under the South Asia strategy. We also encourage the government of Afghanistan to continue its bilateral discussions with Pakistan,” Mr Sullivan said. “Pakistan needs to be part of the solution, and that is the focus of our South Asia strategy.”

Mr Sullivan made it clear that last week’s terrorist attacks in Kabul, which killed almost 200 people, would have no impact on Washington’s commitment to the South Asia policy.

dawn

To Counter China, A New Tunnel At 13,700 Feet In Arunachal Pradesh

To ensure faster movement of troops in Tawang, a strategically located town in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China, the government plans to build a tunnel at an elevation of 13,700 feet. The tunnel will go through the Sela Pass, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced today while presenting the Union Budget.

Mr Jaitley said the government was developing connectivity infrastructure in border areas to secure the country's defence.

"Rohtang tunnel has been completed to provide all weather connectivity to the Ladakh region. Contract for construction of Zozila Pass tunnel of more than 14 kilometres is progressing well. I now propose to take up construction of tunnel under Sela Pass," Mr Jaitley said.

The proposal to build the Sela Pass comes amid concerns over Beijing's growing assertiveness along the nearly 4,000 km-long China-India border.

The Sela Pass is located between the Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh and considered crucial from strategic perspective.


Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam last year after the Indian troops stopped construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face- off ended on August 28.

The Indian army has been pressing for speedy development of infrastructure along the border with China.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat last month had said that the time has come for India to shift focus from its border with Pakistan to that with China.

He had also said that the army was focusing on improving border infrastructure to ensure speedy movement of ammunition and troops.

ndtv

Trailing China, a new defence deal with France gives India a foothold in Indian Ocean

India is all set to firm up a defence logistics agreement with France, just like the LEMOA with the United States. The move will allow India access to French military bases in the Indian Ocean and the Horn of Africa, and round off another critical part of enhancing its military presence in these waters to counter China.

The agreement, which is expected to be signed during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in early March, was firmed up around the time New Delhi worked out the fine-print with Seychelles to build and operate a military base there.

What’s important to understand, however, is the bigger picture which is evidently falling in place, and why it’s important not to stop just here.


The approach ::

There are essentially two major frames to this strategy – bases which India will build, and bases or ports that its forces can access.

On the first count, India moved on Assumption Island in Seychelles and Agalega islands in Mauritius, both on the outer stretches of Africa, with an intent to monitor big shipping traffic moving across the Indian Ocean and also towards the Horn of Africa and to the Persian Gulf.

In both these places, India will build infrastructure and operate bases with adequate safeguards to the sovereignty of the country concerned.

The other big proposal in this folder, which is under consideration at the highest levels, is a possible base in Oman. That would expand Indian presence to the mouth of the Persian Gulf. However, the entire project would entail a massive expenditure that the government is now going through with a toothcomb.

The next category is access India will get by way of agreements with other countries.

The LEMOA with the US provides India access to Diego Garcia, the biggest American base in the Indian Ocean, besides Guam, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

In the same way, the logistics agreement with France will allow India access to the strategically important French base in the Reunion Islands near Madagascar. This is typically the French area of colonial influence, where another opening will be the French facilities in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) already operates a military base here, its first such base overseas.

Another agreement India signed as part of this maritime strategy was with Singapore two months ago at the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. Through this understanding, India can dock its naval platforms in Singapore for longer periods, use its facilities, and even conduct maritime surveillance missions in the South China Sea.

Put together, all of this completes a bigger jigsaw, much of which is now falling into place. As a result, Indian ships and naval assets can move across from the edge of the Pacific, Singapore down to the Andamans, Diego Garcia, then on to Mauritius, Seychelles, and Djibouti, onwards to Oman.

This forms the entire arc from the Pacific to the mouth of the Persian Gulf, essentially forming the expanse now termed as the ‘Indo-Pacific’. Australia, too, is said to be interested in pursuing a logistics agreement of the kind the US has and now France will have with India.

So, what emerges is a group of interoperable navies collaborating to use one another’s bases in order to build a more effective security architecture in the Indo-Pacific.

India will obviously service and station troops in bases that it will build and operate. The idea should be to increase the number of foreign bases in this category. And here is where, the government will have to find the finances and political muscle to see it through.


China’s lead ::

There should be no doubt that India has to make up for lost time and opportunity on this front. While this strategy may look impressive, the fact is China has moved far ahead, threatening to negate Indian influence in its traditional areas of dominance.

Maldives is a good example of how China has moved literally into India’s backyard to build a whole port city with a possible base. This, along with its port in Gwadar, Pakistan, provides a perfect entry into the Arabian Sea and down to the Indian Ocean.

The Hambantota port in Sri Lanka is, for all practical purposes, now leased to China. This has forced India to go deeper south in the Indian Ocean towards Mauritius.

But India must not stop there or become dependent on the US or France. It must explore possibilities in Madagascar, which is like a junction point in the Indian Ocean where routes diverge.

Also of big value are the large under-sea data cables in the area, which are constantly being probed by Chinese submarines. China is now able to mount more under-sea missions in the Indian Ocean due to better port access, another cause of big concern.

While Seychelles and Mauritius are good starts, what India must ensure is more such agreements and better delivery on the ground. The much delayed Chabahar project in Iran, which was meant to be India’s answer to Gwadar, should serve as a constant reminder on how poor execution can neutralise any strategic advantage or play.

 theprint

India Could Soon Set Up A Military Base In Oman, Says Report

Just days after signing an agreement with Seychelles to develop ‘military infrastructure’ on one of its strategically located islands in the western Indian Ocean, India could have a similar arrangement with Oman, ThePrint has reported.

According to the daily’s report, the proposal for a military base in the strategically located nation in the Persian Gulf - one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world - is under consideration at the highest levels of the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Oman next week as part of his west Asia tour.

The report also says that India could soon sign a defence logistics agreement with France, just like the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the United States. The agreement, the report says, will enable Indian naval ships to accesses strategically important French base in the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and in Djibouti, where China has set up its first foreign military base.

India is also set to develop military infrastructure on Mauritius’ Agalega island. The development of bases in the Indian Ocean and agreements such as LEMOA will give India a string of facilities that it can use to project power in the entire Indian Ocean. This is important in view of China’s increasing presence in the region.

In recent years, China has significantly increased deployment of naval assets in the region. It could be planning to set up a base in Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which it has acquired for a period of 40 years. It has also acquired Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port for 99 years in a ‘debt-equity’ swap and has also expanded presence in the Maldives. Apart from surface vessels, India has also spotted conventional and nuclear submarines of the People’s Liberation Army Navy in the Indian Ocean.

 swarajyamag

​Delhi hopes to be third time lucky with new tanker RFI

India’s ministry of defence has issued a fresh request for information for six mid-air refueling tankers, following two abortive earlier attempts.

This time the requirement specifies that the tanker aircraft be powered by two turbofan engines, ruling out the Ilyushin IL-78.

Concerns about high acquisition costs derailed earlier attempts to procure an airborne tanker. As a result the latest RFI includes the option of procuring a suitable used aircraft, which can be modified for the tanker role.

Airbus Defence and Space, the winner of two earlier competitions with its A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT), says it is aware of the new RFI, and will “examine the requirement”.

Boeing, which did not participate in the two earlier competitions, is in the fray this time around.

“We received an RFI from India for aerial refueling tankers and have briefed the Indian air force about the KC-46’s capabilities,” says Boeing India president Pratyush Kumar.

Given that the RFI says that converted jet is possible, IAI Bedek is likely to offer its Boeing 767 multi mission tanker transport (MMTT) conversion.

Despite the release of a fresh RFI, a procurement decision could be years away. Twelve years have passed since the original tanker procurement tender was issued in 2006.

The air force presently operates a fleet of six IL-78s that entered service between 2003 and 2004 and are due to enter major overhaul starting this year. The IL-78 fleet suffers from poor serviceability rates (49% in the 2016 financial year) as sourcing of spares from Russia and the Ukraine for the aircraft has proved troublesome.

 flightglobal

Govt hikes defence budget by 7.81%, but it's just 1.58% of GDP & lowest since 1962

Highlights

• The defence outlay works out to just about 1.58% of the projected GDP for 2018-19
• The annual defence budgets have shown a discernible trend of declining modernization outlays for new projects

NEW DELHI: India's defence budget has been hiked by a measly 7.81% to Rs 2,95,511 crore from Rs 2,74,114 crore last year, once again dashing the hopes for any major jump in military modernization this year despite heightened tensions with both Pakistan and China along the unsettled borders.

The defence outlay works out to just about 1.58% of the projected GDP for 2018-19, the lowest such figure since the 1962 war with China. Though this figure has been steadily declining in percentage terms as the economy expands, military experts contend it should be over 2.5% to ensure the armed forces are capable of tackling the "collusive threat" from Pakistan and China.

Moreover, the defence budget includes a capital outlay of just Rs 99,563.86 crore for new weapon systems and modernization, which is dwarfed by the revenue expenditure (day-to-day running costs, salaries etc) of Rs 1,95,947.55 crore. The defence budget does not include Rs 1,08,853 crore separately allocated for defence pensions.

The annual defence budgets have shown a discernible trend of declining modernization outlays for new projects, with almost 80% of the outlays earmarked for "committed liabilities" (installments for arms deals inked in earlier years) and a skewed revenue to capital expenditure ratio. This has meant that the Army, Navy and IAF continue to grapple with critical operational gaps on several fronts ranging from fighters, helicopters and submarines to helicopters, howitzers and modern infantry weapons.

On his part, finance minister Arun Jaitley declared the government was focusing on developing connectivity infrastructure in border areas to secure the country's defences. "Rohtang tunnel has been completed to provide all weather connectivity to the Ladakh region. Contract for construction of Zozila Pass tunnel of more than 14 kilometer is progressing well. I now propose to take up construction of tunnel under Sela Pass (in Arunachal Pradesh)," he said.

"Our armed forces have played a stellar role in meeting the challenges we have been facing on our borders as well as in managing the internal security environment both in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East. I would like to place on record our appreciation for the efforts and the sacrifices made by the three services in defending the interests of the nation," he added.

 timesofindia