Opinion| Why France is a reliable strategic partner for India

Since the end of the Cold War, India has signed “Strategic Partnership” agreements with more than 35 countries. Among the earliest was the one with France, signed in January 1998, during President Jacques Chirac’s visit to India. Last week, the strength of this partnership was in evidence at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) when China sought to raise the subject of Kashmir in an informal, closed door session, originally convened to discuss the situation in Mali. France, supported by Russia and the United States (US) and other non-permanent members, led the move to block the Chinese initiative.

India and France share a common trait of civilisational exceptionalism, and after the Cold War ended, both countries were quick to espouse the virtues of multipolarity. French discomfort with a unipolar system was clear when French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine described the US as a hyperpuissance. Visualising the changing geopolitics with focus shifting from Euro-Atlantic to Asia-Pacific, France decided on India as its preferred partner in the Indian Ocean. Even before India’s nuclear tests in 1998, France declared that the nation’s exclusion from the global nuclear order was an anomaly, and that needed rectification. After the nuclear tests, France displayed an instinctual understanding of India’s security compulsions. The strategic dialogue that began in 1998 has grown over the years to cover nuclear, space, defence, cyber security, intelligence-sharing and counter-terrorism cooperation. Bilateral military exercises between the three services, beginning with the navies in 2001, followed by the air forces in 2004, and the armies in 2011, have now became a regular feature.

Cooperation in the space domain began in the 1960s with French assistance to set up the Indian launch facility at Sriharikota, but languished in later years because of export controls. The dialogue helped restart this cooperation and the Indian Space Research Organisation and Centre national d’études spatiales now work on joint missions.

After the US cut off nuclear fuel supplies for Tarapur in 1984, France became the fuel supplier. Following the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver in 2008, India and France signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement providing the framework for building the French Extended producer responsibility reactors in India.

Regarding Kashmir, France maintains that it is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and, therefore, does not merit discussion in the UN. China had first raised Kashmir at Pakistan’s behest in August, shortly after Article 370 was abrogated and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union territories. On August 16, 2019, the UNSC held an informal closed-door session, the first time Kashmir had appeared on the agenda of the council after 1965. India’s stand that the developments in Kashmir were an internal matter received considerable support. An attempt was made again by China in December to take up the issue but finessed by France and other countries.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had addressed a fresh letter on Kashmir to the UNSC in January, and this time China decided to introduce it into a previously scheduled meeting under the agenda provision of “Any Other Items”. French lead was quickly endorsed by the other permanent and a number of non-permanent members bringing the meeting to a closure. The Chinese action, which came after the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October, makes it clear that China remains insensitive to India’s core concerns. The announcements on “strategic communications” that differences do not become disputes and the plans of holding 70 major events in the two countries to mark 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations are unlikely to put a gloss on growing differences over China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, Belt and Road Initiative, Indo-Pacific, China’s veto on India’s membership of the NSG, and attempts to block the listing of Masood Azhar as a terrorist.

A close strategic partnership with Russia was forged during the Cold War, and it has stood the test of time. Yet there are occasional murmurs in Moscow about India’s growing proximity to the US, particularly in the Quad (Australia, Japan, US and India), which foreign minister Sergey Lavrov described as a “divisive concept” last week at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. India too has been blindsided by Russia’s new engagement with the Taliban and by extension, Pakistan. The strategic partnership with the US is more recent, but has developed strong roots with more than 50 bilateral dialogues. Beginning from scratch a decade ago, the US has also emerged as a key defence supplier. Yet, it is clear that US has its interests in the region when it comes to Pakistan, Iran and its negotiations with Taliban.

The test for a strategic partnership is not that there must be convergence on all issues; the test is that where there are differences, these are expressed in private and not publicly. This is where the India-France strategic partnership, nurtured over two decades, demonstrates its resilience.

 hindustantimes

Thanjai Warriors all set to strike from the South

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to get unmatched capability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with the induction of the mighty Sukhois (Su-30MKIs) into the recently-resurrected No 222 Squadron at the Air Force Station (AFS) Thanjavur here, tomorrow. Preparations hit the last lap at the base with IAF’s brand ambassadors — the Sarangs (ALH) and the SKAT (Hawks) – conducting a final round of practice ahead of the big day. An impressive fly-past by Tejas trio from AFS Sulur was the highpoint of the day.

The Sukhois, meanwhile, seem to be watching all the fun unmoved, basking under the sun, with the temperatures shooting up to 32 degrees, despite sudden showers last night. Two impressive hoardings have been put up inside AFS Thanjavur ahead of tomorrow’s the induction of the frontline fighters; with one having the catch-line ‘Thanjai Warriors’ and other ‘Southern Strikers.’

“Thanjai Warriors is being given to add the local flavor. We value the local pride of the people of Thanjavur and its history. Southern Strikers conveys the message clearly and our intended role,” adds an official.

Along with the world-famous Brihageeswarar Temple, Schwartz Church and the Saraswathi Mahal Library, now Thanjuvur will also be known as home for the Sukhois.

Armed with the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, the Sukhois are ready to capture a place in the hearts of the local inhabitants alongside the irresistible Surul Poli –real crispy pooris coated with sugar syrup and filled with coconut inside!

Jointness Key ::

What makes tomorrow’s event special will be the presence of several top officials from various Service wings and other aerospace and defence organisations.

Sources confirm to Onmanorama that the new squadron will be locked on to the new ideas of jointness enabling armed forces to share their strengths and intelligences to take on the challenges.

“The IAF missions from AFS Thanjavur will have a lot of jointness embedded into the system, right from the planning stages. We will have many coordinated missions with the Indian Navy, who has maritime domain expertise. Coupled with IAF’s reach, mobility, flexibility, shock and awe, swiftness and surprise element will be a heady mix for any adversary,” an official said.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat is expected to be present at AFS Thanjavur to witness the top event.

Rich History ::

The renewed military presence in Thanjavur harks back to the past glory of it being the strategic capital of South Asia, during the Chola Empire.

When Rajendra Chola brought South Asia under his feet through his ambitious naval build up and made Thanjavur as the capital from Uraiyur, little would he have thought that the formidable platforms Sukhoi and BrahMos would add a whole new dimension to strategic importance of the town for the military planners.

BrahMos Aerospace CEO Dr Sudhir Kumar Mishra told Onmanorama that Sukhois at Thanjavur gives a huge strategic boost to IAF.

“Team BrahMos is very proud to contribute to the national security. Thanjavur has a very strong history in the Chola dynasty. We are confident that BrahMos will certainly bring glory to all endeavors of IAF. It is certainly a huge boost to the might of IAF,” says Dr Mishra.

The resurrected squadron will be fitted with BrahMos ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile), capable of hitting both land and ship targets.

 Anantha Krishnan / MANORAMA

MoD expert rejects foreign helicopter, HAL says Dhruv is suitable

With the ministry of defence (MoD) poised to sanction on Friday a Rs 21,738 crore project to build 111 naval utility helicopters (NUH) in an Indian private sector firm, an MoD expert has suggested the project be scrapped. The MoD and the navy want the NUH to be a foreign helicopter, built through the “strategic partner” (SP) model. This involves selecting a deep-pocketed Indian private firm as the SP, which will build the helicopters in India using technology supplied by a separately selected foreign “original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

However, former integrated defence staff chief, Vice Admiral Raman Puri (retired), who the department of defence production (DDP) has appointed as a consultant, has advised against inducting a foreign helicopter as NUH, when defence public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in a position to supply a naval version of its indigenous Dhruv advanced light helicopter (ALH).

Puri has recommended the indigenous Dhruv chopper over a foreign design, citing Para 23 of Chapter II of the Defence Procurement Policy of 2016 (DPP-2016), which states: “Preference will be given to indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment. Therefore, whenever the required arms, ammunition and equipment are possible to be made by Indian industry, within the time lines required by the services, the procurement will be made from Indian sources.”

On November 19, the MoD asked HAL for its comments. HAL has replied that it is “generally in agreement with the viewpoints provided by the consultant.”

Puri also pointed out that Para 23 states: “Accordingly the [MoD’s] categorisation committee, while considering categorisation under the DPP will follow a preferred order of categorisation,” in which “Buy (Indian – IDDM)” is top priority. IDDM is the acronym for “Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured,” a criterion the Dhruv ALH meets.

HAL has pointed out to the MoD that the Dhruv ALH has been in operation with the navy and coast guard for about two decades. It notes: “ALH has proved its robustness in all operating conditions, as validated by accruing more than 260,000 flying hours and [flying] more than 280 helicopters in the services of various customers.”

The navy has opted for a foreign helicopter, to be built on the SP model, because the Dhruv ALH does not have foldable rotor blades that allow it to be parked within the cramped confines of a hangar on a warship.

But HAL’s response to the MoD states: “The design of ALH is such that role change can be achieved with minimum modifications and minimum time, which will enable the navy to use this helicopter…”
HAL wrote that, while it did not earlier possess technology for foldable blades for the Dhruv, it “initiated a project with internal funding to design and develop a blade/tail boom folding mechanism on the ALH, which will meet the stowage requirements of the NUH.”

HAL executives say foldable blades can be easily developed in 2-3 years, a period shorter than what the MoD would take to sign a global NUH contract.

HAL’s letter also notes that the tender requires the foreign OEM to transfer nine critical technologies, which include a rotor system, transmission system, hydraulics, self-sealing fuel tanks, vibration isolation system and others. “All these critical technologies are available with HAL in the case of the ALH-based NUH, as it is HAL’s own development,” says HAL’s letter, which Business Standard has reviewed.

HAL also claims that “many other critical and advanced technologies [are] available with HAL, like the avionics system, glass cockpit, composite airframe technologies etc.”

Puri’s recommendations also reflect his opinion that it would be wasteful to buy a foreign helicopter, pay for transfer of technology, and develop manufacturing capability in an Indian private sector SP when all this already exists with HAL.

He has pointed out that the SP’s new manufacturing line would have no work after building 111 NUHs for the navy. The “transfer of technology” cost paid to the OEM and the cost of setting up a new NUH production line would make a foreign NUH far more expensive than the Dhruv, which HAL already manufactures in Bengaluru.

“Since the ALH-based NUH is conceived, designed and developed by HAL, there is no necessity for any ToT and thus a substantial amount of foreign exchange… can be saved,” HAL has argued.

HAL has also pointed out that it would be able to integrate weapons and sensors to meet the navy’s requirements in the future, upgrade the platform at any stage in its life-cycle, resolve technical issues and carry out “obsolescence management”, which involves ensuring the supply of spare parts all through its service life.

Puri’s intervention and HAL’s argument will not be welcomed by private sector firms who have responded to the MoD’s NUH tender. These includeTataAdvanced Systems Ltd, Adani Defence, Mahindra Defence, Reliance Defence and the Kalyani Group. In addition HAL submitted two responses – one in its individual capacity and another in a joint venture with Russian Helicopters Ltd called Indo-Russian Helicopters Ltd (IRHL).

The foreign helicopters in the fray include two Airbus helicopters – the AS 565 Mbe (Panther) and the H145M – as well as US firm Sikorsky’s S76D and the Russian Kamov 226T. The Panther is regarded as the front runner.

 Ajai Shukla

Sea Ceptor Supersonic Missile Defence System Offered to Indian Navy

L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd has submitted its first bid to the Indian Armed Forces- offering the latest generation Sea Ceptor naval air defence system, in its RFP response for the Indian Navy’s Short-Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) requirement.

The Sea Ceptor, that made its debut at DefExpo-2018, will be built in India. It provides complete protection against multiple air targets simultaneously. Sea Ceptor utilises the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) that features a fully active RF-seeker, two-way datalink and soft-vertical launch system.

A new functional simulator for ATGM5 anti-tank guided missile will make its debut at DefExpo-2020, the joint venture between Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and European MBDA said in a statement.


In addition, the company has offered Exocet MM40 Block 3 short-range anti-ship cruise missiles in response to India’s RFI for the Medium Range Anti-Ship Missile.

Presently, MBDA is delivering MICA air-to-air missile systems, and METEOR ramjet powered and network-enabled beyond visual range air-to- air missiles, and SCALP missiles for Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighters.

According to the company, the MICA is the only missile in the world featuring two interoperable seekers (active radar and imaging infrared) to cover the spectrum from close-in dogfight to long beyond visual range. Its ability to fly out to BVR in passive mode before the seeker locks on in the final stages of the end game has earned it the nickname “silent killer” as the target has little time to react or to deploy effective countermeasures.

The METEOR missile has a throttleable ramjet engine, active radar seeker and datalink that combine to provide unmatched end- game speed and manoeuvrability at greatly extended ranges, resulting in its all-important ‘No-Escape Zone’ being several times greater than any other existing or planned BVR weapons, the company claims.

The SCALP missile has the ability to deliver precision strike against high value targets such as well protected control bunkers/centres, key infrastructures and military installations from a safe stand-off distance, MBDA said.

The IAF is also taking the delivery of ASRAAM fire-and-forget missiles for India's fleet of upgraded Jaguar jets, bought under New Generation Close Combat Missile programme.

India's indigenously-built Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) have been armed with MBDA Mistral ATAM air-to-air missile launchers. "MBDA will exhibit at DEFEXPO 2020 this very high-performing man portable air defence system (MANPADS) that has already performed exceptionally well in firing evaluation trials for India, more than meeting India’s operational requirements and what was demanded of the missile system in mountain, desert and maritime conditions. As well as the operational advantages of the Mistral missile, there are major industrial advantages being offered if Mistral is selected for India’s VSHORAD requirement, with the missile to be fully manufactured under license in India. As Mistral has already been selected and integrated into the ATAM helicopter launch system for India’s helicopters (namely ALH and LCH), operating Mistral as a MANPADS system will offer major logistics and stock management advantages," the statement read.

The JV will exhibit Exocet anti-ship missiles, MARTE ER anti-ship missile weapon systems, long-range Naval Cruise Missile (NCM), Mistrals, and SCALP missiles at DefExpo-2020 to be held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh state, between 5-8 February.

 defenseworld

Captain appointed for the IAC-1, efforts on to put it in water by 2021

For projecting the country’s sea-borne airpower requirements, work on Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-1 is moving at a fast pace and it will be going in for basin trials in the next couple of months. This will be followed by a series of sea trials before it gets commissioned in the Indian Navy.

A top Indian Navy officer speaking on condition of anonymity explained that “the IAC-1 which is under construction will enter the waters like a ship in 2021 before it gets inducted in the navy as an aircraft carrier. The efforts are going on in the right direction. The first batch of the crew is ready and the second and the third batch of the crew have been identified and awaiting final orders.”

“The most important thing is that the name of the Capt has been cleared and that means that everything is on track now,” the officer quoted above said.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), under construction at Cochin Shipyard, Kochi is already running behind schedule. “The major challenge for the shipyard and the Indian Navy is to make sure that the ship meets all the milestones as planned and to put her out to sea for trials as per the revised plans.”

What is Basin Trial?

It involves the testing of machinery and equipment on board the ship in floating conditions before it goes in for sea trials.

The flight trials for the IAC-1 are going to start only when the IAC-1 which is named INS Vikrant is delivered to the Indian Navy. Before the flight trials the aviation facility complex and making the ships ready for flight trials.

In December Naval Chief Admiral Karmbir Singh had said that all issues related to ship build issues were all addressed and soon the trials would start and that the Indian Navy will take the delivery by February-March 2021.” Adding “the IAC-1 Vikrant will be fully operational by 2022.”

Indigenous Steel used in the IAC-1 ::

The steel used in the building of the aircraft carrier has been specially developed after extensive research and collaboration between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and the navy’s Directorate of Naval Design.

This is special military-grade steel created for the indigenously designed for the IAC-1 and the submarines for the Indian Navy. According to officials, it is sturdier than the ordinary type and has the capability of being used in temperatures as low as minus (-) 40°C. It is not breakable and can be bent to suit the requirements of the design.

financialexpress

Navy’s 4 under-construction destroyers to get lethal weapons, sensors package

The Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared a deadly weapons and sensors package for the four guided-missile destroyers under construction at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai, which will take the overall project cost of the four stealth warships to around Rs 35,800 crore.

Sources said the CCS last week cleared the over Rs 6,150 crore acquisition cost of a wide range of advanced weapon systems and sensors for the four 7,300-tonne destroyers being constructed under ‘Project-15B’. The first of the destroyers, INS Visakhapatnam, is likely to be commissioned in 2021-2022 after some delay. It will be followed by her sister warships, INS Mormugao and INS Imphal, while the fourth is yet to be named.

All four will be armed with precision-strike BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles as well as the next-generation Barak surface-to-air missile systems, among other weapons like 127 mm main guns and rocket launchers. While BrahMos has been developed jointly with Russia, the Barak-NG is a collaboration between Israeli Aerospace Industries-Rafael and the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation.

“While the Rs 29,644-crore fixed cost component for construction of the destroyers was inked in 2011, the variable cost component, which includes the weapons and sensors, has now been cleared by the CCS,” a source said.

The stealth destroyers, which will be propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speeds of over 30 knots, will pack a formidable punch. With their weapons and sensors, like the vertically launched missile systems and MF-STARs (multi-function surveillance and threat alert radars), the warships will be capable of long-distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air targets.

The interception range of the supersonic Barak-NG missile systems, for instance, has been increased from the earlier 70 km to around 100 km to provide an all-weather ‘defence shield’ against incoming enemy fighters, drones, helicopters, missiles and other munitions. The strike range of the 290-km BrahMos is also now being extended, as earlier reported by TOI.
The destroyers, which span 163 metres in length and 17.4 metres at the beam, have been indigenously designed and constructed. The P-15B destroyers, each of which can carry two multi-role helicopters, incorporate cutting-edge design concepts for improved survivability, sea-keeping stealth and manoeuvrability.

Once these warships are commissioned, they will join the ranks of operational destroyers named INS Delhi, INS Mumbai, INS Mysore, INS Kolkata, INS Kochi and INS Chennai. The naval tradition is to name indigenously constructed destroyers, which are second only to aircraft carriers in size and combat power, after a state capital or big city.

The Navy has a force level of 125 warships as well as 15 diesel-electric and two nuclear submarines, along with around 235 aircraft, helicopters and drones, to guard India’s strategic interests from the Persian Gulf to Malacca Strait as well as deter Pakistan and counter China’s expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean Region. The force also has 48 warships under construction in India, including aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, four Scorpene submarines and the four destroyers, while it will also get two frigates from Russia.

 timesofindia

Navy, Ministry of Defence in a tussle over biggest submarine project

A tussle has erupted over the biggest ‘Make in India’ project after the navy refrained from going ahead with a joint public-private bid while the defence ministry has emphasised that such teaming arrangements should be considered, as per procurement guidelines.

At the centre of the controversy is the Rs 45,000-cr submarine contest for the Navy—referred to as P 75I—that will see the winning Indian entity producing six submarines domestically with a foreign technology partner. The contract is being processed under the ‘strategic partnership model’.

Sources told ET that after an examination of financial records and manufacturing facilities, the navy’s empowered committee has shortlisted two Indian entities that would qualify to bid for the project—state-owned Mazagaon Docks Ltd and private sector giant Larsen and Toubro—both of which have considerable experience in shipbuilding.


On the other hand, all five foreign technology collaborators who applied have been cleared to take part in the competition.

However, a third bid that was jointly made by Adani Defence and state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) has not been cleared on the grounds that administrative permissions are not in place for the joint venture that responded to the competitive process.

This has emerged as a point of contention, with the Department of Defence Production, under which HSL operates, asking the navy that the HSL-Adani bid also be considered for examination. The department has recommended this on the basis of procurement rules that state that cooperative arrangements between public and private sector companies should be considered.

At the same time, the department has confirmed that the proposal for the formation of a JV by HSL with Adani has been received and is under consideration by the ministry. The letter to the navy is believed to have been issued after the matter was raised by HSL-Adani.

The tussle has put the ministry in a unique position. At one hand, procurement rules and past precedence rules state that whenever possible, the widest possible competition needs to be ensured, to arrive at the most competitive pricing. On the other hand, the committee for shortlisting of Indian partners has hit on a technical point that was enshrined in the procurement bid issued by it.

The matter is now expected to land up at the defence ministry’s decision-taking body on procurement that is scheduled to meet at the end of this week.

The biggest shipbuilding plan under the strategic partnership model is expected to see the state owned MDL as the front runner.

 economictimes

Chinese navy commissions first fourth generation destroyer

China on Sunday commissioned its first fourth generation guided-missile destroyer, which is expected to accompany aircraft carriers in new battle groups.

The warship named Nanchang was commissioned by People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the port city of Qingdao, official media reported.

Launched on June 28, 2017, the Type 055 destroyer is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons.The commissioning of Nanchang marks the Navy's leap from the third generation to the fourth generation of destroyers, a statement issued by PLAN said.

Having a displacement of more than 10,000 tons, the Type 055 is a 180-meter-long, 20-meter-wide guided missile destroyer with 112 vertical launch missile cells capable of launching a combination of surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, land-attack missiles and anti-submarine missiles, according to media reports.

Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said that Nanchang is expected to accompany aircraft carriers in battle group, state-run Global Times reported.

The Type 055 will serve as a powerful escort to aircraft carriers and is also very versatile and can lead a task group without a carrier and conduct a wide range of missions, Li said.

Five other Type 055 destroyers have been launched at the Dalian Shipyard, Northeast China's Liaoning Province and Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, according to reports.

China has two aircraft carriers and building more.

Official media reports said that China plans to build five to six aircraft carriers in the near future.

Also on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping conferred China's top science award to Huang Xuhua, the chief designer of China's first-generation nuclear submarines.Expanding its navy at a feverish pace as part of its efforts to increase its global influence, China reportedly has about a fleet of 68 submarines which include nuclear as well as conventional submarines.

China is constructing a major underground nuclear submarine base near Sanya, Hainan. The base could be capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites, reports said.

As the first Asian country to have developed nuclear submarines, China has been operating N-submarine since 1970.

Since then the N-submarines carried out major upgrades and started taking part in battle groups since 1990.

In 1988, Huang took the vessel to its maximum depth to test it, a task so dangerous that many crew members wrote farewell letters to their families to be delivered in the event of their death, state-run China Daily reported on Sunday.

Huang was also one of the eight recipients of the Medal of the Republic last year for his outstanding contributions to the nation.

 economictimes

Why silent? Congress slams PM Modi after Pakistan BAT beheads Indian Army porter

The Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "silence" on the recent incident involving Pakistan's BAT decapitating an Indian porter, asking when they will they get ten heads for one as promised by the prime minister earlier.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked, "Why is the Modi government silent on Pakistan's barbarism? Pakistani forces have decapitated an Indian porter, and martyred two soldiers. And prime minister and home minister are silent. The media is also silent."

"Are stories of martyrdom of Indians at the hands of Pakistan printed keeping the nature of government in power? When will there will a retort to Pakistan's cowardly acts? When will we see ten heads for one," he asked.Pakistan's Border Action Team is suspected to have decapitated a porter, who was among two civilians killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Friday, and taken away the head, officials had said. Soon after the violation, the Pakistan Army had resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation, targeting forward posts and villages along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
This is the first time that any civilian has been beheaded by the BAT, which comprises Pakistani army regulars and terrorists, though similar incidents involving security personnel have taken place in the past, they said.

The body of Mohammad Aslam (28) was badly mutilated and his head was missing, a senior police officer had said. Two Army porters—Aslam and Altaf Hussain—were killed and three others injured in mortar shelling.

 theweek

Big boost to Army units in west; six Apache attack choppers to be deployed on Pakistan border

Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Saturday announced that six Army Apache attack helicopters would be deployed on the Pakistan borders to help the Indian security forces personnel stationed there. The Army chief further said that the choppers would be deployed at locations where there is a threat of armoured columns.

While speaking to media, General Naravane said, "Six Army Apache attack choppers would be given to an Army unit on the western borders from where there is a greater threat from armoured columns."

Explaining why the rebalancing of deployment of the forces and weapons is being carried out, the Army chief said that the Indian Army is more than ready to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)."If Parliament wants that area should be taken, we will definitely do so and action will be taken accordingly," added Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.

Shifting focus to the border issues with China, General Naravane said that India's priority is to maintain peace and calm on the border. He, however, acknowledged that there are threats from both sides.

"We have to balance our requirement. On the northern border we are going in for capacity building, roads, habitats, storage for weapons by moving advanced weapons towards the eastern side," he said about the China border.

Talking about his recent visit to Siachen, the Army chief said, "As far as land borders are concerned this is where (Siachen) the two countries -- (China and Pakistan) are the closest. So the chance for collusivity is the most. Here and in Shaksgam valley."

Earlier in October last year, the then Army chief and now Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had stressed that PoK is an Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan. "The territory is not controlled by the Pakistani establishment, it is controlled by terrorists. Pakistan administered Kashmir is actually a terrorist-controlled country or a terrorist-controlled part of Pakistan," Rawat had said.

 timesnownews

J&K sovereign part of India, Pakistan should vacate PoK: British MP

British MP Bob Blackman on Saturday slammed Pakistan over its decision to move the United Nations on the Kashmir issue and said that the country should vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) first.

Bob Blackman said that Jammu and Kashmir was part of sovereign India.

Addressing a UK-based Kashmiri Pandit gathering organised here on Saturday, the Conservative Party MP countered the Pakistani government's plan to move a United Nations resolution in the wake of India's August 5 decision to revoke Article 370 of its Constitution and end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir."The entirety of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is part of sovereign India, and people that ask for UN resolution to be implemented ignore the first resolution, which is that Pakistani military forces should leave Kashmir to re-unite the state," Blackman said at the "Balidan Divas" or Day of Sacrifice event held in London.

Organised by the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society and All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), the event involved a theatre production titled 'We Remember: The Journey of Kashmiri Pandits'. It was put together by children and friends of Britain's Kashmiri Pandit community to capture the sentiment behind the lost homes of many Kashmiris.

"A powerful performance by all the children in the play and the Bharatanatyam dance. Appreciate your commitment and support Bob Blackman," Indian High Commissioner to the UK Ruchi Ghanashyam said in a tweet.

The children tracked their family history in the play highlighting the horror stories of the exodus in 1990 when thousands were displaced from their homeland Kashmir and are still hoping to return one day.

One of the kids, Bhoovi Kaul, who performed in the play recounted her story, saying, "I had always heard from my parents that both of them came from Kashmir. Every year, when I visit my grandparents, I could never understand why I couldn't visit their parents birth place despite being just 200 miles away in Jammu."

Blackman has been speaking out in favour of India since the decision to revoke Article 370 found echoes among Britain's MPs.

The north London MP, who is also chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Hindus, has been a long-time supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had also written to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson accusing Opposition Labour Party MPs of making provocative claims against India.
 "I strongly support the revocation of Article 370 Narendra Modi has again shown proper and strong leadership in honouring the manifesto of the BJP now is the time to properly integrate Jammu and Kashmir into the Indian Constitution," he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5 and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

 indiatoday

Seeing is believing, saw normalcy in daily lives: Vietnamese ambassador on J&K visit

Vietnamese ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau, who is part of a delegation of envoys undertaking a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, said on Friday that he witnessed "normalcy in the daily lives of the people" during his trip to the region.

"I want to say that it was a very worthwhile trip. Seeing is believing. That has us to have a fuller picture of the situation here," Sanh Chau told news agency ANI.

"My observation is that we see normalcy in the daily life of the people, which is a very positive sign," the envoy said, adding that his interactions with different groups in the region had him felt that they are "very happy with the current situation."

Pham was part of a delegation of 15 foreign envoys from different countries visiting Jammu and Kashmir to see first-hand the efforts made by the government to normalise the situation after the revocation of the state's special status in August last year.

The envoy added that he was not a "fact-finding delegation, nor the judges of the international court. We don't have that mandate, so we just came and observed and have an assessment of our own. I see signs of happiness on the faces of people when I talk to them."

The delegation, which includes envoys from the United States, South Korea, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Maldives, Morocco, Fiji, Norway, Philippines, Argentina, Peru, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and Guyana, arrived in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.

During the visit, they met political leaders, civil society members and senior Army officials in Srinagar and were briefed about the security situation in the region.

 timesofindia