[ NATIONAL ]

J&K: Migrant laborers being moved to protected camps after terrorists kill 2 more non-locals

Two non-local laborers were shot dead and another injured in J&K’s Kulgam on Sunday when terrorists opened fire targeting civilians. All three are natives of Bihar. Shortly after, Jammu and Kashmir Police asked all its district chiefs in the valley to gather non-resident laborers and bring them to the nearest security camps “immediately.”

Eye on a mega-deal with Navy, Dassault will fly Rafale Marine to India in 2022 for showcase trip

Dassault Aviation had been in talks with the Navy for the naval version of Rafale even before the French giant signed the contract for 36 air force fighters in 2016.

Army’s drone formation sees massive changes as tensions with China mount at LAC

A new Aviation Brigade has been set up in the Eastern Command to coordinate action, and to have a more localized control.

India, US, Israel & UAE coming together to form a 2^nd Quad?

Israel wants India, with its transformed relationship with the Arab world, to play a greater role in the Middle East’s emerging strategic landscape. Jaishankar’s visit will be India’s first high-level engagement with PM Naftali Bennett’s Govt, therefore closely watched in Israel. India, particularly Narendra Modi, enjoyed an unprecedented relationship with the former PM.

From Trishul to Bhadra: Non-lethal weapons ready for Indian forces to tackle Chinese troops

India Today has accessed exclusive visuals of the non-lethal weapons, including Vajra, Trishul, Sapper Punch, Dand, and Bhadra — developed by an Uttar Pradesh-based company, Apasteron.

India & US kick off military drill ‘Yudh Abhyas’ in Alaska

India and the US have kicked off their ‘Yudh Abhyas’ military exercise in the snow-clad mountains of Alaska, with over 300 soldiers from each side taking part in combat maneuvers. The joint exercise will facilitate both armies to know each other better, share their wide-ranging tactical experiences and enhance their situational awareness through information exchange.

India, Israel share similar challenges from radicalism and terrorism, Jaishankar says

On his first visit to the middle eastern country as EAM, Jaishankar, on Sun said India faces threat from across the border from Pakistan & Israel is surrounded by hostile neighbors.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

China’s hyper-sonic missile test is not surprising, keeping it a secret is. India awaits details

The Chinese test in August has come as a surprise to the US. India is also working on hypersonic missiles and hopes to have one by 2025, the Financial Times reported, citing five unnamed sources.

China’s GDP growth slows to 4.9% in the third quarter

China’s third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at a dismal 4.9% amid slow industrial activity in September. The Chinese National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday that GDP grew 4.9% in the quarter than a year ago, Xinhua reported.

Hindu villages were burnt, Hasina was playing the flute: Taslima Nasreen slams Bangladesh PM

Taslima Nasreen’s tweet comes after a report claimed that a group of people attacked houses of the Hindu community as communal violence escalated in Bangladesh.

UN says Taliban to announce plans for girls’ education ‘soon’

The Taliban will announce a framework that allows girls to attend school in Afghanistan “soon,” a senior United Nations official said, after four weeks in which Afghan boys have been allowed a secondary education but girls have not. The Islamist group has faced international fury after effectively excluding women and girls from schools and work across the country.

1 policeman martyred in blast outside Quetta’s Balochistan University

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani says 17 people have been injured in the incident. Law enforcement agencies and rescue officials began arriving on the scene shortly after the incident was reported. The area was also cordoned off by security officials.

Alarmed by civilian murders, NIA and J&K police target terrorist aides, detain 800

Army Chief in Jammu to review security situation, counter-terror ops: Amid heightened counter-terror operations in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, Army Chief General MM Naravane is on a two-day visit to the Jammu region to review the overall security situation on the ground.

ThePrint -A spate of civilian killings has come as a reminder of peak-militancy days in Kashmir in 1989-1990 when thousands of Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee the Valley.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with local Police and intelligence agencies, has launched an operation to “break the network of overground workers (OGWs)” involved in terrorist operations.

(Sources)- the strategy has been devised in light of the string of civilian killings in Kashmir over the past 2 weeks.

The crackdown has led them to identify over 1,000 OGWs and newly inducted militants — those who carry out an attack and then merge with residents, going back to their daily routine — in the J&K. While 800 have been detained, nine suspects have been arrested.

NDTV (Sources) –Pak Commandos’ Hand Suspected In Deadly J&K Encounter

The group of terrorists in J&K’s Poonch have been able to evade thousands of security forces for 8 days while nine soldiers have died in the encounter. It is also unclear if any of the terrorists have been killed since nobody found yet. the fighting in 8-9 km stretch of the thick forest has continued despite a massive combing operation, a tight cordon, and intense shelling.

9 soldiers including 2 Junior Commissioned Officers, 11 and civilians have been killed, since last Mon. 

After 7 civilian killings in the first week of Oct, a source said, “a high-level meeting was held earlier this month in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and it was decided that the network of OGWs needs to be busted”. 

HT: Shadowy group claims responsibility for the attack on migrant workers in J&K: Umar Wani, who claimed to be a spokesman for the ULF (United Liberation Front) claimed responsibility for the attack in Wanpoh in a statement circulated on social media.

In a statement circulated on social media, around midnight yesterday, ULF said the attack was carried out as a reprisal to what it claimed the “lynching of 200 Muslims only in Bihar” in the last year by “Hindutva forces”. There is no record of 200 lynchings in last year in Bihar.

• After the meeting, the source said, the NIA registered an umbrella case of “conspiracy” against unidentified men and started searches.
• Of the 800 detained, the people “with the deepest involvement” in terrorist activity will be arrested and probed by the NIA, while others with a “lesser degree of involvement” will be investigated by J&K Police.
• The latter will be booked under the Public Safety Act. Those with no involvement but with a suspicious track record will be let off, and “monitored”, the source said.

‘OGWs involved’: According to a source in J&K Police, a total of 30 civilians had been killed by terrorists this year, including 5 who belonged to the local Hindu/Sikh community. 

These killings, the source said, were an “act of desperation” because a large number of terrorists of all outfits have been killed, especially their leadership, and their support structures destroyed amid continuous and effective efforts to maintain law & order.

The case and raids: According to the FIR, the NIA received “reliable information” that cadres of proscribed terrorist organizations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, al-Badr, and others, and their affiliates such as the Resistance Front, People Against Fascist Forces, Mujahideen Gawatul Hind are all active in J&K, and are being operated from Pakistan. 

• After the case was registered, the NIA conducted searches at 16 locations in the Valley in connection with the case Tue.
• On Wed, the NIA again conducted searches at multiple locations and arrested a total of 9 men — Waseem Ahmed Sofi, Tariq Ahmed Dar, Bilal Ahmed Mir, and Tariq Ahmed Bafanda, Haneef Chiralu, Hafeez, Owais Dar, Mateen Bhat, and Arif Farooq Bhat.
• Several electronic devices, “incriminating jihadi documents”, and records of suspicious financial transactions have also been seized.

Amit Shah to chair meet on internal security, police matters with state DGPs, IGPs, CAPF chiefs

ANI -Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a closed-door National Security Strategy Conference, meeting on Mon to review overall security across the country and policing issues with all the director-general of police (DGPs) and inspector-generals of police (IGPs) as well as the chiefs of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

The present situation in J&K as well as Naxal issues are believed to be the key agenda of the meeting in which National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Director Intelligence Bureau Arvind Kumar along with his colleagues will take part.

India, Israel share similar challenges from radicalism and terrorism, Jaishankar says

On his first visit to the middle eastern country as EAM, Jaishankar Sunday said India faces threat from across the border from Pakistan & Israel is surrounded by hostile neighbors.

HT-India, Israel agree on mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificates, while External affairs minister, S Jaishankar also thanked Israel for joining the International Solar Alliance.

Earlier this month, EAM spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had informed that Hungary and Serbia agreed to India for mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

ThePrint: India and Israel share similar challenges to their societies from radicalism and terrorism apart from many other emerging developments on the geopolitical landscape, Jaishankar has told the Indian Jewish community and Indologists here.

Jaishankar, on his first visit to Israel as EAM, hailed the Indian Jewish community’s manifold contributions to the centuries-old ties between the two countries.

The minister, who arrived here on Sun on a 5-day official visit, said that he was confident that the Indian Jewish community in Israel will bring the two countries even closer together in the coming years, adding that this is his 3^rd visit to Israel in the last 4 years, but every time he returns, he leaves with the sense of an unfinished journey.

• Jaishankar pointed out that India’s bilateral relations with Israel has been in a qualitatively different trajectory in the last few years.
• India and Israel have a Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism and the two countries also share real-time intelligence to deal with the menace.
• Jaishankar said that the real thrust, however, is to expand the innovation and trade partnership between our two knowledge economies.

Citing ancient connections between the two civilizations — both cultural and religious, he applauded the contribution of Indian Jews in the nation-building process of India, describing them as “one of us”.

• The central text of Rabbinic Judaism, Talmud, mentions trade with India in ginger and iron. Another foremost religious text, The Book of Esther, mentions India as Hodu.
• The continuity of age-old Indian practices by the Jewish community received particular appreciation from the minister, which he saw as creating “the organic bond between our two peoples”.
• In culinary, he mentioned the ‘Malida thali’ made by the Bene Israelis (Indian Jews from the Maharashtra region).
• He spoke on the influence of the ‘mangal sutra and ‘Mehendi, the practice of ‘baat pukka’ for formalizing marriages among Baghdadi Jews, and symbolic adorning of the Torah arks with jasmine garlands and the use of ‘manara’ by the Cochini Jews as some such examples.

Jaishankar noted that next year marks the 30^th anniversary of full diplomatic relations between India and Israel. India is celebrating the 75^th year of its independence.

• In 2023, Israel too would be celebrating the 75^th year of its independence.
• These occasions are significant milestones to start new voyages and to cover new horizons, he said.
• Jaishankar also launched a book by Professor Shaul Sapir “Bombay/Mumbai: City Heritage Walks”.
• During his visit here, the minister would call on President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
• He will also be holding talks with leading academics from all over Israel, business community leaders, and interacting with the Indian Jewish community.

Jaishankar will also be visiting places of historical significance to India, demonstrating its long-term presence in the region and constructive role played in shaping the history of the region.

Agreed to resume FTA negotiations next month. Agreed in principle on mutual recognition of Covid vaccination certification, Jaishankar, said in a tweet. India and Israel expressed hope that the agreement will be ready for signature by mid-2022.-HT

Army’s drone formation sees massive changes as tensions with China mount at LAC

ThePrint: As tensions with China mount at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Army has made massive changes to its drone deployment in the region, and is banking on its fleet of Israeli Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to keep a close eye on the activities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), sources told.

• The Army is also waiting for new satellite link-enabled RPA, commonly known as drones, and up-gradation of existing ones.
• (sources) The force has more than doubled its drone sorties at the LAC since the stand-off with China began last May and is flying the Israeli Heron MK 1 day and night.
• TheArmy has set up a new Aviation Brigade in the Eastern Command this year to coordinate the action and to have a more localized control.
• The drones in the Eastern Command have also been brought under the Army Aviation Corps from the Artillery, in a phased manner that began last year.
• This change has been made across the Army since last year to ensure that all flying assets of the Army remain as a single cohesive unit.
• When the drones were first procured way back in the early 2000s, the machines were primarily used for target sightings, and hence it was under the artillery but now the drones are used for a wide range of operations, and hence a decision has been taken to ensure that all flying assets of the Army come under the Army Aviation.

Focus on new drones from Israel, upgrades: (sources) – 4 new Heron Mk 2 drones, which are about to get shipped to India after being procured under emergency contract, will be deployed exclusively for the LAC. Added that the plan is to have satellite link-enabled drones.

Integrated ‘sensor to fire’ focus: (Sources) the focus has been on ensuring that the “sensor to shooter” link is established.

This meant that the drones can communicate with a central system, which can then be in contact with other operators of different systems to ensure that pinpointed firing takes place, or realignments in deployment is carried out if needed.

Eye on mega-deal with Navy, Dassault will fly Rafale Marine to India in 2022 for showcase trip

ThePrint: French defense giant Dassault Aviation is likely to bring the naval version of the Rafale aircraft to India in early 2022 (dates are yet to final but as early as Jan) to showcase its ability to carry out a ski-jump, which is a crucial take-off capability to operate from Indian aircraft carriers.

• Dassault, which is eyeing a mega-contract with the Indian Navy for new fighters, has offered to bring the Rafale M (Marine) to India as the Navy plans to procure new fighters to replace the Russian MiG 29Ks.
• Carrier-based fighters primarily come in three categories — STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing), STOBAR (Short Take-off but Arrested Recovery), and CATOBAR (catapult take-off but arrested recovery).

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and American carriers use CATOBAR while Indian carriers — INS Vikramaditya and an indigenous one that is under trial — employ STOBAR and that’s why foreign fighters have to showcase the capability as a basic requirement.

• A fighter aircraft’s behavior for a few seconds after ski-jump take-offs, until the wing-borne flight takes place, is critical to achieving a successful launch from carriers.
• Rafale M’s competitor — the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter of Boeing — had demonstrated the ski-jump capability in Dec 2020.
• However, the demonstration was held at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the US.

Talks for the Naval version of Rafale date back to 2016: Dassault Aviation had been in talks with the Navy for the naval version of the Rafale even before they signed the contract for the 36 air force fighters in 2016.

• In 2017, the Navy issued a Request for Information (RFI) to foreign players for 57 new fighters.
• However, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) now working on a Twin-Engine Carrier-Based Deck Fighter (TEBDF), the Navy is likely to cut down its requirements for foreign fighters.
• Last year, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh had also said the force may pursue the joint acquisition of fighters with the IAF.

‘Lift of IAC-I can accommodate all aircraft’: ThePrint (Sources) the defense establishment sought to allay fears expressed in some quarters that the lift of the indigenous aircraft carrier was small and would not be able to accommodate either the Rafale M or the F/A-18. While the Boeing fighter comes with foldable wings, Rafale does not.

Sources also said that all discussions on the project are happening internally within the Navy and any move to proceed further will depend on what the companies have to offer in terms of cost, including lifecycle costs and future upgrades.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

China’s explosive missile test causes consternation

ANI-Revelations about an advanced Chinese missile test in Aug have startled many by the technological know-how displayed by China. In the test, a space rocket boosted a hypersonic glide vehicle, one capable of carrying a nuclear device, which circled the globe before impacting- Financial Times (Oct 17)

• The hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) was launched atop a Long March 2C rocket, and it flew through space in a low orbit before impacting about 24 miles from its target.
• China failed to divulge this 78^th launch of a Long March 2C rocket, which occurred between other launches on July 19^th and Aug 24^th.
• HGV has taken the global strategic community by surprise, not just due to the experiment itself but also the fact that it was kept a secret for 2 months.

This underscores how China’s space program falls under the aegis of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), an astounding achievement project is led by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, a subdivision of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

• It was the first time China has conducted such a feat, and the pace at which Beijing is developing such technologies is the stunning US officials.
• While the world is in the worry with exponentially growing might of China, especially post-pandemic, what is more, alarming is how secretly it could keep secrete.
• Nonetheless, the whole report is based on the Financial Times, which in turn cited 5 unnamed people familiar with the test.

This capability bears all the hallmarks of a fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS). Russia was the first country to develop one in the mid-1960s before fielding multiple-warhead missiles made it’s FOBS redundant.

FOBS: Unlike a ballistic missile, (launched parabolically), it comprises an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which launches a warhead into low Earth orbit with a flatter trajectory (speeds > 6115km/hr) and as it approaches the target, an onboard retro rocket detaches the payload and causes it to return to Earth. Thus, tough to track and hit.

While the test came as a shocker to the world, especially the US intelligence, the Indian defense establishment is not alarmed.-ThePrint

ThePrint (Sources)- ….they added that China’s experiment, which missed its target by “about two dozen miles”, according to the FT report, just goes to show that the country will master the technology in the coming years.

China’s new missile a threat to the US: In this Aug, a US Congress report had noted that both China and Russia have several hypersonic weapons programs and “have likely fielded operational hypersonic glide vehicles — potentially armed with nuclear warheads”, while the US hypersonic weapons are not being designed for use with a nuclear warhead.

As a result, US hypersonic weapons will likely require greater accuracy and will be more technically challenging to develop than nuclear-armed Chinese and Russian systems, it said.

Meanwhile, Chinese FM “China followed USS Dewey & HMCS Winnipeg’s transit through the Taiwan Straits last Fri, and PLA Eastern Theater Command issued a statement. It was a show of force & provocation by the US which disrupted peace & stability.”

Hindu villages were burnt, Hasina was playing the flute: Taslima Nasreen slams Bangladesh PM

Bangladeshi-Swedish writer Taslima Nasreen slammed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the ongoing violence against the Hindu community in the country,

Taking to Twitter, Nasreen claimed that “two Hindu villages were burnt down by jihadis” on the night of October 17. Hitting out at the Bangladesh PM, she wrote, “Hasina was playing a flute.”

Further, she tweeted, “Hasina is celebrating today her brother Sheikh Russel’s birth anniversary when thousands of Hindus are homeless after their houses were demolished or burnt down.”

COMMUNAL VIOLENCE ESCALATES: Taslima Nasreen’s tweet comes after a report claimed that a group of people attacked houses of the Hindu community as communal violence escalated in Bangladesh.

At least 20 houses were completely burnt in Majhipara’s Jelepolli at Ramnathpur Union in the attack carried out late on Sunday over a social media post that allegedly dishonored religion.

Some 65 houses were torched during the attack, as per the local Union Parishad chairman.

HASINA WARNS ‘BAD ELEMENTS’: Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina gave a stern warning on Thu to “bad elements” trying to “disturb communal harmony”, after reports of attacks on Durga Puja pandals emerged from across the country.

Addressing a gathering of the Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja at the Dhakeswari temple in Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina said that action would be taken against the perpetrators of communal violence in Comilla.

There will be none left in 30 years- DhakaTribune

Hindus of Bangladesh, in numbers:

• 11.3 million were forced to flee between 1964 & 2013.
• 2.4 million perished in the 1970-71 Genocide.
• 1.2 million families have been dispossessed of 2 million acres.
• 12.6 million is the current population.