Newsletter 10 December

Sino-Indian Standoff:

Indian Army mulling dual-task fighting formations to deal with both China, Pak

The Indian Army is considering converting some of its fighting formations into dual-tasked ones which would allow them to fight against both China and Pakistan.
Till recently, the focus of the fighting formations was mainly towards the Pakistan border as the Line of Actual Control was not that active.
The balance of the operational preparedness is heavily tilted towards the Western border can be seen from the fact that there are 3 Strike Corps deployed for offensive there while only one offensive Mountain Strike Corps has been created for the N borders.
“There will be no need to raise any additional forces or a new strike corps in view of the ongoing conflict. The existing fighting formations can be given dual-tasking to look after both fronts,” ANI said, citing Govt sources.
Different proposals in this regard are being considered by Army headquarters and suggestions have also been sought from the different Army commanders as a need has been felt to further enhance preparedness on the LAC, they said.
The way these formations could be made dual tasked would be decided as per the discussions and decisions based on them, the sources said.
The Strike Corps on the western front including the 21 Strike Corps in Bhopal along with the Strike One in Mathura and the Kharga Corps in Ambala are heavily armored and have their formations located all over the western, central and northern sector Including some which are very close to the China border.
The reorientation of the fighting formations of the 1.3 million Force would be a major exercise and is expected to prepare the defense forces for a 2-front war in real senses, the sources said.
In the ongoing border conflict with China also, the Army has done some balancing and brought in a large number of the armored element from Central and western India.
The BMPs, T-90s and T-72s of the Indian Army have been deployed heavily to more than match the Chinese presence opposite the Ladakh sector.
Over 3 Indian Army Mountain Divisions are additionally deployed in the Eastern Ladakh sector against around 60,000 Chinese troops in that area.
India and China have been engaged in a conflict since Apr-May timeframe in Eastern Ladakh and the deployments have gone up significantly in other sectors too along the entire LAC.

India and Japan discuss stronger military ties, joint drills

Amid an ongoing row with China, the Air Forces of India and Japan discussed further strengthening their ties through joint exercises and training.
The two sides held wide-ranging discussions during the visit of General Izutsu Shunji, Chief of Staff, Japan Air Self Defense Force (CoS-JASDF) who arrived on Wed and met his Indian counterpart Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
The visit by the Japanese Air chief comes soon after the navies of the two countries held the Malabar maritime exercise with all 4 Quad members in it along with the US and Australia.
India and Japan both have seen aggression by the Chinese in recent times as Beijing has been having territorial issues with almost everyone in its neighborhood.
They also discussed the scope for enhancement of joint exercises and training between the 2 Air Forces.
Broader cooperation for strengthening collective response to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief contingencies was also discussed, an IAF statement said.
General Shunji will also call on Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and held meetings with Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat and other senior officers-ANI.

Farmers’ Protest Row….15th Day

Union Agriculture Min NS Tomar urged the farmers to end their protest and work with the Govt on Thu.
Meanwhile, the farmers protest entered the 15^th day Thu with demonstrations continuing on Sant Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi and at borders.
We’d given an ultimatum till Dec 10 that if PM doesn’t listen to us & doesn’t repeal laws, we’ll block railway tracks. It was decided in today’s meeting that all the people of India will take to the tracks. Sanyukt Kisan Manch will fix a date: Farmer leader Boota Singh
Farmers call for a nationwide protest on Dec 14^th
Farmers reject government offer to amend laws, will intensify stir
Talks between the government and farmers’ groups agitating against the new agri laws broke down on Wed with the unions rejecting the Centre’s offer to amend the legislations.
They pledged to escalate the stir by organizing a ‘Delhi chalo’ and an all-India protest on Dec 14, a boycott of BJP legislators and a blockade of the Delhi-Jaipur highway any time by Dec 12.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and leaders of some other opposition parties including NCP, DMK, CPI-M on Wed met the President Ram Nath Kovind and urged him to persuade the Govt “not to be obdurate” and accept the demand of protesting farmers for the repeal of three farm laws.

SFJ trying to instigate Sikhs in Army: NIA

The US-based separatist outfit Sikhs for Justice hatched an “organized conspiracy” to further its Khalistan cause by trying to instigate Sikh personnel in the Indian Army to rise in mutiny against India, a charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency has said.
The FIR also claimed that SFJ was trying to radicalize Kashmiri youth and support for Kashmir’s secession.
The charge-sheet, which names 16 accused including SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Babbar Khalsa International head Paramjit Singh alias Pamma, also claimed that SFJ was trying to radicalize Kashmiri youth and openly extending support for secession of Kashmir from India.
The charge-sheet has been filed at a time when there have been concerns that SFJ and other Khalistani outfits, operating out of Pakistan, would attempt to use the current unrest over the farmers’ agitation to infiltrate the stir and use it to whip up disaffection.
The charge-sheet in the ‘Referendum 2020’ case, filed in a special court here on Wed, named 16 foreign-based patrons and members of the SFJ.
The accused are Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Avtar Singh Pannun (US), Gurpreet Singh Baagi (UK), Harpreet Singh (US), Paramjit Singh ‘Pamma’ (UK), Sarabjit Singh Bannur (UK), Amardeep Singh Purewal (California, US), J S Dhaliwal (Canada) and others.
Unverified sources said that the Indian intelligence agencies have gathered alarming inputs suggesting that Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI, is using slain terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s nephew Lakhbir Singh Rode to revive Khalistan movement in Punjab again.

Israeli firm Elbit Systems offers to build 70% of Artillery Guns in India

After quoting far cheaper than French Gunmaker Nexter in a Govt tender to supply the Indian Army with 1,580 artillery guns.
Israeli firm Elbit Systems has written to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, sweetening its offer by promising to build 70% of the weapon in India.
That is significantly higher indigenization than the 50% required for “Make in India” projects.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) tender requires Elbit Systems to supply the first 400 of its ATHOS 155 mm, 52-calibre towed artillery guns in fully built or knocked-down condition.
Fears that the future of indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), built by DRDO, Bharat Forge and Tata’s, could be endangered if India buys Israeli Elbit ATHOS gun. ATHOS 155 mm gun costs just Rs 10.7 crore, while ATAGS is about Rs 20 crore

This was the last leg of trials in a series of user trials carried out in extreme temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter. Joint Venture Protective Carbine has successfully met stringent performance criteria of reliability & accuracy: MoD. MoD said that DRDO-designed 5.56×30 mm Protective Carbine has successfully undergone the final phase of user trials on 7^th Dec, meeting all the parameters. This has paved the way for induction into the services.

PM laid foundation stone of new Parliament building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thu laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building, in which Lok Sabha will be three times of its existing size and Rajya Sabha will be substantially bigger.
According to a release by the PM’s Office (PMO), the new building is an intrinsic part of the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat‘ and will be a landmark opportunity to build peoples’ Parliament for the first time after independence, one which will match the needs and aspirations of ‘New India’ in the 75^th anniversary of independence in 2022.
The new building, that is set to be completed in 2022, is being developed in view of imminent challenges once the number of MPs increases. Total estimated cost around 971 cr, with seating capacity of 1224 members, spread over 64500 m²
The current strength of the Lok Sabha seats is 543 based on the delimitation carried out on the basis of 1971 Census.

Singh calls on ASEAN Defense Ministers to combat threats of bio-terrorism in the region

Def Min Rajnath Singh on Thu, while indirectly referring to China, said that the ASEAN Defense Ministers need to continue efforts to address threats of bio-terrorism while speaking at the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).
Singh pointed out that the threats to the rules-based order, maritime security, cyber-related crimes and terrorism, “remain the challenges that we need to address as a forum.”
The Minister called the adoption of the concept paper on expanding ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Direct Communication Infrastructure to the Plus countries as a notable step adding that the cybersecurity and military medicine are at the forefront of our challenges today.
He added that India appreciates the ‘central role’ of ASEAN-led forums, including ADMM Plus amid the current regional environment with visible strains.
The ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) has grown in the last decade to become the fulcrum of peace, stability and rules-based order in this region, Dr Singh added.

Will increase turnover of village industry to Rs 5 lakh cr in two years, says Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for MSME Nitin Gadkari on Wed vowed to increase the turnover of village industry from Rs 80,000 cr to Rs 5 lakh cr in 2 years, while addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Global MSME Business Summit, he said.
While speaking on the theme, “Reboot to rebound: Stimulating demand and supply side,” Gadkari said that the Central Govt’s target is to create 5 crore more jobs in the next 5 years.”
Presently, the MSME sector employs 11cr people. Our target is to create 5cr more jobs in next 5 years.”

37 DDC constituencies to go to polls in fifth phase in J-K

A total of 37 constituencies will witness polling in the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Thu. Polling will also be held for 58 vacant sarpanch and 218 vacant panch seats on Thu.
State election commission said 827519 electors are eligible to cast their votes which includes 433285 males and 394234 females. While 439529 voters are in Jammu division, 387990 are in Kashmir division.

Police arrested 1 terror associate of Jaish-e-Mohammad in the Awantipora area for providing shelter and logistics to JeM terrorists as well as transporting arms/ammunition and explosive material of terrorists in Tral and Awantipora areas. Case registered: JnK police

India in league of US, Russia & China as ISRO’s desi GPS NaVIC gets IMO recognition
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In a big boost to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recognized the space agency-developed Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC, a term coined by PM) or desi GPS as a component of the World-Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS), making India the 4^th country, after US, Russia and China in the world to have its independent regional navigation satellite system get this recognition.
The development will enable the utilization of NavIC in the fields of maritime navigation, surveying and geodesy (science of accurately measuring Earth’s geometric shape, its orientation in space and its gravity field).

Allahabad high court orders NSA detainee freed due to no ‘fair hearing’

The Allahabad HC has quashed the detention of a person booked for rioting and arson under the National Security Act (NSA), saying the state showed “extraordinary haste” in initiating action against the accused and denied him “the opportunity of a fair hearing in violation of established legal and procedural norms and constitutional protection“.

NEIGHBORHOOD/ WORLD

Pompeo slams Beijing for stealing research and intellectual property, targeting Chinese students in US

Ahead of the two Senate runoff elections in the state, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wed slammed China for stealing research and intellectual property from Chinese students studying in American colleges.
During a speech at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Pompeo termed China’s Communist Party as the “central threat of our time”, while highlighting efforts by Chinese security services to pressure and recruit Chinese academics and students as spies, The Hill.
He added that China was targeting Chinese students studying in the US, threatening them over perceived criticism of the communist nation, and pressuring or threatening their families in China in exchange for information on democratic activists and dissidents.

Pakistan finds love for Sikhs. Now cheering the Khalistan dream after failed Kashmir project

Pakistan wants Khalistan. It doesn’t matter how Sikhs are treated at home. All protests are commendable as long as they take place in India, wrote a Pak Journalist.
That is why the protesting farmers of India have given a new hope to those in Pakistan who condemn all such activities at home.
Be it the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, which has been fighting for equal rights for about three years now.
Or the recent Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of opposition parties protesting to oust the Govt of Imran Khan.
More than India, it’s Pakistan that takes the protesting farmers seriously, best explained by how Pakistani troops were put on high alert along the LoC, because a surgical strike was imminent.
Perhaps UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson isn’t that naïve after all – farmers’ protest against the Narendra Modi Govt’s 3 agricultural laws is a dispute between India and Pakistan.

Pak’s Foreign Min again Targeted India

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, taking tweeter, attacked on India by citing the report of EU Disinfolab, “No surprises as world’s largest disinformation network exposed with India sitting atop. 15 yr global disinformation campaign designed in attempt to discredit Flag of Pakistan internationally & influence global decision making. ‘Incredible India’, powered by fascist ideals & disinformation that even puts Goebbels to shame.”

A Brussel based, EU Disinfolab claimed that Indian Chronicles is:

A 15 year-long operation running since 2005;
10+ UN Human Rights Council accredited NGOs, mostly resurrected;
The resurrection of Prof. Louis B. Sohn, a prominent figure in human rights, deceased in 2006;
Several identity thefts, including the name of Martin Schulz, former president of the European Parliament or the photo of James Purnell, a former UK Govt min;
750+ fake media outlets, covering 119 countries;
550+ domain names registered.

Covid-19

Many of the 60 foreign heads of missions who visited the biotech companies in Hyderabad- Bharat Biotech and Biological E- lauded the work being done at the Indian facilities for the development of vaccines.