News , articles and essays on Indian Defense
A project to plug border gaps and deploy a “smart fence” along the riverine India-Bangladesh front in Assam is expected to be completed by July next year, the BSF chief said here on Sunday . Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG) V K Johri said the project got delayed by about six months as the region received heavy rains, resulting in floods, this year.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which is handling this matter, has issued a global tender for the construction of a tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in Assam, while it has also begun the excavation of a tunnel under the Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh, top officials said. Work on another tunnel in Nechiphu, also in Arunachal Pradesh, which will shorten the travel time to Tawang, will begin soon.
In its notification dated December 28, the Ministry has stated that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) or tri-services chief will be able to serve till the age of 65 years. “Provided that the Central Government may, if considered necessary, in public interest, so to do, give extension of service to the Chief of Defence Staff, referred to in the Explanation to clause (a) of sub-rule (5), for such period or periods, as it may deem necessary subject to maximum age of 65 years.”
In a stern warning to Pakistan, new Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday said India reserves the right to preemptively strike at sources of terror if the neighbouring country does not stop state-sponsored terrorism. “The threat remains from both northern and western sides. Over the last many years, we have been concentrating on our western borders while our northern border was at a little lower in priority. There was a need to rebalance and reprioritise,” he said.
The mission, thus, became an addition to the multifarious activities carried out by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three decades to win over the hearts and minds of the residents and wean away the youth from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, an army officer said.
The project, targeted to be completed in 2022, will cost Rs 277 crore. The ground plus 11 storey building with 3 basements, will have a total built-up area of 45,675 square metres. Apart from offices, the building will have an auditorium, conference hall, barracks for accommodating subordinate staff, guest rooms and a gymnasium.
India’s domestically produced advanced towed artillery gun system (ATAGS) has achieved yet another breakthrough, successfully firing five rounds in 62 seconds. The 155 mm x 52 calibre ATAGS achieved the milestone during evaluation trials at a firing range in the Pokharan region of India’s Rajasthan state. It offered the key parameters for the howitzer to pass the evaluation trials.
General Bipin Rawat, currently the Chief of Army Staff, has been named as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff a day before he was to retire from service, General Rawat is the first officer to hold the post of the Chief of Defence Staff, which was set up just days ago. The CDS will function as a single-point adivsor to the government on matters related to the military.
To strengthen its underwater fleet, the Indian Navy plans to build 24 submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines, a parliamentary panel was told. “Eighteen (conventional) + six SSN (nuclear attack submarines) are planned but the existing strength is 15 and one is available on lease,” it stated.
Two women Indian Army captains are being hailed as heroes online for helping a woman deliver her premature baby. Captain Lalitha and Captain Amandeep of 172 Military Hospital were recently travelling on the Howrah Express, when a co-passenger immediately needed assistance for her delivery.
