General Indian Defence News

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New Delhi, June 28: India is trying to build a consensus on liberalising foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and defence, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today told a gathering of business leaders and policy makers in Washington.

“Discussions are under way to build a consensus on further liberalisation of the FDI policy in retail and defence,” Mukherjee said.

Differences exist within the Indian government on the appropriate policies for foreign direct investments in the two sectors. The commerce ministry has proposed majority FDI in defence and retail, but the defence ministry wants a maximum of 49 per cent FDI in its field. Some other ministries are opposed to the freeing up of retail and have asked foreigners to invest heavily in cold chains and retail logistics.

Mukherjee will be holding talks on bilateral economic partnership with US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner from tomorrow. The US wish list includes the opening up of Indian industry and the financial sector.

“We are just at the very beginning of unlocking the enormous potential of this relationship,” Geithner told the same gathering.

“India is at the point now where future growth will depend on the success of the next wave of reforms,” Geithner added.

Washington is keenly awaiting New Delhi’s moves on retail. The Indian government allows 51 per cent FDI in single-brand retail and 100 per cent in wholesale cash-and-carry. However, multi-brand retailers such as Walmart and Tesco are barred.

An inter-ministry group on inflation under Mukherjee’s chief economic adviser Kaushik Basu has recommended the opening up of the sector.

However, the government has sought time to bring on board its allies as well as the Opposition parties, who fear for the future of small retail stores.

Research shows a well developed retail chain can eliminate middlemen in the food business — who pocket 60-80 per cent of the price paid by a consumer. Organised retail comprises just 4 per cent of the business.

Limits on defence FDI, now at 26 per cent, have become a bone of contention between not only the defence and commerce ministries, but also between foreign investors and Indian corporate houses.

Foreign aerospace firms backed by European embassies have been making a case for 74-100 per cent stake; only then can they bring proprietory technology into India, the companies said.

Indian corporate houses engaged in defence such as the Tatas, Mahindra and L&T are, however, bitterly opposed to such a blanket relaxation and have instead argued in favour of relaxing FDI to 49 per cent, with Indians remaining in majority control.

Assocham in a note to the government has also sought FDI cap to be kept at 49 per cent. Ficci has even said that 49 per cent FDI should be allowed as a special case.

Consensus route to retail FDI

 

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IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik feels there is no "urgency" for the country to have a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as there has been an "excellent synergy" between various wings of the armed forces.

Amid a debate whether a new post of CDS should be created in a bid to create more integration in the armed forces, Naik today said it is not going to be "indispensable" for the country and that there is no necessity for this at least for the next five to ten years.

"Though I am not opposed to the institution of a Chief of Defence Staff, I have doubts about the urgency for having such an institution in India. We need not emulate other countries as our requirements are different", Naik told reporters at Central Air Command headquarters on the outskirts of the city.

He was asked to comment on his recent remarks that there would be no need for a Chief of Defence Staff in the near future.

"We have fought several battles in the last five decades and there has been excellent synergy between the various wings of the armed forces. We are also not involved in military expeditions in other countries like the US is in Afghanistan. I don't think a CDS is going to become indispensable for India, at least not in the next 5-10 years", he said.

The IAF chief asserted that the Air Force was "alive to changing threat scenario" that has emerged in the wake of rapid changes in "regional and global geopolitcal dynamics" and that the Air Force is likely to see a rise in the number of squadrons across the country following a number of acquisitions in the pipeline in the next couple of decades.

news.outlookindia.com | No Urgent Need for a Chief of Defence Staff : IAF Chief

 

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Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary, Estonian Ministry of Defence, will be discussing international cooperation and strategic planning for cyber security at the Cyber Warfare India [IQPC Cyber Warfare India ] conference, taking place November 1st-2nd in New Delhi, India.

In an interview [Conferences - Events, Training Seminars for Business Leaders - IQPC Worldwide ] with Defence IQ, Tiirmaa-Klaar discusses how nations, including India, goes through a process of capacity building to optimise information sharing and early warning notifications. She states:

“There is a learning curve for every nation in cyber defence, and every nation will probably reach that level of maturity at some point. For some smaller nations, it’s easier to reach and for larger nations, it takes more effort, political attention and resources. The targets are not only government or military sites but civilian infrastructure – it’s everybody.”

As India is making cyber warfare a priority by restricting attacks in cyber space, it has become crucial for the nation to uncover risks by creating transparency between countries.

Few nations are more aware of the disruption that this type of warfare can incur than Estonia, which became victim of the world’s first large-scale nation cyber attack in 2007, but as Tiirmaa-Klaar clarifies, security must come from combined efforts of many nations:

“For countries outside Europe – if they raise their own resilience and if they enhance their own capabilities, especially law enforcement capabilities, and take responsibility in their cyber territory, this is a great help to [the rest of] the world.”

Additional speakers from the conference faculty [IQPC Cyber Warfare India ] to review cyber norms include:

– Brigadier General A Basu, Director, Cyber Warfare,
Integrated Defence Staff, Indian Armed Forces
– Lieutenant General Rhett Hernandez, Commander, US Army Cyber
Command (ARCYBER)
– Rear Admiral Arnaud Coustilliere, Cyber Defense General Officer,
Defense Staff, French Ministry of Defense
– Group Captain Jonathan Burr, Deputy Director, Cyber Policy &
Plans, UK Armed Forces

Cyber Security: Senior Advisor From the Estonian Ministry of Defence to Discuss International Cooperation and Strategic Implications | Gamut News

 

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NEW DELHI - Possible further Indian orders for Russian-made MiG-29K aircraft await the results of an investigation into a June 23 crash in Russia of a trainer version of the aircraft.

India ordered 16 MiG 29Ks for $650 million in 2004, intended to fly off the Russian-built aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, formerly called the Admiral Gorshokov.

A repeat order for $1.5 billion was placed in early 2010 for 29 additional MiG-29Ks.

On June 23, an MiG-29K trainer version of the aircraft crashed in south Russia, killing its two-member crew. Russia grounded the entire MiG-29 fleet till the probe is over, a senior official in the Indian Defence Ministry said.

Defence Ministry sources said additional MiG-29K orders are not assured as the crash has cast a shadow on the credibility of the aircraft itself.

An Indian Navy official said the five MiG 29Ks India has received from Russia may also be grounded.

The Indian Navy plans to use the MiG-29K aircraft for its aircraft carriers, one of which is afloat while the remaining two are in the final stages of construction. Vikramaditya is undergoing refit in Russia, and the homemade Air Defence Ship is under construction at the Kochi shipyard.

In addition, the Navy has long-term plans to build three more carriers, sources said.

The MiG-29Ks were purchased as part of the contract to refit Vikramaditya, which is now expected to be inducted by early 2013, nearly five years behind scheduled. India and Russia haggled over price increases imposed by Moscow above the contracted amount of 2004. The Indian Navy agreed last year to pay about $2 billion more than the contracted amount.

A variant of the MiG-29 fighter aircraft, the MiG-35, was rejected by the Indian Air Force for the $10 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft competition, along with the F-16 and F-18 of United States. The French Rafale and the Eurofighter were downselected.

Russia is also upgrading 65 MiG-29 aircraft for Indian under an $850 million contract signed in 2008.

Under the contract between India and the Russian Aircraft Corp. (RSK) MiG, the MiG-29 is to be upgraded from an aerial interceptor and air dominance aircraft to a fighter-bomber capable of striking mobile and stationary targets on the ground and at sea with high-precision weapons under all weather conditions.

MiG Crash in Russia Freezes Further Indian Buys - Defense News

 

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The Google street view project, aimed at allowing anyone having access to the search machine the option of viewing places around the world with 3600, street-level imagery, has hit a roadblock in Bangalore. State home minister R Ashoka said on Monday that action would be taken to bar Google from filming for the project in Bangalore.

Ashoka, who earlier received a communiqué from the BJP communication cell, said, “The police have stopped street view. We will take the necessary action to stop Google’s filming.”

Ashoka was attempting to assure his listeners that the security of the state capital would not be compromised. He added that a final decision in the matter would be taken after studying all the pros and cons.

Earlier, the chairman of the BJP communication cell, Channamallikarjuna, BJP MLA BN Vijaykumar and media in-charge of the party S Prakash had submitted a memorandum demanding that the home minister disallow Google from filming city streets.

“Bangalore is an international hub for information technology. It has several sensitive space research and defence establishments, like Isro, HAL, NAL and GTRE. Many of these are on the terrorists’ radar. If Google makes streetwise information easily available, it could aid terrorist outfits in planning terror operations. This has already been proven in other nations,” the BJP delegation said.

The delegation added that China had already banned Google, because there were suspicions that some of its operations were conducted at the instance of the CIA.

For Germans, it’s privacy issue
Among those most vigorously opposing Google street view were Germans, too concerned for their privacy to allow Google’s cameras to roll at will down their streets. In Australia and the US, however, Google street view operations were conducted smoothly.

Google had been working with a year-end deadline to get the whole system up and running, but with so many protests, that deadline might be hard to meet.

‘Can’t let Google take us for a ride’ - Bangalore - DNA

 

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A scoop on a long-term plan by the Indian military has revealed that India is aiming to equip its armed forces to ‘move from the current stage of dissuasion to deterrence against China’.

The report by a leading Indian news channel says that China will be the focus of the Defence Ministry's 15-year integrated perspective plan which will be in force from 2012 to 2027.

India and China occupied Tibet share a 3488 km long disputed border which was the cause of a short but bloody war in 1962. Since then, the two Asian giants have shared uneasy military ties with a series of border talks failing to yield much result.

The report notes that by 2020, India plans to form a new dedicated mountain strike corps of over 90,000 men, stationed in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh which China claims as its territory and in Ladakh, parts of which China still occupies.

The 15-year plan gives top priority to infrastructure along the border, including the construction of metalled roads and revamping of advanced airbases along the border. “Nyoma air base, barely 25 km from the Line of Actual Control”, the report said, “will eventually have Su-30 combat jets stationed there”.

Last year, India had to stop all construction along the border in Ladakh after a confrontation with Chinese soldiers.

The revelations come on the heels of a week-long defence talks between India and China which concluded Saturday. The eight-member Indian delegation was reported as describing the visit successful but abstained from giving any information on the content and outcomes of the meetings.

The delegation which visited Beijing, Urumqi, and Shanghai, came a year after India suspended high-level defence exchanges in July last year as a protest against China’s refusal to issue proper visa to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal as he was serving in Jammu and Kashmir.

China is the second largest spender on military in world with an official military budget of about US$91.5 billion, a 12.7% rise from 2010.

Indian military plans with China in mind - www.phayul.com

 

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17:06 GMT, June 28, 2011 Rosoboronexport is presenting over 70 models of naval equipment and armaments at the 5th International Maritime Defense Show (IMDS 2011) to be held in St. Petersburg since 29 June to 3 July 2011. During its existence, IMDS has entered the world’s top three naval exhibitions.

"It is important for us that potential customers not only can be acquainted with virtually the full range of our export models, but also see some of them "alive" at the quay wall. Plus firings at the Rzhevka test ground. Naturally, such a variety of Russian military equipment is not available at foreign exhibitions. We also cannot but rejoice that the number of participants and foreign delegations is increasing. Interest in the products from the domestic shipbuilding industry is growing. This is a fact,” - said Oleg Azizov, head of Rosoboronexport’s delegation at the exhibition and Chief of Navy Special Equipment and Services Export Department.

IMDS 2011 will surpass the previous edition held two years ago already in numbers. More than 400 companies from 29 countries worldwide will show their products here. It is expected that 45 delegations from 39 countries will visit the show.

Over 40 ships, boats and seaplanes from Russia’s Navy, Border Guard Service and exhibitors will be presented at the berths of the Marine Terminal and in the water area. Among them are the Project 20380 corvettes Soobrazitelny and Steregushchy (export version - Project 20382 Tigr), Project 11540 frigate Yaroslav Mudry, Project 677 submarine Saint Petersburg (export version - Amur-1650), etc. Three foreign ships will attend the show – the US Navy frigate Carr (FFG52), German Navy frigate Hamburg (F220) and Dutch Navy frigate Van Amstel (F831).

Experts have actively spoken about increasing competition on the international arms market during the past few years. Many countries are seeking to develop its own shipbuilding industry, so Rosoboronexport, as the sole state intermediary, has to pursue a more flexible and aggressive marketing policy. Today, the main customers of Russian naval equipment and armaments are Algeria, Venezuela, Vietnam, China and India. In addition to further strengthening ties with its traditional customers, Rosoboronexport is persistently looking for the opportunities to enter new markets.

The capabilities of the Russian defense industry capable of building all classes of ships, a wide range of weapons and equipment are certainly a factor. Some potential buyers are seeking to implement large-scale naval doctrines, while others are addressing their Coast Guard issues. In each case, Rosoboronexport strives to meet all the requirements of the importing country.

"Today we are observing increased demand for corvettes, patrol and missile boats. Most of the countries are seeking primarily to reliably protect their national interests in the exclusive economic zone. Our task as a state intermediary is to offer partners projects best suited to their needs. As the practice of recent years suggests, we can do this well," - said Oleg Azizov.

At IMDS 2011, Rosoboronexport is presenting the following models:

• Submarines: Project 677E Amur-1650, Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, small and midget boats.
• Surface ships: Project 11356 and Gepard 3.9 frigates, Project 20380 Tigr corvette, Project 21633 Tornado small missile (artillery) ship, Project 12418 Molniya missile boat, Project 10412 Svetlyak guard boat, Mirazh, Sobol and Mangust patrol boats, Zubr air-cushion landing craft, Murena-E air-cushion landing boat, etc.
• Armament: Kalibr-PLE and Kalibr-NKE integrated missile systems, the shipborne missile system with the Yakhont anti-ship missile, Uran-E shipborne missile system, Bastion and Bal-E coastal missile systems, Kashtan-M shipborne SAM system, 30mm AK-630M-2 Duet naval twin Gatling gun mount, Paket-E/NK ASW system with anti-torpedo etc.
• Coastal zone surveillance equipment: Podsolnukh-E OTH surface-wave radar, Mys-M1E and 10M1E coastal target locators, Komor, Komor-1 and Amga submarine detection systems, etc.

Training aids like the Laguna integrated surface ship crew training simulator are becoming increasingly popular. It best suits the modern approach to personnel training.

In addition to deliveries of finished products, Rosoboronexport is interested in joint research studies, designing warships and naval combat systems. Russian specialists are ready to provide consulting services, upgrade in-service equipment. Our design offices and enterprises can design and manufacture naval equipment and build infrastructure facilities on a turnkey basis in accordance with customer requirements. Project 11356 frigates built for India's Navy are a good example of such cooperation. They carry the jointly developed BrahMos missiles. This demonstrates the ample opportunities and Rosoboronexport’s desire to develop closer relationships with its partners, including leading foreign developers of naval equipment.

"It's no secret that under current conditions it is already impossible to be number 1 in everything. Therefore, Rosoboronexport is actively cooperating with major European manufacturers on a number of joint R&D projects, particularly in the area of hydrodynamic and underwater acoustics studies, joint ship design and use of advanced systems on Russian-built ships. This helps domestic companies achieve a new technological and scientific level, as well as best meet the customers’ needs"- noted Oleg Azizov.

Rosoboronexport’s specialists expect increased attention to the following models:

AMUR-1650 NEW GENERATION SUBMARINES

Amur-1650 new generation submarines belong to promising export models, which should strengthen Russia's position in the diesel-electric submarine market. The principal feature of this submarine is the capability of launching missile strikes against underwater, surface and ground targets. Its main attack weapon is the Club-S advanced integrated missile system. In addition, the boat carries a rocket-torpedo complex that includes six 533mm torpedo tubes (the ammunition load is 18 torpedoes and rockets).

The Amur-1650 is equipped with modern underwater and above water situational awareness sensors, communication and control systems, and EW equipment. Its sonar system is far superior to the previous models. Control of the submarine, weapons and equipment is automated and carried out from operator consoles in the main control room.

The Amur-1650 can accomplish missions in all regions of the oceans, in any weather, in shallow and deep waters. Effective ventilation and air conditioning systems are designed to operate in tropical regions and provide comfortable climate in crew quarters in all modes of navigation.

GEPARD 3.9 FRIGATE

It is currently in service with the Russian and Vietnamese Navies. The frigate is equipped with a new-generation combined gas turbine power plant and can move at up to 28 knots. Owing to its combat and operational capabilities, the ship can remain at sea for long time, control vast sea areas and operate under any climatic conditions. The Gepard-3.9 has been designed in accordance with the Russian Navy’s survivability requirements for actions in any combat situation. The ship has embodied stealth technology to minimize its signature.

To accomplish strike missions, the ship is equipped with the Uran-E anti-ship missile system. Its air defenses include the Palma missile/gun system with two 30mm rapid-fire autocannons and the Sosna-R guided missile. The 76.2mm AK-176M gun mount can destroy surface, coastal and air targets. For antisubmarine warfare, the ship is equipped with two twin 533mm torpedo tubes and rocket-assisted ASW system. All the armaments can be employed at sea state up to 5. For strike and ASW missions, the ship can accommodate a helicopter.

TORNADO SMALL MISSILE (ARTILLERY) SHIP

The ship has been designed in three versions (missile, artillery, patrol) sharing a common platform and is ideally suited to perform patrol and coast defense missions in the littoral zone. Its counterpart, the Project 21630 ship Astrakhan, became operational with the Russian Navy in 2006 and has proved effective, including in storm conditions.

Due to its shallow draft (up to 2 meters), the ship can perform missions in shallow waters, in river mouths, particularly deliver troops directly to the beach. At the same time, its design features enable safe navigation in stormy conditions (at sea state up to 6) and use of weapons at sea state up to 4. Its water jets ensure speeds of up to 25 knots under any conditions, provide high maneuverability and controllability, reduce noise and running vibration, and are not prone to damage in shallow waters.

PROJECT 12418 MOLNIYA MISSILE BOAT

Project 12418 Molniya missile boat is another unique warship. In terms of armament mix, it is unrivalled in the world. It should be noted that it was the USSR where the world's first ship of this class was developed in 1957. And precisely Russian designers are leading the world in the development of missile boats. With its relatively small displacement, the Molniya is armed with 16 Uran-E missiles with a range of 130 km. In addition to the strike missile weapons, the boats carry a SAM system and automatic gun mounts.

In firepower, many larger ships cannot match this version of the Molniya. Its high combat efficiency has been successfully proved by firings, exercises at sea and operating experience in Russia and abroad.

"Our objective at IMDS is to demonstrate the capabilities of the Russian shipbuilding industry to foreign partners as fully as possible. Especially, the country's leadership has paid great attention to the industry in recent years. Quite tangible results have already been achieved in some areas, - said Oleg Azizov. - Russia has a powerful potential, which will surely interest our new partners, including in Latin America and several countries in the Asia-Pacific region".

defence.professionals | defpro.com

 

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The Indian Army and IndusInd Bank Ltd. today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for issuing Salary Accounts to personnel of all ranks of the Indian Army. Lt. General Mukesh Sabharwal PVSM, AVSM**, VSM, Adjutant General, the Indian Army and Mr. Romesh Sobti, Managing Director & CEO IndusInd Bank attended the ceremony. The MoU was signed by Lt. General S.P Kochhar, AVSM, SM, VSM, AG’s Branch, The Indian Army and Mr. Sumant Kathpalia, Head Consumer Banking, IndusInd Bank.

The MoU aims at simplifying and streamlining the salary disbursement procedure and to deliver modern banking facilities of IndusInd Bank to the brave soldiers of the Indian Army.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Romesh Sobti, MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank said, “This is an event of pride and honour for us. IndusInd Bank is delighted to join hands with the Indian Army to provide a full range of banking products and services to all cadres of the Indian Army. We at IndusInd Bank are confident that we will live up to the expectations that the Army has from its bankers.”
Mr Sumant Kathpalia, Head – Consumer Banking said, “It is an honour to be associated with the Indian Army. We have carefully crafted the exclusive offerings and have ensured that these are comparable to the best-in-the-class banking products and services. In addition to our bouquet of product & services specially designed for the Indian Army, IndusInd Bank has also decided to offer various concessions on fee and interest to the Indian Army Personnel.”

The specially designed salary account is tailor-made to provide comfort and convenience in daily transactions, easy access through a wide range of channels and attractive propositions on loans and investments, including investment advisory services for the armed forces.

Some of the exclusive services that the Bank would be providing to the Indian Army personnel include Free ‘Anywhere Banking’; Unique Indus Money Monthly Auto Cash Back program that rewards banking transactions ; Free Demand Draft up to Rs. 25,000/- per day; FREE Inward foreign remittance facility. For all Senior Army Officers the Bank would provide ‘Platinum Debit Card’; 5X Indus Money Rewards Program; 30% discount on Green Fees at 300 golf clubs around the world; Complimentary Air Accident Insurance of Rs. 30 lacs and many more.

For all the PBORs (Personnel below Officer Ranks) the Bank will issue ‘Gold Debit Card’. This debit card will have higher purchase limit of Rs. 1 lakh & ATM withdrawal limit of Rs. 50,000 daily. Other benefits include Indus Money- Monthly auto cash-back virtually on all your banking transactions; Air Accidental Insurance to the tune of Rs. 5 lacs; Lost Card Liability to the tune of Rs. 1 Lac; Purchase protection to the tune of Rs. 50,000/-; Waiver up to Rs. 125/- per month on Fuel Surcharge and many more.

About IndusInd Bank
IndusInd Bank, which commenced its operations in 1994, caters to the needs of both consumer and corporate customers. It has a robust technology platform supporting multi-channel delivery capabilities. IndusInd Bank has 300 branches across 212 geographic locations of the country as on March 31, 2011. The Bank also has 2 Representative offices, one each in London and Dubai.

The Bank believes in driving its business through technology. It has multi-lateral tie-ups with other banks providing access to their ATMs for its customers. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges - BSE and NSE - and three major commodity exchanges in the country - MCX, NCDEX, and NMCE. It also offers DP facilities for stock and commodity segments. The Bank has been bestowed with the mandate of being a Settlement Banker for six tea auction centres.

Recently, CRISIL has reaffirmed its P1+ rating of IndusInd Bank's fixed deposits and certificates of deposit program. Credit rating agency ICRA Ltd. has upgraded Lower Tier II Bonds rating of the Bank to LAA- (pronounced L double A minus) rating with stable outlook from LA+ (pronounced L A plus) rating with stable outlook. ICRA has also upgraded the Upper Tier II Bonds rating of IBL to LA+ rating with stable outlook from LA (pronounced L A) rating with stable outlook.

IndusInd Bank signs MoU with the Indian Army

 

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Patna: As a gesture of goodwill, the Indian Army has announced it would observe 2011 as the year of the `disabled soldiers' across the country. The Army has already announced a grant of Rs 1 crore for the rehabilitation of the disabled soldiers. The Danapur Army Cantonment would felicitate these soldiers belonging to Bihar on July 7 next month on its premises.


Welcoming this move of the Army, the Bihar Ex-servicemen League president Col (retd) V K Singh said "it is a good beginning to give moral support to disabled soldiers who have gallantly fought on the borders or during insurgency operations to uphold values and honour of the Army." There are about 2,500 war disabled persons at the country level, out of which a few of them happen to be from Bihar, he said.


According to Col (retd) Singh, Army Chief General V K Singh has declared 2011 as the year of the disabled soldiers. Though the Army has promised a plethora of facilities for these soldiers, it would be a befitting honour to them if these soldiers are treated on par with the martyred soldiers. The government must be extra friendly with these soldiers while giving facilities to them, he said.


"There are two categories of disabled soldiers in the country. While most of the disabled persons prefer to continue their services in the Army on different posts, another category of them are straightway sent back home after giving them Rs 1 lakh as compensation. This paltry money hardly serves any purpose to them at a time when these disabled persons are going through psychological mental trauma the whole life in the society," said Col (retd) Singh.


The League president lauded the role of ex-servicemen welfare department for taking up the cause of these soldiers in the country. The Rajya Sainik Board should also prepare a list of such disabled and needy soldiers in each state so that they could be given proper facilities in time of need. Besides, the number of disabled soldiers is on the increase these days due to ongoing insurgency operations being carried out by the Army across the country. Thus, it is the moral responsibility of the Army to keep a tab on their way of life they are forced to live after becoming disabled during operations, he said.


The Bihar government has reserved three per cent in Class III and IV category jobs for the disabled persons. A sum of Rs 200 is being given to them per month also by the state government. However, this amount is too meager to subsist their livelihood. The state government must enhance it with an aim to ameliorate their lot, the league president said.

Army to dedicate 2011 to disabled soldiers - The Times of India

 

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New Delhi: For the first time in last 15 years, all the seats for both male and female officers in Indian Army's training institutions would be fully subscribed to help meet the shortfall of over 12,000 officers.
This year, the vacancies of around 2,300 officers would be filled in training academies including the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun and in Chennai, senior Army officials said here.

The Army is facing a shortage of 12,349 officers against its sanctioned strength of around 46,500 officers and is also looking to increase the number of officers to meet the new security requirements on both fronts. The Army has a total strength of 1.3 million.

If such a trend continues, the Army would be able to meet the shortfall in the next few years, they said.

As another step in this direction, Army is also going to start a new training academy in Gaya in Bihar on July 18 which will have capacity to train 700 officers in a year.

Over the years, officials said, it was observed that shortfall of officers was among non-technical wings such as the infantry, artillery and armoured corps.

"Now all those candidates who clear Services Selection Board (SSB) process and are not getting through in the technical branches are being given the option of joining non-technical arms and this arrangement is working very well," they said.

Army to fill all vacancies in training academies

 

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New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has entered into a pact with the Indian Navy to launch a programme under its community college scheme named 'Sagardeep'.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)seeks to confer educational certifications to the sailors of Indian Navy with the parameters laid down by IGNOU through its community college scheme recognising the 'in-service's training/courses undergone by them. Prof VN Rajasekharan Pillia, VC, IGNOU and MP Muralidharan, Vice Admiral signed the MoU at the conference hall, Kota House in the capital.The pact combi

IGNOU signs MoU with Indian Navy, Today News - By Indiaedunews.net

 

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As India's military undergoes one of the world's largest armoured vehicles modernisation programmes, Defence IQ will be holding Armoured Vehicles India 2011 to facilitate business opportunities between international and local industry and India's military.
This year, India announced a $36 billion modernisation programme, increasing massive investment in its armoured vehicles programmes. With the declaration that India's Arjun Mark-II has begun operational trials at the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan, with a final delivery date planned for 2014, armoured vehicles are increasingly a priority for the Indian Army and DRDO to develop.
Defence IQ's Armoured Vehicles India events have played a crucial role in helping to open up business opportunities in India, especially for international military who have found the event important for developing relationships with potential local partners and senior military officials.
Armoured Vehicles India 2011 is already generating a lot of interest in the international and Indian armoured vehicles community. The event, which will be taking place on 16th - 18th November, is positioned next to the Indian Cavalry Association's Annual Weekend of Celebration in New Delhi, which will guarantee the presence of pre-eminent Indian military at the country's armoured vehicles event.
Confirmed early speakers include:
S Sundaresh, Chief Controller R&D (Armament & Combat Engineering), Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)
S. Sivakumar, Director, Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment, DRDO
Brigadier Anders Carell, Head of Land Systems Procurement, FMV

Armoured Vehicles India is the only event in the country that will specifically discuss future and current requirements and capabilities for India's armoured vehicle modernisation programmes. Colonel (Ret'd) AK Sharma from the Indian Army has stated that, "The event is the premier venue to understand modernisation plans of Indian Army's land force capabilities and interface with key officials."
Armoured Vehicles India will be taking place from 16th-18th November in New Delhi. If you would like to get involved with the event and learn about delegate, speaker or sponsorship opportunities, please visit IQPC Armoured Vehicles India 2011. If you would like more information about armoured vehicles in the region, you can download free interviews, articles and videos at IQPC Armoured Vehicles India 2011.

New Business Opportunities at Defence IQ's Armoured Vehicles India -- LONDON, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

 

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Come July and Turkish Airlines, flying daily to Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai, is all set to deploy brand new Airbus A-330-300 wide bodied aircraft, offering more facilities and greater comfort to the travellers.

Senior Turkish Airlines officials here told this correspondent that the new A-330-300, being pressed into service from July 1 on Mumbai-Istanbul and Delhi-Istanbul routes, would have two class configurations, offering 28 full flat beds in the new business class and 261 seats in the economy class.

Adopting aggressive marketing strategies, Turkish Airlines which began operations in India about eight years ago, has also taken upon itself the responsibility of sales and marketing on the lines of its business models in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Thailand. Turkish Airlines has, on an average, registered 75 per cent occupancy rate in 2010 on its flights to and from India and has ferried three lakh passengers since it began its operations here.

Apart from launching the Turkish Corporate Club which offers additional benefits to business class passengers, the airline has introduced special discounted fares for students for their destinations in Europe and U.S. In an overhaul of its India-strategy, the carrier has tied up with PVR cinemas for promotion among young travellers offering two free tickets to different destinations every month.

New destinations

Over the past month, the carrier, a Star Alliance member, has launched 11 new destinations to Spain, France, Italy, Geneva, Germany, taking total number of its global destinations to 180.

The Hindu : Business / Companies : Turkish Airlines' new strategy to Indian routes

 

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Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) New Zealand Prime Minister John Key today said efforts would be made to increase bilateral cooperation and announced that his country would appoint defence advisors for India."We are also planning to increase the number of joint defence exercises with India," Key said in an interaction with media during his visit to the Naval dockyard here, adding the advisors would be based at Wellington.Describing his visit as highly successful, the New Zealand premier said, "We are grateful to the Indian government for hosting us"."Education is an area where there is a great scope for bilateral cooperation," Key said."Both the governments have decided to fund a large number of educational scholarships. There are growing opportunities in education in New Zealand for Indian students," he added.Asked if he envisioned India and New Zealand sharing intelligence in the backdrop of growing global terror menace, Key said, "As far as possible, we share information and New Zealand is working very hard to combat threat of global terrorism." "Obviously, we are very concerned about the terror attacks in Mumbai. From New Zealand's perspective, we are trying to make the world a safer place," he said.The New Zealand Prime Minister, on three day tour of India, visited the indigenously built fast attack craft INS Cankarso, along with Western Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral D K Joshi.

Defence Advisors to be appointed for India: New Zealand PM, IBN Live News

 

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From Vinay Shukla Moscow, Jun 30 (PTI) Union Home Minister P Chidambaram met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov and discussed ways to strengthen Indo-Russian cooperation in hi-tech sector, besides sharing views on situation in Afghanistan. "During the talks with Ivanov, who under President Vladimir Putin has held the posts of the Secretary of the Security Council and Defence Minister shared Russia vision of the situation after US withdrawal from Afghanistan," Chidambaram, who is on a three-day visit, said in an informal interaction with the media on the sidelines of a reception hosted by Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra last night. The Home Minister reminded that Russia has treaty obligations with the central Asian states bordering Afghanistan and is assessing the impact of possible spill over of instability across the border. Chidambaram and Ivanov, who in the Russian government looks after multifaceted cooperation with India as the co-chairman of the Indo-Russian joint commission, also discussed to enhance the bilateral cooperation in hi-tech sector. "Mr Ivanov said Russia was anxious to launch hi-tech cooperation with India in the fields of civil aircraft and submarine productions," Chidambaram said, adding, "these issues are being looked after by my cabinet colleagues - Defence Minister and Commerce Minister, who is also co-chairman of the joint commission, albeit I am aware of the issues as the member of the Cabinet Committee on Security." Chidambaram, who is the first Indian Home Minister to visit Russia in fifteen years, arrived here on Tuesday night on a three day visit at the invitation of Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu, who like the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India looks after disaster management and civil defence.

Chidambaram, Russian Dy PM discuss hi-tech sector coop, IBN Live News