The Defence Ministry released this “Year in Review” today:
The unprecedented terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26 and the counter measures by the armed forces in regaining control of the seized buildings and rescuing hostages marked a turning point in the activities of the Ministry of Defence towards yearend. A slew of high-level meetings to review and beef up security followed. As a follow-up the government approved immediate steps to augment coastal security, intelligence coordination and fast track acquisition of cutting edge equipment and interceptor boats for the Coast Guard.
The three Services also rendered yeoman’s assistance during the Bihar floods in August, providing rescue and relief in areas devastated by an overflowing Kosi river. About 25,000 people were evacuated every day as army rushed 37 columns, the navy deployed boats and divers while the Indian Air Force airdropped medicines and food to the marooned people. Earlier in May, the IAF and the Navy extended humanitarian assistance beyond the borders, reaching out relief to earthquake hit China and cyclone-devastated Myanmar. While the Indian Navy ships INS Rana and Kirpan were the first to reach out to Myanmar, devastated by severe cyclone Nargis, the IAF engaged in the largest airlift across the border, providing 277 tons relief supplies to the neighbouring countries.
NEW WEAPONRY
The test-firing of 3,000 kilometers range Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Agni-3, 600-kms range canister-launched Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) Shaurya, supersonic cruise missile Brahmos’ naval version, 350-kms range Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile (SSBM) Prithvi-2 and 3rd Genertaion Fire and Forget anti-tank missile Nag, pre-confirmatory test-flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Nishant, induction of Hawk-132 Advance Jet Trainer (AJT) and Rohini 3-Dimensional Radar into the IAF, upgraded Pinaka multi-barrel rockets into the army and the 5th Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) ICGS Sankalp into the Coast Guard, hot and cold weather trials of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas promised punch to our armed forces. While Ordnance Factory, Trichy handed over ten Anti-Material Rifles to BSF in February, all 40 Ordnance Factories under the Ministry of Defence earned ISO-9002 international quality certification. An Integrated Space Cell was instituted in the Integrated Defence Staff in June, marking a path-breaking initiative to secure and consolidate the country’s space assets.
MAKING A MARK ABROAD
The Indian Navy ventured beyond the South Asia region in an active role for the first time, patrolling the Gulf of Aden since October 23rd and achieving notable success in preventing piracy on the high seas. INS Tabar foiled a piracy attempt on merchant Vessel MV Jag Arnav on Oct.11th and aborted another attempt on a Saudi vessel. Next month, the Tabar sank a Thai boat commandeered by pirates. On Dec. 13th INS Mysore captured 23 in the pirate-infested waters, including many pirates, and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition.
JOINT EXERCISES
For the first time again, a contingent of the Chinese Army touched down on Indian soil in December for joint counter-terror exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand’ at Belgaum. Earlier a Mechanized Infantry contingent of the Indian Army conducted the first joint exercise abroad at Salisbury Plains with the UK army in August-September. The IAF too earned kudos in the US participating in the Red Flag exercise at Nevada in August, as eight Sukhoi-30 MKIs, two IL-78 midair refuellers and an IL-76 transporter matched their paces with the likes of the USAF, French and South Korean air forces. In May, India participated in the Berlin air show as a partner country for the first time as the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony graced the occasion. The IAF helicopter aerobatics team Sarang earning a feather in the cap after being adjudged the Best Looking Close Formation. And later in July the Sarang team, flying the indigenous ALH Dhruv, also performed at the Farnborough air show in UK.
POLICY MATTERS, WELFARE INITIATIVES
The much-awaited revised Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP-2008) was released on Sep.1st, paving the way for transparent and faster acquisition of hardware and promoting indigenous industry. The constitution of the Armed Forces Tribunal was also set in motion with the approval by the union cabinet in July of 31 posts of members and later the appointment of retired Supreme Court judge Justice AK Mathur as its Chairperson. Other major policy and administrative decisions include the granting of permanent commission to women officers in select branches, approval of phase-2 of AV Singh Committee report granting upgradation of 1,896 posts in the three Services, restructuring of 117 posts in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and issue of guidelines and massive hike in revision of rentals for land and property hired by the armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Other welfare measures include the approval of Married Accommodation Project (MAP-II), doubling of monetary grants to gallantry awardees, setting up of Army College of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and Sainik School at Rewari, Haryana and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission.
OTHER FOREIGN DEALS, JOINT EXERCISES, SEMINARS, VISITS
Premier defence undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) broke new ground in exports, bagging an order of seven Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) worth $56.7 million from the Latin American nation Ecuador. In July the DRDO signed an agreement with Brazil’s Embraer to jointly develop an Early Warning System (EWS) for the IAF. During the visit of Russian Defence Minister Mr. Anatoly Serdyukov to New Delhi on September 29th, a major decision followed extending the term of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) by ten years beyond 2010 when its present term expires. Later in December the India-Russia High-Level Monitoring Committee reviewed progress on development of 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft, AWACS and Multi-Role Transport Aircraft and acquisition of T-90 tanks, SU-30 upgrades and aircraft carrier Gorshkov, rechristened INS Vikramaditya.
The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony’s visits to Malaysia in January and the US in September underlined India’s growing Defence Cooperation with the respective countries and coordination among their Armed Forces. In a rare gesture the Indian Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps gifted four horse pedigrees – two stallions and four mares, to Bangladesh army in February.
The Indian Navy hosted the first conclave of heads of navies of Indian Ocean littoral states, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in New Delhi on 14-15th February. A few days later, more than 270 companies from over 30 countries were represented in the 5th DefExpo, the land and naval systems exposition. DefCom in May and International Maritime Search and Rescue Conference (IMSARCON) in March were the other major conclaves hosted or organized in partnership with the armed forces. In March General Mehmet Ilker Basbug arrived in New Delhi, the first visit by a Turkish army chief to India. The US Defence Secretary Dr. Robert Gates, US army chief General George William Casey Junior, Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff, People’s Liberation Army, Lt. General Ma Xiaotian, Polish Defence Minister Mr. Bogdan Klich and Brigadier General Tay Lim Heng, Chairman of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP) were other major dignitaries to visit India this year.
The Indian Navy conducted periodic joint exercises – Milan 2008 with Asia-Pacific Maritime Navies at Port Blair in January, Malabar’08 with the US in October, Varuna with French Navy in May, Singapore-India Maritime Battle Exercise (SIMBEX).
And finally,
DEATH OF A TITAN … In June, the country lost one of its finest and most decorated soldiers, the first Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw. The nation paid fitting tribute by according him a state funeral as thousands poured out to bid him farewell. A commemorative postage stamp and First Day Cover were released in memory of Field Marshal Manekshaw on Dec 16th, the Vijay Diwas marking Victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
DPP-2008 was released on August 1, and implementable from Sep 1
Shiv, you were present in MoD on Aug 1, 2008….how come your facts are incorrect
As the person who had conducted the final user trials of Pinaka MBRL, it is heartening to know that it has been introduced into service.
It is a great weapon system & very lethal.
I hope the software has been improved
Chiriya boli kut-kut-kut
Mujhe de do , do biskoot
bhookh lagi hai khaaoongi
kha kar phir so jaaoongi
dudh malai rakhhi hai
par us mein to makhhi hai
kaise khaaoon kaise khaaoon
Chalo bhookhi hi so jaaoon
I am a big engine , puf, puf, puf
Waiting to set off, chuff, chuff, chuff,
Blow my whistle, tooth, tooth, tooth
A station bell is ringing now, ding-dong, ding-dong.
Cheeni Sharma
C/O 56 APO
MoD has ommitted to bring out many of their significant achievements such as:
The Indian system of deciding on the status of employees based on the proximity of Power rather than functinality was given a crude display in the shape of 6CPC.Having put themselves at the place next to God only, The IAS and IPS gave higher status to their Guards (CPOs) as comapred to the Countrys Guards (AF. Their gate keepers have proximity to Boston Barhamans and those who guard the country were given a go by with the active Participation of MoD and Mr Antony.
MoD achived a historical and significant milestone in turning the history upside down when they adamentely and vehemently falsified and denied existance of Rank Pay as part of Basic Pay at the 6CPC and subsequently in writting. They cahnged the entire definition of the Basic Pay equalling to the invention that Sita indeed was foster daugher of Ravana born in Italy.
MoD also achieved the unprecedent feat of consenting to accuse a Serving Officer and many retired ones including a general that they were the biggest traitors and terrorists.
MoD also achieved a feat during Mumbay Operations wherein Army and Neval personnels were projected as Policemen, lead by Karkare and other brave fighting IPS officers who made supreme sacrificers. Desirability of IPS leading the AF and undesirability of Armed Forces Officers was sucessfully projected through special Press projects of IAS and IPS aided and abetted by the MoD and perhaps Mr Antony.
Ignore spellings which can be corrected by a Babu …MoD may issue amendments to their Annual Review or the history will Review the same..
TYPES OF LIES –
– WHITE LIES
– DAMNED LIES
– STATISTICS
AND
MoD RELEASES
Instead of including “Implementation of 6th CPC recommendations in their achievements in 2008” MOD should include “Non implementations of recommendations of 6th CPC for defence personnel” and savings to the state by not paying to AF people their dues with the connivance of babus from ministry of finance,CGDA and CDAo etc.Another achievement could be the bringing the morale of AF which enemies of India could not achieve over the years
bengalunderattack says that all our ballistic missiles are dud except brahmos(which is a cruise missile)!
pretty difficult to digest that they were all lying. What is your take on this shiv
The armed forces demand for uniform grade pay on par with their civil services counterparts has been summarily rejected. Have any reasons been cited ? When it comes to bailing out the nation when the crap hits the fan (Tsunami, flood, drought, earthquakes, riot, rescuing kids from borewells that have been callously left open by the smae babus, Coubter terror ops in the haert of Nation’s financial Capital…….to cite a few examples) it’s always the Great Armed Forces of India, but when it comes to the compensating them accordingly, everyone’s looking sideways ? Why this unfairness? Why don’t we give it back? Can this question be put under the ambit of RTI and a explaation sought?
A nice article on the whole. But you missed out your most favourtite topic of all —- The 6th Pay Commission.
And you’ve mentioned Su-30 upgrades. What are those?
I have been away from my motherland for more than 10 years, working in Foreign land. Now, after all these years my family is so eager to return to its roots, but for the daily dose of blatant corruption and goondaism flavoured with terrorism prevalent in our country. Sometimes I feel that the terrorism aspect might well be taken care by our valiant soldiers. But then we are quite worried about the rampant goonda raaj and corrupt governance, which is evident to every Indian. I CHANCED UPON THIS BLOG and am shocked to note how our loyal armed forces have been done away with by the Govt apathy or shall I say bureaucratic connivance. There is so much of dirt in our Governance. When we shall be able to clean up this muck…only God can tell us!!!
Right now the same Muck is busy clearing up the cleanest part of country i.e. Armed Forces.
Very Very Special Achievement of the Congress goverment Aka MOD in 2008.
DEATH OF A TITAN DISRESPECTED AND THE FIRLD MARSAL INSULTED EVEN AFTER DEATH … “In June, the country lost one of its finest and most decorated soldiers, the first Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw. The nation paid fitting tribute by according him a state funeral as thousands poured out to bid him farewell. However, No Serving Chief, Def Secy and other IAS status MoD peons, leave aside the Ministers turned up.
The massage that being a criminal, exortionist and daciot election rigger Bahubali MP / MLA / Minister and his bum chum Babu is much better than being a historical military hero and national figure. A great military institution and his public and historical image was successfully debilitated.
As if it was not enough, Sonia led UPA goverment in haste put up the Field marshall at Article 12 in WOP just where a chiefs are, alling that a military man howsoever great he might be and whtsoever may be his contribautions and achievements for the Mother India has no place higher than a lame duck subservient Service Chief, a position compltely eroded historically. Field Marshals can only be “Raj Rishies” inrespective of their historical contribution but Never be a “Bramha Rishi” above Cabinet Secretary. The debilitating Indian caste system and consciousness was fully indorsed by MoD and UPA goverment.
MoD had this unique historical achievement desrving to be placed as Modern Appendix to MAHABHARAT .It also needs to be appended to the laws of Statecraft of MANUSMRITI since it has alredy become part of Constitution by virtu of MHA amendment in WOP.
Well done and keep it up. Sonia Ji and honourable Rashtrapati Ji deserve special congatulations on this feat of Cab Secy and govt of the Nation.
In the survey conducted by the Times of India group ” The unknown Soldier” is supreme in the heart of indian mass.
I really wonder this is inspite of year long inspired, paid and manipulated and sustained media vallification camaign against the Armed Forces of the Country. Certain media houses took upon themselves carrying out descrting and defamation camaigns against the Armed Forces declaring theselves as gurdians of IAS, IPS and certain Political party,s interests.
As a memeber of the Armed Forces and a Citizen of this country, I admit the demoralised, corrupt, unprofessional Police including CPOs does need a a media facelift and upliftment. That has to be achived the right way and for right reasons. Not by making Karakare a hero for nothing and supressing Armed forces sacrifices in comparison. Poor Hav Gajendra Sing was just forgotton the first day only. People are not fools and such unhealty competetive strategies of showing one the hero and supressing actual heroes are in bad taste and bound to backfire and be unsuccessful. CPOs also resorted to that damaging competetive tactics which going to be deterimental.
Police image lifting needs a good but non competitive campign which they must learn faster than never or remain bogged down proving themselves to be an Army.They need to uplift the image of ranks and file rather than those of outsider IPS bosses only.
happy 09 shiv. hopefully in this new yr you produce some better stuff
Dear Shiv
No good New year massage ….never mind…. This is nothing new for armed forces…
Our social and governing attitudes can not change suddenly…only worry is those are deteriorating and some systems like IAS have started giving foul smell…
Wow. So the government has finally released the contents of its committees ‘deliberations’.
And what nonsense they are.
Lt Cols have been placed lower than Superintending Engineers, and Directors, who are in PB4.
And whatever this wonderful tagline of “COmbat Ready Roles” is supposed to mean, smacks of the MES’s hurried panic editorial section.
ALL ARMY/NAVY/AIR FORCE OFFICERS AND MEN ARE COMBATANTS. UNDER ORDERS AND UNDER ARMS, IN UNIFORM.
What IDSE MES engineer is a combatant, that he deserves PB4, while army men do not?
And what of the grade pay issues, and the Lt. Gens degradation, and the mockery being made of equivalences, by placing a 16 years service IAS as an equal to a 33 years service Major General?
So now we are to be ordered about by kids who were not yet in high school when we were colonels?
What is wrong with the world today?
We are a nation where the nation is not sure of its identity. We have no history which is authentic since it has been warped to suit political agendas. 1000 years of rule has left us with no national pride. Some glaring exhibitions of our lack of national pride are:
• We carry out human chains, condolence meetings etc to remember 26/11 but not one single act of resentment of the 1/1/09 Assam blasts.
• We take to the streets when a single paisa is increased in fuel/taxes but will not bother about the demoralization of the Armed forces.
• We elect a Govt headed by a suspect foreigner who runs an outfit that threatens our neighbours like bullies. When kicked in the shin we whimper and run for our Yankee Momma.
• We respect a police whose best cops are ‘encounter specialists’.
• We think the best way to reform the police is to give them high rate of fire automatic weapons. Imagine the collateral damage in a shoot out.
I think we should abdicate to a foreign Raj. The Armed forces are demoralised and not one citizen has taken to the streets in support. Today ex-servicemen are on a hunger strike totally ignored by an ungrateful nation. The Armed forces rethinks its loyalty for a Nation administered by con men. After the 1971 war it is said that the Pakistan army used to vow every day during roll call that they would avenge their defeat. This led to Op Topac where we have been subjected to a thousand cuts. Today the armed forces are seething from the insults at the hands of the Congress Govt and their bureaucratic sleeping partners (literally). The apolitical and majestic Indian armed forces have been dragged to the streets. The results will be catastrophic. Thank God the Congress is only capable of hot air. A war would have been a rude shock for the nation. History should record the bureaucrats and politicians behind the conspiracy to demoralise the Armed forces and when the debacle takes place these people should be brought to trial. The bureaucrats grudgingly pass political dictates with anomalies to confuse, delay and harass. After destroying the Nation they have now targeted the last bastion of hope. The Politician cannot be blamed. He is in the chair for 5 years. The Bureaucrat settles in for 33 years and parasites on the nation. THE ENEMY IS WITHIN.
What is the Way Out…??
Many people write about it…Like Gurcharan Das… but I feel these guys only write disjointed and illusiory pieces…
Having suffred such humiliations all the centuries due to our hating the “Physical Might” or “Military Power” or at best giving it a pretty secondary place, we and uour understanding or attitude to Physical defence to our existance, society and civilization has not improved much.
It is absolutely in consonance with:
CHATRIYA BALAM DHIK BALAM, BRMHA TEJO BALAM BALAM
The Chhatriya strength (physical power) is useless power, only “Bramha Tejo” or the power of intellect or actully the streth of soul is the supreme power (interpreted by Brahmins as the Brahmincal power being supreme.. forget it look at real meaning).
We have lost so many centuries of progress and development, materially or spiritually, as a civilisation due to our neglected of the so called “dhik balam”.. the strenght to defend and destroy.
Physical existance can be condemned as pasing phase but being under slavery of Physically stronger invaders and passing physically inferior life for spiritual superiority is neither a hindu Concept not recommended by any Vedas or Upnishada.
Physical well being a condition for spiritual well being is aprt of all hues of Hindu doctrines, be it Vedas, Upnishada, Yoga Shastra or Budhism. Peace is the goal of blissfull existance.
Peace the highest goal and condition of happy human existance has not been understood correctly. Physically or spiritually, Peace means absence of wars and Conflicts / contradictions. Absence of War means ability to deter and defeat wars / conflicts and contradictions. It further entails presence of very strong physical or menatl powers that overcome wars, conflicts and contradiction.
Yogies develop these powers physically and menatally at individual levels. At the levels of society, these are achived with a variety of measures, cultural, economic, religious and militarily.
when a society is organised as a Nation such as we are, both measure become important. We need strong miltary and strong police. We need efficient administration and Judiciary. We need guarantees for individual liberties and freedom.`
Contd….
I along with the Propounders of Upanishadas feel that the whole and sole aim of Humans entering into the bonds of Society or “social contract” indeed is to guarantee individual the best physical environment for development of his soul or “emancipation”. Alliavation from hunger, thrust, weather, poverty, inequality is one aspect. Freedom from fear, subjugation, slavery , attacks, imposition of ideas and religion, forcible and lured conversions, discrimination and fear of life are the primary aspects as these are linked to existence.
Hindu or Non Hindu, psudo or real thinkers, be it Gurucharn Das or Nehru need to ensure conditions of Physical existance and well being first. That is necessary before one embarks on spiritual journey and the renounces physical conditions.
It No where means existance of Physical well being ab initio is non sense and all men can do Ram Ram the moment one is born. Even nature and God has provided conditions of Physical well being in the form of Father and mother.
Neglect of our defence is neglecting the first condition of our physical well being leading to enslavement of soul rather than its emancipation. It is failure of a system called society and governance.
It is No use being physically slave and striving to be spiritually enriched. No one has propogated that and approved of it. Arguments contrary to that are not tenable. One degrades his physical existance when one posesses it and is free to do that and one can not do that as a slave when physical existence under controll of the invaders and conquorers.
Use of Hindu Philosophy to justify present weak and stupid system is but imbacile attampt.
We do need strong Defence to ensure we are not made slave at least by outsider with every Delhi or Mumbay attacks.. If our people and forces are not being used it si the fault of rulers not Defence Forces.. If defence Forces are incapable…again it is fault of ruler that they have not provided their forces athe Capabilities…
Gurucharan Das by quotting ” hiranya garbha..”may not make fuddu of Nation and society…
Our Shastras and literature like Mahabharata and Ramayan fully dictatate to force social will on the attacker by Force…
We do need very strong Armed Forces…
Jai Hind….
Spellings regretted…ideas Not…
88 Lt Gens degraded. The cutting edge(Lt Cols) and the brains (Lt Gens)that brandish the sabre have been demoralised. The petty gains will be realised when the Nation goes to war with the now degraded to backward class Lt Gens.
u missed out many things like testing of PAD/AAD, testing of akash sam… etc
…ground testing of aastra