Govt acts on General VK Singh's complaint, fast-tracks acquisition of weapons

April 18, 2012

New Delhi, April 18: With an eye on both China and Pakistan, the government on Tuesday approved a slew of measures to fast-track acquisition of weapons as well as boost infrastructure development along the borders for faster mobility of troops and equipment.

The new steps significantly include seeking the Planning Commission's sanction for 14 strategic railway lines, mostly along the western and eastern fronts, for "quick troop mobilization and logistics sustenance'' in times of conflict, sources said.

An empowered committee has also been constituted under defence secretary Shashikant Sharma to examine the "detailed project reports'' of the Army's proposed "capability development plan on the Northern Borders'', worth Rs 26,155 crore that is slated for completion by 2020-2021. There is already an ongoing Rs 9,243 crore project for "infrastructure development in the Eastern Theatre'' by 2016-2017.

All this is critical since China can now move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control. Beijing, in fact, has recently taken to holding regular air and land combat exercises in the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to flex its military might.

The new fast-track measures came after defence minister A K Antony held an almost two-hour long meeting with General V K Singh and his top brass on Tuesday, a day ahead of the slated testing of India's most ambitious strategic missile, the over 5,000-km range Agni-V.

This was the third review meeting to plug critical operational gaps in India's military capabilities, highlighted by Gen Singh in his confidential letter to PM Manmohan Singh on March 12, in the face of two "inimical neighbours'' and the "reality of large land borders''.

The meeting "expressed satisfaction'' at the progress of procurement cases for the 4th regiment of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles at a cost of Rs 4,100 crore and two regiments of the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers for Rs 2,136 crore.

The new BrahMos regiment, with the missile's Block-III version that has "steep dive capability'' to take out targets hidden behind a mountain range, will be deployed in Arunachal Pradesh, with the first three catering for the western front with Pakistan.

The meeting also discussed the Army's proposed procurement of 145 M-777 ultra-light howitzers, which India is to buy from the US in a direct government-to-government deal worth $647 million.

These air-mobile artillery guns will be needed for the new mountain strike corps (70,000 soldiers) being planned after the raising of two new mountain infantry divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers, in Assam and Nagaland.

MoD will also try to expedite the long-delayed over Rs 20,000 crore 155mm artillery modernization programme, which includes 1,580 towed, 180 self-propelled wheeled and 100 self-propelled tracked guns as well as more Russian Smerch multi-launch rocket systems.

It was also decided that another empowered committee would be set up on the lines of the one for the Siachen Glacier, under the Army vice-chief, to speed up acquisition of specialized equipment for the 10 battalions of Special Forces tasked for clandestine warfare deep behind enemy lines.

The weaponry for them includes advanced assault rifles and carbines, all-terrain multi-utility vehicles and GPS navigation systems, modular acquisition devices, laser range-finders, underwater vehicles and combat free-fall parachutes, among other things.

Yet another committee will be constituted to examine the Army's long-pending case of acquiring its own attack helicopters and other "combat aviation assets'', which the IAF has been opposing tooth-and-nail. "The committee will include both Army and IAF members to study the current practices in armies of developed countries,'' said an official.

FAST TRACK MEASURES

14 Strategic Railway Lines:

Eastern: Murkongseld-Pasighat-Rupai, Misamari-Tawang, North Lakimpur-Along-Silapathar.

Western: Patti-Ferozpur.

Southern: Jodhpur-Shergarh-Phalsund, Jodhpur-Jaisalmer.

Central: Rishikesh-Karanprayag-Chamoli, Dehradun-Uttarkashi, Tanakpur-Jauljibi, Tanakpur-Bageshwar

Northern: Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch, Pathankot-Leh, Srinagar-Kargil-Leh

South-Western: Anupgarh-Chhattisgarh-Motigarh-BKN.

Committees:

Empowered committee headed by defence secretary to monitor "capability development plan on the Northern Borders'' worth Rs 26,155 crore, slated for completion by 2020-2021.

Empowered committee headed by Army vice-chief to fast-track equipment for Special Forces. These include advanced assault rifles, carbines, all-terrain multi-utility vehicles, GPS navigation systems, modular acquisition devices, laser range-finders, underwater vehicles, combat free-fall parachutes and the like.

Committee to examine Army's case for attack helicopters and other "combat aviation assets''. Army Aviation Corps wants a mix of reconnaissance, utility, tactical battle-support, armed and attack helicopters as well as tactical airlift fixed-wing aircraft in the long term.

Acquisitions:

4th regiment of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for Rs 4,100 crore.

Two regiments of Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers for Rs 2,136 crore.

10,000 Konkurs-M anti-tank guided missiles for Rs 1,223 crore from Russia.

10,000 3UBK-Invar missiles for T-90S tanks for Rs 1,386 crore from Russia.

15,000 3UBK-Invar missiles for T-90S tanks for Rs 2,079 crore from Bharat Dynamics.

66,000 "armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot'' tank shells for Rs 1,386 crore.

Two troops of Heron UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for Rs 1,200 crore from Israel.

145 M-777 ultra-light howitzers for $ 647 million from US.

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Taliban appoints Ikramuddin Kamil as acting consul in Mumbai as India-Afghan ties improve

News Network

November 12,2024

The Taliban regime has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as the acting consul in the Afghan mission in Mumbai, Afghan media has reported.

It is the first such appointment made by the Taliban set up to any Afghan mission in India.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian side on the appointment that came.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has announced the appointment of Kamil as the acting consul in Mumbai, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

"He is currently in Mumbai, where he is fulfilling his duties as a diplomat representing the Islamic Emirate," it said.

The appointment is part of Kabul's efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with India and enhance its presence abroad, the media outlet said

Kamil holds a PhD degree in international law and previously served as the deputy director in the department of security cooperation and border affairs in the foreign ministry, it said.

He is expected to facilitate consular services and represent the interests of Afghanistan in India, the report added.

Kamil's appointment comes days after the external affairs ministry's point-person for Afghanistan held talks with the Taliban's acting defence minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, in Kabul.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, also posted on X about Kamil's appointment.

The appointment of Kamil is seen as part of efforts to facilitate consular services to the Afghan population in Mumbai.

There has been almost negligible presence of diplomatic staff at the Afghan missions in India.

Most of the diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government have already left India.

In May, Zakia Wardak, the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was caught at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth Rs 18.6 crore from Dubai.

Wardak had taken charge as the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to New Delhi late last year, after working as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai for more than two years.

She took charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi last November, after the mission helmed by then ambassador Farid Mamundzay announced its closure.

Mamundzay, who was an appointee of the Ghani government, had moved to the United Kingdom.

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‘Officials to pay from salary’: Supreme Court issues guidelines on ‘bulldozer justice’

News Network

November 13,2024

New Delhi: The Supreme Court took a firm stance on ‘bulldozer justice’ today, affirming that the Executive cannot bypass the Judiciary and that the legal process must not prejudge the guilt of an accused. In a significant judgment, the bench led by Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan set new guidelines for demolition practices, responding to petitions challenging the controversial bulldozer actions taken against individuals accused of crimes.

The rise of this practice, termed 'bulldozer justice,' has seen authorities in various states demolish what they claim to be illegal structures belonging to accused individuals. However, multiple petitions questioned the legality and fairness of this approach, bringing the matter before the court.

Justice Gavai highlighted that owning a home is a cherished goal for many families, and an essential question was whether the Executive should have the authority to strip individuals of their shelter. “In a democracy, the rule of law protects citizens from arbitrary actions by the state. The criminal justice system must not assume guilt,” stated the bench, underscoring that due process is a fundamental right under the Constitution.

On the principle of separation of powers, the bench reinforced that the Judiciary alone holds adjudicatory powers and that the Executive cannot overstep these boundaries. Justice Gavai remarked, “When the state demolishes a home purely because its resident is accused of a crime, it violates the doctrine of separation of powers.”

The court issued a strong warning about accountability, stating that public officials who misuse their power or act arbitrarily must face consequences. Justice Gavai observed that selectively demolishing one property while ignoring similar cases suggests that the aim might be to penalize rather than enforce legality. “For most citizens, a house is the product of years of labor and dreams. Taking it away must be an action of last resort, thoroughly justified,” he said.

In its directives under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court established new demolition guidelines. These include:

Mandatory Show-Cause Notice: No demolition should occur without first issuing a show-cause notice. The person served has a minimum of 15 days or the duration stated in local laws to respond.

Transparency of Notice Content: The notice must include specifics about the alleged unauthorized construction, the nature of the violation, and the rationale for demolition.

Hearing and Final Order: Authorities are required to hear the response of the affected individual before issuing a final order. The homeowner will have 15 days to address the issue, with demolition proceeding only if no stay order is obtained from an appellate authority.

Contempt Proceedings: Any breach of these guidelines would lead to contempt proceedings. Officials who disregard these norms will be personally accountable for restitution, with costs deducted from their salaries.

Additionally, the court mandated that all municipal bodies establish digital portals within three months, displaying show-cause notices and final orders on unauthorized structures to ensure public transparency and accountability.

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