Indian Army -- News Folder -- April 2003

[member_201]

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[member_201]

The Deputy Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani at the Saluting Dias on the occasion of 40th Anniversary of the Special Security Bureau in New Delhi on 31 March 2003

[Vick]

A force to tackle terror attacks

http://www.flonnet.com/fl2007/stories/20030411003509800.htm

[Vasu]

New health scheme for ex-servicemen

[Kakkaji]

With an eye on Pakistan, Army will go hi-tech

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=42303796

[JTull]

BSF to deploy hi-tech surveillance gadgets at Indo-Pak border

[Kakkaji]

J&K border fencing to be over by 2006
(The Hindu, 06 April 2003)

Along the International Border, (UNI): The fencing of the 180 KM International Border (IB), undertaken by the Border Security Force (BSF) jawans, has been going ahead despite Pakistani firing, sabotage attempts by terrorists, de-mining work and vagaries of nature. The construction of barbed wire fence has been patterned after the Israeli model, and taking place under the supervision of BSF.

Of the total 180 KM, fencing along 55 KM has already been completed while that along another 40 KM is expected to be completed anytime. Fencing along the IB in Jammu region was taken up by the BSF in 2000 and began in January 2001. The fencing work is expected to be complete by 2006. The fence being constructed has about a three metre concrete base, is about nine ft high and has a modern circular staggered barbed wiring and spikes to prevent crossing over by terrorists.

BSF officials are confident that the fencing would considerably reduce infiltration and crossing over by infiltrators and terrorists from Pakistan. Each KM of fencing costs Rs 23 lakh. Floodlighting costs an additional Rs 11 lakh which adds up to Rs 34 Lakh of fencing per KM. About 191.66 KM of the IB and 75.7 KM of the LOC are manned by the BSF, facing three wings of Pakistani Rangers across the Border.

[member_201]

Foolproof Security Would Make J&K a Police State
http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/apr/07inter.htm

[putnanja]

All ordnance depots to be modernised

[member_201]

Healing touch to go on, but troops take position
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=21639

[NRao]

US says needs new nukes, new conventional weapons

[Vasu]

Ancient human remains found in Siachen

[Guest]

Pak troops shell Kargil, Drass.

[Kakkaji]

Israeli surviellance equipments to be inducted in J&K

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=43564996

[Kakkaji]

Force strength to be raised in J&K: Gen Yadava

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=43560628

[NRao]

Infiltration on the rise in J&K: Army

[Muns]

Security concerns boost BEL's defence orders :

http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/apr/16bel1.htm

[member_201]

'Drum-beating has no place in the business of intelligence'

'Contours of terrorism in J&K different from Iraq'

[Kakkaji]

After IB, LoC to be fenced soon: Dy Army Chief

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=22176

[Anoop]

Indian Army to raise US-type Special Forces

[Vasu]

Army chief N C Vij to visit Nepal

[NRao]

Too old to fight

[JTull]

Weapons, explosives seized from Poonch encounter site: Army

[JTull]

Shortage of 2.5 lakh Bullet Proof Jackets for troops in LoC

[AmanC]

Major-General not allowed to meet President

[Guest]

Summer Alert: BSF reduces troop strength on border.

[Prateek]

The need for robust Special Forces
http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/apr/25ashok.htm

[JTull]

Army proposes information warfare directorate

[jarugn]

How to incorporate Special Forces into military

http://nytimes.com/2003/04/28/international/worldspecial/28OPER.html

[Amitabh]

South African T5 truck-mounted howitzer debut
[International Defence Review, 01 November 2000]

The G5-2000 Indian evaluation included firing trials conducted in 45-52º temperatures in Rajasthan. A Kentron Arachnida WMS205 gun display and navigation system was installed at the layer's position, interoperating with an ADS AS2000 battery computing system. The 52-caliber tube specified for the T5-52 and G5-2000 has a pressure limit raised to 444Mpa, allowing it to use both Somchem's five-zone M64 charge (optimized for 45-caliber tubes) and its M90-series six-zone bi-modular JBMOU-compliant charge when firing the 47kg ERFB M1 extended range projectile license-produced in India. The Indian Army has adopted a special variant, the M90(I), which has a slightly smaller diameter than the normal M90-series JBMOU bi-modular charge, to ensure compatibility with the rammer of the Indian Army's Swedish-built FH77B 39-caliber towed howitzers. When fired from the latter, the ERFB base-bleed round achieves 29km, rising to 40km when fired from the G5-2000. Service introduction of the G5-2000 is planned for 2005, but Somchem will be starting M90(I) charge deliveries earlier, for use with the FH77B.

[Kakkaji]

Govt mulls flexibility in army structure
(NDTV, 29 April 2003)

The government has confirmed that it is now examining a radical proposal to directly transfer Army officers to para-military organisations like the BSF and the CRPF after five to seven years of service. The proposal aims at reducing the age profile of the Indian Army and giving an alternate career option to Army officers. If approved, it could change the very nature of India's defence structure.

A Captain's Dilemma

He has the charm of a professional hotelier, chatting up diners in his popular South Delhi restaurant. However just two years ago, Capt Aseem Grover was fighting terrorists in jungles of Kupwara. It wasn't the jungles that scared him, but the limited career options and so he quit the Army. The government is considering this new proposal to stop people like him from leaving. "At the age 26-27, you realize you are only trained for one thing and that is of no use in the civil street. So this proposal will give people like us many more options and is welcome," says Captain Grover.

Younger Army

The government has confirmed that the proposal to transfer jawans has now been forwarded to the Law Ministry for approval. A separate proposal for Army officers is still pending with the Defence Ministry. If approved, it would not only give Army officers some job mobility, it will also help in making the Army younger. The average battalion commander in the Indian Army is 42 years old, while the average age of Pakistani battalion commander is 37. It's an age difference that seriously affects our fighting potential and the Army wants younger men as commanders. This new proposal aims to change this, giving older men a way out and creating more vacancies. "If an IAS officer can serve in the IPS and if an IFS officer can serve in the Home Ministry, why can't an army officer serve in other places?" asks General Shankar Roy Chowdhary, Former Army Chief. And it is now up to the country's top bureaucracy to help the Army re-invent itself.

[Vasu]

Fernandes Rules Out Downscaling On Pak Border

[JTull]

J&K militants have chemical weapons: Army

[Vick]

Life at 14,000 ft

http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/apr/30spec.htm

[member_201]

Polish goodies for Indian Army
(Warsaw Voice, 17 April 2003)

PHZ Bumar is also carrying out $220 million worth of deliveries of hardware and parts for tank weapons for India. In India's Russian-produced T-72 Main Battle Tanks, Poland will install 250 Drawa-T fire control systems from Warsaw's Przemysowe Centrum Optyki. Deliveries of 80 WZT-3 ARVs are in progress. When Prime Minister Leszek Miller visited India some time ago, Poland signed a long-term agreement on military cooperation. The direct result was orders for 46 engines for the WZT-3 ARVs. In Bangalore, Poland signed a letter of intent on the future participation of the Polish industry in a large program for the modernization of post-Soviet hardware, which accounts for a major part of the Indian army's equipment. It is estimated that the value of potential new orders would exceed $800 million.

The Indian Army has just started a large-scale program for the modernization of its tank weapons and armored vehicles. At least 950 T-72 tanks are waiting for new electronics and optics. India - which according to official data spends $6 billion on munitions every year - has also bought parachutes for its special forces from Poland. The Indian army was also interested in bomb disposal and chemical defense equipment deliveries, as well as the latest achievements of Poland's Maritime Technology Center, for example, mines, torpedoes and communications systems. They also showed interest in Polish landing crafts and cutters, as well as rocket modernization. The topic of training aircrafts may resurface. The Indians still use Polish Iskra planes for training pilots and praise these machines. The natural successor of the Iskra is the Iryda made in Mielec.