A Cogent National Strategy is Needed for J&K in 2019

           By-  Lt General S A Hasnain, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM (Bar), VSM (Bar), Distinguished Fellow, VIF

This article commences with a couple of presumptions about future scenarios. First, that in the predictable future there is likely to be no workable agreement with Pakistan on J&K and the issue is likely to continue with status quo. Pakistan will plan and cater to an optimization to stay ahead in the loop of baiting India and executing its actions within its perception of our limit of tolerance. Second that the Indian security establishment will continue to perform at high levels of tactical competence, dominate the security environment and continue on its spree of neutralizing terrorists. However, apart from achieving machismo through good statistics of kill ratios, this won’t move the graph of conflict from the late stages of conflict stabilization where it has been stuck for some time now. Third, the security establishment, political community, intelligence agencies, the veteran community and various informed academics and diplomats, are all aware what exactly needs to be done but there will be a dearth of ideas on how it is to be done.

The above presumptions are useful in determination of any strategy on J&K. Yet there needs to be clarity on the existing environment on the basis of which some known and less known facts emerge. From the high of 5000 or more terrorists 20 years ago the residual strength is no more than 300-350, majority being local and concentrated in South Kashmir. The resident strength in areas South of Pir Panjal is almost zero. In Kashmir, 248 terrorists have been neutralized in 2018 (180 are reported to have been recruited) but the residual strength hasn’t changed. With infiltration and recruitment this strength can remain constant year on year.

Infiltration figures vary from 100 to 150 each year and the Army is unable to guarantee anything better unless additional deployment is done or technology upgrades executed; that remains less likely. Figures of infiltration in 2001 and prior were to the tune of 2000 a year. North Kashmir is reasonably stable but any tampering with deployment will lead to spaces being opened and gravitation of infiltrated elements into them. It is South Kashmir where separatism and terrorism is rife. Local cadres are available to replace neutralized ones; the average life of a new recruit is no more than four to five months. Funerals of local terrorists are the recruiting grounds for terrorist ranks. Increasingly, not only terrorists but even local over ground workers (OGWs) and stone throwers, who form part of the anti-national networks, are becoming brazenly bolder and unafraid to confront even the Army; this leads to attempts at mob intervention to interfere with anti-terror operations in which civilians die or get injured triggering more alienation and antipathy. The separatist leadership remains intact with no effort to disrupt it.

The only strategy which is working is the neutralization of terrorists but in the absence of any strategy to prevent the creation of more terrorists this too is only leading to an unending cycle of military operations. Governance issues are being tackled by the Governor’s administrative team but the energy and ability to effect change is extremely limited due to the inability of field administrators to go the full distance in the implementation of directions on governance. The one thing missing from the turbulent internal proxy conflict zone is any focused strategy to get to the people, speak to them, break mindsets, overcome challenges of increasing radicalism, help create different narratives and generally regain the initiative.

Realistic political activity has eluded Kashmir for many years and neither the political community nor the administrators have the will and capability to go to the grass roots. The only ones who do are the Army, the JK Police and the CRPF; political, ideological and social issues cannot be resolved by them. The Army’s military civic action program Operation Sadbhavna has been of great help in only allowing the soldiers to reach out to the populace; it continues with vigour but obviously has limitations. What is required is an Operation ‘Sadbhavana Plus Plus’, owned not by the Army alone but by Delhi and the State Government, with every agency on board and many more. This is not something which can be set up in a year and executed. 2019 can be the year in which it can be initiated and a long-term strategy designed with mid-term reviews.

There is no point served by evolving complex strategies. There have been experiments of the past which have succeeded in creating hope among the people and languished for want of continuity; such a situation arose out of an absence of doctrinal guidelines with each institution and department fighting its battle. Two simple examples from the past will highlight this. First, the Central Jail continues to be a den of vice with little control; inmates enjoy facilities of communication and can connive and even set up terror operations from within. The escape of notorious Pakistani terrorist Naveed Jatt, later involved in the killing of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and neutralized in a recent operation by the Army, was planned this way. In the past, the inability of the administration to set up even the basic detention facilities for detained stone throwers forced them to be kept with hard core terrorists in the Central Jail thus converting them to terrorist ranks in many cases.

From an angle of strategy, the foremost guideline needs to be the continued conduct of security operations to prevent any potential surge in terrorist ranks. There should be no lag in the provision of the best equipment to the SF, including night vision equipment for counter infiltration. The CRPF and JK Police need quality training in mob handling and the equipment in their hands needs to go well beyond pellet guns. This must be visible, quantifiable and accountable training. No small detachments of Special Police Officers (SPO) should be deployed to prevent weapons falling into terrorist hands. From the security angle, no attempt should be made to reduce the Army’s footprint, including in the comparatively peaceful areas south of Pir Panjal. Absence of violence must never be assumed to be the return of normalcy; persistence in such deployment must be exploited for other measures described below.
There must be insistence upon defining the term ‘outreach’ with no scope for individual perceptions on this. Outreach must at the least include the progressive restoration of dignity and self-esteem to the people everywhere and not just in the areas held by the Army. There has to be a focused effort to get the political community to revisit and engage with the people. The erstwhile experiment of the Army and JK Police to assist in the meeting of people in small and perhaps later slightly larger gatherings at community centers in the Sadbhavna mode will help in the restoration of genuine political activity.

There is a common complaint about the ugly face of radical ideology having captured the mosques and converted the secular and tolerant culture of Kashmiri Sufism. Without the assistance of the clergy, restoring the moderate streak is not possible. This push cannot be local. It has to come from rest of India. Purge of radical clergy with assistance of intelligence agencies and replacement with a moderate one has to be a slow and steady campaign with willing takers from the clergy.

Outreach to the youth has different connotations. There has to be a splurge in activity to engage with them in small groups through imaginative programs including bringing youth icons from rest of India. The antipathy is real but given a chance to express their views, even with venom, gets them to a different attitude. We must remember that if the notorious Tral tehsil has given a couple of hundred terrorists, it has also given many more patriotic soldiers to various Indian Army regiments, including JAK Light Infantry and JAK Rifles. Sports and games are being organized aplenty and many young Kashmiris have excelled themselves. This should be used to develop pride in the youth.

Social media is well recognized as the villain that facilitates propaganda from different anti-national quarters. It cannot be countered by entities in isolation in Delhi who are out of sync with the reality or by individual organizations such as the Army, JK Police or intelligence agencies. It’s a professional job which needs research, content writing and psychological guidance. It has to be a cogently joint effort provided organizations can shed their individuality. Information warriors are the need of the hour; those who can devote hours of effort and remain in continuity on the task; the Unified Command may assume responsibility provided it is empowered. The Governor as the Centre’s representative must take charge of the Unified Command and employ it more often for war gaming and brain storming. It may sound contentious but the Army’s long experience in the information game makes it the ideal choice to be the lead organization in this effort.

There are five major universities in J&K. Their role is as yet unrealized but can be defined more clearly. Besides academic pursuits, they should lead the efforts towards bringing people from different sub-regions on a common platform to discuss and enhance awareness; even mutual adoption of towns from the Jammu division and Srinagar might be suggested. Let Samba and Anantnag have adoption as much as Udhampur and Baramula; promotion of interaction between citizens of different cities enhances bonhomie and understanding so necessary to arrest divisive trends in conflict zones.

The above are but a drop in the ocean of thoughts which runs across hundreds of minds in the rest of India. We should question ourselves whether some of our democratic practices are acting as obstacles to mainstreaming the people of Kashmir. It’s not a stray thought that media bashing of Kashmiris in Delhi is unhelpful in setting out our larger goals of making 2019 the year of reckoning in finally getting to grips with the 30-year problem in J&K.

(The paper does not necessarily represent the organisational stance...

At Table of Remembrance, a place setting for one

Shared from the 1/6/2019 The Times Of India - Pune eEdition

At Table of Remembrance, 
a place setting for one

You are not forgotten, reads a plaque with five officers' names

Sandip.Dighe@timesgroup.com

FOR ONE OF THEIR OWN: The National Defence Academy has set a table at the cadets’ mess for soldiers, who are declared as ‘missing in action’ by the government. It is the academy's pride

It’s a cool morning and a staffer at the cadets’ mess of the National Defence Academy (NDA) is busy cleaning the blackish wooden table kept right at its entrance.

At first glance, it appears to be a perfectly set for dinner with fine cutlery, candles, an inverted glass and a rose neatly placed. But, a closer look, shows a plaque hanging above the table.

“In times of war, there is high possibility that soldiers may not ever make it home. While it is traumatic for both the families and their peers, it is also damaging when the whereabouts and conditions of these soldiers remain unknown. Such soldiers are considered as MIA,” explains Rear Admiral SK Grewal, deputy commandant of NDA.

Among the NDA alumni who never returned are Captain GR Singh (34 Course) from 5 Assam, Captain Kamal Bakshi (29 Course) from 5 Sikh, Major Jaskiran Singh Malik (23 Course) from 8 Rajasthan Rifles, Flying Officer Sudhir Tyagi (28 Course) from Indian Air Force and Flight Lieutenant Nagaswamy Shankar (26 Course) from the IAF. They have been respectfully listed as missing in action.

A chair leans against the table, on which is placed a touching poem framed for posterity. It reads, This table set for one is small.

Symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner alone against his oppressors.

Remember! The Single Red Rose displayed in a vase reminds us of the families and loved ones of our comrades-in-arms, who keep the faith awaiting their return.

Remember! The Red Ribbon tied so prominently around the vase is reminiscent of the red ribbon worn upon the lapel and breasts of thousands, who bear witness to their unyielding determination to demand a proper accounting of our missing.

Remember!"

It goes on, "The Candle, the candle is unlit — Symbolising the upward reach of their unconquerable spirit. The slice of lemon is on the bread plate to remind us of their bitter fate. There is Salt upon the bread plate — symbolic of the families' tears as they wait. The glass is inverted — they cannot toast with us this night. The chair — the chair is empty. They are not here."

The academy’s mess is considered as the symbol of solidarity and brotherhood among cadets.

“We not only clean the table and the chair but also replace salt, lemon and a rose every single day, to keep it fresh for MIA,” says the staffer, who was assigned the task six months ago. “This job is special, as it is a matter of pride to do it for the MIAs,” the staffer added.

The position of the table holds significance, says Air Marshal TS Randhawa, former commandant of the academy who served between December 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008 and was instrumental in starting the tradition at the NDA.

“Once our MIA officers return to their ala mater, they should not find difficulties in searching for their table at the mess. Secondly, all the other cadets must remember them while leaving the place,” explains Randhawa, who got positive feedback from veterans and his batch mates.

The objective, he said, was to give a message to the cadets that the armed forces never forget their supreme sacrifices and dedication.

“Many forget the sacrifices made by our soldiers. It is our duty to remember and honour them, time and again, in all possible ways,” Randhawa added.

Cadets from the 135th course who recently graduated from the academy, said they will never forget the officers’ sacrifices in their military career.

A cadet from 135th course said, “When I first visited the mess, I was perplexed by the table. But after I learned why it was there, I have been overcome with respect. I will never forget their supreme sacrifice for the country.”

Another cadet from Hunter Squadron, said Captain Kamal Bakshi from the 5 Sikh regiment, will always remain his inspiration.

“His sacrifice will always inspire me throughout my military career. Whenever I shall visit the academy, I will first pay respect to the MIA at the mess,” he said. 

The academy has also allotted a dedicated space for MIA at their Hut of Remembrance, which enshrines and commemorates the sacrifices made by the academy's alumni, who died fighting in the wars and conflicts.

As soon as the government declares them dead, their names are written on the plaques, which are at present covered by tapes at the Hut of Remembrance

Admiral Grewal |

DY COMMANDANT

How Indian army Saved 2800Tourists

Why isn't this on National Media ???
On Friday 28th of December heavy snowfall in the upper ridges of Darjeeling and Sikkim had left nearly 2800 tourists stranded. Completely cut-off, with biting, freezing  cold they had almost given up hope. When the incredible jawans of our Indian Army launched the biggest rescue operation in Sikkim’s recent history and saved them.

I am Proud to share these pictures of our Army, they rescued 2800 people from Changu/Tsongmo lake and kept all peoples at there 17mile TCP camp.*


*I,too was present and was the victim of this sudden snowfall, when people had lost all hope of remaining alive, at around 6PM our army launched a rescue operation whole night and rescued all the tourist who were trapped at Changu and nearby Maba Mandir.*

*Now I really don’t fear, for I know our soldiers are alive and with us. They shared their bed, sleeping bag and all stayed outside in -9° just to keep us safe and alive, words are not enough to thank them for what they have done for everyone, I just wanted the people here and across the country to know, I am really very grateful to them.”*
                     -----   Aryan Ahmad
http://thedarjeelingchronicle.com/indian-army-gratitude/

INCOME TAX LAWS

Here  are   some   important   direct   tax   case   laws   which   were   passed   recently -  It  may  be  helpful  in  proceeding  of Appeal  before  Supreme  Court,  High  Court,  Income  Tax   Appellate Tribunal (ITAT),  and  CIT (A).  Also  helpfully   for  Assessment   &   Reassessment   cases.

1.      Capital Gain -   Bogus capital gains from penny stocks: If the holding of shares is D-mat account cannot be disputed then the transaction cannot be held as bogus. The AO has also not disputed the sale of shares from the D-mat account of the assessee and the sale consideration was directly credited to the bank account of the assessee. Once the assessee produced all relevant evidence to substantiate the transaction of purchase, dematerialization and sale of shares then, in the absence of any contrary material brought on record the same cannot be held as bogus transaction merely on the basis of statement of one Anil Agrawal recorded by the Investigation Wing, Kolkata wherein there is a general statement of providing bogus long term capital gain transaction to the clients without stating anything about the transaction of allotment of shares by the company to the assessee. ( Favour of Assessee)

Ramprasad Agarwal vs. Income Tax Officer  ( ITAT Mumbai )

2.      Reassessment - A report of the Revenue audit party is merely information and opinion. It is not new or fresh or tangible material. If the reassessment notice is solely based on an audit opinion, it means it is issued on change of opinion which is not permissible (Favour of Assessee)

FIS Global Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd vs. Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (High Court- Delhi)

3.      Conversion - The conversion of a company into a LLP constitutes a "transfer". If the conditions of s. 47(xiiib) are not satisfied, the transaction is chargeable to 'capital gains‘ u/s 45. If the assets and liabilities of the company are vested in the LLP at 'book value’s(cost), there is in fact no capital gain. The argument that u/s 58(4) of the LLP Act, the LLP is entitled to carry forward the accumulated losses & unabsorbed depreciation of the company, notwithstanding non-compliance with s. 47(xiiib) is not acceptable (Favour of Assessee)

Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax  vs.  Celerity Power LLP (ITAT- Mumbai)

4.      Order of ITAT - The ITAT should give independent reasons showing consideration of the submissions made on behalf of the assessee. An appellate order which affirms the order of the lower authority need not be a very detailed order. Nevertheless, there should be some indication in the order passed by the appellate authority of due application of mind to the contentions raised by the asseseee in the context of findings of the lower authority which were the subject matter of the challenge before it. (Favour of Assessee)

Cheryl J. Patel  vs.  Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax  (High Court - Bombay)

 -- 

GOVERNMENTS AND AVIATION SECURITY

Governments are the last line of defense when it comes to shaping policy concerning aviation security. Since there is no overarching global regulator to oversee all governments in every country, the handling of aviation security policy ultimately comes down to individual governments themselves.

As a result, the aviation industry faces challenges related to individual governments and how critical aviation security issues are handled by each. Industry desperately needs governments to overcome these obstacles in order to have a more secure and effective aviation market. Let’s discuss some governmental challenges in the aviation sector.

Global Security Standard

There is a lack of a global standard for security. While there are industry suggestions published by entities such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), these organizations have no power to directly enforce their recommended standards and practices on individual governments. Still, all countries must find a way to unite and strive to achieve the same universal baseline level of security regardless of membership to international organizations or not. The risk of losing passengers, aviation crew, cargo, and infrastructure is nothing to take lightly.

Government to Government Cooperation

When one country enacts a new security policy or policy update, there has to be some level of coordination with other countries affected by the action. Working out details of international policies ahead of time ensures enough resources will be allocated and the new process is clear to all entities involved. When they are not, passengers, aviation professionals, and the entities in between (including airlines) suffer the consequences.

Information Sharing

Along with government to government cooperation, comes info sharing. Currently, we are still not at a point where information is shared freely amongst one another. Lack of information sharing in the aviation industry is problematic. Knowledge gained of the latest risks, threats, and concealment techniques should be available to other governments needing to know. Since these often lead to revised security policies, cooperation among entities is required to guarantee security issues are addressed efficiently and in a consistent manner from country to country. Effective information sharing can save countless lives.

Technology to Market

Pushing new security screening equipment to market is an important task. The latest innovations and technological advances accelerate the screening process and assist with countering new threats. Governments must be supportive of equipment manufacturers and encourage constant research and development. They must expedite the process of getting detection equipment to market quickly. In addition, if governments worked together to establish a global certification system, redundancy of equipment certifications could be reduced dramatically. We must get ahead of threats as much as possible and government support for bringing technology to market can help with that.

 Trusted Traveler Program

Trusted traveler programs are a useful tool to reduce queue times at the airport by vetting low-risk individuals in advance. These programs have been successful and governments need to establish more of them. Governments must work together to connect individual programs into a universal database. If information about trusted travelers is shared amongst each other, passengers would likely experience a seamless screening process anywhere in the world, airports would be able to deliver quicker throughput, and more time could be spent countering known risks. An overarching trusted traveler database would be extremely advantageous.

Conclusion

Due to the lack of a global regulator, the burden of aviation security rests upon individual governments of each country. Because of this disparity, there are a handful of governmental challenges presented to the aviation industry. What additional challenges does the aviation sector face? Send in your comments to email address below.

Col Rajendra Shukla(Retd)

Daksh Consultants

India Representative- Safe Passage International

shuksrp@gmail.com

How To Use Audio Meditations During Your Meditation Practice

If you have been practicing meditation but have not been achieving the results that you desire, there is a simple way that you can greatly increase the power of your meditation sessions.

You don’t need to be a guru at meditation to use this technique. As a matter of fact, even those that are new to this practice can still use this technique and experience its life-changing power.

Meditation can work wonders on its own, but combined with this tool, it can achieve even more.

You’re likely wondering what tool I am talking about…

This wonderful tool is known as audio meditations. This type of meditation is probably the wave of the future. Likely because anyone can use them.

There was a time when the effectiveness of a meditation session highly depended on how long a person has been practicing, their level of skill, and their level of knowledge on it. Thankfully, these days are gone.

Modern forms of this practice are quite simple to do. On top of that, there are many different types which allow a person to be able to target their area of need specifically.

Believe it or not, with the use of this tool, you can experience results in your very first session. I know this may sound too good to be true. However, it is entirely possible.

If you’re ready to begin creating positive change in your life, you should consider allowing audio meditations to help you along the way.

Since they work best when combined with more standardized practices, let’s quickly go over a simple meditation exercise.

How To Meditate

There are many ways to meditate. Each way provides its own set of benefits. Today, I would like to go over a simple mindfulness meditation. It’s really quite easy to do.

Just follow these steps…

1. Find A Quiet Area

Mindfulness meditation requires a person to be able to focus. For this reason, it’s important that you find a quiet area where you will not be disturbed.

2. Sit Down With Correct Posture

After finding a quiet are, simply sit down and make sure you have the correct posture. For the best results, you should sit with your legs crossed, back straight, and your hands in a resting position.

3. Lower Your Chin And Relax Your Eyes

Let your chin drop a little. It’s also important for you to either close your eyes or lose focus on the things that are around you. Closing your eyes is not required, but it can make this exercise easier.

4. Pay Attention To Your Body

Pay attention to your breathing. Focus on the air you inhale and exhale. Allow yourself to feel all the sensations in your body. Continue doing this for a few minutes.

5. Allow Your Mind To Drift Away

After a few minutes of practicing the last step, your mind will naturally begin to drift away. This is a good thing. In fact, it’s exactly what you are trying to achieve.

6. Make Occasional Movements

After you have felt your mind drift away, practice making intentional movements that are small and well controlled. This will help you connect with your body and become more mindful.

7. When You’re Ready, Wrap It Up

You can continue this meditation for as long as you would like. Whenever you are ready, lift your head and open your eyes. Once your eyes are open, take a moment to look around and appreciate your surroundings.

How do you feel? What is your body telling you? What kind of emotions are you experiencing? What thoughts are you having? These are all important questions that you need to ask yourself after your mindfulness meditation.

How To Combine This Meditation With A Solfeggio Audio Meditation

Combining audio meditations with a standard meditation is quite simple to do. In fact, all you need to do is find which meditation will fit your needs and then listen to them while meditating.

When using a mindfulness meditation, using solfeggio frequencies would likely be a good idea. The reason for this would be that these frequencies are designed to help people in many ways. There are different frequencies for different needs. Many of them are designed to help people align their emotions, thoughts, concentration, and even control over their body.

There is a few simple to follow rules that you should keep in mind. Following these guidelines will help you get the most out of your audio meditations.

1. Keep An Open Mind

When using any type of meditation, especially audio meditations, it is important that you have an open mind. Even if you don’t think it will work for you, simply give it a try, put your all into it, and see how you feel afterward.

2. Use Headphones

It isn’t a requirement to use headphones. However, using them can help you block out the noise that is around you. This allows you to focus solely on your audio meditation and helps get rid of distractions.

3. Give It Time

Some people may experience amazing results during their first session. However, some people may not see results as quickly. If you don’t have an amazing experience your first time using an audio meditation, that’s okay. Give it a few more tries and you will surely see some results.

Down load video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=6vO1wPAmiMQ

New Field Guns for Indian Army

Modi Govt’s Artillery Modernisation would change game at Pakistan border

File photo of Haubits FH77 howitzer around which the Bofors scandal centered

The artillery has always been a battle winning factor. It possesses the ability to strike deep with great accuracy and cause maximum damage to even well-constructed shelters and bunkers. This was evident in Kargil when it pulverised enemy bunkers on hill tops, making the task of assaulting infantry easier. However, Indian artillery for long, lacked equipment with increased calibre and range thus reducing its ability to shape the battlefield and cause large scale destruction.

Other than the Bofors inducted in 1984, it possessed the 130 mm guns inducted in the 1960’s and 70’s and the 105 mm, home developed and manufactured field guns of the 1980’s. The 130 lacked the ability to fire in mountains and the 105 lacked range. Both guns fired limited type of shells with lesser level of fragmentation. The Bofors scandal was the basic reason behind restricting modernisation of the artillery.

The ghost of the Bofors was visible to AK Anthony behind every door all through his tenure as the defence minister in the Manmohan Singh government. He was so spooked that he cancelled ‘Request for Proposals’ soon after they were issued and on one occasion even ongoing trials. Every time anyone mentioned kickbacks, procurement deals were scrapped. The biggest loser all through his tenure was the artillery, which post the acquisition of Bofors, remained way behind in desired capabilities.

Even within the artillery, there was no consensus of the calibre of the gun to be purchased. The discussion revolved around 39, 45 and 52 calibres.

The calibre implies the length of the barrel, which is one of the factors to determine the maximum range of the equipment. Finally, after a gap of 30 years, the artillery is now being modernised. In a ceremony this week in Deolali, the home of the gunners, in the presence of the defence minister and the army chief, the artillery will induct two new guns.

The guns being inducted are the K9 Vajra and the M777. Both are of 155 mm, with the Vajra being a tracked self-propelled gun and the M777 a light weight howitzer which can be carried underslung by a helicopter. Both guns can fire upto a range of 30 kms. The quantity being inducted are 100 of the Vajra and 145 of the M777. The Vajra is 52 calibre, while the M777 is 39.

The Vajra is a variant of the South Korean K9 Thunder and is being manufactured by L and T defence. 10 guns were bought from South Korea and the balance are being manufactured in the company’s plant near Pune. Twenty-five M777 guns would be imported in fly-away condition and the balance 120 would be manufactured by Mahindra Defence.

The Vajra is destined for the plains and deserts and would form part of the strike corps. Being self-propelled they would operate alongside armoured formations and provide much needed firepower. For a long time, these formations lacked requisite firepower with matching mobility. There were attempts at mix and match including mounting the 130 mm barrel on an Arjun tank chassis, but all these had limited success.

The M777 is ideal for the mountains where with its light weight, better manoeuvrability and helicopter-portability, it can be deployed faster and far more forward enhancing the engagement range. Thus, they would enhance firepower in a region where spread of deployment restricts fire support to troops holding ground in the defensive role.

There are other modernisation programmes in the pipeline for the artillery. Last week, ordnance factories were given a contract for upgrading 300 vintage 130mm guns to 155 mm/ 45 calibre. These would then equip 15 artillery regiments. This upgrading is to be completed by 2022. The upgradation involved changing the barrel, adding new sighting and loading systems, enabling better accuracy and enhanced rate of fire.

The upgrading costs 70 lakhs per gun and is one-fifth the cost of a new piece. Once upgraded, the range of the gun would increase from its present 29 Kms to 39 Kms. Its lethality would also increase by 300% as the new shell would have 8 kg of TNT as compared to 3.4 earlier. These would be employed in the plains and desert sectors.

Simultaneously trials are on for the Dhanush artillery guns, the Indian version of the Bofors, based on the transfer of technology from the original manufacturer, AB Bofors. These are also 155 mm/ 45 calibre. In case the trials are successful and there are no major shortcomings, firm orders would be placed for 300 Guns.

In addition, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) is also in the process of different phases of trials. This is another 155 mm/ 52 Calibre gun system being developed jointly by the DRDO in collaboration with the private sector. The private concerns involved are Bharat Forge, Tata power strategic engineering division and Mahindra defence naval systems. The gun during its earlier trials had set a world record of 48.074 Kms for a gun of its calibre. This has recently been surpassed by a new weapon system being developed in the US. An initial order for 40 is expected.

The latest to commence trials is the Mounted Gun System, developed by the Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur. It was first displayed at the Defexpo in Chennai in April. The system is also 155mm/ 52 calibre, mounted on a multi-wheeled truck and can be deployed and prepared for firing much faster. It has a range of 40 Kms.

How many of the coming gun systems would the artillery purchase is yet to be confirmed. If not in service within the country, these could always be exported enhancing India’s military exports.

The artillery, which for decades was languishing behind in firepower and capability, is now witnessing a boom. All the guns now either under trials, procurement or development come under the ‘make in India’ or ‘made in India’ category. Opening doors to the private sector has witnessed a change in the artillery profile and could also be similar for all other equipment.

Pushing the DRDO into a corner compelled them to seek collaboration with the private sector for better technology. It has succeeded, though pitfalls and failures have occurred during the trials. These would be rectified, and the artillery would obtain new guns, which it had been seeking for decades.

Within a few years, the artillery with long range guns, modern rocket systems as also better target acquisition and surveillance systems, including UAVs and drones, would enable better shaping and domination of the battlefield.

Long range missiles would remain under the strategic command. This could alter response to ceasefire violations by Pakistan. With longer ranges and integrated target acquisition capabilities, the ability to target Pakistani posts, bases and terrorist camps in greater depth would exist. With better ammunition, possessing higher fragmentation, the damage would also be far more devastating.

Finally, the battle winning arm would now come of age and be able to change the nature and quantum of support to the assaulting forces. It would also change the force ratio along the LoC and cause more damage to Pakistan if it attempts any misadventures. The induction of these guns would also compel Pakistan to go into an arms race, which it can ill afford.

-----------