Defence Current Affairs And Updates 2 September 2020

VCOAS visits Jat Regimental Centre Lieutenant General S K Saini, VCOAS, Colonel of the Jat Regiment, visited JAT Regimental Centre and an Infantry Battalion of The JAT Regiment to review...

Hemanth Kasturi
September 2, 2020
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VCOAS visits Jat Regimental Centre

Lieutenant General S K Saini, VCOAS, Colonel of the Jat Regiment, visited JAT Regimental Centre and an Infantry Battalion of The JAT Regiment to review the training and administrative aspects. He complimented all ranks for high standards of training and devotion to duty.

US-India Bilateral Mil-Med Exchange

In a Virtual Knowledge Exchange programme on COVID19, AFMS team headed by the DGAFMS interacted with counterparts from the USINDOPACOM. Areas of discussion included coordination of care across services, just in time training, infection control & crisis response.

Vice Admiral SR Sarma, AVSM, VSM Assumes charge as Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy

Vice Admiral SR Sarma, AVSM, VSM has assumed charge as the Chief of Materiel, of the Indian Navy today (01 Sep 2020). The Admiral is a post graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from IISc, Bengaluru and a distinguished alumni of Naval Higher Command Course.
During his illustrious career spanning over three and a half decades, the Admiral has served onboard Indian Naval ships Vindhyagiri, Rana, Krishna and Mysore in various capacities.
He has tenanted varied and challenging appointments in Naval Dockyards at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam, and at Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment (WESEE), Headquarters, Advanced Tactical Vessel Program (HQ ATVP) and Naval Headquarters in New Delhi.
As a Flag Officer, the Admiral has served as Assistant Chief of Materiel (IT & Systems) in Naval Headquarters, Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam; Chief Staff Officer (Technical), HQ ENC; Director General Naval Projects at Vishakhapatnam, Programme Director, HQ ATVP; and as Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition in Naval Headquarters.
In recognition of his distinguished services, the Admiral was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. He is also a recipient of Lt VK Jain Gold Medal in 1994.
As a Principal Staff Officer and the senior most Technical Officer in the Indian Navy, the Admiral would be in charge of all aspects related to Maintenance Management and Life-Cycle Product Support of all Engineering, Electrical, Electronic, Weapons, Sensors, and IT related equipment and systems for ships and submarines; and creation of major marine and technical infrastructure.
He relieves Vice Admiral GS Pabby, PVSM, AVSM, VSM who superannuates on completion of an illustrious Naval career spanning close to four decades.

Indian Army Intensifies Flood Relief Operations in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh

With the unprecedented rains and resultant heavy flow of water in various rivers, a number of areas in Nagpur District of Maharashtra and Hoshangabad, sehore and raisen district of Madhya Pradesh have been inundated. Southern Command has mobilised flood relief and rescue teams on request by civil administration to assist the locals in flood affected areas.

MAHARASHTRA

As on 31 Aug 2020, a total of ten flood relief teams from Guards Regimental Centre, Kamptee and three engineer task forces from College of Military Engineering, Pune have been deployed for flood relief and rescue operations in Kuhi tehsil of Nagpur district. The columns are assisting the civil administration in rescue of local villagers stranded in submerged areas of Kuhi and in restoring normalcy in these inundated areas. Approximately 90 persons have been rescued from the villages of Panvi and Ghondpimpri to safe locations.
Army troops at Kamptee Cantonment were also activated to rescue local populace around Kamptee Cantonment stranded due to release of huge quantum of water into Kanhan River. Aid was provided to the civilians living in Gora Bazaar, Chhoti Ajni, Oothkhana and Godown Area. Army troops went beyond the call of duty and provided cooked meals to stranded villagers in and around Kamptee cantonment. Drinking water was made available in tanks in the villages. Inspite of Army units themselves getting innundated with flood water, the relief of civilian population was given priority and relief operations continued overnight.
Medical teams of Army Doctors and Nursing Assistants have also been deployed for providing necessary first aid and medicines to locals being evacuated from flood prone areas.

MADHYA PRADESH

A total of thirty Army flood relief teams from 3 EME Centre, Bhopal, Mahar Regiment Centre, Saugor, a Gorkha, Mahar and Maratha Light Infantry battalion have been deployed alongwith ten engineer task force for flood relief and rescue operations in Hoshangabad, Sehore and Raisen districts of Madhya Pradesh. A total of approximately 100 civilians had been rescued from the flood prone areas in concert with Indian Air Force. Rescued civilians moved to safe locations were provided medical aid and distributed food packets.
True to the motto ‘har kaam desh ke naam’, the Indian Army would always rise to the expectations of the nation.

ITBP mountaineers of Sector Head Quarter Shimla climbs 22222 ft high Leo Pargil peak located at IB

ITBP mountaineers of Sector Head Quarter Shimla climbed 22222 ft high Leo Pargil peak located at International Border; During Corona pandemic it is the only successful mountaineering expedition in Northern India.
12 members of 16-member team climbed the peak. The leader of this extremely challenging expedition was Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Singh and Deputy Leader was Deputy Commandant Dharmendra.
Head Constable Pradeep Negi, native of Chhitkul, the last border village in Kinnaur, climbed it second time. He has climbed world’s largest mountain Mt Everest two times. These team members took all training and did acclimatisation inspite of limitations of corona crisis.
Leo Pargil peak is considered one of the toughest and technical peak in India.
This snow-covered difficult peak is located in remote Lahaul Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. This remote Himalayan have problems of low oxygen, extreme cold and high-altitude sicknesses.
ITBP is considered world’s toughest force as it is working in extremely cold high-altitude Himalaya.

India-Nigeria foreign ministers discuss cooperation and Maritime security

Foreign minister S Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama on Tuesday. The discussion on the entire gamut of India-Nigeria bilateral relations was held in virtual mode.
The foreign ministers’ discussions covered a wide spectrum of cooperation on political, economic and trade, defense and security, developmental assistance, and cultural cooperation. India and Nigeria have extensive cooperation in the field of defense training and capacity building, and it is expanding to newer areas such as defense equipment support, medical and maintenance services, sharing of R&D expertise for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. India-Nigeria will also be holding the next meeting of the Joint Defense Cooperation Committee later this year in Abuja.
With a bilateral trade turnover of USD 13.9 billion in 2019-20, India is Nigeria’s largest trading partner, and Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa. Nigeria is a leading energy security partner of India, and both sides have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in this sector including at Government to Government level.
The two Ministers acknowledged ongoing collaborative efforts through information sharing between the Indian and Nigerian Navies and increase of surveillance for Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. India had participated in the G7 plus Friends of Gulf of Guinea (G7++FoFF) online meeting last month and has extended its maritime security training programs to Nigeria. Last year, Nigeria had helped in the safe release of 44 Indian seafarers taken hostage in three separate incidents of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. During the meeting both the leader emphasized that terrorism is a scourge and a threat to the entire world, and condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including violent extremism.
Both sides also agreed to expand cooperation in Information Technology (IT), Defense and solar energy projects to be executed through the Indian Line of Credit (LoC). Both the leaders also agreed to further strengthen their cooperation and mutual support in multilateral fora including the UN and WTO.
The Nigerian foreign minister expressed appreciation to India for the recent donation of medical supplies in support of the on-going fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. India has also organized recent E-Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programs in COVID management and Nigeria was one of the participants in the ITEC program. EAM Jaishankar reiterated India’s continued support in technical cooperation and capacity building in diverse sectors of interest to Nigeria.

Bangladesh Appoints Rear Admiral Mohammed Shaheen Iqbal as Next Navy Chief

Rear Admiral Mohammad Shaheen Iqbal, who did his specialisation in anti-submarine warfare from India, has been appointed as the next Chief of Bangladesh Navy, the defence ministry said. Iqbal, who is currently serving as the assistant navy chief, will succeed Vice Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury, who is retiring later this month. Iqbal will take on his new role on July 25 with an elevated rank of vice admiral, the defence ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
“He will serve as the Chief of Navy Staff for three years till July 24, 2023,” it said.
Iqbal joined Bangladesh Navy as an officer cadet in 1980 and attended various courses at home and abroad. He did his specialisation in anti-submarine warfare from India and international surface warfare course in the US. He also did a separate graduation degree from US Naval Staff College, the statement said. He commanded various types of naval ships: frigate, offshore patrol vessel, large patrol craft and fast-attack craft, alongside several crucial shore establishments, it said.

Despite Chinese cameras and sensors, Indian troops managed to beat PLA in occupying heights

Despite the presence of cameras and surveillance equipment deployed by the Chinese Army near the height close to Pangong lake southern bank, the Indian Army troops managed to occupy it before the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
“The Chinese Army has deployed advanced cameras and surveillance equipment to monitor Indian activities near the dormant height but despite that, the Indian troops managed to occupy height there,” sources told.
The Chinese Army has installed such equipment all along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and use them effectively to monitor Indian activities and respond quickly whenever they find Indian patrols on the areas claimed by them.
Sources said the cameras and surveillance equipment has been removed after the Indian side occupied the dormant height within its territory.
China has been claiming that the height belongs to them and wanted to capture it to get into an advantageous position all along the southern bank of Pangong lake area and the nearby Spangur Gap, an open territory where Chinese armoured regiments were deployed.
Sources said the Indian side has prepared very well for responding to the Chinese reaction in view of the action by own troops including a Special Operations unit and Sikh Light Infantry troops there. One of the Indian Army jawans also lost his life in an anti-personnel mine explosion while patrolling in the area. The Indian side has done heavy deployment of armoured regiments including the BMP Infantry Combat Vehicles and different types of tanks flown in from armoured divisions from the plains.
The preparation for the action had been done by the Indian Army recently as the heavy movement of logistics and equipment was done by the force. The Indian Army has pre-empted the Chinese action to occupy the strategic height on the intervening night of August 29-30 and thwarted a Chinese action to do so after an intense face-off there.
The Chinese and Indian troops are engaged in a standoff for over three months after the PLA troops marched into Indian areas in Finger area and other parts of the Ladakh sector.

Indian Armed Forces pay tribute to Late Shri Pranab Mukherjee

Indian Armed Force pay tribute & conveyed their heartfelt condolences at passing away of former President of India & Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
Pranab Mukherjee is an Indian politician who served as the 13th President of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee has been a senior leader in the Indian National Congress and has occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India.
Shri Mukherjee acquired a Master’s degree in History and Political Science as well as a degree in Law from the University of Kolkata. He then embarked on his professional life as a college teacher and journalist. Inspired by his father’s contribution to the national movement, Shri Mukherjee in 1969 plunged into full time public life following his election to the Upper House of the Parliament (Rajya Sabha).
Under the careful mentoring of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Shri Mukherjee’s rise in his political career was rapid. He was made Deputy Minister, Industry; Shipping and Transport, Steel and Industry and Minister of State for Finance in the period 1973-74. He assumed office as Finance Minister of India for the first time in 1982 in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and was Leader of the House in the Upper House of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from 1980 to 1985. Later , he was Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission from 1991 to 1996, Minister for Commerce from 1993 to 1995, Minister of External Affairs from 1995 to 1996, Minister of Defence from 2004 to 2006 and once again the Minister of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009. He was the Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2012 and Leader of the Lower House of Parliament from 2004 to 2012 till he resigned to contest election to the office of the President.
Shri Mukherjee has extensive diplomatic experience and has served on the Board of Governors of the IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and African Development Bank. He has led the Indian delegations to the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Conferences in 1982, 1983 and 1984; the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, 1995, 2005 and 2006, the Conference of Commonwealth Heads of Government at Auckland in 1995, the Non-Aligned Foreign Minister’s Conference at Cartagena in 1995 and the Conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the Afro –Asian Conference in Bandung in 1995.
A prolific reader, Shri Mukherjee has authored several books on the Indian Economy and on Nation Building. The many awards and honours conferred on him include India’s second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhusan in 2008, the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1997 and Best Administrator in India Award in 2011. He is recipient of Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa conferred by the University of Dhaka in 2013; and Honoris Causa conferred by the University of Calcutta in 2014. ; Honorary Doctorate conferred by the Russian Diplomatic Academy in 2015; and Professor Honoris Causa conferred by the Belarus State University in 2015.Honorary Doctorate conferred by the University of Jordan in 2015; Honorary Doctorate conferred by Al-Quds University, Palestine in 2015; and Honorary Doctorate conferred by Hebrew University, Israel in 2015 and Honorary Doctorate conferred by the Kathmandu University, Nepal in 2016.He was rated one of the best five Finance Ministers of the world in 1984 according to a survey conducted by “Euro Money” Journal published from New York and was declared ‘Finance Minister of the year’ for Asia in 2010 by “Emerging Markets”, the journal of record for the World Bank and the IMF.
Shri Mukherjee was married to late Smt. Suvra Mukherjee (17.9.1940-18.8.2015), an accomplished singer of Rabindra Sangeet and an artist. He has two sons and a daughter.
Shri Mukherjee enjoys reading, gardening and music in his spare time. Simple in his tastes, Shri Mukherjee is a dedicated patron of the arts and culture.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

Lieutenant General S K Saini, VCOAS, is also the Colonel of which Regiment?
Brigade of the Guards Regiment
Jat Regiment
J&K Light Infantry Regiment
Mahar Regiment

ANSWER: B

Vice Admiral SR Sarma, AVSM, VSM Assumes charge as ____ in Indian Navy.
Chief of Materiel
Chief of Naval Operations
Vice Chief of Naval Staff
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

ANSWER: A

ITBP mountaineers of Sector Head Quarter Shimla climbed 22222 ft high which peak that is located at International Border?
Kanchenjunga
Leo Pargil
Mount Everest
Nanda Devi

ANSWER: B