Indian Army launches a Software for Infrastructure Management called IMS

• Infrastructure development has gained significant importance in many of the Army stations where major works are planned to replace vintage accommodation of pre independence era.  The process is cumbersome and time consuming involving multiple agencies. Land has also become a very scarce resource since all cantonments and military stations have now come closer to major population centres. Presently all functions towards infrastructure development and management to include ascertaining availability of land, planning and monitoring of works, environment conservation and responsive quartering policies are carried out manually, which is not only time consuming but is also in-efficient.
• Realising that automation is the key to empowering all stake holders to transform and become efficient, transparent and enhance accountability, Indian Army has introduced a software named the “Infrastructure Management System (IMS)’ software which was inaugurated by the COAS on the side-lines of the Army Commanders Conference on 28 October 2020.
• The scope of the software package developed includes the following
• To automate works initiation, preparation of list and its approval by the MoD.
• To accord administrative approval and monitoring of execution by the CFA.
• To automate availability of CAO pool accommodation, plan vacation, re-allocation and undertake maintenance.
• To automate approval of accommodation allocation/extention for children education ground, special children and Battle/Physical casualty.
• Manage cantonment roads including emergency closure.
• Make land, works and quartering policies available on line.
• Monitor land encroachment, Old Grant Bungalows, VIP references and transfer/exchange of land.

Army launches Secure Application for Internet (SAI)

• In the quest for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Indian Army has developed a simple and secure messaging application named the “Secure Application for Internet (SAI)”.  The application supports end to end secure voice, text and video calling services for Android platform over internet.  The model is similar to commercially available messaging applications like WhatsApp, Telegram, SAMVAD and GIMS and utilises end to end encryption messaging protocol. 
• SAI scores over on security features with local in-house servers and coding which can be tweaked as per requirements.
• The application has been vetted by CERT-in empanelled auditor and Army Cyber Group.  The process for filing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), hosting the infrastructure on NIC and working on iOS platform is currently in progress.  SAI will be utilised pan Army to facilitate secure messaging within the service.
• The Raksha Mantri after reviewing the functionalities of the App complimented Col Sai Shankar for his skill and ingenuity for developing the application.

Annual Flight Safety Trophy Awarded to Army Aviation Unit Deployed in Jammu and Kashmir

• Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Flight Safety Trophy has been instituted to promote the efforts towards flight safety among Indian Army Aviation Corps units tendering decisive combat edge to the force commanders. This trophy is presented to Squadron, Independent flights adjudged first amongst units of Army Aviation Corps in aspects related to ensuring and promoting flight safety.
• Army Aviation being a highly technical arm which operates in the third dimension, flight safety assumes paramount importance in both peace and operations. This award includes assessment by field formation commanders, accident / incident record of the unit maintenance norms, implementation of practices and recordable deeds directly enhancing flight safety.
• For the year 2019-20, 663 Army Aviation Squadron deployed in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has been adjudged first. This Squadron is one of the oldest Squadrons of Army Aviation and has been actively involved in operation along the line of control and counter insurgency settings in Kashmir valley.
• Chief of Army Staff, Gen MM Naravane presented the COAS, Flight Safety Trophy to Commanding Officer &Subedar Major of the unit on the concluding day of the Army Commanders’ Conference.

India acquires 11,000 extreme cold gear sets from US army

• India activated a key foundational pact with the US last month to acquire urgently needed high-altitude systems for soldiers deployed to forward areas along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh who are likely to stay on through the winter as tensions with China continue.
• Sources said that 11,000 sets of extended cold weather clothing system (ECWCS) arrived late last month after India made an urgent request for assistance under a bilateral pact. These sets have come from the stockholdings of the US Army and have been dispatched to forward areas where troops are braving the cold.
• This is perhaps the first time the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), signed in 2016 after years of discussion, has been used in an operational context. The pact gives the two nations access to each other’s military and civil facilities for repairs, supplies and refuelling and has earlier been used during wargames and occasional refuelling of ships and aircraft.
• Sources said that so urgent was the need that the US was requested to provide all possible stocks that could be spared. India has over 50,000 additional troops deployed in Ladakh to counter the massive PLA build up since early May.
• ECWCS are vital to keep soldiers alive at extreme altitude and temperatures which could touch -40 degrees Celsius in winter. So vital was the need that a small number of the ECWCS systems that arrived included ones issued to US soldiers in the past.
• Having exhausted reserves, India has been hard pressed to find clothing and habitat systems for thousands of soldiers inducted at the heights. All Indian missions abroad have been tasked with a specific list of equipment that is required by the Army, which include boots, tents, sleeping bags, suits and socks. However, it has not been easy to find sources of supply that can quickly deliver products. Also, such large quantities of high-altitude survival gear are not readily available in the patterns and colours suited for military use.

In big boost to Indian Air Force, 3 more Rafale fighters to arrive in India on November 5

• In a big boost to the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) firepower, three more French Rafale multi-combat fighter jets are expected to arrive in India on November 5.
• Five Rafale jets flew to the Ambala airbase via Abu Dhabi on July 29 and have already been inducted into the IAF’s Squadron 17. The next batch of three Rafales will arrive in Ambala on November 5 directly from the Bordeaux-Merignac facility, according to government sources.
• Seven Rafale fighters are already being used for IAF fighter pilot training in France.
• The 5 Rafale jets were inducted at the IAF’s Ambala airbase on 10th September in the presence of French Defence Minister Florence Parly and Defence minister Rajnath Singh. Under the 2016 agreement, India will get 36 Rafale jet from France as part of a Rs 59000 crore deal.
• Besides, the induction of 16 additional Rafale fighters by April next year will add to the IAF’s strike capability. The 16 omni-role Rafale jet fighters will be inducted into the Golden Arrows squadron by April 2021, as per sources.
• France’s biggest jet engine maker Safran has said that it is ready to make fighter engines and ancillaries in India, according to people familiar with the matter.
• All the fighters are equipped with Mica and Meteor air-to-air missiles along with Scalp air-to-ground cruise missiles. India has now requested Safran for the air-to-ground modular weapon known as Hammer with a 250kg warhead.
• The development comes even as tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China continue. The Chinese build-up at the LAC remains despite a series of diplomatic and military talks.
• Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is expected to visit France later this week during his European tour. During the visit, he will hold high-level meetings at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs with dedicated consultations on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as India prepares to be on the high table from January.
• Both sides are keen to jointly work at the UNSC when India becomes a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council starting first January 2021. France is a veto-holding permanent member of the UNSC. Shringla will also make a speech at a prominent French think tank.

QUICK REVIEW

1. Infrastructure Management System (IMS) software was inaugurated by:
2. Union Minister of Defence
3. Minister of State for Defence
4. Defence Secretary
5. Chief of Army Staff

ANSWER: D

• IMS was inaugurated on
• 27 October 2020
• 28 October 2020
• 29 October 2020
• 30 October 2020

ANSWER: B

• Secure Application for Internet (SAI) launched by Indian Army is an application used for
• Secure voice messaging
• Secure text messaging
• Secure video calling
• All the above

ANSWER: D

• Who developed Secure Application for Internet (SAI)?
• Col Sai Shankar
• Major Anoop Mishra
• Lieutenant General R K Jagga
• Major General Sunil Chandra

ANSWER: A

• For the year 2019-20, which Army Squadron deployed in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has been adjudged first in flight safety and has been awarded Annual Flight Safety Trophy?
• 661 Army Aviation Squadron
• 662 Army Aviation Squadron
• 663 Army Aviation Squadron
• 664 Army Aviation Squadron

ANSWER: C

• How many sets of extended cold weather clothing system (ECWCS) arrived late last month after India made an urgent request for assistance under LEMOA?
• 11,000
• 12,000
• 13,000
• 14,000

ANSWER: A

• As of now, how many Rafale fighters are being used for IAF fighter pilot training in France?
• Six
• Seven
• Eight
• Nine

ANSWER: B

• French Defence Minister
• Florence Parly
• Emmanuel Macron
• Bruno Le Maire
• Frédérique Vidal

ANSWER: A