n a rare moment, Lt Gen DP Singh was ‘pipped’ by his two daughters, both serving officers in the Army, on his promotion and appointment as Commandant of the Military Intelligence Training School and Depot (MINTSD), Pune.
The Army Training Command headquartered at Shimla put out a post on X of the two woman officers ‘pipping’ their father. Pipping is a term used to adorn a new set of ranks displayed on the shoulder of an officer’s uniform.
“This historic occasion not only reminds the strength, dedication, legacy carried forward by women in uniform but also highlights the spirit of ‘Nari Shakti’ within our Armed forces,” the post on X said.
Ex-serviceman duped of Rs 45 lakh by cyber criminals
In yet another case of cyber fraud, an ex-serviceman was duped of Rs 45 lakh on the pretext of approving personal loan and installing mobile tower on his house. Complainant Hardev Singh, a resident of Bassian village, said he got…
In yet another case of cyber fraud, an ex-serviceman was duped of Rs 45 lakh on the pretext of approving personal loan and installing mobile tower on his house.
Complainant Hardev Singh, a resident of Bassian village, said he got retired from the Army in 1989. On July 21, 2024 when he was present in the house, he received a call. The caller offered me a personal loan. Believing the caller to be genuine, I sent photocopies of my Aadhaar Card, PAN card and passbook of my bank account via WhatsApp. Then they sent me a scanner and told me to send Rs 2,250 processing fee, then they again asked me to send Rs 6,450 which I sent. I have five accounts of my own, from which I kept transferring money to them, as they gave me the illusion of giving me a loan. About Rs 18 lakh, I transferred to the accused on different dates and later accused switched off their phones,” alleged the complainant.
On August 4, he received a call from some unknown mobile number and as he picked up the call, a girl started talking. Alleged caller said she was from Ansh Tower, Rohini, Delhi, and offered to install a mobile tower on his house. As he was interested in getting the mobile tower installed on his house, he sent his bank account details, passbook, Aadhaar Card, PAN card and photo of the spot where the tower was to be installed.
The complainant further revealed that later in connection with the tower installation process, he got another call and the caller interacted in Punjabi language. Alleged caller asked to deposit the license fee for starting the process. He transferred Rs 27 lakh in the account numbers provided by the suspect.
The cmplainant alleged that accused cheated him of Rs 45 lakh. After he lodged a police complaint, the cyber cell police Ludhiana rural police registered a case against the unknown person and started the investigation.
Military courier flights serve as an air bridge between the operational areas and the communication centres or administrative bases located in the hinterland for transportation of personnel and stores. The reduction in travel time also affords an opportunity to troops…
Military courier flights serve as an air bridge between the operational areas and the communication centres or administrative bases located in the hinterland for transportation of personnel and stores. The reduction in travel time also affords an opportunity to troops to avail shorter stints of leave without jeopardising operational readiness levels.
Courier flights mostly comprise the transport fleet of the Indian Air Force; however, commercial flights are also commonly used.
My first experience of couriers was as a Second Lieutenant deployed in Sri Lanka, as a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). With only six days of leave sanctioned to attend a wedding, my ability to do so was shrouded in doubt considering the distance to be traversed. My hopes were pinned on allotment of vacancies on courier flights to Chennai and onwards to New Delhi.
The allotment process appeared to be quite a mystery for someone at the bottom of the pecking order. The grapevine, without a shred of evidence, was about out-of-proportion cornering of vacancies by the headquarter staff vis a vis the forward troops.
An unscheduled courier had arrived at Trincomalee, and an early morning ringing of the telephone in the tent that I shared with my Company Commander announced the allotment of that elusive vacancy. I had just enough time to throw in a couple of clothes into a rucksack.
I slowly absorbed the commercial flight courier — the comfortable seats, array of switches overhead and, of course, the elegantly dressed air-hostesses in the midst of a sea of combat uniforms. Despite the short duration of the flight, breakfast was served. Seeing my untouched food, my co-passenger indicated the overhead button. I sheepishly requested for toothpaste and the air-hostess was kind enough to hand me one from her vanity bag. Thanking her profusely, I freshened up and savoured the breakfast, a memorable one indeed.
The Chennai to New Delhi courier flight was a service aircraft and I was told that my name did not feature in the manifest list cleared for boarding. Buying an air ticket at such short notice would have burnt a huge hole in my pocket. My more experienced coursemates advised me to wait it out as the Air Force pilots rarely left anyone stranded, especially young officers. Lady luck smiled and I was permitted to board in the last batch (compassionate cases).
The colossal size of the newly-acquired IL-76 was awe-inspiring and the arrangements much at variance from the morning flight, starting from the boarding ramp instead of steps, the rugged steel benches for seating, luggage and empty ration cartons piled up in the aisle and, of course, the absence of refreshments and air-hostesses.
Another time, while proceeding on an officers’ course to India from Sri Lanka, the course detailment was received at the last moment and there were no courier vacancies. The parachute regiment coursemates, who enjoyed an excellent rapport with transport aircraft pilots by virtue of the jumps they undertook, came to our rescue. This was an AN-32 aircraft, much smaller than an IL-76, and the airfield was Palaly, a major logistic base for IPKF in Jaffna.
Of a batch of three, two officers managed to get manifested and we requested that the third be tucked in behind empty ration cartons in the aisle, surreptitiously. The naivety of this exercise dawned on us much later.
In another case, an officer deployed in the forward areas was to proceed on posting and had kept his pet dog with him. With the area snowbound, the only way out was via couriers and pets were of course not permitted. So, a special breathable box was created, the dog was sedated and the box was passed off as stores, though its loading was monitored by the officer himself.
I can’t recall a single incident of not being accommodated on requesting for a courier seat, however late the request may have been put in.
The IAF transport fleet renders yeoman’ s service round the year, catering to operational challenges. In addition, they facilitate quicker travel, which needs more appreciation.
Nowadays, I often get to hear the roaring engines of the IAF transport fleet overhead, reminding me of the courier days. Safe flying to you, air warriors, always and every time.
Terrorist killed, 2 security personnel hurt in J-K’s Bandipora
Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Choontpathri forest area following information about the presence of ultras there
A terrorist was killed and two security personnel were injured in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Tuesday, police said.
A police official said security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Choontpathri forest area of Bandipora based on information about the presence of ultras there.
He said a gunfight broke out as the terrorists opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated.
In the exchange of fire, a terrorist was killed, while an Army jawan and a CRPF trooper were injured, the official said.
He added that the injured were taken to a hospital and the operation was under way.
Encounter breaks out between security forces, militants in J-K’s Kupwara
An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said on Wednesday.
Based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants, a cordon and search operation was launched by security forces during the night in Margi area of Lolab in the north Kashmir district, they said.
Officials said contact was established with the militants and a firefight began.
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Exchange of fire was going on and the operation is in progress, the officials added.
Diego Garcia is unarguably the most important military base in the Indian Ocean. On October 3, 2024, Mauritius permitted the UK and the US to retain sovereignty over it for a second time.
In my research paper titled ‘Mauritius/Diego Garcia: A key to the Indian Ocean’ at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London (1984), I noted: “The setting today is ominous and volatile. And with the Middle East remaining a No-Peace Zone and wars in Lebanon and the Gulf region raging unabated, the spotlight has shifted to the Indian Ocean. The vacuum following Britain’s East-of-Suez withdrawal in the Sixties made oil routes vulnerable and highlighted the importance of Mauritius and Diego Garcia among others.” This threat analysis could have been written today.
On October 3, the UK transferred sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, consisting of 60 islands, to Mauritius. However, it retained sovereignty over Diego Garcia for 99 years for an undisclosed rent and permitted 1,500 displaced Chagosians to return to all the islands except that of Diego Garcia.
In addition, the UK extended the US’ lease period over Diego Garcia “till it is no longer required” as a joint US-UK facility. A new UK Support Fund for Chagosians will permit resettlement, but not to their satisfaction.
India and US played a substantive role in working out the deal between Mauritius and the UK. The transfer of full sovereignty is incomplete as the UK has retained sovereignty over Diego Garcia. Further, Chagosians have been denied the right to self-determination and, therefore, decolonisation is partial.
Before granting independence to Mauritius in 1968, the UK bought Chagos and Agalega for £600,000. In 1973, it paid £650,000 to settle those removed from the Chagos islands and in 1982, another £4,000,000.
In this transaction, the UK displayed remarkable strategic foresight, though it ignored the legal implications. Soon, it was beset with legal challenges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Hague, which declared the transfer of sovereignty illegal. A non-binding resolution at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) called for the UK to end colonial administration and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) listed human rights’ violations against the displaced Chagosians.
Hence, the new deal, while securing the interests of the UK and the US, gives the Chagosians too little too late.
In the 1980s, while the US and the USSR were jockeying for power in the Indian Ocean, the Soviets, lacking naval outreach, occupied Afghanistan and deployed assets in littoral states like Iraq, Yemen, Ethiopia and Madagascar. India was late in recognising the salience of sea power as it sought to have the Indian Ocean declared a Zone of Peace and Sri Lanka lobbied for a nuclear-free zone.
Mauritius is the third Hindu majority country after Nepal and India. It has many complex internal fault lines. In 1984, India posted Maj Gen JN Taimni as the first National Security Adviser (NSA) to Mauritius. Since then, its NSAs have been mostly Indian.
Mauritius-India relations are one of the best in the extended neighbourhood. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth sought India’s help in securing the new deal over Diego Garcia with the UK. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius after his Maldives’ visit during the Modi 3.0 government. India has acquired the use of Agalega island that belongs to Mauritius where a jetty and an air-strip have been built.
No study or research of Mauritius and Diego Garcia is complete without reference to at least two books: Limuria by Mauritius’ first Governor, Sir Robert Scott, and the more recent, Peak Of Limuria, by Richard Edis, who was Commissioner, British Indian Ocean Territory from 1988 to 1991 and later became an instructor at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), UK.
Diego Garcia is a V-shaped atoll accidentally discovered by the Portuguese on their voyage from Europe to India, and is roughly 7 degrees south of the Equator. It extends 22 km north to south, with a circumference of 50 km. Diego Garcia and its sibling islands comprise remains — visible above sea level — of huge underwater mountains 10,000 feet below, and, therefore, called the peaks of Limuria.
According to history, Maldivians may have been the first to discover the Chagos group in the 15th century and introduce coconut to these islands. Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed wrote in October 2024, claiming that the Sultans of Maldives till as late as 1930 sent expeditions to Chagos, including Diego Garcia, to count and mark coconuts with the Sultan’s seal.
Sea power and sea control passed on from the Dutch to the Portuguese, then to the French and the British. Diego Garcia became the US’ most vital sea outpost in the Indian Ocean only in the 1980s as during the World Wars, although under British control, it played a minimal military role.
Today, an unknown and undisclosed air and sea armada is stationed there from where the Gulf, West Asia and Afghanistan were engaged militarily. After completing the RCDS, I travelled to Mauritius and was met by Gen Taimini at Port Louis. I managed to get to French Reunion and other smaller islands, except Diego Garcia.
So, the second transfer of October 3 sovereignty by Mauritius to the joint US-UK military facility in Diego Garcia leaves an awkward question: how has full sovereignty been restored to Chagos Islands when the UK retains sovereignty over Diego Garcia — this time for 99 years, previously it was 50 years, extendable by 20 years — and “till no further use for it”?
Therefore, sovereignty is incomplete as the right to self-determination has still not been exercised by the Chagosians. They were excluded from the second deal, as also in the first agreement.
While India’s quest for Zone of Peace and a regional maritime force is unconsummated, so is Sri Lanka’s advocacy of a nuclear-free zone. Nuclear-armed bombers, ships and ICBMs are reportedly located in Diego Garcia. India’s gain is the Agalega Island, sentinel to the western entry of the Indian Ocean.
Speculation is also rife that India is negotiating for the use of Diego Garcia.
12 days after LAC thaw, patrolling in Ladakh’s Depsang yet to commence
More than 10 days after India announced a ‘patrolling arrangement’ with China at two spots along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the resumption of patrolling at crucial routes on the Depsang plateau in eastern Ladakh will take “some more time”.
Sources told The Tribune that meetings regarding this have taken place between Brigade-Commander level officers of the two countries. The modalities for patrol are still being finalised. It could take a day or two more for the patrols to re-commence, said a source.
For both sides, the Depsang plateau is militarily crucial. East of it lies the Aksai Chin — the northwestern dge of Ladakh illegally occupied by China since the 1950s.After mod
alities were decided at the Brigade-commander level, the first patrol at Demchok was done yesterday. Patrolling re-commenced after troops of either side physically verified that structures and man-made blockages on patrolling routes have been removed at Depsang and Demchok. All temporary structures, tents, vehicles, cameras, sensors and weapons, were removed, sources said. The ‘patrolling arrangement’ does not mention the resumption of patrolling at any other contentious spot in eastern Ladakh, where disengagement has been done — those are at Gogra , Hot Springs, Pangong Tso, and Galwan.
Separately, the two sides exchanged sweets at five locations along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh to mark Diwali. There was no ceremonial military ceremony. At each location, a very small team (of 8-10) from the Indian side and a matching contingent from China met. The two saluted each other and exchanged sweets.
Naxalites attack 2 cops, flee with their weapons in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma
Two Chhattisgarh Police constables were injured when Naxalites, dressed as civilians, attacked them with sharp weapons at a weekly market in the insurgency-hit Sukma district on Sunday morning, an official said.
Naxalites also took away the service rifles of the two personnel following the incident which took place when the police were deployed on security duty at the market in Jagargunda village, he said.
A small ‘action team’ of Naxalites (typically comprising four-five cadres) suddenly attacked the two constables — Kartam Deva and Sodhi Kanna — with sharp edged weapons and then escaped after looting their Insas rifles, the police official said.
Other security personnel deployed there swung into action and launched a search for the attackers, he
Both the injured constables, posted at Jagargunda police station, were initially admitted to a local hospital. They were later airlifted to Raipur and admitted to a private hospital in the state capital, the official said.
Naxalites, dressed as civilians, have several times in the past targeted security personnel at the weekly markets in Bastar division, comprising seven districts including Sukma.
Some progress in LAC disengagement, other steps could follow, says S Jaishankar
India and China have made “some progress” in LAC disengagement, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, describing it as a “welcome” move which opens up the possibility that other steps could happen. His comments come days after Indian…
India and China have made “some progress” in LAC disengagement, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, describing it as a “welcome” move which opens up the possibility that other steps could happen.
His comments come days after Indian and Chinese troops completed disengagement at two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh. The Indian Army commenced verification patrolling at Depsang while patrolling at Demchok started on Friday.
“In terms of India and China, yes, we have made some progress. You know, our relations were very, very disturbed for reasons all of you know. We have made some progress in what we call disengagement, which is when troops were very close to each other, with the possibility that could lead to some untoward incident,” Jaishankar said.
“There are very large numbers of Chinese troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control who were not there before 2020. And we, in turn, have counter-deployed. There are other aspects of the relationship, which also got affected during this period. The disengagement is a welcome step. It opens up the possibility that other steps could happen,” said the minister.
On October 21, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in Delhi that an agreement had been finalised between India and China following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020. The agreement was firmed up on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
The ties between the two Asian giants nosedived following a fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
Jaishankar, who arrived in the Australian city of Brisbane earlier in the day on the first leg of his two-nation tour, said that there were right now two conflicts, which were in everybody’s mind.
“One is Ukraine. And one is what is happening in the Middle East. In different ways, we are trying to do something in both,” he said. On the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Jaishankar said India was making efforts to bring diplomacy back to the forefront, with Prime Minister Modi personally involved in meetings with leaders of the two countries.
On the situation in West Asia, Jaishankar said it was very different. “At the moment, the effort is more to prevent the conflict from spreading. And, here, one of the gaps is the inability of Iran and Israel to talk to each other directly. So different countries are trying to see if they can, you know, bridge that gap. We happen to be one of them,” he said.
