The chief of defence staff will be a single-point military advisor to the defence ministers on military matters.

LT General (retd) DB Shekatkar, Chairman of Committee on Combat Capabilities Enhancement of Armed Forces has said, “India needs a chief of defence staff but his role, responsibilities and accountability have to be defined as per Indian requirements and Ministry of Defence should not directly adopt a western model.”

The general has just submitted his report to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who recently said a decision on appointment of CDS will be taken after studying the Shekatkar committee report.

The 11-member committee has submitted a 550-page report to the Ministry of Defence. “Its contents are classified but on principle I can tell you a CDS is long overdue. We should not adopt a western model but keeping in mind the Indian environment appoint a CDS,” Shekatkar said speaking

WHO IS CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF?

Parrikar had in May 2016 set up a committee to work on enhancement of combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces. “There is need for integration of forces at two levels. One within the three services and the other with the ministry of defence. CDS should not be symbolic and the integration should not be cosmetic,” he added.

Also read: Why Indian Army Special Forces are way behind US Navy SEALs or Israel’s IDF despite upgrade  

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The CDS will be a single-point military advisor to the defence ministers on military matters. He should have authority over the three chiefs but the chiefs are over all responsible for the functioning of the three forces. Keeping in mind future warfare enhancement of combat capabilities formation of a cyber space command and special forces command are included.

There is likely to be a major debate on need to reorganise the armed forces to make them combat-ready for future wars. A section within the security establishment is of the opinion that hybrid wars, with the adversary using terror as a weapon is a bigger and immediate threat, more than conventional war in the near future. The elaborate report running into 550 pages is being studied by Parrikar and delves deep into aspects like joint planning, training and higher defence management.

Also read: Home Ministry agrees to grant status of battle casualty to paramilitary personnel 

Also read: Why Nagrota attack is a slap on security array of army establishments

WHAT DOES THE REPORT LOOK LIKE

The report looks into future requirements of the armed forces in terms of the operations to be undertaken. Despite joint training at the level of NDA initially, Defence Services Staff College at the level of majors and National Defence College at the level of Brigadiers, jointness in planning is missing in the armed forces.

“Instead of different army, navy and air force war colleges – there should be an integrated war college for joint planning of operations. This can be at the level of commanding officers.”

Barack Obama is currently vacationing in Hawaii. Reuters file

Washington, December 24

US President Barack Obama has signed into law the USD 618 billion defence budget for 2017, which enhances security cooperation with India and conditions nearly half of the funding to Pakistan on a certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network.Currently vacationing in Hawaii, Obama on Friday signed the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017, which asks Defence Secretary and Secretary of State to take steps necessary to recognise India as America’s “major defence partner”.

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A summary of the bill released by Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain said NDAA-2017 “enhances security cooperation” between the US and India.It also asks the administration to designate an individual within the executive branch who has experience in defence acquisition and technology to reinforce and ensure, through inter-agency policy coordination, the success of the Framework for the US-India Defence Relationship; and to help resolve remaining issues impeding US-India defence trade, security cooperation, and co-production and co-development opportunities.The NDAA, which among other things, creates a USD 1.2 billion Counter-ISIL Fund, imposes four conditions on Pakistan to be eligible for USD 400 million of the USD 900 million of the coalition support fund (CSF).The US Defence Secretary needs to certify to the Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan and that Islamabad has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any of its territory as a safe haven.Early this year, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter refused to give a similar certification to Pakistan due to which it was not given USD 300 million under coalition support fund.In his signing statement, Obama did not mention to any of these provisions of the bill, but he did express disappointment over certain other provisions in NDAA-2017.He said: “I remain deeply concerned about the Congress’s use of the National Defence Authorisation Act to impose extensive organisational changes on the Department of Defence, disregarding the advice of the Department’s senior civilian and uniformed leaders.“The extensive changes in the bill are rushed, the consequences poorly understood, and they come at a particularly inappropriate time as we undertake a transition between administrations. These changes not only impose additional administrative burdens on the Department of Defence and make it less agile, but they also create additional bureaucracies and operational restrictions that generate inefficiencies at a time when we need to be more efficient.” PTI

Army men carry in a wheelchair Balaminda Ekka, widow of PVC awardee Albert Ekka, at a Vijay Diwas function in Kolkata. PTI

New Delhi, December 16

India and Bangladesh today recollected the creation of Bangladesh and the decisive victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan 45 years ago. On December 16, 1971, 93,000 Pakistan troops under Lt Gen AAK Niazi had surrendered to the Indian Army.The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library along with the India Foundation organised a seminar on the “1971 India-Pakistan war — Liberation of Bangladesh”. A special pictorial exhibition and seminar was opened to showcase key elements of the war.Gen VK Singh (retd) and Mofazzal Hussain Choudhury, who participated in the war in different capacities, shared the stage. Gen Singh fought the war as a young officer of the Indian Army, while Choudhury was part of the Mukti Bahini — a pro-independence militia in East Pakistan.In the audience sat greying veterans of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. President Pranab Mukherjee, in a recorded message, hailed the relations between India and Bangladesh. He lauded the “able and mature leadership of Sheikh Bangabandhu (Mujibur) Rahman”, describing him as the father of Bangladesh. — TNS

VK Singh compares Pak army with Nazis

• Making a strong statement against India’s arch enemy, Gen VK Singh equated the atrocities committed by Pakistan forces in Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, in 1971 with those of Nazi forces. “The type of atrocities which went on in Bangladesh (before liberation) is something the world has probably forgotten,” said General Singh. The Army had played a key role in the training of Mukti Bahini.

BEIJING : China has positioned anti-aircraft guns and advanced weapons systems on disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea (SCS), an US thinktank has said after releasing new satellite pictures. It also said Beijing has further fortified ongoing constructions in the region.

REUTERSA satellite image shows what CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says appear to be anti­aircraft guns.

The images taken in November show “significant point-defence capabilities, in the form of large anti-aircraft guns and probable close-in weapons systems (CIWS), at each of its outposts in the Spratly Islands ,” the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday the deployment had “nothing to do with militarisation”. “To conduct construction on China’s own territory and deploy necessary national defence facilities is quite normal,” he said.

The new images revealed new construction on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs on the Spratly islands, known as Nansha in China.

The islands and reefs are also claimed by Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

“AMTI began tracking the construction of identical, hexagon-shaped structures at Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi Reefs in June and July. It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defence fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron Reefs,” AMTI said.

“China has built nearly identical headquarters buildings at each of its four smaller artificial islands. The two smallest of the islets, Hughes and Gaven Reefs, feature four arms built off of these central structures.” (With inputs from agencie

SC bench dismisses the pleas filed by two Muslim personnel of IAF. — File photo

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, December 15

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Air Force’s denial of permission to two Muslim personnel to grow beard, holding that the two orders were in compliance with Regulation 425(b) which applied only to “personnel whose religion prohibits the cutting off the hair or shaving off the face of its members”.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The petitioners failed to show that they were entitled to exemption under the relevant regulation, a bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justices DY Chandrachud and LN Rao ruled.

The policy letter of May 8, 1980 did initially permit an airman professing Islam to sport a beard of a prescribed length. This was revisited by the Air Headquarters on August 10, 1982 and a distinction was made between the cases of Muslim personnel who had already sported a beard at the time of joining service (in whose case no permission was required) and cases where personnel desire to sport a beard after joining service (in which case a formal application informing the Commanding Officer was required to be submitted).

The policy was again revisited on February 24, 2003. This time a limited protection was granted for those who had a beard prior to January 1, 2002 at the time of enrolment but the policy also stated that no person would after joining service be allowed to maintain a beard.

This position was clarified on June 9, 2003 by stating that personnel whose religion demands sporting a beard, would be allowed to do so provided they were granted permission prior to the date of the letter or had grown a beard at the time joining Air Force.

The apex court ruling came on appeals by Mohammad Zubair and Ansari Aaftab Ahmed.

TNS & agencies

Tyagi: PMO part of Agusta move

Former IAF chief in 4-day CBI custody

New Delhi, December 10   A Delhi court today sent former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khetan to four days’ CBI custody till December 14 for questioning on the AgustaWestland deal to unearth the “very large conspiracy with international ramifications”.Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh said their custodial interrogation was required for a “fair probe”,  even as he put aside the CBI’s submission for a 10-day remand. Senior advocate N Hariharan argued that the FIR in the case was registered over three years ago and that there was no fresh ground for the arrests now.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)He claimed the decision to procure 12 VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a “collective” one and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it. The deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters came under the scanner after the Italian authorities alleged that bribe had been paid by AgustaWestland to clinch the deal. Tyagi, who retired in 2007, has been accused of influencing the deal in favour of the company.The CBI said crucial information had been collected from Italy, Switzerland and Mauritius and the accused were required to be confronted with the information to “unearth the larger conspiracy”. Telling the court that regular meetings had taken place between senior officials of AgustaWestland and Tyagi with Sanjeev Tyagi’s help, the CBI alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to reduce the service ceiling of the copters after which AgustaWestland became eligible to supply a dozen helicopters for VVIPs. The CBI told the court that in 1999, the government decided to phase out old helicopters as these were not fit for high-altitude areas, and the Defence Ministry in 2002 issued global tenders for  new VVIP helicopters in which 11 companies participated. AgustaWestland could not meet the eligibility criteria.“Therefore, a conspiracy was hatched to help AgustaWestland win the contract by making changes in operational requirements,” the CBI said.

Ex-IAF chief sent to 4-day CBI custody in VVIP chopper scam

TYAGI’S COUNSEL SAYS THE PROCUREMENT OF CHOPPERS WAS A ‘COLLECTIVE’ DECISION IN WHICH FORMER PM’S OFFICE WAS INVOLVED

From page 01 NEW DELHI: Former air force chief SP Tyagi, arrested in the nearly `4,000-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, was remanded in four days’ CBI custody along with two others on Saturday.

HT FILEThe CBI told court that SP Tyagi had made huge investments in land and other properties without disclosing source of income.

The CBI has sought 10-day custody of the accused because it believed their interrogation was essential to unearth a “very large conspiracy with international ramifications”. The others arrested with Tyagi in the case pertaining to the procurement of 12 VVIP choppers from the UK-based firm are his cousin, Sanjeev, and advocate Gautam Khaitan.

During proceedings at a Delhi court, Tyagi’s counsel N Hariharan said the procurement of VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a “collective” decision in which the erstwhile Prime Minister’s Office also played a part. “The file moved through several levels, but (my client is) the only one who has been arrayed as the accused,” he added.

The CBI had arrested Tyagi on corruption charges during the course of its probe into the `3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal on December 9. He is the first military chief to be arrested in India’s history.

Incumbent air force chief Arup Raha described Tyagi’s arrest as “unfortunate”, and said it had “dented” its reputation. “But we believe in the rule of law,” he added.

The CBI told the court that Tyagi had “abused his official position” when he was the air chief marshal, and made huge investments in land and other properties without disclosing his source of income. To this, Tyagi said he could give an account of all his land investments.

The counsel appearing for the other two accused also opposed the CBI’s remand plea on the grounds that the FIR was lodged over three years ago, and there were no fresh grounds to arrest them at this stage. The probe agency, however, alleged that Khaitan was the brains behind the transfer of bribe money to India, and Sanjeev was known to alleged European middleman Carlo Gerosa.

After hearing them out, the magistrate said: “Given the seriousness of the allegations and the gravity of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that CBI custody is required for a fair probe”. (With PTI inputs)

VVIP Chopper scam: CBI to produce Former IAF Chief SP Tyagi before court

The deal is related to purchase of 12 helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer, Finmeccanica in 2010 during UPA-2 government’s rule.

Former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi. (File)

The CBI will produce before the court today former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi and seek his remand after he was arrested yesterday in the Agusta Westland helicopter deal case. Delhi based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and another person namely Sanjeev Tyagi were also arrested in the case.

The deal is related to purchase of 12 helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer, Finmeccanica in 2010 during UPA-2 government’s rule. 71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi.

These are the first arrests in the case by CBI which came three years after it registered an FIR in 2013. CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh in a statement last evening, said, “It was alleged that Chief of Air Staff entered into criminal conspiracy with other accused persons. She said in 2005, Air Force Chief conceded to change IAF’s consistent stand and reduced service ceiling of VVIP Helicopters to 4500 meters.”

She said such changes in Operational Requirements made the private company based at the UK (AgustaWestland), eligble to participate in the Request for Proposal for VVIP Helicopters.

Singh said the arrested accused persons will be produced before the competent court tomorrow where their remand would be sought

Vikas Swarup, MEA spokesperson

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 1

India today toughened its stand on holding talks with Pakistan and was firm in its assertion that Pakistan needed to stop cross-border terrorism for dialogue to resume. Reports emanating from Pakistani media today also suggested that so far, India and Pakistan had no plans to hold a bilateral on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia (HOA) conference scheduled to be held in Amritsar on December 3-4.At a media briefing today, when asked repeatedly over the possibility of a bilateral in Amritsar since Sartaj Aziz, the de facto foreign minister of Pakistan, will be in attendance, India was quick to say that while it was ready for talks, “India will never accept continued terrorism as the new normal of the bilateral relationship”.The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup, also listed out many of the terrorist attacks against India that had been traced back to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Dawn newspaper in Pakistan quoted official sources as saying that while Pakistan was willing for talks, India was not and also pointed out that New Delhi did not want to discuss the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. While many had pointed out that the HOA conference offered both countries an opportunity to talk and to reduce the bilateral tensions, India seems in no mood to take up Pakistan’s offer of talks.

Delhi to help Dhaka in defence production

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 1

Within two weeks of Bangladesh getting its first submarine from China, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today ended a two-day visit to Dhaka with a promise of allowing Indian defence manufacturers to help the neighbouring country set up its own military hardware manufacturing base.New Delhi has offered Dhaka that Indian public sector undertakings will help build the military production capabilities of Bangladesh. Indian PSUs are already making naval warships, rifles, guns, tanks and armoured vehicles that are needed by the neighbour.Bangladesh would like to see some growth of its own defence production industry and India has offered its services, sources said.Leading an 11-member delegation, Parrikar is the first Indian Defence Minister to visit Dhaka. India and Bangladesh have sorted out their differences over the land boundary and maritime boundary disputes and till now the two countries did not have military-to-military relationship.Parrikar today called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also holds defence portfolio, and discussed measures to strengthen military and security ties. He had yesterday met President Abdul Hamid who assured India that it had “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism and sought expanded military ties.New Delhi has offered more training slots for Bangladesh at Indian training institutions. The Defence Minister also met Hasina’s security adviser Major General Tariq Ahmed (retd). Hasina herself is expected to visit India next month.

The new currency and arms recovered from the two militants who were shot dead in Bandipora on Tuesday. Tribune photo

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 22

Two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district today.The brief gunfight erupted early this morning when the police, CRPF and the Army cordoned off Bonikhan Mohalla in Hajin, around 30 km from Srinagar, following an input about militant presence in the area.“Two heavily armed terrorists were neutralised during the operation. We have recovered two AK rifles, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) and a large quantity of war-likes stores,” Commanding Officer, 13 Rashtriya Rifles, Col Vikramjeet Singh told mediapersons after the operation.“The operation was conducted in a built-up area and we ensured that there was no collateral damage to the houses and civilians population in the area,” he added.A police officer said both slain militants were residents of Pakistan and associated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba.The militants were killed a day after suspected militants fled with nearly Rs 13 lakh, including Rs 11 lakh old currency, from a bank in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.Rs 2,000 notes recovered from slain ultras At a time when people are struggling to get new currency, fresh notes of Rs 2,000 were recovered from the two militants killed in the encounter. “We have begun investigations as to how the militants got the new currency,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Bandipora, Zulfikar Azad. The police also recovered Rs 11,600 in Rs 100 denomination from the two slain militants. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes and the move was mainly intended to curb the flow of funds to militant organisations and counterfeit money. However, the recovery of new currency notes from the possession of slain Pakistani militants indicates that the insurgents transact mostly in genuine currency. Several J&K police officers opine that the demonetisation is not going to have “much impact” on militancy in Kashmir.

NEW DELHI: Several groups of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadres travelled to Pakistan during the 1990s to receive training with the help of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to a new book about the spy agency.

HT FILEAuthor Hein G Kiessling writes that Pakistan’s ISI began supplying weapons to Naga militant groups back in the 1960s.

Links between Pakistan and militant groups in India’s northeastern states date back to the 1960s, when the neighbouring country supplied weapons to Naga militants, author Hein G Kiessling writes in his book Faith, Unity, Discipline: The ISI Of Pakistan.

Kiessling, a historian who forged contacts with Pakistani military and intelligence officials while living in the country between 1989 and 2002, writes there was a temporary halt to weapons supplies after the 1971 war that led to the birth of Bangladesh.

“In 1990, via the Pakistan embassy in Dhaka, the NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) and ULFA developed contacts with the ISI…In January 1991, with the help of the ISI, several high-ranking ULFA leaders travelled to Pakistan to sign a training agreement for ULFA cadres,” he writes.

In 1991, two six-member ULFA groups arrived in Islamabad for training and a third 10-member group followed in 1993. The ISI procured weapons for the northeastern militant groups from countries such as Thailand and Cambodia, from where they were shipped to Bangladesh before being smuggled into India.

Kiessling writes there are indications that the “ISI is still present and active in northeast India”. In August 1999, Assam Police announced the arrest of two ISI officers and two local agents

Our Correspondent

Sangrur, November 19

The ex-servicemen wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) yesterday demanded two tickets for the ex-servicemen from SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for the current Assembly elections.State president of the wing Gurjinder Singh Sidhu said the ex-servicemen and serving Army personnel were in great strength in the state and they had about 25 lakh votes. Besides, there were also 55,000 widows of ex-servicemen in the state. Therefore, the party president should give them representation in the Assembly elections by allotting the party ticket, he added.Sidhu regretted that during the previous Assembly elections not even a single ticket was allotted to the ex-servicemen by the party due to which they had been feeling ignored.