Indian Defence and Strategic News Thread

[Adux]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4295422.ece

Quote:
...
The role of the ISI in supporting the Taliban insurgency is a highly sensitive issue, which Western officials decline to discuss openly. The British and US governments have both avoided directly accusing Pakistan of aiding insurgent groups. Britain in particular is reliant on the ISI for information connected to domestic terror plots planned in Pakistan.

However, privately there is acknowledgement that a level of complicity is a reality.

“There is an acceptance that elements of the ISI are engaged with the insurgents,” said one source serving in the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) for Afghanistan yesterday. “The issue that remains unresolved is the degree of higher level acceptance of this, and how much they (the ISI) can actually be controlled.”

British officers confirmed to The Times an incident last summer in which a Taliban corpse found on the battlefield in Helmand turned out to be carrying papers identifying the body as that of a serving ISI colonel.

When British officials challenged the Islamabad government on the issue, they received an explanation that the man was ’on leave’ at the time of his death.

A US Department of Defence funded study undertaken by the RAND Corporation and published last month also stated that elements of the ISI were aiding the Taleban.

“Right now, the Taleban and other groups are getting help from individuals within Pakistan’s government, and until that ends, the region’s long-term security is in jeopardy,” concluded the report’s author Seth Jones.

He said support included medical care for wounded fighters, logistical and financial support. He also said ISI trainers were instructing insurgents in camps at Quetta, Mansehra, Shamshattu and Parachinar and other areas of Pakistan.
...
Dr Barnett Rubin, an Afghan expert in New York, told The Times: “People tend to depict Afghanistan as a fight between the United States and Islamic radicals, but it is also a theatre for other conflicts and one of those is between India and Pakistan.”

[Adux]

India talks tough on terror at Security Council

Quote:
Thursday, July 10, 2008 (United Nations)
With India emerging as one of the prime targets of terrorist attacks by Taliban and Al-Qaida in Afghanistan, the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, Nirupam Sen, did some tough talking before the Security Council on Wednesday afternoon.

Reflecting India's growing sign of confidence at the international forum and its emergence as a world power, addressing a special meeting of the Security Council on Afghanistan, Sen in blunt language opposed the recent peace deals between the Pakistan government and the tribal leaders who are known to provide shelter and support to the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

''We can't succeed if we send mixed signals through bargains for temporary and local peace while the rest of us contend with the consequences of such deals,'' Sen told the Security Council during his forceful presentation, which lasted for more than ten minutes.


Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was fourth to speak at the meeting, had left the Security Council when India's turn, listed 23rd among 28 speakers, came.

Not surprisingly, with the exception of Qureshi, almost every dignitary who spoke at the Council referred to the terrorist attack on the Indian mission in Kabul.

''The rising trend of attacks, abductions and suicide bombings is also a sign that terrorist groups are emboldened by displays of wavering confidence that such bargains imply, and therefore, hope to weaken our collective resolve,'' Sen said, reflecting openly for the first time India's opposition to such deals.


The United States, which is leading the war against terror in Afghanistan, has already been opposing such peace negotiations.

''We cannot have partial compromises with such forces and yet nurture hopes of prevailing in Afghanistan,'' observed Sen, who leaves for India later this week to brief officials in New Delhi on the aftermath of attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

''We remain convinced that there needs to be a much closer alignment between the consistent application of force wherever terrorist groups are present and the political objectives of our efforts in Afghanistan, in which UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) must play an important role,'' Sen said.

''We needed to convey the message effectively,'' Sen told NDTV.com after the completion of the meeting.


Senior UN diplomats maintained that seldom has India spoken so aggressively on Afghanistan in the post-Taliban era. So far India, which has been massively involved in civilian projects in the infrastructure development, has had a low profile at the UN or the Security Council.

However, with the attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul early this week killing more than 50 people and increasing instances of terrorist attacks and kidnapping of Indian engineers and workers in Afghanistan, it was time that India exerted its voice at Security Council.

In fact, speeches of representatives of other countries including almost all Security Council members reflected that the world body agreed with the assertions made by Sen.


Almost all the speakers at the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, which lasted for more than three hours, not only strongly condemned the suicide attack outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul, a high security zone, but also said that this reflected the growing power of the Taliban and Al-Qaida in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan.

''Insurgents and terrorists have grown more effective and more aggressive, most recently in the cowardly and despicable attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul,'' the US Ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad said.

The Russian Ambassador too expressed his concern over deteriorating security situation in the country.

Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dafdar Spanta reiterated that the allegation of the support to terrorists was coming from across the border.

''Those who are behind the Taliban and Al-Qaida had enhanced their support, increased the pace and scope of terrorist activities and shifted their focus to Afghanistan as a part of their psychological war to sabotage the peace process in the country and affect regional and global public opinion,'' he said.

''One of the contributing factors was the de facto truce in the tribal areas beyond the border,'' Spanta said.

[Adux]

Gen Kapoor, on his part said, deliberations were in progress to bolster security measures for Indian missions abroad.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/3220442.cms

"It is not an ordinary review of the security. It is much more than discussing revamp of the security," an official told PTI here while talking about Menon's two-day mission but did not give details.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/h...0807131442.htm

Considering the high-level of threat, India has not ruled out deploying Army's Special Forces for security of the embassy in Kabul and consulates elsewhere in Afghanistan.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20080713...curity-fo.html


Sikh Warrior,

There was an article with a bit more details on Gen. Kapoor's plans for Afghanistan.

[Adux]

'We not only suspect Pak, we have proof'

7/12/2008 4:02:41 PM

Indian National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and the blast site in Kabul

For the very first time - the National Security Advisor M K Narayanan - has spelt out that New Delhi believes Pakistan to be behind the blast at the Indian embassy in Kabul.

Speaking to TIMES NOW political editor Navika Kumar - the NSA has also said that New Delhi has enough intelligence to prove this claim.

Narayanan said, "I think that the people of this country need to know the facts. The Afghan government has categorically stated it, and we are aware of it. I think we need to pay back those who are responsible in the same coin".

When asked whether India suspects Pakistan to be behind the Indian Embassey blast in Kabul, a confident Narayanan said, "We not only suspect, we have fair amount of intelligence inputs on that.

He also added, "Our concept was that Talk-talk is better than fight-fight. Like in other comprehensive dialogue mechanism that we have in place at several levels, the anti-terror mechanism was a part of this larger picture. In course of time the hope was that both the sides would share whatever information they had and come out with a holistic idea of what's going on. It hasn't worked so far".

However, he also confirmed, "We haven't arrived at a decision that we should go for fight-fight. Let talks continue for the moment."

http://timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=11349

[Adux]

The NSA said there was a need to retaliate to such acts of terror. "I think we need to pay back in the same coin. We are quite clear in our mind," he said.
When asked who should be paid back, he replied, "Those who are responsible."

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/12kabul.htm

Indian NSA acts tough, Though I doubt anything good will be done. ISI will be dismantled, from what I could gather both NATO and India has had enough.

ISI involved in Kabul bombing on Indian embassy: NSA

New Delhi, July 12 India has a "fair amount" of intelligence inputs about Pakistan's involvement in the Monday's suicide attack on its embassy in Kabul, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan said today.
"We not only suspect but we have a fair amount of intelligence (on the involvement of Pakistan)," Narayanan told television channels when asked whether India suspects Pakistan's involvement in the attack.

"The ISI needs to be destroyed. We made this point, whenever we have had a chance, to interlocutors across the world... There might have been some tactical restraint for some time, obviously that restraint is no longer present," he said. (Agencies)

[raavan]

great posts adux...............keep them coming.

[Adux]

great posts adux...............keep them coming.

Please do add any reports or views you might have. We have to keep this thread alive and kicking, like some of the long running threads here.

[Adux]

To match China, IAF upgrades bases in east
15 Jul 2008, 1627 hrs IST,PTI
CHABUA (ASSAM): Worried at the increase in Chinese airfields along the border, the Centre is upgrading its infrastructure and fleet strength at all Air Force stations under the Eastern Air Command.

"AFS Chabua is surrounded by 14 airfields on the Chinese side. Not all of them are now being used, but they can be made operational within a week," Commanding Officer of the Chabua airbase, Group Captain M S Venkateswara told a group of visiting newspersons here.

Pointing out that the border with China was 170 km north and that with Myanmar 80 km south of Chabua airbase, he said, "This calls for an increase in air defence mechanism."

Though the situation at present was not alarming, there was a threat perception from the Chinese side as the position of their airfields make a multi-directional approach possible during operations, he said, adding that China could also use Myanmarese air space against India given the good relations between the two countries.

In view of the threat perception, air force bases at Dibrugarh, Mohanbari, Jorhat, Guwahati, Tezpur, Hasimara and Bagdogra were being upgraded.

According to Venkateswara, the Chinese have SU-27s, SU-30s, J-8s and J-10s deployed at these airbases. While they were not likely to deploy GF-17s, but the possibility exists.

Chabua, which now has two squadrons of MiG-27s, will get Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and Multi-Modal Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) as part of the upgrade programme.

The Operations Conversion Unit (OCU) of AFS Chabua was conducting round-the-clock sorties to maintain vigil on the airspace, he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/T...ow/3237176.cms

[Adux]

Now, space cell to keep an eye on China's plans
11 Jun 2008, 0153 hrs IST,TNN
NEW DELHI: In view of the looming Chinese threat to its communication network and other space assets, India on Tuesday announced the setting up of its Integrated Space Cell (ISC).

The cell is designed to counter the Chinese Military Space Systems that comprises anti-satellite weaponry and a new class of heavy-lift and small boosters acting as catalyst in the next generation satellite warfare system.

The Space Cell will be put under the command of the Integrated Defence Services Headquarters and will act as a single window for integration among the armed forces, the department of space and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Announcing this after inaugurating the two-day Unified Commanders' Conference in the Capital, defence minister A K Antony on Tuesday expressed concern at the "offensive counter space systems and an improved array of military space systems emerging in our neighbourhood".

The commanders' conference, focusing on various issues pertaining to better coordination amongst the three Services, was attended among others by chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, air Chief Marshal F H Major, army chief General Deepak Kapoor, defence secretary Vijay Singh, Chief of Integrated Service Command Lt Gen HS Lidder, commanders and other senior officers.

Antony said that engaging China in a dialogue and trying to resolve outstanding issues is the right way ahead.

"Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee's recent visit to China was a step in this direction," he said and expressed optimism that the agreement between the two countries on peace and tranquility and the ongoing confidence building measures and MoU on defence cooperation would help achieve this purpose.

The defence minister also announced the setting up of a Defence Informatics Centre (DIC) on the lines of the National Informatics Centre. A dedicated system, it will cater to the e-governance needs of the armed forces, the defence ministry and other associated organizations. The DIC would be designed in a manner where it would be difficult for outside forces to penetrate and cripple the network. This would help completely insulate India's military communication network.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/3118491.cms

[Adux]

Message to China: Army plans trek to Khatling

18 Jun 2008, 0415 hrs IST,TNN

NEW DELHI: Even as the army plans another civilian expedition to the forbidding Siachen region, the first edition of which had riled Pakistan no end last year, it is also going to **** a snook at China by undertaking an expedition of its own to the Khatling glacier next week.

The army expedition to the Khatling glacier, located at an altitude of 4,717-metre altitude in Uttarakhand close to the still-unresolved Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, will take place from June 25 to July 7.

The second civilian expedition to the Siachen Glacier-Saltoro Ridge region, in turn, is being planned for October-November by the army. As reported by TOI earlier, the army had organized the trip of several civilian trekkers and mountaineers to the glacial heights during September-October last year despite strong protests by Pakistan.

The basic aim behind both the expeditions is to show to the international audience that both the Siachen and Khatling glaciers are essentially Indian territory, with neither Pakistani nor Chinese troops being anywhere near them.

Through the civilian treks to the world's highest and coldest battlefield, India is sending a clear signal to Pakistan that the Siachen heights are "non-negotiable" till it accepts Indian conditions for clear-cut "authentication" of the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), both on the map and on the ground. Indian troops, after all, hold "almost all dominating heights" on Saltoro Ridge, with Pakistani troops being nowhere near the 72-km-long Siachen Glacier.

The expedition to Khatling comes in wake of stepped up intrusions by Chinese troops across the 4,057-km LAC in all the three sectors — western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal) — as reported earlier.

"Khatling is not really disputed. But regular visits to the region are necessary or we may find a Chinese patrol sitting there one day," said a senior officer. "Our expedition will leave 'some imprints' of their visit there. The idea is to counter the possibility of China laying claim to the glacier in the future," he added.

The Khatling expedition is being undertaken by volunteers from the Army’s 15 Mechanised Infantry Regiment, who comprise two officers, two JCOs (junior commissioned officers) and eight soldiers.

There will also be an eight-member "support team" to the expedition. The expedition members are undergoing graduated acclimatisation and endurance exercises in coordination with 2 Rajput Regiment, apart from liaising with the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering at Uttarkashi for experience on trekking and survival skills in high altitude.

It will take 12 days of trekking from Malla to Gaurikund, covering a distance of 165 km of icy heights through Kush Kalyani, Kyarki, Parital, Sahasra Tal, Kalyani and Gowki, to eventually reach the glacier, which is the source of river Bhilangna and surrounded by snow peaks 6,500 to 7,000 metres high.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/File_Message_to_China_Army_plans_trek_to_Khatling/articleshow/3139508.cms

Excellent piece of information, Nice to see India grow a pair.

[Adux]

India wary of Chinese subs: Navy Chief

5 May 2008, 1832 hrs IST,PTI

NEW DELHI: India on Monday voiced concern over the build-up of Chinese submarines equipped with nuclear arsenals in its neighbourhood amid indications that the issue would be discussed by the Cabinet Committee on Security soon.

It a "cause for security concern" to India, Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta told news persons here when asked about the revelations by satellite pictures that China had amassed five nuclear submarines carrying long range missiles.

"It is not the nuclear submarine bases that matter, we are concerned over the number of nuclear submarines that are being built in our neighbourhood," he said.

Defence Minister A K Antony sought to be evasive on the subject, saying the country's armed forces are capable of taking "full care of our security interests" whether it is sea lanes or land borders.

The CCS is likely to meet soon to deliberate on the security implications that the build-up in the South China sea will have on India.

The pictures suggest that China has secretly built a major underground nuclear submarine base that could threaten India and other countries in the region.

Satellite imagery reportedly showed that a substantial harbour has been built which could house a score of nuclear submarines equipped with ballistic missiles besides a host of aircraft carriers at the Sanya base on Southern tip of Hainan island.

"Nuclear Submarines have long legs and can operate over long distances," said Admiral Mehta who is expected to brief the CCS to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/3012606.cms

Budget Budget Budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Adux]

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?news...l&newsid=48826

India plans to test new medium-range missile in 2009



Hyderabad, July 25 (IANS) Indian defence scientists are developing a new medium-range, multi-platform missile, called the Nirbhay or the dauntless, that will add more teeth to its armoury and is slated to be tested by end-2009.
The missile, with a range of 1,000 km, is being developed at the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the defence ministry, a top official at the laboratory said.
"Every country needs multiple options. It is a question of survival," explained Avinash Chander, director of ASL, adding preparations were on for the technology demonstrator flight.
"It (Nirbhay) will be better than Babur," Chander told IANS, referring to Pakistan's first subsonic, low-level terrain-mapping missile, developed originally with a 500 km range and later upgraded to 700 km.
The latest in the series of India's missile development programme, the Nirbhay follows the Agni (I, II and III), the Prithvi (I and II), the Indo-Russian joint venture supersonic Brahmos, Akash, Trishul and Nag.
First tested in 2005, the Babur is similar in design to the US BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missile - the two being roughly the same size and shape. Pakistan is said to be working on a more advanced version with a range of 1,000 km.
The subsonic Nirbhay weighs 1,000 kg with a 1,000 km range and a speed of 0.7 mach. A missile is subsonic when its speed is less than the speed of sound (1 mach).
Nirbhay is six metres in length with a 520 mm diameter. While the missile is being developed in-house, India is looking at partnerships for the engine, said Chander. He did not elaborate whether talks were on with any foreign companies.
The requirement for Nirbhay was anticipated by India's three armed forces. Nirbhay is to have multiple platforms and can be launched from ground, sea and air, scientists said.
Meanwhile Agni III, part of the Agni missile family, is to be tested by the first quarter of 2008. It is seen by the establishment as the mainstay of Indian missile-based strategic nuclear deterrence, said Chander.
Agni III has a range of over 3,000 km and uses a two-stage solid propulsion - usually made up of a steel case containing blocks of a self-burning mixture - that enables it to be launched more quickly and with less logistical support than missiles using liquid propellants.
On the horizon is a 5,000 plus km, three-stage solid propulsion missile Chander is not willing to talk about. Whether it will be called Agni IV, only time will tell.
IANS

[Adux]

^^^ above has information on our subsonic cruise missile program, and our extended IRBM(lol!!!)

[raavan]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/File_Message_to_China_Army_plans_trek_to_Khatling/articleshow/3139508.cms

Excellent piece of information, Nice to see India grow a pair.

Now should see wat the chinese will say abt this...................

[Adux]

Left wants India to cut military ties with Israel

The CPI-M said that while it welcomed the government's call to Israel and the US not to target Iran, India should call off its military ties with Tel Aviv if it had genuine concern for Iran

New Delhi: The Congress Tuesday condemned any "unilateral military action" against Iran while its estranged ally the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) urged the government to end military ties with Israel if it was "really concerned" about Tehran.

"Talk of military options and pre-emptive strikes should be avoided by all parties to avoid vitiating the atmosphere," Congress general secretary M. Veerappa Moily told reporters here.

"There are no military solutions to the complex geo-political issues and problems in the West Asian region," he said.

The Congress, which recalled India's "civilizational links" with Tehran, called for dialogue to resolve the problems in the region.

But the CPI-M said that while it welcomed the government's call to Israel and the US not to target Iran, New Delhi should call off its military ties with Tel Aviv if it had genuine concern for Iran.

"The concern (expressed by the government) would have been credible only if the (Indian) government had not helped Israel's military capabilities," the party said.

It pointed out that the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) had launched an Israeli spy satellite TecSar in January this year.

"This advanced satellite produced by Israel and the US jointly is being used to conduct surveillance of Iran. If there is a military attack by Israel on Iran, the TecSar will be invaluable.”

"If the Manmohan Singh government is really concerned about the attack on Iran, it should forthwith cancel the launch of two more satellites in this series. It should stop all military collaboration with Israel."

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

http://news.in.msn.com/national/arti...mentid=1559847

^^^f**k you Commie's, The newest trend in India is to have the Islamist and Commie's form alliances to stop Imperalist, Capitalist and other yada yada. This is a very serious development. The Left knows, the most vital link in the India-US relationship is "Israel". They are ready to scarifice the nation for their ideology. Bastards, rot in hell.