Good Governance
Pensionary Benefits
International Cooperation
India
successfully went ahead in strengthening its defence relations with
USA, while continuing to strengthen its existing defence relations
with Russia. Defence Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee made a successful
visit to Russia, USA and Chile. In Russia, he held wide-ranging
discussions with his Russian counterpart and also called on Russian
President, Vladimir Putin. Defence Ministers of both the countries
signed a formal protocol after the fifth meeting of India-Russia
Intergovernmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation.
Some of the major programmes considered for progressing between
the two countries were the development and production of the fifth
generation aircraft, joint development of multi-role transport
aircraft and procurement of three more frigates from Russia.
During
his visit to USA, the Defence Minister signed a new framework for
the US-India defence relationship that builds on past successes,
new opportunities and charts a course for US-India defence relationship
for the next ten years. During his visit to Chile, the Defence Minister
had fruitful discussions with his Chilean counterpart and also visited
Antarctica.
AV Singh Committee Report
The Government has issued orders to implement the phase 1
of the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee recommendations involving restructuring
the officers’ cadre, reduction in qualifying service for promotion
in non-select ranks and a package of peel off measures to mitigate
stagnation. This will help
in achieving optimum combat effectiveness by bringing down the age
profile of battalion brigade commanders and to make the three services
more effective in fulfilling individual career aspirations of the
officers.
Aero India 2005
The Fifth International Aerospace Exhibition,
Aero India 2005 was held at Bangalore in February 2005. The significant
feature of Aero India 2005 was the increase in the Indian participation
from 74 companies to about 140 companies this time. Besides, Indian
and foreign exhibitors from 30 countries, including USA, Russia,
UK, France, Israel, Italy, Germany and Poland, participated in the
show. More than 350 leading companies showcased their
aircraft and aerospace products/equipment through air display, static
display and exhibition attracting a large turn out of professionals
and businessmen across the world. This biennial exposition has gained
the status of a major aerospace event.
International Land and Naval Systems Exhibition : Defexpo
The Defence Exposition 2006 saw the largest
ever participation of 420 companies from 38 countries. The Defence
Exhibition showcased India’s capabilities in land and naval systems.
It also demonstrated India’s ability to design, develop and deliver
a wide range of military and civil products and services at competitive
prices. Through DEFEXPO, India acknowledged the inevitability of
technological inter-dependence and expressed its wish to enter into
mutually beneficial arrangements with friendly countries.
Indo-French Defence Cooperation Agreement
India and France signed an agreement to promote
cooperation between the two countries in defence, military fields,
defence industry, production, research and development and procurement
of defence material. The agreement was signed between the Defence
Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, and the French Defence Minister,
Mrs Michele Alliot-Marie, following a summit-level meeting between
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and French President Jacques Chirac.
The agreement seeks to promote cooperation between the two countries.
Disaster Relief Operations
It was altogether a different
challenge for the country’s Armed Forces when they had to fight
the wrath of nature in 2005. From Tsunami to earthquake in Jammu
& Kashmir, and floods in different parts of the country, the
Armed Forces rose to the occasion and did yeoman service to the
affected people by undertaking relief, rescue and rehabilitation
operations on an unprecedented scale.
Tsunami
Massive rescue and relief operations were undertaken by the Armed Forces
in response to Tsunami, which hit the southern parts of the country
during December 2004. Several ships, helicopters, aircraft and thousands
of Armed Forces personnel were mobilised in the rescue and relief
operations which were carried out in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The Indian Air
Force planes and helicopters airlifted large amount of rescue and
relief supplies, besides evacuating people to safer places. The
rescue and relief operations by the Armed Forces were not only restricted
to our country but for the first time it was extended to neighbouring
countries of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia.
J&K
Earthquake
The Army and the Air Force
carried out massive rescue and relief operations in the quake affected
areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Roads and bridges were rebuilt in record
time. The Army and Air Force have also adopted some villages in
J&K for reconstruction.
Flood
Relief Operations
The Army and Air Force also carried out flood relief activities in the States
of Maharastra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters
flew many sorties and tonnes of relief material were airlifted.
Induction of Sukhoi MK-I
The
first indigenously built Sukhoi MK-I was inducted into the Indian
Air Force. The aircraft assembled at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Ozhar near Nasik
rolled out in November 2004. It was the first of the 140 aircraft
proposed to be built in India under Russian license. SU-30 aircraft
is a twin engine, twin seater, multi-role fighter that can simultaneously
be operated as an interceptor, bomber and trainer.
It is capable of attaining a maximum speed of Mach 2 with
a maximum climb rate of 270 meters per second.
Air Defence Ship Project Launched
The
construction of the country’s first aircraft carrier, known as Air
Defence Ship, formally started with the steel cutting ceremony at
Kochi Shipyard in April 2004. This is developed jointly by Defence
Research & Development Organisation and Steel Authority of India
Limited. It has the speed of more than 28 knots, is 252 meter long, displacing
over 37,500 tons of water and is capable of operating a formidable
array of 20 modern fighter aircraft and 10 helicopters of different
type. The ship is expected to enter service in 2012.
Creation of New Command by Army
The
Indian Army announced the creation of its new South Western Command
with its Headquarters at Jaipur, which formally came into being
in April 2005.
IAF Records Lowest Accident Rate
The
Indian Air Force recorded the lowest accident rate as compared to
other Air Forces of the world during the last 35 years. The accident
record was 0.075 per every 10,000 hours of flying
New
World Record
An Indian Air Force
Cheetal Helicopter set a new world record in November 2004, by landing
at a density altitude of 25,150 feet at Saserkangri near Leh.
First
Woman Air Marshal
Signifying the increasing
role of women in the Air Force, Padmavathy Bandopadhyay became the
first lady Air Marshal in the history of the Indian Air Force in
October 2004.
Coast Guard Base At Jakhau Commissioned
A new Coast Guard station at Jakhau in Gujarat
was commissioned in February 2005.
This station will provide the much-needed assistance to Indian
fishermen operating in the vicinity of maritime boundary with Pakistan. Two Hovercrafts have been based at Jakhau for
operation in shallow water and creeks. The station is also capable
of providing turn-around facility for Interceptor Boats of the Indian
Coast Guard while on patrol in the area. On similar lines nine more
operational stations are on the anvil for activation shortly in
a planned manner. These are Beypore, Pondicherry, Pipavav, Karwar,
Vadinar, Ratnagiri, Kakinada, Gopalpur and Kamorta.
Kelkar Committee Report
The Kelkar
Committee, set up by the Government under the chairmanship of Dr
Vijay Kelkar, to examine the current procedures and recommend modalities
of integration of the User, the Defence Ministry and the Indian
Industry, both private and public, submitted the first part of its
report to the Defence Minister. In the acquisition process of products
required by the armed forces, 26 of the 40 recommendations in Part-I
of the report of the Committee have been accepted for implementation;
eight recommendations have been accepted with some modification,
and the remaining six recommendations are under further examination.
The thrust of Part I of
the Report of the Committee is “Towards strengthening self-reliance
in Defence Preparedness”. This
Report takes into account increased capabilities of Indian Industry
and growing globalisation of Defence industry. The Committee
has adopted a long-term approach to prepare a policy regime that
would encourage India’s best firms to enter in the field of defence
production. To promote innovation,
efficiency and cost cutting, the Committee has adopted a strategic
perspective in formulating proposals towards acquisition policy
reforms.
P-17
series Ships Launched
The
Third Warship of P-17 series built by Mazagon Docks Limited was
launched. Another ship built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Limited, Yard 3015 Kesri was launched in June, 2005 at Kolkata.
In
a landmark event, INS Tillanchang,
a fast attack craft was handed over to Maldives in April
2006. At the request of Maldives, the Indian Government decided
to meet the immediate needs of the Maldivian Coast Guard by transferring
the INS Tillanchang to them. Named after one of the islands of the Andaman
and Nicobar chain, the INS Tillanchang,
built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata was inducted
into the Indian Navy five years ago. The 260 tonne Trinkat class
fast attack craft INS Tillanchang’s main armament is the indigenous
30 mm gun, manufactured by Ordnance Factory Medak. Powered by German
MTU engines, it has a maximum speed of 28 knots and is capable of
extended deployment up to 2,000 nautical miles.
Army
Women Team Scales Mt Everest
A
four-member women team of Indian Army scaled the Mount Everest successfully
in June 2005.
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