Month: June 2022

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India News

Indus Commission finalises annual report, plan future field visits

This meeting was more of a familiarisation meeting for Pal, who took over as the new Indus Commissioner after P.K. Saxena retired on March 31…reports Asian Lite News

The Permanent Indus Commission – comprising members from both India and Pakistan – on the conclusion of its two-day meeting here on Tuesday, finalised its annual report for 2021-22 as per the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, 1960.

A three-member Pakistani delegation was here since Sunday evening for the 118th annual meeting, within three months after the 117th meeting was held at Islamabad from March 1-3.

“We finalised our annual report for 2021-22 and signed it. It lists all the major achievements for this financial year. Also, we finalised and signed the minutes of this 118th meeting,” India’s Indus Commissioner Ashish Pal told.

The two sides also planned for near future field tours and meetings, much of which were kept pending in view of the pandemic-induced lockdown and travel restrictions. “We reviewed the situation and planned for some meetings. The consensus was that there should be more frequent meetings,” Pal said.

Pal was leading the Indian side being as the new Indus Commissioner of India. This meeting was more of a familiarisation meeting for Pal, who took over as the new Indus Commissioner after P.K. Saxena retired on March 31.

As per the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty – between India and Pakistan over sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin – both the countries are to have Indus Commissioners and the Permanent Indus Commission is to meet at least once every year, alternatively in India and Pakistan.

Of the six rivers in the Indus Basin, India has complete rights over three eastern rivers – Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, while Pakistan has rights over the western rivers – Chenab, Jhelum and Indus.

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India News

‘Naga issue can’t be resolved without separate flag, Constitution’

“We have come across the stand of the Government of India on the core issues of Naga national flag, Constitution and integration and echoed by some Naga leaders,” he said in his strongly-worded speech…reports Asian Lite News

NSCN-IM Chairman Eno Q. Tuccu on Tuesday questioned as to how can Naga political issues be resolved without a separate flag and Constitution.

Addressing the ‘Emergency National Assembly’ of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), the dominant Naga group, he said: “How can we forfeit the Naga national flag and Naga Constitution in the name of Naga political solution? What belongs to us… that defines our political identity can never be compromised for the sweet morsel in the name of Naga political settlement. We cannot be made a laughing stock before the world by tamely succumbing to pressure or temptation.”

Centre’s then interlocutor and then Nagaland Governor, R.N. Ravi had, on a number of occasions, rejected these demands.

Noting that on August 3, 2015, the historic ‘Framework Agreement’ was signed with deep political insight taking into consideration the Naga people’s sovereign rights and dignity, Tuccu said: “Unfortunately, there are forces at work who are trying to undermine the political significance of Framework Agreement by giving wrongful interpretations with bewildering comments to suit their selfish agenda in collusion with the Government of India… maliciously propagated by few political leaders that the Naga flag and constitution, including integration (of the Naga-dominated areas) are not mentioned in Framework Agreement.

“The bitter irony is that every attempt is being made to confuse the Naga people on the political significance of the Framework Agreement where the future of Naga political journey is laid out.”

“We have come across the stand of the Government of India on the core issues of Naga national flag, Constitution and integration and echoed by some Naga leaders,” he said in his strongly-worded speech.

He said that hundreds of thousands have given their lives for the Nagas’ freedom and the responsibility is heaped upon the shoulder of the NSCN to fulfill their prayers and dreams for the honourable Naga political settlement with the Naga flag flying high.

“We have to prove ourselves before God and before the Naga people and the whole world that we, the NSCN members, the frontline torch bearers of the Naga political movement, shall stand the ground till the last man standing in defence of our God’s given rights,” he stated.

The NSCN-IM, in a separate statement, said on Tuesday said that the Emergency National Assembly was held amidst tense moments and spontaneous upsurge of emotion as the issue of the Naga people’s political struggle of seven decades is yet to be decided with the ongoing political dialogue in deadlock on the core issue of flag and constitution.

After signing a formal ceasefire agreement with NSCN-IM in 1997, the Central government has held more than 85 rounds of negotiations with the NSCN-IM and other Naga groups. However, the NSCN-IM’s repeated insistence on a separate Naga flag and Constitution have become a big hurdle in the way of resolving the Naga issue.

In the editorial of its latest news bulletin ‘Nagalim Voice’, the outfit said it is unthinkable for NSCN-IM to accept the Naga national flag as a cultural symbol as hinted by the Centre.

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India News

India, Korea target $50 billion bilateral trade by 2030

On being asked about how Korea sees the Make in India initiative, the Ambassador said that ‘Make in India’ is an outstanding initiative by the government of India…reports Asian Lite News

India is the focus market for the Korean economy and we will work together to achieve higher trade relations between both countries, said Chang Jae-bok, Korean Ambassador to India.

He said that both nations have set a target of $50 billion bilateral trade by 2030 and are working towards the same. India is the focus market for the Korean economy and we will work together to achieve higher trade relations between both the countries.

On being asked about how Korea sees the Make in India initiative, the Ambassador said that ‘Make in India’ is an outstanding initiative by the government of India. “Leading players like Samsung are making a lot of investments in India, 66 new Korean companies entered into India in the pandemic year 2020. We are seeing a lot of new prospective Korean companies interested to enter India”, he told.

“According to data from Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), bilateral trade between India and Korea has reached $23.7 billion in 2021, surpassing $21.5 billion in 2018. This was the highest-ever trade volume between the two countries, representing a 40 per cent increase over the previous year’s total of $16.9 billion (2020). Also, 66 new Korean companies entered into India in the pandemic year 2020, and Korean investment totaled around $396 million during this economic downturn period”, said Chang Jae-bok on the question of Covid impact on trade relations between two nations.

“India has a very strong IT and software base and we plan to leverage it in the best possible way. Apart from this, promising sectors such as Medical Devices and Diagnostics, EV infra and battery, Logistics and warehousing are other segments in which Korean companies are planning to foray,” he said on the question of major shifts of both nations in the trade.

On the sideline of the 4th edition of the Korea Fair in India (KFI) which was inaugurated on Wednesday, Ambassador Chang Jae-bok had said that Korea and India have a strong economic partnership that is rapidly expanding.

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Defence India News

How Indian Army upheld its highest traditions even after 1971 War

Army chief visits Jaisalmer, reviews Dakshin Shakti exercise

A senior officer in the Army believes that such incidents about that great War need to be highlighted along with the gallantry and valour of our troops…reports Asian Lite News

While 2021 was celebrated as Swarnim Vijay Varsh or the 50th anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan War resulting in a crushing defeat for Pakistani forces and the Liberation of Bangladesh, 2022 can certainly commemorate how Indian armed forces upheld their ethos and traditions by punishing their own who fell out of line, even slightly, during the War.

Nearly 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered and were held as Prisoners of War by India after the 13-day War. Though a large number of them, including officers, were involved in the genocide that took place in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), not a single soldier was punished after the surrendered troops were returned to West Pakistan. That marks the difference between the armed forces of the two countries.

In India, one case that comes to mind is the punishment meted out to a young Captain in the Army who may have felt that he was doing nothing wrong in robbing a bank at Hajiganj in Bangladesh where he was posted in 1971. After all, it was December 11, 1971 and the bank could well have been treated as enemy property, the officer — who we will simply call Captain HU here — may have felt. A senior officer in the Army believes that such incidents about that great War need to be highlighted along with the gallantry and valour of our troops.

The officer entered the United Bank Ltd Comilla District, threatened the staff with bodily harm and made off with Rs 11,222.91 in Pakistani currency, some 12 bore guns and cartridges, a wall clock, a couple of telephone sets, pens, winter uniforms of bank staff as well as personal property of the manager and the security guard. From the manager, he took away a Romer Popular wrist watch and from the guard, Rs 6 in Pakistani currency.

Captain HU’s seniors did not take too kindly to this and a general court marshal was convened. On May 3, after the military court pronounced him guilty, the then general officer commanding (GOC) of the 23 Mountain Division noted: “It should be clearly borne in mind that our Forces had been ordered to march into Bangladesh as the liberators of the oppressed people who had been subjected to untold torture and miseries at the hands of Pakistani troops. It is, therefore, clear that our Forces had gone there as guardians and custodians of the lives and property of the people of that country. The conduct of the accused by indulging in broad day light bank robbery is despicable and his stooping so low as to deprive the security guard of the paltry sum of Rs 6 in Pakistani currency as also taking away wrist watch from the manager is indeed highly reprehensible. Such actions on the part of responsible officer of the Indian Army are calculated to bring a blot on the fair name of the Indian Army. It is, therefore, our imperative duty to ensure that such cases dealt with firmly when a verdict of guilty has been returned by the court.”

The military court ordered that the Captain be ‘cashiered’. This is a punishment every officer of the armed forces dreads. He is marched to the parade ground under guard and all his rank badges, ribbons and awards are torn off in the presence of all personnel. He is then made to leave the premises. His commanding officer, though, wasn’t satisfied with such a light sentence and insisted that the Captain serve two years of rigorous imprisonment as well. This order was confirmed by the then chief of Army staff Gen (later Field Marshal) SHFJ Manekshaw. It was Manekshaw who had told his troops to uphold the highest traditions of the Indian Army while conducting themselves in Bangladesh. The Captain challenged the order before the Supreme Court on technical grounds but his petition was rejected on November 27, 1972.

“Just as we celebrated Swarnim Vijay Varsh, we also need to celebrate such incidents. This will show the younger generation that the Indian Army doesn’t spare even its own in case of wrongdoing,” the serving officer said.

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India News

East, NE, south peninsular India got excess rainfall in May

The IMD counts every station recording such rainfall in a given 24 hours as one incident…reports Asian Lite News

Thanks to the Cyclone Asani that brought in abundant rain on the east coast and also pushed loads of pre-monsoon showers in the south, there has been excess rainfall over east, northeast and south peninsular India while there was deficient rainfall over northwest and central India in May.

Much of the rain due to the cyclone was in the second and third week of the month.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed that the country as a whole received 129 mm rainfall against 129.3 mm of normal in June, which shows no departure at all.

Northwest India showed the highest deficit with just 41 mm rainfall against the normal of 113.3 mm, showing a departure of minus 64 per cent while central India received 22.6 mm rainfall against 36.6 mm normal, a departure of minus 38 per cent.

On the other hand, east and NE India received 442.7 mm rainfall against the normal of 369.4 mm, showing a departure of plus 20 per cent, while the southern peninsula received 194.5 mm rainfall against 118.4 mm of normal, a departure of plus 64 per cent, IMD data showed.

During the month of May, there were 504 incidents of heavy rainfall (i.e., rainfall between 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm), 95 incidents of very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.5 mm), and 23 events of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm).

The IMD counts every station recording such rainfall in a given 24 hours as one incident.

“Most of these extreme rainfall events were recorded in the northeast, which has seen excess rainfall this month,” said IMD’s Director General, Meteorology, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

“For May, above normal maximum temperatures over many parts of Northwest India were correctly predicted (by us). Similarly, below normal maximum temperature observed over the remaining part of the country were also predicted correctly,” he said.

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-Top News Defence

‘India needs to significantly step up clean energy subsidies’

The report found that overall India’s subsidies for fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, have dropped notably by 72 per cent to Rs 68,226 crore during the seven-year period between 2014 and 2021…reports Asian Lite News

After peaking in FY-2017, the renewable energy subsidies have fallen in India by 59 per cent as deployment slowed for various reasons and more support — including subsidies — will be needed to scale up renewable to achieve the 2030 targets of clean energy, a new study released on Tuesday said.

“Renewable energy subsidies in India have fallen by 59 per cent to Rs 6,767 crore after peaking at Rs 16,312 crore in FY-2017 as deployment slowed during Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns and grid-scale solar PV and wind achieved cost parity. To achieve the 2030 clean energy targets, more support — which may include subsidies — will be needed to scale up solar manufacturing, green hydrogen, and promising de-centralised renewable energy technologies,” the study said.

‘Mapping India’s Energy Policy 2022: Aligning Support and Revenues with a Net-Zero Future’ is a joint independent study done by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a non-profit research body, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

The report found that overall India’s subsidies for fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, have dropped notably by 72 per cent to Rs 68,226 crore during the seven-year period between 2014 and 2021.

However, subsidies in FY2021 are still nine times higher than renewable energy subsidies.

“The country, therefore, needs to shift support away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy technologies to reach 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070,” the report said.

Overall, India provided over Rs 5,40,000 crore to support the energy sector in FY2021, including nearly Rs 2,18,000 crore in the form of subsidies.

Most notably, in May 2022, India reintroduced LPG subsidies for the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY) scheme in an attempt to target the subsidies to low-income consumers.

“The Centre and the states must ensure adequate support and financing models for clean energy in the medium-and long-term, in line with India’s stated de-carbonisation goals. Our policymakers should also find ways to offer affordable clean cooking energy to the poor and vulnerable sections. Targeted LPG subsidy in the short-term is the only solution to ensure that the programme goals of PMUY — which help pay the cost of using LPG for the first time — are not left by the wayside,” said co-author of the study Karthik Ganesan, fellow and director of Research Coordination at the CEEW.

The study further notes that electric vehicle (EV) subsidies have more than tripled since FY2017 to Rs 849 crore in FY2021.

During the year, India announced a production-linked incentive (PLI) programme to attract investments in domestic manufacturing of EVs and components. With manufacturing receiving a boost, clean energy financing will be the next step to further scale up deployment.

No public finance institutions (PFIs) have established clear plans for phasing out finance for fossil fuels, the report said, adding: “The annual disbursements by the largest PFIs were three times higher for fossil generation than renewable energy in FY 2021.”

“They (PFIs) should seek to swiftly end new public finance for coal-based power plants or mining to minimize the already high levels of exposure to fossil assets,” said co-author of the report Swasti Raizada, Policy Advisor at IISD.

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Business Economy

‘GCC digital economy expanding rapidly’

The digital economy is growing six times as fast as its traditional counterpart. China and the United States are presently in a commanding position within the digital economy because of their tech champions, which account for 90 percent of the market capitalization of the world’s 70 largest digital companies…reports Asian Lite News

By instituting the right policies and by developing tech champions, GCC countries can reach the level of advanced digital economies, adding US$255 billion to regional GDP by 2030, including $119 billion in Saudi Arabia alone, according to the latest report by Strategy& Middle East, part of the PwC network.

The digital economy of the GCC region is expanding rapidly. However, the region’s focus remains tilted toward traditional IT, and the maturity of its tech market lags behind other parts of the world. The emergence of GCC tech champions can play a significant role in closing this gap. Tech champions provide the economies of scale and scope necessary for innovation, talent attraction, job creation, large-scale investment, and exports.

The digital economy is growing six times as fast as its traditional counterpart. China and the United States are presently in a commanding position within the digital economy because of their tech champions, which account for 90 percent of the market capitalization of the world’s 70 largest digital companies.

“While the GCC digital economy is growing rapidly, that alone will not make the region internationally competitive,” said Chady Smayra, partner with Strategy& Middle East. “Investment in research and development (R&D) and in startups remains limited, while foreign companies are still responsible for the bulk of its product development and service delivery. Conversely, with the help of tech champions, regional GDP could jump by a cumulative 5% by 2030, creating some 600,000 technology jobs,” he added.

“As the regional economy transitions to being led by digital disruptors, the digital economy could increase its contribution to regional GDP potentially by $30 billion over the next five years, from $169 billion to $204 billion. Digital solutions, including emerging technologies, will fuel most of this growth, commented Tarek El Zein, partner with Strategy& Middle East.

The Strategy& report shows that technology champions develop in three key stages: creating an anchor portfolio and value propositions; scaling up and expanding geographically; and diversifying and monetizing at scale. The success of an aspiring tech champion during these three stages depends on several factors:

Sustainable value creation: Given the magnitude of the technology ecosystem, no single company can be everything to everyone, which is why technology champions should define what type of company it will be (its archetype), and then its value chain characteristics, business model, and how it differentiates its products. The company should then establish a competitive value chain, the necessary capabilities, a suitably innovative business model, and the most efficient level and frequency of investment.

Go-to-market formula: Tech champions adopt multiple go-to-market models, depending on the chosen business archetype. Co-creation of with clients, value-adding partners for sales and distribution, frictionless digital experience and fulfillment are a few of the levers being adopted. In addition to this, product-focused companies need strong innovation, whether it be in hardware, platforms, or software. They either develop this Intellectual Property (IP) within the company, co-create it through R&D partnerships with specialist companies and through open innovation licensing, or acquire it from third parties and acquisitions.

Talent: Tech champions need to attract and retain specialized talent in essential areas. These include product development, user experience design, solution architecture, data science and business analysis, as well as deep expertise in certain technologies (such as IoT, machine learning, immersive interfaces, and neutral networks.

Agile operating models: Tech companies need to adopt a lean and agile operating model. Such an approach is particularly evident when it comes to the concept-to-market value chain and certain other areas, such as product and portfolio strategy, ideation, roadmap development, roll-out, the soft launch, and product management and decommissioning.

Appropriate corporate structures and geographic footprint: The makeup of the corporate structure and the selection and location of holding and operating companies secures tech champions’ business goals and boosts monetization. Getting these decisions right also means that the tech champion can more effectively handle data management laws, and issues relating to IP protection and taxation.

Regulatory and policy support: “GCC governments have an important role to play in the development of tech champions, said Ramzi Khoury, partner with Strategy& Middle East. “Decision makers at the national level need to find the right balance between supporting the establishment of national tech champions, attracting global tech champions, and ensuring fair market access to new start-ups that could themselves potentially grow into the large tech companies of the future.”

“Gulf countries must create and promote tech champions to build a strong digital economy and facilitate national resilience. At present, they are largely buyers and adopters — an unsustainable position. Instead, they should become tech disruptors by enabling the development of their own tech champions, with the government acting as a facilitator,” concluded Wissam Abdel Samad, partner with Strategy& Middle East.

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-Top News China

India, China hold meeting of working mechanism on border affairs

The two sides exchanged views on the current situation along the LAC in the Western Sector in Eastern Ladakh…reports Asian Lite News

The 24th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on Tuesday, an official statement said.

The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary, East Asia, from the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese side.

The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border. They recalled that since the last meeting of WMCC in November 2021, both sides have held the 14th and 15th meetings of the Senior Commanders in January and March 2022, respectively.

The two sides exchanged views on the current situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. They agreed that as instructed by the two Foreign Ministers, both sides should continue the discussions through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the remaining issues along the LAC at the earliest so as to create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.

In this context, they agreed to hold the next (16th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all friction points along the LAC in the western Sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols.

After the Galwan clash last year, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have taken place to resolve the standoff. Disengagement at some border points did take place but by and large, there is an impasse on complete disengagement.

The Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi had also visited India in March 2022 and held discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The two sides exchanged views on the current situation along the LAC in the Western Sector in Eastern Ladakh.

As instructed by the two Foreign Ministers at WMCC on India-China Border Affairs, both sides should continue the discussions through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the remaining issues along the LAC at the earliest so as to create conditions for the restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.

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-Top News Europe

Unlikely victims of Ukraine war

HIMFED sells fertilizers throughout the year but farmers purchase it during the start of cropping seasons due to storage issues at their end…reports Raman Kant

“We’ve been hit by a double whammy this time. The harsh weather and lack of fertilisers have broken the backs of us farmers and gardeners,” said Tulsi Ram Sharma, an apple farmer from Theog, Himachal Pradesh.

“During the apple flowering season and when wheat crops and vegetables needed manure, there was no fertiliser available in the market. As a result, we suffered huge losses, which deepened our livelihood crisis. Our losses rose to 40 per cent due to lack of rains and non-availability of manure. This is the first time we’ve had to face two problems at the same time,” added Sharma, who has spent the past five decades cultivating apples on 8 bighas of land in the vegetable- and apple-dominated region.

Grapes and geopolitics

This crisis is directly related to India’s deteriorating relationship with China and is exacerbated by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. This is because of disrupted supply from war-torn Ukraine, the world’s largest exporter of urea fertilisers, said renowned agriculture expert Devinder Singh. He added that India’s dependence on raw materials for fertilizer is mostly on China and Ukraine.

Ganesh Dutt, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing and Consumer’s Federation (HIMFED) confirmed that the non-availability of raw materials from abroad had deepened the fertiliser crisis in Himachal Pradesh and “HIMFED has taken necessary steps to ensure availability”. In addition, Biofertilizers developed by the Agri-Horti universities in the state were also distributed to farmers and orchardists.

In Himachal, 69 per cent of the population is associated with agriculture and horticulture, which means around 9.61 lakh farmers and 2.5 lakh gardeners are directly affected by this shortage. Apple plants need nitrogen before they flower, a requirement that’s met by manure, whereas urea fertiliser is necessary to get a good yield of wheat. The severe deficit of both means poor quality of grains in the wheat crops and premature flowering of apples and other fruits in the heat.

Horticulture expert Dr S.P. Bhardwaj pointed out that the plants that go dormant in the winter are rejuvenated in the spring, and at this time, they are usually fed nutrients through manure. As a result, plants are fortified for the next crop cycle. This year, however, the entire crop cycle was disturbed.

HIMFED monopoly 

HIMFED obtains fertilisers from firms across the country and ensures its supply to the farmers and gardeners of Himachal Pradesh through its cells. In places where HIMFED does not have its own centres, it supplies fertilisers through open depots under the public distribution system (PDS).

In fact, HIMFED alone sells 80 per cent of the fertilisers in the state. Till February 2022, it distributed 22,958 tonnes of manure among farmers and gardeners, whereas, in the same month last year, it made 74,604 tonnes of manure available to them. This meagre supply also led to significant inflation in the price of fertilisers. As a result, under the leadership of senior CPI-M leader and former mayor of Shimla Sanjay Chauhan, farmers and gardeners staged a protest against HIMFED selling fertilisers at higher prices than the open market.

HIMFED sells fertilizers throughout the year but farmers purchase it during the start of cropping seasons due to storage issues at their end.

Established by the state government, HIMFED shoulders the responsibility of buying and distributing fertilisers well in advance to prevent a shortage in supply. Under normal circumstances, farmers would visit HIMFED’s centres and local PDS depots to procure fertilisers. The overall shortage this time meant their centres, too, were low in stock, so farmers and gardeners resorted to buying their manure from the open market. Besides HIMFED, no other agency supplies fertilisers directly, and only a certain amount of manure is sold through shops in the open market.

Beyond the apples

Besides apples, the quality of wheat crops also suffered due to the non-availability of fertiliser.

Bhag Singh, a wheat farmer from Una district, said his yield dropped by 10 per cent from that last year and that both small and medium farmers had suffered due to the manure shortage. He claimed to have visited the government depot every day for a week to look for urea fertiliser for his crop, but had returned empty-handed each time.

Similarly, Prem Singh, a gardener from Kullu district, said he worked with gardeners around his plot to collect manure for his plants, in an attempt to reduce crop loss.

Rising temperatures and inadequate rainfall, coupled with an extended dry spell, are the other culprits behind the plight of Himachal’s farmers today. According to data from the weather bureau, recorded from 1901 to 2022, March 2022 was the hottest March of the century. Such harsh weather can wreak havoc on apple crops, which require low temperatures to flourish.

Horticulture expert Dr Kishore Sharma pointed out that the temperatures in 2022 have been several degrees above normal for this time of the year.

“This change in temperature will cause problems in the fruit setting in apple trees, which can reduce crop production by 15 per cent to 20 per cent. The quality of the fruit will also be affected as a result of not receiving the necessary nutrients. In both circumstances, gardeners may have to bear financial losses,” Dr Sharma said.

The annual turnover of apples in Himachal is over Rs 4.5 thousand crore, but if the unfavourable weather conditions persist, the state’s economic health is bound to take a hit.

Traditional farming practices

Over the last 17 months, India witnessed the highest food inflation rate, with F&B prices skyrocketing across the country. In such a situation, a shortage of manure will inadvertently affect the production of crops and fruits countrywide, leading to further inflation and slower GDP growth.

While it remains unclear how farmers and the HIMFED plan to tackle the prevailing crisis in Himachal Pradesh, a cursory look at the state of affairs would pave the way towards adopting methods of agriculture and gardening that minimise the use of fertilisers and pesticides. To help farmers take this route, in 2019-20, the central government launched the Bhartiya Prakritik Kheti Padhatti (BPKP) sub-scheme under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, which falls within the umbrella of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) with a budget outlay of Rs 4645.69 crore till 2025 to promote organic and natural farming with the use of traditional practices.

The government of Himachal Pradesh had also launched the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojna in 2018, to discourage the use of pesticides. Adopting such methods of agriculture would not only lessen farmers’ dependence on chemical fertilisers but also reduce expenditure.

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India inks Rs 2,971 crore mega-deal for Astra Mk-1 missiles

The missile, for which successful trials have already been undertaken by the IAF, is fully integrated on the Su 30 MK-I fighter aircraft & will be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas)

In a big boost to the domestic defence industry, the Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for supply of the indigenously developed ASTRA MK-I Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force & the Indian Navy.

The Rs 2,971-crore contract was signed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category on Tuesday.

The technology to manufacture missile of this class indigenously was not available until now, the Ministry of Defence said, announcing the mega deal which it described as a major boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

ASTRA MK-I BVR AAM has been indigenously designed & developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) based on the Staff Requirements issued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) catering for Beyond Visual Range as well as Close Combat Engagement reducing the dependency on foreign sources, the ministry said.

The Transfer of Technology from DRDO to BDL for production of ASTRA MK-I missile and all associated systems has been completed and production at BDL is in progress, the ministry added.

Air to Air missile with BVR capability provides large Stand Off Ranges to own fighter aircraft which can neutralise the adversary aircraft without exposing itself to adversary Air Defence measures, thereby gaining & sustaining superiority of the Air Space.

“This missile is technologically and economically superior to many such imported missile systems,” the defence ministry pointed out.

ASTRA MK-I missile and all associated systems for its launch, ground handling & testing have been developed by DRDO in coordination with the IAF.

The missile, for which successful trials have already been undertaken by the IAF, is fully integrated on the Su 30 MK-I fighter aircraft & will be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas).

The Indian Navy will integrate the missile on the MiG 29K fighter aircraft, the defence ministry said.

According to the defence ministry, this project will act as a catalyst for development of Infrastructure and Testing facilities at BDL.

It will also create opportunities for several MSMEs in aerospace technology for a period of at least 25 years. The project essentially embodies the spirit of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and will help facilitate realising the country’s journey towards self-reliance in Air to Air Missiles, the ministry noted.

“The Astra’s BVR capability provides large “standoff ranges” to our own fighter aircraft, allowing them to neutralise the adversary aircraft without exposing itself to adversary air defence measures… This missile is technologically and economically superior to many such imported missile systems,” said the MoD.

“The transfer of technology from DRDO to BDL for production of Astra Mark-I missile and all associated systems has been completed and production at BDL is in progress. This project will act as a catalyst for development of infrastructure and testing facilities at BDL. It will also create opportunities for several MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in aerospace technology for at least 25 years,” stated the MoD.

With the IAF operating 600-700 fighter aircraft, it will need several thousand Astra missiles. With air-to-air missiles costing about Rs 15 crore each, the Astra will provide major business opportunities to Indian firms.

The Astra BVRAAM involves radically different technology challenges compared to ballistic and tactical missiles. A typical Astra engagement has both the launcher and the target moving at speeds in excess of 1,000 kmph.

Fired from a pylon on the wing of a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter, the Astra’s smokeless propellant quickly accelerates it to about 4,000 kmph. As the missile gains on the target, the Su-30MKI tracks the target continuously on its radar, and steers the missile towards it over a data link. About 15 km from the target, the Astra’s on-board radio seeker locks onto the target; now, it no longer needs guidance. When it reaches a few metres from the enemy fighter, the Astra warhead is detonated by a “radio proximity fuze”, spraying the target with shrapnel and shooting it down.

Only a handful of missile builders — in the US, Russia, Europe and China — have mastered technologies that go into BVRAAMS. India is now joining that elite group.

On the drawing board is a longer-range Astra Mark II, which will shoot down enemy fighters at ranges up to 100 km away.

Project Astra was initiated in 2001

In 2001, the DRDO had initiated discussions with various stakeholders on the design and development of an indigenous air-to-air missile system, which could take on adversary targets beyond the visual range, thus providing a strategic advantage.

Subsequently, Hyderabad’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) was identified as the nodal lab, and a task force was formed to undertake preliminary studies.

Sources said although financial sanctions were not available then, activities were initiated with the internal funds of the DRDO.

“The major challenges were the development of RF Seeker, miniaturised and robust missile hardware, and integration on IAF frontline aircraft without the support of the foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM),” a source said, adding that DRDO’s management wanted DRDL to demonstrate the basic capability even before the project sanction.

Simultaneously, the IAF was requested to generate the programme standard and quality requirement (PSQR).

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