Tag: military

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-Top News India News

PLA in PoK, surveys villages and military posts

The report also had stated that these and other infrastructure development efforts along the India-China border have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media…reports Asian Lite News.

Chinese People Liberation Army personnel are carrying out a survey of the border posts and villages in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to strengthen the Pakistan military apparatus across Line of Control, said sources, adding Indian security forces are keeping an eye on the activities and motives behind the survey.

Source said that around four dozen Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers arrived in general area Kel, Jura and Leepa sectors of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir a month ago. Indian armed forces say that these areas — Kel, Jura and Leepa — are among those from where Pakistan pushes terrorists into Indian territory.

Source said that the over 40 People’s Liberation Army soldiers came to these regions, divided themselves into groups of five or six each, visited a number of villages and conducted surveys of villages, Pakistan Army posts and “infiltration routes used by terrorists to reach the Kashmir Valley”.
The groups were accompanied by Pakistan Army personnel, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers, and interpreters. Source said that the visit of Chinese troops in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir villages indicates the making of model villages — which can be used both by civilians and military — in these regions.

“Are Chinese helping Pakistan in building model villages along the Line of Control as they have done across borders with India,” questioned a senior government officer over Chinese PLA men visiting these regions.
Last week, the US Department of Defense in its annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had flagged that China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India’s Arunachal Pradesh.

The report also had stated that these and other infrastructure development efforts along the India-China border have been a source of consternation in the Indian government and media. About the US report, a senior security official, however, stated the said village being referred to has been under Chinese control since 1959.

The village has been built by China in an area that was occupied by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) after overrunning an Assam Rifles post in 1959, in an operation known as Longju incident along the frontier in Arunachal Pradesh.

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Arab News News World

Israeli military downs alleged Hamas drone

Israeli military downs alleged Hamas drone

The Israeli military announced that it had downed a drone “allegedly belonging to the Hamas militant organisation” which controls the Gaza Strip…reports Asian Lite News

Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system intercepted the unarmed aerial vehicle (UAV), which was downed off the coast of the Gaza Strip after being monitored, Xinhua news agency quoted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as saying in a statement late Monday.

Israeli military downs alleged Hamas drone

“The IDF will continue to protect Israel’s airspace and its civilians,” the statement added.

Last week, the Israelo Defense Ministry announced it will deploy an advanced aerial surveillance balloon to boost its air defense capabilities.

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The system will be used after further testing and added to an already diverse array of mechanisms the IDF has for aerial defense.

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Africa News News World

Ethiopians protest against foreign interference

Ethiopians protest against foreign interference

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians gathered at the Meskel Square in the capital of Addis Ababa to denounce foreign interference and pressure in the country’s internal affairs…reports Asian Lite News

Speaking to the crowd, Addis Ababa City Mayor Adanech Abiebi stressed that neither the multifaceted external pressure nor ongoing attack by rebels would deter Ethiopians from realizing the national development aspirations, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ethiopians protest against foreign interference

The demonstration mainly aimed to showcase popular support to the national call made by the Ethiopian government to defend the country from what it described as “internal and external enemies of the country,” in particular the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its allies.

According to Abiebi, the hidden target of ongoing foreign interference and multifaceted external pressure on the East African country is aimed at subjugating the Ethiopian state to foreign interests.

The Mayor stressed that “Ethiopians will undoubtedly avert any interference and pressure standing together in unity.”

The public demonstration came days after the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) endorsed a six-month nationwide state of emergency rule amid expanding conflict in the northern part of the country.

The decision to impose the state of emergency rule also came in line with the national call to support the Ethiopian Army in the ongoing fighting against forces loyal to the TPLF, including the call to veteran members of the Ethiopian Army to fight alongside the Ethiopian Defence forces.

Over the past several days, the TPLF declared control of key cities in Amhara region, Dessie and Kombolcha, some 380 km north of the capital. This was, eventually, followed by huge popular mobilization by the Amhara and Afar regions to fight back the TPLF’s expansion.

Since the early hours of November 4, 2020, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the TPLF.

ALSO READ: Ethiopia in Nationwide Emergency

In late June, the government announced a unilateral ceasefire in Tigray, but forces loyal to the TPLF soon took control of much of the area in the region, including the regional capital.

The conflict has since expanded to Tigray’s neighboring Amhara and Afar regions.

The HoPR, the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament, has designated the TPLF as a terrorist organization.

The Ethiopian government had previously assigned an interim administration in Tigray after the ouster of the TPLF, which used to rule the region.

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News World World News

Drop armed resistance against the Taliban, Russia tells exiled leaders

Drop armed resistance against the Taliban, Russia tells exiled leaders

Russia has called for abandonment of any plans of armed struggle which could further destablise the situation in the region…reports Asian Lite News

Noting the formation of a new resistance front against the Taliban by some politicians and military leaders of the previous Afghan regime, Russia has called for abandonment of any plans of armed struggle which could further destablise the situation in the region.

Atta Mohammad Noor, an ethnic Tajik and a former governor of Balkh province, had announced the creation of a coalition named the ‘Supreme Council of National Resistance of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’ on his Facebook page, last Friday.

Drop armed resistance against the Taliban, Russia tells exiled leaders

Its key initiators also included Abdul Rashid Dostum and Younus Qanooni, both former Vice-Presidents of the country.

While Dostum is a warlord who leads the Turkic-speaking ethnic Uzbeks in the country which form about 10 per cent of the Afghan population, Qanooni is an ethnic Tajik who was once a top aide to Ahmad Shah Massoud – the much-revered Tajik commander who is known as the ‘Lion of Panjshir’ for his heroics against the Soviets and the Taliban.

Vowing to free Afghanistan from the “oppressive situation”, the group of “prominent, compassionate parties and public figures” – all of whom had fled the country after the return of Taliban in Kabul – had outlined its agenda in two parts.

The first is to resolve the issues through political means, including the resumption of negotiations. “Our preference is to achieve lasting peace through politics,” said the statement calling for establishment of an elected system with the equitable participation of all ethnic groups.

The second talks about “inevitably resorting to military activities” if the “other side and their supporters” do not accept the political solution. “The Supreme Council is committed to appointing a fact-finding mission to investigate the causes of the sudden collapse of the Islamic Republic, identify those involved in this shameful deal, and introduce them as national traitors to the great nation of Afghanistan,” the statement added.

Russia calls for restraint

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

It is the second part of the resistance front’s agenda which has got Moscow worried.

“We call on all the ethnopolitical forces of Afghanistan to abandon militant rhetoric and make every possible effort to complete the process of national reconciliation,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

Stepping up diplimatic activism instead of military confrontations, Russia has through various regional and international forums intensified diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

After the failure of the US-led Doha peace negotiations, the Kremlin believes that there is no alternative to the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan in terms of its scope and productivity.

ALSO READ: Russia calls on Afghan rebels to drop arms

While making his remarks at the second meeting of the foreign ministers of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan hosted by Tehran on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow plans to use all the international and regional instruments at its disposal – including the resources of the UN, SCO, CSTO and other multilateral structures – to support the creation of a truly inclusive Afghan government.

“The principle of holding conferences for the sake of conferences, familiar to Westerners, is, I hope, already in the past. The time has come for concrete deeds in this direction. I am convinced that the United Nations should play a coordinating role,” said Lavrov.

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-Top News Defence India News

Indo-Nepal joint military exercise to begin in Uttarakhand

The joint military training would culminate with a gruelling 48 hours exercise to validate the performance of both the armies in counter-insurgency in mountainous terrain, it informed…reports Asian Lite News.

The 15th edition of Indo – Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise, ‘Surya Kiran’ will commence on Monday at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.

The exercise which is alternatively held in India and Nepal is part of an initiative to develop inter-operability and sharing expertise between the two nations.

During this exercise, an Infantry Battalion from Indian Army and an equivalent strength from Nepali Army would be sharing their experiences gained during the conduct of various counter-insurgency operations over a prolonged period in their respective countries, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Friday.

As part of the exercise, both the Armies would familiarize themselves with each other’s weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques and procedures of operating in a counter-insurgency environment in mountainous terrain, it stated.

Also, there would be a series of Expert Academic Discussions on various subjects such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, High Altitude Warfare, Jungle Warfare, the statement added.

The joint military training would culminate with a gruelling 48 hours exercise to validate the performance of both the armies in counter-insurgency in mountainous terrain, it informed.

This joint military training will go a long way in improving bilateral relations and also will be a major step towards further strengthening the traditional friendship between the two nations, the statement said.

Last edition of Exercise Surya Kiran was conducted in Nepal in 2019, it recalled.

Earlier, in March this year as part of the military-to-military cooperation between the two countries, India has gifted one lakh doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccines to the Nepal Army.

Meanwhile, India has also been assisting the Nepal Army (NA) in its modernisation by supplying equipment and providing training.

Assistance during disasters, joint military exercises, adventure activities and bilateral visits are other aspects of India’s defence cooperation with Nepal.

A number of defence personnel from Nepal Army attend training courses in various Indian Army training institutions.

Since 1950, India and Nepal have been awarding each other’s Army Chief with the honorary rank of General in recognition of the mutual harmonious relationship between the two armies.

The Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army are raised partly by recruitment from hill districts of Nepal.

Currently, about 32,000 Gurkha soldiers from Nepal are serving in the Indian Army. (India News Network)

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-Top News UK News

Report finds bullying, harassment of women in military

While many commanding officers want to do the right thing, it is clear that, too often, female service personnel are being let down by the chain of command,’ she added…reports Asian Lite News.

Sixty-four per cent of female veterans and 58 per cent of currently serving women reported experiencing bullying, harassment and discrimination (BHD) during their careers in the UK military, according to a new parliamentary report put out on Sunday.

The House of Commons Defence Sub-Committee on Women in the Armed Forces, in its report entitled ‘Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life’, said that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and military services are ‘failing to protect female personnel and to help servicewomen achieve their full potential’.

While most servicewomen and female veterans that were consulted for the report, nearly 90 per cent of respondents to a survey, would recommend the Armed Forces as a career, more than 3,000 (around 84 per cent) reported that female service personnel face additional challenges relative to their male counterparts.

‘Women are integral to our military’s success and our country’s security, yet women in the Armed Forces carry additional burdens to that of their male colleagues,’ said Conservative Party MP Sarah Atherton, Chair of the Sub-Committee.

“Women face barriers to promotion, issues with families and childcare, abuse and inappropriate behaviours, and an overrepresentation in the Service Complaints system. Female veterans face distinctive challenges when transitioning into civilian life and have specific needs, different to male veterans, that cannot be dealt with by broad-brush, one-size-fits-all veterans’ services,” she said.

A female veteran herself, Atherton said the stories the committee heard ‘paint a difficult picture’ for women in the military. Accounts of bullying, harassment, discrimination, ‘laddish’ behaviour, and sometimes serious sexual assault and rape were among the complaints.

‘The complaints system, as it stands, is woefully inadequate and leaves most feeling unable to come forward. We also heard accusations of senior officers sweeping complaints under the rug to protect their own reputations and careers. While many commanding officers want to do the right thing, it is clear that, too often, female service personnel are being let down by the chain of command,’ she added.

The Sub-Committee recommends that the MoD create a specialised Defence Authority to handle BHD complaints and that the MoD better resource the Service Complaints Ombudsman and make their decisions binding.

It also calls on the MoD to reverse the recent decision to reduce the appeals period from six weeks to two.

“It is clear from this report that more can, and should, be done to protect and provide for servicewomen and female veterans, who have, far too often, been let down by the Ministry of Defence. Where there has been injustice, rectifications must be made,” said Conservative Party MP Tobias Ellwood, Chair of the Commons Defence Committee.

“Our Sub-Committee has conducted in-depth research, over several months, on the issue of sexual assault and rape, and has an accurate and honest understanding of the problems women face. This is not a race to the bottom or a matter of saving face. We should place the issue itself at the heart of our work,” he said.

UK minister of state for defence Annabel Goldie said many changes have been introduced to improve the experience for women in the armed forces.

“The reality is that that experience is not yet equal, and very occasionally can be really harmful,” she said.

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-Top News China India News

India, China to hold military talks to resolve border issues

Indian military delegates will meet to discuss disengagement at the friction areas such as Hot Springs, Gogra and the 900 sq km Depsang plains, reports Asian Lite News

India and China will soon hold the 12th round of Corps Commander level talks at Chushul to iron out the agreement for the next phase of disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.

Sources said that China had expressed their availability for military commander level talks on July 26, but India has asked for fresh dates as the Indian forces are occupied with Kargil Vijay Diwas events.

Indian military delegates will meet to discuss disengagement at the friction areas such as Hot Springs, Gogra and the 900 sq km Depsang plains.

The build-up in Depsang was not being considered part of the current standoff that started in May last year as escalations here took place in 2013. India has insisted during the recent military commander meetings to resolve all the issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“The initial attempt will be to resolve Gogra and Hot Springs. Finding a solution to Depsang might be tricky and take longer time,” said an army officer familiar with the developments.

It’s been three months since the 11th round of talks between the two countries. During the 11th round of Corps Commander level talks, the focus was on disengagement in the friction points like Gogra, Hot Springs and Depsang.

One of the two people familiar with the matter indicated that the talks could take place soon and that New Delhi was waiting for confirmation from China on the talks that are taking place after a gap of more than three months.

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar had met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe on 14 July with both agreeing that the meeting of military commanders should be organised soon.

“The two leaders agreed that the next round of commander level talks should be convened at the earliest, wherein the two sides should discuss all the remaining issues and seek a mutually acceptable solution,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi told reporters in New Delhi.

“There was also an understanding that both sides will continue to ensure stability on the ground and neither side will take any unilateral action that could increase tension,” he said.

There were differences between the two sides after the meeting between Jaishankar and Wang in Dushanbe. While Jaishankar said both sides should quickly sort out all pending issues around the border standoff which was negatively impacting bilateral ties, Wang was of the view that the situation in the border areas had de-escalated and the two countries should set aside the issue and expand bilateral cooperation.

Bagchi recalled that Jaishankar had told the Chinese side that “both sides had agreed that a prolongation of the existing situation was not in the interest of either side and that it was visibly impacting the relationship in a negative manner.” The Indian foreign minister also emphasised that maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas had been the “foundation for the development of ties” since 1988.

“Attempts to change the status quo last year, which also disregarded commitments under the 1993 and 1996 agreements, have inevitably affected ties. It was, therefore, in mutual interest that the two sides work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” Bagchi said.

On February 20, Indian and Chinese military held the 10th round of dialogue to de-escalate tension along the LAC.

China has been enhancing military infrastructure across the LAC. Looking at it, India has changed its posture towards China, and unlike its previous defensive approach that placed a premium on fending on Chinese aggression, India is now catering military options to strike back and has reoriented its military accordingly.

India has reoriented around 50,000 troops whose main focus is on the disputed borders with China.

This reorientation of the troops will lessen the number of soldiers dedicated solely to Pakistan, while at the same time, more acclimatised troops who can be shifted from the northern border to the western border with Pakistan will be available to Indian military planners.

This gives the Indian defence establishment a higher level of maneuverability and flexibility vis-a-vis its neighbours.

ALSO READ-India fast tracks ties with Tajikistan as China-Pak go all out

READ MORE-Plan to build routes to China via PoK likely to irk India

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-Top News Defence UK News

‘16 UK military personnel probed over extremism concerns’


Hope Not Hate is a UK-based advocacy group that campaigns against racism and fascism…reports Asian Lite News.

At least 16 members of the British armed forces have been referred to the UK’s terrorism prevention program, largely over concerns about far-right activity, a media report said.

The military personnel were among those investigated over the past two and a half years under Prevent, which is part of the national counter-terrorism strategy and aims to stop people being drawn into or supporting terrorism, according to a Guardian report.

“The referrals of so many serving military personnel to Prevent, and the general rise in violent far-right extremism in society as a whole, should act as a reminder of the ever present threat of (far-right) extremism and the need for the Ministry of Defence to increase its internal education and enforcement of its publicly stated rules,” the reported quoted Nick Lowles, Hope Not Hate’s Chief Executive, as saying.

Hope Not Hate is a UK-based advocacy group that campaigns against racism and fascism.

Stuart McDonald, Scottish National Party MP and a member of the House of Commons home affairs committee, said these figures are “really concerning”.

Flag (ANI)

He noted that “there have been warnings in the recent past that the threat posed by violent rightwing extremists is not being treated seriously enough by the UK government”.

“It is still far from clear that this lack of focus and action has been rectified,” McDonald added.

In 2018, British Army Lance Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen was convicted of being a member of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action.

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-Top News India News USA

Pentagon celebrates life of Indian-born audiologist Deepa Hariprasad

Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad is the first Indian-American director of the Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed, reports Asian Lite News

Celebrating the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the US Department of Defense has showcased the accomplishments of Indian origin officer Lt Col Deepa Hariprasad.

The Pentagon on Thursday published an article on the life of Lt Col Hariprasad, director of the Audiology and Speech Center, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.

The article ‘Indian-Born Audiologist Says Serving in the Military is Rewarding’ has been authored by David Vergun of DoD News and published on the official website of the US Department of Defence.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped the history of the United States and have had their lives dramatically influenced by moments in its history. In May every year, the US Defense Department joins the rest of the nation in celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” says the author at the start of the article.

Born in Mysore, India in 1977, Deepa’s parents emigrated to US when she was three years old. While her parents are Tamil and Kannada speakers, Deepa can speak neither of the two as her parents spoke with her in English.

Indian-
Army Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad, Air Force Maj. Nkumu B. Mandungu, and their children Samantha and Amanda, pose for a Christmas 2017 photo in New York City. (Courtesy US Department of Defense)

Hariprasad is married to an Air Force Major and is a mother of two. Despite not having chosen an arranged marriage like her parents or having not embraced some of the more traditional aspects of Indian life, there are cultural norms that she does embrace, the article points out.

Deepa loves to cooks vegetarian Indian food with variety and enjoys wearing Indian clothing and watching Indian movies — with English subtitles.

In 2003, Hariprasad received a direct commission into the Army, serving as an audiologist in the medical branch.

“The initial appeal was to try something new, serve my country, and have the opportunity to live in different places,” she is quoted as saying in the article.

An audiologist diagnoses and treats hearing loss and also focuses on the prevention of hearing loss.

Army Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad poses for a photo with Charles McGee sometime in 2020 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Md. McGee is one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen. (Courtesy US Department of Defense)

She recounts educating her patients about health and teaching service members and noise-exposed civillians about hearing loss prevention as the favourite part of the job.

“I feel I am making a difference and helping others improve their quality of life. I also enjoy learning about people’s experiences and hearing their perspectives,” she reasons in the article.

Breaking the stereotypes of women in Indian culture of being reserved and shy, she overcame shyness while serving in leadership positions in the military.

Born in a very different belief system, she lacked confidence initially to try new things or stand up for herself or others. But her positions in the Army and Air Force helped shaper her character and personality for the better.

Calling it an honour and privilege for her to serve and provide healthcare for the veterans and their family members who sacrifice so much to serve our country, she said being an officer in the military has helped me develop discipline and improve my physical fitness.

Incidentally, Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad is the first Indian-American to serve as director of the Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed.

Army Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad, Air Force Maj. Nkumu B. Mandungu, and their children Samantha and Amanda, pose for a Thanksgiving 2016 photo at their home in Fort Sill, Okla. (Courtesy US Department of Defense)

The article quoted her saying that serving in the military had also resulted in lifelong friendships and given her travel opportunities she might not otherwise have had. She said she also enjoys the teamwork and camaraderie aspects of service life.

While at WRNMMC, Hariprasad has racked up many accomplishments.

Before serving at Walter Reed, Hariprasad said she provided pre- and post-deployment hearing testing and annual readiness testing for over 100,000 soldiers and noise- exposed civilians.

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Lt. Col. Deepa Hariprasad sustained clinical and readiness operations, serving over 12,000 patients in 2020 and assuming responsibility for hearing readiness exams during audiology clinic closures across the National Capital Region.

(Credit: India News Network)

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Categories
-Top News China Defence

China’s military modernisation poses global threat

It is reported that China mobilised 60,000 troops ostensibly for military exercises, but were in fact used to occupy contentious positions in Eastern Ladakh against India…reports Asian Lite News

China continues its military modernisation and aims for advances in high technology that will give it an edge over its adversaries, posing a major threat to global security.

Fabien Baussert for Modern Diplomacy writes that China mobilised 60,000 troops ostensibly for military exercises, but were in fact used to occupy contentious positions in Eastern Ladakh against India and was very much a part of the offensive strategy adopted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) across its periphery, displaying new weapons and equipment.

Western analysis of China’s defence budget over the years has claimed that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) does not officially reveal its actual expenditure on defence and that available figures are way below the expenses actually incurred by the PLA.

DF-21Ds at the 2015 Victory Parade(wikipedia)

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which had originally estimated China’s defence expenditure for 2019 as being USD 261 billion, has reduced its estimates for expenditure in 2019 to USD 240 billion.

However, this assessment fails to take into account the rapid pace of China’s military modernisation in the last decade or so, including specific attention given to the rocket and missile forces, the PLA Navy and Air Force.

Also read:China continues incursions in Taiwan air zone

The new SIPRI estimates also exclude the idea that arms imports expenses came from outside the national budget, writes Baussert for Modern Diplomacy. Only the money spent on military research and development and testing has been retained in the official defence expenditure.

Official figures released by China for 2021 indicate that the defence budget is around Chinese Yuan 1.355 trillion (USD 209 billion), a 6.8 per cent increase over the core 2020 budget. However, the UK’s IISS estimates show that in real terms, the 2021 defence budget growth is slightly lower than in 2020, owing to the three per cent annual inflation rate in China. But in value terms, the increase amounts to USD 13 billion, a figure comparable with the entire defence budget of Taiwan.

Baussert further writes that while China’s central government budget is slated to fall by 0.2 per cent, total national government spending will probably increase by 1.8 per cent. Spending on the military as a share of overall national government spending according to the IISS rises from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 5.4 per cent in 2021, the highest in several years. (ANI)

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