INDIAN DEFENCE UPDATE

Indian soldiers can be seen hitting the windows of a vehicle with rods and stones in an attempt to intimidate the Chinese in Pangong Lake area of Ladakh. New Delhi: An undated video of Indian troops challenging a group of Chinese soldiers and clashing with them in the Pangong Lake area of Ladakh emerged Sunday. But the Army said it was not authenticated and attempts to link it with the tension along the Line of Actual Control were malafide. The 2-minutes-and-45-seconds video, which has been accessed by media reports, shows Indian security personnel challenging a group of Chinese soldiers who had brought in their Dongfeng 4×4 vehicle too. The Indian soldiers can be seen hitting the windows of the vehicle with rods and stones in an attempt to intimidate the Chinese. The windows of the vehicle clearly appear bullet proof as they do not break. The Indian personnel are seen not carrying any weapons. Both ITBP and the Army jointly patrol along the Line of Actual Control. They are carrying po

UPDATED  The suspected heliport is located almost equidistant from the two sites at which the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing surface-to-air missile facilities, according to imagery tweeted earlier by @detresfa. Both the missile facilities are near what have been described as “suspected early warning radar sites” opposite Sikkim state. Open source satellite imagery has captured what appears to be a heliport China is building in close proximity to two new air defence positions that cover sensitive stretches of the disputed border in Doklam and Sikkim sectors. The imagery, shared by the open source intelligence analyst who uses the name @detresfa on Twitter, shows the suspected heliport under construction at the tri-junction of the borders of India, Bhutan and China, and at a distance of about 100 km from Doka La (Doka pass) and Naku La (Naku pass). “Suspected PLA heliport infrastructure spotted [as] part of an ongoing investigation near the #Doklam region of the #India #Chi

Days before the PLA troops carried out provocative movements’ at Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Chinese Air Force had redeployed its J-20 fighter aircraft near the LAC. The Chinese Air Force redeployed its J-20 fifth-generation fighters close to the Indian territory, days before the Chinese troops attempted to carry out fresh transgressions near the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. “The J-20 fighter jets have been operating close to the Indian territory in the last few days and the move was taken by the Chinese Air Force just a few days before their Army attempted to do incursions into newer areas in Ladakh,” top government sources told India Today on Monday. As per sources, fighter aircraft are still carrying out extensive flying near the LAC. India released a statement on Monday saying the Army blocked Chinese attempt to carry out "provocative military movements" to "unilaterally" change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake. The J-20s repor

The Indian side has been “noted running regular intelligence and reconnaissance missions in this sector” during the current standoff with various platforms such as the Boeing P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft, @detresfa added. Open source satellite imagery suggests China is developing two new air defence positions that cover sensitive stretches of the disputed border in the Doklam and Sikkim sectors, including an area where Indian and Chinese troops had clashed in May. The satellite imagery, shared by the open source intelligence analyst who uses the name @detresfa on Twitter, show what appear to be two sites at which the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing surface-to-air missile facilities. Both these sites are near what have been described as “suspected early warning radar sites” opposite Sikkim state. Experts said the location of missile air defence facilities close to radar installations would help the Chinese side to pick out possible targets with greater accuracy. In a

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are working together to ensure a high “availability ratio” for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS, which is doing flying stints nears the border with Pakistan. Availability ratio is the average number of aircraft that are available for flying at any point in time, taking into account servicing and spare parts issues. In view of the Chinese aggression in Ladakh, the IAF has deployed its assets all along the borders with both China and Pakistan — which are allies to each other — since India is preparing for a possible collusive threat from them. Accordingly, about half-a-dozen Tejas aircraft, all of the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) standard, have been doing stints at various bases in the western sector, including at two locations that will host Tejas Mk 1A squadrons in the future. However, these stints of the aircraft, which are otherwise based in Sulur, Tamil Nadu, are more f

New roads have been built and suspected red tents put up at the site, which stands near the India-Nepal-China tri-junction in the Himalayas. New Delhi: The Chinese military is reportedly constructing a surface-to-air missile site as well as other infrastructure on the banks of the Mansarovar Lake in the India-Nepal-China tri-junction area near the Lipulekh pass, new satellite images have indicated. An image shared by an anonymous satellite imagery analyst, who goes by the Twitter handle @detresfa_ , is understood to be showing a village where new roads have been built and suspected red tents have been put up for accommodation. The image also shows a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site on the banks of the Mansarovar, which is considered holy in Hinduism. Media reports say China has mobilised a battalion strength of People’s Liberation Army soldiers near the Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand. A report by news agency ANI in June had said the Indian armed forces have deployed their advanced v

India is spooked by China’s push to Thailand to expedite work on the Thai Canal aka Kra Canal across the Kra Isthmus — the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula in southern Thailand. To counter the increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean, India is working on the military up-gradation in its island territories. According to top military officials cited by HT, the airstrip at INS Kohassa, Shibpur in North Andamans and the Campbell strip at Nicobar will be upgraded into full-fledged fighter bases. The airstrip at Agatti, in Lakshadweep, will also be upgraded for military operations to secure both the Bay of Bengal upto Malacca Straits and the Arabian Sea up to the Gulf of Aden. “The two Island territories will be like the new aircraft carriers for India, extending the navy’s reach in the region far from the mainland. Both the Islands sit on the busiest sea lanes of the world with more than half the world trade going through this route,” said a tri-service commander. The 120 kilo

An Indian military contingent will take part in "Kavkaz 2020" ("Caucasus 2020"), strategic command-post exercise next month where various countries, including China and Pakistan, will also take part. Far away from the border hostilities, militaries of India, China and Pakistan will be carrying out drills together in Russia next month. An Indian military contingent will take part in "Kavkaz 2020" ("Caucasus 2020"), strategic command-post exercise next month where various countries, including China and Pakistan, will also take part. The Indian contingent would include around 180 troops and officers from across infantry, artillery, mechanised, and armoured forces along with Special Forces, air defence and signals. The contingent would also include personnel from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF). Sources said China is sending an army contingent and three ships as part of its naval deployment to the exercise. The exercise to be held next

It will likely be towed from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai to ship-breaking yard at Alang next month, the company's chairman Mukesh Patel said INS Viraat, the aircraft carrier that served the Indian Navy for 30 years before being decommissioned three years ago, is likely to be towed from Mumbai to Alang in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district next month to be dismantled and sold as scrap, an official said on Tuesday. The longest serving warship, inducted into the Indian Navy in 1987, was bought by Shree Ram Group for Rs 38.54 crore at an auction conducted by the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited last month. It will likely be towed from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai to ship breaking yard at Alang next month, the company's chairman Mukesh Patel said. "We have made the entire payment and received delivery order from the government. So, depending on the monsoon condition, it will be towed to Alang from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai where it is stationed now, most likely by mid or

The Indian Armed Forces have deployed troops that are equipped with shoulder-fired air defence missiles at the crucial heights near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, news agency ANI reported. The development comes in the wake of increased activities by Chinese choppers close to the India-China border. Chinese hostilities in the region have kept the Indian forces on their toes as the months-long stand-off does not seem close to an end. "Indian troops armed with the Russian-origin Igla air defence system have been deployed on the crucial heights along the border to take care of any enemy aircraft trying to violate the Indian air space there," sources were quoted as saying by news agency ANI in New Delhi. The Russia-made air defence systems are capable of taking down an enemy fighter jet or helicopter if it comes close during hostilities. The missiles are used by both the Indian Army as well as the Indian Air Force (IAF). Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) o

The project to build a third road to Ladakh is targeted to be completed in two years. It requires a 4.5 km tunnel to be built under Shingo La, a high mountain pass at 16,570 feet on the border between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh India’s national security planners are pushing hard to complete an all-weather strategic route to Ladakh that will link Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Nimu via Padum in Kargil’s Zanskar valley, people familiar with the matter said. Nimu is 35 kilometres from Leh town and headquarters of XIV Corps responsible for the defence of East Ladakh and Siachen Glacier. This would be the first all-weather route to Ladakh that is already connected by two other routes; the first via Zoji La in Jammu and Kashmir and the second, via Himachal’s Manali-Upshi-Leh axis. The 9.02 kilometre Atal tunnel at Rohtang La, which will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km, is set to become operational next month. Senior military commanders said the third route to feed Ladakh

Ladakh standoff: Forces ready for military actions if talks fail, says CDS Rawat Rawat said govt was reviewing all options with objective that PLA restores status quo (File) CDS Bipin Rawat | PTI Despite multiple rounds of talks, the standoff between India and China at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh has not ended. On Monday, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat emphasised that the 'military option' to counter Chinese transgressions across the Line of Actual Control could be exercised if talks at diplomatic and army levels fail. Rawat told Hindustan Times, "Transgressions along the LAC occur due to differing perceptions about its alignment. Defence services are tasked to monitor and carry out surveillance and prevent such transgressions turning into intrusions. Whole-of-government approach is adopted to peacefully resolve any such activity and prevent intrusions. Defence services always remain prepared for military actions should all efforts to restore status qu

China will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Thai Canal project, aka Kra Canal, thalt will give Beijing an alternative route to the congested Malacca Strait With Chinese Navy positioning itself for dominance in the Indian Ocean through strings of ports in Myanmar, Pakistan and Iran, India is planning rapid infrastructure upgrade in its Island territories to ensure that there is no restriction on navigation or a replay of the South China Sea in Indian backyard . According to top military officials, India will upgrade the airstrip at INS Kohassa, Shibpur in north Andamans and at the Campbell strip at Nicobar into full-fledged fighter bases. The airstrip at Agatti, in Lakshadweep will also be upgraded for military operations to secure both the Bay of Bengal upto Malacca Straits and Arabian Sea up to Gulf of Aden. “The two island territories will be like the new aircraft carriers for India, extending the navy’s reach in the region far from the mainland. Both the Islands sit on th

Basin trials are conducted for proving of the propulsion, transmission and shafting systems which can be tested only out of waters NEW DELHI: Major endeavour to manufacture Aircraft Carrier is heading for an important phase as the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), INS Vikrant, is set to begin testing in waters (Basin Test) with its systems and equipment fitted. Sources in Navy confirmed that, “Harbour Trials have finished. The Basin Trials are planned for September.” Basin trials are conducted for proving of the propulsion (move), transmission (electricity) and shafting systems which can be tested only out of waters. It will be followed with sea trials by end of this year and IAC is expected to be inducted in Navy by end of 2021 as the Indian Naval Ship Vikrant. INS Vikrant will be weighing around 40,000 tonnes its fighters (MiG-29K) will operate on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to the present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump. H

After Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi of Islamabad’s views on the situation in the Indian union territory during talks on Friday, the joint statement said China opposes any “unilateral” actions that complicate the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. India on Saturday rejected a reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by China and Pakistan, saying it was tantamount to interference in the country’s internal affairs. After Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi of Islamabad’s views on the situation in the Indian union territory during talks on Friday, the joint statement said China opposes any “unilateral” actions that complicate the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to the joint statement, external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said: “As in the past, we categorically reject the reference to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the joint

The government has ordered the seizure of all movable and immovable properties of these outfits and individuals, and freezing of their bank accounts. Islamabad: Seeking to wriggle out of the FATF’s grey list, Pakistan has imposed tough financial sanctions on 88 banned terror groups and their leaders, including Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim, by ordering the seizure of all of their properties and freezing of bank accounts, a media report said on Saturday. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019, but the deadline was extended later due to COVID-19 pandemic. The government issued two notifications on August 18 announcing sanctions on key figures of terror outfits such as 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar, and underworld don Ibrahim. Ibrahim, who heads a vast and multifaceted illegal bu

Pakistan has "small" and "calculated" nuclear weapons says minister A Pakistani minister known for his provocative statements against India has claimed that if Pakistan is attacked by India, the country would have no option but to retaliate with nuclear weapons—adding that these were so ‘small’ and ‘perfect’ they would not kill Indian Muslims. Speaking to Samaa TV, Pakistan's Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed said if the country were attacked by India, there would be “no scope” for a conventional war, with only a bloody, final nuclear” war as the outcome. Boasting of "calculated", “small” and “perfect” nuclear weapons, Rasheed said these could save Muslim lives while only targeting specific regions, adding that Pakistan's range includes Assam. “Pakistan has no option in convention war, therefore India knows if something will happen it will be the end,” Rasheed said Rasheed is the same minister who had spoken earlier of Pakistan having tactical nuclea

Indian spies had warned top decisionmakers about growing Chinese footprints in India and emerging threats at the border, according to a new book by investigative journalist Yatish Yadav. The book reveals the Chinese military is using academics, scholars, businessmen, professionals and even journalists to mount intelligence operations in India. The warnings came after the 73-day-long Doklam standoff between India and China in 2017 and also dwelled on the boundary issues, China’s sinister expansionist policy and the efforts to protect India's sovereignty from the incidents like the recent bloody clash between troops of the two countries at Galwan valley on June 15. The book RAW: A History of India’s Covert Operations, published by Westland Publications and released earlier this month, provides an inside look at India’s external spy agency’s mission of hunting adversaries and neutralising threats to national security. The vivid account on China reveals that the top echelon in the cor

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been asked to inform missions abroad that visas sponsored by some of the organizations under the intelligence radar will only be issued after security clearance. hinese think tanks and India-based groups affiliated with them have now landed under the lens of intelligence agencies. Individuals sponsored by these think tanks operating out of China will not be granted visas until they secure a security clearance following proper scrutiny. India has put stringent measures in place to check issuance of visas to people associated with China's "growing outreach network" comprising think-tanks, cultural and trade organizations, public policy groups and academics. A list of such organizations has been drafted on the basis of reports by intelligence agencies. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been asked to inform missions abroad that visas sponsored by some of the organizations under the intelligence radar will only be issued afte

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s refusal to allow a stand-alone meeting on Kashmir issue signals a new era of understanding of New Delhi’s position. The agreement between Jewish Israel and the United Arab Emirates, known as the ‘Abraham Accord’ that has been brokered by the Christian US, holds little hope for the divided Middle East unless a true change of heart occurs among the followers of the three Abrahamic faiths. This uncertainty offers India a window of opportunity to not only participate in the common business platforms but also widen the scope and scale of the emerging security arrangements in the Middle East, which can have far-reaching and positive significance concerning any action plan on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). But even before the ink could dry, the UAE-Israel agreement has run into controversy on the Palestinian issue. The UAE has interpreted the reference in the relevant clause to mean an “immediate end” to Israeli plans to annex areas in the West Bank

After media reports stated that China has deployed J-20 stealth fighter jets near the India-China border, Chinese state media, Global Times (GT), has clarified that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has not announced any J-20 deployment at Hotan Airbase. The Hotan airbase lies about 200 miles from Ladakh where the Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brutal clash, killing 20 Indian soldiers and an unconfirmed number on the Chinese side. Both sides are working to resolve the standoff, however, the process has been sluggish. Speaking to Chinese military aviation expert Fu Qianshao, the tabloid stated that since J-20 is a long-range heavy fighter jet and if deployed in Hotan can potentially cover many areas in Central and South Asia. “But foreign media should not over-interpret its possible presence in a flashpoint region, as it is likely part of normal training on a long-distance flight and environment adaptation,” Fu said. “China is a large country with many airfields in various

In a bid to monitor the movement of the Indian Army, China has upgraded its surveillance system as it realized, after the violent clashes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh, that the strength of India shouldn't be underestimated. Amid its border tension with India, China has increased its surveillance on the central sector of the Indian Army, according to intelligence report on Thursday. The border tension between India and China escalated on June 15 when 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred after violent clashes with Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh. China has upgraded its surveillance system on the other side of Tun-Jun-La near Barahoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. India's border is till Tun-jun-la, three kilometres ahead of Barahoti. During the current tensions between India and China, China upgraded its surveillance devices across the LAC. According to the report, Chi

As the India-China border-standoff in the Ladakh region now enters the 14th week, reports suggest that China is closely monitoring India’s strategic defense facilities including the Tezpur Airbase in Assam. According to a report published by India Today, China is keeping a vigilant eye on India’s strategic facilities in the eastern sector, notably Tezpur Airbase in Assam and Abdul Kalam Islands in Odisha. The reports come after India issued a Notice-to-Airmen (NOTAM) for a launch of an experimental flight vehicle in the Bay of Bengal from 20 to 22 August 2020, for an area of about 550 km off the coast of Odisha – similar to the one issued last year when India successfully tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). The HSTDV project is run by DRDO for its futuristic hypersonic weapons delivery platform including the BrahMos-2 project. Apart from the Eastern coast, the Tezpur airbase in Assam is a combined Defense-Civilian airport that is home to the No.2 and No.106 Squa