An interaction session was organised by Ministry of Defence on November 30, 2022 with the Indian Defence Industry under the aegis of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers to seek opportunities for gainful employment of Ex-Agniveers under the Corporate Recruitment Plan of the companies. The session was chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane. Senior executives from major Indian defence industry houses including L&T, Adani Defence Ltd, Tata Advanced System Ltd, Ashok Leyland and others participated in the discussion. The senior executives of the companies conveyed their unstinted support and commitment in the endeavour and expressed their eagerness to deploy the Ex-Agniveers once the first batch completes its term with the Armed Forces. They assured that suitable provisions shall be made in their recruitment policies for reservations for Agniveers based on the available skill sets. Certain suggestions were also considered regarding bridging the skills learnt by Agniveers with the requirements of the industry.
For more information: Click here to read... [2]
An Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-III squadron, was commissioned at ICG Air Station, Chennai on November 30, 2022. The commissioning of 840 Sqn (CG) will provide a major fillip to the abilities of Indian Coast Guard in the security sensitive waters off Tamil Nadu and Andhra region. A total of 16 ALH Mk-III aircraft have been inducted in the Indian Coast Guard in a phased manner and four of these aircraft are positioned in Chennai.
For more information: Click here to read... [3]
The 12th Edition of Exercise Agni Warrior, a bilateral exercise between the Singapore & Indian Army, which had commenced on 13 November 2022 concluded at Field Firing Ranges, Devlali (Maharashtra) on 30 November 2022. Exercise Agni Warrior, involved showcasing joint firepower planning, execution and use of New Generation Equipment by the Artillery arm of both armies.
For more information: Click here to read... [4]
The Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) has proceeded on a three day visit to Malaysia from 08 to 10 December 2022. During the visit, the Vice Chief will take forward the excellent defence cooperation between India and Malaysia through multiple meetings with senior military and civilian leadership of the country. He will also witness various training activities of the ongoing joint ‘Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI’ and interact with the troops.
For more information: Click here to read... [5]
A total of 54 industries have been supported under the TDF scheme so far. A total no. of 04 technologies have been successfully developed under TDF Scheme. A total of 340 applications as Expression of Interest (EoI) have been received under TDF Scheme for the awarded projects so far. Total time taken for processing the application till award of the project is 06 months on an average for a normal case. It is a continuous process where payments are linked with the milestones achieved for the specific projects. It takes approximately 45 days for disbursement into the account of the company from the date of submission of bill.
For details of companies funded refer to: Click here to read... [6]
Mission DefSpace was launched by the Prime Minister during DefExpo in October, 2022 with 75 Defence Space Challenges relevant to the end users. These challenges have been categorised into existing DDP initiatives of iDEX, Make-I and Make-2. Private Industries, including Start-ups, MSMEs and Individual Innovators, are eligible to apply. The challenges, classified into five buckets viz. Launch System, Satellite System, Communication & Payload System, Ground System and Software System, provide a holistic 3600 overview of space.
For more information: Click here to read... [7]
The Indian Navy delegation led by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and three warships of the Indian Navy participated in the maiden International Fleet Review (IFR) hosted by Bangladesh at Cox’s Bazar on 07 Dec 22. Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh reviewed the International Fleet comprising ships from Bangladesh Navy and eight ships from six foreign countries. With three ships, the Indian Navy contingent was the largest amongst the participating foreign navies in this IFR. The other five participating ships were from China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and USA.
For more information: Click here to read... [8]
Government of India has established two Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) in the country, one in Uttar Pradesh and other in Tamil Nadu. 06 (six) nodes viz. Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Kanpur and Lucknow have been identified for developing Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC). Similarly, 05 (five) nodes viz. Chennai, Coimbatore, Hosur, Salem, and Tiruchirappalli identified for developing Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC). Government intends to develop defence manufacturing ecosystem having conducive conditions including supply chain for giving push to production and testing & certification to create economies of scale and facilitate development of internationally competitive enterprises in the country.
As per the information received from Government of Uttar Pradesh for UPDIC, 105 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been signed with industries etc. worth potential investments of Rs 12,139 crore. Already, Rs 2,422 crore have been invested in UPDIC. Total 1,608 Hectare of land has been acquired for development of UPDIC. Further, as per the information received from Government of Tamil Nadu for TNDIC, arrangements have been made through Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) etc. for potential investment of Rs 11,794 crore by 53 industries. Rs 3,847 crore have already been invested in TNDIC. Total 910 Hectare of lands has been acquired for development of TNDIC.
Reference: Click here to read... [9]
A total of 5,637 applications have been received under three Dare to Dream Contests to promote individual and start-ups for innovation in the area of Defence and Aerospace in last three years. A total of 52 individuals and 34 start-ups have been awarded under three Dare to Dream contests out of 5,637 applications received in last three years. A total of 07 projects have been sanctioned and awarded to start-ups of Dare to Dream contest winners so far.
DRDO has been launching Dare to Dream Contest every year since 2019 to bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, individuals above 18 years and start-ups (recognised by DPIIT and with Indian founders) for innovative ideas in the field of Defence and Aerospace. The selection criteria for evaluation of the entries are completeness of proposal, scientific soundness, design completeness, merit, technological readiness level achieved and innovation. The selected individual/company are getting benefitted as DRDO supports them to realise awarded ideas into Prototype through Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme.
For more information: Click here to read... [10]
Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval the Staff (CNS), will be visiting Sri Lanka from 13 to 16 December 2022. The CNS has been invited as the Chief Guest and Reviewing Officer for the Commissioning Parade at the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Trincomalee, scheduled on 15 December 2022. During the visit, the CNS will undertake interactions with senior political and defence leadership of Sri Lanka. He would also be visiting other defence establishments of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and review progress of various bilateral defence cooperation activities.
For more information: Click here to read... [11]
The 6th Edition of Indo - Kazakhstan joint training exercise “KAZIND-22” is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi (Meghalaya) from 15 to 28 December 2022. Joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk, which was later upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.
For more information: Click here to read... [12]
The 16th Edition of Indo-Nepal joint training Exercise “SURYA KIRAN-XVI” between India and Nepal will be conducted at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi (Nepal), from 16 - 29 December 2022. Exercise “SURYA KIRAN” is conducted annually between India and Nepal with the aim to enhance interoperability in jungle warfare & counter terrorism operations in mountainous terrain and HADR under UN mandate.
For more information: Click here to read... [13]
The last of the 36 IAF Rafales landed in India after a quick en-route refuelling from a UAE Air Force tanker. On 10 December 2022, Somali security forces intensified the counter-terrorism (CT) operation and killed at least 15 al-Shabaab terrorists, including group leader, in Mogadishu. Since 2007, al-Shabaab carried out brutal campaign against the Somali government and its allied forces. According to a United Nations (UN) estimate, in 2018, at least 651 civilians were killed, followed by 591 civilians in 2019 in terrorist attacks in Somalia. On 12 December 2022, the Islamic State-Khurasan Province (IS-KP) carried out an attack at Longan Hotel, popular with Chinese nationals, in Kabul. “The attack took around 02:30 pm local time, with residents in the area staying they heard a powerful explosion followed by gunfire,” Kabul police spokesman— Khalid Zadran. The attack came a day after China’s ambassador met the Afghan (Taliban) Deputy Foreign Minister to discuss security-related matters and sought more attention on the protection of its embassy. Several bombings have taken place in Afghanistan in recent months, including an attack on the Pakistan embassy earlier this month and a suicide blast near the Russian embassy in September. Both attacks were claimed by the IS-KP. On 06 December 2022, at least 07 people killed in a roadside blast on a bus in Mazar-e-Sharif. “The bomb was placed in a cart by the roadside. It was detonated as the bus arrived,” said Asif Waziri from the Balkh police department in Mazar-e-Sharif. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, which comes amid repeated pledges from the Taliban to bring security to Afghanistan following decades of war. Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism (CT) authority in Islamabad informed country’s Senate Standing Committee on Interior that the United States’ withdrawl from Afghanistan stengthten Tehrik-e-Tailban Pakistan (TTP) activities. “It was also noted that strong public opposition to returning to Swat is a positive development,” read the briefing of CT authority to the interior committee. In November, TTP formally withdrew its ceasefire agreement with Pakistan, which was declared in June. The withdrawl of ceasefire was followed by series of terror attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan. On 10 December 2022, Pakistan’s security forces foiled an infiltration attempt from Afghanistan and killed four Islamic State-Khurasan Province (IS-KP) terrorists in a remote mountainous North Waziristan district near the Afghanistan border. In early December, IS-KP claimed responsibility for an attack on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, an attempt to assassinate the head of the embassy. According to Pakistani officials, Charge d’Affaires— Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escapted unhurt, but his security guard was shot. In the month of September, an IS-KP suicide bomber carried out an explosion at the entrace to the Russian Embassy in Kabul, in which six people were killed, including two members of the embassy staff. On 06 December 2022, a grenade attack took place outside a police station in Sidhra area of Jammu, Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). No casualty reported in the blast. A lever of the grenade is recovered from the explosion site. Later, police recovered a letter in which Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) offshoot— Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), claimed responsibility for the attack. JKGF was formed post-Pulwama attack in 2019 to evade international scrutiny and carry out deadly attacks. JKGF comprises of terrorist from other groups— Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM), Ansar Ghazwat ul-Hind (AGuH), and al-Badr. Security forces recovered huge cache of arms and explosives from a Maoist hideout in On 13 December 2022, security forces comprising of Aurangabad police, Special Task Force (STF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) carried out a joint anti-Maoist operation and seized huge cache of arms, high grade explosives from Laduiya Pahar hills, falling under the Madanpur police station limits of Aurangabad districts in south Bihar. “Security forces recovered 14 firearms, including INSAS, SLR, bolt action rifles and 9mm pistols, 21 cane bombs, pressure IDs 1,763 detonators, 1,000 meters of fuse wire, 21 pressure switches, 36 batteries and other items used in explosions. Most of the weapons were looted from police and paramilitaries in various attacks,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra. On 07 December 2022, at least 35 Maoists, including a woman, of Pedabayalu-Korukonda Area Committee surrendered before the district police. The woman Maoist— Killo Indu aka Bharathi (27 years-old) of Jadiguda village in Jamiguda panchayat of Pedabayalu, was involved in four major attacks. Police also recovered six wireless sets and five chargers, a country-made pistol, a 5kg of landmine, 100 meters of electrical wire, an olive green uniform cloth and other materials. During the 19th Counter-Terrorism Joint Working Group (CTJWG) and the 5th session of the Designations Dialogue, held on 12-13 December in New Delhi, Bharat and the United States (US) agreed on the need for concerted action against terrorist group, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). For the CT meeting, Mahaveer Singhvi (Joint Secretary for CT, Ministry of External Affairs), and Timothy Betts (Acting Coordinator for CT, US State Department led their respective inter-agency/inter-departmental delegations. “Participants also deliberated pressing counter-terrorism challenges, including countering terrorist financing, preventing and countering radicalisation, use of the internet for terrorist purposes, narco-trafficking and its linkages to terrorism and use of new and emerging technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Virtual Assets, and the Dark Web for terrorist purposes,” read the statement released by the MEA, Bharat. On 08 December 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Bikramjit Singh aka Bikkar Panjwar after his extradition by the counterpart of Linz, Austria in coordination with the INTERPOL. Bikramjit Singh, an accused of TarnTaran bomb blasts, was absconding in NIA case— RC-20/2019/NIA/DLI. On 22 March 2021, on the strength of the NIA Special Court’s Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) and subsequent Red Corner Notice (RCN), Bikramjit Singh was detained in Linz, Austria. After the completion of legal proceedings, Linz Regional Court processed the extradition of Bikramjit Singh to Bharat. On 01 December 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an absconding terrorist— Harpreet Singh aka Happy Malaysia, from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi, upon his arrival from Malaysia. The case— RC-01/22/NIA/DLI pertains to the bomb blast that took place in the Ludhiana Court premises. Investigation highlighted that Harpreet coordinated the delivery of the custom-made IEDs which had been sent from Pakistan. On 30 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, convicted two Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs)— i) Vinod Nishad aka Vinod Sahni, and ii) Mehfooz Shaikh aka Riyazuddin Shaikh in a FICN case— RC-17/2019/NIA//DLI. Both accused were convicted under Sections 489B, 489C and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced to the rigorous imprisonment for seven years and fine.
Reference:
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
Africa
Somalia
Security forces killed at least 15 al-Shabaab terrorists in CT operation in Mogadishu.
For nmore information: Click here to read... [14] Afghanistan
IS-KP claimed responsibility for an attack on the ‘Chinese’ Hotel in Kabul.
For more information: Click here to read... [15] At least 07 people killed in roadside blast in Mazar-e-Sharif.
For more information: Click here to read... [16] Pakistan
“US withdrawl from Afghanistan supported TTP’s activities in Pakistan,” Report of Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Interior.
For more information: Click here to read... [17] Security forces foiled an infiltration from Afghanistan and killed four IS-KP terrorists.
For more information: Click here to read... [18] DOMESTIC TERRORISM
Jammu and Kashmir
A grenade explosion occurred outside a police station in Jammu.
For more information: Click here to read... [19] Left-Wing Extremism
Maharashtra.
For more information: Click here to read... [20] 35 Maoists surrendered in Andhra Pradesh.
For more information: Click here to read... [21] Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)
Bharat and US agreed on concerted action against terrorist networks, including LeT and JeM.
For more information: Click here to read... [22] Khalistan-inspired Extremism
TarnTaran bomb blasts accused extradited from Austria to Bharat and arrested by the NIA in Delhi.
For more information: Click here to read... [23] NIA arrested absconding terrorist involved in ‘Ludhiana Court’ bomb blast case.
For more information: Click here to read... [24] Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs)
NIA Special Court convicted two FICN traffickers.
For more information: Click here to read... [25]
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Links:
[1] https://www.vifindia.org/defensenationalsecurityterrorism/2022/december/19
[2] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1880133
[3] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1880134
[4] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1880307
[5] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1881297
[6] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882074
[7] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882082
[8] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882221
[9] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882702
[10] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882706
[11] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1882826
[12] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1883520
[13] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1883751
[14] https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1603276297626882048
[15] https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20221213-islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-deadly-kabul-hotel-attack
[16] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/6/at-least-seven-killed-in-northern-afghanistan-roadside-blast
[17] https://www.lokmattimes.com/international/us-exit-from-afghanistan-bolstered-ttp-activities-in-pakistan-report/
[18] https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-kills-4-isis-k-intruders-from-afghanistan-/6870948.html
[19] https://www.republicworld.com/india-news/general-news/terror-attack-reported-outside-police-station-in-jammus-sidhra-grenades-lever-seized-articleshow.html
[20] https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/patna-news/maoist-hideout-busted-in-aurangabad-forces-recover-huge-cache-of-arms-explosives-101670946629501.html
[21] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/35-maoists-armed-militia-members-surrender-in-andhra-pradesh/articleshow/96061761.cms
[22] https://theprint.in/world/need-for-concerted-action-against-let-jem-terror-networks-say-india-us/1264503/
[23] https://nia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressReleaseNew/1353_1_Pr1.pdf
[24] https://nia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressReleaseNew/1349_1_Pr.pdf
[25] https://nia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressReleaseNew/1350_1_Pr1.pdf
[26] http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?title=VIF News Digest: National Security - Defence Studies & Terrorism, 01-15 December 2022&desc=&images=&u=https://www.vifindia.org/defensenationalsecurityterrorism/2022/december/19
[27] http://twitter.com/share?text=VIF News Digest: National Security - Defence Studies & Terrorism, 01-15 December 2022&url=https://www.vifindia.org/defensenationalsecurityterrorism/2022/december/19&via=Azure Power
[28] whatsapp://send?text=https://www.vifindia.org/defensenationalsecurityterrorism/2022/december/19
[29] https://www.vifindia.org/author/anurag-sharma
[30] https://www.vifindia.org/author/Naval-Jagota