Force 18, initially labelled FTX-2016

is an ambitious military training exercise involving army units from eighteen countries
ten members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN,) plus eight observer
states India, Japan, Korea, China, Russia, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It
is scheduled to be held from 2-8 March, in Pune, headquarters of the Indian Armys Southern
Command.
This is the largest Ground Forces Exercise ever conducted on Indian soil and would
be conducted with themes based on Humanitarian Mine Action and Peacekeeping
Operations. It is interesting that India was readily accepted as the host, planner and
manager of the first such war game. May be because India is crucial to maintaining the
geopolitical balance of the extended region, and serve as a bridge between China and the
United States. It is, moreover, the preferred strategic partner for the littoral states on the
South China Sea, as it riles Beijing less to see these countries concert with India than with
the US. The multinational military exercise is an outcome of 2015 ADMM Plus (ASEAN
Defence Ministers' Meeting).

Permanent commission
A permanent commission means a career in the Army/Navy till one retires. A permanent
commission also entitles 20 years of service and a pension.

SHATRUJEET
With about 30,000 soldiers in action, the Indian Army recently conducted a major
Exercise called SHATRUJEET in deserts of Rajasthan. During the exercise, the
capability to Strike deep in enemy territory in an integrated Air-Land battle environment
was tested. The operationally oriented exercise is focusing on validating integrated
theatre

battle

fighting concept incorporating

new age technologies, weapon

platforms and systems as well as long range precision targeting vectors. Indian Army
undertakes such exercises at regular intervals at different levels to ensure forces are
provided real war like situations and are kept in high state of battle readiness.

Silica Aerogel
ISRO scientists have developed the worlds lightest synthetic material called silica
aerogel or blue air or frozen smoke.

What is Silica Aerogel?

Silica aerogel is a nano-structured material with high specific surface area, high porosity, low
density, low dielectric constant and excellent heat insulation properties.
About the material:
This material has excellent thermal resistance and if used as filler in soldiers uniforms it can
possibly help save many lives at the Siachen glacier. The material has uses both in space
and on Earth. It can also be used in thermal jacket, foot insoles, as well as in window glazing.
It is extremely useful for people working in very cold environments, in a very strategic way.

Army's command exit model cleared by Supreme Court, younger

officers can now lead combat
Background:
The decision comes nearly a year after the Armed Forces Tribunal struck down the policy,
calling it discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Indian constitution which
enforces equality. The tribunal had also held that the promotion policy was unfair since it
trampled upon the legitimate expectation of the officers serving in other cadres such as a
Combat Arms Support and Service. This means that officers commissioned into the Army in
a given batch cannot expect that the government will maintain batch parity for promotion
among officers of Arms, Arms Support and Services. This policy was first approved by the
Defense Ministry in 2009.
Supreme Courts observations:
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld Army's command exit model for lowering the age
profile and consequent creation of additional vacancies of 1484 posts of Colonel saying that
the policy change was in public interest to make the force more efficient. A bench of Chief
Justice TS Thakur and Justice Kurian Joseph, however, directed the Centre to create 141
additional posts of colonel for combat support stream but turned down the plea to extend
the benefit to Army Service Corps.
The model was put in force in 2009 on the recommendations of AV Singh Committee
immediately after the 1999 Kargil War to enhance operational preparedness and achieve
combat peaks which said that age of Colonels, who command a battalion comprising 800odd soldiers, was a little over 40 years while the same for Pakistan and Chinese armies was
37 years. It had recommended a command-and-exit policy by which colonels would serve as

battalion commanders for two to three years and exit to a non-command post by the time
they reach the age of 40. To bring down the age to 37 years, it had recommended creation
of an additional posts for colonels.
Upholding the policy, the bench said that the command exit model is "laudable" and
intended to make Army more efficient and better equipped for combat situations. "There is
nothing perverse, unreasonable or unfair about the policy that the age of officers serving in
Combat Arms and Combat Arms Support will be lowered by creating additional vacancies to
be allotted on Command Exit Model," the bench said.
Army comprises three streams Combat Arms(Armoured Corps, Infantry, Mechanised
Infantry), Combat Support Arms(engineers, signals, artillery air defence) and Services (Army
Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps and other minor) but the creation of additional posts
was not made in the Services stream, compelling the officers to challenge the policy before
Armed Forces Tribunal on the ground being discriminatory. Allowing the plea, the tribunal in
March last year quashed the policy.
The Centre thereafter approached the Supreme Court which stayed the operation of the
order. Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh told the apex court that the policy was in
the larger interest of national security and it did not violate any right of the officers
belonging to Services. The Centre during the hearing had also agreed to create additional
141 posts for Combat Arms Support.
Agreeing with his contention, the Supreme Court allowed Centre's appeal. "We partly allow
these appeals and while setting aside the order passed by the Tribunal direct that the
appellants shall create 141 additional posts of colonel to be allocated to combat support
stream," the court said."We have, in that view, no hesitation in holding that there was
neither any recommendation regarding reduction in age profile of unit commanders in
services nor was there any recommendation for creation of additional vacancies to benefit
officers serving in those formations," it said.

One Rank One Pension

This is a scheme which will ensure that soldiers of the same rank and the same length of
service receive the same pension, irrespective of their retirement date. In simple words, it
demands equal pensions for those who have retired in one particular year, as those who
retire in another year at the same position, and for the same duration of services rendered.

The difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank occurs on
account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel in that rank.
The Government recently issued the much awaited One Rank One Pension or OROP
notification. Although, a formal announcement on OROP was made in September 2015, no
official order was issued because of Bihar elections and the Election Commissions Model
Code of Conduct.

With this announcement, over 25 lakh veterans across the country will get at least
Rs. 3,000 to 5,000 more in pensions depending on their last rank and years of service.

Details:

According to the notification, the government will pay the arrears of OROP in four
equal half-yearly installments. However, all family pensioners, including those receiving
special or liberalized family pension and gallantry award winners, will get their arrears in
a single installment.

The pension of past pensioners would be fixed on the basis of the pension of retirees
of 2013, and the benefit will be granted from July 1, 2014.

The government has reversed its contentious proposal to exclude ex-servicemen who
had sought premature retirement from the ambit of OROP.

The government has also notified the appointment of a judicial committee to look
into anomalies of OROP. The panel will submit its report in six months.

However, Ex-servicemen are not happy with this notification mainly because of the following
reasons:

According to the notification, pension would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of

retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from July 1,
2014. The veterans had demanded that the period for pension should be financial year
2013-14 and not the calender year. Also, they wanted April 1 as the effective date
instead of July 1.

The notification says that in future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.
However, ex-servicemen had been demanding revision of pension every two years, if not
one.

The notification says pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the
average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retiring in 2013 in the same
rank and with the same length of service. The veterans had demanded to take into
account the maximum and not the average.

The Government has appointed a one man judicial commission to examine issues,
while veterans want the committee to comprise soldiers only.

One-man commission on OROP appointed

The Union government has appointed Justice L. Narasimha Reddy, former Chief Justice of the
Patna High Court, as the one-man judicial commission to look into the implementation of
the one rank one pension scheme.

The appointment of the committee is in keeping with the points of the notification
issued by the government in November for implementing the scheme.

The committee will make recommendations on removal of anomalies that may arise
in the implementation of the OROP, which the government notified on November 7. It will
also address inter-service anomalies, and any other matter referred by the Central
Government.

Veterans have rejected this commission. They have been demanding for a five-member
judicial commission with representatives from the military.

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

It was set up in October 2001 following recommendations from Group of Ministers

(GoMs) on Reforming the National Security System. The need for DAC was felt postKargil conflict.

The council is chaired by the Defence Minister.

Other members include: Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of
Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Defense Secretary, Secretary Defense Research &
Development, Secretary Defense Production, Chief of Integrated Staff Committees (HQ
IDS), Director General (Acquisition) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.

The main aim of the DAC is to fast-track procurement process of the armed forces by
optimally utilising the available budget.

Defence Procurement Policy 2016

The government has approved major changes to the Defence Procurement Procedure
(DPP). Approval in this regard was recently given by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)
chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. This is an attempt to streamline defence
acquisitions and give a big impetus to indigenisation through the Make in India initiative.

The DPP 2016 will have a new category, Indigenously Designed Developed and
Manufactured (IDDM) platforms, which will be the priority route for procurements.
Within this two sub-categories have been created, one with mandatory 40% domestic
content for a domestic design and the other mandating 60% local content if the design is
not Indian. The domestic companies eligible under this will have majority Indian control
and operated by Indian nationals.

In addition to building a technology base in the country, the government through the
Department of Defence Production will fund private R&D for which various norms have
been stipulated.

In another significant change, the contentious issue of offsets has been

amended from the current Rs. 300 crore to Rs. 2000 crore giving flexibility for
foreign companies. Offset clause mandates that a foreign company should invest 30%
of the contract value back into the country with a view to bring in technology. Offsets
push up cost of contracts by 14-18%.

According to the new changes, the definition to be counted as an Indian company

is a company that is controlled and operated by Indian nationals.

The DPP also sets up an empowered committee to solve disputes or unforeseen

issues. Till now disputes went to DAC.

Each of the three Services will have a Major General-rank officer for project
management to be run on road map in line with the long-term perspective plan.

Given the limited choices in defence equipment technology production, the DPP says
bids can be accepted even if there is only one supplier.

The policy lays stress on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and on Make in
India. A 10 per cent weightage has been introduced for superior technology, instead of
selecting the lowest bidder only in financial terms.
DPP 2016, however, falls far short of the expectations raised by the Narendra Modi
governments ambitious Make in India push that aims to transform the country into a
global manufacturing hub. India is the worlds largest importer of defence equipment, and
indigenising production is key to such a plan. The DPP is noticeable for the absence of
Chapter VII, titled Strategic Partners and Partnerships, which the Defence Minister said
would be notified separately.
Under Strategic Partnerships, select Indian private companies were to be given
preferential status in major defence projects. The inability of the Centre to finalise a credible

policy to radically increase indigenous military manufacturing is a sure sign that India will
remain heavily dependent on defence imports. Given the countrys robust financial growth,
one of its greatest leveraging points is the annual spend on procurement. India has all the
necessary prerequisites for a robust military-industrial complex: a diverse private sector, a
large base of engineering institutes, and a growing defence budget.
The fact that India faces a combination of security threats from both state and non-state
actors is an obvious reason why it needs to be self-reliant in military equipment. There is
another important reason why India needs an indigenous military-industrial complex: it will
significantly reduce the potential for corruption in military procurement. However, the new
procurement policy does not inspire hope that domestic defence production will grow
sufficiently.

Defence Minister Launches Army Cloud, Data Centre and

Digi locker for the Indian Army.
Objectives:

Part of Digital Army Programme.

It will have faster Documentation, Information and speedy delivery of services

Pillars:

Broadband highway,

Universal access to Telephone and

Army Data Network

Information Technology Infrastructure Development

E Governance
Electronic Delivery of services to all units and formation headquarters
Army Cloud

Army Cloud includes a Central Data Centre, Near Line Data Centre, both in Delhi and
a Disaster Recovery

Replication of its critical data along with virtualised services

It is similar to Meghraj; the Cloud of National Informatics Centre (NIC)

Provides Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to pan Army Users as the first Cloud
Services.

It also will provide Software as a Service (SaaS) soon.

Digi- locker

Provide secure and exclusive data storage to all its units

Similar to e- locker of Digital India Programme

Advanced features: Digital signature + Watermarking

User: Store, Share and Access the data from anywhere anytime on the Army Data
Network.

Countrys flagship HAL turns 75

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is all set to celebrate its 75th anniversary this month.
About HAL:

Started as Hindustan Aircraft Company by visionary industrialist Walchand Hirachand

Doshi, HAL was acquired by the British in 1942 and consolidated in 1964 under the
present name. HAL is now part of the Ministry of Defence.

It is ranked 34 among the worlds aerospace and is among the top four in Asia by
turnover. It is also Indias sole maker of military aircraft.

HALs production portfolio includes Sukhoi-30, Mirage 2000 fighters; the DRDO-ADAs
Light Combat Aircraft that is in the final configuration; trainer aircraft including the
British-make Hawks; transport aircraft for the Forces; and military helicopters.

Currently, HAL is pursuing high-end research to create the countrys future aircraft
and aeroengine technologies.

World military spending up in 2015, India in sixth

position
As per the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI),
India is the sixth largest military spender in 2015 having spent $51.3 billion. The U.S.
remained by far the worlds largest spender in 2015 despite its defence expenditure
falling by 2.4% to $596 billion followed by China, Saudi Arabia, Russia and U.K.
Indias performance:
India moved one rank up from last year accounting for 3.1% of global military expenditure.
Over a ten-year period from 2006-15 this represents a 43% jump. India is also ahead of
countries like France, Germany and Israel who happen to be among its top arms suppliers.

Indian Army ammunition wont even last 10 days

in event of a war, suggests CAG reports
If India were to go to war now, 90 per cent of its available ammunition would not last even
for 10 days, inferred the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in a report tabled in
Parliament on Friday. It said the ammunition roadmap drawn by the Army in 2012 for
building up the stock to 50 per cent by March 2015 and 100 per cent by 2019 has remained
far from realisation.
Coming down heavily on the Defence Ministry, the Army, ordnance factories and quality
assurance agencies, the report highlighted that while the Army blamed the Ordnance
Factories Board (OFB) for delays and slippage, the OFB asked for lesser money from the
government than what was required to meet the Armys projections. Seventeen of the
import projects initiated in 2013 have not been concluded so far, the national auditor.

India keeps learning the wrong lessons from

defence scams.
Within months of the country becoming free, there were insinuations that Indias first High
Commissioner to London, V.K. Krishna Menon, had not adhered to procurement norms while
ordering 200 jeeps for the Indian Army. Some 150 jeeps that finally landed in Madras port
were refurbished second-hand ones, probably used in the recently concluded World War II.
The allegations could do nothing to the maverick leader, who had become a cult figure of
sorts in pre-Independence London with his oratory at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park.
Menons blazing political career ended only in the wake of Indias humiliation at the hands of
China in 1962, when he contributed to the disastrous conduct of the war as the Defence
Minister.
Bofors scandal
There was a long break before India plunged into yet another defence scandal, this time with
details emerging of kickbacks in the deal to purchase artillery guns from Swedens Bofors in
the 1980s. The scandal that broke in 1987 shook up Indian politics, demolished young Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhis dream run, brought in coalition politics to the centre stage, and
corruption became a key public agenda. However, no one really got punished.

Around the same time, German submarine maker HDWs officials told the Indian
ambassador that they paid 7 per cent commission to middlemen in a deal to supply
submarines to the Indian Navy. The investigations wound up some time in the early 2000s,
with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) closing the case saying it had not been able to
find any clinching evidence.
The 1990s was a wasted decade for military procurement thanks largely due to the
disruption of the Soviet Union, Indias biggest military supplier. However, the Kargil conflict
of 1999 and the military modernisation it kick-started were accompanied by machinations.
After Tehelkas Operation West End exposed the murky modus operandi of defence
deals, the CBI filed several FIRs pertaining to procurements.
Punishing no one
Nobody gets punished, or so it seems. That was the case in the jeep scandal, and that was
the case in Bofors, HDW scandals and after the Tehelka expos.
One of the least discussed aspects of military scams in recent years is how most of the
allegations against major middlemen and companies that emerged in Operation West End
have all disappeared.
All defence scandals have an international dimension to them. Though the money paid
originates from the government exchequer, it is paid abroad, and commissions are
distributed across secretive tax havens. Despite the complexity of the cases, none of our
investigation agencies have cared to develop any significant skills in tracking global financial
transactions, especially where it involves tax havens, shell companies and proxy directors.
The political stakes
However, there is more to this than meets the eye. Black money, including that from arms
deals, has a powerful role in Indian politics. Political parties, except for a couple of
exceptions, suck in massive amounts of black money to sustain their operations and their
lavish election-time spending. Arms deals continue to be a key source of such illegal funding,
although the bouquet in recent years also includes money from real estate, land deals,
mining, etc.
There is no willpower visible as yet to dramatically reverse Indias appetite for foreign
acquisitions, only the promise that this absurd theatre will return in the not-too-distant
future.