Technical Graduates made jokers in the Military

INDIAN ARMY
116th Technical Graduate Course (JAN 2013)
Last Date of Application: 14.06.2012
Application are invited from Engineering Graduates Married/ Unmarried Male including temporary Central/State Govt. serving personnel of the regular Army and Territorial Army (including officers of Territorial Army) and serving personnel of Navy and Air Force for grant of permanent commission in the Indian Army.
Qualification & Vacancies
Civil (including Mining/ Construction) : 27
Electrical (including Electrical & Electronics ) : 08
Mechanical (including Industrial/Industrial Engg & Management): 08
Automobile Engg/ Workshop Technology: 01
Production (Including Manufacturing/ Metallurgical /Metallurgy & Explosives): 02 Rubber Technology/ Plastic Technology/ Textiles: 01
Electronics (including Electronics & Instrumentation / Micro Electronics & Microwave/ Opto Electronics) : 04
Communication/ Telecommunication (Including ECE/ Electronics & Communication): 06
Architecture/ Building Construction Technology : 02
Computer Sciences & Engg/ Computer Sciences/ M.Sc (Computer): 01
Army Education Corps (Men): MA in English/ Economics/ History Music/ Geography/ Political Science/ M.Sc (Physics/ Maths)
Post Graduate Degree (MA/M.Sc) 1st or 2nd div: 08
Foreign Language (Post Graduate Degree MA)
Post Graduate Degree (MA) 1st or 2nd Div in following subjects Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Pushto, Dari and Arabic : 04
TGC (Military Farms)- Agriculture – 02 & Dairy: 02
Degree in Dairying or Degree in Agriculture : 04
Note : These vacancies are tentative and may be changed depending on availability of training slots.
AGE LIMIT:
For Engineering Graduates – 20 to 27 yrs ( Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 93). For AEC- 23 to 27 yrs (Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 90). For Military Farms – 20 to 27 yrs (Born not earlier than 02 Jan 86 and not latter than 01 Jan 93).
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

For Engineers: Candidates studying in the Final Year of Engineering Degree and who are qualified graduates of the Degree Course in Engineering will be eligible to apply. The qualified graduates of the Degree Course must possess Engineering Degree at the time of joining training. The candidates studying in the final year of Degree Course, if not already in possession of the Degree Certificate should be able to produce the Engineering Degree within 12 weeks from the date of commencement of training at IMA. Such candidates will be inducted for training at IMA on Additional Bond Basis for recovery of the cost of training as notified from time to time as well as stipend and pay & allowances paid, in case they fail to produce the requisite degree certificate.

For Army Education Corps. MA/M.Sc Degree in 1st or 2nd division from a university recognized by AIU in English/Economics/History/Music/ Geography/ Political Science / Physics & Math .

For Military Farm. A degree in dairying or a degree in Agriculture from a recognized university with dairying as one of the subjects or an equivalent foreign qualification in Agriculture (Preference will be given to those who hold M.Sc degree or have carried out research in Dairying of Fodder Crops) (AI 105/61)
CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY
(a) Nationality: A candidate must either be (i) a citizen of India or (ii) a subject of Nepal or (iii) a subject of Bhutan or (iv) Tibetan origin but of Indian domicile, whose parents entered India as refugees prior to 1s t January 1962 with intention of Permanently settling in India. (v) a pers on of Indian or igin who migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambi, Malawai, Zaire, Ethopia and Vietnam with the intention of Permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will however not be necessary in the case of candidate who are Gorkhas subject of Nepal. (b) Candidates withdrawn fr om IMA/OTA/Naval Academy/Air Force Academy on disciplinary ground are not eligible to apply.
Cost to company (CTC). The CTC for a Lieutenant would be approximately Rs.65000/- per month. This includes Basic Pay, DA, Grade Pay Military Service Pay, Tech Pay, House Rent Allowance and Transport allowance. These rates are not statutory and are subject to change. Click here for the original Post
Comment: The Technical Pay is peanuts. In 1971 the Technical Pay for a Engineering Graduate (5 year Integrated Course) was Rs 75 pm whereas an NDA or IMA Graduate who completed some tactical cum technical refresher courses in MCTE or College of Combat were getting Rs 175 as Technical Pay. Literally the Military made Jokers of the Technical Graduates mocking the University Degree. Technical Graduate a Loser till he Retires!

One Rank One Pension: Pay and Pension Grievances of Military

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2012
One Rank One Pension: Pay and Pension Grievances of Military
As per PIB Release ID No. 87037 related matter again knocked in Rajya Sabha and same reply submitted by MoD, which was already submitted in Lok Sabha on 27th August [click here to see]. The full details of Lok Sabha query is also reproduced here:-
PIB Release 87037: Click here
Ministry of Defence 30-August, 2012
Committee to Look into Pay and Pension Grievances of Military
The Committee chaired by Cabinet Secretary is comprised of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister; Defence Secretary; Secretary, Department of Expenditure; Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare and Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training. Consequent to change in charge of the then Secretary, Department of Expenditure to Department of Revenue, Secretary, Department of Revenue has also been co-opted as a Member of the Committee. Chief of Naval Staff & Chairman, Chiefs of the Staff Committee made a presentation to the Committee. The Committee further interacted with all the Service Chiefs (Chief of Naval Staff & Chairman, Chiefs of the Staff Committee; Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army Staff). The recommendations of the Committee have been submitted to the Prime Minister.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Arvind Kumar Singh and others in Rajya Sabha today.
**** Source Link: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=87037 To see an interested guest article "Leave it to the experts" published by Hindustan Times **[Click here]**
Full details of Lok Sabha Q&A dated 27th Aug, 2012
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA
PAY AND PENSION MATTERS OF PERSONNEL
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 2514 by Shri M. B. RAJESH, GANESH SINGH, EKNATH MAHADEO GAIKWAD, N.S.V. CHITTHAN, ASADUDDIN OWAISI, NEERAJ SHEKHAR, ANAND PRAKASH PARANJPE, YASHVIR SINGH, KAPIL MUNI KARWARIYA, KHATGAONKAR PATIL BHASKARRAO BAPURAO, PARTAP SINGH BAJWA, MANICKA TAGORE & S. RAMASUBBU
Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Committee, recently constituted by the Government, to look into the pay and pension related matters of serving and retired defence personnel has submitted its report;
(b) if so, the composition of the Committee including the recommendations made by them in this regard;
(c) whether the Committee included the representatives of the three Services of the armed forces and also the Ex-servicemen and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Government on the recommendations made by the Committee?
ANSWERED ON 27.08.2012
ANSWER by MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI A.K. ANTONY)
(a) to (d): The Committee chaired by Cabinet Secretary is comprised of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister; Defence Secretary; Secretary, Department of Expenditure; Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare and Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training. Consequent to change in charge of the then Secretary, Department of Expenditure to Department of Revenue, Secretary, Department of Revenue has also been co-opted as a Member of the Committee. Chief of Naval Staff & Chairman, Chiefs of the Staff Committee made a presentation to the Committee. The Committee further interacted with all the Service Chiefs (Chief of Naval Staff & Chairman, Chiefs of the Staff Committee; Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army Staff). The recommendations of the Committee have been submitted to the Prime Minister.
Read more: Click here to read more

Leave it to the experts
August 29, 2012, Hindustan Times
First Published: 21:26 IST(29/8/2012)
The term 'civil-military relations' describes the relationship between civil society as a whole and the military organisations established to protect it. In all democracies, the military leadership is part of the decision-making process, especially on defence and national security issues. But not in India, where the bureaucracy is supreme despite the fact that it lacks the know-how on such issues. This results in chaos, communal disturbances and terrorist attacks from within and across the borders.
The chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), Admiral Nirmal Verma, stated in an article that the crux of the problem lies in the fact that the service chiefs remain "non-persons" in the edifice of the government. The background to this anomaly is found in two volumes of business rules, issued under the constitutional powers of the president in 1961. They state that the responsibility for India's defence and its preparation has been vested in the defence secretary. The three service chiefs are not allocated any responsibilities by these rules.
Recently, the defence minister visited the troops deployed on the Line of Control (LoC) to assess their morale. He was shocked to learn that there was discontentment among the soldiers because they earn less than their counterparts in civil and paramilitary forces. The defence minister wrote to the prime minister suggesting that "things may take a bad turn" if a timely corrective action is not initiated.
Consequently, the prime minister, in his Independence Day address, announced the setting up of a committee to recommend reforms for the defence forces. The main issues being looked into by the committee include the elevation of all Lt-Gen rank officers to a higher pay scale, increased pension and the 'one rank one pension' (OROP) demand of ex-servicemen. It should be noted that the committee on OROP set up under cabinet secretary Ajit Seth was supposed to submit its report to the PM by August 8. But it has been delayed. Further, the six-member committee is composed only of babus and has no representatives from the armed services.
Previously, recommendations on OROP have been made by the three parliamentary committees on defence and one Rajya Sabha petition committee on OROP. But the PM still consults a committee of bureaucrats on the issue. The I-Day address of the prime minister will not amount to much because delays are expected from the bureaucracy. The defence forces may have to wait till the formation of the next government in 2014 to get their due - that is, if selfless and honest MPs are elected.
PK Vasudeva is a defence analyst and commentator
The views expressed by the author are personal
Leave it to the experts
Comment: The Babus have become Military Experts- since when? Only the Chinese can teach the Politicians and Babus the art of war!

No unity with MoD: Forces tell PM

Josy Joseph, TNN | Sep 1, 2011, 02.31AM IST
NEW DELHI: The old debate in the Indian defence establishment, about the lack of integration between the bureaucracy and the military, is back - and as expected the civilian bureaucracy has disagreed with the military leadership.

Authoritative sources said the Chiefs of Staff Committee, comprising the three Service chiefs, has complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the lack of integration between the ministry of defence and the three Services, saying it was contributing to prolonged delays in procurement and hampering other higher defence management activities.

According to a senior official, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, who was the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, in a detailed communication to the PM put forward the military concerns. It was among ACM Naik's last communications to the PM before he retired on July 31.

Sources said ACM Naik pointed out to the PM that the Kargil Review Committee, appointed after the 1999 conflict between India and Pakistan, had recommended integration between the defence ministry and the three Services, and it was duly approved by a Group of Ministers. The Committee had recommended that the "structure and interface between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Armed Forces Headquarters be comprehensively studied and reorganized". Many decisions of the GoM were implemented, resulting in the setting up of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), Defence Intelligence Agency etc.

Some aspects specifically regarding the integration between the MoD and the Service headquarters were also implemented, among them being the concept of the single file system. Earlier, the MoD and Service headquarters used to maintain separate files on the same subject, but this was given up. The Army and Navy headquarters have been renamed "Integrated Headquarters of MoD".

However, ACM Naik complained to the PM that the level of integration was not enough, with the civilians in the MoD having overriding powers over most crucial activities of the military, especially big ticket purchases. He suggested that it was high time that the government appointed senior military officers in the MoD, at the level of joint secretary etc, sources said.

In response, the MoD in a recent communication told the Chiefs of Staff Committee that the integration was in fact complete and was visible in several aspects. The MoD cited the single file concept and the renaming of the military headquarters to back its claims.

The Kargil Review Committee had pointed out that India perhaps was the only major democracy where the Armed Forces Headquarters were "outside the apex governmental structure". Thus the Service chiefs have "assumed the role of operational commanders of their respective forces rather than that of Chiefs of Staff to the Prime Minister and defence minister". The committee said the "Prime Minister and defence minister do not have the benefit of the views and expertise of the Army commanders and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force so that higher level defence management decisions are more consensual and broadbased."
No unity with MoD: Forces tell PM

Britain converts Military covenant into Law

Dear Brig Kamboj:
As I had anticipated, not it's official. The British PM has made a statement seeking to convert a military covenant into law, so affected members of the armed forces can take legal action, if government fails to abide by the law, that is, look after them and their families adequately. If you have time, please visit the following link.
click here
I would have gladly written a critique, but have inadequate knowledge of the functioning of the AFT. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Bhimaya
Maj Gen K Bhimaya, 10th JSW Course

STATUTORY MILITARY COVENANT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM..
Dear Brig Kamboj,
The news of the United Kingdom officially recognising her duties and obligations towards the Armed Forces personnel has implications for all of us, not only the servicemen and the ex-servicemen in the United Kingdom.
Following on from the statement, “If you fight for your country, your country will look after you,” new homes will be built for ex servicemen, there will be free use of gym and leisure centres and priority in getting medical treatment. Please see the full news published in the "Sunday Telegraph", London, today. (Sunday, May 15, 2011): click here
Regards
RS Rajput
Veteran (UK)

Defence Correspondent 15 May 2011 The Sunday Telegraph by SEAN RAYMENT
BRITISH troops and their families will receive priority access to school places, NHS treatment and housing under new Military Covenant laws.
Details of the package to help services personnel will be unveiled to Parliament tomorrow in a statement by Dr Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, after government lawyers and officials spent the weekend finalising them.
It is understood the measures will include an offer of free cycles of IVF treatment to military families where a soldier has suffered injuries which make it difficult to conceive – a common occurrence in Afghanistan, where many have been hurt by improvised explosive devices.
Troops serving overseas will no longer be required to pay full council tax, while a new chief coroner will be put in charge of conducting the inquests of war dead.
Service personnel posted to different parts of Britain will be promoted to the top of health service waiting lists if they fall ill. It is also understood that Ministry of Defence working committees are looking at ways of striking a deal with banks to offer troops low interest “military mortgages”.
The Military Covenant has, until now, been an unwritten agreement under which the state pledges a duty of care toward military personnel who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. It has never been enshrined in law and there has been increasing concern that Britain’s soldiers aren’t getting the health care, housing or pay they deserve.
Following the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it has been argued by both David Cameron and Dr Fox that the Covenant was broken by the then Labour government when it failed properly to equip troops for combat. Earlier this month, Mr Cameron was accused of backtracking on plans to “write the Covenant into law” when the third reading of the Armed Forces Bill was delayed.
The shelving of the Bill was understood to have been ordered afterTreasury lawyers warned that enshrining the Covenant in law could cost millions and would be beset by legal problems.
Under the latest proposals, while the Covenant measures will be written into law based on broad principles rather than specific statements of entitlement, there will be room for service personnel and veterans to ensure they have not been disadvantaged through military service.
Andrew Robathan, the defence minister overseeing the Armed Forces Bill, said the Coalition would “ensure the best possible treatment for all our service personnel, serving and retired”. He added: “We are putting the Military Covenant on a statutory basis for the first time.”
Last night Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said: “The Prime Minister appears to have finally done the right thing. I hope this marks the beginnings of a real reassessment of how the Government is treating our Armed Forces.
“We will now wait to hear the detail and will want to ensure that the principles of the Covenant are being properly set out in law,” he added. See page 23

The Army Wife

The good Lord was creating
A model for military wives
and was into his sixth day of overtime
when an angel appeared.
She said, “Lord, you seem to be having
a lot of trouble with this one
What’s wrong with the standard model?”
The Lord replied,
“Have you seen the specs of this order?
She has to be completely independent,
possess the qualities of both mother and father
be a perfect hostess for four to forty
with a hours notice, run on black coffee
handle every imaginable without a manual
be able to carry on cheerfully,
even if she is pregnant and has the flu,
and she must have six pair of hands.”
The angel shook her head
“Six pair of hands? No way!”
The Lord continued, “Don’t worry,
we will make other military wives to help her
And we will give her an unusually strong heart
so it can swell with pride
in husbands achievements,
sustain the pain of separation
beat soundly when it is overworked and tired
and be large enough to say
“I understand” when she doesn’t
and “I love you” regardless
“Lord”, said the angel, touching his arm gently,
“Go to bed and get some rest,
You can finish this tomorrow”
“I can’t stop now,” Said the Lord
I’m so close to creating something unique
Already this model heals herself when she is sick
can put up six unexpected guest for the weekend
wave good-bye to her husband from a pier
a runway or depot and understand
why it’s important the he leave
The angel circled the model of the military wife
looked at it closely and sighed
“It looks fine, but it’s too soft”
“She may look soft”, replied the Lord
“but she has the strength of a lion
you would not believe what she can endure”
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her fingers
across the cheek of the Lord’s creation
“There’s a leak,” she announced
“Something is wrong with the construction
I’m not surprised that it has cracked.
“You are trying to put too much into this model”
The Lord appeared offended
at the angel’s lack of confidence
“What you see is not a leak,” he said,
“It’s a tear”
A tear” What is it here for?” asked the angel
The Lord replied, “It’s for joy, sadness, pain
disappointment, loneliness, pride and dedication
to all the values that she
and her husband hold dear.”

click here to read more inspiring Military Poems

Strengthening Civil Military Relations

Civil control of the military is managed and maintained through the sharing of responsibility for control between civilian leaders and military officers. Specifically, civil authorities are responsible and accountable for some aspects of control and military leaders are responsible and accountable for others. Although some responsibilities for control may merge, they are not fused. The relationship and arrangement of responsibilities are conditioned by a nationally evolved regime of principles, norms, rules, and expectations concerning civil-military relations. Although a Government may be stable for long periods, it can change as basic causal factors such as values, issues, interests, personalities, and threats change. Alterations of rules and decision-making procedures account for the dynamic nature of civil-military relations, while alterations of norms and principles account for conflict in civil-military relations. Differences between states in the sub continent account for the particular national character of civil-military relations, much as like-minded Governments account for cross-cultural similarities in civil-military relations.

The first is that the military must reach out to the civilian world. Given the essentially universal agreement that civilians must control the military, the duty falls upon the military to find ways to talk to civilians, not the other way around. The second is that civilians must articulate a clear vision of what they expect in terms of the military mission. And the final suggestion is that the most practical and effective means of bringing about dialogue and understanding is to be bilateral education, in which both military and civilian elites would jointly attend specialized schools. Such schooling would emphasize military-strategic thinking, Indian history and political philosophy, military ethics, and the proper relationship between civil and military authority.

The increase in diversity among military personnel (all regions, multi lingual, all religions) has essentially strengthened ties between society and the military, especially those ties weakened by caste, language and religion in civil society. The results of wars China War of 1962, Indo Pak wars and JK & NE terrorism which had weakened our Civil Military Relationships now has further deteriorated with the advent of Naxal and Mao terror. This is obvious from news reports and analysis which led to massacre of CRPF Jawans.

Presently the advisers on military affairs to GoI are the IPS and IAS and randomly a few selected Military Strategists. The Military needs to do more to a healthy, sustainable and endurable CMR. The Military should be more Vocal especially now that we have an upgraded "Officer Cadre" after implementation of AVSC recommendations.

National Security: Civil Military Relations

A Tribune Special
Beyond narrow boundaries
We must change our mindset to meet new security challenges, says Gen V.P. Malik (retd)

Sunday, March 28, 2010, Chandigarh, India
ONE of the cornerstones of a democracy is a healthy civil military relationship. India stands out as the greatest success story in civil military relations amongst developing nations of the world. The nation and its military are rightfully proud of it.
However, should the discourse on civil military relations remain confined to the facts that in our country there have never been open criticism of the government’s policies on military affairs, never any combat refusal, or anything like a threat of military takeover? Unfortunately, most of our experts and the media are content to focus on the presence or absence of civilian control, politicisation, military discontent and discipline as the only considerations worthy of attention. Little attention is paid to the dynamics of politico-military strategies and civil military discourse on military capabilities and doctrines for any future conflicts.
click here to read the full article from Tribune

Civil- Military Relationship: Does governance impact this ethical compact?

Are military professionals unaware of their own civic and strategic illiteracy?

One of the most significant issues facing any democracy today, is the current state of civil- military relations. Why should the relationship between the military and society be of such concern to us? There are two principal reasons.

First, the military relationship to civilian authorities and to society more generally lies at the very heart of what democracy is all about. Democracy, Harry Truman suggested, is "based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with reason and justice." By the same token, what defines the state, Max Weber observed, is government's monopoly of the legitimate possession and use of force. The military is the principal embodiment of state-centered and -controlled violence. Thus, in a form of government where the people are supposed to rule, civilian supremacy over the military is essential; it is an ethical imperative. Where this relationship fails or falters, the very end of government--"the common benefit, protection, and security of the people," rights of citizens violated, massive and wide scale corruption and injustice--the Government stands in jeopardy. Further, Terrorism, Naxalism, Maoism and right wing fundamentalists are pointers and indicators of the degree of of failing/ falling governance.

Second, the three parties to the civil- military relationship--the military, its civilian masters, and the people themselves--are bound to one another by social contract. "The first principle of a civilized state," said Walter Lippmann, "is that power is legitimate only when it is under contract." A social contract is a mutually binding, though a tacit, set of expectations, obligations, and rights. Because it depends on the ability--and, more importantly, the willingness--of the parties involved to live up to their end of the unwritten bargain, it is, in every sense, an ethical compact- a bond.

What do civilian authorities and the people more generally expect of the military as part of this compact?
Operational Competence.
What Military Expects from the Civilian authorities?
Genuine welfare measures for the Jawans and Ex- Servicemen.

Civil Military Relations: There is urgent need to bridge the gap

It is acknowledged that India’s military has historically been apolitical. Unlike other militaries in developing countries early in the post colonial period, there has never been an instance of the Indian military transgressing its bounds. This has consistently been among the indicators of India’s democratic good health. However, it is averred that this has resulted in the military’s marginalisation in core security decision making structures and processes. This refrain in security studies commentary testifies to the continuing distance between the apex military leadership from political decision makers on policy issues. Details of the critique are well known. These include: the strategic grasp of the generalist bureaucratic cadre dominating the ministry is suspect; in modern defence systems elsewhere officials in uniform share desk space with civilians having appropriate background in national security; the current system results in manipulation of service differences by bureaucrats playing arbiters, thereby precluding efficiencies, jointness, etc. But the fact that the system persists begs the question: Why?
Extracted from:
The central debate in India’s civil military relations
Ali Ahmed: IDSA

The probable reasons for the widening gap
Military service changes one's way of thinking and gives one a sense of patriotism, a sense of working for something bigger than one's self. It helps to provide a more realistic view of what the Indian Armed Forces can and cannot do. Most of the Politicians and Bureaucrats lack that military experience and do not know what Military Service means. Sadly their children too are averse to the Armed Forces.

The average Indian knows very little about the military anymore... and even more troubling, the average middle- and upper middle-class family doesn't tend to look on the Defence Forces as a career they want their kids to follow... only about 0.02 percent of the total population of our nation are directly or indirectly connected as either serving, retired or family members of the Armed Forces.

Pakistan State Terror diluted by Joint Statement

click picture for readable versionDear All,
My article, "CHECKMATED AGAIN" is placed below. It has been published in the 'Mail Today' of 23 July 09; a few portions have been edited. Copy of the Mail Today piece is as above.
Regards
sd/... Vijay Oberoi

CHECKMATED AGAIN By Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi
Pakistan has a knack of ensuring that joint statements or other formal documents signed between India and Pakistan are favourable to its interests. Either our diplomats are no match to their Pakistani counterparts or the other influential members of the PM core group (I nearly wrote coterie!) are over-ruling them. Some say it is the PM himself who forces the issue, but I have my doubts on this score. Whoever may be responsible for the major faux pas of Sharm el-Sheikh, one thing is certain; Pakistan has again got the better of India, by ensuring the inclusion of at least three issues, which are contrary to our long standing policies vis-à-vis that country. It is no wonder that now the PM as well as the government are on the defensive in India, while the equivalent of the ‘bubbly’ is being savoured in Pakistan.

Comparisons they say are odious, but one does get a sense of déjà vu, as a similar blunder was committed at Shimla in 1972, the consequences of which are still haunting us. In Shimla, we succumbed to the promises and blandishments of the senior Bhutto, although the then PM, Indira Gandhi, was not naïve in any sense. Passage of time will no doubt tell us who or who all were responsible for the disastrous joint statement this time. However, one is tempted to state that if ‘war is too important a matter to be left to the military’, as Georges Clemenceau had said, any discussion with Pakistan is also ‘too important to be left to our diplomats and pseudo security experts’, while the military is kept out of the loop. Indira Gandhi made the same mistake and before her that capable PM, Lal Bahadur Shastri at Tashkent and lost out to the wily Pakistanis’. Successive governments, irrespective of their political affiliations, have followed this, much to the disadvantage of the nation.

There are three obvious blunders in the joint statement......
to continue reading click on image above.

Declining Status of Armed Forces

Changes in the WoP in recent times, has seen the chairperson UPSC upgraded to article 9A over Service Chiefs (at article 12). Chairperson UPSC was earlier at article 17 below Service Chiefs and also below officiating Chiefs of the rank of Lt Gen who were on article 16. Chairpersons for SCs and STs were added on article 17. Both these chairpersons are higher than Army commanders / Vice Chiefs who are on article 23. Members of SCs and STs placed at same level of Army Commanders /Vice Chiefs at article 23.

As was well known Army Commanders / Vice Chiefs were equated with secretaries to Govt. of India on article 23. However, Note 10(c) of the WoP makes an interesting distinction: In official functions held at Delhi, New Delhi, Army Commanders / Vice Chiefs of the Army Staff or equivalent in other services will always rank after the secretaries to the Government of India.
To summarise as to what has been achieved currently, (status and parity wise):

DIG is now officially equivalent to a Brigadier.

Ministry of Home Affairs has declared that all IPS officers shall attain the rank of DIG in 14 years’ service.

Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) is now officially equivalent to the rank of Major General.

Department of Personnel and Training has declared that all IAS officers shall attain the SAG in 14 years of service.

What would be achievable by 100% IPS officers in 14 years would now be achievable by 7% defence officers in 28 years.

What would be achievable by 100% IAS officers in 14 years would now be achievable by 2% defence officers in 33 years.

It is this corrosive and remarkably steady erosion of a soldier’s status over the past sixty years that has driven his sense of honour to a point where he has resorted to, within his own definition, the most vilified form of protest that he could ever consider: making “public” his ire. Mutiny is defined as a collective form of disobedience to a lawful and legal command, an anathema to a solider whose whole conscience domain is dominated to obedience to orders and is an intrinsic and an impregnable part of his DNA. His character combines honesty and loyalty as a moral asset and an absolute reverence for ‘izzat and iqbal’. That the veterans have been driven to dissent bears serious ramifications not only for the well being of civil-military relationship but also should be a matter of serious concern to those who are in a leadership positions including the armed forces.

Lt Col K Channan Ashwini (Retd)
Extracted- full article click link:
A Disquiet Within: Astigmatism In Civil-Military Relations by Ashwini Channan

Comment: Continuous degradation of Defences Forces "Sacred Rank and Honour" structure will eventually dent its motivation and leadership. More so if the Military Gallantry awards are confused with Police Medals. The bureaucrats are attempting to belittle the sacrifices of the Defence Forces who are defending the nation whose law and order in all states is crippling due to corruption from top to bottom.

South Asia Defence & Strategic Review is published by Akash Media. It is a leading publication on matters related to Defence and Strategy, Internal Security and Military Technology. A bi-monthly publication, the magazine was started in Mar 2007 and is gaining fast in stature and credibility. It has already secured a large subscription and readership base in the entire region.

Col A K Sharma, a former cavalry officer, edits the magazine. He sought to leave the Indian Army after a successful career panning 28 years, and held many important assignments and acquired a variety of qualifications.

S Abhimanyu, the Assistant Editor also doubles up as the researcher for the magazine. He is a regular contributor to the magazine, with special expertise in defence technology.

Sabine Kulow is the Associate Editor. She is based in Germany and writes on matters related to environment and social issues.

The Editorial Board consists of eminent personalities from all walks of life. HE Sh NN Vohra, Governer of J&K was our advisor Dr K Santhanam, Amb C Shekhar Dasgupta, Lt Gen S K Sharma (retd) and Air Marshal SK Malik are members of our Editorial Board.

Our foreign contributors include Brig. Gen. Alain Lamballe from France and Ms. Mariam Safi from Afghanistan. The magazine is printed at Rave Scans, a premier printing press in India.
South Asia Defence and Strategic Review

Journalist Couple with a flair for Military Affairs

Courtesy: media.bharat-rakshak.comThe Headlines Today correspondent Shiv Aroor who had Interviewed the IAF helicopter display team 'The Sarang'.
Current: Senior Special Correspondent at TV Today
Past: Senior Reporter at Indian Express Reporter at Financial Express
Education: Cardiff University/ Prifysgol Caerdydd St/ Stephen's College
Journalist specialised in defence and military affairs for five years, with three years reporting for a national newspaper, and the last two years with the 24-hour news broadcasting station.
His mail ID is shivaroor@yahoo.co.uk.
Blog: LiveFist
He is the son-in-law of Air Vice Marshal Anil Chopra who was the AOC J & K and now posted in Air HQ. His wife is Shaili Chopra Aroor the anchor you must have watched on the NDTV Profit...

She has pursued master's degree in Broadcast and Television from 2002 batch, The Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She is an avid traveler and is planning to make documentaries and short films in the near future. She finds time to write, which is a passion for Shaili despite her busy program in television. She believes the blood of a martyr more sacred than the ink of a writer. Her writings and poetry are also published in Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer, Femina among various other magazines and websites. Some of her poems are The windy night, Kingdom of Gods, Fear, Loneliness too is a feeling of joy, Hide and Seek.

Details provided by:
Brig PT Gangadharan (Retd)