Space War: Facing scientists’ fury, govt yields ground
FP Staff Jan 29, 2012
Facing enormous backlash from a galaxy of space scientists over its blacklisting of four scientists, including former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair in a satellite spectrum deal that has since been scrapped, the government appears to be reviewing its punitive action.
The Telegraph reports that the government had signalled its willingness to reconsider the punishment, and quotes V Narayanasamy, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, as saying that “nothing is final”. The government, he added, “has an open mind. If the scientists feel that their views have not been adequately represented, we are willing to look into this again.”
On Saturday, scientists came out swinging against the government decision to blackball the four scientists for their alleged role in the satellite spectrum deal. Madhavan Nair was head of Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian space establishment, when it decided to lease out transponders of two of its satellites to the US-based Devas Multimedia.
The action against the four former ISRO scientists is a drag on scientists' morale. Prof CNR Rao, who heads the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said the government had “thrown out like garbage” the four scientists who had served the country and ISRO with distinction for years (reports PTI)
“They have not treated corrupt persons in politics, in public life like that. Why have scientists been picked up?” wondered Rao. “Is this the way to treat anybody? Nobody will work for these (government) organisations if this is the way they are treated.”
Rao specifically criticised Narayanasamy for his reported comments that the government had taken punitive action against the four scientists in order to send “a strong message” to the scientific community that no wrongdoing would be tolerated.
Rao said this was no way to talk about scientists. “I don’t know where he (Narayanasamy) got his basic education. I am shocked by the way he was on TV and talking like this about scientists in general.”
Also on Saturday, another former ISRO chairman, UR Rao, said the government’s action against the four scientists – and the public and over-the-top criticism of the scientific community – would impair space scientists’ morale.
Acknowledging that he did not have the full facts of the case, and that he was not keen to get entangled in the controversy, UR Rao nevertheless said that the manner in which it had been handled, with public outbursts against scientists, was ill-advised.
“Whatever is happening is not good for the country,” UR Rao said. “It will affect the morale of all the people. The organisation gets affected. After all, one feels proud of an organisation. If morale goes, it does hamper work.”
Recalling iconic photographs of satellite parts being ferried on bicycles or on bullock carts, UR Rao said that ISRO had a track record of catapulting India, literally, from the “bullock cart age to the space age.” Whereas on average it took 25 years to build a satellite, ISRO scientists had abridged that time to just two-plus years.
Former Knowledge Commission chairman Dr P M Bhargav has also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressing displeasure over the blacklisting of Madhavan Nair, saying it reflected a “dictatorial” attitude without any accountability. He wanted the government decision to be put on hold until the committee reports on the satellite spectrum deal were made public.
On Saturday, Madhavan Nair stepped down as chairman of the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology-Patna, saying he was morally bound to give up all government positions following the punitive action
Space War: Facing scientists’ fury, govt yields ground
Showing posts with label Nuclear Missiles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear Missiles. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, October 29, 2010
Indian Army Desperate to Modernise
THE HINDU, OCTOBER 27, 2010
Indian Army-Desperate to re-order and modernise
Rahul Bedi
A large number of military officers concur that the Indian army, with an inordinately high teeth-to-tail ratio, faces a serious crisis of confidence.
An alarming rise in the number of Indian military officers charged with corruption, senior ranks quitting due to frustrating service conditions, and increasing instances of ‘fragging' in which disgruntled soldiers shoot dead their seniors, are severely damaging the image of the country's defence forces.
Few want to join the once-favoured military with the shortage of officers in the army never having fallen below 11,000 for over a decade against a sanctioned strength of 46,615 personnel. The navy and the air force too face officer shortage but it is not as severe as in the 1.2 million strong army.
Senior defence officials cite expanding employment opportunities as the reason behind the shortage. But serving and retired officers say this is only part of the cause. The Services too have to take responsibility for lowering the military's image and overall standing in the country's order of precedence and preference, they point out.
“Standards and values have changed for the worse and the army is not impervious to the overall environment,” admits a retired Lieutenant General. Like the rest of society, India's military too is in the turbulent and unsettling throes of transition, he adds.
Serving army officers say the ‘rot' in service ethics has been steadily creeping into the Services. Till the 1980s, military officers were considered upright men, respected in society and eagerly sought after by parents as suitable match for their daughters. Retired military men talk nostalgically of the days when a mere note from the commanding officer on behalf of a jawan to the local authorities back in his village carried weight.
Those were the times when the esprit d' corps in the apolitical service was strong and invitations to riotous, albeit swinging, regimental officers' messes were much sought after. Salaries were low but the lifestyle was lavish in what was largely a gentleman's army.
Many officers were, in reality, eager boys trapped inside adult bodies seeking to indulge in passions like shikar, riding, polo and outdoor living and danger at state expense as expansive colonial traditions made military service not only respectable but attractive. From Independence till the third war with Pakistan in 1971, there was ample opportunity for such expansiveness.
And it was adequately vindicated, except for the disastrous 1962 war with China in which India came off badly. But in this instance, it was widely acknowledged that it was the political and not the military establishment that forced ignominy upon the country.
The flamboyance, bravery and tactical brilliance of all ranks in the three wars with Pakistan are well recorded and the subject of study in combat institutions around the world. It is rarely acknowledged even at home that in 1971, the Indian army single-handedly achieved what even the United States with all its mite and technical wizardry has not managed since World War II — it liberated a nation.
Politics was rarely, if at all, discussed by officers who, if passed over for promotion, retired gracefully, confident of their status in society. Promotions, the bane of the Services today, were merit-based and, by and large, fair with undeserving candidates, adhering to the Peter Principle and rarely ever crossing their limits of incompetence.
Army chiefs and senior commanders brooked no political interference in operational matters and were listened to with respect by the establishment. Asked by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to move into East Pakistan — later Bangladesh — in early 1971, General Sam Manekshaw — later Field Marshal — firmly told her that it would take at least 10 months before his force would be ready for combat.
“That” he declared, referring to Indira Gandhi's scheme of launching operations earlier “would present me with problems far more complex than what had been the bane of the German general staff for more than 50 years across two world wars. It would be unwise to rely on diplomatic assurances that the Chinese would not react in support of Pakistan. We must wait for the snow to block the northern passes.” Indira Gandhi listened and Bangladesh came into being in December that year.
In short, the olive green uniform enjoyed an exalted status it was soon to lose. Its professionalism and apolitical stance began to slowly unravel after the Third Pay Commission in the late 1970s when officer ranks were diluted, ostensibly to enhance career prospects, but their responsibilities reduced in inverse proportion to their promotions.
Periodic cadre reviews further led to a lopsided rank structure creating a situation where Lieutenant Generals among the seniormost army officers, and their equivalents in the navy and the air force, discharged duties previously performed by middle-ranking Colonels and half-colonels and similar ranks in the other two services.
Currently there are over 900 Brigadiers, some 290 Major Generals and 85-odd Lieutenant Generals, roughly around a third of who were replaced every two-three years due to retirement, promotion and other reasons.
Pressure on promotions in the pyramid-like structure also meant that most served between 12-18 months in these higher ranks leaving them little time to effect any meaningful change in the overall command and control structure.
The cadre re-assessment was the moment for which politicians and civil servants had long been waiting. Having always looked upon the military with suspicion after independence and gazing nervously at Pakistan's experience, they were simply waiting for an opportunity to gain ascendancy over the Services.
Incidentally, this inherent misgiving and fear of the military persists, adversely manifesting itself in the non-appointment of a Chief of Defence staff, despite ministerial commissions and review and parliamentary committees stressing the need for such an officer in a nuclear weapon state and for an expanding military power with possible out-of-area responsibilities.
Sadly, many senior officers actively contributed to this negative state of affairs by seeking political and bureaucratic patronage for career enhancement whilst in service and for lucrative sinecures after retirement. Consequently, over years the military's standing deteriorated, reaching the unbelievable stage where it was selectively included in the “security loop.”
The Service chiefs, for instance, were told about the multiple 1998 Shakti tests at Pokhran just hours before they occurred; and that too as insurance against any “adverse reaction” from neighbouring Pakistan. In the intervening period thereafter, the military has been dealt a limited hand in maintaining India's strategic deterrence.
In another shocker, the military, particularly the army, was also unaware of India's cache of chemical weapons stored at various Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratories across the country that were destroyed under the global Chemicals Weapon Convention some years ago.
In conclusion, a large number of military officers concur that India's Mughal-like army, with an inordinately high teeth-to-tail ratio, faces a serious crisis of confidence which simply refuses to abate even as it is increasingly employed not only in counter-insurgency operations, flood and drought relief but also to battle mosquitoes threatening the Commonwealth Games athletes' village.
For, besides struggling against the slew of corruption charges, lopsided promotions and un-equitable pensions, the military also faces ad hoc equipping policies determined and dominated by ill-informed politicians and civil servants, as it grapples desperately to reorder and modernise itself within a nuclear weapon state. But that, as they say, is a far longer and complex saga.
(Rahul Bedi is New Delhi-based defence analyst.)
Indian Army-Desperate to re-order and modernise
Indian Army-Desperate to re-order and modernise
Rahul Bedi
A large number of military officers concur that the Indian army, with an inordinately high teeth-to-tail ratio, faces a serious crisis of confidence.
An alarming rise in the number of Indian military officers charged with corruption, senior ranks quitting due to frustrating service conditions, and increasing instances of ‘fragging' in which disgruntled soldiers shoot dead their seniors, are severely damaging the image of the country's defence forces.
Few want to join the once-favoured military with the shortage of officers in the army never having fallen below 11,000 for over a decade against a sanctioned strength of 46,615 personnel. The navy and the air force too face officer shortage but it is not as severe as in the 1.2 million strong army.
Senior defence officials cite expanding employment opportunities as the reason behind the shortage. But serving and retired officers say this is only part of the cause. The Services too have to take responsibility for lowering the military's image and overall standing in the country's order of precedence and preference, they point out.
“Standards and values have changed for the worse and the army is not impervious to the overall environment,” admits a retired Lieutenant General. Like the rest of society, India's military too is in the turbulent and unsettling throes of transition, he adds.
Serving army officers say the ‘rot' in service ethics has been steadily creeping into the Services. Till the 1980s, military officers were considered upright men, respected in society and eagerly sought after by parents as suitable match for their daughters. Retired military men talk nostalgically of the days when a mere note from the commanding officer on behalf of a jawan to the local authorities back in his village carried weight.
Those were the times when the esprit d' corps in the apolitical service was strong and invitations to riotous, albeit swinging, regimental officers' messes were much sought after. Salaries were low but the lifestyle was lavish in what was largely a gentleman's army.
Many officers were, in reality, eager boys trapped inside adult bodies seeking to indulge in passions like shikar, riding, polo and outdoor living and danger at state expense as expansive colonial traditions made military service not only respectable but attractive. From Independence till the third war with Pakistan in 1971, there was ample opportunity for such expansiveness.
And it was adequately vindicated, except for the disastrous 1962 war with China in which India came off badly. But in this instance, it was widely acknowledged that it was the political and not the military establishment that forced ignominy upon the country.
The flamboyance, bravery and tactical brilliance of all ranks in the three wars with Pakistan are well recorded and the subject of study in combat institutions around the world. It is rarely acknowledged even at home that in 1971, the Indian army single-handedly achieved what even the United States with all its mite and technical wizardry has not managed since World War II — it liberated a nation.
Politics was rarely, if at all, discussed by officers who, if passed over for promotion, retired gracefully, confident of their status in society. Promotions, the bane of the Services today, were merit-based and, by and large, fair with undeserving candidates, adhering to the Peter Principle and rarely ever crossing their limits of incompetence.
Army chiefs and senior commanders brooked no political interference in operational matters and were listened to with respect by the establishment. Asked by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to move into East Pakistan — later Bangladesh — in early 1971, General Sam Manekshaw — later Field Marshal — firmly told her that it would take at least 10 months before his force would be ready for combat.
“That” he declared, referring to Indira Gandhi's scheme of launching operations earlier “would present me with problems far more complex than what had been the bane of the German general staff for more than 50 years across two world wars. It would be unwise to rely on diplomatic assurances that the Chinese would not react in support of Pakistan. We must wait for the snow to block the northern passes.” Indira Gandhi listened and Bangladesh came into being in December that year.
In short, the olive green uniform enjoyed an exalted status it was soon to lose. Its professionalism and apolitical stance began to slowly unravel after the Third Pay Commission in the late 1970s when officer ranks were diluted, ostensibly to enhance career prospects, but their responsibilities reduced in inverse proportion to their promotions.
Periodic cadre reviews further led to a lopsided rank structure creating a situation where Lieutenant Generals among the seniormost army officers, and their equivalents in the navy and the air force, discharged duties previously performed by middle-ranking Colonels and half-colonels and similar ranks in the other two services.
Currently there are over 900 Brigadiers, some 290 Major Generals and 85-odd Lieutenant Generals, roughly around a third of who were replaced every two-three years due to retirement, promotion and other reasons.
Pressure on promotions in the pyramid-like structure also meant that most served between 12-18 months in these higher ranks leaving them little time to effect any meaningful change in the overall command and control structure.
The cadre re-assessment was the moment for which politicians and civil servants had long been waiting. Having always looked upon the military with suspicion after independence and gazing nervously at Pakistan's experience, they were simply waiting for an opportunity to gain ascendancy over the Services.
Incidentally, this inherent misgiving and fear of the military persists, adversely manifesting itself in the non-appointment of a Chief of Defence staff, despite ministerial commissions and review and parliamentary committees stressing the need for such an officer in a nuclear weapon state and for an expanding military power with possible out-of-area responsibilities.
Sadly, many senior officers actively contributed to this negative state of affairs by seeking political and bureaucratic patronage for career enhancement whilst in service and for lucrative sinecures after retirement. Consequently, over years the military's standing deteriorated, reaching the unbelievable stage where it was selectively included in the “security loop.”
The Service chiefs, for instance, were told about the multiple 1998 Shakti tests at Pokhran just hours before they occurred; and that too as insurance against any “adverse reaction” from neighbouring Pakistan. In the intervening period thereafter, the military has been dealt a limited hand in maintaining India's strategic deterrence.
In another shocker, the military, particularly the army, was also unaware of India's cache of chemical weapons stored at various Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratories across the country that were destroyed under the global Chemicals Weapon Convention some years ago.
In conclusion, a large number of military officers concur that India's Mughal-like army, with an inordinately high teeth-to-tail ratio, faces a serious crisis of confidence which simply refuses to abate even as it is increasingly employed not only in counter-insurgency operations, flood and drought relief but also to battle mosquitoes threatening the Commonwealth Games athletes' village.
For, besides struggling against the slew of corruption charges, lopsided promotions and un-equitable pensions, the military also faces ad hoc equipping policies determined and dominated by ill-informed politicians and civil servants, as it grapples desperately to reorder and modernise itself within a nuclear weapon state. But that, as they say, is a far longer and complex saga.
(Rahul Bedi is New Delhi-based defence analyst.)
Indian Army-Desperate to re-order and modernise
Friday, June 4, 2010
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to overtake India’s
03/06/2010
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to overtake India’s: SIPRI
"Our conservative estimates are that Pakistan has sixty warheads and could produce 100 nuclear weapons at short notice. In comparison India had also 60 to 70 nuclear warheads," the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said. Pakistan has 60 nuclear warheads and with two new plutonium reactors nearing completion in Khusab, its weapons grade plutonium production will jump seven-fold, according to latest figures released by Swedish institute.
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to overtake India’s
VAIDYANATHAN K IYER says:
Thursday, 03 June 2010 23:35:18
When on economic point of view Pak is like a begging country. The have not learnt any lesson from encouraging terrorism. As they sow they will reap is the proverb. It is eccentric that people are boasting about their capability to destructive weapons rather than constructive way of developing their nation. God alone should save their country which has got its own destruction on its head and exposing pompous living.
Nuclear Terrorism
Is Pakistan heading for Nuclear terrorism or is the country being taken over by Taliban type Terrorists alongwith the Nuclear assets. Pakistan style democracy is a fake and a farce. The world needs to see Pakistan's game plan in a holistic manner. The Chinese who are assisting them now are likely to see red soon!
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to overtake India’s: SIPRI
"Our conservative estimates are that Pakistan has sixty warheads and could produce 100 nuclear weapons at short notice. In comparison India had also 60 to 70 nuclear warheads," the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said. Pakistan has 60 nuclear warheads and with two new plutonium reactors nearing completion in Khusab, its weapons grade plutonium production will jump seven-fold, according to latest figures released by Swedish institute.
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to overtake India’s
VAIDYANATHAN K IYER says:
Thursday, 03 June 2010 23:35:18
When on economic point of view Pak is like a begging country. The have not learnt any lesson from encouraging terrorism. As they sow they will reap is the proverb. It is eccentric that people are boasting about their capability to destructive weapons rather than constructive way of developing their nation. God alone should save their country which has got its own destruction on its head and exposing pompous living.
Nuclear Terrorism
Is Pakistan heading for Nuclear terrorism or is the country being taken over by Taliban type Terrorists alongwith the Nuclear assets. Pakistan style democracy is a fake and a farce. The world needs to see Pakistan's game plan in a holistic manner. The Chinese who are assisting them now are likely to see red soon!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
NPT members agree to take early steps on nuclear- free Mideast
AP, May 29, 2010, 03.47am IST
UNITED NATIONS: The 189 member nations of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on Friday adopted a detailed plan of small steps down a long road toward nuclear disarmament, including a sharply debated proposal to move toward banning doomsday arms from the Middle East.
The 28-page Final Declaration was approved by consensus on the last day of the monthlong conference, convened every five years to review and advance the objectives of the 40-year-old NPT.
Under its action plan, the five recognized nuclear-weapon states - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - commit to speed up arms reductions, take other steps to diminish the importance of atomic weapons, and report back on progress by 2014.
The final document also calls for convening a conference in 2012 "on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction."
This Arab idea of a WMD-free zone is designed to pressure Israel to give up its undeclared nuclear arsenal. Despite the decision here, U.S. officials questioned whether Israel could be persuaded to attend the conference.
Iran and Syria had dissented loudly on various points in the final hours, but no objections were raised in the concluding session. After the declaration's approval, Iran's chief delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh joined with the others in hearty applause beneath the U.N. General Assembly hall's soaring dome.
"All eyes the world over are watching us," the conference president, Libran Cabactulan of the Philippines, said before gaveling the final document into the record.
The decision was "an important step forward towards the realization of the goals and objectives of the treaty," Egypt's Maged Abedelaziz said afterward, speaking for the 118-nation Nonaligned Movement of mainly developing countries.
"The final document this conference adopted today advances President Obama's vision" of a world without nuclear weapons, Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher told the assembled delegates.
The conference is convened twice a decade to review and advance the objectives of the 40-year-old NPT, under which nations without nuclear weapons committed not to acquire them; those with them committed to move toward their elimination; and all endorsed everyone's right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.
NPT members agree to take early steps on nuclear- free Mideast
UNITED NATIONS: The 189 member nations of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on Friday adopted a detailed plan of small steps down a long road toward nuclear disarmament, including a sharply debated proposal to move toward banning doomsday arms from the Middle East.
The 28-page Final Declaration was approved by consensus on the last day of the monthlong conference, convened every five years to review and advance the objectives of the 40-year-old NPT.
Under its action plan, the five recognized nuclear-weapon states - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - commit to speed up arms reductions, take other steps to diminish the importance of atomic weapons, and report back on progress by 2014.
The final document also calls for convening a conference in 2012 "on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction."
This Arab idea of a WMD-free zone is designed to pressure Israel to give up its undeclared nuclear arsenal. Despite the decision here, U.S. officials questioned whether Israel could be persuaded to attend the conference.
Iran and Syria had dissented loudly on various points in the final hours, but no objections were raised in the concluding session. After the declaration's approval, Iran's chief delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh joined with the others in hearty applause beneath the U.N. General Assembly hall's soaring dome.
"All eyes the world over are watching us," the conference president, Libran Cabactulan of the Philippines, said before gaveling the final document into the record.
The decision was "an important step forward towards the realization of the goals and objectives of the treaty," Egypt's Maged Abedelaziz said afterward, speaking for the 118-nation Nonaligned Movement of mainly developing countries.
"The final document this conference adopted today advances President Obama's vision" of a world without nuclear weapons, Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher told the assembled delegates.
The conference is convened twice a decade to review and advance the objectives of the 40-year-old NPT, under which nations without nuclear weapons committed not to acquire them; those with them committed to move toward their elimination; and all endorsed everyone's right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.
NPT members agree to take early steps on nuclear- free Mideast
Friday, February 19, 2010
Space Warfare: Sky's the limit
The Indian Express
Tags : DRDO, defence ministry, india
Posted: Tuesday , Feb 16, 2010 at 0201 hrs
Beijing’s dismissal of the DRDO’s claims that its missile technology is superior to that of China might provoke knee-jerk patriotism in Delhi. But no one in the world disputes that China is way ahead of India in missilery and military uses of space. By transferring missiles and their production technology, China has also put Pakistan ahead of India. Instead of acknowledging the reality and redoubling the effort to catch up, the DRDO is making extravagant claims. Take, for example, its head V.K. Saraswat’s claim that the Agni-III, with its 3000 km range, is ready for “induction” by the services. A weapons system inducted after just four tests including one failure? This is the kind of sanctimonious self-congratulation that the DRDO has doled out for decades. Because they wrap themselves in the flag, we are not supposed to ask questions, only clap. Saraswat has claimed that “there is no need to produce and store missiles in today’s world”. Really? China has more than 1000 missiles pointed at Taiwan; and is producing and deploying missiles in scores every year.
Sky's the limit
Comments
Still long way to go
By: MK Mohanty | 16-Feb-2010
In India, we always take too much pride in achievements that are already too late. Here all government organisations have no accountability and people ride to top just doing manipulations and politics. There is no investigation why projects are taking too much time and what the actual quality of products they develop. Instead people in name of patriotism just get proud and complacent. There are only a few people who are sincere and put to much effort to get whatever success they achieve, but they get hardly any recognition and reward for their achievements. Instead people who do not have any honest effort of professional integrity and those who only play blame-game and are active players of favouritism in terms of their language, race and political orientation get all the highlights. This is the culture we have in all spheres of our life and still we feel we are great of all civilisations. We've to still long way to go to understand what exactly is going on around us.
There is NO accountability in the whole system, be it scientists or politicians.
By: Jatin | 16-Feb-2010
In reality, India is great mainly those areas where independent verification is not possible; but in any other area of science-technology we are lagging far behind China and also slipping down fast compared to our own past (as per published data). There is NO accountability in the whole system, be it scientists or politicians. Whole system is crippled by nepotism and political interference.
Tags : DRDO, defence ministry, india
Posted: Tuesday , Feb 16, 2010 at 0201 hrs
Beijing’s dismissal of the DRDO’s claims that its missile technology is superior to that of China might provoke knee-jerk patriotism in Delhi. But no one in the world disputes that China is way ahead of India in missilery and military uses of space. By transferring missiles and their production technology, China has also put Pakistan ahead of India. Instead of acknowledging the reality and redoubling the effort to catch up, the DRDO is making extravagant claims. Take, for example, its head V.K. Saraswat’s claim that the Agni-III, with its 3000 km range, is ready for “induction” by the services. A weapons system inducted after just four tests including one failure? This is the kind of sanctimonious self-congratulation that the DRDO has doled out for decades. Because they wrap themselves in the flag, we are not supposed to ask questions, only clap. Saraswat has claimed that “there is no need to produce and store missiles in today’s world”. Really? China has more than 1000 missiles pointed at Taiwan; and is producing and deploying missiles in scores every year.
Sky's the limit
Comments
Still long way to go
By: MK Mohanty | 16-Feb-2010
In India, we always take too much pride in achievements that are already too late. Here all government organisations have no accountability and people ride to top just doing manipulations and politics. There is no investigation why projects are taking too much time and what the actual quality of products they develop. Instead people in name of patriotism just get proud and complacent. There are only a few people who are sincere and put to much effort to get whatever success they achieve, but they get hardly any recognition and reward for their achievements. Instead people who do not have any honest effort of professional integrity and those who only play blame-game and are active players of favouritism in terms of their language, race and political orientation get all the highlights. This is the culture we have in all spheres of our life and still we feel we are great of all civilisations. We've to still long way to go to understand what exactly is going on around us.
There is NO accountability in the whole system, be it scientists or politicians.
By: Jatin | 16-Feb-2010
In reality, India is great mainly those areas where independent verification is not possible; but in any other area of science-technology we are lagging far behind China and also slipping down fast compared to our own past (as per published data). There is NO accountability in the whole system, be it scientists or politicians. Whole system is crippled by nepotism and political interference.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Eye in the Sky killer satellites
Special Correspondent
DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat announced at the 97th Science Congress that India was developing a weapon that can destroy enemy satellites in low-earth orbit and polar orbit, denying enemy access to India's space assets.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is building the technology blocks needed to “neutralise” hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits, according to V.K. Saraswat, DRDO Director-General and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister.
These blocks are the kill vehicle that will bring down the adversarial satellites, long-range radars, communication systems, laser-based systems and imaging infra-red seekers which will give a complete picture of the satellite. They will be generated as part of the DRDO’s Ballistic Missile Defence Programme, which will reach “maturity in totality” in 2014, Dr. Saraswat said. He was addressing a press conference here on Sunday.
DRDO builds technology blocks to kill enemy satellites
Saturday, September 26, 2009
A bang and a fizzle: Nuclear yield not quantified remains a secret?
Admiral Sureesh Mehta, the chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, stated in his farewell press conference, “The tests were adequate. We believe whatever the scientists tell us. The scientists said the tests were enough and tested. We believe the scientists, as they provide us with nuclear capability.” Clearly, he accepted no responsibility for these weapon systems. This is uncharacteristic of military ethos where any weapons system that the services induct, whether imported or indigenous, is put by them through rigorous testing before acceptance. They are then accountable for the achievement of results. The services did not take the word of DRDO scientists in the case of the Trishul missile, which was finally rejected.
General Ved Malik, who was the army chief at the time of Pokhran-II, termed the recent revelations shocking and said that it affects the armed forces, because when they plan the task given to them they have to know what kind of yield each nuclear weapon has.
Unsaid in these comments by two former service chiefs is that they bear no responsibility for the reliability, safety and operational potential of these weapons systems. That is to be borne by the scientists — who, we see, have their differences. While this leaves India’s nuclear deterrence between two stools, the armed forces by their meek acceptance must also share responsibility.
Extract from:
A BANG AND A FIZZLE- Doubts about India’s nuclear deterrence may be well-founded- Brijesh D Jayal
General Ved Malik, who was the army chief at the time of Pokhran-II, termed the recent revelations shocking and said that it affects the armed forces, because when they plan the task given to them they have to know what kind of yield each nuclear weapon has.
Unsaid in these comments by two former service chiefs is that they bear no responsibility for the reliability, safety and operational potential of these weapons systems. That is to be borne by the scientists — who, we see, have their differences. While this leaves India’s nuclear deterrence between two stools, the armed forces by their meek acceptance must also share responsibility.
Extract from:
A BANG AND A FIZZLE- Doubts about India’s nuclear deterrence may be well-founded- Brijesh D Jayal
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Al-Qaeda seeking nuclear secrets from Pakistan: Holbrooke
Posted: Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 1748 hrs
Washington: Richard Holbrooke has said that Al-Qaeda may be seeking nuclear secrets from Pakistan
Al-Qaeda is trying to seek nuclear secrets from Pakistan and it remains as dangerous as ever, Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said on Wednesday.
"Al-Qaeda is still there in the region, ever dangerous and publicly asking people to attack the US and publicly asking nuclear engineers to give them nuclear secrets from Pakistan," Holbrooke said at a reception hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Afghanistan at the Capitol Hill.
Holbrooke? the point man of the Obama Administration for Afghanistan and Pakistan- said the US is not in Afghanistan to support the elections, but it is there for its own national interest and security. "We are not in Afghanistan for the election."
Al-Qaeda seeking nuclear secrets from Pakistan: Holbrooke
More Reading
Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
PLAYING IT CRISP- Is the Indian political class maturing in its dealings with the US? The Telegraph
Al-Qaeda is trying to seek nuclear secrets from Pakistan and it remains as dangerous as ever, Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said on Wednesday.
"Al-Qaeda is still there in the region, ever dangerous and publicly asking people to attack the US and publicly asking nuclear engineers to give them nuclear secrets from Pakistan," Holbrooke said at a reception hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Afghanistan at the Capitol Hill.
Holbrooke? the point man of the Obama Administration for Afghanistan and Pakistan- said the US is not in Afghanistan to support the elections, but it is there for its own national interest and security. "We are not in Afghanistan for the election."
Al-Qaeda seeking nuclear secrets from Pakistan: Holbrooke
More Reading
Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation and Security Issues
PLAYING IT CRISP- Is the Indian political class maturing in its dealings with the US? The Telegraph
Sunday, September 6, 2009
China continues to outmanoeuvre India
In an article published in the Telegraph newspaper on September 1, 2009, former Indian Foreign Secretary, Kanwal Sibal had warned about "strengthening suspicions that China will do everything possible to thwart India’s rise as a rival power," "its propensity to disregard agreements arbitrarily," and with India’s "diffident diplomacy", "China continues to outmanoeuvre India" politically: click me.
Two insightful essays have been published in the Far Eastern Economic Review of September 4, 2009 which focus on the deteriorating relations between India and China. One is by Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies at the privately funded Center for Policy Research in New Delhi. Titled, "India’s Growing China Angst": click me, it draws attention to the need for the world to take notice of authoritarian China’s aggressive intentions toward democratic India.
His concluding remarks sum up the gravity of the situation thus:
India can expect no respite from Chinese pressure. Whether Beijing actually sets out to teach India “the final lesson” by launching a 1962-style surprise war will depend on several calculations, including India’s defense preparedness to repel such an attack, domestic factors within China and the availability of a propitious international timing of the type the Cuban missile crisis provided 47 years ago. But if India is not to be caught napping again, it has to inject greater realism into its China policy by shedding self-deluding shibboleths, shoring up its deterrent capabilities and putting premium on leveraged diplomacy.
Why we should heed navy chief's warning on China
Two insightful essays have been published in the Far Eastern Economic Review of September 4, 2009 which focus on the deteriorating relations between India and China. One is by Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies at the privately funded Center for Policy Research in New Delhi. Titled, "India’s Growing China Angst": click me, it draws attention to the need for the world to take notice of authoritarian China’s aggressive intentions toward democratic India.
His concluding remarks sum up the gravity of the situation thus:
India can expect no respite from Chinese pressure. Whether Beijing actually sets out to teach India “the final lesson” by launching a 1962-style surprise war will depend on several calculations, including India’s defense preparedness to repel such an attack, domestic factors within China and the availability of a propitious international timing of the type the Cuban missile crisis provided 47 years ago. But if India is not to be caught napping again, it has to inject greater realism into its China policy by shedding self-deluding shibboleths, shoring up its deterrent capabilities and putting premium on leveraged diplomacy.
Why we should heed navy chief's warning on China
Friday, August 28, 2009
Indian armed forces confident about nuclear arsenal
The scientists said the tests were enough and tested. We believe the scientists. click meRajat Pandit, TNN 28 August 2009, 01:29am IST
Indian armed forces seem quite confident about the country's nuclear arsenal despite the controversy over the "yields'' of the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests, which included a 15 kiloton fission device, a 45 kiloton thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb) and three sub-kiloton devices.
Outgoing Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, also the chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, on Thursday said India had "a credible minimum nuclear deterrent" in line with its no-first use (NFU) policy.
"We are a nation which maintains a credible deterrent...more than enough to deter anybody, "said Admiral Mehta. And should someone do the unthinkable by launching a first-strike, then the "consequences will be more than what they can bear".
Asked about former DRDO scientist K Santhanam's statement that the hydrogen bomb tested during Pokhran-II was actually "a fizzle", Admiral Mehta said, "As far as we are concerned, scientists have given us a certain capability which is enough to provide requisite deterrence...the deterrent is tried and tested."
That may well be so but there are still some lingering doubts over whether India has a swift and assured second-strike capability, crucial for a country like India whose nuclear doctrine is centred around the NFU policy.
The doctrine, on its part, declares that nuclear retaliation to a first strike will be "massive and designed to inflict unacceptable damage". This connotes a robust stockpile of nuclear warheads, safe and ready for use if needed. Estimates indicate India's weapons-grade plutonium stockpile is enough for 80-90 warheads at present.
Pakistan, on its part, has deliberately kept its nuclear policy ambiguous in the belief it deters India from undertaking any conventional military action against it.
Moreover, recent reports indicate Pakistan has pressed the throttle to enhance its arsenal much beyond 60 nuclear warheads as well as supplement its ongoing enriched uranium-based nuke programme with a weapons-grade plutonium one.
But more than the actual number of nuclear warheads, the worry of the Indian armed forces has been the gap in their delivery systems. Pakistan, for instance, is well ahead in the missile arena, borrowing as it has heavily from China and North Korea.
China, with its long-range ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) and SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), is in a different league altogether. Its road-mobile DF-31A missile, for instance, can hit targets 11,200 km away, while JL-2 SLBM has a reach beyond 7,200 km.
India, of course, has no ICBM or SLBM. While it's developing the 3,500-km Agni-III and 5,000-km Agni-V ballistic missiles, the only missiles available to armed forces as of now are Prithvi (150 to 350-km range), Agni-I (700-km) and Agni-II (2,500-km). But they, too, have not undergone the rigorous testing nuclear-capable missiles should undergo.
IAF has some fighters like Mirage-2000s jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons but the Strategic Forces Command has no dedicated bombers. Similarly, Navy has only two "dual-tasked'' warships armed with Dhanush (variant of Prithvi with a 330-km range) missiles, INS Subhadra and INS Suvarna.
Moreover, the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant, which was launched on July 26, will take at another two to three years to become fully operational. And it will be equipped only with 700-km range missiles to begin with.
Indian armed forces confident about nuclear arsenal
Armed forces will need Chief of Defence Staff in future: Mehta
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta today said the present system of having a chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) was working fine but the armed forces would need the services of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as they move towards a larger strategic setup.
"Within the existing limitations, it (COSC system) is working fine.. but in the due course of time as we go on to have a larger strategic set up, we will certainly need a CDS," he told reporters here. "It would be difficult for one of the services chiefs to devote so much of time," he added.
PTI: Armed forces will need Chief of Defence Staff in future: Mehta
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