NB Security Scan 10: NIA Raids on PFI, India's SCO Leadership, and Pakistan a failed state
The Central security NIA and the ED has to be complemented for having carried out investigation and arrested persons before they could resort to fresh violence / acts of terror.
NewsBharati 24-Sep-2022 12:34:27 PM
Total Views |
This article is a summary of important events that have taken place in last one week affecting, India's national security . Attempt has also been made to analyze these events and recommend certain specific actions that can be undertaken by us.
INTERNAL SECURITY
NIA Raids PFI At 93 Locations Across 15 States
In a major crackdown against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the NIA and the ED conducted raids from 20-22 sep at 93 locations across 15 states and arrested 106 activists of the outfit for supporting terror activities. Crackdown was closely monitored by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Home Minster. In near-simultaneous raids, the multi-agency operation was the “largest-ever investigation process till date”. The maximum arrests were made in Kerala (22), followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka with 20 each.
Nature of terrorism is changing. Now instead of bomb blast and gun attacks it is violence to scare the society and blocking roads to damage the economy. The PFI has been inciting violence at many places in the country. The proof has to be collected painstakingly by the investigation Agencies and put up in the court so that the guilty will be punished. However this will be a long drawn affair.
The Central security NIA and the ED has to be complemented for having carried out investigation and arrested persons before they could resort to fresh violence / acts of terror.
Indian Coast Guard rescues 19 crew members
"Within minutes of receipt of the distress call from the vessel, MRCC Mumbai swung into action. Two Coast Guard Ships- ICGS Sujeet and ICGS Apoorva- were diverted to casualty ship saving lives.
Complements to Indian coast guard for saving 19 lives at sea.
Punjab: 100 Sorties By Drones From Pakistan In Just 1 Year, 7 Shot Down
Instead of their earlier strategy of airdropping contraband in open fields or near roadsides from where it was collected by Indian smugglers, Pakistani drone nowadays airdrop illegal consignments either on the rooftop of a house or near it to avoid the attention of security forces.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann came under attack on Monday from opposition Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal that alleged a man reportedly “drunk and deplaned” from a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt the day before was him, a charge AAP denied.
Pakistan has been using drones to smuggle drugs into Punjab which is badly affected by Narco terrorism. This has to stop. Security forces especially BSF haven't found adequate response to stop drug smuggling. Solution will have to be found at the earliest. Use of anti aircraft defence systems, deploying anti drone systems or by physically shooting down drones will have to be done.
The border area population will also have to be educated as to how the drugs are destroying youth of Punjab. There should be a zero tolerance for use of drugs.
The Army is looking to shed its colonial past
The Army is going to shed its colonial past, including Uniforms & accoutrements like lanyard (shoulder cord), Names of infantry regiments like Sikh, Gorkha, Jat, Rajput.
In an internal discussion , the Adjutant General of the Army will review the prevailing customs, old practices, regulations and policies. The matter would be debated threadbare before any changes are executed.
Units, establishments and institutes of colonial past are also on the review list, so are the names of buildings, roads and parks after the names of British commanders. The meeting will also touch upon the pre-Independence theatre honours or battle honours awarded by the British to quell dissent by Indian states. Several Indian Army units have battle honours to mark the Anglo-Sikh wars, Anglo-Maratha wars and the Anglo-Gorkha wars.
Last year while addressing the Combined Commanders Conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid emphasis on the indigenisation of doctrines, procedures and customs in the armed forces. He had advised the three services to “rid themselves of legacy systems and practices that have outlived their utility and relevance”.
Early this month, Indian Navy, unveiled a naval ensign which draws inspiration from Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. Following the inauguration of Kartavya Path, Rajpath, a ‘symbol of slavery’, had been consigned to history. The symbolism of these steps initiated by India which has overtaken its former ruler Britain to become the world’s fifth largest economy is for everybody to see. Now, the Army has set the ball rolling for doing away with colonial practices as well as names of units and regiments.
British shaped the Indian Army on the bedrock of a regimental system and marshalled its forces to fight for the Empire in the First and Second World Wars. However, India’s glorious martial tradition predates the Raj, as shown by legendary warriors of the Sikh and Maratha empires. Due recognition of this legacy is needed.
Well-considered removal of remnants of its colonial past is a logical step for India that is carving a place for itself as important power. The Army, has a central role to play in making a clean break with antiquated customs. Shedding the colonial burden, by the army is vital to bolster national pride and honour.
Army Day Parade won’t be in Capital
For the first time, the Army Day Parade (January 15) to move out of Delhi and is likely to be held in the Southern Command. Army Day is celebrated to mark the appointment of India’s first commander-in-chief after Independence.
Army Day parade show cases Indian Army’s might and gives confidence to citizens that the security of the country is in safe hands. It should therefore be held in different parts of the country so that all parts of the country feel confident about the capabilities of their Army.This will make the event more inclusive to all Indians.
EXTERNAL SECURITY
Vandalisation Of Hindu Religious Places And Symbols In UK
Communal trouble has been brewing in Leicester city of the UK since August 28 following the India-Pakistan cricket match held in Dubai. The UK police’s failure to nip the recurring violence caused the tension to escalate into hate-filled communal clashes as protesting mobs took to the streets. India took a serious note of the issue. The Indian High Commission in London has condemned the violence and vandalisation of Hindu religious places and symbols.
The outbreak of disorder, the intimidation and violence unleashed have shocked the Indian community. In fact, the cricket match just happens to be a trigger for this latest bout of religious fanatism. With a huge diaspora from both India and Pakistan having chosen the UK as their new home, communal tensions arising out of provocative and extreme ideological stands taken by hardliners have been simmering for years. The British generally tend to brush it under the carpet. That the Muslims have the demographic advantage and comprises a sizeable vote bank, has often led the British political parties to appease them .The British police have ignored’ the complaints due to ‘Muslim vote banks’.
The most reprehensible manifestation of this is a study that shows that Pakistani gangs of men have been grooming Sikh girls in the UK for sexual abuse for decades and that the police have ‘recklessly ignored’ the complaints due to ‘political correctness’(Tribune-22 Sep).
Stern diplomatic message has to be given to the United Kingdom reminding them about their duty to protect Indian who are residing in UK.
Decision on Nepali Gorkhas recruitment under Agnipath scheme
Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande said that India may be forced to withdraw vacancies for enlisting soldiers from Nepal under its new Agnipath scheme if Nepal does not take a decision soon.
It is in the interest of Nepali citizens to get recruited in Indian Army's Gorkha Regiment.If they are not happy with the Agnipath scheme then the recruitment from Nepal should be stopped, as adequate suitable recruits are available inside India.
COUNTERING AF PAK: PAKISTAN - A FAILED STATE
IS gets active in Northern Afghanistan; Moscow upset with Pakistan
"Fighters of international terrorist organizations, including those from the CIS countries, have become active on the territory of Afghanistan. There are 400 fighters of the Islamic State in the northern provinces of Afghanistan, with the purpose of committing terrorist acts and attacks on civilian and military targets," Russia has said.
India takes on the SCO presidency
"Today's era isn't of war and I have spoken to you about it," PM Modi said during talks with the Russian President on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
"I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, your concerns... We will do our best to end this as soon as possible," Putin told Modi.
As India takes on the SCO presidency, it will be confronted with the common problems among members, that includes a severe climate crisis, including energy and food security, require cooperation on the ground, SCO’s founding documents also has a focus on ending terrorism,though that did not prevent China from blocking terrorist designations of Pakistani nationals. But there is a genuine fear of radicalisation among SCO countries. Iran will attend the SCO as a full member from the Summit to be hosted by India in 2023.
Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure has been useful to create a unified register of terrorist and extremist organisations whose activities will be prohibited on the territories of the SCO member countries. For India, the year ahead will be full of opportunities. But for that to happen, it is China that has to decide what it wants the SCO to be.
Myanmar Gang Holds Over 300 Indians Hostage,Forces Them Into Cybercrime
These people are being held hostage by the gang in an area that is not under the control of the Myanmar government and is dominated by ethnic armed groups.A gang from Myanmar has forced over 300 Indians into cybercrime, People from few other countries are also among the hostages.
300 Indians are being held in Myanmar and being forced to work for cybercriminals is terrible. But it could get worse.Some of the hostages have been able to send out messages to their families in India. They said their captors were Malaysian Chinese’.
These Indians need to be rescued.
Many Indians prefer to go to dangerous countries to make money without considering their security. They are helped in this by unscrupulous NGOs, Institutions, agents who help them to get a job there. These Indians start asking for help only when there in a difficult situation.
All NGOs promising jobs outside the country should be checked for there genuineness. These NGOs, agents should be held accountable if things go wrong. They must be punished if required.
Similarly Indians going abroad also need to understand that rescuing them from badly governed countries, terrorists, pirates is not easy.
Despite the above mentioned points, Indian government must make all out effort to get the distressed Indians back from Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries.
Vladimir Putin Setbacks As Evidence Of The Irrationality Of War
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a partial troop mobilisation marks an acknowledgement of the limits of his “special military operation” in Ukraine and a readiness to escalate the conflict in response to setbacks.
His original plan was to meet his military objectives through a limited war. He had mobilized more than 1,50,000 troops and ordered a sharp thrust into Ukraine from multiple fronts on February 24, but this plan did not quite work as Ukrainian forces, backed militarily and economically by the U.S. and Europe, slowed down the enemy’s advances and made the invasion costly for the Russians.
Earlier, Mr. Putin had to withdraw troops from around Kyiv and Kharkiv and focus on Ukraine’s east and south where the Russians made territorial gains. But Russia suffered its first major battlefield defeats earlier this month in Kharkiv Oblast in the northeast where its troops had to retreat in the face of a lightning Ukrainian counter-offensive. This setback seemed to have quickened Kremlin’s move to consolidate its positions in captured Ukrainian territories.
Putin, went into Ukraine with limited forces because he knew that a general mobilization, which would need nationwide conscription, could be unpopular. But almost eight months later, his war has not only failed to meet its declared objectives, which includes Ukraine’s “demilitarization”, but has also seen a reinvigorated NATO throwing its collective weight behind Ukraine and expanding itself further into the Russian borders by taking in Finland and Sweden as its members.
Mr. Putin believes escalation is the way forward. But there is no certainty that a partial mobilization would produce quick results and it could well trigger a cycle of escalation. This means that the war is entering a far more dangerous phase.
Some Other Important Events
After 3 decades J&K get cinema halls open up at places like Pulwama and Shopian.
Government has linked and simplified 58 RTO services based on Aadhar Card details which will simplify the life of a common Indian.
India has raised the issue of Human Rights violation by Sri Lanka against the Tamil's in that country at the UN. It obviously was to put pressure on Sri Lanka for permitting Chinese spy ship at Sri Lanka harbor despite security concerns raised by India.
India is estimated to have gained Rs 35,000 crore by importing Russian crude at discounts since the Ukraine conflict began in February. India went on bargain hunting for Russian crude as the conflict prompted Moscow’s traditional buyers to shun those barrels and traders, stuck with shipments, started offering big discounts. India has opted to import crude from Russia despite pressure from developed nations to shun shipments in the wake of Moscow’s decision to attack Ukraine. India has emerged as the second-largest buyer of Russian crude after China. Russian oil accounts for 12% of the country’s total oil purchase against less than 1% before the war. In July, Russia became India’s second largest oil supplier, relegating Saudi Arabia to the third spot.
China is conducting mass DNA testing in Tibet to create a Biological database to monitor Tibetan people. This is unethical.
Will they permit similar data base for Han Chinese?
With ₹19,500-Crore PLI Plan, Sun Shines On Solar Cell Units
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a ₹19,500-crore scheme to incentivize manufacturing of domestic solar cell modules to reduce the industry’s reliance on China-made panels. This would bring in a direct investment of around ₹94,000 crore, directly employ about 1,95,000 and indirectly around 7,80,000 persons. It would save India close to ₹1.37 trillion in imports.
Chinese economy Slowing down and down
China is slashing interest rates even as the world economies tighten their monetary policy to curb inflation.
To make matters worse, the Chinese economy has been hit by a double whammy with irrational Covid-zero lockdowns impacting the supply side and the real estate, plagued with defaulters and incomplete projects, denting the demand side.
Consequently, a unique problem has surfaced — that of rotting and expiring food items.Desperate retailers now offer canned meat, beverages, and other snacks nearing expiration at throwaway prices.
The economic slowdown is reflected in the non-perishable items as well. Retailers dealing in home appliances are now complaining of inflated inventories and declining revenues.
For most retailers, the pre-2010 boom, where the annual growth exceeded 10 per cent, is now history.
Beyond the protests by the homeowners, declining credit growth, and reduction in the issuance of dollar - dominated bonds by developers, the pressure is now mounting on local and provincial governments, given the fall of private players.
Thus, China, through local government financing vehicles (LGFVs), is now picking up land across the country to aid local governments.
On other economic fundamentals, China continues to falter. In Shanghai, in, the overall retail sales and the food, beverages, and hotel industries suffered more in 2022 compared to 2020.
Excavator sales were down by 63 per cent year-on-year, indicating a general slowdown in the construction industry. The area under new construction is the lowest in seven years, approaching levels last seen in 2009.
If Beijing gets lucky, they may hit the 4 per cent mark, but market forecasts are placing their bets on 3.5 per cent growth.
As President Xi Jinping prepares to begin a lifetime term in a few weeks, the golden age of double-digit Chinese growth is coming to an end. Desperate times ahead for China, giving tremendous opportunities to India to catch up.
WATCH:
BRIG Hemant Mahajan
Passionate writer on National Security related issues, Brig Hemant Mahajan YSM (Retd) is M Sc, M Phil in Defence Studies. He joined IMA Dehradun in July 1973 and passed out as a Commissioned Officer on 15 June 1975. He was commissioned into 7 MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY. He has served extensively in Counter Insurgency Operations in Insurgency and Terrorist prone areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and North East and has taken part in all important operations undertaken by the Army since 1975.
Brig Hemant Mahajan served in Jammu & Kashmir, in the deserts of Rajasthan, in Super High Altitude areas of Kargil and Leh, forward areas of Arunachal Pradesh. He was deployed in Punjab in ‘Operation Avert’. He was also involved in maintaining peace post ‘Operation Bluestar’ days in Punjab in the worst affected district of Gurdaspur, Taran Taran and Amritsar.He served in the areas of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Siliguri and Sikkim. He commanded his battalion 7 MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY in Operation Rakshak in the most difficult areas of Poonch and Rajouri during the times of highest militancy. His unit was responsible for stopping terrorists from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir. His unit was awarded Unit Citation, 18 gallantry awards including YSM (gallantry) for the officer.