#SecurityScan 64: Hamas War's Lessons For India and much more
Priorities of the nation changed from security & survival to LGBTQ movement, divisive society and local politics. Dependent more on technology, the policy of boots on ground was put on the back burner.
NewsBharati 31-Oct-2023 13:01:18 PM
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This article is a summary of important security events that have taken place in last one week affecting
India's national security
Hamas War- Lessons For India
Correct analysis of enemy strength is a constant challenge . Israel failed to assess Hamas, its capability and intentions, overestimated its own capability.
Enemy will always use innovative methods
Innovative tactics by Hama ie use of hand gliders, dozers, three wheelers etc, Innovative use of drones
Long time for preparation and training on the exact replica of target paid rich dividends.
Technology not Supreme, man behind Technology equally important.
Wrong decisions taken by liberals in the past like vacating Gaza proved disastrous.
Keeping pace with changing Technology is very important.
Political turmoil on local agendas changed 4 govt in 2 years.
Complacency of Israel govt, people, armed forces & Intelligence agencies proved costly.
Priorities of the nation changed from security & survival to LGBTQ movement, divisive society and local politics.
Dependent more on technology, the policy of boots on ground was put on the back burner.
En will surprise you
Dynamics and dimensions of warfare are rapidly changing with the tech changes. Everything is possible, plausible in War. If anything needs to be learned from this Israeli failure, it is that India needs to be doubly alert.
We are surrounded by Pakistan and China. No soft peddling when dealing with known terrorists and their organizations. All known terrorist camps, terrorists should be destroyed.
If you haven't had a war for many years, don't assume the enemy has disappeared into thin air, he is lurking around, looking for your soft belly to hit.
Total dependence on technology is not security, alert foot soldiers on ground are important.
If you had no war, stop thinking soldiers are a drain on your exchequer, they may not be financially productive but they are assets protectors.
No amount of new weapons will help, it is always the man behind the gun who wins war.
Lasting peace is possible only by being militarily superior, ever alert and combat ready.
Negotiating & expecting peace with those who have terror in mind can prove to be very costly.
Destroy terror using all means & if necessary with force. That's the only permanent solution.
Internal conflict, political instability, doubts about your own policies and confusion among leaders & upper hierarchy invites disaster.
Keep your hand firmly gripped on a superior weapon and do not hesitate to pre-empt the enemy move.
No First Attack" / "No First Use" doctrine emboldens the enemy .
LASTLY REMEMBER, IT'S NOT THE MACHINE BUT THE MAN BEHIND THE MACHINE WHO WILL SAVE THE DAY AND WIN THE WARS FOR INDIA .
Indian External Security
Central agencies suspect 70 terrorists entered India with fake passports
The Central Intelligence Agency suspects terrorists invaded India using forged passports. A group of 70 persons suspected of being terrorists crossed the Nepalese border and entered India.
Outlawed terrorist organizations including Inter-Services Intelligence and Jamaat ul Mujahideen Bangladesh are among the infiltrators.
Most border locations are now guarded by barbed wire, but there may be rare invasions.
Entry into Pakistan is nearly difficult. As a result, criminals are infiltrating via the Nepal border.
Various security organizations from different centers were involved in locating the intruders, according to National Investigation Agency sources.
Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other central security authorities conducted searches in West Bengal and Sikkim and discovered links to fake passport centers.
India ramps up border drone defense after Hamas attack on Israel
India is bolstering its border security by establishing a comprehensive surveillance system using drones to deter surprise attacks, similar to those experienced in Israel by Hamas. Defense officials in India recently met with six domestic drone surveillance vendors, and an official announcement is expected next month, with implementation in some border areas as early as May. This initiative is a response to ongoing tensions with neighboring China and Pakistan, particularly in the Himalayan region.
Cross-border firing stops along IB in Jammu, border dwellers start returning home
The official said two BSF personnel and a woman were injured on Thursday night and have been hospitalized. One jawan has been shifted to the GMC Hospital in Jammu. They have been identified as Basavraj SR, who hails from Karnataka, and Sher Singh. The woman has been identified as Rajni Bala of Arnia. Pakistan Rangers had fired 82 and 120 mm mortar shells and used heavy machine guns, triggering fear among the border dwellers.
Need to bolster India's security apparatus, says Rajnath Singh near LAC
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the need to strengthen India's security apparatus through indigenous production of defense equipment during a visit to military posts in Arunachal Pradesh. Singh interacted with troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control and celebrated Dussehra with them, performing a traditional weapon worship ceremony. He highlighted the armed forces' valor and commitment as a key factor in India's growing stature on the international stage.
Only 10 local youths joined militancy in 2023
The Director General of Police in Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbagh Singh, has stated that only 10 local youths joined militant ranks in 2023, a significant decrease from the 110 who joined the previous year. Singh called on militants to give up violence and return to mainstream society. He emphasized that the goal is not to kill militants, but rather to encourage them to lead normal lives.
Need to remain proactive, self-reliant to keep India safe: Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande
Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande referenced the ongoing border tensions between India and China in eastern Ladakh and assured that the situation in the area is stable. He also took the opportunity to urge the armed forces to stay proactive when it comes to addressing national security challenges. He also highlighted the importance of modern technology in the Indian Army and drew on the lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Focus on strengthening India's air defence systems: Rajnath Singh to top IAF commanders
In his address, Rajnath Singh emphasised on the need to enhance operational preparedness and highlighted the importance of joint planning and execution of operations by the three services. The defence ministry said he urged the IAF commanders to examine the rapidly changing global geo-political situation and assess them in the Indian context. He pointed out that new trends have emerged in the field of air warfare and there is a need to analyse and learn from them to strengthen its defence preparedness.
Indian Army foils infiltration bid along LoC in Kupwara
Army troops on Thursday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. "In a Joint Operation launched by #IndianArmy, @JKmrPolice & Intelligence agencies on 26 Oct 23, an infiltration bid has been foiled by alert troops along the #LoC in #Kupwara sector," Srinagar based Chinar Corps of the army said in a post on X. It said the operation was in progress.
India considers sending Armenia more weapons
A senior Armenian official visited Delhi recently and held discussions in this regard. India has emerged as a credible weapons supplier as per Armenia's requirements. Details of fresh supplies are not known yet but the consignment could include equipment that would help to create a deterrence amid the conflict-like situation with Azerbaijan, according to observers in Armenia.
Land warfare will remain 'extremely important' in India's case: Army chief
Talking about India's rising global profile, Gen Pande said India will continue to play a key role in the Indo-Pacific region. "With the enhanced stature, we will have additional responsibilities and with this we will have certain challenges to encounter," he said. The Chief of Army Staff said "In all of this, we need to remain proactive rather than responding or reacting. We should be able to shape our strategies."
Two fuel tanks of Kiran aircraft jettison due to malfunction on Lucknow outskirts, no one injured
"During a routine training mission, due to an apparent systems malfunction, two drop tanks got jettisoned from a Kiran aircraft of IAF this afternoon, near Bakshi Ka Talab airfield. "The damaged drop tanks were recovered by the search party of the IAF along with civil police. The drop tanks fell in a barren field and there was no injury or loss of life or property on the ground," the statement said.
US military expresses concerns over China's reckless aerial maneuvers over South China Sea
In a recent encounter, the US military has reported a dangerously close encounter between a US B-52 bomber and a Chinese fighter jet which came within 10 feet of each other. The US military has deemed the action unsafe and unprofessional by the US military. This incident is part of a series of close encounters between Chinese and US aircraft in the South China Sea, with China asserting its sovereignty over the region.
Countering Chinese Multidomain War
China chases US & Russia guided-missile sub capabilities with new vessels
Reuters revealed in May 2022 that satellite images from Huludao shipyard in northeast China showed a new or upgraded class of submarine, possibly with vertical tubes for launching cruise missiles.
China sacks missing defence chief Li Shangfu with no explanation
US-sanctioned general’s fall follows weeks of speculation over his absence from public view since August
State television also reported that Li and former foreign minister Qin Gang have been removed as state councilors
William Zheng Jane Cai Jack Lau - China’s ex-foreign minister Qin Gang stripped of last remaining state title
Qin is no longer state councilor, the Standing Committee of China’s top legislative body has announced, without offering details
Move is a fresh blow for a once-rising political star who has not been seen in public for four months.
Denmark has been 'naive' on China and now seeks to 'de-risk,' PM says
Mette Frederiksen says she aims to strengthen partnerships with nations like Japan
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her country plans to strengthen partnerships with countries like Japan as it seeks to "de-risk" its relations with China.
"We have been too naive when it comes to being too dependent [on China]," Frederiksen told Nikkei Asia in an exclusive interview in Tokyo on Tuesday. "We have to be really aware of what's going on, and I would like Europe to produce more needed technology on our own ground."
China-Australia thaw reveals limits of Beijing's economic coercion
Ahead of Albanese's first China visit, relaxation of punitive trade measures proves Xi will not sacrifice economy for politics
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Beijing on November 4, a trip that in any ordinary year would attract little notice outside of the two countries.
But these are no ordinary times, and Albanese's visit will be on the radar of many capitals, not least Washington and Tokyo, which track intently the interactions of their allies and partners with Beijing.
The Australian city key to US plan to counter China
The Australian government has announced it's moving hundreds more troops to Darwin and other northern cities, and it has also promised a large chunk of its new defence budget will go towards fortifying the region.
While the US has historically focussed on Guam, Hawaii or Okinawa, it too is now pouring money into Australia.
It already operates year-round at the Pine Gap spy base outside Alice Springs in central Australia, and has since 2011 been sending annual rotations of US Marines - this year some 2,500 of them - to the Northern Territory (NT), where Darwin is located.
But in recent years it has promised about $2bn for base upgrades and new facilities. In Darwin, that includes a mission planning and operations center and 11 jet fuel storage tanks. A couple of hours south - at the Tindal air base - storage hangers for nuclear-capable bomber planes and a huge ammunition bunker will be built.
Sunak draws up plans for more arrests at ‘jihad’ pro-Palestinian rallies
No 10 will ‘clarify’ guidance to police after criticism. Rishi Sunak has declared that chants of “jihad” at protests were a threat to British democracy as plans were drawn up to make sure extremists are arrested at future rallies.
The prime minister said that the government would “clarify” guidance given to police after Scotland Yard faced criticism for declining to arrest protesters at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday.
He insisted that police officers already have the power to arrest those who incite violence or racial hatred and said these should be used to detain people who called for “jihad” against Israel at the rally.
UK Navy to replace Chinese servants for security reasons
Officials fear threats to families in China could force laundrymen to reveal secrets
The Royal Navy is ending its century-old tradition of having Chinese servants on warships amid fears that they could be forced to spy for Beijing.
Hundreds of Chinese laundrymen have worked on Britain’s warships since the 1930s, with most hired from Hong Kong to wash and press sailor’s uniforms and officers’ white tablecloths.
Nepalese Gurkhas will replace them due to fears that Beijing could threaten the servants’ families in China to make those on board ships pass on Royal Navy secrets, The Sun has reported.
The Corporate Retreat From Hong Kong Is Accelerating
The commercial hub’s ties to mainland China, which global companies once considered an asset, have become a liability
International companies began trickling out of Hong Kong a few years back, uneasy about the financial hub’s tightening ties to mainland China. That first smattering of departures is now turning into a broad retreat involving banks, investment firms and technology companies.
The number of U.S. companies operating in the city has fallen for four years in a row, by Hong Kong’s count, hitting 1,258 in June 2022, the fewest since 2004. Last year, mainland Chinese companies with regional headquarters in Hong Kong outnumbered American ones for the first time in at least three decades.
The Enemies of Freedom Are Deadlier Than Ever-Western liberal ideas aren’t guaranteed to prevail, and comforting myths breed complacency.
Central to the West’s idea of its modern historic supremacy has been the comforting myth that we have prevailed because of the superiority of our ideas.
Might in the end can’t overcome right, we think. The brute force of tyranny and totalitarian terror can succeed for a while—even a long while—but eventually, the human yearning for freedom and justice has an inescapable logic. It is not so much that right will always overcome might, as that being “right” confers on us a power that is mightier than any dictator could ever muster.
Israel-Hamas conflict:
Israeli troops launch brief ground raid into Gaza ahead of expected wider incursion
The Israeli military, which accuses Hamas of operating among civilians, said its strikes killed militants and destroyed military targets. Gaza militants have fired unrelenting rocket barrages into Israel since the conflict started. During the overnight raid, the military said soldiers struck fighters, militant infrastructure and anti-tank missile launching positions. There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side.
Israel: From the six-day war to the six-front war
If Israel is asking its best allies to help the Jewish state seek justice in Gaza while also asking them to look the other way as Israel builds a settlement kingdom in the West Bank with the expressed goal of annexation, that is strategically and morally incoherent.
Israel Says Navy Stops Hamas Divers From Infiltrating South
Israeli naval forces attacked Hamas divers attempting to enter one of its evacuated southern communities by sea on Tuesday, the army spokesman’s office said.
Kan TV said the divers entered the water through a tunnel that took them from land directly into the ocean in order to avoid notice. Ynet said two divers were killed. The army said searches were being carried out to ensure there were no divers who managed to slip by the security forces.
Israel-Hamas war shows the formidable power of narrative
Democratic governments need to build societal resilience to manipulation
Unconventional warfare like we have seen recently with Hamas' attack on Israel is led by disinformation and a quest to dominate the narrative. These are integrated into physical operations, into asymmetric warfare, into terrorism and into information warfare. The strategy begins before hostilities start and seeks to set the agenda for leaders and their publics, their militaries and geopolitics.
The Hamas tunnel city beneath Gaza - a hidden frontline for Israel
Israeli ground troops in Gaza are expected to encounter an extensive Hamas tunnel network, stretching hundreds of kilometers in length and descending up to 80 meters deep. One former hostage described it as a "spider's web," while an expert likened it to the "Viet Cong times 10." These tunnels serve various purposes, including attack, smuggling, storage, and operational activities, with different types of tunnels found beneath the 360-square-kilometer coastal strip and its borders.
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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.