#SecurityScan 30: Quad's Cyber Challenge, Wagner Group and more
It is increasingly urgent that the United States and Japan strengthen the strategic foundations of their partnerships with the Philippines, highlight the mutual benefits of working together, and assess the role of trilateral cooperation in regional security.
NewsBharati 11-Feb-2023 18:10:29 PM
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This article is a summary of important events that have taken place in last one week affecting, India's national security.
Will give appropriate response to any aggression: Army Commander on LAC situation
On the steps taken for improving the life of soldiers and local residents of Ladakh, he said special clothing in seven layers and mountaineering equipment are being indigenised to increase the capability of soldiers in high altitude areas (HAA). "The study of Intermittent Oxygen Inhalation, has been initiated with an aim to improve the overall health conditions in acclimatisation of combat soldiers, deployed for more than one year in HAA," he said.
Indian Army dispatches medical team to earthquake-hit Turkey
The medical team comprises critical care specialists. The contingent includes orthopaedic surgical teams, general surgical specialist team and medical specialist teams apart from others.
Rajnath Singh to host Defence Ministers' conclave at Aero India
Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India), in Defence sector, the release said it aims to increasing indigenous defence manufacturing and production capability to develop a self-sufficient defence ecosystem; involving likeminded nations in developing a reliable supply chain free of exploitation and disruptions by certain players.
Over 83,000 posts vacant in Central Armed Police Forces: Govt
"The current number of vacancies as on January 1, 2023 in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles are 83,127 against total sanctioned strength of 10,15,237," Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Pakistan using narco-terrorism as new tool for proxy war:
Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, the General-officer-Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) of the army's Northern Command, said the neighbouring country is sending drugs and weapons through drones in an attempt to disrupt the social fabric.
187 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir in 2022:
A total of 187 terrorists were killed and 111 counter-terror operations carried out in Jammu and Kashmir in 2022, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Rai said 125 terrorists initiated incidents and 117 encounters took place in Jammu and Kashmir in 2022.
Focus on rapid infra development along LAC for obvious strategic reasons: EAM
Giving an account of the government's priorities, Jaishankar said the length of 6,806 kilometres of roads constructed along the borders with China from 2014 to 2022 was almost double the length of 3,610 kilometres built between 2008 and 2014. In case of construction of bridges along the border with China, he said the total length was 7,270 metres from 2008 to 2014, while it went up to 22,439 metres during the period between 2014 and 2022.
Territorial integrity being ensured in eastern Ladakh: GoC Northern Command
Addressing a gathering at the first segment of the Investiture Ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, the northern army commander said that the army’s response to Chinese attempts to unilaterally change the status quo was a swift, undaunted and synergised action by the Indian Armed Forces.
India's medium altitude long endurance UAV to make flying debut at Aero India
"TAPAS is DRDO's solution to the tri services ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) requirements. The UAV is capable of operating at altitudes up to 28000 feet, with an endurance of 18 plus hours," according to DRDO.
Punjab: BSF troops shoot down Pak drone in Amritsar sector
A Pakistani drone entering into India from along the International Border in Punjab has been shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) troops on Friday.
143 Indian troops died on duty in Africa under peacekeeping missions since UN's inception
Why Pakistan’s security situation keeps worsening
Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Islamist terror groups, especially TTP, have increased violence in Pakistan. Importantly, the Army establishment in Pakistan negotiated with TTP for over a year, with no positive results.
CDS Anil Chauhan chairs high-level security meeting in Jammu
The meeting was attended by Udhampur-based northern Army commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi and Director General of Police Dilbag Singh.
Opt for skills that make you human in the age of AI and ChatGPT You will need skills that machines will not be able to replicate, and chances are such skills will also make you distinctly more human
Countering Chinese Multi domain War
China rejects Washington's request for phone call with US Defence Secy after balloon shoot down.Pentagon rules out returning balloon debris to China; Beijing says airship does not belong to US
Initial information gathered from the balloon, the White House said on Monday with confidence, that it is a surveillance balloon. It violated international law and its sovereignty, officials said. Before it was being shot down by a fighter jet on Saturday, Kirby said they had gathered enough vital information about the balloon.
Investing in defense ties with India to uphold favourable balance of power in Indo-Pacific: Pentagon
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the US has invested in the Quad partnership with India, Australia, and Japan. "We are aligning with like-minded partners around the world to strengthen our shared interests and values - of democracy, openness, and fairness - and to address the challenges posed by the PRC (People's Republic of China)," she said.
Quad partners launch Cyber Challenge to advance cybersecurity across nations
The statement said internet users worldwide are targets of cybercrime and other malicious cyber threats that can cost trillions of dollars each year and compromise sensitive, personal data. Many cyberattacks can be guarded against by simple preventive measures, it said, adding that internet users and providers can take small steps to significantly improve cybersecurity and cyber safety.
India launches home-grown mobile OS to rival AndroidThe Indian government has unveiled BharOS, a home-grown mobile operating system (OS) that is being pitched as the country’s answer to Google-owned Android and Apple-owned iOS, the world’s dominant mobile operating systems.Developed at a start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras – one of the country’s top engineering colleges – BharOS is a government-funded project to develop a free and open-source OS for use in government and public systems.A mobile OS is a software that is the core interface on smartphones, such as Android by Google and iOS by Apple.
Very important development.
Supply Chain Security-
Lithium deposits found in J&K: India's EV drive now set to take the fast lane
The Minerals Security Partnership between the U.S., U.K., European Union, Australia, Japan, and others is an initiative to secure critical minerals supply chains, and increase investment, and information sharing in the sector.The Quad also offers a platform for building consensus and cooperation around critical and strategic minerals.India and the Indian industry must look to collaborate in such initiatives, as investors, suppliers and consumers. India can also look to build rare earth reserves as part of such international groupings.
India's Mines Ministry on Thursday announced that 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves have been found for the first time in the country in Jammu and Kashmir. "Geological Survey of India established Lithium inferred resources (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. 51 mineral blocks including Lithium and Gold were handed over to the state.
Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries. "Out of these 51 mineral blocks, 5 blocks pertain to gold and other blocks pertain to commodities like potash, molybdenum, base metals etc. spread across states of Jammu and Kashmir (UT), Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana . The blocks were prepared based on the work carried out by GSI from field seasons 2018-19 to till date.
The central government has unveiled incentives of at least $3.4 billion to expedite its lagging adoption of EVs.
The idea is that manufacturing the costliest component — batteries — locally will make the end product more affordable for the mass market and set the country up as a potential exporter, tapping into surging global demand.
External Security
China’s hypersonic triad pressing down on US China’s new sea, air and land-based hypersonic weapons are a formidable three-pronged deterrence against US and Taiwan.
Xi’s repeated calls to the PLA to prepare for warThe world should be wary of China as President Xi calls for the country’s armed forces to remain combat-ready.Chinese bribes-for-promotions scandal will linger on in the psyche of China’s political elite despite the PLA’s overhaul, and continue to cast doubts on its efficacy. Besides, the armed forces still remain untested in battle, having last seen active combat in the late 1970s in the Sino-Vietnamese war. To bridge the gap, China has sought to engage veterans of foreign militaries to train its personnel as evidenced from an inquiry launched by the Australian government recently to uncover China’s overtures to their defence personnel. China’s elite see Japan’s security posturing from a prism of history that has caused its strategists to argue that the latter is moving away from its avowed pacifism, which has led to Xi’s call to his army for greater combat readiness. Considering Xi’s belligerence, it is not something the world can ignore.
China’s economy is sapping people’s desire to have childrenThere are insecurities from limited social welfare, hard decisions for rural migrants about where to raise a family, and the stress of competition and social pressure.Why Chinese AI and semiconductors could fall decades behind under US chip ban ‘blitz’Washington’s latest move to restrict access to chip-making equipment dims Beijing’s hopes of buying from non-US suppliers such as the Netherlands. Without foreign technology, it could take at least 20 years for China to regain lost ground, according to industry consultant Liu Zhen.
Economic Security
India-UK Trade and Investment Relations: Challenges and Prospects
Overall, despite having a very complementary and robust economic partnership, several barriers still impede flows of trade and investment between India and the UK. The proposed FTA provides a much-desired opportunity to remove those barriers and to realise the full potential of bilateral relations between the world’s fifth and sixth largest economies.
India unshackled from Pakistan is good news
A mix of marginalisation, mobilisation and militarisation has helped Delhi take away a key facet of Pakistan’s outreach, allowing India to be more ambitious on the regional and global stage.Pakistan is wallowing in multiple problems – all of them the making of its elites. India can be sympathetic to the challenges of Pakistan’s citizens and hope for the best. But starting a futile India-Pakistan peace process will neither solve Pakistan’s problems nor help India pursue its foreign policy objectives.
The Strengthening of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance
China’s growing assertiveness in regional waters, including its completion of artificial island bases and militarization of those features in the South China Sea, has radically altered the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. For Washington, there is no viable strategy for countering China’s illegal behavior in the East and South China Seas without robust cooperation with Tokyo and Manila, respectively. It is increasingly urgent that the United States and Japan strengthen the strategic foundations of their partnerships with the Philippines, highlight the mutual benefits of working together, and assess the role of trilateral cooperation in regional security.
The trilateral U.S.-Australia-Japan alliance network will continue to modernize. It will also enmesh more tightly with other security architecture in the region. Later this month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will make a state visit to Japan. At least seven agreements will be signed, including on defense cooperation. Tokyo and Manila are negotiating an acquisition and cross servicing agreement, or ACSA, and a reciprocal access agreement, or RAA. The latter will permit Japanese troops, like those from the United States and Australia, to conduct military exercises and other activities on Philippine soil. That may come just in time for the 2023 iteration of Balikatan, which is slated to be one of the largest ever and may include Australian and Japanese participation. Shortly after that, the 2+2 will serve to underline the rapid elevation of the U.S.-Philippines alliance in the last 18 months.
Flooding The Zone: China Coast Guard Patrols In 2022
China’s coast guard presence in the South China Sea is more robust than ever. An analysis of automatic identification system (AIS) data from commercial provider MarineTraffic shows that the China Coast Guard (CCG) maintained near-daily patrols at key features across the South China Sea in 2022. Together with the ubiquitous presence of its maritime militia, China’s constant coast guard patrols show Beijing’s determination to assert control over the vast maritime zone within its claimed nine-dash line.
China Is Trying To Create A Crisis With India-USA Think Tank
China may not seek to wipe India off the map, as Russia is attempting against Ukraine; Iraq sought to do to Kuwait; and Iran hopes to do to Israel. However, China nonetheless seeks a land grab greater in area than Israel and Kuwait combined. If Biden truly is the leader of the free world and if the Quad is to mean anything, it is time to augment India’s ability to defend itself against imminent Chinese aggression says a US think tank.
Japan must do more, and faster, to avert war over Taiwan
China’s growing antagonistic move in the South and East China Seas has been a catalyst in escalating tensions between Japan and China. The changing security environment including the nuclear threat from the DPRK has had significant implications on Japan’s security policy. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made transformational changes in the security policy of Japan. With Beijing’s continued coercion and increased assertiveness, East China Sea is likely to become heavily militarized in the near future. Compelling Japan to move towards stronger deterrence and an overt defense posture.
The defense of Taiwan is crucial for regional security. But most options for improving deterrence will take too long. Building Taiwan’s self-defense, developing more U.S. firepower in the region, creating the economic resilience to make severe sanctions feasible: None of these will come to fruition before 2030.’Japan could change the game now. Allied forces, responding immediately and en masse, have a chance of thwarting a Chinese invasion, according to a recent report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies. But, in meetings with high-level officials in Tokyo last month, there is mismatch between talk and walk. Japan must broaden its vision of self-defense to encompass priorities and declaratory policies that will avert calamity in the region. Tokyo cannot wait until war breaks out to start the tougher conversations.
The impact of a shrinking population on China’s economic strength
China’s declining population needs to be offset by the increasing productivity of the existing workforce. But for increasing the productivity and quality of its workforce China needs to upgrade its education and skilling system. But this seems to be a problem area. According to the census, there were 218 million people with a university education.
But the average number of years of education received by adults over 25 years was just 7.8 as compared to 12-14 years for developed countries. This is a measure of just how far China has to go to meet the needs of the high-quality economy that it wants to become.
Wagner Group Redefined: Threats and Responses
Wagner Group has suffered heavy casualties in Ukraine, and is turning to prisoners, foreign recruits, and newly recruited Russians to fill its ranks. The length and ferocity of the conflict in Ukraine will determine Wagner’s availability for future deployments.
The significant rise in defence and security ties between India and Australia
The geostrategic positioning of India and Australia on the Indian and Pacific Oceans has helped with the convergence of interests, enabling relations to expand and steadily deepen. Unlike in earlier times when New Delhi and Canberra were searching for equal grounds for cooperation, the concept of the Indo-Pacific has made this easier, enhancing the conviction that greater engagement was an inevitability of their geographic circumstances. It made them partners to jointly take responsibility for maintaining a free, open, inclusive and peaceful Indo-Pacific, which demands a noticeable tilt towards defence and security cooperation.
Though China looms large in each nation’s strategic calculation.
The India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2020), upgraded from the bilateral strategic partnership of 2009, is an effort to broaden the scope of their defence and security relationship by finding new initiatives, methods, and mechanisms to sustain mutual security interests. These have been bolstered to-date through cooperation in the AUSINDEX, Kakadu, Pitch Black, Milan, and Malabar military exercises, and with further collaboration in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, 2+2 ministerial dialogues, Joint Working Group for research on enhancing defence industry, mutual logistics, and intelligence support and sharing agreements. These have included, for example, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and officer exchange programs. In addition, Australia’s invitation to India to join Exercise Talisman Sabre, the most important military exercise between Australia and the United States, will set another milestone for cooperation.
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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.