#SecurityScan 65: India's defence wings around world & much more

This article is a summary of important events that have taken place in last one week affecting, India's national security.

Pakistan a Failed State

Air Force base attacked in central Pakistan, 3 terrorists killed

Three terrorists were killed in an attack on the Air Force base in central Pakistan's Mianwali area. Three grounded aircraft and a fuel tanker were also damaged in the attack. Islamist terrorist group Tehreek-e-Jihad has taken responsibility for the attack at the Air base.

Militant Attack Kills 14 Soldiers in Pakistan’s Balochistan Militants ambushed two moving vehicles carrying soldiers while heading to Gwadar port district in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, killing 14 troops.An operation is being carried out in the area to track the attackers, the military said in statement. No group has claimed responsibility of the attack.

Kabul warns Islamabad against cruel treatment of refugees

Afghanistan slammed Pakistan for the treatment meted out to its nationals, saying the decision to expel refugees

was “unilateral” as it was taken by Islamabad without consulting Kabul.

In an audio clip shared on social media, Afghanistan’s interim defence minister, Mullah Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid, criticised Pakistan’s caretaker government, headed by a military-sponsored prime minister of Pashtun-origin, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, for failingto consider the consequences of its action expelling refugees.

Indian External Security & Internal Security

3 Army personnel injured in LoC landmine explosion

Three Army personnel were injured in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. They were patrolling when the mine activated, leading to injuries. Landmines along the LoC can shift due to natural factors, causing these incidents. Similar incidents have occurred in recent months, emphasizing the ongoing danger in the region.

Sunset for MiG 21s as squadron retires fighters after 57 years

The IAF's Uttarlai (Rajasthan) based 4 Squadron has been operating various types of MiG 21 for 57 years and was one of the last three remaining units operating the Bison version of the aircraft. The two remaining MiG 21 Bison squadrons are expected to phase out the fighters by 2025.

India explores options for release of ex-Navy personnel awarded death sentence in Qatar

Qatar does not have a widespread record of executing people lodged in its jail. According to Amnesty International, the country executed one condemned Nepali migrant worker in 2020, that too after a 20-year hiatus. The Gulf state had once said that a death sentence was equivalent to a life sentence.

India to establish defence wings around the world, says Army Chief

Chief of Army Staff Chief Gen Manoj Pande emphasized India's outlook, focusing on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful dispute resolution, and adherence to international rules and regulations, amid ongoing border tensions with China. He highlighted India's commitment to engaging stakeholders positively and expanding defense cooperation outreach with friendly foreign partner nations.

CSIR-NIIST, HAL sign MoU to strengthen indigenisation in aerospace, defence sectors

The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), based in Kerala, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bengaluru to collaborate in India's aerospace and defense sectors.

Govt reserved 75 % of defence capital acquisition budget for purchases from local companies: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

The move is to ensure adequate demand assurance for the domestic industries, he said at the 'India Manufacturing Show-2023' here, as he listed the steps taken for MSMEs in the defence sector. "We are the first government which imposed restrictions on itself for the import of weapons. We released five positive indigenisation lists, under which 509 equipment have been identified, the manufacturing of which will now take place in India.

Sunset for MiG 21s as squadron retires fighters after 57 years

Trouble in India’s Eastern Neighbourhood

Trouble is brewing in India’s eastern neighborhood. Both Bangladesh and Myanmar are experiencing uprisings of different natures. In Myanmar, a pro-India group and its alliance seem to be gaining control, indicating a shift in power dynamics. However, the situation in Bangladesh raises concerns.

Myanmar military says lost control of Chinshwehaw town on the Chinese border

Myanmar's military has lost control of a strategic town on the Chinese border following days of clashes with ethnic armed groups, in what analysts say is the biggest military challenge it has faced since seizing power. Myanmar's borderlands are home to more than a dozen ethnic armed groups, some of which have fought the military for decades over autonomy and control of lucrative resources.

Bhutan is not giving in to China's hardball diplomacyBeijing has continued to up the ante against Bhutan. In 2020, it laid claim to the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, home to some of the world's most-endangered mammals, in the east of Bhutan. The fact that this sanctuary can be accessed only through the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh suggests that the move was directed against both Bhutan and India.Against this backdrop, it is scarcely a surprise that a Sino-Bhutanese border settlement is still not on the cards. Indeed, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said in March that demarcation of the frontiers of Bhutan, China and India where they converge at the Doklam Plateau can be done only trilaterally.Bhutan remains treaty-bound to respect Indian interests. India remains opposed to the cession of Bhutanese territory to China, particularly around the Doklam Plateau. So while Bhutan and China may reach more incremental agreements on how to take forward their talks, the end still appears nowhere in sight.

Have heart-to-heart conversation: Rajnath Singh to Meitei, Kuki communities in Manipur

"The Northeast has been peaceful in the last nine years. However, we have witnessed violence in Manipur and it is painful for us," Singh said.

Economic Security

UAE Pledges Worth $50 Billion for India, Provisional pledges could come as soon as early next year, Investments could boost Modi’s image ahead of 2024 elections. The United Arab Emirates is considering investing as much as $50 billion in India, its second-largest trading partner, as part of a broader bet on the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

No Nation in the World Is Buying More Planes Than India.While most Indians travel by road or rail, the country is engaged in a major expansion of its aviation industry to serve the needs of its middle class.

India Debut 50-Year Bond Fully Sold on Growing Insurer Demand

India sold 50-year bond at 7.46% yield versus 7.48% estimate

India’s auction of the debut 50-year bond met with strong demand Friday, underscoring growing interest from insurance and pension funds for ultra-long papers.

The government sold 100 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) of the 2073 bond as planned at a cutoff yield of 7.46%, the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement. That’s lower than the 7.48% forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Insurers probably lapped up the paper as they had expressed strong interest before the auction to lock in higher yields to take care of long-term commitments.

Countering Chinese Multidomain War

China on 'alert' after US, Canadian ships cross Taiwan Strait

The USS Rafael Peralta, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the Royal Canadian Navy's Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa conducted a "routine" transit through the strait on Wednesday, the US Navy said.

China’s "Military Political Work" and Professional Military Education in Africa – Africa Center for Strategic Studies

" _The PLA’s service arms were educating roughly 2,000 African military officers annually at military and political academies prior to COVID. An additional 500 African officers were attending the PLA Naval Medical University. Between 2018 and 2021, roughly 2,000 African police and law enforcement personnel had trained at the People’s Armed Police (PAP) schools. Like the PLA, the PAP is run by the CCP’s Central Military Commission.

China had been offering approximately 100,000 academic scholarships, media fellowships, and invitations to local government trainings to African countries every 3 years through the Forum for China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) prior to the pandemic. Professional Military Education (PME) has constituted between 4 to 6 percent of these slots. The scale and scope of China’s trainings are unmatched by other international partners_ ".

The Nanjing Army Command College’s African alumni include:

10 defense chiefs, 8 defense ministers, Former presidents, Current presidents:

Ninety-four Mozambican senior officers have studied there, including the longest-serving defense chief, General Lagos Lidimo, as have their counterparts in Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Can the western world match these influence operations.?

China’s Grip on Africa’s Minerals Sparks a US ResponseThe US is going full steam ahead in its effort to catch up with China in a part of the world that’s become central to the green transition: Africa’s “Copperbelt.” Loaded with minerals critical to the production of batteries and other renewable energy components, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have become the latest venue in the struggle for advantage between Washington and Beijing.As part of its stated ambition to challenge China’s dominance, the Biden administration saw an opportunity to revitalize a century-old rail line linking key African mines to an Atlantic Ocean port. Called the Lobito corridor, the US is investing hundreds of millions of dollars on the project.

US Congress urged to approve Pacific Island pacts to counter Chinese influenceThe deals grant the US military access to the land, air and sea of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau in exchange for economic aid and migration rightsGuam’s congressional delegate pushes the House to pass a resolution calling for the US and Philippines to begin joint patrols in the South China Sea.

India is driving change by working together with Africa, Modi has taken lead in championing trade and investment links with the continentIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been flying his country's flag in Africa lately, seeking to expand trade and investment ties between the two.He kicked off the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi in September with the announcement that the African Union would become a permanent member of the group, which should amplify the voice of the Global South. This move followed on the heels of the decision the previous month by India and the other four current members of the BRICS group to admit Egypt and Ethiopia, along with four other countries, into its ranks.These examples show how India is increasingly playing an active role in international diplomacy on behalf of Africa and the Global South. New Delhi's growing trade and investment relations with Africa, meanwhile, illustrate how driving funds toward the Global South not only can reap financial benefits, but also drive real systemic change on environmental, governance and social issues.Modi, in particular, is using the platform his position offers to promote better understanding of the investment opportunities that Africa holds for foreign investors.

The Quad needs to work with other groups. ASEAN is the place to start, Maritime security would be productive area for cooperationIn recent years, the members of the Quad -- the U.S., Australia, Japan and India -- have each ramped up cooperation and relations with ASEAN countries. In September, Japan became the last of the quartet to upgrade its relationship with ASEAN to the level of a "comprehensive strategic partnership," and each of the four held a separate meeting with ASEAN leaders that month.

Why the Philippines is exiting the Belt and RoadManila announces termination of China-backed infrastructure projects as geopolitics takes policy precedence over economics.

Philippines accuses China of intruding into its watersThe Philippine foreign ministry on Thursday accused China of intruding into its waters after an incident involving the two countries' military vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea earlier this week.The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Chinese military's claim that a Philippine military ship "illegally entered" waters near the Scarborough Shoal "has no legal basis and only serves to raise tensions" in the disputed waterway.

Shipping industry steers container production away from ChinaPush comes after pandemic highlighted reliance on manufacturers in world’s second-largest economy.

China Struggles to Convince Li Mourners of Reason for Death,Some find official line ‘hard to believe’ after shock news,Health conditions of top leaders are a state secret in ChinaAs China prepared to cremate former Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, skepticism among some residents of his hometown over the official account of his death showed a lack of trust in the ruling Communist Party.A number of mourners in eastern Anhui province this week expressed doubt that the former No. 2 official died of a heart attack — the reason given in a government statement Friday. Li found himself sidelined by President Xi Jinping before exiting the Politburo Standing Committee — China’s most powerful body — a year ago despite being young enough to stay on.

Li Keqiang funeral in China brings out crowds despite suppression effort. Police line roadway amid strictly controlled public tributes to premier once seen as antidote to authoritarian Xi Jinping

China’s Confucius Institutes are disappearing from US campuses, Only five of the centres remain, compared to 2019, when there were 96 operating in 44 states

Amid souring ties, US lawmakers have taken aim at the institutes – created to promote Chinese language learning – as a means for Beijing to exert its influence

Israel-Gaza war: China’s stance belies years of cooperation, including arms deals, with IsraelChina and Israel once enjoyed cosy bilateral ties, including Israel’s sale of advanced weapons to Beijing. As the trade war escalated, Washington increased pressure on Israel to limit or ban cooperation with China in research and technology.

China’s Male Leaders Signal to Women That Their Place Is in the HomeThe Communist Party’s solution to the country’s demographic crisis and a slowing economy is to push women back into traditional roles of producing children and bringing them up.

Biden Jabs at China ‘Debt-Trap Diplomacy’ at Americas Summit,President pledges billions in support to build infrastructure

President Joe Biden pledged billions in support to help build up infrastructure throughout the Western Hemisphere as he hosted leaders from the region, part of an administration push to offer an alternative to China’s efforts to expand its economic influence.

Biden said the US International Development Finance Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank, or IDB, would establish a “new investment platform to channel billions of dollars toward building sustainable infrastructure in the hemisphere.

Hamas Israel War: Lessons For India

Harvard, Yale Warned by Top Law Firms About Antisemitism, Law firms tell schools to take stance against anti-Jewish acts, Letter comes amid rise in antisemitism on college campuses,'Sickened' by Harvard's Silence on Israel Attack: Summers

More than two dozen top US law firms sent a letter to more than 100 law school deans telling them to take an “unequivocal stance” against antisemitic harassment on their campuses.The letter, which was signed by firms including Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Wachtell Lipton Rosen and Katz LLP, comes after some law students saw their job offers rescinded for comments made about Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,400 Israelis.

Hamas war tactics: How Isis-inspired fighters sabotage Israel,The Palestinian terrorist group is using makeshift weaponry to devastating effect against the AI-powered Israel Defence Forces

The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is a confrontation between a superior military force armed with artificial intelligence and an enemy using all the skills of asymmetric warfare, combat-proven and honed by Islamic State and other terrorist groups.In Iraq and Syria, Isis launched hundreds of commercially acquired standard drones and “quadcopters”, which had been adapted to drop grenades and other explosive munitions. The success of drone warfare has also been accentuated more recently by both the Russians and Ukrainians, but it previously transformed and prolonged the counter-terrorism war the US-led military coalition fought against ISIS. Now Hamas is demonstrating that it has learnt the lesson from Isis that a superior military might can be countered by makeshift but deadly weaponry.

How Hamas Won Hearts and Minds on the American Left,For 30 years, the terror organization has made a concerted effort to appeal to Western intellectuals

Support for Hamas on college campuses and in city streets has shocked Americans. But we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the fruit of an influence campaign dating back at least 30 years.

The Hamas War Is Far More Dangerous to Israel Than the Yom Kippur War

This current war with Hamas is a far more dangerous threat to Israel than the 1973 Yom Kippur War, almost exactly fifty years ago. In 1973, it was solely a military contest, one that the Israelis, despite suffering staggering losses, could manage to turn around. No one thought that the existence of the State of Israel was at risk then.

Ukraine war: Lessons For India

The drones fighting cat and mouse battles behind Russian front lines in Ukraine

The crew, from the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance brigade, operate the "Shark", a Ukrainian-made drone with advanced technology including a camera that can sometimes read lettering on clothes from 2 km (more than a mile) above ground. It is part of a burgeoning domestic drone programme that has sprung up in Ukraine since Russia invaded in early 2022, producing a range of attack and reconnaissance aerial vehicles which are playing an increasingly important role in battle.

Russia steps up aerial barrage of Ukraine as Kyiv officials brace for more

Last winter, Russia took aim at Ukraine's power grid in an effort to deny civilians light and heating and chip away at the country's appetite for war. Ukrainian officials accused the Kremlin of weaponizing winter.

'Russia forcing Muslim migrants to fight its war in 'Ukraine'

Russia has been engaging in the recruitment of Muslim migrants to bolster its forces in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This information comes from various intelligence reports, which have highlighted Moscow's recruitment tactics and the incentives offered to these migrants. Russia had ordered regional authorities to provide weekly information on the number of people they had enlisted from 22 categories of vulnerable groups, such as migrants, debtors, bankrupts, and homeless.

According to Russian soldiers, the authorities deliver to them a particular demographic: "drunks, the homeless, people with obvious developmental delays, junkies who have just come out of jail…It feels like they are getting rid of marginalised people. The quality of the army is unimportant to them. They will dig trenches.