DEFENCE

• Bangladesh Navy Ship Prottoy Visits Mumbai.
• Border Road Organisation(BRO) Budget 2021-22.
• Union Cabinet approves enhanced delegation of financial powers under Capital Procurement to Deputy Chiefs and Command Chiefs of Armed Forces.
• Successful user trials of DRDO-developed Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’.
• Indian Navy Ship to participate in NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21in UAE.
• Joint Press Release of the 10th Round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting
• Chief of the Air Staff goodwill visit to Bangladesh.
• RakshaMantrion self-reliance in defence production.
• VL-SRSAM Missile System.
• Director Generals of Military Operations(DGMO) of India and Pakistan joint statement.
• 24th India-USA Executive Steering Group (ESG) Meeting.
• IAF Participation in 70th Anniversary Celebrations of Sri Lanka Air Force(SLAF).

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Turkey

• Police arrested IS and al-Shabaab terrorists in separate CT operations in Ankara.

Afghanistan

• Two separate explosions killed three people in Kabul and Helmand provinces.
• “Taliban behind violence in Afghanistan”, said Head of the US Army Centcom.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• NIA filed charge-sheet against two LeT terrorists in “2012 LeT conspiracy case”.
• Security forces arrested three HM OGWs from Pulwama.
• NIA arrested an OGW in Kishtwar HM module case.
• Security forces eliminated three al-Badr terrorists in Shopian.

Left-Wing Extremism

• Police arrested two Maoist couriers from Telangana.
• Maoists killed a former deputy Sarpanch in Chhattisgarh.

Islamic Extremism

• NIA filed charge-sheet against 11 terrorists in “2020 al-Qaeda conspiracy case”.

CYBER, INFORMATION WARFARE & AI (SECURITY PERSPECTIVE)

• Chinese hackers targeted India’s SII and Bharat Biotech, claimed cyber security firm.

Defence

Bangladesh Navy Ship Prottoy Visits Mumbai

Bangladesh Navy Ship (BNS) Prottoy was on a two day visit to Mumbai from 14 to 15 Feb 21. The ship had a crew of 137 personnel and was docked at Mumbai Port Trust. The visit of the ship to Mumbai is significant in the backdrop that the two countries celebrated 50 years of Bangladesh independence recently. To commemorate the occasion, for the first time, a marching contingent and military band from Bangladesh participated in India’s Republic Day Parade. Since the formation of Bangladesh, both India and Bangladesh have come a long way in nurturing strategic and defence relationships and these bonds are gradually growing in mutual trust and confidence.

Border Road Organisation(BRO) Budget 2021-22

Union Budget 2021-22 has proposed funding to the tune of Rs 6,004.08 crore for financial Year 2021-22. The budget for maintenance of border roads would be Rs 850 crore, while the capital works allocation has been revised upwards to Rs 2,500 crore.

Union Cabinet approves enhanced delegation of financial powers under Capital Procurement to Deputy Chiefs and Command Chiefs of Armed Forces

The Union Cabinet approved enhanced delegation of Financial Powers under Capital Procurement to levels below Vice-Chief of Armed Forces. As per the approval, under Other Capital Procurement Procedure (OCPP) of Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020, financial powers up to Rs.100 crore has been delegated to General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) at Services Command and Regional Commanders, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and powers up to Rs. 200 crore has been delegated to Deputy Chief of Army Staff (CD & S)/ MGS (Master General Sustenance), COM (Chief of Material), AOM (Air Officer Maintenance), DCIDS (Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Staff) and ADG ICG (Additional Director General Indian Coast Guard). This delegation of powers within Service Headquarters and up to Command Level for items of Capital nature such as overhauls, refits, upgrades etc. will enhance the utility of existing assets and will facilitate faster processing and implementation of projects for modernization of Armed Forces to meet the security challenges of the nation. The Cabinet has also approved enhanced financial powers in the Make-I category under which Government funding up to 70% of the prototype development cost is available for Design & Development of equipment, systems, major platforms or upgrades thereof. Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS), Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS), and Director General Coast Guard (DGCG) have now been given powers to sanction Government support up to Rs.50 crore towards cost of prototype development.

Successful user trials of DRDO-developed Anti-Tank Guided Missile Systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’

Joint User Trials for Helina (Army Version) and Dhruvastra (Air Force Version) Missile Systems have been carried out from Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) platform in desert ranges. The missile systems have been designed and developed indigenously by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).mFive missions were carried out for evaluating the missile capabilities in minimum and maximum range.

The Helina and Dhruvastra are third generation, Lock on Before Launch (LOBL) fire and forget Anti-Tank Guided Missiles that can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as with explosive reactive armour. It is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. Now, the missile systems are ready for induction.

Indian Navy Ship to participate in NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21in UAE

Indian Naval Ship Pralaya arrived at Abu Dhabi, UAE on 19 Feb 21 to participate in the NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 21 (International Defence Exhibition), which was scheduled from 20 to 25 February 2021. NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21 is one of the leading international naval and defence exhibitions of the region and is aimed at showcasing the strengths of India’s indigenous ship building.

Joint Press Release of the 10th Round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting

On February 20, the 10th round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting was held on the Chinese side of the Moldo/Chushul border meeting point. The two sides positively appraised the smooth completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area noting that it was a significant step forward that provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in Western Sector. They had candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues along the LAC in the Western Sector. The two sides agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, continue their communication and dialogue, stabilize and control the situation on the ground, push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Chief of the Air Staff goodwill visit to Bangladesh

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, PVSM AVSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff, embarked on an official goodwill visit to Bangladesh on 22 Feb 21 on an invitation from Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat, BBP, OSP, ndu, psc Chief of Air Staff, Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). Chief of Air Staff Bangladesh recently represented his country at the Chiefs’ of Air Staff Conclave 21 at Air Force Station Yelahanka where he led a delegation to Aero India 2021 earlier this month at Bengaluru.During the course of the four-day visit, the CAS and delegation are scheduled to interact with senior dignitaries and visit key operational bases of BAF. They will discuss the progress made in areas of shared interests and explore avenues to further mutual military cooperation.

Raksha Mantri on self-reliance in defence production

He shed light on the plans to spend $130 billion on military modernisation in the next five years, mentioning about the recent order of 83 indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft MK 1A, Tejas, worth Rs 48,000 crore, awarded to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) during the recently held Aero India 2021. He added that the contract for indigenously designed Light Combat Helicopter is likely to be signed soon.

The Raksha Mantri also touched upon the bifurcation of capital procurement budget into domestic and foreign capital procurement routes to ensure more procurement from domestic industry. “The Ministry has planned to invest about 63 per cent of the outlay for 2021-22 on domestic procurement, i.e., about Rs 70,221 crore for domestic defence procurement. This increase will have a positive impact on enhanced domestic procurement, having multiplier effect on our industries including MSMEs and Start-ups. It would also increase the employment in defence sector,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri added that during the current financial year, Rs 75,000 crore worth Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) has been accorded, of which 87 per cent relate to ‘Make in India’. He stated that the Ministry is also working on bringing down the delays in timelines of capital acquisition. The RM added that MoD has planned to channelise about Rs 1,000 crore during 2021-22 for procurement from Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) start-ups to give a major boost to innovative defence technology and support start-ups base in the country.

The Raksha Mantri said, the initiatives taken by the Government have resulted in staggering 700 per cent growth in defence exports in the last six years. India entered into the list of top 25 exporters in the world, he said, citing data published by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in 2020.
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VL-SRSAM Missile System

Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for Indian Navy, VL-SRSAM is meant for neutralizing various aerial threats at close ranges including sea-skimming targets. The current launches were carried out for demonstration of vertical launch capability as part of its maiden launch campaign.

Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan joint statement

The Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact. The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors in a free, frank and cordial atmosphere. In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence. Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24/25 Feb 2021. Both sides reiterated that existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilised to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding.

24th India-USA Executive Steering Group (ESG) Meeting

The 24th edition of the India-USA Executive Steering Group (ESG) meeting was held at New Delhi from 22 to 24 Feb 2021. The meeting was attended by a 12 member delegation from the US Army in person and virtually by 40 officers from different locations from the USA.
Major General Daniel McDaniel, Deputy Commanding General, US Army Pacific (USARPAC) was the Head of delegation from the US side. Indian Army delegation comprised of 37 officers.

IAF Participation in 70th Anniversary Celebrations of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF)

The Indian Air Force aerobatic display teams, the fixed wing “Suryakirans’ and rotary wing ‘Sarang’ , along with Light Combat Aircraft Tejas arrived at Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 27 Feb 21 on an invitation from Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The Suryakirans, Sarang and LCA Tejas will participate in an Air Show at Galle Face, Colombo, scheduled from 03–05 Mar 21 as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of SLAF.
IAFs participation in the 70th anniversary celebration of SLAF is a further manifestation of the strong professional bonds that the two Air Forces share. The IAF Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) had earlier toured Sri Lanka in 2001 for the 50th anniversary celebrations of SLAF.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Turkey

Police arrested IS and al-Shabaab terrorists in separate CT operations in Ankara

In two separate joint counter-terrorism (CT) operations on 24 February, the Turkish CT police and the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT—Milli Istihbarat Teskilati) arrested an Islamic State (IS) terrorist (identity undisclosed) and an al-Shabaab (identity undisclosed) with dual German-Italian nationality, from city of Ankara in Turkey. The IS terrorist was a key figure in IS-controlled city of Mosul in Iraq and had worked in Iraqi military. Along with, he also brought a Yazidi child (seven-year-old) as a “war booty”.
Turkish security forces carry out CT operations against terrorists on a daily basis and have been particularly targeting IS and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party aka PKK (Partiya Karkeren Kurdistane), which pose a threat to Turkey’s national security.
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Afghanistan

Two separate explosions killed three people in Kabul and Helmand provinces

In two separate bomb explosions on 21 February, at least three people were killed, and 20 others were injured in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb targeting a police car exploded and killed two people, including a child and injured five others in Kabul city.
In another incident, a bomb placed in crowded market exploded and killed a civilian and injured 15 others, including two policemen, in Helmand province. No group claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.
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“Taliban behind violence in Afghanistan”, said Head of the US Army Centcom

The Head of the US Army Central Command (Centcom)—General Kenneth McKenzie, on 18 February, said that the Taliban are “clearly” responsible for violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan. The Taliban denies being behind the violence which surged as US-Taliban peace negotiations stalled.

“Certainly, the Islamic State (IS) has coordinated some attacks. However, Taliban’s acts are combination of their countrywide attacks against the Afghan forces, targeted assassinations in some of the urban areas,” said Gen McKenzie.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

NIA files charge-sheet against two LeT terrorists in “2012 LeT conspiracy case”

On 22 February, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed supplementary charge-sheet against two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists—Dr Sabeel Ahmed aka Motu Doctor, and Asadullah Khan aka Abu Sufiyan, residents of Karnataka and Telangana respectively. The case was in connection to the conspiracy hatched by LeT and Harkatul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) terrorists to commit subversive activities and wage war against the Union of India. Earlier, the NIA had charge-sheeted 17 terrorists in the case after completing the investigation.
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Security forces arrested three OGWs of HM from Pulwama

In a joint counter-terrorism (CT) operation on 17 February, security forces arrested three Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) of Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM)—Shafat Ahmad Sofi, Majid Mohammad Bhat, and Umer Rashid Wani, from Tral area of Awantipora in Pulwama district. The arrested OGWs were involved in providing shelter, logistics and transportation of arms and ammunition of the HM terrorists in Tral and Awantipora area.
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NIA arrested an OGW in Kishtwar HM module case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on 17 February, arrested an Over-Ground Worker (OGW)—Taraq Hussain, for harbouring and providing logistic support to Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists—Osama bin Javed, and Haroon Abbas Wani, in Kishtwar HM terror module case. Taraq Hussain was produced before the Special NIA Court, Jammu and sent on police remand for further investigation.
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Security forces eliminated three al-Badr terrorists in Shopian

Security forces, on 19 February, eliminated three terrorists of al-Badr group in a gun-battle in Badigam locality of Imam Sahib Area in Shopian district. The gun-battle started on the night of 18 February after the hiding terrorists fired upon the security forces. Police identified slain terrorists as Mudasir Ahamd Wagay, Suhail Ahmad Sheikh, and Shahid Ahmad Dar.
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Left-Wing Extremism

Police arrested two Maoist couriers from Telangana

On 20 February, police arrested two Maoist couriers at Seethanagaram village of Dummugudemmandal from Bhadadri-Kothagudem district in Telangana. One of the arrested couriers—Muthu Nagaraju was arrested in October 2019, for possession of some explosive.
For more information: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2021/feb/21/two-maoist-couriers-held-in-kothagudem-2266791.html" target="_blank">Click here to read...

Maoists killed a former deputy Sarpanch in Chhattisgarh

On 15 February, suspected Maoists gunmen killed a former deputy Sarpanch of Temrugaon—Shatrughan Korram (34 years-old) during a Kangaroo court (Jan Adaalat) in Amujhmad area of Narayanpur district of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh. The rise in killing of villagers and Panchayat body heads in Maoist-infested areas in the jungles comes at the time when the numbers of encounter with Maoists has come down by 40 per cent in the past one year. In the same incidents, two others—Ramesh Yadav (57 years-old) and BattiKaram (35 years-old) were injured and have been admitted to the district hospital.
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Islamic Extremism

NIA files charge-sheet against 11 terrorists in 2020 al-Qaeda conspiracy case

On 26 February, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge-sheet in the Special NIA Court, New Delhi, against 11 al-Qaeda/al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorists from West Bengal and Kerala in connection with 2020 al-Qaeda conspiracy case.
The charge-sheet was filed against Murshid Hasan aka Sofiq, MosarafHoseen, Mainul Mandal, Lea Yean Ahmed aka Leion, NajmusSakib, Iyakub Biswas, Samim Ansari, Abu Sufian, Atiur Rahman, Al Mamun Kamal, Abdul Momin Mandal. In a well synchronised raids on 26 August, 19 September, and 01 November 2020, in West Bengal and Kerala, nine terrorists were arrested for conspiracy to execute attacks in different parts of the country.

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CYBER, INFORMATION WARFARE & AI (SECURITY PERSPECTIVE)

Chinese hackers targeted India’s SII and Bharat Biotech, claimed cyber security firm

In recent weeks, a Chinese-backed hacking group—APT10 targeted the IT infrastructure of India’s two vaccine makers—Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech. According to the findings of Cyfirma—a cyber security firm based in Singapore and Tokyo, the APT10 aka Stone Panda, had identified vulnerabilities in the IT systems of the SII and Bharat Biotech. “The motivation of cyber-attacks was mainly the meddling with intellectual property (IP) and getting competitive advantage over Indian pharmaceutical companies,” said Cyfirma’s CEO Kumar Ritesh, a former cyber official with the British intelligence—SIS aka MI6.

In 2018, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) reported that APT10 had acted in association with the China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).

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