final April cover 4:GEOPOLITIC COVER2.

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AN ALTERNATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN

geopolitics
VOL I, ISSUE XII, APRIL 2011  ` 100

D E F E N C E  D I P L O M A C Y  S E C U R I T Y

THE
HOWITZER
SAGA
DEALING
WITH
LANDMINES

MARCHING
AHEAD
THE DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS INDIA TO HAVE A GREAT MILITARY,
BUT DOES OUR BUDGET REFLECT THAT?
JAPAN 10-11-16-17.qxd 4/7/2011 4:00 PM Page 59

21st century maritime security.

The P-8I provides India with the most advanced

maritime patrol solution. With its high-bypass
turbo fan jet engine, fully connected mission
system and next-generation sensors, the P-8I
delivers unmatched mission effectiveness and
range. It also brings a commitment to Indian
industry to a value-added, long-term partnership.
Contents New P-4-5.qxd 4/7/2011 1:27 PM
COVER
STORY
(P38)
Military Provisions
Are budgetary allocations for Indian
armed forces adequate for a country
expected to play a global role?
Three distinguished military officers,
one from each service, discuss.
SPECIAL FEATURE (P18)
HORRORS OF LANDMINES
The issue of landmines is haunting the Indian armed forces and
police. It is time now to look at various existing technologies to
detect these dreaded devices.
SPECIAL REPORT (P29)
VOLATILE ACQUISITION
There are more questions than answers
to the Defence Ministry’s keenness to
acquire the Howitzer M777 gun from the
US through the FMS route.
www.geopolitics.in
Page 2
FOCUS (P44)
SEAWAY THUGS
Finally, the world’s patience is giving way to some
stern actions against the Somali pirates. India is
devising ways to take them on.
DEF BIZ (P26) INTERNAL SECURITY (P54)
THE OFFSETS GAME PARAMILITARY SPYING
While the government’s policy on the off- Having one’s own and separate intelli-
sets clause is fine on paper, there are var- gence network will provide the much-
ious issues that make it difficult to needed independence in intelligence-
implement. gathering for enhancing the operational
efficiency of the individual force.
April 2011
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Contents New P-4-5.qxd 4/7/2011 1:28 PM Page 3

KIDNAPPING AS A CONSTRUCTION AID FISHY ISSUES MOMENTOUS SHIFT

TOOL (P50)
Whenever Maoists face major
reverses in their fight against
security forces, they use the
abduction strategy to achieve
their objectives.
(P58)
It’s high time for the international
community, particularly India,
had a re-look at the strategy
towards Afghanistan based on the
‘reconstruction approach’.
(P62) (P66)
Instead of politicising the The Dalai Lama’s sudden
issue of stray of fishermen, decision to renounce politics
India and Sri Lanka need to has deeper international
consider water between them implications. It is also a huge
to be a common heritage, not concern for Tibetans living in
a contested territory. India.

SPOTLIGHT (P10)

ARE WE
REALLY SAFE?
Indian nuclear plants can draw lessons
from the tragedy of the Fukushima
reactors in Japan. The Indian
establishment has risen to the occasion
and is willing to modify its safety
parameters.

DIPLOMACY (69)
THE LIBYAN TURMOIL
THE EUROPEAN UNEASINESS WITH THE

g
Editor-in-Chief
K SRINIVASAN CHANGING AMERICAN STRATEGY IN THE

Editor ARAB WORLD IS THE UNDERPLAYED

PRAKASH NANDA FACTOR THAT EXPLAINS BEST WHAT IS
Sr. Correspondent HAPPENING IN LIBYA THESE DAYS.
ROHIT SRIVASTAVA
GEOPOLITICS Publishing Director Director (Corporate Affairs)
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All information in GEOPOLITICS is derived from sources we consider reliable. It is passed on to our AN ALTERNATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN

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VOL I, ISSUE XII, APRIL 2011  ` 100

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THE
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THE DEFENCE MINISTER WANTS INDIA TO HAVE A GREAT MILITARY,
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BUT DOES OUR BUDGET REFLECT THAT?
Ruchi Sinha

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Onlooker.qxd 4/7/2011 2:28 PM Page 4
gONLOOKER
UNRAVELING THE
TANGLE
A NEW report released recently by the
Century Foundation, entitled
Afghanistan: Negotiating Peace, said it
consulted extensively with US officials in
carrying out research and making recom-
mendations. The report’s main proposal
is to have the United Nations Secretary
General name a “facilitator” to supervise
peace talks among Afghans and foreign
stakeholders in Afghanistan.
While no individual was specified, Jim
Dobbins, a member of the task force that
produced the report and a former US top
envoy dealing with Afghanistan, sug-
gested three possibilities: former UN Sec-
retary General Kofi Annan, former UN
representative to Afghanistan (and Cen-
tury Fund Task Force Co-chair) Lakhdar
Brahimi, or Staffan de Mistura, the cur-
rent head of the United Nations Assis-
tance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
De Mistura is already promoting
peace talks and international buy-in to a
process initiated by Afghan President
Hamid Karzai. He has convened ambas-
sadors from the United States,
Afghanistan’s neighbours and other inter-
ested parties several times this year in
Kabul in what is called a “Silk Road”
initiative and hoped to hold a
conference in Istanbul
later this year to en-
dorse a “stability pact”
for Afghanistan.
The 15-member
Century Fund Task
Force also travelled
widely, consulting
various parties in
Afghanistan and
Pakistan. Al-
though Iran did
not respond to a
request to visit
Tehran, Brahimi
www.geopolitics.in
NEPAL-
CHINA
met with the then
Iranian Foreign Min-
ister Manuchehr
BHAI
Mottaki outside Iran
and there were con-
tacts with Iranian ac-
ademics as well, said
BHAI!
Jeffrey Laurenti, the
Century Fund’s Di-
rector of Foreign Pol-
icy programmes.
An upcoming re-
port for another
think-tank, the At-
lantic Council recommends both multi-
lateral and bilateral talks between the US
and Iran to discuss Afghanistan’s political
future. In a speech before the Asia Society
in New York, Secretary of State Hillary CHINA’S ARMY Chief recently
Clinton pledged a “diplomatic surge” this wrapped up a high-level visit to
year to complement the military offensive Nepal and signed a new aid deal
and efforts to accelerate Afghan eco- with Kathmandu’s military that fur-
nomic development. ther cements ties between the two
“Both we and the Afghans believe that neighbours. General Chen Bingde,
the security and governance gains pro- Chief of the General Staff of China’s
duced by the military and civilian surges People’s Liberation Army, led the
have created an opportunity to get seri- first visit by a high-level Chinese
ous about a responsible reconciliation military delegation to Nepal in 10
process, led by Afghans and supported by years. The 70-year-old General
intense regional diplomacy and strong signed two agreements with his
US-backing,” she said. Nepalese counterpart, General
The Century Chhatraman Singh Gurung, in
Fund report said: which he announced $19 million
“For all sides, the worth of aid to the Nepalese Army
longer negotia- for infrastructure development.
tions are delayed, “The purpose of my visit is to
the higher the strengthen friendship and coopera-
price is likely to tion between Nepal and China,”
be for restoring Chen told reporters. “This coopera-
peace at the end.” tion is not only conducive for our
people but also for the world peace
and the Asia Pacific region.” Chen,
who led a 15-member delegation in-
cluding the top security official from
neighbouring Tibet, held talks with
Nepal’s President Ram Baran Yadav,
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal
and Defence Minister Bishnu
Paudel.
The Nepalese Army is seen as the
only strong state institution and the
Chinese are keen on investing in it.
The former monarchy until its end
in 2008 acted as an ally for the Chi-
nese. With the monarchy gone, they
are on the lookout for a trustworthy
ally and the Nepalese Army could
well be the one.
April 2011
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ERASING A BLOODY PAST
SRI LANKA’S military is finding new ways
of establishing its invincibility. The military
headquarters of the army’s 51st Division
that was inaugurated at Kopay near Jaffna
some time back has reportedly been built
on a graveyard of the Tamil Tigers that was
cleared explicitly for this project. Although
there is no outward feeling of rancour at
this move by the army, deep down there is a
feeling of anger at what is perceived as an
insensitive and wanton attempt to insult
the memory of those who fought against
the majority
Sinhala rule.
And now
the govern-
ment has
added insult
to injury. If
clearing the
cemetery was
an insult,
building the
51st division’s
headquarters
is seen as adding salt to their wounds.
Apparently, Kopay was not the only grave-
yard that was destroyed; there are several
others in the Jaffna Peninsula area that
were cleared to rid the region of any rem-
nants of the LTTE.The childhood home of
Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE founder
too, was demolished as part of this strategy.
His home is situated at Valvettithurai in
the Jaffna Peninsula. The graveyards have
been an important element of the LTTEs
‘martyr’s cult’ programme.When the Sri
Lankan Army took over Jaffna in 1995 it had
destroyed many of these graveyards that
were restored painstakingly by the LTTE
when they wrested back control to reflect
the sacrifices being made for a Tamil
Elaam. Graveyards for Tigers killed in bat-
tles with the Sri Lankan army or police
were not created, but buried and the “tuyil-
am illam” or resting place became an emo-
tional magnet for the locals.
Many Tamils are either too scared of
O N L O O K E R g
WHERE
ARE WE?
official retribution, or too apathetic to
mark the commemoration since the
rebels’ defeat last year. Over 20,000 insur-
gents were killed during the three-decade
conflict. One such cemetery was turned
into a playground; another in Jaffna was
converted into an army camp. Suresh
Premachandiran, an MP from northern
Jaffna, says his party, the Tamil National
Alliance, has tried in vain to stop the
demolition of war cemeteries.”Destroy-
ing graves is unacceptable,” he said.
“Those people
who were
buried there are
humans. They
fought for the
Tamil people,”
he told the BBC.
The response
came thick and
fast on the net US SECRETARY of State Hillary Clin-
from outraged ton has described relations between
Sri Lankans, one the United States and Pakistan as “very
website onlan- challenging”, a tacit admission of
ka.com said: strained ties between the key allies.
“The LTTE is a ruthless terrorist organ- Clinton said Islamabad was caught
isation banned even in the United between wanting to help and dealing
Kingdom. A terrorist organisation can- with its own extremist threat.
not have legitimate cemeteries on the “It’s a very challenging relationship,
soil of a sovereign state. The BBC because there have been some prob-
should understand this bare fact. The lems. It’s a very difficult relationship,
LTTE was not the sole representative because Pakistan is in a hard position,
of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Govern- trying to figure out how it’s going to
ment of Sri Lanka reserves the preroga- contend with its own internal extrem-
tive and the legitimate right to build ist threat,” she said. “But I think, on the
military camps on any part of the land other hand, we’ve also developed good
of the nation. lines of communication, good oppor-
Illegal cemeteries are not allowed in tunities for cooperation, but it’s some-
any part of the territory in Sri Lanka. thing we have to work on every day.”
There is an absolute necessity to bury “We were very appreciative of get-
memories of the treacherous LTTE ter- ting our diplomats out of Pakistan,
rorist group in the interest of the future and that took cooperation by the gov-
of all Tamils and the generations to ernment of Pakistan,” she said. “We
come. No remnant of terrorism should have cooperated very closely together
be left to observe as it would affect the in going after terrorists who pose a
psychology of the Tamil youth of today threat to both us and to the Pakistanis
and tomorrow.” themselves.”

SYRIA’S PRESIDENT ASSAD VOWS TO DEFEAT PLOT

PRESIDENT BASHAR al-Assad has told parliament
Syria will defeat those behind a “plot” against his
country.
“Syria is a target of a big plot from outside” he
said in his first speech since anti-govern-
ment demonstrations erupted in mid-
March.
Although much could be read into the
nuances of his 45-minute address to par-
liament in Damascus, he did not come
up with anything dramatically new or
tangible to break the cycle of disturbances and pacify outraged
activists angered by the deaths of scores of protesters.
Buoyed up by huge officially-encouraged demonstrations of pop-
ular support, Mr Assad did not look or sound like a leader who
thought his days were numbered.
Addressing an adulatory parliament, and with crowds of regime
loyalists chanting slogans of praise outside, he clearly believed he
was talking from a position of strength.
He felt strong enough to admit that the state had failed to meet the
daily needs of many citizens, and had failed to deliver more swiftly
on political reforms that he said had been in the pipeline since 2005.

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g
GEOPOLITICS
GLOBALWATCH

PEACEBUILDING THROUGH
STATEBUILDING?
Statebuilding has emerged as a global policy priority and new paradigm for building peace
in post-conflict societies. However, the practice of statebuilding is full of dilemmas for which
there are no simple solutions, argue DAVID LANZ and DIDIER PÉCLARD

PEACE CONUNDRUM: Enhancing

people to people's indigenous capacities

www.geopolitics.in April 2011

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Global Watch 8-9.qxd 4/7/2011 12:10 PM
F
OLLOWING THE verdict of a ref-
erendum on self-determination
last month, South Sudan looks set
to become the world’s youngest
independent state come July 2011.
The international community, which
already has a massive presence in the
region, is preparing a series of ‘statebuild-
ing’ programme geared to maintain peace
as Africa’s largest county splits in two. South
Sudan will thus become a test case for state-
building, which has emerged as a global
policy priority and begs numerous ques-
tions: What is statebuilding? How has the
concept evolved? Why is it currently en
vogue? And what are the dilemmas associ-
ated with peacebuilding through state-
building?
From liberal peacebuilding…
The end of the Cold War freed interna-
tional organisations of their bipolar con-
straints and sparked great enthusiasm
about (finally) realising the promise of col-
lective security enshrined in the UN Char-
ter. Thus, the UN Secretary General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali proposed “An Agen-
da for Peace”as his blueprint for the new
era. Boutros-Ghali’s vision included
‘peacebuilding’ in post-conflict contexts,
which he defined as “action to identify and
support structures which will tend to
strengthen and solidify peace in order to
avoid a relapse into conflict”. A series of
operations were thus deployed — to
Namibia, Angola, Cambodia, El Salvador
and Rwanda among others — with the aim
of building peace by overseeing elections,
disarming combatants, resettling refugees
and spearheading far-reaching political
and economic reforms.
The success of these operations was
mixed at best. There were some abysmal
failures, such as Rwanda and Angola, where
the violence that broke out after the peace-
building operation had been deployed was
worse than the initial civil war. In other
countries, peacebuilding succeeded in cre-
ating relative stability, but the performance
of most post-conflict governments was a
far cry from the aspirations of ‘liberal
peacebuilders’. Critics like Roland Paris
attributed this failure to the shock that
political and economic liberalisation pro-
duced in states wholly unprepared for such
far-reaching changes. Others maintained
that promoting a Western model of democ-
racy is futile in countries that do not have
the necessary institutional structure; it
took European countries centuries to
develop such a framework.
www.geopolitics.in
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g
GLOBALWATCH
…to statebuilding
The common recommendation resulting
from this critique was that more sustainable
peacebuilding required an increased
emphasis on building political institutions
through which the transformation of post-
conflict states could be managed. The
emergence of statebuilding as the primary
tool for peacebuilding was fostered by two
developments in world politics post-9/11.
One was that ‘failed states’— alternatively
called ‘weak’ or ‘fragile’ states — came to be
seen as security threats, providing safe
havens for terrorists, and generating
unwanted immigration. ‘Fixing states’
through statebuilding has thus become a
realpolitik challenge. This was compounded
by the US experience in Iraq and
Afghanistan, where the consolidation of the
state proved to be far more difficult and
costly than the invasions that brought the
new regimes to power.
Second, a fragile state has increasingly
been framed as an obstacle to development.
For example, at last year’s UN Summit on
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG),
it was often said that no fragile state had
managed to achieve even one MDG, and
that such countries accounted for 75 per-
cent of the ‘MDG deficit’. In line with Paul
Collier’s call to focus aid on the “Bottom Bil-
lion”, statebuilding has thus emerged as a
remedy for poverty alleviation and econom-
ic development in post-conflict societies.
These factors provide the background
against which statebuilding has become a
global policy priority and as such, “a new
paradigm” for building peace in post-con-
flict societies. Thus, UNDP and the World
Bank run a joint programme on statebuild-
ing in fragile and post-conflict situations; the
US and the UK have declared it a priority, as
have major think tanks. The OECD, through
its Development Assistance Committee, has
been particularly proactive. Its reports have
set the standards for international state-
building policy, encouraging national devel-
opment agencies to take up the issue.
The trend toward statebuilding is some-
what problematic, because the remedies
prescribed are often overly normative and
mechanical: fragile states are seen as sick
patients in need of treatment, or as prob-
lems that can be ‘fixed’ through social and
political engineering. The latest OECD
reports, however, offer a more complex pic-
ture. They go beyond a strictly functionalist
approach, according to which the state pro-
vides certain public goods — security, pub-
lic infrastructure, education, health, etc. —
and the role of international statebuilders is
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simply to improve on this delivery. Instead,
the reports emphasise the intangible
dimensions of the state, such as its legiti-
macy, as well as the importance of state-
society relations. The reports also remind
international donors that statebuilding is a
deeply political and primarily endogenous
process that requires context-specific
knowledge and responses -— not a ‘cookie-
cutter’ approach.
Walking the talk?
It remains to be seen whether the inter-
national community is able to ‘walk the
talk’ when it comes to statebuilding.
Indeed, the practice of statebuilding is rid-
dled with dilemmas. The mantra that ‘state-
building promotes peace’ cannot conceal
the multiple tradeoffs and contradictions
between the two objectives. In the interest
of peace and stability it can make sense to
accommodate ‘spoilers’, for example
through a power-sharing agreement, as in
Bosnia, but these very actors may also
undermine the emergence of an effective
state in the long run. Likewise, a heavy
international presence may be crucial to
maintaining peace in the short run, as in
East Timor and Kosovo, but unfortunately
this can then lead to donor dependency,
and discontent in the host society. More-
over, elections are a necessary step for
statebuilding, but they can contribute to
re-igniting violent conflict, as recent events
in Côte d’Ivoire show.
South Sudan is a case in point for these
dilemmas. To strengthen statebuilding,
donors should channel funds through the
new government in Juba. However, in a
country where 85 per cent of the population
is illiterate, and formal state institutions
remain underdeveloped, it is tempting for
donors to simply circumvent the state and
fund NGOs on the ground instead. Further-
more, statebuilding programs that build the
capacity of government agencies inevitably
strengthen the party that is currently in
power. In the case of South Sudan, this
would be the former SPLM rebels. State-
building efforts would then be unavoidably
bolstering their political leverage, despite
the group’s questionable commitment to
democracy and allegations of corruption.
South Sudan shows that there is no
panacea for dealing with the dilemmas of
statebuilding. A first step, however, is to
recognise that states are formed in a pro-
tracted and often messy process of negotia-
tion, over which international actors have
only limited control.
(ISN)
April 2011
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GEOPOLITICS
SPOTLIGHT
F
UKUSHIMA-I has become a
household name today. After the
strongest earthquake of the past
140 years, Japan faced the deadly
Tsunami, which brought death
and destruction in the country. Among oth-
ers, one of the serious damages occurred at
one of the nuclear energy production cen-
tres of Japan: Fukushima-I. International
media flashed updates about the nuclear
reactors located in the complex. The update
accompanied discussions and assessments
of the unfortunate situation at the complex
as well as pondering on the global nuclear
renaissance. For one week, fire and explo-
sion in one reactor after another kept com-
ing. Side by side, the apprehension of a
complete meltdown and subsequent radia-
tion release dominated the global.
Fukushima-I houses six units of power
reactors. During the earthquake, units 4-6
were under periodical inspection. The oth-
er three units (units 1-3) were automatical-
ly shut down. However, the Tsunami
knocked down the onsite emergency diesel
generator set which affected the cooling of
the shutdown plants. The Tokyo Electric
Power Corporation started injecting seawa-
ter to cool the reactors. Subsequently, the
Japanese Self-Defence force also used heli-
copters to spray water on the reactors.
At the time of writing, between 50 and
100 workers were fighting the battle to
douse the rising heat from the different
units to prevent the complete meltdown of
the fuel core. To a great extent, they suc-

IS NUCLEAR ceeded in stabilizing the situation. People

from the nearby areas were evacuated as a
precaution against increased radiation.
The situation appears to be improving

ENERGY gradually. Partial restoration of power to

these nuclear plants has taken place and
soon expected to be restored fully. Although
food and seawater developed contamina-

INHERENTLY
tion, Japanese authorities maintained that
the radiation level had started coming down
not only in the Fukushima complex but also
the areas surrounding and near Fukushima.

UNSAFE?
Japan's nuclear emergency has led to the questions all over the
world about the safety and stability of nuclear power. In India,
anti-nuclear voices have become louder and sharper. But
RAJIV NAYAN dismisses most of their concerns and argues
that Indian nuclear establishment is on the right track
A release of the Japanese Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry informed that
all the workers who worked to restore the
electricity plant of the reactors are not under
threat. The release informed, “Workers put
on Full Face-piece Respirator with charcoal
filter, TYVEK Suit and so on, which are
ARE WE REALLY SAFE?: Japanese
tsunami has stirred the world, including
India and has raised a big question mark
on the future of nuclear energy

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JAPAN 10-11-16-17.qxd 4/7/2011 3:57 PM
effective radiation protection equipments,
and after the operations contamination was
examined. Therefore, the internal exposure
of the workers was controlled at very low lev-
el. Until now the internal exposure has not
been reported.”
An International Maritime Organisation
briefing noted: “International flight and
maritime operations can continue normal-
ly into and out of Japan’s major airports and
sea ports, excluding those damaged by the
Tsunami…” However, Tokyo Electric Power
Company officials admitted that they had
underestimated the earthquake and its
impact at the level of planning.
The twin tragedies and the consequent
radiation danger have stirred the world,
including India. The world has experienced
a variety of reactions including reviewing of
long-term national nuclear energy plans,
shutting down of old nuclear power plants
in some countries (possibly temporarily)
and a complete debate on all aspects of
nuclear energy. Environmentalists are up in
arms all over the world; even supporters of
nuclear energy are demanding augmenting
of safety measures. Risk and emergency
preparedness are becoming the new phras-
es in talk shops. In sum, anxiety and future
uncertainty are dominating not just discus-
sions but also policy decisions.
Quite naturally, India cannot remain
insulated to global developments. Televi-
sion news channels found a new item to run
its news machine for 24 X 7. Later, the issue
sneaked and started dominating the space
of the print media as well. Several issues of
nuclear energy came up for discussions.
Safety was, of course, providing the overall
direction of all the discussions. A number of
commentators felt that if an advanced
industrial country like Japan with rich
resources cannot run safe reactors at the
time of crisis or natural calamity, the situa-
tion could be worse for a country like India.
There are some obvious questions. Is
nuclear energy inherently unsafe? Will Indi-
an nuclear plants eventually meet the fate
of Fukushima reactors? The answer is sim-
ple: nuclear energy is not inherently unsafe.
The World Nuclear Association informs: “In
over 14,000 cumulative reactor-years of
commercial operation in 32 countries,
there have been only two major accidents
to nuclear power plants at Three Mile Island
and Chernobyl, the latter being of little rele-
vance outside the old Soviet bloc.”
The Fukushima complex has been affect-
ed by an accident (earthquake and Tsuna-
mi), struggling to avoid a nuclear accident
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g
SPOTLIGHT
and successfully issuing warning to popula-
tion to vacate the potentially affected area.
In fact, people were evacuated and a large
number of people left Tokyo to escape radi-
ation if the rescue mission fails to control
the situation in Tokyo. People had enough
time to take safety measures even in the
Fukushima case. India faced two major
accidents involving nuclear power plants in
recent years. One was the earthquake in
Bhuj and the second Tsunami in 2004. Noth-
ing happened to any of the reactors.
Let us talk about the Boiling Water Reac-
tors (BWR), which are in operation in
Fukushima. Years ago, in 1979, reactor
number 2 of the Three Mile Island had a
similar problem. The reactor had faced the
problem of the meltdown of the nuclear
fuel core. The incident, on the one hand, led
to the end of new nuclear procurement in
the US and, on the other, it instigated a
debate about the modification in nuclear
reactor and complex designs. For example,
THE TWIN
TRAGEDIES AND
THE RADIATION
DANGER HAVE
STIRRED THE
WORLD,
INCLUDING INDIA
one of the suggestions was to include a
robust filtration system.
Sweden even installed the filtered vent
systems in the Barseback reactors it operat-
ed in a number of countries. Other alterna-
tives to deal with melting of the core came
up. India has been operating two BWRs in
Tarapur. These units are the Tarapur Atomic
Power Station TAPS-1 and TAPS-2. The
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limit-
ed (NPCIL) records: “The safety of these
BWR plants was reanalyzed few years ago
and reviewed by Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board (AERB). Following this, the two BWRs
at TAPS- 1&2 have been renovated, upgrad-
ed and additional safety features back fitted
to latest state of art safety standards.”
Other 18 operational reactors of India are
Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors(PHWR).
These reactors have a different kind of
design. The NPCIL informs, “The PHWRs
are of different design than that of BWRs
and have multiple, redundant and diverse
(11)
shutdown systems as well as cooling water
systems.” In BWRs, the heat generated
through nuclear fission in the core sets off
circulating water to boil which finally pro-
duces steam. The generated steam is
radioactive. It directly drives a turbine. Then
the steam is cooled in a condenser and
transformed back to liquid and it circulates
back through the reactor. The PHWRs do
not allow boiling of primary loop water.
This kind of reactor has an arrangement
for running the reactor when power breaks
down as happened in Fukushima. It has
design features to withstand earthquakes
and severe flooding. In a press conference
during the Japanese crisis, the head of the
NPCIL said, “The Indian PHWRs, built from
those at Narora after early 1990s, were
enclosed in a calandria vault, which was
surrounded by a pool of water of 260
tonnes.” Moreover, it was the exposure of
the back-up generator to Tsunami that
plunged the plants into crises. This prob-
lem may be addressed by keeping the back-
up diesel generators at a safe distance. This
lesson has been underscored by Indian sci-
entists in one of the press conferences they
addressed during the Japanese crisis.
Though India has made many improvi-
sations in the design of the PHWRs (they
are CANDU type reactors — the CANDU is
an abbreviation of Canada Deuterium Ura-
nium; the CANDU reactor was built by
Canada), the Canadian government
released a statement — soon after the
Fukushima mishap — which highlighted
the safety features of these kinds of reac-
tors. Some of these were as follows:
 A design that can use passive convection
cooling for the primary systems to keep
the reactor cool in the absence of power;
 The use of dousing tanks high in the
reactor or containment building that
work on gravity, which can be used to
replenish secondary side inventory and
refill the steam generators, as required,
to continue heat release in the event of a
loss of power;
 Use of ceramic uranium fuel pellets that
tolerate high temperatures;
 Two independent and diverse shutdown
systems;
 Calandria vessel that contains the fuel
rod assembly and heavy water modera-
tor; and,
 High-density, reinforced concrete con-
tainment walls, almost a meter thick.
India has required institutional and regula-
tory frameworks for ensuring nuclear safety.
(Continued on page 16)
April 2011
Panorama 12-15.qxd 4/7/2011 12:24 PM
TURBO REACTIONS!
Japanese tsunami has been like a giant wave that is lashing against the Indian 'nuclear'
establishments. Here is an A to Z of what it means to India and the world.
“WE HAVE
TECHNICAL
KNOW-HOW,
BUT
NUCLEAR
POWER IS
ESSENTIAL.
URANIUM
SHOULD BE RE-CYCLED AND
USED TO MAKE FUEL,
OTHERWISE WE WILL HAVE TO
IMPORT. IF WE DON'T USE
NUCLEAR POWER, WE WILL
HAVE TO IMPORT COAL ALSO
IN THE FUTURE. WE NEED A
DIALOGUE ON NUCLEAR
CONTRIBUTIONS.”
ANIL KAKODKAR
FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMIS-
SION
N-mishaps in India
MAY 4, 1987
(KALPAKKAM)
Refuelling accident damages
reaction core
MAY 13, 1994
(KAIGA)
During construction, an inner
containment dome meant to
contain radiation collapses
www.geopolitics.in
Page 26
g
GEOPOLITICS
PANORAMA
“WE HAVE
ASKED
ATOMIC
ENERGY
COMMISSION
TO LEARN
LESSONS
FROM JAPAN.
WE STORE OUR FUELS
DIFFERENTLY. IN JAPAN,
THEY STORE HYDROGEN
FUEL. WE HAVE ASKED FOR A
DETAILED REVIEW OF
DESIGN AND SAFETY
FEATURES, WHICH THEY
(ATOMIC ENERGY
COMMISSION) WILL SUBMIT
TO PRIME MINISTER.”
SHIV SHANKAR MENON
NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR
SEPTEMBER 10, 1989
(TARAPUR)
Radioactive iodine leaks at
above normal levels
FEBRUARY 2, 1995
(KOTA)
Plant leaks radioactive helium
and heavy water into the Rana
Pratap Sagar river
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“THE “THE ACCIDENT
DEPARTMENT AT THE
OF ATOMIC FUKUSHIMA
ENERGY AND PLANT,
ITS AGENCIES TRIGGERED BY
HAVE BEEN JAPAN'S
INSTRUCTED STRONGEST
TO EARTHQUAKE,
UNDERTAKE AN IMMEDIATE MAY FUEL PUBLIC CONCERN
TECHNICAL REVIEW OF ALL ABOUT THE SAFETY OF NUCLEAR
SAFETY SYSTEMS OF OUR POWER. WE CAN’T CLOSE OUR
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, EYES TO PEOPLE’S CONCERNS,
PARTICULARLY WITH A VIEW WHICH MAY BE HEIGHTENED
TO ENSURING THAT THEY AFTER THE JAPAN ACCIDENT. OUR
WOULD BE ABLE TO NEW LAUNCHES WILL HAVE TO
WITHSTAND THE IMPACT OF KEEP IN MIND PUBLIC
LARGE NATURAL DISASTERS SENTIMENT AND NATURALLY,
SUCH AS TSUNAMIS AND THIS PROCESS WON'T HAPPEN
EARTHQUAKES.” OVERNIGHT.”
DR MANMOHAN SINGH SHREYANS KUMAR JAIN
PRIME MINISTER CHAIRMAN, NUCLEAR POWER
CORP OF INDIA
MAY 13, 1992 MAY 31, 1993
(TARAPUR) (NARORA)
A malfunctioning tube causes Plant suffers a fire at its steam
plant to release 12 curies of turbine blades. Shutdown lasted
radioactivity a year.
DECEMBER 26, 2004 NOVEMBER 25, 2009
(KALPAKKAM) (KAIGA)
During the tsunami, sea water Employees fall ill. Tests show tri-
enters intake tunnel of plant. tium content in urine of 92
Plant shut down employees who drank water
from cooler. A disgruntled staff
had poured radioactive heavy
water into it.
April 2011
Panorama 12-15.qxd 4/7/2011 12:24 PM Page 27

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PANORAMA
4,780 MW
is the power-generation capacity
of all our N-plants taken together

60 years
is the design life of a modern
nuclear power reactor

Rawatbhata India's N-stock

 1 X 100 MW
 1 X 200 MW
India has 7 nuclear plants with 20 reactors
 4 X 220 MW  PLANT LOCATION
Narora, Uttar Pradesh
SEISMIC ZONE
IV
 2 X 700 MW J&K Seismic Zones Kakrapar, Gujarat III
 Zone I (least active) Tarapur, Maharashtra III
Haryana Kaiga, Karnataka III
 Zone II (least to moderate) Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu II
 Himachal
 4 X 220 MW
 Zone III (moderate) Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu II
 Pradesh
 Zone IV (high)
Rawatbhata, Rajasthan II


Narora
Punjab
 2 X 220 MW
 Uttarakhand Higher
 Zone V (highest)

Haryana 
zone represents Arunachal

greater risk
New Delhi Pradesh
 Uttar Pradesh Sikkim

   Assam  Nagaland
Rajasthan  
 Bihar
Meghalaya  Manipur
  Tripura 
 Mizoram

Gujarat
Madhya Pradesh Jharkhand 
 Madhya Pradesh
West Bengal

    2 X 700 MW

Chhattisgarh
 How India fared
Mithi Virdi
 6 X 1,000 MW
 Orissa  KAKRAPAR, GUJARAT —

 Maharashtra Operations continued after the Bhuj

Haripur
Kakrapar
quake, 2011
 6 X 1,000 MW
 2 X 220 MW
 TARAPUR, MAHARASHTRA —
 2 X 700 MW
   Kovvada
 6 X 1,000 MW
Not impacted by Latur quake, 1993
Tarapur Andhra Pradesh  KALPAKKAM, TAMIL NADU —

 2 X 160 MW
Build by same firm Power generation was stopped for a
that supplied reactors
to Fukushima week after the 2004 tsunami. But no
 2 X 540 MW Karnataka permanent damage.
Jaitapur
 6 X 1,650 MW  Types of N-reactors in India

Kaiga Kalpakkam BOILING WATER REACTORS (BWRS):


Use water to drive turbines. Heat is
 3 X 220 MW  2 X 220 MW
produced by nuclear fission. This caus-
Graphic: Ruchi Sinha

 1 X 220 MW
Tamil Nadu es the water to boil, producing steam.
 Nuclear Power Reactor The steam drives the turbine blades,
 producing electricity.

Under Construction
Kerela
Kudankulam  Ongoing Projects PRESSURISED HEAVY WATER

  1 X 1,000MW
 4 X 1,000MW
 Project Launched REACTORS (PHWRS):
Uses heavy water to drive the turbines.
 Proposed Projects

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g
PANORAMA

Nuke Power Share of Electric Grid Risk factors world over

India China
2.2% 1.9%  US
Brazil 10 out of a total 104 reactors are located
2.9% in seismic zone V — the highest.

USA
 France
None out of its 58 reactors are in a high
20% seismic zone.
Russia
18%
 Britain
None of its 19 reactors in high seismic
zone.
Without nuclear power plants, these countries would have to turn to other means to
generate electricity. Solar and wind power are increasing as part of the grid, but in big  China
ozone depleting, ice melting nations like the US, Russia and China, fossil fuels are the 13 reactors in total, no official clarity on
most available way to keep the lights on. seismic zoning.

“THIS ACCIDENT IS “I'VE “WITH THE

RAISING A CERTAIN ALREADY TSUNAMI AND
NUMBER OF INSTRUCTED EARTHQUAKE,
QUESTIONS OUR WE DO NOT
THROUGHOUT THE NUCLEAR HAVE ROOM TO
WORLD REGULATORY BE PESSIMISTIC
CONCERNING THE AGENCY TO OR
SAFETY OF MAKE SURE DISCOURAGED.
NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND ENERGY THAT WE TAKE LESSONS WE ARE GOING TO CREATE JAPAN
CHOICES. FRANCE CHOSE NUCLEAR LEARNED FROM WHAT'S ONCE AGAIN FROM SCRATCH.
ENERGY, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE HAPPENED IN JAPAN AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE
AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF HER THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY JAPANESE PEOPLE MUST HAVE
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND THE UPGRADING HOW WE STRONG RESOLUTION TO MOVE
FIGHT AGAINST GREENHOUSE APPROACH OUR NUCLEAR FORWARD AND OVERCOME
GASES.” SAFETY IN THIS COUNTRY.” THESE DIFFICULTIES.”

NICOLAS SARKOZY BARACK OBAMA NAOTO KAN

PRESIDENT, FRANCE PRESIDENT, US PRIME MINISTER, JAPAN

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Panorama 12-15.qxd 4/7/2011 12:24 PM Page 29

PANORAMA
g
New nuclear power projects underway Nuclear Power
70 Reactors Globally
Of the 442* power stations worldwide,
60
the US has the most. A look at the US vs
the BRIC nations.
50 USA: 104
Russia: 32
India: 20
40
China: 27

China: 13
Brazil: 2
Korea RO (South): 5

30 *Avg power station generates 1 gigawatt

of electricity. Assuming each power sta-
Russia: 10

tion does that amount, then 442

World Total: 60
20
gigawatts is enough to provide electricity
Argentina: 1
Slovakia: 2
Canada: 2
India: 5

Pakistan: 1

Finland: 1
to 309.4 million people.

France: 1
Japan: 2

Brazil: 1

USA: 1
10
Iran: 1

0 5 Brazil
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 2

4 China
13
How the reactors react to quakes, tsunamis India
3
20
 Nuclear reactors have sensors that fails after massive earthquake or due
measure and detect the earth to tsunami water. Batteries are also 2 Russia
32
movement triggered by seismic provided to power the cooling
activity. mechanism if diesel generators fail. USA
1
 The moment the acceleration of the  If all power supply and backups fail 104
earth a value known as the Operating — like in Fukushima — the reactor is
Basis Earthquake, the reactor in a state known as Station Blackout. 0 50 100
automatically starts shutting down. In such situation, meltdown is the
 Once the reactor starts shutting down, only option.
an emergency cooling mechanism is  However, Indian N-plants are
The Waste Factor
also activated. designed for convention-based
 Reactors typically have diesel cooling even in a Station Blackout
generators as backups as power likely state. Where do we put this radioactive junk?
Unlike the US, some countries recycle a
portion of the uranium. The rest of the
“THE COLOSSAL high level waste gets stored deep under
“JUST LIKE
TRAGEDY THAT HAS ground in special geological centers.
JAPAN, CHINA
STRUCK JAPAN HAS NO Two years ago, the US closed one of
IS PRONE TO
those disposal centers. Yucca Mountain
DOUBT PUT EARTHQUAKE is no longer used to dump high level
CONSTRUCTION OF DISASTERS. radioactive waste caused by nuclear
NUCLEAR POWER THE THREAT power generation.
PLANTS INTO THE OF A
PUBLIC GAZE, AND MELTDOWN Total waste estimate: 29.6 million cubic
EVERYONE IS ASKING THEMSELVES, CAN AT JAPANESE NUCLEAR PLANTS metric tons in 366 facilities worldwide.
NUCLEAR ENERGY REALLY BE SAFE? HAS ALREADY PROMPTED FOR
THE ANSWER IS CLEARLY THAT IT CAN SAFETY INSPECTION OF THE Avg nuke waste per unit: 300 cubic tons
BE AND IS SAFE, BUT ONLY IF THE COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR of low to intermediate level waste stored
RIGHT DECISIONS ARE MADE ON FACILITIES AND BACKLASH on site on in special near surface facil-
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS' LOCATION, AGAINST PLANS TO INVEST IN ties. And 30 tons of high level waste is
DESIGN, AND OPERATORS.” NEW PROJECTS. ” generated per 1 gigawatt annually.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV WEN JIABAO Avg coal waste per unit: 300,000 tons of
PRESIDENT, RUSSIA PREMIER, CHINA coal ash annually.

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JAPAN 10-11-16-17.qxd 4/8/2011 1:19 PM Page 62

g
SPOTLIGHT

GETTING ALERT: Will Indian nuclear

plants eventually meet the fate of
Fukushima reactors? However, the Indian
establishment has risen to the occasion
and is willing to modify its safety
parameters. Inset: Logo of Atomic Energy
Regulatory Board — the institutional arm
of nuclear safety in the country

(Continued from page 11)

The AERB is the institutional arm of nuclear

safety in the country. It is supposed to devel-
op policy for radiation and industrial safe-
ty. For the purpose, it evolves safety Codes,
Guides and Standards for sitting, design,
construction, commissioning, operation
and decommissioning of different types of
nuclear and radiation facilities. It is respon-
sible for licensing or granting approval of
each stage of the work mentioned above.
Also its job is to see that Indian nuclear
facilities are complying with the rules and
regulations under which permission has
been granted. The AERB has a system of
review and assessment, regulatory inspec-
tion and enforcement in this regard. It
reviews nuclear emergency, safety reviews for
transport of radioactive and nuclear materi-
als among other functions. For nuclear emer-
gency, state and local level officials are
trained to handle the situation. The Indian
Prime Minister has promised strengthening
of the AERB to strengthen nuclear safety.
India interacts with the international
community for nuclear safety. Although
bilateral exchanges do take place, yet the
most valuable exchanges take place
through international organisations. The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) special section elaborating nuclear safety. In basis accidents” which may result in a radi-
and the World Association of Nuclear Oper- many other sections, too, the act has provi- ation emergency in the public domain. For
ators (WANO) are the two most important sions for nuclear safety. For example, the act the purpose, “Off-site Emergencies” and
institutions through which nation-states, mentions how the transportation of radioac- on-site Emergencies plans are drawn. One
including India, share experience about tive substances is to be handled. There are of the guides for safety is on the Site Con-
nuclear safety. IAEA has set safety standards other acts in the Indian legal framework such siderations of Nuclear Power Plants for Off-
for nuclear facilities and has codified pub- as Atomic Energy (Working of the Mines, site Emergency Preparedness.
lished documents on nuclear safety. Minerals and Handling of Prescribed Sub- At the very outset, the guide makes it
It also extends safety assistance to its stance) Rules, 1984; Atomic Energy (Safe Dis- clear that any nuclear power plant will be
member countries. In its meetings, the safe- posal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987; ‘designed, constructed, commissioned and
ty unit of the IAEA had appreciated India’s Atomic Energy (Factories) Rules, 1996; Atom- operated in conformity with nuclear safety
safety record, plan and management a cou- ic Energy (Control of Food Irradiation) Rules, standards.’ The guidelines also demand that
ple of years ago. WANO, which has a chapter 1996; and Atomic Energy (Radiation Protec- for nuclear power plants, authorities should
in Tokyo, aims at augmenting “the safety tion) Rules, 2004, which help in nuclear safe- strive to select ‘sites with low population
and reliability of nuclear power plants ty administration and enforcement. densities’. Yet another Guide on Quality
worldwide by working together to assess Moreover, the regulation and guidelines Assurance in Sitting of Nuclear Power Plant
benchmark and improve performance framed under the Atomic Energy Act pro- (No AERB/NPP/SG/S-10) lays down:
through mutual support, exchange of infor- vide further details for nuclear safety. Any “Nuclear safety should be the fundamental
mation and emulation of best practices”. nuclear facility which is not complying with consideration in the identification of the
India has commendable legal framework these regulations and guidelines may face items, services and processes to which the
to ensure nuclear safety. The Atomic Energy partial or complete shutdown. As a pre- QAP [Quality Assurance Plan] applies. A
Act, the principal legal authority for under- cautionary measure, the atomic energy graded approach based on the relative
taking legal business in the country, has a establishment envisions “beyond design importance to nuclear safety of each item,

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JAPAN 10-11-16-17.qxd 4/7/2011 12:18 PM
service or process should be used.”
There is also a guide on “Extreme Values
of Meteorological Parameters”. This guide
prescribes taking into consideration of
meteorological parameters such as wind
speed, rainfall intensity as well as total rain-
fall, storms, cyclones, maximum and mini-
mum temperature for designing nuclear
facilities for nuclear safety. This guide fur-
ther clarifies: “Structural safety requires
that structures important to safety shall be
designed to withstand the extreme values of
these parameters likely to occur during the
lifetime of the facility.”
There are other nuclear safety guides
such as Management of Nuclear Power
Plants for Safe Operation; Maintenance of
Nuclear Power Plants; Commissioning Pro-
cedures for Pressurised Heavy Water Based
Nuclear Power Plants; Surveillance of items
important to safety in Nuclear Power
Plants; Preparedness of the operating
organisation for Handling Emergencies at
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Page 63
g
SPOTLIGHT
INDIA HAS
COMMENDABLE
LEGAL
FRAMEWORK
TO ENSURE
NUCLEAR
SAFETY
Nuclear Power Plants; Management of
Radioactive Wastes arising during opera-
tion of PHWR Based Nuclear Power Plants;
In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power
Plants; and Operational Safety Experience
Feedback on Nuclear Power Plants
As per the nuclear safety guidelines,
“Each nuclear power station of the present
generation has an Exclusion Zone surround-
ing the power station in which no habitation
is permitted and this area is under the
administrative control of the plant authority.
An area of larger radius outside the Exclu-
sion Zone is declared as the Sterilised Zone
where growth and development is restricted.
The Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ)
extends further beyond the Sterilised Zone.”
One of the guidelines for setting up any
nuclear power plant is that it should meet the
design parameter of Operating Basis Earth-
quake. In the Indian regulatory system, Oper-
ating Basis Earthquake has been defined as
“the maximum ground motion that can be
reasonably expected to be experienced at the
site area once, with an estimated return peri-
od of about 100 years”. Also, the regulatory
system lays down that the reactor design
should be compliant of Safe Shutdown Earth-
quake (SSE) — the maximum level of ground
motion expected to occur once in 10,000
years. In other words or putting it more sim-
ply, the Indian design and the licensing sys-
tem have already taken the earthquake factor
into account. Besides, unlike the Japanese
reactors, the Indian nuclear reactors are in
the lower seismic zones.
A few in India have questioned the pro-
posed Jaitapur nuclear security complex for
a number of reasons. First, the parallel was
drawn to multiple units housing the
Fukushima site, and it was claimed that
multiple units multiplies the danger of
radioactive release. Critics are failing to
realise that the emerging crises were han-
dled in a much better fashion with the same
resources and efforts at one site. Imagine
(17)
six units of Fukushima scattered at places
far away from each other. For the authori-
ties who were battling the grave situation
would have given up their efforts long back.
The second complaint is that the Jaitapur
site is prone to Tsunami.
This fact has been refuted by the Atomic
Energy Establishment. It is much above the
seal-level to face the Tsunami. Moreover,
after the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian atomic
establishment erected a huge protection
wall around Kalpakkam, which is nearer the
sea. One of the scientists also informed:
“The mean sea-level near the Prototype Fat
Breeder Reactor (PFBR) site was 6.7 metres,
the PFBR plant’s grade-level was more than
15 metres. A Tsunami bund, with 5.5 lakh
tonnes of stones, had been built on the
shore near the PFBR. There were four
diesel-generator sets to provide alternative
electricity in case of station black-out and
they were located in different places where
sea water could not reach.” These experi-
ments may be used at Jaitapur.
Third, Evolutionary Power Reactors of
Areva (the French company) , which may
be installed at the site, are being scruti-
nised. Regulators of a few European coun-
tries, including France, have asked for
redesign of the reactor. A former atomic
energy chief has expressed satisfaction.
Quite possibly, Areva may have already
offered a modified design. Otherwise, the
Indian nuclear establishment may test
these reactors on their safety parameters
before licensing its operation. Thus, safety
is not going to be compromised.
The Japanese incident, certainly, gave
worrying moments to the international
community. The anxiety raised a big ques-
tion mark on the future of nuclear energy.
However, the Japanese experience gives
two big lessons. First, the policy decision
should not be taken at the time of tension
and anxiety. Second, nuclear safety is an
evolutionary issue. One has to be on a con-
stant alert and keep changing design, legal,
regulatory and institutional requirements
according to the emerging reality. The
Indian nuclear establishment has risen to
the occasion and explicitly sent the mes-
sage to the country and outside that it is
willing to modify its safety parameters in
the light of the Japanese experience. For
sure, there is no room for complacency.
Indian nuclear safety culture will act as a
bulwark for Indian nuclear energy.
(The author is Senior Research Associate
at the Institute for Defence Studies and
Analyses, New Delhi)
April 2011
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g
GEOPOLITICS
SPECIALFEATURE

BLASTS THAT
MATTER
Landmines are one of the major issues haunting the Indian armed forces
and police. UDDIPAN MUKHERJEE delves into the various existing
technologies to detect these dreaded devices, especially the anti-personnel
ones, and argues that the major impediment is to detect plastic landmines

TRUE GRIT: Hollywood blockbuster Hurt

Locker, that swept the Oscars last year
was a riveting cinematic recreation on the
horrors of land mines and the
psychological and physical scares that
they leave on people

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I
T IS not without reason that the
Chhattisgarh police is planning to
arrange a conference focusing on the
role of technology in anti-insurgency
warfare. The Special Task Force (STF)
dealing with anti-Maoist operations in the
state has been entrusted to examine the
modalities of this conference. Among other
things, the STF and the state police seek
knowledge in detecting landmines, which
pose a grave threat to the security forces not
only in the state, but in almost all the
Maoist-dominated areas of India.
Undoubtedly, landmines pose a formida-
ble challenge to the world community. It is
both a theoretical and a practical problem to
determine the location of each and every
landmine in a geographical area. To defuse
them thereafter is an additional difficulty.
In fact, one of the last century’s unsolved
problems is the landmines left behind from
wars and insurgencies. It is estimated that
15,000-20,000 victims are claimed per year
due to landmines. The US State Department
reports that a total of 45-50 million mines
still remain to be cleared worldwide.
Research also tells us that around 100,000
mines are detected and destroyed per year
around the globe.
Thus, going by the present rate of clear-
ance and assuming no new mines are laid;
a simple calculation shows that it will take
another 450 - 500 years to get rid of all the
existing landmines. However, according to
some estimates, roughly 1.9 million new
mines are being placed annually!
Interestingly, mines are inexpensive —
costing as little as $3 each and hence, of
late, have turned out to be the poor rebel’s
potent weapon. But, on the other hand,
they impose devastating consequences on
the affected populace. In 1995, a survey
conducted in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambo-
dia, and Mozambique found that one in
three victims of mine-blasts died. And as
would be explained later, many of the vic-
tims are children.
For example, in Afghanistan, the survey
found that, on an average, 17 in 1,000 chil-
dren had been injured or killed by land-
mines. For those who survived the blasts,
the most common injury reported was loss
of a leg. Loss of arms, blindness, and shrap-
nel wounds were also found to be frequent.
In a January 2011 Issue Brief published
by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies
(New Delhi), Rahul Misra asserts that there
are as many as 10 million mines in Cambo-
dia and one in every 236 Cambodians is an
amputee. Laos, according to Misra, is the
most-troubled country. It had two million
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Page 27
g
SPECIALFEATURE
A WORLDWIDE BAN
MARCH 1, 2011, marked 12 years since the
international treaty banning antiperson-
nel mines became a binding internation-
al law. A total of 156 nations are parties to
the Mine Ban Treaty, and another two have
signed but not yet ratified. China, India,
Russia, and the United States are among
the 37 states that have not yet joined. But
nearly all of those states are in de facto
compliance with most of the treaty’s pro-
visions. Every NATO member except the
US has foresworn the use of anti-person-
nel mines, as have other US allies, in-
cluding Afghanistan and Iraq.
Despite President Obama’s creation of
the Land Mine Policy Review in 2009, the
US still has not agreed to sign the Mine
Ban Treaty. The agreement, if signed,
would require the US military to destroy
a stockpile of over one million mines.
Paradoxically, India, along with Rus-
sia, China and Pakistan, remains one of
the largest producers of landmines, even
if not an active user. Globally, 13 coun-
tries produce anti-personnel mines,
many of which are taking measures to
TYPES OF MINES
Anti-Personnel Mines
Blast Mines (Designed to Fragmentation Mines
cause severe injury to a (Designed to project
person)
fragments across a wider
area)
Anti-Personnel Mine
(Blast Type) Components
Pressure Plate
Plastic
Mine
Casing
Firing Pin
Detonator
Main Explosive Charge Explosive
Charge
Stake Mines Bounding Mines Directional Mines
tonnes of ordnance dropped on its territory
between 1964 and 1973. Also, as per the brief,
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reduce their mine production. India has
the sixth largest stockpile of landmines
(estimated to range between four and
five million anti-personnel mines) in
the world. But India refuses to become a
party to the international Mine Ban
Treaty, though it supports the vision of a
world free from the threat of anti-per-
sonnel mines.
India’s official stand on the Mine
Ban Treaty is three-fold. First, India has
legitimate security concerns as it shares
long borders with Pakistan and China.
Therefore, landmines are needed to de-
fend its long borders. Second, India
has consistently argued since 2005 for
the availability of cost-effective, alter-
native technologies and proposes that
once such technologies are available it
would ban anti-personnel landmines.
Third, India has always argued that it
perceives landmines as defensive
weapons and believes that they are pri-
marily laid to check infiltration and
stop hostile movement from across the
Line of Control.
one of the most problematic issues facing
Vietnam is that it continues to view the
landmine as a necessary and legitimate
weapon for self-defence.
Furthermore, the medical bills for sur-
vivors of such blasts can bankrupt fami-
lies. Many victims have to undergo multi-
ple surgeries. Children who lose limbs
require multiple prosthetic devices over
Anti-Tank Mines their lifetimes. Even the rumours associ-
ated with landmines may halt all normal
activity in an affected area. For example, a
1999 study claims that in Mozambique, a
town of 10,000 was deserted for four years
because of a rumour that mines were
present. Later, a three-month clearance
operation found only four mines. Inci-
dentally, the extensive mine contamina-
tion of Afghanistan’s fertile valleys has
reduced agricultural production in those
areas. A 1995 study by Andersson and his
group estimated that without mines, agri-
cultural land use in Afghanistan could
increase by 88-200 per cent.
Generally, mines are of two types: anti-
personnel and anti-tank. It is the former
which is a major cause of concern in the
long-term. Ironically enough, anti-per-
sonnel mines were first used in World War II
to prevent opposing soldiers from clearing
April 2011
Landmines 14-16 New.qxd 4/7/2011 12:30 PM
anti-tank mines. The original anti-personnel
mines were improvised from hand grenades
and simple electric fuses. Since then, mine
design has changed substantially. Modern-
day mines can deliver blasts of lethal pellets
extending in a radius of up to 100 m. Some are
designed to resemble toys or other everyday
objects, such as pens and watches. Presently,
at least 350 mine types exist, manufactured by
some 50 countries.
Anti-tank mines are larger and more pow-
erful than anti-personnel mines. However,
anti-personnel mines are the most common
type of mines, yet the most difficult to find
because they are small and often made of
plastic. Anti-tank mines generally contain
more metal than do anti-personnel
mines and are thus more easily
detectable by simple metal detectors. Magnetometers:
Both types are buried as close to the
surface as possible and are found in a
variety of soils and terrain: rocky or
sandy soil, open fields, forested areas,
steep terrain, and jungles. Radar: 
For both types of mines, detona-
tion is typically caused by pressure,
although some are activated by a trip-
wire or other mechanisms. Thus, the Infrared
Sensors:
major challenge for a land-mine
detector is to do its job without hav-
ing direct contact with a mine. It also
must be able to locate all types of
mines individually in a variety of
environments.
Although hundreds of varieties
exist, anti-personnel mines generally Millimeter Wave Sensors:
can be classified as either “blast” or
“fragmentation” types. Blast mines are
buried at shallow depths. They are triggered
by pressure, such as from a person stepping
on the mine. The weight needed to activate a
blast mine typically ranges from 2 to 10 kg.
This indicates that these mines are easily
triggered by a small child’s weight. They
cause the affected object (e.g., foot) to blast
into fragments.
Blast mines typically are cylindrical in
shape, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) in diameter, and
1.5-3.0 inches (4-8 cm) in height. Generally,
they contain 30-200 gm of explosives. The
casing may be made of plastic, wood, or sheet
metal. Plastic-encased blast mines are some-
times referred to as “non-metallic mines,” but
nearly all of them contain some metal parts,
which are usually the firing pin and a spring-
washer mechanism, weighing about a gram.
The major obstacle in detecting mines is
that close to 100 per cent of the mines in any
area must be found with few false alarms, i.e.,
mistaking a rock for a mine. The United
Nations, for example, has set the detection
www.geopolitics.in
Page 28
g
SPECIALFEATURE
goal at 99.6 per cent, and the US Army’s allow- to metal mines and firing pins but cannot reli-
able false-alarm rate is one false alarm in ably find plastic mines. Infrared detectors
every 1.25 square metres. However, no exist- effectively detect recently-placed mines, but
ing detection system meets these criteria. they are expensive and limited to certain tem-
Nonetheless, there are a number of general perature conditions. Also, thermal neutron
techniques of detecting landmines, which activation detectors are accurate but are large
may be enunciated in a nutshell. for field use, slow and expensive.
Magnetometers: It is marginally effective in Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is sensi-
its de-mining operations and good only for tive to large mines, has good coverage rate at a
close-in (point) detection. The approach is distance and with signal processing, can dis-
effective for ferrous metal while has problems criminate anti-tank mines from clutter such
with plastic and non-ferrous metal. as rocks beneath the ground surface. This
Radar: This technique has the potential for type of radar, however, remains expensive
wide-area applications. However, it has prob- and cannot detect anti-personnel mines.
lems with detecting plastic mines in some In 2005, Frigui, Ho and Gader proposed a
category of soils. real-time software system for landmine
DEMINING TECHNOLOGY detection using GPR. The system
includes an efficient and adaptive
Electromagnetic preprocessing component; a hid-
 Induction: den Markov model (HMM)-based
 detector; a corrective training com-
ponent and an incremental update
of the background model. The pro-
posed software system was applied
to data acquired from three outdoor
Light Detection test sites at different geographic
and Ranging locations, using a state-of-the-art
(LIDAR): array GPR prototype. The results

 indicated that, on an average, the
corrective training component
improved the performance of the
GPR by about 10 per cent.
Way back in 1993, researchers
at Livermore invented a Microp-

ower Impulse Radar (MIR). The
Visible Light Sensors: invention led directly to battery-
operated pulsed radar that is
Infrared sensors: This again has potential for remarkably small and inexpensive, had a
wide-area detection but may be affected by wide frequency band, and worked well at
soil disturbance and thermal effects. short ranges — all necessary attributes of
Millimeter wave sensors: It has the potential landmine detection systems.
for wide-area detection, albeit at a slow scan- MIR’s small size, light weight, and low-
ning rate. Moreover, it can fail to discriminate power requirements made it superior to any
mines from surroundings. previous attempts to use GPR to detect land-
Visible light sensors: The major problem with mines. MIR’s ultrawide bandwidth was the
such devices is that they cannot detect buried source of high-resolution imaging capabili-
items, though they might detect mines plant- ties that differentiated it from similar land-
ed at the surface. mine detection technologies. Furthermore,
Light detection and ranging (LIDAR): Its the ability to group individual MIR units in
potential use is against recently emplaced arrays increased the speed and coverage area
mines and surface-laid objects. of the detection work.
Electromagnetic induction: They are only In laboratory tests, the prototype MIR
good for point detection of metal mines. By clearly distinguished plastic antipersonnel
its very nature, it has problems in detecting mines from surrounding soils. In field tests at
plastic landmines. Fort Carson in Colorado and Fort A P Hill in
Apart from the detection technologies Virginia, funded by the US Defense Advanced
mentioned above, dogs and other ‘sniffers’ are Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the sys-
the most viable. Nevertheless, they have high tem performed well, though at a slow pace.
ongoing expenses, are subject to fatigue and Naturally, more research in this direction
can be fooled by masked scents. As has been would bear real fruits in proper detection of
pointed above, metal detectors are sensitive landmines, especially the plastic ones.
April 2011
(20)
DefBIZ Cover.qxd 4/7/2011 12:38 PM Page 1

geopolitics
DEF BIZ
UNDER A CLOUD
Has the plan to acquire the M777 gun from the United States
gone awry?
DefBiz 22-25.qxd 4/7/2011 2:31 PM Page 22
DEF BIZ
LOCKHEED
IN TALKS
WITH BDL
US AEROSPACE major Lockheed
Martin, which has already formed a
joint venture with the Tata group for
making aerospace components in
India, is exploring further tie-ups
with both private and government-
owned defence organisations.
According to Lockheed Martin
India Private Limited Managing
Director Jagmohan Singh, the
company was looking forward to
potential partnerships, including
with Bharat Dynamics Limited
(BDL). Initially, it would go for pro-
duction of anti-tank guided mis-
siles, provided it gets clearances
from the governments of the US
and India. “We have sought the
approval of the US government
and are hopeful of receiving it
soon. After getting a go ahead
from the Indian government, we
will start working with local com-
panies to get the production facil-
ities here,” Singh informed
recently a symposium organised
by small-scale industries.
Though the ongoing talks with
Indian companies are at initial
stages, the company’s focus in Hy-
derabad would be on missile sys-
tems for which it wants to tie up
with local industry apart from BDL
that makes missiles for the coun-
try’s forces. “If given a chance we
will associate ourselves with local
industry and try to set up produc-
tion facilities in Hyderabad, Ben-
galuru or Chennai,” he said.
Tata Lockheed Martin
Aerostructures, the JV between
Tata Advanced Systems and Lock-
heed Martin, will be manufactur-
ing aerostructures for C-130 J
aircraft of the latter that was in-
ducted by the defence forces early
this month. The JV is one of the
three new aerospace units being
set up here by the Tata group.
www.geopolitics.in
g
ASHOK LEYLAND TIES UP WITH KMW
ASHOK LEYLAND Defence Systems
(ALDS), a newly-formed company in which
the Hinduja flagship Ashok Leyland holds
26 per cent stake, has formed a strategic al-
liance with German heavyweight Krauss-
Maffei Wegmann (KMW ) in
the development of advanced
defence systems for the In-
dian defence establishment
as well as other defence forces
worldwide.
The scope of the co-operation will initially
include the development of armoured
wheeled vehicles, recovery vehicles, artillery
and combat systems, bridge laying systems
and other similar products. ALDS brings to
IAF CHOPPER FLEET TO FLY HIGH
THE INDIAN Air Force (IAF) helicopter
fleet is all set to get a boost during the next
nine years with plans for inducting 300
attack, transport and observation choppers
in advanced stages of implementation in
deals worth $5.5 billion.
Among the choppers to be inducted will
be 12 VVIP transports, 22 attack, 15 heavy-
lift, 130 medium-lift and 120 light utility
helicopters of varying types, sizes and
capabilities.
The deals for most of these helicopters
are expected to be signed during 2011-12,
with the acquisitions being completed
before 2020, according to IAF sources.
Among the first procurements will be the 12
VVIP transport helicopters for the Palam-
based Communication Squadron. India
had signed an $800 million (`3700 crores)
deal with British-Italian helicopter manu-
facturer AgustaWestland for its AW-101
(22)
this strategic alliance the expertise and ex-
perience of designing and developing de-
fence vehicles that has made Ashok Leyland
the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the
Indian Army with over 60,000 of its Stallion
vehicles forming the Army’s veri-
table logistics backbone.
KMW will provide the tech-
nology and the technical assis-
tance that will be required for the
development of these defence systems. A
170-year-old company, KMW leads the mar-
ket for highly protected armoured wheeled
and tracked vehicles. The armed forces of
over 30 nations worldwide rely on the Ger-
man firm’s systems.
platform in March 2010.
The three-engined AW-
101s, which will provide safe,
secure and comfortable
domestic journeys for the
President, the Prime Minister
and other senior political
leaders, are scheduled for
delivery in late 2013. These
will replace the existing VVIP
fleet of aging Soviet-era
Mi-17s.
The IAF will also induct 80
Mi-17-IV over the next couple
of years to augment its medi-
um-lift capability. It is also in
the final stages of deciding on
50 additional Mi-17s over and above the 80
it ordered in 2008 for $1.3 billion.
To augment its existing two squadrons
of 30 Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack choppers, the
IAF is on the verge of concluding a $500
million contract for 22 combat helicopters,
for which US aerospace major Boeing’s AH-
64 Apache and Russian Mil’s Mi-28 are in
contention.
The IAF is also testing two platforms,
again from Boeing and Mil, to meet its
need for 15 heavy-lift helicopters to replace
the four Mi-26s.
To replace its ageing 1970s vintage fleet
of 75 Cheetahs and Chetaks, the IAF is in
the process of procuring 64 light utility hel-
icopters (LUH).
The IAF currently operates 300 helicop-
ters of various types, 100 of which will be
phased out by the end of this decade as the
300 new choppers start arriving.
April 2011
DefBiz 22-25.qxd 4/7/2011 2:31 PM Page 23

g
THE FIRST SIGHT ISRAEL’S NESS
PLANS JVS

ISRAEL’S NESS Technologies Inc. is

exploring forming a joint venture with
an Indian state-owned defence com-
THE AIRBUS Military A400M has completed a challenging series of tests to deter- pany or a private technology compa-
mine the lowest speed at which it can take off — known as minimum unstuck speed ny as it looks to expand in the bur-
or Vmu. During the tests, performed at Istres in France, the aircraft’s nose was raised geoning defence market for com-
until a special ‘bumper’ fitted to the rear fuselage struck the ground at the maximum mand and control systems.
pitch-up angle of 13 degrees. The company’s Indian arm cur-
rently caters to the local defence mar-
ket only via government-to-govern-
ment deals. India purchased Ness’
command and control software for
the Phalcon radar for airborne warn-
ing and control system (AWACS) from
Israel.
“This will continue to be the route
this year. But this could change next
year, either through a JV or through
direct sales to Indian agencies,
including defence PSUs (public sector
units),” Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, Pres-
ident and Managing Director of Ness
Technologies India (Pvt.) Ltd, said in a
press interview recently.
Ness’ command and control sys-
THE FIRST A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the UK Royal Air tems span a range of airborne, naval
Force is here captured with trailing its two underwing hose and drogue refuelling and on-ground platforms and can be
lines, as well as one from its centreline fuselage refuelling unit. The photo was taken deployed on unmanned aerial vehi-
from Spanish Air Force F-18 during a recent handling qualities flight as the FSTA nears cles and satellite launch vehicles. Its
civil and military certification. devices can also be carried by foot sol-
diers and commandos for both regu-
lar military and anti-terrorist opera-
tions. Israel has sold both unmanned
PE FUND FOR DEFENCE SECTOR aircraft and AWACS systems to India
in significant numbers, and the Min-
SREI, A leading infrastructure provider opment and civil engineering work, are istry of Defence has projected more
and financing company, is also exploring manufacturing requirements for the former.
planning to float a private opportunities in the defence Ness employs about 3,000 people
equity (PE) fund dedicated to sector and eyeing two inter- in India and aims to double this in the
India’s defence and security national companies for a pos- next three years.. “We are looking to
sector. sible joint venture. hire 1,000 people this year itself,
The fund, with an initial Speculations are that mainly in our Hyderabad, Bengaluru
corpus of $150 million, is set to be the negotiations may even lead to a buyout and Mumbai centres,” Bandyopad-
first of its kind. But even before the fund by Srei. While one of these companies is a hyay said. Ness has offices in Chennai
gets conceived, Srei and its listed group subsidiary of Thai conglomerate Tyco Fire and Pune as well. The expansion is
company Shristi Infrastructure Develop- and Security, the other is a Finnish player. targeted towards augmenting its out-
ment Corporation Limited (SIDCL), Both are into defence component manu- sourced product engineering services
which specialises in infrastructure devel- facturing. as well as IT.

www.geopolitics.in April 2011

(23)
DefBiz 22-25.qxd 4/8/2011 12:48 PM Page 24

DEF BIZ
g
RAFAEL MAKES BUMPER HCL’S `300
PROFITS CRORE DEAL
ISRAEL ARMS major, Rafael has made profit
of $170 million in the financial year 2010,
$58 million more than the
TROPHY, an active defence system against
anti-tank rockets, mounted on Merkava
Mark-4 tanks, became battle
WITH IAF
last year’s profit. Rafael’s proven in an IDF operational IT HARDWARE firm HCL
order backlog in 2010 was activity near Gaza. Infosystems has bagged
$3.5 billion, comprising 1.8 Vice Admiral (Ret.) Yedidia an order from the Indian
years of sales activity, of Yaari, President and CEO of Air Force to deploy wide-
which 74 per cent is intended Rafael, said: “These achieve- band CDMA-based
for export to countries in Eu- ments, joined by a positive portable wireless net-
rope, Latin America, the US start of 2011 will create fur- work at a cost of over
and the Far East. ther growth for the company. `300 crore.
In 2010, Rafael completed The company’s high-quality The WCDMA network
development of “Iron Dome” human resources, together will provide backbone
for short-range rocket and with investing in research connectivity and ensure
missile defense, and deliv- and development, enable video interactivity for
ered it to the Israeli Air Force, Rafael to offer a diverse array video calls, cross con-
and is developing “David’s Sling” for of capabilities and products at the fore- nectivity with other com-
medium-range defence. In addition, Rafael’s front of advanced technology.” munication platform like
IP-based communication
within the Air Force Net-
work, HCL Infosystems

SMALL ARMS FOR PRIVATE FIRMS

official data on the size
of the market in India, a
safe guess is that the
emerging market could
be worth `3,000-4,000
crore.
Currently, only the
government-owned ord-
nance factory board’s
units in Ichhapore and
Kanpur manufacture
small arms for domestic
use and export. The Feb-
ruary 17 meeting dis-
cussed establishing the has said in a statement.
entire supply chain of The WCDMA network
small arms — from man- will be integrated with
ufacturing to end use, the Air Force Network
location of units, ven- (AFNET), which has been
THE MANUFACTURE of so-called small arms, dors’ qualification and security whetting, deployed earlier by HCL
or weapons such as pistols, assault rifles, car- excise-related issues, award of contracts, trials Infosystems. The 3G net-
bines and machine guns that are carried by and guarantee of purchase, said one of the work will also have trans-
infantry soldiers, may soon be opened to pri- persons mentioned earlier. portable mobile base
vate companies. Four groups were formed to come up with stations for establishing
Officials from the ministries of Home feasibility reports on opening up the sector. communication with
Affairs, Defence and Commerce, as well as Incidentally, the government is likely to buy higher echelons even
senior intelligence and police officers met nearly 250,000 units of small arms, with from remote locations in
industry representatives in February to dis- around 43,000 to be imported. There is a sud- the country. HCL Infos-
cuss issuing licences for making small arms den spurt in orders, owing primarily to anti- ystems will implement
to the private sector, according to responsible Naxal operations and other internal security- the whole project on
government sources. Although there is no related issues. turnkey basis.

www.geopolitics.in May 2011

April 2010

(24)
DefBiz 22-25.qxd 4/7/2011 2:31 PM Page 25

IAF FINALISES ORDER FOR
THE INDIAN Air
Force is set to place
orders for 10 Boeing
C-17 Globemaster-III
strategic airlifters in a
deal valued at $4.1 billion.
Discussions between the
IAF and the US Air Force
(USAF), as well as the In-
g
10 C-17S
dian Ministry of Defence and the US
Department of Defense concluded on
February 15, with Boeing accepting the
detailed terms for 30 per cent manda-
tory offsets clause.
The Cabinet Committee on Security
(CCS), which is the final authority for
major defence and other acquisitions,
is about to approve the deal funds for
the purchase of the C-17s that have
been approved for the fiscal 2010-11. It
is believed that there would further or-
ders as IAF’s fleet of Soviet vintage
heavy strategic lift IL-76 aircraft is al-
ready 26 years old. These aircraft
are being modernised and
would serve the IAF for
about 10-15
more years.
In d i a
has about
20 IL-76 air-
craft and the
IAF may eventually go
in for about 25 C-17s.

`85,850 CRORE FROM SPECTRUM

THE DEPARTMENT of Telecom (DoT) believes that the excheq-
uer can get a minimum of `85,850 crore by selling just 50 per
cent of the airwaves the Defence Ministry vacates.
Its calculations are based on the assumption that about 20
MHz of second generation (2G) and an equal amount of third
generation (3G) can be sold to mobile phone companies if the
Defence Ministry was to free up these radio frequencies. In
total, the telecom ministry is seeking
that the armed forces vacate up to 80
MHz of airwaves for commercial
telephony.
The broadband wireless spectrum
auctions in India last year delivered
the government an unexpected
bonanza of `38,543 crore ($8.25 bil-
lion), twice the amount predicted by
analysts. The 3G and broadband spec-
trums jointly fetched `1,06,000 crore
for the government against its esti-
mates of `35,000 crore.
The telecom department’s projec-
tions are part of its response to the Defence Ministry’s latest
threat that it will not release additional airwaves for commer-
cial use. It also marks the first time that the department has put
a value to the airwaves it is seeking from the armed forces.
Defence Minister A K Antony had recently told Finance Minis-
ter Pranab Mukherjee that the telecom department had failed
to meet all timelines on building an alternative communica-
tion network for the armed forces, and warned that it could
result in the services stopping all vacation of airwaves.
As per the MoU between both ministries, the armed forces
were to vacate 25 MHz for 3G and 20 MHz for 2G. This will hap-
pen in a phased manner and will be linked to the completion of
the alternative network that the DoT is building for the defence
forces. Besides, the telecom department was also slated to set
up an exclusive defence band and defence interest zone for the
armed forces to keep its part of the
bargain.
While the armed forces have
already freed up 15 MHz 3G spec-
trum, which was sold during last
year’s auctions, and also vacated 15
MHz 2G spectrum, which has been
allocated to new operators, the
remaining airwaves — 10 MHz
spectrum in 3G (for two operators)
and 5MHz in 2G — will be released
only after the alternative optic fibre
network being built by BSNL is
completed.
It is estimated that the telecom department may earn more
than their estimates if 20 MHz each of 2G and 3G airwaves are
auctioned. But for this, the armed forces’ support is crucial
since the DoT, in a study last year, has observed that there are
no 2G airwaves available with it in the 900 MHz band, while
only tiny bits are available in the 1800 MHz. (The 900 MHz and
1800 MHz are the two frequency bands in which 2G airwaves
are present).

www.geopolitics.in May 2011

April 2010

(25)
Offset Syndrome 22-24.qxd 4/7/2011 12:45 PM
THE OFFSETS GAME -
A CLOSER LOOK
While the government's policy on the offsets issue seems fine on paper, there are various
issues that make it difficult to implement, explains SAURAV JHA
T
HE ONE word that was on every-
body’s lips at Aero India 2011 was:
‘Offsets’. As it well might have been
given that a slew of foreign acquisi-
tions by the Indian military, not the
least of which is the $10 billion-plus MMRCA
deal, are in the offing. However, while most
domestic players would naturally want to
jump on the offset bandwagon, it would be
worthwhile to take a closer look at the nature
of the offset game as it stands today.
As a result of the lessons learnt post-
Kargil, the Indian establishment realised that
www.geopolitics.in
Page 26
g
GEOPOLITICS
DEFBIZ
it had to undertake a significant convention-
al force modernisation programme in order
to maintain deterrence amidst a nuclear
overhang. However, it was evident that the
largest chunk of this modernisation plan
involved the import of systems from over-
seas. Clearly this was unacceptable in the
long run since without an indigenously
equipped military there is no real independ-
ence in foreign policy.
To redress this, a Defence Procurement
Procedure (DPP) was introduced by the gov-
ernment in 2002 which began to chart out a
(26)
plan for indigenisation. This procurement
guide went through several iterations in the
last decade beginning with a ‘buy’, to “buy
and make”, to “buy and make Indian” and
finally “make”. Indeed, the DPP has charted a
course, which mirrors the emergence of new
capabilities in Indian industry, India’s ever-
burgeoning weapons procurement budget
and the decline of Western military capital
acquisitions. These factors have contributed
to India being able to exercise far greater pre-
rogative in a world arms market where buyers
with money and industrial capabilities are
April 2011
Offset Syndrome 22-24.qxd 4/7/2011 5:25 PM
beginning to hold sway. In fact, the time is
ripe for India to embark on its stated goal of
reversing the current 30:70 ratio of indigenous
to foreign equipment in the inventory of its
armed forces by 2020.
Cut to circa 2011 and we see the latest iter-
ation of the DPP, i.e. DPP-2011, which puts
great stress on an offset policy that mandates
that for any weapons purchase of more than
`300 crore from abroad, 30 per cent of the
total value will have to be re-invested back in
India by the overseas vendor/beneficiary. The
ways in which this can be done, are manifold:
through direct purchase, execution of export
orders, licensed production, technology
transfer, joint production partnerships and
foreign direct investment.
Thus, as we can see from
the above, an offset is essen-
tially a counter-trade mecha-
nism for re-routing funds
back to the home country in
order to spur sector develop-
ment domestically. Impor-
tantly, any foreign vendor
pitching for Indian sales has
to firm up a detailed offset
plan before it can secure a
given contract since the
DPP-2011 states: “Offset con-
dition will form a part of the
RFP and, subsequently, of
the contract. Offset condi-
tions as specified in the RFP
will be binding.”
DPP-2011, however, allows
offsets to be bankable, i.e. any
offsets in excess of obligations
under a specific contract will
remain valid for a period of AN ACCENT OF INDIGENISATION: Defence Procurement Policy-2011
two financial years after the puts great stress on offset policy in terms of weapon purchase
conclusion of the contract in
question. These credits could
then be discharged against new RFPs that are
floated in that two-year period. However,
there is a restriction on the transferability of
these credits between players with DPP-2011
explicitly stating that banked offset credits are
non-transferable except between the main
contractor and the sub-contractors within the
same acquisition programme.
The offset regime is governed by the
Defence Offsets Facilitation Agency (DOFA),
which has been set up under the auspices of
the Department of Defence Production
(DDP). DOFA aims to be a single window
agency that facilitates the implementation of
the offset policy outlined by the Ministry of
Defence (MoD). Its roles, therefore, include
assisting potential vendors in interfacing with
Indian industry, technically evaluating offset
www.geopolitics.in
Page 27
g
DEFBIZ
proposals, monitoring offset provisions, help- troversial since some commentators have
ing with policy improvement, liaising with the suggested that this essentially defeats the
integrated defence staff and service head- purpose of a ‘defence offsets policy’ alto-
quarters, advising in consultation with the gether given that the MoD has, over the
military and DRDO areas where offsets are to years, fought to segment defence offsets
be preferred and of course promoting the from the broader national offsets policy.
export of eligible products and services. The argument is that global arms majors,
While the offsets issue seems to be doable who are in any case reluctant to see the rise
on paper there are actually several issues of low-cost competitors, will simply use this
that seem to be cropping up with its imple- as an excuse to get non-core IT-related work
mentation. For one, foreign companies com- and repeat manufacturing items sourced
plain that there aren’t enough entities in the from India. A focused offset policy, on the
Indian sector to tie up on offsets and that not other hand, would compel global majors to
many have the capacity to absorb a broad look seriously at cultivating India’s emer-
range of capabilities. This complaint seems gent small and medium enterprises for
to have been addressed in DPP-2011 by defence-related work.
broadening the offsets clause to be dis- One way to ensure that offsets do result in
the absorption of state-
of-the-art technologies
is by enabling the so-
called multiplier mecha-
nism which would relax
the value requirement
on the basis of the level
of technology being
offered. DPP-2011
seems to reflect this
when it states: “The DAC
(Defence Acquisition
Council) may, after due
deliberation, also pre-
scribe varying offset
percentages above 30
per cent or waive off the
requirement for offset
obligations in very spe-
cial cases. Such direc-
tions may be made
applicable for different
classes of cases or for
individual cases
depending upon the fac-
tors involved such as
chargeable in the civil aviation and internal type of acquisition, strategic importance of
security markets. DPP-2011 explicitly states: the acquisition or technology, enhanced
“The list of eligible offsets now cover most ability of Indian defence industry to absorb
aspects of civil aerospace, including aircraft, the offset, export potential generated, etc”
both fixed wing and rotary, air frames, air- Many vendors also feel that the gover-
craft components, avionics, aircraft design nance mechanism for offsets isn’t sufficiently
and engineering services, aircraft material, responsive to absorb all-round inputs on pol-
technical publications, flying training insti- icy making. DOFA is a particular target for
tutions, and technology-driven institutions. criticism and is being painted as an inade-
A wide range of weapons and services for quately equipped bureaucracy ill-suited to
counter-terrorism have been included in the deal with the avalanche of offsets that is
list of products under ‘internal security’. expected to result in the next few years. A
These changes will provide a wider range of proposal to set up an office for DOFA at Del-
offset opportunities to vendors participating hi’s Pragati Maidan has been pending for
in defence procurements and encourage sometime now.
building up of indigenous manufacturing However, the greatest impediment to
capability in crucial areas.” making offsets truly useful is the 26 per cent
This move has actually been pretty con- FDI cap according to both domestic and
April 2011
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Offset Syndrome 22-24.qxd 4/7/2011 5:25 PM Page 28

g
DEFBIZ

“OUR APPROACH TO OFFSET IS MEANT TO INFUSE
TECHNOLOGIES INTO LOCAL INDUSTRY RATHER THAN
JUST FULFILL OFFSET OBLIGATIONS. THIS APPROACH
NOT ONLY GIVES A BOOST TO LOCAL INDUSTRY BUT
ALSO REDUCES THE OVERALL COST OF OUR PRODUCTS.
THE DEFENCE PROCUREMENT POLICY OF 2011 GIVES US
AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN DUAL AEROSPACE
DOMAINS.
SOUTH AFRICA WOULD BE A GOOD CASE STUDY. AFTER
SOUTH AFRICA PURCHASED GRIPEN, WE WENT IN AND
PURCHASED COUPLE OF COMPANIES. WE REVAMPED
THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE INDUSTRY ON A LARGE
SCALE. THEY BECAME SO STRONG THAT NOW THEY ARE
EXPORTING VARIOUS SYSTEMS. IN FACT IDAS OF HAL
DHRUV IS DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED BY SAAB
AVITRONICS IN CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA.”
“WITH RESPECT TO OFFSET POLICIES, WE ARE VERY
PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TOOK
SUCH A DISCIPLINED APPROACH IN UPDATING THE
DEFENCE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE. THANKS TO
THIS REVIEW, GUIDELINES FOR OFFSET POLICY
WERE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CIVIL AEROSPACE,
INTERNAL SECURITY, TRAINING PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THIS OFFERS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIAN COMPANIES, AS
WELL AS GLOBAL BUSINESS SUCH AS RAYTHEON, TO
LOOK MORE BROADLY AT AVENUES OF PROMOTING
INVESTMENT IN THE INDIAN DEFENCE SECTOR. WE
SEE THIS AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR
RAYTHEON GOING FORWARD AS WE EXPAND OUR
PARTICIPATION IN INDIA'S DEFENCE, SECURITY AND
CIVIL SECTORS..”

INDERJIT SIAL, WILLIAM BLAIR,

COUNTRY HEAD, SAAB INTERNATIONAL INDIA PRESIDENT, RAYTHEON INDIA

“WE (WANT) TO MEET OUR “THE OFFSET GUIDELINES ARE

OFFSET OBLIGATIONS TO THE
UTMOST SATISFACTION OF OUR
CUSTOMER. AS OUR AIM IS NOT
JUST TO COMPLY WITH THE
RFP OBLIGATIONS, WE HAVE
GONE A STEP FURTHER BY
OFFERING INDIA THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR AN
UNMATCHED INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WOULD
MAKE IT A TRUE PARTICIPANT
IN THE EUROFIGHTER
TYPHOON PROGRAMME. WE
ARE INTERESTED IN THE
INDUSTRIALISATION OF THE
INDIAN AEROSPACE AND
DEFENCE INDUSTRY, THEREBY
LEVERAGING THE SIGNIFICANT
ENGINEERING TALENT THAT
LIES HERE. THAT IS HOW WE
SEE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH
INDIA - NOT JUST COMPLYING
WITH OFFSETS, BUT
SUPPORTING INDIA’S SELF-
RELIANCE.”
DR. MATTHIAS SCHMIDLIN,
CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR,
EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON,
INDIA
foreign companies. In fact, this is the
one aspect of the offset game where
we do seem to have some consensus.
The limit, according to most foreign
vendors, precludes the possibility of
transferring any meaningful technol-
ogy. A move towards 49 per cent
seems to be desired by many industry
players.
All in all, while offsets certainly
represent a massive opportunity
for Indian industry, there is a need
to be very vigilant about what exactly
is being transferred. Monitoring
and implementation must always
reflect the philosophy that the aim
is to reverse India’s import depend-
ency in the defence sector with
a view to having 70 per cent indige-
nous arms by 2020. Unfortunately,
at the moment, offsets seem hostage
to a lack of ideas going forward and
the will to really step on the gas for
indigenisation.
STRUCTURED TO ENHANCE THE
AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE INDUSTRY,
SUPPORT THE MATURITY OF THE
TECHNOLOGY BASE, INCREASE
INDIGENOUS CAPABILITY TO BUILD AND
SUPPORT DEFENCE PLATFORMS AND
ENHANCE THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS OF
ALL SIZES.
INDIA'S DPP AND OFFSET REGIME IS A
VERY PROGRESSIVE MOVE BY THE
GOVERNMENT AND WILL BRING TANGIBLE
BENEFITS TO INDIA. THE REVISIONS SO
FAR HAVE MADE REAL IMPROVEMENTS,
BENEFITING FROM PAST PROCUREMENT
EXPERIENCE AND FROM WELL-MEANING
GUIDANCE FROM THE INDUSTRY.
THE GOVERNMENT'S RELEASE OF THE
NEW DEFENCE PROCUREMENT
PROCEDURES FOR 2011 IS A VERY
PROGRESSIVE STEP. WE WELCOME THE
NEW REVISIONS ON BROADENING THE
APERTURE OF OFFSET CREDIT TO
INCLUDE CIVIL AEROSPACE AND
INTERNAL SECURITY.”
MARK KRONENBERG,
VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT, BOEING DEFENSE, SPACE &
SECURITY

www.geopolitics.in April 2011

(28)
Howitzer 29-31.qxd 4/7/2011 12:49 PM
HOWITZER
MISFIRES AGAIN
There are more questions than answers to the Defence Ministry’s keenness to acquire the
M777 gun from the United States through the FMS route, writes ROHIT SRIVASTAVA
I
NDIA’S QUEST of two decades for
upgradation and modernisation of its
artillery seems to have got stuck in
quicksand. The much-awaited induc-
tion of ultra-light howitzer BAE sys-
tem’s M777 (with its 155 mm diameter bar-
rel) under the foreign military sales route
has come under a controversy. Incidentally,
the M777 will be the first artillery gun
induction since the Bofors guns were
acquired in the late 80s from Sweden.
The leaked field trial report of the gun, a
copy of which was sent to the Army
through a mail, listing proof about the
shortcomings of the gun, is the latest road-
block that has hit the howitzer acquisition.
The Army took cognizance of this and has
constituted a Court of Inquiry under a
three star General to look into the matter.
The `3,000-crore ($647m) deal for 145
M777 howitzers, which was finalised in
2010 between the US and India, had a con-
troversial beginning. In July 2009, the Min-
istry of Defence (MoD) black-listed several
firms after investigation by Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI). Singapore Technology
www.geopolitics.in
Page 17
g
GEOPOLITICS
DEFBIZ
(ST), which was slated to provide its Pega-
sus 155mm lightweight howitzer, was one
of them.
This opened the road for the BAE system
to push for its gun. The initial proposal was
floated in 2008 by the Indian Army and there
were only two contenders: BAE and ST. The
ST Pegasus was 155mm/ 39 caliber with 5.4
tonnes weight and can fire three rounds in
24 seconds in burst mode. The M777 is of
similar caliber but weighs 4.2 tonnes.
India was left with only one option, as
there were only two portable guns: the
Pegasus and the BAE 155 ultra-light. India
approached the US government in 2009 for
the BAE 155 ultra-light howitzer, which had
around 70 per cent US components and
required US government’s approval for
export. As Guy Douglas, spokesperson of
BAE, otherwise a British company, said:
“The gun is made in the US and the IPR is
predominantly held in the US. Obviously
there is a supply chain involving the US.”
The deal got approval from the US
Defense Security Cooperation Agency
(DSCA), which said in its January 2010,
(29)
notification, of a possible Foreign Military
Sale to India of 145 M777 155mm Light-
Weight Towed Howitzers with Laser Inertial
Artillery Pointing Systems (LINAPS) and
associated parts, equipment, training and
logistical support for a complete package
worth approximately $647 mn. The logistics
and maintenance support would be provid-
ed by the BAE and Mahindra Defence
System in a joint venture.
Sources in the Defence Ministry suggest
that the Indian Army wanted an opera-
tional gun which could be deployed imme-
diately on the field. The urgency of India to
increase its indirect fire capability in the
north-east against China compelled it to go
for acquisition without wasting time.
VOLATILE ACQUISITION: The leaked
field trial report of the M777 howitzer gun
came out of the realm of secrecy, exposing
vulnerability of acquisition process
April 2011
Howitzer 29-31.qxd 4/7/2011 12:49 PM Page 18
The need for a light artillery gun was felt
during the 90s and the Indian Army made a
proposal for such guns during 1999-2000.
The purpose was to increase the offensive
capability of mountain divisions in the
north-east. The efficiency of Bofors during
the Kargil war proved the usefulness of
indirect artillery fire in the mountains.
A proposal was, therefore, made for 100
guns, which got approved in the year 2001.
The light howitzer was to constitute five
regiments with 18 guns each — three regi-
ments for the north-east and two for the air
borne regiment. Ten guns were to be in
reserve. The number of guns was later
increased to 145 as the Chinese capabilities
in the north-east enhanced, sources said.
BE SHORT OF: The various fronts in which the M777 Howitzer gun has failed, include its compatibility, its air portability trials and the
sighting system that deals with night vision
www.geopolitics.in
g
DEFBIZ
and some areas are not easily accessible, vul-
TO BRING nerable and tactically important. We need
adequate artillery to defend. Second, we
UNIFORMITY should be ready to go beyond our border to
secure national interest.”
WITH 155MM Sources in the Army suggested that India
GUNS BOFORS, had a plan for two air mobile division,
which could be deployed in places like
INDIA CHOSE Nepal, Mauritius, Afghanistan to secure
Indians and their interests and in our
155MM LIGHT island territories if and when the contin-
gency arose. Each of these would have an
HOWITZERS artillery regiment of light howitzer gun.
The Indian Army had the option to go
Lt Gen Vinay Shankar, former DG, artillery, for smaller caliber guns like 102/120mm
says, “We need light howitzers for two basic guns, manufactured by Ordinance Factory
requirements. First, we have difficult terrain Board (OFB) but it decided to standardise
April 2011
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Howitzer 29-31.qxd 4/7/2011 12:49 PM Page 19

g
DEFBIZ

its artillery to single caliber and wanted to

have more destructive power. Thus, to
bring uniformity with 155mm guns Bofors,
India chose 155mm light howitzers.
The155mm is the optimum caliber
across the globe. The majority of the guns
are 155mm/45 calibers, but to keep the
weight light the Indian Army chose 39 cal-
iber gun. The expected range with this cal-
iber is said to be 30 km. The range of any
gun depends upon the length of the barrel;
the longer the barrel, the longer the range.

Controversy
The real controversy, however, is about
the leakage of the field trial report. The
report suggests that the gun’s performance
was not up to the mark. The Army staff
quality requirements — parameters, on
which any product for acquisition has to
qualify — were not fully met.
Sources revealed that the gun’s perform-
ance on some of the key parameters like air
portability, range, accuracy, etc. was not
satisfactory. Since the gun would be pur-
chased through FMS and would be opera-
tional, the purchase of the gun was not
subject to failure or success in trials. The
trials are not being referred to as field trials
but as ‘confirmatory trials’. That clearly
shows that the purchase of the gun was
almost certain. India was paying for the tri- QUESTIONS ARE MANY: Will artillery procurement of Indian Army remain caught in
al cost unlike other trials where the costs a maze?
are borne by the contender. The trials were
conducted in Sikkim.
Highly-placed sources in Ministry have India blacklisted ST on charges of corrup-
said that the “gun will be purchased. We THE REAL tion. Fair, but what about the corruption or
don’t have any other option. The result of inefficiency within the defence public sec-
the trial proves that the gun is good and will CONTROVERSY, tor units? They have not been able to per-
not compromise on the operational capa-
bility of the Indian Army”.
HOWEVER, IS form up to the mark. Numerous allegations
of retagging of imported products in the
Even the Army has reasoned that no gun ABOUT THE name of indigenisation are ignored. The
or any other weapon system for that matter national interest has been compromised by
can ever satisfy all our requirements. LEAKAGE OF THE delays and escalation in cost.”
India’s requirements are unique and varied; There are speculations in the Defence
no system can be designed to cater to all
FIELD TRIAL Ministry that Singapore Technology is
conditions. Thus, we have to compromise REPORT behind the leak. But the ministry seems
every time we buy anything. determined to go ahead with deal. Sources
At first glance, the argument does sound associated with ST have denied these allega-
correct but it is not that simple. Reliable the Army has either been arm-twisted to tions and clarified that they have no interest
sources point out that the gun has only per- accept the BAE system or time is running in this deal, as being an FMS with US they
formed to the optimum level. The Army fac- short and the Army is left with no choice. always knew they had no chance. But they
tored in the minimum requirement from the As a senior artillery officer said on condi- also pointed out that why any deal, which
gun and knows where the gun will be used, tion of anonymity, “The Indian Army needs has US connection, never gets postponed
as there are places in mountains where it a gun. Whatever is available you have to and go through mostly, of late through the
can be deployed either by road or by heli- pick. You can’t have a perfect solution, there FMS route, even when the alternate system
copter. The mountainous areas, unlike the are no perfect systems, and there are trade - is available at a competitive price.
plains, do not offer unhindered range. Thus, offs.” He further added, “Among light how- Even in this controversial deal, the offset
if a gun can hit the required distance on the itzers, there are just two manufacturers, and technology transfer, which has become
plains, it may not be perfect for longer range BAE and ST. Forget BAE, but if you require a cornerstone of our acquisition policy,
in the mountains. Thus, it is possible that gun, then why not the one from Singapore? doesn’t apply.

www.geopolitics.in April 2011

(31)
OLD file Cover story 38-43.qxd 4/7/2011 4:23 PM Page 48

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Periscope.qxd 4/7/2011 12:54 PM Page 12

PERISCOPE
g
GEOPOLITICS

Mitali gets ARMY CHIEF

gallantry HONOURED
award
EVEN BEFORE the Army decides to accord
GENERAL V K Singh
became the first Indi-
post of ‘Chief ’ of their
respective armies, after
permanent commission to women and allow an officer to be attending the coveted
them in combat, Mitali Madhumita’s “Sena inducted into the course at the US Army
Medal”, the first to be awarded for gallantry to ‘Hall of Fame’ of US War College. A “Mas-
a woman Army officer, has broken another Army War College, ters” degree in Strategic
male bastion that promises to remain etched Carlisle, USA, on Studies is awarded on
in Indian military history. This comes amid March 11, 2011. This completion of the
the raging debate over women’s permanent distinction is extend- course. General V K
commission in the Army and vindicates the ed by the US Army to Singh (then Brigadier)
stance of all aspiring permanent commission all officers from had passed out from
women officers. friendly foreign coun- the US Army War Col-
History was created on February 25 at the tries, who rise to the lege in 2000-01.
‘Yodha’ hall of the ‘DOT’ division of southwest-
ern command, when Lt General S K Singh,
General Officer Commanding in Chief con-
ferred the medal on Major Mitali Madhumita,
who hails from Orissa, in the investiture cere-
mony held at the Hisar cantonment.
An officer of the Army Education Corp,
ARMY TO HAVE AKASH
Mitali has been given a gallantry award for the orders for
exemplary courage, grit and valour displayed another six
by her after the attack on the Indian embassy that will be
by terrorists in Kabul (Afghanistan) on Febru- based in the
ary 26, 2010. She helped in saving a number of c o u n t r y ’s
lives of those severely wounded in that attack. north-east to
A total of 19 persons including seven Indi- counter Chi-
ans had been killed in that incident. At that na. They will
time, she was not a part of combat arms but be procured
her job was to teach at facilities in Kabul. But at a cost of
when the incident took place, she immediate- `6,200 crore.
ly rushed to the spot and saved the lives of The ‘regi-
those buried under the debris after the attack ment’ is the
without caring for her life. Army equiva-
lent of an IAF
squadron.
The low-
THE CABINET Committee on Securi- reaction-time Akash, which is 5.6-
ty (CCS) is reported to have decided metre-long, is designed to neutralise
to induct the indigenously-produced multiple aerial targets attacking from
and developed Akash surface-to-air several directions simultaneously,
missile defence system into the Indi- with a digitally-coded command
an Army. It will be deployed on both guidance system, in all-weather con-
the western and eastern fronts of the ditions. It can even take on sub-son-
country’s borders. ic cruise missiles, which is a useful
It is understood that the Indian potential given the fact that arsenals
Army will now place orders for two of both hostile neighbours — Pak-
regiments of the missile system, istan to the west and China to the
which has already been inducted north — are equipped with ripped-
into the Indian Air Force (IAF). The off versions of the American Toma-
total order for the Army stands at hawk. The Akash induction will help
`14,180 crore at present. The IAF has the Indian armed services replace
inducted two squadrons of the mis- the obsolete Russian-origin Pechora
sile system and is looking to place and OSA-AK missile systems.

www.geopolitics.in April 2011

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Periscope.qxd 4/7/2011 12:54 PM Page 13
ARJUN TANK INDUCTED
OVER 37 years after the project was
commissioned by the government, the
indigenous Arjun tank has been for-
mally inducted into the 75
Armoured Regiment at Jaisalmer. It
happened in mid-March. According
to Lieutenant General A K Singh,
General Officer Commanding-in-
Chief (GOC-in-C) of the southern
command, 45 Arjun tanks were
inducted.
It may be noted that 75
Armoured Regiment is the only
Indian armoured regiment to be
raised on foreign soil during the
1971 Indo-Pak war at Gadra road
(now in Pakistan) on March 12, 1972.
The tank comes with a 120 mm main
rifled gun with indigenously developed
Army ready for quick mobilisation
CAN INDIAN Army mobilise troops with-
in 48 hours? The Army believes it can and
will seek to validate its answer at an annual
exercise involving about 10,000 personnel
in the Rajasthan-Punjab region in May.
After terrorists attacked Parliament in
December 2001, the government had or-
dered Army mo-
bilisation. But
Operation
Parakram took
27 days, by
which time suf-
ficient interna-
tional diplomat-
ic pressure had
built up to pre-
empt any mili-
tary strike on
Pakistan. Since
then, the Army
has been work-
ing hard to bring
down its mobilisation time. Reports say
that better road management, offloading,
rail links, equipment and man-manage-
ment have reduced the time to 48 hours
and every strike corps had been working at
reducing its mobilisation period.
Army’s preparedness will be tested in
the two-week exercise, Vajra Prahar, that
will involve the Ambala-based 2 Strike
Corps, besides elements from the Patiala-
based 1 Armoured Division, Meerut-based
22 Division and Dehradun-based 14 Divi-
www.geopolitics.in
g
APFSDS ammunition, a 7.62 mm co-axi-
al machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine
gun. It is powered by a single MTU mul-
ti-fuel diesel engine rated at 1,400 hp,
and can achieve a maximum speed of 70
sion, also called Rapids. Earlier, the Army
used to launch an attack after an entire for-
mation had gathered, but the new ap-
proach is for small battle groups with
command-and-control abilities carrying
out early launches. As elements have to be
gathered from far-flung places, it’s im-
portant to
plan in ad-
vance.
Incidental-
ly, the Pak-
istani army
had held a war
game last year
near its India
border with
around 50,000
troops mo-
bilised in three
days from one
end of that
country to the
other. Former Army Chief General V P
Malik had once pointed out that distances
in Pakistan were shorter. “We took 20 days
to mobilise troops for Operation Parakram.
The lesson learnt was to reduce the time,
which brought forth the doctrine of cold
start for strategic re-location. Today, we are
in a much better position,” he had said.
Every year, the three corps take turns to
hold war games. Last year, 21 Corps had its
first drill based on nuclear biological
chemical warfare.
(35)
km/hr (43 mph) and a cross-country
speed of 40 km/h (25 mph). It has a four-
man crew: commander, gunner,
loader and driver.
Automatic fire detection and
suppression, and NBC (nuclear,
biological and chemical) protec-
tion systems are provided. All-
round anti-tank warhead pro-
tection by the newly-developed
Kanchan armour is claimed to
be much higher than available
in present third generation
tanks.
In March 2010, the Arjun was
pitted against the T-90 in com-
parative trials and performed well. Sub-
sequently, the Army placed an order for
an additional 124 tanks on May 17, 2010.
Bold Kurukshetra with
Singapore Army
INDIAN ARMY and Singapore Army have
just completed a month-long joint exer-
cise named ‘Bold Kurukshetra 2011’ at
Babina in Jhansi. The exercise began on
March 1 and continued until March 29. It
involved multi-tiered planning, use of
new generation equipment and joint exe-
cution of mission by artillery batteries and
combat groups. Besides matching each
other’s capability in artillery fire power,
the two armies also honed their skills in
anti-militancy exercises.
Exercise Bold Kurukshetra is an annual
event between the two armies. Singapore
Army sends its armoured divisions to
India and practices with Indian armoured
divisions. Singapore lacks facilities to train
its forces due to shortage of land mass.
This was the sevent edition of the exercise.
April 2011
Number Game 36-37.qxd 4/7/2011 1:23 PM Page 4

15,000 OFFICERS’
SHORTAGE g
IN THE armed forces has been addressed and accordingly, several measures, includ-
ing increasing the intake of Short Service Commission (SSC) officers, have been initi-
ated to meet the shortfall.The extent of shortage of officers is around 12,349 in the
Army, 1,818 in the Navy and 837 in the Air Force, while the shortage of pilots in the Air
Force is about 426. There is, however, no significant problem of shortage of personnel
below officer rank in the armed forces. In addition, all officers, including those in the
Short Service Commission (SSC), are now eligible to hold substantive rank of Captain,
Major and Lieutenant Colonel after two, six and 13 years of reckonable service
GEOPOLITICS

NUMBERS
GAME 3
PROPOSED
respectively. The tenure of SSC officers has been increased from 10 to 14 years.
PORTS IN
ORISSA
CONSIDERED A security
threat. The Defence
Research and Develop-
ment Organisation

49 313
ARMY (DRDO) has raised objec-
tions to setting-up of three
PERSONNEL proposed ports in Orissa’s
Balasore district. The area
LOST THEIR is extensively used by
DRDO and armed forces
LIVES SINCE for test firing of missiles
and various weapons. Out
2009 of three ports — Ichudi,
IN OPERATIONS across the country. The details are as Chandipur and Baha-
CASES OF CEASEFIRE follows: The Army lost 114 men in 2009, 187 men in balpur — proposed in Bal-
2010, and 12 in 2011 till March 8. Moreover, eight per- asore district, the DRDO
VIOLATIONS sonnel were killed in 2009 and 15 in 2010 from has raised objections to
BY PAKISTAN were reported along the border Rajasthan. All these casualties were reported from Jam- Ichudi port on the grounds
in Jammu and Kashmir since 2010. 44 cease- mu and Kashmir. In that it would be operating
fire violations were reported in 2010, while addition, the Navy close to the launch com-
five such cases have happened in this year so lost one of its person- plex used by it to test fire
far. The Government of India has taken up nel during opera- missiles. “Movement of
the issue of ceasefire violations with Pak- tions in 2009, but saw ships will pose a security
istan’s military authorities at the appropriate no casualties in 2010. threat to DRDO installa-
level through the established mechanism of The Air Force saw no tions. Further, proposed
hotline, flag meetings as well as weekly talks casualties at all in the ports fall within the noti-
between the Director Generals of Military last two years. fied area of DRDO and
Operations. Indian Air Force (IAF)
where dynamic trial and
firing of unproved arma-

6
ON THE recommendation of the investigative agencies to ment stores are bring con-
FIRMS TO BE the Defence Ministry for being involved in ‘illegal gratifica- ducted on regular basis,”
tion’ in the Ordnance Factory Board scam in 2009. The four said Defence Minister A K
BLACKLISTED international companies that have been recommended for Antony, adding that no
blacklisting by the CBI, include Israeli Military Industry specific alternate site is
(IMI), Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK), German suggested by the DRDO.
Rheinmetall Air Defence and Russian Cooperation
Defence; while two Indian firms are T S Kisan and Compa-
ny Private Limited (New Delhi) and R.K. Machines Tools
Limited (Ludhiana). The decision to take penal action
against the firms would be decided in consultation with
Law Ministry and the Central Vigilance Commission.
According to the ministry, the Israeli firm IMI has been
provided all available documents and has been directed to
submit its reply to the show-cause notice within 15 days.
Due to the blacklisting process, several Defence Ministry
acquisition projects have either been stalled or been
scrapped, which include the artillery modernisation pro-
gramme and upgrading of existing Indian Army howitzers.

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Number Game 36-37.qxd 4/7/2011
7 OFFICERS
PUNISHED
FOR BEING guilty of sexu-
ally harassing women col-
leagues in eight cases
reported since 2008. And of
these seven officers, three
each were from the Army
and the Air Force and one
from the Navy. According to
record, are four cases from
the Army and one from the
air force in 2008, and, one
from the Navy and two
from the Air Force in 2009.
Fortunately, there are no
cases of sexual harassment
of women officers in the
three services in 2010 and
none has been reported till
date this year. The govern-
ment has taken steps to
check recurrence of such
incidents in the future. In
the Army, all commands are
directed that cases of sexu-
al harassment will be
viewed very seriously and
strict action taken against
the perpetrators and com-
mensurate punishment
meted out to them so that
the same acts as a deterrent
for others. The environ-
ment has been sensitised in
order to maintain a healthy
and respectful relation with
fellow or superior lady offi-
cers. Same kind of well laid
down procedures and regu-
lations exist for Navy and
Air Force also.
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1:23 PM Page 5
g
5609
HAVE BEEN recorded by Armed
NUMBERSGAME
CASES IN
18
MONTHS
Forces Tribunal (AFT), which was
instituted in 2009. Considering
in the scheme of AFT is expected
to take care of any problem
relating to accessibility of
the tribunals to the service-
men and ex-servicemen.
The constitution of the
tribunals has brought
down the number of offi-
the successful running of princi- cers and jawans
pal bench at Delhi and regional approaching High Courts
benches at seven locations — through writ jurisdictions.
Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow, The regional bench at
Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai and Chandigarh disposed of the
Kochi — the government has decided maximum number of 1897
to set up one more regional bench at cases since 2009, followed by
Mumbai. The provision for Circuit Benches 1525 cases by the principal bench.
5300
58,000
CRORE IS THE
AMOUNT
THAT THE
GOVERNMENT
IS PLANNING
TO INVEST KM ROADS, FIVE
IN
Research
DEFENCE
and AIRFIELDS IN TIBET
Development
Organisation ARE PART of
(DRDO) projects infrastructure
for upgrading development
existing facilities programme,
and setting up undertaken by
new ones for vari- China for the
ous programmes. construction of
The projects roads, railways
include setting up and airfields. To
a new Aeronauti- enhance the
cal Test Range for `1,300 crore, Aerostat Test Range military profile,
for `500 crore, Electronic Warfare test range for the total road
another `500 crore. The programmes and projects network in the Tibet Autonomous Region is
are likely to be completed in the next three to ten assessed at 58,000 km in 2010, along with five
years period depending on various government airfields becoming operational at Gongar,
clearances and other procedures. Pangta, Linchi, Hoping and Gar Gunsa.
9
HAS BEEN announced by Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his 2011
budget proposals. Defence personnel,
who have suffered 100 per cent disabil-
ity during the course of their govern-
ment service, will henceforth get a
one-time compensation of `9 lakh on
LAKH WORTH par with paramilitary personnel fight-
DISABILITY ing Maoists. And those who suffered
less than 100 percent but over 20 per
COMPENSATION cent disability, would be provided a
proportionate amount as one-time
FOR SOLDIERS compensation.
April 2011
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g
GEOPOLITICS
COVERSTORY
Photo: PIB

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Cover story 38-43 NEW 06-04-11.qxd 4/7/2011 2:20 PM Page 43

MONEY
MATTERS
The defence allocation in this year’s annual budget amounts to `1, 64,415.49
crore ($36.03 billion). That represents an 11.59 per cent growth (`17,071.49
crore) over the previous year’s budget. Of this `7,872.68 crore has been
earmarked for revenue expenditure and the balance `9,198.81 for capital
expenditure. In totality, revenue expenditure has grown by 9.01 per cent to
`95,216.68 and capital expenditure by 15.33 per cent to `69,198.81 crore.
Overall, this year’s defence budget is 1.83 per cent of the projected GDP
of the country and 13.07 per cent of the total Central government
expenditure.
Roughly speaking, in 2011-12, the Army, with an approximate budget of
`83, 415 crore, accounts for 51 per cent of the total defence budget. The Air
force, with `46,151.78 crore, accounts for 28 per cent and the Navy’s share is
15 per cent at `25,246.89 crore. Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) has been given `10,253.17 crore while ordnance
factories (OFs) `776.79 crore.
The major share is for the Army and that is because of the large scale
provision under revenue expenditure, which is primarily driven by pay and
allowances. In terms of capital expenditure, the Air force with a budget of
`30,223.83 crore is the most capital-intensive, followed by the Army
(`19,163.07 crore), Navy (`14,657.83 crore), DRDO (`4,628.3 crore), and OFs
(`399.96 crore). On the revenue side, although the growth has been
necessitated by the increase in pay and allowances, there has also been an
increase in the budgetary provision for other revenue items to cover
maintenance and services.
Are these budget allocations adequate for a rising power like India, which
is expected to assume more global responsibilities in the days to come? This
question is all the more relevant if we view the 11.59 per cent rise against the
backdrop of about 11 per cent inflation over the last one year. Besides, the
total allocations in the budget are far below the minimum 3 per cent of the
GDP that the armed forces of the country have been expecting for years. The
figure has not touched even the mark of 2 per cent of the GDP that successive
Standing Committees on Defence in India’s Parliament have been
recommending.
Most of all, do our budgetary allocations reflect the concerns raised by
many distinguished experts over steady increases in the defence expenditure
of Pakistan and China, our potential threats? Incidentally, China has
increased its official defence expenditure for 2011 by 13 per cent to $ 91.5
billion while its actual expenditure on defence is likely to be close to $ 150
billion (3.5 per cent of its GDP).
All this is not to suggest that there is no scope for rationalisation in India’s
defence expenditure. Timely decisions on procurements and increased
efficiency in domestic defence production will save money. Last but not the
least, in the wake of various scandals that the country has been witnessing
of late, the need of financial transparency in the Indian military is too
important to be overstressed.
In the pages that follow, three distinguished military officers have offered
their views on the subject. Over to them…

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Cover story 38-43 NEW 06-04-11.qxd 4/7/2011
SATISH NAMBIAR
LT. GENERAL (RETD.)
Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar
achieved international recognition as the
first Force Commander and Head of Mis-
sion of UNPROFOR, the United Nations
Protection Force in the former
Yugoslavia, between March 1992 and
March 1993. He was commissioned from
the Indian Military Academy (IMA) into
the 20th Battalion of the Maratha Light
Infantry in December 1957. He retired as
the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff in
August 1994. He had the honour of serv-
ing as the Colonel of the Mechanized
Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army
from June 1988 to till retirement in
August 1994. Excerpts from the inter-
view:
Are you satisfied with the defence budget
for 2011?
I think it is a fair allocation. But the
redeeming feature one sees this time is
that last year’s budget allocation has been
utilised after a long, long time. For years
and years the allocations have not been
utilised, they’ve lapsed which I think in
many ways indicates that we may be get-
ting our act together in terms of balancing
the acquisitions against our projected
plan. The other thing I would like to add
here is basically related to the often pro-
pounded theory of the budget being per
centage of GDP. You know they said this
budget is only 1.8 per cent of GDP and
that it should be 2.5 or 3 or whatever.
I’ve never agreed with that philosophy
because my logic has always been that,
firstly, you make your plans and your pro-
jections for our national security require-
ments and the government should be
asked to meet them. They may be able to
meet it in full; in fact no country in the
world, even the United States ever does
meet budgetary demands in full. You
know what the armed forces ask for is
never (given) because most of the time
you are overestimating your require-
ments. Besides I have never followed the
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COVERSTORY
P K BARBORA
AIR MARSHAL (RETD.)
Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora was
commissioned as a fighter pilot in June
1970 and saw action in the 1971 war with
Pakistan. During his service career, he
has had the distinction of being part of
the team during formation of the first
Jaguar Squadron of the IAF and also
inducting the Air Combat Simulator into
the IAF, the first of its kind in Asia. He has
held many operational assignments. He
was the Air Attaché in Russia and retired
as the Deputy Chief of Indian Air Force
and earned a reputation for his outspo-
ken and frank assessment of issues. He is
the first person from the North-East to
reach such a coveted position. Excerpts
from the interview:
Your views on the budget?
Let me put it this way — what is 12 per
cent (hike)? Twelve per cent just caters for
partially, the inflation. So by saying 12 per
cent, I don’t think it has any relevance
because the cost factor keeps going up
every year. But when you talk of the over-
all increase in the percentage of GDP,
which varies between 2.2 and 2.4 per cent
of our GDP that is given to our defence
services, it is nothing very much. But the
beauty of this whole thing is we have been
the biggest importer of weapons in the last
few years. Okay fine. The reason for that
of course is many. Our PSUs and DRDO
have not come up to the expectations, so
we have to spend abroad. Also, whenever
any service has demanded something very
seriously — except for one odd aberration
like the Indian Army’s requirement for
artillery has been pending for such a long,
long time — the government has given us
the money — albeit late. It does have an
indirect effect on the defence prepared-
ness of the nation. Not that we are inca-
pable of taking on any kind of a threat, but
we could have definitely performed far
better if we had the assets that we had
wanted at the correct time.
Is 12 per cent okay?
(40)
AVNISH TANDON
VICE ADMIRAL (RETD.)
Commissioned in the Indian Navy in
1961, Vice Admiral Avnish Rai Tandon
had a distinguished career. He had the
rare distinction of being Flag Officer
Commanding-in-Chief of two of the
Indian Navy’s three naval commands:
the Southern Naval Command and the
Western Naval Command, from where he
retired on March 31, 1998. Earlier, he had
commanded the Western Fleet and been
the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. As Con-
troller of Warship Production and Acqui-
sitions, Admiral Tandon was responsible
for the design and construction of war-
ships like the INS Delhi class and sub-
marines. As Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
Policy and Plans he worked closely with
the MoD and other ministries while
being responsible for financial and force
planning for the Indian Navy. Excerpts
from an interview:
Are you happy with this year’s defence
budget?
Let me explain one thing: Army and Air
Force have to work within the national
boundary of India. So when you are talking
of defence, they can’t cross the boundary.
If they do, it is an inimical act, whereas the
Indian navy is operating all across the In-
dian Ocean. What are the roles that the
Navy has to play? For coastal defence, you
can come anywhere, you can land any-
where. India’s coastline is 7500 km. There
are also islands. Therefore, if a pirate oper-
ates off Lakshadweep, the Army and the Air
Force cannot immediately go there. Then,
we have 200 nautical miles of what is
called Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),
which has also to be patrolled and re-
sources within the EEZ are all sovereign re-
sources of India. So, the definition of de-
fence is slightly different in case of the Navy
as opposed to the Army and Air Force.
Are you then saying the budget for the Navy
is inadequate?
Let me clarify that. General Sunderji was the
April 2011
Cover story 38-43 NEW 06-04-11.qxd 4/7/2011
logic that the budget should be a percent-
age of the GDP, because my point has
always been — and now really in many
ways being indicated — as your GDP
grows, your budget grows even if your
allocation is just one per cent.
The basic thing is your requirements.
The government has to meet it and they
will meet it to the extent they can. One of
the things, right from the time I was in
service, and following events later, I have
found that notwithstanding the alloca-
tions, if in an emergency situation the
defence forces are required to have more
(money), I don’t think the government
has ever been found wanting in giving
the (funds).
But who is responsible for the money
lapsing all these years?
I think a lot it has to do with the system
that we follow. In fact, it is basically the
civil bureaucracy that has not being
accountable.
Will you elaborate?
Where is the accountability? If things go
wrong, the armed forces are to blame and
on the other side, the political establish-
ment can be blamed that you have not
made enough allocations, the bureau-
crats are never found answerable. But the
irony is that they are the ones who are the
sort of go-between, between the armed
forces and the political establishment.
This relationship should have been
straightened out long ago. I don’t think it
has yet been straightened out.
Should the armed forces interact directly
with the political masters?
You don’t require an interpreter any more.
Obviously, the civilian bureaucracy has a
place, in the sense that the Minister could
ask them, consult them, use them for their
inputs but they should not be the inter-
face. This is where I think the problem
lies, unless, of course, they are account-
able. I make this point, not because of any
antipathy to the civil servant but the sys-
tem has not yet been straightened out.
You think that is the primary reason for
the lapse of money or the issues are not
being taken up on time?
I think so. You see the person taking the
decision must also be accountable for it.
That does not always happen in this case
because these chaps take the decision in
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COVERSTORY
No. It’s not sufficient. But every year why
is it, that we are surrendering money back
to the government? It’s not that in the
defence services we have not made out a
plan. We’ve got plans for 15 years in place,
but when it comes to the clearance of a
project, I feel because of the so-called
compulsions of the government in other
areas, they do not clear our projects. This
results in getting something late and
unfortunately depending on country-to-
country that we are importing items from.
At the end of the day, we get the same item
at a higher cost.
There is also the urgent need to stream-
line the defence budget…
No. Each service has its own norms of how
to bid for a budget and how to utilise the
budget. There will be occasions when the
money is allocated to you whether on the
revenue side or on the capital side. And
for reasons an item that I was looking at
within this financial year, is not being
cleared because of various reasons. I have
got the budget, now what do I do? I go in
for an item which is not high on my prior-
ity list. So, it derails the priority of the
service if things like this happen.
You spoke about the lack of utilisation of
the budget. What is the prime reason?
There are other loopholes also. I am not
going to be service-specific but many a
time what happens within the system is
that they tend to change our QRs that is
the qualitative requirements of a system.
And when we do that, whether it’s DRDO
or a foreign company or anyone, obvious-
ly it will take more time. And the product
is not going to be available to you by a
specific time. So once we have decided
what it is that we want, please don’t keep
changing your requirements.
One of the reasons why this happens is
that there is this ‘holy cow’ attitude
about the armed forces in this nation: no
debate, no discussion. Because of lack of
debate and discussion, there is less of
accountability.
Yes, let’s talk about the LCA: Light Com-
bat Aircraft. Let’s forget about when it
was conceived, thought and came into
place — I don’t know. I’ve attended so
many meetings on this subject. We had
quarterly meetings, that were attended
by everyone. Okay, they will give a
timeline for the product and in the next
(41)
first to postulate that the maritime borders
of India are important. It was agreed by the
Chief of Staff that the Navy’s budget should
be 18 per cent of the budget. We are talking
about 1987. In 2005-06, the Navy’s budget
was 17.5 per cent and in 2007-08 the budg-
et reached 18 per cent. But since 2008-09 it
has been going down. Now it is 15 per
cent. My point is that the naval plan seems
to be slowing down.
Are the allocations under the R&D heading
appropriate?
The Navy’s experience with the DRDO is
that we have had very few successful proj-
ects. There are any number of projects
that didn’t take off. But we had some suc-
cesses such as the Brahmos missile, which
is a joint venture of DRDO and Russia.
There are other electronic warfare systems
which have come late from the DRDO but
certainly are acceptable.
Now my question is: Are we getting enough
new technology from the DRDO? We haven’t
received much of new technology in spite
of the fact that we have funded substantial-
ly. It is the Navy which has funded the Ad-
vanced Light Helicopter project when it was
nowhere on the horizon. It is the Navy
which said we would take fighter aircraft for
operating on seas. We are ahead in judging
and appreciating the capability of DRDO. I
am not sure we need to put more money
into DRDO. I think we should put more
money into DRDO where there is private-
public partnership (PPP).
Coming back to the macro picture, what do
you think of an emerging power like India
allocating less than two per cent of the GDP
to defence?
Our budgetary figure at this point is 1.83 per
cent. Over the years we have remained at
around two per cent. We have not exceed-
ed more than 2.5 per cent at any stage ex-
cept for one year in 86-87 when we were at
3.16 per cent. It was a year when there was
a jump of 35 per cent which, of course, got
negated very soon when money fell short
due to the drought of 1987. So we had be-
tween 2 and 2.5 per cent for 20 to 25 years.
By the way, we tend to forget defence expen-
diture as percentage of government ex-
penditure. Everyone says that defence is
buying up 20 per cent of the government ex-
penditure. They call it very derisively as non-
planned expenditure. Now, in this case, we
have never exceeded 17. 81 per cent which
is around 3.16 per cent of our total budget
April 2011
Cover story 38-43 NEW 06-04-11.qxd 4/7/2011
SATISH NAMBIAR
LT. GENERAL (RETD.)
the sense that it is on file. Okay, yes the
face is the political head but the man who
has taken the decision is the faceless
bureaucrat.
Here again the armed forces are also
partially to blame because they have again
a system where, and this I say with a lot of
self-criticism which one endured even
while in service, that you know with each
change of head — the Chief — sometimes
your priorities change. That’s idiotic. I
mean there may be very few exceptions, it
can’t be the rule. Every time the Chief
comes in there are different priorities. That
is another reason why some of these things
fall behind in terms of acquisitions or pur-
suing it to the logical end. Some new chap
comes in and he thinks—the joke that I
have always highlighted in terms of our
leadership is that — at every level of com-
mand, from the battalion Commander to
the Chief of the Army Staff, the chap who
assumes the charge, starts from the basis
that all his predecessors were nuts and he’s
going to sort out the system. That can’t
work. Obviously, the chaps who have
worked before you were as capable if not
better.
The increasing use of foreign military
sales equipment comes in at hugely
inflated costs as opposed to the tender-
ing system…
Well I’m not too sure that you can blame
the armed forces for that because the
armed forces hold a piece of the equip-
ment. The manner in which you get it and
what are the arrangements for it is not for
the armed forces to decide. That is for the
political class and for the bureaucracy...
Your concern is only the equipment.
You tell us what equipment there are, few
pieces of equipment and you evaluate
them. Now you know in this evaluation
process, there are allegations that some-
times there are favourites, but this is a
human failing, but if you’ve got the right
people, people of integrity doing it, then
it’s okay. This business of direct sales, gov-
ernment-to-government I think is related
more to the lack of ability to negotiate this
tendering process, I don’t think the armed
forces come into that.
What is your take on Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in defence produc-
tion? The present position makes for lit-
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COVERSTORY
P K BARBORA
AIR MARSHAL (RETD.)
meeting, almost all of them want a delay.
But are we willing to hold the PSUs or the
DRDO or even the private sector which is
coming in, accountable for it? We just say,
okay blacklist a private firm but are we
going to blacklist our HAL? Have we
blacklisted our ship-building yards? We
haven’t because unfortunately those
PSUs are employing our people. So, there
is a little bit of a mix-up between nation-
al requirement of security and a bias
towards the HR side.
Do you think budget is in sync with our
perspective planning?
Yes It is in sync. Unfortunately again,
because of the priorities at times going
haywire, because of the timeline in clear-
ances of various projects and also indige-
nous manufacturers not living up to time-
lines or the quality of the product, we are
suffering. Finance is not an issue. Anytime
we wanted something specific, the govern-
ment has agreed to it, albeit a little late.
Do you think the private sector in this
country has a role to play in defence pro-
duction?
Today, we are restricted to 26 per cent
FDI. I have said so categorically earlier
also, if someone will have only say 26 per
cent FDI in a company that he is joining
up for a defence-related issue, he doesn’t
have control of the company to be able to
perform to his requirement. So, he finds
that he is restricted. He is not going to
give out his niche technology. He’ll say
why should I part with this when I hardly
have any say in the company? But, I pre-
sume there must be some other issues
which do not allow the government to
straightaway say, okay, from 26 per cent I
increase it to 49 per cent.
Like I have mentioned earlier and say it
again, Pakistan does more export than we
do in defence items because of our rules
and regulations. It is high time we took
stock of all this. We have produced along
with Russia, the Brahmos missile. How
many have we exported till date? Because
there is no export, the indigenous produc-
tion cost is going up. You know every year
they give a big chit to the government say-
ing I have made so much money. Who
have you made it from? You have made it
from us!
From left hand to right hand…
(42)
AVNISH TANDON
VICE ADMIRAL (RETD.)
in these 20 years. That’s not too much of in-
surance for the country’s security. Even
this insurance is one part of the story. The
other part is that we should have enough to
maintain our power in the context of our
immediate neighbourhood that is always
ready to create problems for us: Pakistan on
the west and China on the north and east.
Till a few years back, we were not on Chi-
na’s radar, but now that we are, it is always
doing something to us. We have to worry as
far as the land border is concerned. The role
of our air force is going to increase manifold
in future wars.
Do you agree that our defence budget is not
in sync with our military vision?
There is a problem and I will only tell you
the process. There is not only a ‘Babu’ in the
ministry of defence; there is another also in
the department of defence finance which is
controlled by the Ministry of Finance. So,
even if a ‘Babu’ agrees on finance side in the
Defence Ministry, he will say I have an ad-
versary in the Ministry of Finance. Yes, I
agree that 1.83 per cent of GDP for defence
is not enough. We need something like 18-
20 per cent of the government expenditure
on defence, while we are at 14-15 per cent.
They say that we are giving you a ten per
cent hike but inflation is 11 per cent.
Do you think there is some room for
streamlining the defence budget? Almost
every year, the armed forces have not been
able to spend the allocated money though
the last year was an exception.
I have already talked about the negative role
‘Babus’ play in Defence-finance. In earlier
years, it was as if they were under a directive
that if `100 crore were allocated, at least `20
crore will not be spent. They keep sending
the file up and down, so the money is allot-
ted but not spent. I have worked with them
for many years. They just don’t let you
spend. It’s just a charade they have allocat-
ed so much to you. They have allocated as
per what is called ‘REZ’ or revised estimate
which comes by December, knowing pretty
well that you can’t spend the whole amount
in the next three months. They will say ne-
gotiation is going on. But then why did they
increase the money in revenue expenditure?
Let me explain the revenue expenditure.
It is the expenditure spent on maintenance
of the human resources and the mechani-
cal equipment. In our case, this is to say al-
lowances, petrol, ammunition, etc. All this
April 2011
Cover story 38-43 NEW 06-04-11.qxd 4/7/2011
tle incentive for companies to set up
shop here?
I was a member of the Kelkar Committee
and we went into this aspect in some
detail, basically it was related to allowing
our private industry to get into this whole
business of defence sales. So my personal
view is, which I think is the recommenda-
tion we made, that is we should allow pri-
vate industry to participate in this
endeavour. That, of course, has a number
of implications because obviously they
have to be assured of returns and then the
other aspect, of course, is that many of
them may want to wish to have tie-ups
with foreign companies. That I think up
to a certain percentage was recommend-
ed by us. Obviously, we should not go in
for a complete foreign company (setting
shop) because I don’t think it is a very
wise thing for a country like our’s since
defence industry is of a globally competi-
tive nature.
You need it if the domestic defence
industry — that is simply not there —
has to get a fillip?
It’s a shame for a country like our’s. They
have the capability, they have the where-
withal, and they have all the good inten-
tions. But they must obviously being a
company, be assured of some returns. And
that is where I think even the R&D aspect
comes in that either the government
should provide these R&D resources. And I
think there is some rethink on this proba-
bly. But it can only be to the extent that
security does not get compromised.
What about offsets, how does it help
when there is no clarity on many of the
banking credits?
I don’t know the intricacies of this whole
thing. You are talking of this offset bank,
so I won’t try and comment. But my basic
philosophy on this is that your offset
should include even policy decisions,
unrelated to defence. I mean even if we
are investing in defence equipment
which someone is very keen to sell you,
even your foreign policy decisions you
should be able to manipulate or get them
to adjust it. I mean, in the sense it cannot
be written into an agreement. But to that
extent, particularly now that we are going
in for such big acquisitions and things
like that, I do think that we must get some
benefits out of it towards furthering our
national security interests.
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5:09 PM Page 47
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COVERSTORY
You take it from Peter and give it to Paul.
Now we have to be seriously thinking
about our export norms. Firstly, we’ve
got to be serious about timetables. We
are still lost in our offset policy; we do
not know how to apply offset policy. I
have said so categorically. There are
countries which are applying 100 per
cent offset. Like offset policies of South
Korea or Netherlands which are working
beautifully. Why can’t we pick up the
good points from them and apply to our
system and modify it to suit our require-
ments?
Now we just say 30 per cent offset, 50
per cent offset — do you know, out of the
hand figure, another ten years, the offset
should bring in $40 billion? Where are we
going to pump it? Who can absorb this?
You require corporate houses of very big
nature in India to be able to take on that
much money plus investment and then
do the exports as well. But in the last six
months I have noticed there is a definite
push in the Ministry of Defence to
streamline this offset issue. But we are
still far, far away.
What about the exorbitantly high prices
for purchases through FMS route?
Look, there are certain policies of the gov-
ernment which I am in no position to
really comment about as to how they go
about accepting the bids and how they
allocate bids. But there are some provi-
sions in the defence procurement system
which says that I do not necessarily have
to go to the lowest bidder also. The gov-
ernment has the loophole to go to anoth-
er bidder and also remember it is finally a
political decision. After we, the services,
put up a request for an item, we have
evaluated the systems. We have said
compliant non-compliant, depending on
the number of bidders. Then the bid is
opened for those who are compliant. But
at times something else may be available
to you that is also compliant but compli-
ant in a better manner.
One is raising this particularly in the
context of the recent aircraft acquisition.
The costs have been phenomenal, far
above what was sold elsewhere.
The FMS route moves faster because it is
immediately a government to govern-
ment deal. No more tender etc etc. Any-
time there is a tender in any kind of a
deal, it’s a long haul. Two years at least.
(43)
is part of revenue expenditure. Now in the
case of Army it’s huge at about 75 per cent;
so, there is very little left for capital expen-
diture (modernisation, etc). In the Navy,
revenue expenditure was 40 per cent — we
have always tried and not let it go beyond
45, because our money goes into highly
complex machines called ships and sub-
marines, which cost a lot of money. The
Navy has only 50,000 people in ships and
another 50,000 in dockyards, depots, etc. So,
when our revenue expenditure for this
year is around 40 per cent, we have some
more money to pay for ship building which
is constantly going on.
Now, how should we streamline? We must
develop the system of financial empower-
ment. It has been there since 1991 but needs
more teeth. By this, a large number of things
which are required for revenue expenditure
don’t have to go every time to finance defence
for clearance.
Your take on the role of FDI and PPP in our
defence sector as you mentioned that the
DRDO’s contribution is not much to talk
about.
FDI, perhaps, is not a correct word in de-
fence but we should say FDI in terms of joint
venture. Here both money and technology
are important. For example, in the case of
ISRO, we have done very well and we have
done most of the research with the help of
Russians. We have managed to become to-
tally self-sufficient or let’s say very self-suf-
ficient in terms of space technology, but in
defence let’s say it’s a mind block. Defence
is holy cow. You can have a scam of a lakh ru-
pees in telecom but that’s not serious. For
you more serious is the bribe of `64 crore in
the Bofors gun deal.
So, defence being the holy cow, every
thing about defence needs to be dissected
and should be transparent. Let us remem-
ber that no FDI will come to set up indus-
tries like the Tatas, L&T etc. So what I’m say-
ing is the FDI in terms of JV (joint venture)
with big industrial houses of India should
be encouraged. I don’t think we should wor-
ry too much about secrets of defence being
leaked out because it’s the user that final-
ly matters and what is being put in equip-
ment has to be latest and certainly suited to
the user. I think there is a huge opportuni-
ty for the foreign investments in joint ven-
tures. We also have eight defence public sec-
tor undertakings; you will have to make a
consortium of private, public and foreign
industries.
April 2011
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GEOPOLITICS
FOCUS

SEAWAY THUGS: Finally the world's patience is giving way to some stern action against the Somali pirates. India is at the forefront
of this exercise to protect the critical routes to Europe across the Horn of Good Hope

SAVING OUR The increasing number of sea-

hijackings by Somali pirates in the
Gulf of Aden has created a number of
challenges for India. SHISHIR

SEAFARERS UPADHYAYA identifies them and

suggests some remedies

T
HE HIJACKING of the Egyptian
cargo vessel MV Suez, with six
Indian crew members onboard,
by Somali pirates has once again
brought to the forefront concerns
about the safety of Indian seafarers. Appar-
ently, the hijackers have demanded over $
four million ransom to release the ship and
crew. However, the ship owners have com-
municated their inability to pay the huge
ransom, putting the lives of the crew at risk.
The families of the crew members, run-
ning from pillar to post, seeking government
and public empathy, may draw some conso-
lation from the fact that almost all crew

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FOCUS

members held hostage by Somali pirates in
2010 and even before that were released in
good health, albeit after being held for sever-
al months. Therefore, the crew of MV Suez
will also be eventually released safely (per-
haps, on the payment of a reduced ransom).
is the formidable task of maintain- HELD HOSTAGE BY SOMALI PIRATES
ing constant surveillance of the
entire region under threat. Accord-
ing to a study, on an average, a war-
ship has about ten minutes notice to
respond to a ship under attack from
1 Liqiud Petrolium Gas Carriers

The first time that the question of safety
of an Indian crew made national headlines
was when the MV Stolt Valor, a Japanese
tanker with an Indian Master and some Indi-
pirates. This implies that only a war-
ship (with a helicopter) within about
20-30 miles from the victim ship is in
a position to take necessary action,
6 Bulk Type-Carriers

an crew, was hijacked by Somali pirates. The
protests by the families of the sailors
prompted the government to deploy the
Indian Navy on anti-piracy patrols in Octo-
to chase away or apprehend the
pirates. Currently, the area under
threat from pirates would require
about 350 ships on task, but no more
4 Tankers

ber 2008. The Indian Navy has since done
yeoman’s service having safely escorted over
a thousand ships and successfully thwarted
several pirate attacks. However, the threat of
than 30 ships are generally available
on patrol.
Thus, more often than not, the
pirates capture the merchant ship
8 Dhwos (Small Wooden Ships)

piracy has in no way reduced and pirates
continue to operate with impunity all over
the Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian
Ocean, even coming close to Indian shores.
well before any warship arrives on
the scene. In such a situation, the
warship has an option of carrying
out a commando raid to secure the
2 Yatchs

In 2010, the Somali pirates hijacked 49 ships
and held over 1000 crew members hostage.
India provides over 6 per cent of the man-
power to the global shipping industry includ-
ship. Marine commandoes are
trained in anti-hijack operations
and can accomplish such operations
with relative ease against the ill-
14 Fishing Vessels

ing a majority of officers; therefore, many of
the ships hijacked include Indians onboard.
There have been instances of ships being
hijacked even in the Internationally Recom-
trained pirates. But, inherently this
is a risky option, since there is risk of
collateral damage or the crew mem-
bers getting injured or even killed.
1 Tugboat

mended Transit Corridor or IRTC in the Gulf People wonder why the Indian
of Aden (a narrow sea lane under naval
patrol), right under the ‘noses’ of warships.
This year, more than 12 ships were hijacked
government does not consider the
option of commando operations to
secure the release of MV Suez with
12 Cargo Vessels of Various Types

in the first six weeks. Going by statistics, it
would appear that 2011 could as well be a
bad year for our seamen. How are the pirates
managing this and what are the options
before the international community?
Challenges
A key challenge being faced by the navies in
combating piracy is the lack of adequate legal
mechanism for trial of the pirates arrested.
According to the latest study by the UN, nine
out of the ten pirates arrested at sea are actual-
ly released since international laws require the
warship arresting the pirates to hand them
over to the civil authorities concerned in its
country.
Thus, pirates arrested by a Norwegian war-
ship would need to be transported to Norway
to stand trial. This poses a huge logistical
challenge and, therefore, most navies are not
keen to undertake this exercise. The net result
is that most pirates are let go scot-free — after
having their arms and equipment dumped
overboard — only to return to business with
more experience. This is grossly counterpro-
ductive to naval efforts.
The other key challenge to warship patrols
Indian crew. After all, we have one of the
finest navies in the world and our highly-
skilled marine commandoes have given an
excellent account of their skills and capabili- onboard the USN destroyer (on orders from
ties in various operational missions. More-
over, in the many instances of hijacking, a
few such commando operations have been
attempted and all have been successful,
except that in some cases, a few crew mem-
bers lost their lives or were injured in the
crossfire. Notable instances of successful
commando operations are that of the Maer-
sk Albama and the Samho Jwelry.
The Maersk Albama, a US-flagged vessel,
manned by an American crew, was hijacked
by Somali pirates in April 2009 about 240
miles off Somalia; the first instance of hijack- Lanka. The 21-man crew comprising eight
ing of an American ship since the early 19th
century! The Master was held captive by
three Somali pirates onboard a lifeboat while
one pirate was present with the crew
onboard the Maersk Albama. The ship was
being steered towards Somali waters with
the lifeboat (which had the Master held at
gunpoint by three pirates) following.
Meanwhile, a USN destroyer arrived on
the scene and commenced shadowing the
Maersk Albama. As the ship and the lifeboat
were heading towards Somali waters, at an
opportune moment, US marine snipers
President Obama) shot and almost simulta-
neously killed all the three pirates holding
the Master captive. The remaining pirate
onboard the Maersk Albama was quickly
overpowered by the crew and later arrested.
The ship and the crew were thus rescued
with no loss of life or property.
The Samho Jwelry, a South Korean-owned
but Malta-flagged chemical tanker, was
hijacked in January this year by 13 Somali
pirates somewhere in the high seas between
Oman and India, en route from UAE to Sri
South Koreans (including the Master), two
Indonesians and 11 Burmese were forcibly
directed to take the ship to Somalia. Mean-
while, a South Korean naval destroyer, which
had arrived on the scene, shadowed the
Samho Jwelry, probably without the knowl-
edge of the pirates.
At some stage a few pirates onboard the
Samho Jwelry were seen disembarking to
launch an attack on another Mongolian vessel

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COLD STATISTICS
A GLOBAL maritime watchdog, Inter-
national Maritime Bureau (IMB), says
that pirates captured a record-setting
1,181 hostages in 2010 as ship hijack-
ings in waters off Somalia escalated.
Pirates seized 53 vessels worldwide
last year. All but four of them were off
the coast of Somalia.
As regards Indian hostages, about
495 Indian sailors were held hostage
by Somali pirates in the last four
years. Barring 64, all of them have
been released safely last year. Of the
64 sailors, 11 crew members of Rak
Afrikana, were just set free in mid-
March, presumably after paying high
ransoms. Other Indians still captive
are on MV Iceberg-I, MV Suez, MV
Asphalt Venture, MV Savina Caylyn,
and MV Sinin. According to the Indi-
an Shipping Ministry, MV Savina Cay-
lyn and MV Sinin have 26 Indians as
crew members — they were hijacked
this year, in January and February,
respectively.
On March 15, the Indian govern-
ment decided to incorporate changes
in its Navy’s rules of engagement
against pirates in the Indian Ocean,
widening the scope of its offensive
operations but within the framework
of international laws of the seas.
Rules of Engagement are set of
regulations and action proposed for
the armed forces before they are sent
into operations that may involve
defensive and offensive actions
against enemies.
It is understood that the govern-
ment has accepted an Indian Navy
proposal to allow merchant vessels
to take armed guards on board —
like some commercial airlines take
in sky marshals — and create “strong
rooms” in which the crew members
can take shelter and from which they
can send SOS during an attack so
that the naval commandoes will get
the opportunity to storm the ship
without the risk of any collateral
damage. The armed guards, akin to
sky marshals deployed on civil air-
liners to prevent highjacking, are
likely to be drawn from retired per-
sonnel of Navy and Coast Guard,
who are well-versed in maritime and
security matters.
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1:32 PM Page 28
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FOCUS
Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma
in the region. At this juncture, the naval com-
mandoes onboard the South Korean destroy-
er launched a daring operation to rescue the
ship and its crew. Eight of the 13 pirates were
killed and five arrested. The Master, caught in
the crossfire, was shot in the stomach but lat-
er survived while the other crew were rescued
safely. The Mongolian ship being targeted by
the pirates was also saved.
Commando operations are a feasible
option but there are a few salient challenges
which must be clearly understood. First, the
shipping industry is largely multinational in
nature and the merchant ships of today are
akin to floating multinational enterprises.
For example, a ship owned by a German
business house could be registered in Pana-
ma, managed by a Greek company, insured
by an American company, re-insured by a
UK company, chartered to a Korean client for
carrying Chinese cargo and manned by crew
from India, Bangladesh and Philippines.
Over 10 different countries involved in one
ship! Thus, before any government decides
to launch a commando operation, it would
have to factor the interests and sensitivities
of all the stakeholder states since there is a
risk of collateral damage. Moreover, some
countries may prefer to pay ransom rather
than risk the lives of their crew.
Secondly, time is of essence and the period
available for confabulations with all stake-
holders is very limited, generally about four to
five days when the ship under the custody of
pirates is headed for Somali waters. In the case
of the Maersk Albama and the Samho Jwelry,
the ship-owners were from the same country
whose navy carried out the operation. The
Maersk Albama was not only under the US
flag but its entire crew was also American.
Further, some analysts have suggested
that commando style operations could lead
to increased violence by Somali pirates and
trigger off a dangerous trend. Some analysts
claim that the killing of the four American
(46)
citizens onboard the SV Quest in March this
year could have been precipitated by the
Maersk Albama incident. Thus, before the
option of commando raids is considered by
the government, the element of risk (which
will vary in each case) and reprisals would
have to be factored.
Options
The challenges before the government of
India are also being faced by many other
maritime states. The truth is that navies are
not omnipresent and the area to be kept
under surveillance is simply too large to cov-
er with the 30-odd ships on patrol. The key
thus lies in privatising some of the security
requirements. The shipping industry is
already turning to private security arrange-
ments ranging from passive deterrent devices
such as barbed wire fencing to active meas-
ures such as armed guards. Many hijacking
attempts by Somali pirates have been suc-
cessfully deterred by use of private security.
Even a rudimentary security mechanism
could effectively delay an attack allowing
more time for warships on patrols to react. Pri-
vate security has always been used on land
though it may be a new phenomenon at sea.
The high seas, today, are no longer vast deso-
late regions, but akin to lonely stretches of
highways where highway robbers prowl. Thus,
private security can be used effectively in
combating piracy, however, this would need to
be effectively closely coordinated with naval
forces and regulated by international laws.
As regards commando operations to res-
cue ships and crew, it is felt that navies would
need to make their decisions based on the
unique factors of each case. It may be easier
to launch such operations in cases where the
ship is located about two to three days
steaming distance from Somali waters and
also where the primary stakeholder and the
navy involved are from the same state. But, in
cases where multiple stakeholders are
involved it would be difficult to launch any
operations without the assent of all parties
concerned and more often than not, paucity
of time would preclude such an option.
Finally, the ideal strategy to combat the
pirates would be an effective synergy of pri-
vate security measures employed by the
shipping industry — in close coordination
with naval forces — and proactive special
operations by navies to deter pirates from
operating with impunity. This will save many
Indian seafarers from Somali pirates.
(The author, a senior naval officer, is
presently with the National Maritime Foun-
dation. Views expressed are personal)
April 2011
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geopolitics
INTERNAL SECURITY
NEEDING
INTELLIGENCE
BACKUP
Paramilitary forces are developing their own intelligence-cadres
Internal Security briefs.qxd 4/7/2011 1:52 PM Page 4

IS
INTERNAL SECURITY B R I E F S g
ANTI-NAXAL INDIA, BANGLA TO REDRAW BORDER
OPS: SPECIAL INDIA AND Bangladesh have reportedly
agreed to redraw their 4,100 km bound-
izens or Indians. Enclaves are small areas
that are in the middle of another country.
FORCES IN, ary. Straightening of the boundary would
include ending the contentious issue of
The straightening of the boundary would
make for easier policing, and if necessary,
UAVS OUT over 200 enclaves located in each other’s
territory. The deal would be announced
possible fencing of the border. Many parts
of the Indo-Bangla border are already
THE INDIAN Air Force (IAF) has said when Prime Minis- fenced.
that it has deployed Garud Special ter Manmohan A headcount is cur-
Forces commandos and four choppers Singh visits Dhaka rently underway in
for anti-Naxal operations but with- immediately after the enclaves on
drawn the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles the West Bengal both sides — 130
(UAVs) operating in Maoist bastions in elections. The visit Indian enclaves in
Chhattisgarh. in all likelihood Bangladesh and 95
To protect its choppers from Maoists could take place in Bangladeshi
attacks, Garud commandos have been June. The broad enclaves within
deployed on these helicopters to retal- contour of the bor- Indian territory.
iate whenever such a situation arises. der agreement However, by
“Four IAF choppers are operating in reflects India’s aver- straightening out
Raipur, Dantewada and Jagdalpur sion to disturbing the 4,100-km
areas. We also used to operate UAVs in settled populations boundary, India
these areas to track the Naxals but they and exchange of may end up losing
have been withdrawn,” IAF chief P V territory. This essentially means some land because it has more enclaves
Naik told reporters recently. The IAF Bangladeshi enclaves in Indian territory on the other side that would be absorbed
chief said the choppers “carry a Garud will remain with India, while Indian by Bangladesh. The 130 Indian enclaves,
Special Force member on board who enclaves in Bangladesh will remain with known locally as “Chitmahals”, occupy
mans the gun, which is not the inte- them. This might mean a little bit of area some 20,000 acres while the Bangladesh
grated part of the helicopter”. On the transfer mainly from India to Bangladesh. Chitmahals in India occupy about 12,000
withdrawal of UAVs from anti-Naxal The people would be given a choice to acres. In effect, India would end up losing
operations, Naik said, “Beyond a cer- decide, if they want to be Bangladeshi cit- around 8,000 acres.
tain season, it loses its surprise ele-
ment... And these UAVs were not
meant for what they were being used
for.” He said the IAF withdrew the
UAVs after it found that it was not able
to meet the requirements.
On the Rules of Engagement (RoE) in
AIR WING FOR MHA
Naxal-affected areas, the IAF chief said FINDING ITSELF wanting in times of exi- tremism, insurgency in the Northeast and the
very “stringent” rules have been pro- gencies, the Home Ministry is likely to move Kashmir separatism and in times of disasters.
vided to the IAF for firing back when its a proposal in the Cabinet Committee on Se- Paramilitary officers complained that during
choppers come under attack from the curity (CCS) to have its own dedicated full- certain key operations against the Maoists in
Naxalites. “We follow very stringent fledged air wing by 2013, sources say. The Cen- Chhattisgarh and Orissa they lost the advantage
rules as we don’t want any collateral tre aims to have 25 helicopters, maximum four as the IAF could not send its choppers in time
damage to take place in our own terri- medium-range for deployment.
tory and we can fire only at the source aircraft having a The proposal,
of fire which is determined by the cap- capacity of 125 to be put before
tain of the chopper,” Naik said. It is to seats and a num- the CCS, will in-
be noted that after the IAF lost one of ber of smaller 20- clude full-scale
its personnel in 30 seater aircraft maintenance and
Raipur during the in the air wing that repair centre and,
last general elec- will be manned by hence totally self-
tions, it had the BSF. Although sufficient and in-
sought rules of the BSF currently dependent of the
engage- has an air wing, it IAF, including the
m e n t is poorly managed pilots who will be
from the and has only four picked up from
govern- obsolete Avro air- the paramilitary
m e n t craft of which only forces and
for tack- two are fit to fly. trained. To check
ling the The Home the misuse of the
issue. Ministry's proposed move, it is said, came in the aircraft and the choppers by top officers of the
wake of its dissatisfaction with the Indian Air paramilitary forces, the Home Ministry will also
Force (IAF)'s inadequate response in certain bring out extensive set of rules on the use of
crunch situations caused by Left-wing ex- the air wing.

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g B R I E F S IS INTERNAL SECURITY

NO ARMY OPERATIONS AGAINST COBRA

MAOISTS: GENERAL VK SINGH COMBAT
GENERAL VK Singh, Chief of Army
Staff, has categorically stated that
the Indian Army was not involved
no Army operations against the
Maoists. We are only involved in
training and guiding the paramili-
FOR MP
in any ground operations against
Maoists in the country. “There are
tary forces fighting them,” he told
in a press interview.
NAXAL
MENACE
ORISSA, ANDHRA MAOISTS HEADING SOME 300 personnel of
the Combat Battalion for

FOR A SPLIT? Resolute Action (COBRA),

a special anti-Naxal force,
have been deployed in
ARE THE Maoists a divided lot? It seems so from either from Andhra Pradesh or Jharkhand. Madhya Pradesh’s Bal-
the list of prisoners that they have sent to the Incidentally, Sabyasachi’s wife Subhashree — aghat district, to combat
Orissa government. The Orissa Maoists led by in jail since January the growing presence of
Sabyasachi Panda seem to be unhappy with the 2010 — differed the Left-wing rebels. The
large number of the Andhra Pradesh cadres that with the Maoists deployment is part of a
the committee leaders want freedom for, accord- and said Krishna strategy to surround
ing to intelligence sources. and Majhi should Naxal-hit areas in Maha-
Senior intelligence sleuths say ORISSA be released without rashtra, Chhattisgarh,
that the Maoists’ selection of any condition. Jharkhand, Bihar and
cadres, who they wanted to While appearing in Orissa.
be released in exchange of
abducted Malkangiri Dis-
VS the court recently, she told
reporters that the process of
The Centre will decide
standard operating proce-
trict Collector R Vineel bringing the Maoist problem to dures for them. COBRA, a
Krishna recently, could an end should start from Orissa. It unit of the paramilitary
ES A
H

drive a wedge down the may be noted here that while the Central Reserve Police
AD R
PR NDH

cadres. Of the nine Maoists sought withdrawal of cases against Force (CRPF), was set up
Maoists named in the Padma, wife of top rebel Rama Krishna, and in 2008 at a cost of `1,390
list, only two — Shobha, wife of top guerrilla Kishenda alias crore, of which `899 crore
A

Gananath Patra and Prashant Bose, there was no such demand to free was spent on land and in-
Tapan Mishra — were Subhashree. Besides, the two Orissa Maoists frastructure. Around `492
from Orissa. The rest — who figured in the demand list — Chasi Mulia crore will be used for man-
Sriramulu Srinivas, Adivasi Sanghactivists Gananath Patra and Tapan power training over three
Ashutosh, Sobha, Gunti Mishra — belong to upper castes. Oriya cadres years. In the first phase,
Prasadam, Padma, Iswari, Sari- are mostly tribals. They are upset because noth- these battalions were
ta and Gokul Kulpidia (a truck ing has been achieved so far to appease their trained at the Army’s in-
driver held with Padma, Iswari and Sarita) — are tribal support base, officials say. surgency and jungle war-
fare training centre in Mi-
zoram and the CRPF’s
anti-terror training centre
DoT PLANS TASK FORCE FOR at Silchar.
TELECOM ROLL-OUT IN NAXAL AREAS Of the 10 COBRA bat-
talions trained in guerrilla
IN A move to reach telecom services to Naxal-affected areas, the Department of Tele- warfare, nine have already
com is planning to set up task forces at the district levels to help roll out and protect been deployed in Maoist-
telecom infrastructure. The task force will comprise local youth in Naxal-affected dis- hit states.
tricts and will be constituted in collaboration with the state governments.
It may be noted that telecom services have not reached a large part of the states such
as Orissa and Bihar where the fear of Naxalites is preventing operators from venturing
into these areas. Even if they do set up a tower, it is damaged by anti-social elements.
Therefore, the department is looking at roping in local people — youth, ex-servicemen
— in protecting the infrastructure. This will not only enable them to avail the benefits
of communication but also act as source of employment.
The Ministry of Communications has already asked the state-owned Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Ltd to take the first step and roll out 500 new base stations across 31 districts in
Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The districts being covered include Dantewada, Dhan-
bad and Singhbum, which are some of the worst Naxal-affected areas in the country.
These areas have been neglected in terms of telecom infrastructure development. Chhat-
tisgarh, for example, has a tele-density of only about 5 per cent compared to the na-
tional average of 56 per cent.

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GEOPOLITICS
INTERNALSECURITY

MAOISTS’
WINNING FORMULA While the Maoists have been successful in capitulating “the
State” in a series of abductions in many parts of the country,
the government continues to struggle in formulating any
coherent framework of response either for negotiation with,
or for coercive action against, the abductors, points out
DEEPAK KUMAR NAYAK
KIDNAPPING AS A TOOL: Whenever
Maoists face major reverses in their fight
against security forces, they use the
abduction strategy to achieve their
demands

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INTERNALSECURITY

O
N FEBRUARY 16, just two days as long as Maoists do not indulge in any Tadangi Gangulu and Ratanu Sirika who
before the scheduled video- unlawful activity.” State Home Secretary U N died in custody.
conference of Union Home Behera, on the same day, declared, “All anti-  Relevant laws would be drafted to regu-
Minister P Chidambaram with Naxal combing operations in the state will be late mining operations in Mali and Deo-
the Collectors of 60 Maoist stopped,” and that the state government was mali bauxite mines.
(CPI-Maoist)-hit Districts to gauge the ready to talk to the maoists.  The government would ensure minimum
impact of the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) Late in the night of February 17, the displacement of tribals and adequate
for the affected districts, R Vineel Krishna, maoists sent a press release written in Telugu compensation wherever development
District Collector of Malkangiri in Orissa, to reporters, saying that Someswara Rao, for- projects were implemented.
was abducted by the Maoists while he was mer Professor of Economics at Sambalpur On March 4, 2011, the Odisha High Court
returning after an ‘interaction programme’ University, Haragopal, retired Professor of granted conditional bail to four Maoist
in Kudumulu Gumma block of the district. Political Science, Central University, Hyder- cadres, identified as Roza Mandangi (21), an
Along with the District Collector, the Maoists abad, and Dandapani Mohanty, the Ganjam- Adivasi woman from Koraput, Gokul Kuldip-
had also abducted two junior engineers. based convener of Political Prisoners Release ia (42), a jeep-owner, Andaluri Iswari (30), an
One of them was freed on the same day Committee, be appointed mediators. After activist with a women’s group in Vishakhap-
and was sent back atnam and Kendu-
with a note giving an MASTERS IN KIDNAPPING la Sirisha alias Pad-
ultimatum of 48 hours ma, wife of senior
for the release of the Maoist Related Abductions: 2005-2011* Maoist leader
Collector and the jun- State 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total Ramakrishna,
ior engineer, Pabitra whose release had
Majhi. The Maoists Andhra Pradesh 11 01 01 25 00 04 00 42 been demanded by
raised a number of Bihar 23 08 03 64 20 34 00 152 the Maoists. As for
demands seeking to Chhattisgarh 07 130 90 57 30 30 06 350 the release of
block certain develop- Ashutosh Sen,
ment projects, and Jharkhand 00 10 26 15 58 27 22 158 Srinivas Sriramulu,
relief for tribal popula- Karnataka 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 01 Gananath Patra
tions, but the princi- and Tapan Mishra,
Maharashtra 00 00 02 00 00 02 00 04
pal objective of the it agreed to exam-
abduction, beyond the Odisha 00 04 13 11 25 45 03 101 ine the cases on
theatre it generated, West Bengal 00 00 00 08 58 46 03 115 their merits. On
was to secure the withdrawal of cas-
release of a number of Total 41 154 135 180 191 188 34 923 es against tribals,
incarcerated leaders *Data: till March 14, 2011 the government
and cadres. These agreed to review
included, specifically, Central Committee three days of intense negotiations, the medi- the cases against 629 tribals lodged in
Member Motilal Soren alias Ashutosh Sen, ators announced, on February 22, in Odisha jails.
arrested in March 2009 from Rourkela, Srira- Bhubaneswar, that the hostages would be set Further, the government noted, “We have
mulu Srinivas, Gananath Patra, Jeevan Bose, free and safely returned within 48 hours. been taking suo moto action for withdrawal
Ganti Prasadam, Sirisha alias Padma, Ish- Meanwhile, CM Patnaik declared, “We of minor cases against tribals. In the past,
wari, Roja Mandangi alias Sarita from Malka- will certainly honour the commitments 9,013 cases involving petty offences by the
ngiri jail; Central Committee Member Sheela made to the mediators.” Of the 14 original tribals have been dropped. The state will,
di, from Jharkhand Jail and Padma from Maoist demands, eight were agreed upon: within a period of three months, review cas-
Chhattisgarh Jail; tribals and Chasi Mulia  The Odisha government would write to es against the tribals held on charges of
Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) workers in Koraput Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to take Maoist activities and land-related disputes
and Malkangiri jails; and Sitanna Hikaka of action on the extremists demand for in Narayanpatna area. The process will start
Dumsil village, reported to be a close aide of release of Maoist Central Committee in 15 days.”
Maoist ‘Chief’ Ram Krishna, allegedly taken (MCC) members Sheela di and Padma. In the interim, a media storm had been
away by the Police from Narayanpatna on  Scheduled Tribe (ST) status would be giv- raging across the country over the Malkan-
November 25, 2010. en to the Konda Reddy and Nukadora giri Collector’s abduction, and a number of
On February 17, 2011, Orissa Chief Secre- communities. demonstrations in his support had been
tary Bijaya Patnaik disclosed that the  The multi-purpose Polavaram project of organised in Malkangiri, Bhubaneswar and
demands include discontinuation of Opera- Andhra Pradesh would be halted. other locations in Odisha. Vineel Krishna
tion Green Hunt (OGH), the joint anti-Nax-  Pattas (land allotments) would be given to was eventually released on February 24, and
alite (anti-Left Wing Extremist, LWE) opera- tribals dispossessed of their land in the returned home to a hero’s welcome.
tions by state police and central paramilitary districts of Malkangiri and Koraput. Several questions, however, lingered. The
forces, and withdrawal of security forces  Irrigation projects would be executed in abducted Collector’s location was known vir-
(SFs) from the Malkangiri district. On the Maribada and Maniamkonda villages in tually throughout the drama, and reports
Maoists demand to stop OGH, the Naveen Malkangiri. suggest that local officials were in touch and
Patnaik government conceded, “There will  Compensation based on the High Court were even delivering food and supplies to
be no coercive action by the security forces (HC) order would be given to the kin of him, yet the state government did not

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INTERNALSECURITY

The 2005 batch IAS officer, R Vineel Krishna, was born

and brought up in Hyderabad. Krishna completed B
Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Madras in 2001. The
young, energetic and bold Krishna, who joined as the
District Magistrate of Malkangiri in December 2009,
was taken as a hostage along with Junior Engineer
IT HAS Pabitra M Majhi by the armed Maoist rebels. After
BROUGHT remaining in Maoist captivity for eight days, he was
released on February 24. In an interview to KISHORE
GREATER DASH after his release, Krishna shared his feelings
during his days of captivity. Excerpts:
SENSITIVITY On the eight days as a Maoist me free on February 25, but the news
TO MY hostage.
It was quite tense all the while. I
was constantly worried about my
that was aired on the radio on Febru-
ary 24 morning said that the “media-
tors turned down the additional con-
LIFE family, well-wishers and how they
were coping. Somehow, we carried on
ditions put up by Maoist leaders”.
Their fresh appeal compelled the
for a week. Maoists to rethink and release me on
the same day. They brought me to the
On the living conditions in the tribal “praja court” (people’s court), attend-
areas ed by 1500-2000 Adivasis. First, the
I was not new to the villages in the Maoist leaders made speeches, hit-
cut-off area. The conditions there are ting out at the government’s failures.
bad as the area is totally remote and Then they asked me to respond. I said
inaccessible. Besides, normal people I cannot answer for what happened
did not come to the camp much. We decades back. I concentrated on what
were in a secluded location and natu- I have done. I told them that while I
rally, the conversations were minimal. cannot boast of having done great
But it was a life-changing experience. things, from the bottom of my heart,
The episode of staying in the jungle however, I can say that we have been
and experiencing how Adivasis live has trying to bring some development to
brought greater sensitivity to my life. the area.

On going back to those areas On the ordeal

Let me think. We need to serve I constantly kept thinking of my
people, even if they live in the cut-off family. In fact, that was the only thing
area. Yes, it is definitely remote, but I kept thinking about and I remember
that should not stop anyone from my thoughts very well.
reaching out to people and ensuring
that development takes place in On the deal
that area. All-round develop- The government did what it
ment of the people thought right. I have no more to
across the district comment.
would be my motto
and I am working on On mediator Professor Hargopal
that mission. Yes, I know him. He had taught me
Public Administration in a Hyder-
On the release abad- based coaching institute while
The Maoist had I was preparing for the Union Civil
the plan to set Services Examination.

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Kidnapping 50-53.qxd 4/7/2011 1:48 PM
consider any options other than immediate
and complete capitulation. On his return,
Krishna made a statement that was deeply
sympathetic to their actions.
According to media reports, moreover, he
was in touch with his wife over the phone
throughout. The Maoist leaders and cadres
who were released in the exchange for the
Collector had been arrested after great
efforts and significant loss of life on the part
of the police and paramilitary forces, and
would inevitably return to violence, costing
further lives.
Despite the extraordinary media atten-
tion this incident received, the reality is that others remained in Naxal custody for more
the Maoists have routinely used abduction
as a tactic to arm-twist both the state and the the government agreed to free PWG leader
central governments to secure operational
relief or release of leaders and
cadre in the past as well.
Indeed, the South Asia Terror-
ism Portal database records at
least 923 incidents of abduction
by the Maoists between 2005
and March 14, 2011.
The data indicates that
Chhattisgarh, with at least 350
such cases over this period, has
been the worst afflicted by such
actions. Jharkhand, Bihar, West
Bengal and Odisha have also
been seriously affected. Many
of these abductions have
included government officials,
and have resulted in the release
of Maoist leaders and cadres
that keep unfolding now and
then. Indeed, this has been an
enduring trend, and one of the
tactics the Maoists have been MAOISTS TARGET: Senior officials and politicians
able to consistently rely upon to
secure transient objectives, particularly
including the release of cadres and suspen-
sion of SF operations.
Even in the early phases of the revival of
the Maoist movement, in the 1980s and early
1990s, the rebels had carried out a series of
high-profile abductions of politicians and
officials. The most prominent among such
incidents included the 1987 abduction of 11
government officials, including seven Indian
Administrative Service (IAS) officers, by the
Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist
[People’s War Group] (CPI-ML-PWG) at
Addateegala in the East Godavari District of
Andhra Pradesh. The N T Rama Rao govern-
ment yielded to the Naxalite demand to
release top PWG leaders from the Rajah-
mundry Central Jail, including Wadkapur
Chandramauli, after Civil Liberties activist K
G Kannabiran negotiated with the Naxalites.
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INTERNALSECURITY
The government officers were released after
12 days in Naxalite custody.
Four years later, the Naxalites abducted P
Sudhir Kumar, Member of the Legislative
Assembly (MLA) for Hyderabad city, from his
house in Basheerbagh in Hyderabad, Andhra
Pradesh, in 1991. He was released, again, after
Civil Liberties activists intervened and the gov-
ernment released some top Naxalite cadres.
In 1993, present Andhra Pradesh Tribal
Welfare Minister Pasupuleti Balaraju, the
then Congress MLA from Chintapalli, was
abducted along with IAS officer Dasari Srini-
vasulu and a few engineers. Balaraju and
than three weeks. They were released after
Kranthi Ranadev and other cadres from jail.
More recently, Block Development Officer
Prashant Kumar Layak was abducted from
his office in Dhalbhumgarh, around 180-
kilometres southeast of Jharkhand capital
Ranchi, on February 13, 2010. The Maoists
threatened to kill Layak if their demands
were not met within 72 hours. The demands
included the freeing of 14 arrested Maoists,
the withdrawal of forces from Ghorabandha
Police Station area, an end to search opera-
tions, and a compensation of `10 lakh to the
family members of Sanjiv aka Somen Mun-
da, who had allegedly been killed by the
Nagrik Suraksha Samity (NSS)-Police com-
bine at Jiyan. The outcome was a foregone
conclusion. CM Soren, like CM Patnaik, suc-
cumbed to the demands to secure the
release of the BDO.
Again, in Lakhisarai (Bihar) on August 29,
2010, the Maoists abducted four policemen —
(53)
Sub Inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay
Yadav, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Lucas Tete,
and Havildar Ehtesham Khan — after the
encounter and ratcheted up the stakes by
demanding the release of eight prominent
Maoists in Bihar’s jails: Jai Paswan, Vijay
Chourasia, Prem Bhuian, Pramod Barnawal,
Ramvilas Tanti, Ramesh Tirki, Arjun Koda and
Rattu Koda. The Maoists then executed Lucas
Tete in the night of September 2, after two
‘deadlines’ given by them had passed without
response from the government — beyond
appeals for the release of the abducted police-
men — and warned that the remaining
hostages would also be killed unless their com-
rades were released. On September 6, however,
the three surviving policemen were released
after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conceded to
the Maoists demands and had
announced safe passage for
some 200 extremists, out of the
area in which they had been sub-
stantially contained by augment-
ed forces.
In the latest incident, on
March 3, 2011, cadres of the
Maoist-backed People’s Com-
mittee against Police Atrocities
(PCPA) abducted a policeman
from West Midnapore District in
West Bengal. The government,
on the brink of assembly elec-
tions, has again been put on test
in this case, which remains cur-
rently still unresolved.
Despite an unending cycle of
Maoist abductions and state
capitulation, it is clear that no
government has yet formulated
any coherent framework of
response, or created the neces-
sary pool of trained resources, either for nego-
tiation with, or for coercive action against, the
abductors. Nor has there been any effort to
assess the cumulative costs of such incidents
to the state, and the impact these have had on
SF morale, capacities and operations.
If anything, this apparent flip-flop, com-
pounded by the outcome of the Vineel Krish-
na’s abduction, can only underline India’s
continuing inability to deal firmly with
hostage crises. In what threatens to become
a recurrent nightmare, more Maoist leaders
and cadres, incarcerated at great cost in
sweat and blood by the SFs, can be expected
to routinely walk free, even as operations are
compromised or suspended, every time the
rebels hold a gun to someone’s head.
(The author is a Researcher at Institute for
Conflict Management, New Delhi)
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Most of the paramilitary

forces are developing their
respective intelligence units.
The rationale is that having
one’s own and separate
intelligence network will
provide the much-needed
independence in
intelligence-gathering to
enhance the operational
efficiency, reports ROHIT
SRIVASTAVA.

PARAMILITARY
ESPIONAGE
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I
ndia has been facing numerous secu-
rity threats since its Independence.
Today the threat has multiplied from
insurgencies to Maoism in large parts
of the country. While dealing with
these threats, the vital need of sound and
right intelligence that is actionable is dire-
ly felt by the security forces. No wonder,
why after every major terrorist attack the
first debate that begins in the country is on
intelligence — did we have any prior intel-
ligence or not; if yes, was it shared among
the agencies and was the intelligence
worth reacting to?
The Indian intelligence set-up is a com-
plex web of agencies. During 1960s, after
the defeat in the war with China in ‘62 and
the war with Pakistan in ‘65, the need for
an external intelligence agency was felt. In
‘68, Research and Analysis Wing was estab-
lished as an external intelligence agency
and Intelligence Bureau (IB) was restricted
to internal intelligence only.
Over the last two decades, new threats
have thrown new challenges for intelli-
gence sleuths, particularly those involved
in counter-insurgency (CI) and anti-Naxal
operations. They require accurate and pre-
cise intelligence for any operation. The IB
has not been able to do justice while the
paramilitary forces resent doing intelli-
gence work.
It may be noted that the onus of
providing local intelligence to CI forces is
with the local police. The local police have
the required force strength, penetration,
access to local population and trust,
which are absolutely vital to gather intel-
ligence. But the CI experience has
shown that in most cases the local police is
either not motivated to collect or doesn’t
have confidence in sharing information
with the paramilitary. As a result, the lack
of intelligence hampered, thus, the effec-
tiveness of paramilitary forces, who,
invariably come to the picture while con-
fronting the enemy. This is particularly
true in Naxal-affected areas where the
local intelligence is non-existent as the
police have generally vacated the police
stations or the police penetration in the
interior is very little.
To overcome these shortcomings, the
paramilitary forces (PMF) have begun
intelligence-gathering in their areas of
operation. However, it is now increasingly
felt that there is the need of a dedicated
cadre for intelligence-gathering in order to
be really effective for CI operations. At
present, the only PMF with a dedicated
cadre/ branch for intelligence is the Border
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INTERNALSECURITY
Security Force (BSF). The branch is called
G branch and has, reportedly, been very
successful in Kashmir.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to
Geopolitics, a senior BSF officer with con-
siderable experience of intelligence in
Kashmir said, “Intelligence is a must. Every
good organisation will give 35 per cent of
the share of results to intelligence with its
meagre strength of one per cent
workforce.”
The success of BSF’s ‘G’ branch was first
seen during the ‘71 war. The intelligence
network on the border played a significant
role in the war. Since then, the branch has
been playing important roles in border
management and insurgency, especially in
Kashmir and the Northeast, where its offi-
cers have been deployed in counter-insur-
gency duty.
ITBP
Recently, the central government
approved the Indo Tibet Border Police,
responsible for guarding 3488 km of the
Sino-India border, to set up its own inde-
pendent intelligence network. This has
THERE IS A NEED
OF A DEDICATED
CADRE FOR
INTELLIGENCE-
GATHERING IN
PARAMILITARY
FORCES
been in response to last year’s suggestion
that the ITBP should have a separate intel-
ligence wing as part of the `3,000-crore
restructuring and modernisation plans.
A responsible source in the ITBP said,
“The restructuring of the force was envis-
aged to make the operational capability in
line with the present situation. The restruc-
turing will be to increase the number of
battalions and create uniformity in the bat-
talion strength. The number of companies
per battalion will be fixed to six.”
ITBP is also involved in anti-Naxal oper-
ations in Chhattisgarh. The battalions
involved in the operations require intelli-
gence and the units do gather intelligence
for operational effectiveness, but a dedi-
cated cadre will be developed at every lev-
el of the organisation, it is felt.
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Sources suggest that the proposed intel-
ligence cadre will be headed by Inspector
General (IG) at the ITBP headquarter, fol-
lowed by a DIG at the frontier level, and
then by a SP and other officers at the sector
level. The force strength will be of 400 for
all of India. The ITBP at present has 45 bat-
talions.
Sources informed: “At the border we do
have intelligence capability and we are the
lead agency on the Indo-Tibet border but
now the system is being institutionalised
and we will have earmarked manpower,
infrastructure, budget, training and special
equipment. At present our people have
other responsibilities too.”
Training for the intelligence cadre will
begin in April and will be provided by the
force itself while other agencies will pro-
vide specialization. Every rank will have
different training modules. The training
will be provided to ranks from head con-
stable to DIG. Officer cadre will be trained
in news analysis, intelligence analysis, and
geographical information system — a very
essential tool for a force operating in the
most difficult terrain above 18000 ft. Con-
stables and junior officers will be trained
in intelligence gathering, interception of
radio and wireless and observation.
Sources suggest that the real reason for
this new setup is the in-house capability
for intelligence processing and analysis.
This will help them in coordination with
the “Multi Agency Centre” in the Home
Ministry.
It may be noted that the Kargil review
committee had suggested the concept of a
lead intelligence agency (LIA). The BSF has
been marked as the LIA for the Indo Pak-
istan border except the Line of Control
(LoC), the ITBP for the Indo-Tibet border,
RAW for external intelligence, IB for inter-
nal intelligence and the Indian Army for
LoC. A PMF officer at IG level said, “It’s a
good concept which is working well. We
meet formally and this has helped in
removing mental blocks and reaching out
to one another.”
CRPF and CISF
The Central Reserve Police force (CRPF)
has been under immense criticism for its
inefficiency in Kashmir last year and anti-
Naxal/Maoist operation in central India. A
senior CRPF officer said, “We have no
intelligence; we are looked down by the
locals and the support from local police is
minimum.” According to him, “J and K
Police is a good local intelligence unit
(LIU) but the same can’t be said about the
April 2011
Paramilitry.qxd 4/8/2011 1:37 PM Page 28
STRONG GUARD: Paramilitary forces along with army and local police work unifiedly in tandem during naxal operations
police in Naxal-affected states.”
Recently, the CRPF appointed an
officer as IG intelligence, who is mandated
to create an intelligence cadre within the
organisation. Three years back, the
proposal was sent for raising the cadre
and only since last year have officers
been sent to intelligence agencies for
training. Sources have informed that
10 special police officers per sector will
be earmarked for intelligence-gathering
and analysis. The CRPF has 14 sectors
across India and every unit will have
designated personnel for intelligence-
gathering. But the pace seems very slow.
An officer related with the intelligence
branch in the CRPF said, “It’s too early
to suggest on force structure, it is like
talking about a child when the marriage
has just taken place.”
The Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF), since its inception in 1969, has had
its intelligence cadre, which is part of
every unit. Intelligence training is in its
training curriculum. The CISF also trains
its officer cadre at CBI, IB and other PM
centres, but its field intelligence is gath-
ered from LIUs.
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INTERNALSECURITY
NEW THREATS
HAVE THROWN
NEW
CHALLENGES
FOR
INTELLIGENCE
SLEUTHS
Coordination and trust
In India, the paramilitary forces operate
with the Army in Kashmir under unified
command and with local police in Naxal
areas. The need, therefore, for coordina-
tion is said to be vital. The forces do coop-
erate but the laurels that one gets for every
successful operation is something no one
likes to share with sister organizations and
that is where the problem begins.
Sources in PMFs suggest, “In our area of
operation (Kashmir) when we request the
Army to support, they react very slowly.
They don’t enter into battle; they just pro-
(56)
vide outside coverage.” But, the army
sources have a different version. They say
that “many a time the PMF intelligence is
not only faulty but misplaced. We have had
bad experiences in past; so, we are cautious.
We can’t risk fake encounter allegations.”
The lack of coordination has often to do
with officers and their own rapport with
one another. A very senior paramilitary
officer said, “Since you have to work simul-
taneously, by and large, overlapping does
take place. During execution there are
some problems.” He further said, “Unlike
the IB which can only develop sources, we
create sources, gather information, devel-
op it and then transfer it to operational
troops. Every organisation believes in
guarding the sources whereas the same
trust is not shown by other agencies”.
At the same time, however, some senior
paramilitary officers point out that if the
local police does good intelligence work
and IB penetration in the interior areas is
increased, the need for PMF intelligence
will be very little. All told, the LIU is most
suitable for local intelligence as the PMF
cadre is always an outsider in a diverse
nation like ours. But that is not happening.
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geopolitics
DIPLOMACY

FUTURE WORRIES
What are the implications of the Dalai Lama’s
renunciation of political power?

A HOLISTIC
APPROACH IS
NEEDED TO
AFGHANISTAN DEAL WITH THE
NEEDS MORE FISHERMEN OF
TRADE THAN INDIA AND
AID SRI LANKA
Afghanistan 58-60.qxd 4/7/2011 2:03 PM Page 26
It is high time for the international
community, particularly India, to have a
re-look at the strategy towards
Afghanistan, based on the
“reconstruction approach” and consider
helping the country play its traditional
role of facilitating trade and commerce
through its territories, argues
GULSHAN SACHDEVA
RETHINKING
RECONSTRUCTION
D
ESPITE TREMENDOUS resou-
rces made available to
Afghanistan by international
community, very little debate
has taken place on the issue of
aid ownership, reverse resource flows and
decisions concerning nature and place of aid
projects. With proper implementation of
reconstruction projects, many issues con-
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GEOPOLITICS
DIPLOMACY
cerning governance, legitimacy, corruption,
sustainability of the Afghan economy and
regional cooperation can be tackled, which in
turn can help in improving security situation.
In the last four decades, the country has
witnessed diverse projects of nation-building
and socio-political transformation. The cur-
rent international project of building democ-
racy and market economy is mandated by the
(58)
United Nations and being implemented
mainly by the western alliance led by the
United States. This is truly an international
project where more than 70 nations have
committed over US$ 90 billion for Afghan
reconstruction. So far, the US government
had pledged about $70 billion, out of which a
significant portion has already been dis-
bursed. More than 50 per cent of this aid has
gone into building the Afghan National Army
and Afghan National Police. These figures do
not include resources provided for about
100,000 US troops serving in Afghanistan.
The next major commitment to
Afghanistan is from Europe. Individual Mem-
ber States of the EU and the European Com-
mission are also making significant contribu-
tion to security and justice reforms, develop-
ment and reconstruction, counter-narcotics,
etc. The EU has also deployed a police mis-
sion. Together they have committed around
$12 billion for reconstruction activities.
Besides, almost all EU nations are also partic-
ipating in NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) mission with around
30,000 troops.
Their military involvement in Afghanistan
has been controversial at times because of the
limits of their deployment and “national
caveats” on many of their troops. Many EU
nations committed themselves thinking that
it would mainly be a peacekeeping and recon-
struction effort rather than a project of “war
on terror’ in which they have to engage with
the resurgent Taliban. Moreover, there were
problems of coordination with other interna-
tional partners as well as within the EU
nations. It is clear that Europe’s commitment
to Afghan reconstruction is long-term, even if
some of the European nations withdraw their
troops from the ISAF in the next few years.
Japan has pledged around $1.8 billion to
reconstruction. Together with the UN, Japan
is a leading nation in Disarmament, Demobil-
isation and Reintegration (DDR) and also
involved in the construction of the Kabul-
Kandahar highway and Kabul international
airport terminal. China has committed about
$130 million in grants to Afghanistan. It
remained disengaged in the country until the
Afghan administration opened its energy,
mineral and raw material to foreign investors.
In 2007, Chinese companies were selected as
preferred bidders for the Aynak project, the
second-largest copper mine in the world.
China plans to invest $2.9 billion in the
project; with investment reaching to $5 bil-
lion in the future. The Chinese company also
plans to build a 400 MW power station and a
railway line to facilitate exports. It is becom-
ing clear that in any future scenario, China
April 2011
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g
DIPLOMACY

will be more involved in Afghanistan. Iran has
spent about $300 million in Afghan recon-
struction mainly in infrastructure and capaci-
ty-building. Russia has also made settlement
of Afghanistan’s debt to former USSR, which
according to some Russian expert estimates,
totals to $10 billion.
With a broad understanding that a peace-
ful and stable Afghanistan is crucial for
regional stability, India is also trying to play an
active role. So far it has pledged assistance
worth $1.3 billion. Indian projects cover areas
like road construction (218 km Zaranj-
Delaram road), power (transmission line from
Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul), Salma dam project,
construction of parliament, and many proj-
ects in the areas of agriculture, telecommuni-
cation, education, health and capacity-build-
ing. More than thousand young Afghans also
come to India every year on short and long-
term fellowships.
To justify our projects, we are always told
that the population of Afghanistan has a very
positive perception of Indian activities in the
country. Many opinion polls do show that
Afghans have a favourable opinion about
India. But we should not confuse Indian pop-
ularity with these few projects. India is popu-
lar in Afghanistan as an idea because of
democracy, development and secularism. It is
also very popular among ordinary Afghans
because of Indian films and serials, which are
shown on different TV channels daily. So,
India would have been popular in
Afghanistan with or without these projects.
The projects, which will have bigger impact in
the long run, are in the areas of human
resource development and fellowships, which
actually involve very little resources.
As a result of joint international efforts,
large gains have been made in the areas of
education, health, infrastructure, and women
empowerment which need to be consolidat-
ed. More than five million Afghan refugees
have returned home since 2002. The number
of school-going children has grown from
under one million in 2001 to more than 7.5
million (37 per cent of them are girls). Since
2000, 9000 new schools have been built and
more than 1,47,000 teachers have been
trained. The percentage of people living in
areas where basic healthcare facilities are
made available has increased from 9 per cent
in 2002 to 85 per cent. Nearly 76 per cent of
children under the age of five have been
immunised. Due to reduction in child mortal-
ity, the lives of approximately 500,000 children
have been saved since 2003. For the first time
in decades, Kabul has round the clock electric-
ity.
It is remarkable that despite a difficult
KEY MILESTONE: The Kandahar-Kabul
highway is one of the key construction
projects of Afghanistan
legacy, the macroeconomic stability in
Afghanistan has been maintained with
high growth rates. Till 2007, inflation
remained reasonably low and the
exchange rate has been stable. More
than a dozen private commercial
banks, four private airlines and 13
microfinance institutions are
operating in the country. Today,
about 13 million Afghans have
mobile connections. This repre-
sents roughly half of the popula-
tion. One million now use the
internet. Broadly free and pri-
vately owned media sector has
developed. Presently,
Afghanistan has seven
national TV stations
(of which six are pri-
vate), numerous
radio net-
works, plus
a diverse
and increasingly professional
print media.
According to government
sources, about 12,000 kms of roads
have been rehabilitated, improved,
or built. This includes the 2,200-
km-long ring road which connects
all major town of Afghanistan,
national highways, provincial
roads and rural roads. Although
poppy cultivation is still a very
serious problem, there has been
reduction in the area under cul-
tivation since 2007.
The strategic location of
Afghanistan will always be
important for India, particu-
larly in the context of diffi-
cult India-Pakistan rela-
tions. However, the coun-
ty’s importance for India
is much bigger than
perceived in this nar-
row context. Once
Afghanistan
becomes stable,
trade through Pak-
istan and

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Afghanistan 58-60.qxd 4/7/2011 2:03 PM Page 28
United States:
The US government has
pledged about $70 billion, out
of which a significant portion
has already been disbursed. More than 50
per cent of this aid has gone into building
the Afghan National Army and Afghan
National Police. These figures do not
include resources provided for about
100,000 US troops serving in Afghanistan.
China:
China has committed about
$130 million grants to
Afghanistan. It remained dis-
engaged in the country until Afghan
administration opened its energy, mineral
and raw material to foreign investors. In
2007, Chinese companies were selected as
preferred bidder for the Aynak project, the
second-largest copper mine in the world.
China plans to invest 2.9 billion in the
project; with investment reaching to five
Afghanistan could also alter India’s continen-
tal trade. By 2015, India’s trade with Europe,
CIS plus Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan would
be in the range of $500 to 600 billion annually.
Even if 20 per cent of this trade is conduct-
ed through road, $100-120 billion of Indian
trade would be passing through Afghanistan
and Central Asia. With improvement in India-
Pakistan relations, an important portion of
Indian trade, particularly from the landlocked
northern states including Jammu & Kashmir,
will be moving through Pakistan and
Afghanistan. With the possibility of this trade
passing through Afghanistan and central Asia,
most of the infrastructural projects in the
region will become economically viable.
While looking at the regional economic
dynamics, it is clear that both India and
Pakistan would be paying huge economic
costs for not cooperating in Afghanistan. If
trade stops in Pakistan, many road and oth-
er infrastructural projects will never
become viable because of low volumes.
Similarly, the North-South corridor involv-
ing Iran will never be able to significantly
alter India’s continental trade.
Despite the difficult security situation and
limited capacities, Afghanistan could emerge
as an important player in regional economic
cooperation. This has major implications for
regional peace and stability as well as India’s
linkages with the Eurasian region. High eco-
nomic growth in both Central and South
www.geopolitics.in
g
DIPLOMACY
“CONSTRUCTION AID”
billion in the future. The Chinese compa-
ny also plans to build a 400 MW power
station and a railway line to facilitate
exports.
Europe:
The European Union has com-
mitted around $12 bn. for recon-
struction activities. Besides,
almost all EU nations are also participating
in NATO-led International Security Assis-
tance Force (ISAF) mission with around
30,000 troops.
Japan:
Japan has pledged around $1.8
bn. to reconstruction. Together
with the UN, Japan is a leading
nation in Disarmament, Demobilisation
and Reintegration (DDR) and is also
involved in the construction of Kabul-Kan-
dahar highway and Kabul international air-
port terminal.
Asian regions may push policy makers to
work for integration strategies. Policy-makers
in Afghanistan believe that after decades of
war now the country has a unique opportuni-
ty to realise its potential as a ‘land bridge’
between Central Asia, South Asia and the
West Asian region.
Increasingly it is pointed out that with
enhanced cooperation, land-locked energy-
rich Central Asia could be connected to ener-
gy-deficient South Asia. Similarly, Afghanistan
could also realise significant revenues as tran-
sit fee and improve its economic activities in
the process. The country is already playing an
important role in various regional organisa-
tions like Economic Cooperation Organisa-
tion (ECO), South Asia Association for Region-
al Cooperation (SAARC), Central Asia Regional
Economic Cooperation (CAREC), etc.
It has also initiated an institutional mecha-
nism called Regional Economic Cooperation
Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA). The first
RECCA was held in Kabul in 2005, second in
New Delhi in 2006, third in Islamabad in 2009
and fourth in Istanbul in 2010. Through vari-
ous declarations, countries in the region have
also accepted the centrality of Afghanistan for
economic cooperation. In this context, the
recently-concluded Afghanistan-Pakistan
Trade and Transit Agreement (APTTA) is also
important, though it is still a partial agree-
ment designed to exclude India. Under the
agreement, Afghan trucks are allowed to carry
(60)
Iran:
Iran has spent about $300 mil-
lion in Afghan reconstruction
mainly in infrastructure and
capacity building.
Russia:
Russia has made settlement of
Afghanistan’s debt to former
USSR, which according to some
Russian expert estimates totals to $10
billion.
India:
India has pledged assistance
worth $1.3 billion. Indian proj-
ects cover areas like road con-
struction (218-km Zaranj-Delaram road),
power (transmission line from Pul-e-Khum-
ri to Kabul), Salma dam project, construc-
tion of parliament, and many projects in the
areas of agriculture, telecommunication,
education, health and capacity building.
Afghan transit export cargo to Pakistani ports
and also to the Wagah border. If implemented
properly, this has the potential to boost
Afghanistan’s development and regional
trade. Over time, it may also create insur-
mountable pressures within Pakistan and
Afghanistan to open up trade across the bor-
der with India.
It is realised that the projects implemented
through the Afghan government institutions
have relatively better success rate. Still, very
few donors trust the Afghan government
institutions. The whole reconstruction
approach involving Provincial Reconstruction
Teams (PRTs) and tied aid (involving mainly
donor citizens and companies) needs to
change fundamentally.
For long-term sustainability, Afghanistan
ultimately has to play its traditional role of
facilitating trade and commerce through its
territories. If proposals concerning regional
economic cooperation originating from
Afghanistan are implemented by other coun-
tries, this could ultimately improve chances
of peace in the entire Eurasian region includ-
ing India and Pakistan.
(The author teaches at Jawaharlal Nehru
University and has headed the Asian
Development Bank and the Asia Founda-
tion projects on regional cooperation at
the Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Kabul)
April 2011
final geo subcscribe add:final geo subcscribe add.qxd 10/30/2010 2:19 PM Page 2

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Sri Lanka & Indian 62-64.qxd 4/7/2011 2:09 PM Page 26

g
GEOPOLITICS
DIPLOMACY

FISHY FRONTIERS
Instead of politicising the issue of the straying of fishermen, it is time that India and Sri
Lanka take a holistic view of the problem, consider the water between them to be a
common heritage, not a contested territory, and devise a mutually-beneficial roadmap
for the fishing community, argues N MANOHARAN

F
ISHES KNOW no frontiers; fisher-
men choose to ignore them for var-
ious reasons. Wherever sovereign
coasts are in proximity (as in the
case of India-Pakistan, India-
Bangladesh and India-Sri Lanka), straying of
fishermen is normal. Although India-Sri Lan-
ka relations are presently at an all-time high,
shooting and harassment of Indian fishermen
allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy has come as
a potential irritant in bilateral ties.
With the Assembly polls in the state of
Tamil Nadu round the corner, the issue is ex-
pected to get further politicised. There is im-
mense pressure from Tamil Nadu on New Del-
hi to act decisively. Victory or defeat of parties
in the Assembly constituencies of 12 coastal dis-
tricts of the state depends largely on the stand
and action taken on the issue by the parties.
Colombo also has domestic political compul-
sions due to the upcoming local polls in the
northern areas of Sri Lanka.
India and Sri Lanka share a maritime border
of over 400 kilometres that spreads along four
different areas: the Bay of Bengal in the north,
the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar in the cen-
tre and the Indian Ocean in the south. In the Palk
Bay region, the minimum and the maximum
distances between the coasts of two countries
are around 16 km and 45 km, respectively. This
means territorial waters of each country in
some areas stray into the other’s.
Till the ethnic conflict broke out in Sri Lan-
ka in the early 1980s this was not an issue. But,
with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) emerging as a dominant militant group,
with a naval wing of its own (Sea Tigers), things
changed for the worse for fishermen on both
sides. They were caught in the crossfire between
the Sri Lankan Navy and the ‘Sea Tigers’. The ‘Ee-
lam War IV’ in Sri Lanka has now come to an
end with the defeat of the LTTE, but the fish-
ermen issue continues.
When the ethnic war was on, the Sri Lankan
Navy was focused on ‘Sea Tigers’ and the
movement of LTTE boats around the island.
Straying of Indian fishermen was overlooked,
except to monitor goods smuggled in and out
of northern Sri Lanka that would help the
LTTE’s war-making capabilities. After the war,
the Sri Lankan Navy is back to its primary task
of patrolling the island’s maritime borders.
The monitoring is also aimed at preventing
the possible return of LTTE cadres, who fled
from the island during the height of the conflict
in 2009, to revive insurgency all over again. Se-
curity concerns still persist in Sri Lanka. Its Navy,
therefore, has not let its guard down. Moreover,
fresh from its victory over the LTTE and also
support from countries like China and Pakistan,
Sri Lanka has become more assertive about its
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Relaxation of fishing restrictions along Sri
Lankan coasts after the war has led to Sri
Lankan fishermen to venture into the seas
around. Indian fishermen, who thus far enjoyed
monopoly over the resource-rich waters, have
now got competitors in the form of their Sri
Lankan counterparts. At times, this leads to con-

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Sri Lanka & Indian 62-64.qxd 4/7/2011 2:09 PM
frontation between the two fishing communi-
ties, and, in turn, draw the intervention of naval
forces of either country.
The main complaint of Sri Lankan fishermen
has been against mechanised Indian trawlers
that indulge in pair, mid-water, pelagic, and bot-
tom trawling and in turn severely damage ma-
rine resources and the sea bed. Ironically, most
of the trawlers from Tamil Nadu are owned by
merchant capitalists from non-fishing castes
and other social backgrounds. The entry of ‘out-
siders’ has not only threatened the local cus-
tomary laws of fishing communities, but also
turned several traditional fishermen from own-
ers to labourers.
These fishermen wage earners work under
what is known as “fisheries compulsions”: the
lesser the catch, the meagre the incentives
and the fear of losing the job. They have little
chance of being gainfully employed other than
in the fishing sector. The risks, therefore, is
worth taking by crossing the international
boundary line and poach in untapped Sri
www.geopolitics.in
Page 27
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DIPLOMACY
Lankan waters. If they are shot in the process,
they try to claim compensation by maintaining
that the shooting has taken place inside Indi-
an territorial waters. For them, the value of ‘life’
is cheaper than the compulsion of ‘livelihood’.
Also, the trawler sector in Tamil Nadu is polit-
ically influential and financially sound making
it more obdurate to solutions that could cut
down its profit margins.
Straying of fishermen also takes place in-
advertently due to ignorance of imaginary ma-
rine boundaries, engine failure or even due to
sudden turbulence at seas. But, to be fair to
Sri Lanka, not all Indian fishermen who stray
into Sri Lankan waters are arrested or shot. Sri
Lankan fishermen, who venture on high seas
for ‘multi-day fishing’, are also caught poach-
ing in Indian waters off coasts of Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and even Orissa. They are,
however, not shot at but arrested and prose-
cuted. Overall, the issue is complex and
evades easy solutions.
(63)
A WAY OF LIFE: The big trawlers are
completely changing a way of life for
fishermen both in India and Sri Lanka.
And the consequences are the bitter
clashes between the two sides
Holistic approach
What is, hence, required is a comprehensive
and humane approach leading to pragmatic so-
lutions on an urgent basis. It is surprising that
despite the existence of certain practical
arrangements to deal with the issue of bonafide
fishermen of either side crossing the interna-
tional maritime boundary line, firings on fish-
ermen continue. The Joint Working Group that
met in January 2006 agreed to,
i. Examine the possibility of not arresting
straying fishermen within five nautical miles
of the maritime boundary on either side;
ii. Consider releasing the small fishing boats
along with the fishermen on humanitarian
grounds; and,
iii. Enhance coordination between the two
navies to curb illegal activities.
However, whether this agreement is being
followed in letter and spirit is a big question. At
the outset, the right to life of fishermen should
be respected; then there is the livelihood issue.
It should be noted that the use of force against
April 2011
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DIPLOMACY

“EVERY “THE “INNOCENT “WE NEED

POSSIBLE INCREASING FISHERMEN TO BE
MEASURE INCIDENTS ARE OFTEN CONSCIOUS
WILL BE OF SHOT AT OR OF THE
TAKEN IN FISHERMEN TORTURED SENSITIVITIES
ORDER TO KILLINGS, BY THE SRI ON THE SRI
IMPROVE TORTURE LANKAN LANKAN SIDE
RELATIONS WITH SRI AND ARRESTS IN THE NAVY AND THE INDIAN AND OF THE SRI LANKAN
LANKAN AND INDIAN RECENT PAST HAVE BECOME GOVERNMENT IS DOING FISHERMEN WHO HAVE
FISHERMEN. LARGE SCALE A REGULAR THING. THE NOTHING TO PROTECT STARTED FISHING.
FISHING USING TRAWLERS ONLY SOLUTION FOR THIS IS THEM. THERE HAS BEEN AN INCIDENTS IN THE LAST
IN THE INTERNATIONAL TO GET BACK ESCALATION IN ATTACKS ON TWO MONTHS HAD CAUSED
WATERS HAD SOURED THE KATCHATHEEVU. ATTEMPTS TAMIL FISHERMEN AT SEA MUCH CONSTERNATION IN
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WITH THIS EFFECT WOULD DURING THE UNITED INDIA AND THE SECURITY
THE FISHERMEN OF BOTH BE MADE CONSULTING PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE OF INDIAN FISHERMEN
COUNTRIES .” CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.” GOVERNMENT’S RULE.” WOULD ALWAYS RECEIVE
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.”
REAR ADMIRAL WEERASEKERA, M KARUNANIDHI, NITIN GADKARI,
NORTHERN COMMANDER CHIEF MINISTER PRESIDENT S M KRISHNA,
SRI LANKA NAVY TAMIL NADU BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP) EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER

Indian fishermen, who cross over advertently
or inadvertently into the other country’s marine
borders, leading to death, does not happen even
at marine boundaries with countries like Pak-
istan. This happens only at the India-Sri Lan-
ka borders. The Sri Lankan Navy, therefore,
should take greater care in handling straying In-
dian fishermen.
To avoid shooting incidents due to “mistak-
en identity”, ‘coordinated patrolling’ between
marine forces (Sri Lankan Navy and Indian Coast
Guards) of both countries can be considered.
Additionally, developing fish farming extensively
in Indian waters would prevent fishermen from
venturing into other waters in search of a ‘big
catch’. India can also consider leasing fishing
blocks, especially those identified as ‘surplus to-
tal available catch’, from Sri Lanka.
Through this, Sri Lanka could also earn
much-required foreign exchange. To preserve
marine resources and to provide enough sus-
tenance to the traditional marginal fishermen
of both the countries, it is important to impose
a strict and complete ban on mechanised
trawlers. However, given the dependency, im-
mediate phasing out of mechanised trawlers
from coastal fishing may be difficult. But, it has
to be done sooner than later. What should be
done with these large trawlers that cost about
$ one million? There are numerous options that
one can explore.
As an alternative, these large trawlers could
be encouraged to venture into high seas in In-
dia’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs) rather
than into territorial waters of Sri Lanka. With
suitable modification, they can also be used as
patrol boats by the Coast Guards. Presently, the
Indian Coast Guards face immense shortage of
patrol vessels. Reinventing sustainable fisheries
is vital for solving many issues. The issue ulti-
mately lies in proper fisheries management. If
adequate fish population is maintained in the
Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar areas, most of the
fishermen would not find the need to venture
into other’s ‘territories’.
India also can consider taking on Katchcha-
tivu Island, that has been on the centre of con-
troversy, on long-term lease. As a bigger neigh-
bour, India has been accommodative to Sri
Lankan sensitivities on the issue to the extent
of gifting the strategically-vital Katchchativu Is-
land despite opposition from Tamil Nadu. It
should be noted that the Maritime Agree-
ments of 1974 and 1976, which fixed marine
boundaries between India and Sri Lanka, were
done much before the United Nations Con-
vention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that
came into force in 1994.
New Delhi never asked for renegotiation in
the light of this new development, despite im-
mense pressures from Tamil Nadu to wrest the
island back from Sri Lanka so as to protect the
interests of its fishermen. Colombo should
take note of this and reciprocate accordingly by
taking a liberal approach on Katchchativu Is-
land and its visitors.
As an additional safety measure, the Indian
Navy’s proposal of fitting Global Positioning Sys-
tem (GPS) in every boat should be imple-
mented. GPS provides the fastest and most ac-
curate method for fishermen to navigate, meas-
ure speed and determine locations. Costs of in-
stallation could be shared by the centre and
Tamil Nadu, with a token contribution from the
fishermen concerned. Apart from training the
fishermen about its usage, the local adminis-
tration should sensitise them on the dos and
don’ts in international waters.
Apart from respecting the rights of their Sri
Lankan counterparts, Indian fishermen should
voluntarily try and avoid using trawlers that
damage plankton and in turn make the seabed
unfavourable for breeding of new fishes and
prawns. There is already an agreement between
the fishermen of two countries on this, but it is
not adhered to. Arranging frequent meetings be-
tween fishing communities of both countries
could be explored so as to develop a friendlier
atmosphere on mid-seas during fishing. ‘So-
lution from below’ has greater chances of suc-
cess than a ‘solution imposed from above’ by the
governments.
There have indeed been meetings between
fishing communities since 2003, but erratic and
not so fruitful in terms of tangible results. If they
are systematised and institutionalised, one
can expect them to be more successful. It is im-
portant that whatever agreements, reached
by the fishing communities amongst them-
selves, receives strong backing from the gov-
ernments and their marine forces. Else, these
meetings will be exercises in futility.
Overall, if the issue is not approached
holistically, the marine frontiers between India
and Sri Lanka will remain fishy and troubled.
It is better if water between India and Sri Lan-
ka is seen as a common heritage than a con-
tested territory.
(The author is Senior Fellow, Centre for
Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi )

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GEOPOLITICS
DIPLOMACY
T
HE DALAI LAMA’S announce-
ment on March 10 that he would
step aside from his political role
and concentrate on religious work
was dismissed within hours by the
Chinese as a “trick”. Chinese foreign min-
istry spokeswoman Jiang Wu said: “He has
talked often about retirement in the past few
years”, and described them as “tricks to
deceive the international community”.

MOMENTOUS Tenzing Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, took

this decision after deep consideration. By
repeating his intention to retire for the last
several years, he was preparing his people for

SHIFT IN THE
the eventuality. The Dalai Lama’s Kashag
(Cabinet) or the Kashag of the Tibetan Gov-
ernment in exile, and his top emissaries knew
the day would come. But when such a leader,
acknowledged as the face and spirit of the

TIBET MOVEMENT
The Dalai Lama’s sudden decision to renounce politics has
deeper international implications. BHASKAR ROY analyses
DISTRESSFUL SITUATION: Dalai Lama's
decision to renounce politics but will
remain as spiritual leader and continue to
advocate meaningful autonomy for Tibet,
is a major cause of concern for Tibetans
Tibetan movement, decides to relinquish his
political responsibilities, opposition and dis-
may from the people are natural. There is
also concern how the new inheritors of this
huge responsibility take forward this mission.
The Dalai Lama’s decision was irre-
versible. Although at 76, he enjoys excellent
health, he knows his life is not infinite. As he
said, he wanted to set up a democratically-
elected government by the people. The elec-
torate comprises Tibetans outside Tibet/Chi-
na. This move will not only contrast with the
Chinese government’s dictatorial system in
Tibet but also make an impression on the
international community. The Chinese can-
not resolve the Tibet issue in the near future
unless they drastically change their
approach, was the Dalai Lama’s message.
The Chinese have reneged on their agree-
ments and words. The May 23, 1951, 17-
point agreement (for the peaceful liberation

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(66)
Dalai Lama 66-68.qxd 4/7/2011 2:14 PM
of Tibet) signed between the Chinese Central
Government and the local government of
Tibet gave the Tibetans far more autonomy
and liberty than anything they can even think
of today. It promised continuity of the estab-
lished status, functions and powers enjoyed
by the thirteenth Dalai Lama and the ninth
Panchen Lama. Income of the monasteries
would remain untouched. Like all minorities
of China, the Tibetans would be allowed to
preserve and develop freely their language,
customs, habits and religion without interfer-
ence from the central government in Beijing.
The Tibetan leaders reconciled with the
fact that their legitimate independence was
overrun by the Chinese People’s Liberation
Army (PLA), and still settled for the best
under the conditions. The West did not
come to their aid. But all these came to
nought soon after when Mao Zedong got
engrossed in an internal power struggle and
adopted a hard-line Stalinist policy of
repression. This led to the Tibetan people’s
uprising of 1959 in which about a hundred
thousand Tibetans were killed, and the Dalai
Lama fled to India with his followers and
supporters. Since then, the Tibetans suf-
fered a harrowing time under Communist
rule, especially during the Cultural Revolu-
tion (1966-76). They lost what they had got
under the 17-point agreement, and their lot
has not improved very much since.
A Beijing-based Chinese NGO, the Gong-
meng Law Research Centre in China, pro-
duced a study in 2008 pointing out that the
money spent in Tibet by the Central govern-
ment rarely reached the Tibetans and mainly
went to the Hans. Instead of taking cues from
the study, both the NGO and the study were
banned by the government.
The March 14, 2008, Tibetan uprising was
to draw the attention of the international
community to the plight of the Tibetans.
This was the year of the Beijing Olympics.
The revolt was crushed and the Dalai Lama
was blamed for inciting the uprising though
there was no evidence.
It is no wonder that Beijing has failed mis-
erably to win over the hearts and minds of
the Tibetans. The government has banned
the display and possession of the Dalai
Lama’s photographs. The virulent Chinese
propaganda against the Dalai Lama does not
impress anybody other than
the members of the Chi-
nese Communist Party.
The Dalai Lama is
impervious to such
insults as “wolf in
lamb’s clothing”, the
“serpent’s head” and
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Page 27
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DIPLOMACY
other such labels. There are some uncorrob-
orated reports that sections among Chinese
agencies had considered assassination of the
Dalai Lama in the late 1980s and 1990s.
The Chinese government has decreed
that all new living Buddhas, including the
next Dalai Lama, will be found and ordained
by the central government. That just cannot
convince the Tibetan people. The 11th
Panchen Lama, recognised by the Dalai
Lama, has been despatched to oblivion by
the Chinese government, and they have put
up their own. The 11th Panchen Lama select-
ed by the Chinese, on the other hand, has
found no following among the Tibetans.
The Chinese government has also
declared that the 15th Dalai Lama will be
found in Tibet by them. The history of the
Dalai Lamas is witness to one of them being
a Mongolian. Therefore, the next Dalai Lama
can be from anywhere, as the 14th Dalai
Lama has declared. And that will be the rele-
vant and the real Dalai Lama for Tibetans
inside China and in the rest of the world.
There are no two opinions on the issue.
The Dalai Lama’s declaration to step aside
from his political responsibilities came at a
time when the Chinese National People’s
Congress (NPC) convened in Beijing for its
annual conclave.
Deputies (rep-
resentatives)
from all over
C h i n a
including
Ti b e t
(67)
were gathered there, and those concerned
with the Tibet question could discuss imme-
diately on his decision. In the background
was the Dalai Lama’s thought, or decision,
that there may not be any 15th Dalai Lama,
and that he was a mortal. But he also said
that he might live for more than a hundred
years. This is not medically impossible given
the state of his health and the sharpness of
his mind at 76 years.
Predictably, there was an immediate
response from the Tibetan Deputies gath-
ered in Beijing. Tibet’s Communist Party Sec-
retary Zhang Qingli, a hardliner, described
the Dalai Lama as a “wolf in monk’s robe” an
epithet used by Premier Zhou Enlai after the
Dalai Lama fled to India. Zhang also charged
him with trying to “split” China, which is a
common Chinese refrain.
The responses of the two top ethnic
Tibetan officials should be something that the
Chinese government should take into consid-
eration. Although both of them were clear
that Tibet was part of China, Qingba Puncog,
Chairman of the Tibetan People’s Congress,
said that as a Living Buddha and a religious
leader the Dalai Lama did have some influ-
ence on his believers, and his death would
have “some minor impact on Tibet”. Padma
Choling, the head of the Tibetan local govern-
ment, went a step further to state that it was
not “upto anyone” to abolish the “historical
process” of the reincarnations of the Dalai
Lama and the Panchen Lama.
The statement of Qingba Puncog and
Padma Choling, to say the least, challenges
some of the fundamentals of the Chinese
government’s policies and positions on the
Dalai Lama and the religious process of
recognising Living Buddhas: one, they
reiterated the relevance of the Dalai Lama
to Tibet and the Tibetans in China; and,
two, they do not subscribe to the Chi-
nese government’s policy of politicis-
ing the reincarnation process.
The new structure of the Tibetan
government in exile is expected to
play a more dynamic, two-pronged
role in the international arena, espe-
cially the West. The Dalai Lama, as a
religious leader of modernity, will
continue to campaign for the free-
dom and development of Tibetan
religion, language, culture, her-
itage and the freedom of spirit and
thought, and protection of ecolo-
gy and environment of Tibet
independent of the Chinese. This
is the duality of dharma yogi
and karma yogi according to
Hindu philosophy, which is
April 2011
Dalai Lama 66-68.qxd 4/7/2011 2:14 PM Page 28
REVERED EXIT: The Tibetan cabinet has accepted the Dalai Lama's decision to retire as
the political head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, but parliament has still not agreed
closely linked to Buddhist philosophy in
many ways. These issues form part of the
Dalai Lama’s “middle way” autonomy pro-
posal for Tibet and the Tibetans.
The new political leaders of the exile
government will be free to debate issues
among themselves unconstrained by the
Dalai Lama’s religious philosophy and utter
restraint. These are political men and
women, well experienced in the West and
Western political approaches in which free-
dom of religion, thought and expression
play a very significant role. There is a Tibet
caucus in the US Congress and one in the
EU Parliament. It is very possible that an
NGO be raised on the fringes of the United
Nations to make their point whenever the
Assembly meets. A much more vibrant and
organised action can be planned and exe-
cuted with UN Human Rights Commission
in Geneva.
Internationally, the Tibet contact groups
like the International Campaign for Tibet
(ICT) can feel much more free to raise their
campaign without looking over their shoul-
ders to see if they have the Dalai Lama’s
approval. In brief, a new force to demand the
minimum rights of Tibetan people in Tibet
has been unleashed, which will be welcomed
by the democratic world. This force, however,
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g
DIPLOMACY
is unlikely to raise demands, which portends
the break-up of China’s territorial integrity.
Generally unnoticed and unspoken, there
has been a slow erosion of support for Chi-
na’s hardline Tibet policy from traditional
centres. The most important is Taiwan. From
the initiation of Taiwan under KMT (the par-
ty that ruled China before the Communists
took over) rule, Tibet was recognised as an
integral part of China. This was because the
KMT claimed that it was the real government
of China and the two sides would unite one
day. A body called the Mongolia Tibet Affairs
Commission (MTAC), located in Taiwan but
also funded by China, was established. This
was to counter the Tibetan, and then Mon-
golian, separatist movements.
The MTAC was abolished by the Democrat-
ic Progressive Party (DPP) after President Chen
Shui-bian came to power in Taiwan in 2000.
Since then, the Dalai Lama has visited Taiwan,
which confirms that even after the KMT
returned to govern Taiwan the old commonal-
ity on Tibet with Beijing no longer exists.
Russia, which follows the erstwhile Soviet
Union position of endorsing China’s policy
in Tibet, is beginning to feel international
pressure. The Kalmayka Republic of Russia is
overwhelmingly Buddhist and its President
is an ardent follower of the Dalai Lama.
(68)
Japan, a predominantly Buddhist country,
which did not counter Beijing’s claim on
Tibet and still does not, has arrived at a situ-
ation when it can become neutral, saying it is
China’s concern but Tibetans as always are
free to visit Japan.
Many feel that India is caught in a cleft
with the new changes in the Tibetan exile
government. This is not correct, and can be
handled well. The Dalai Lama is an hon-
oured guest in India, the Tibetans are
refugees openly in India, India does not
recognise the Tibetan government in exile, it
is not allowed to conduct political activities
in India, but they are allowed to act as per
Indian laws. China suspects that India coop-
erates with the US on the Tibet issue. This
remains a suspicion, but China has accepted
India’s declared position.
The Dalai Lama’s move has raised serious
concerns in China. Writing in the People’s
Daily (March 22) English edition, Li Hong-
mei said that the Tibetan government in-
exile was poised to be “ruled by terrorists”.
Ms Li Hongmei is no ordinary journalist. She
is the editor of the on-line edition of the
newspaper that in turn is the mouthpiece of
the CCP. This alarm is the collective under-
standing of the Chinese authorities, and the
message is to alert the international commu-
nity to prevail upon the Tibetan government
in-exile and other pro-independence
Tibetan groups like the Tibetan Youth Con-
gress (TYC) not to disturb the stability of
Tibet through sabotage. Li Hongmei likened
the TYC to terrorist organisations like the Al
Qaida. The article also hinted that China
would use all force at its disposal to root out
any challenge in Tibet.
Earlier (March 14), Tibet CCP Secretary
Zhang Qingli had warned a “severe crack-
down” on separatist and disruptive activities
in Tibet. Zhang’s statement on the sidelines
of the recently-concluded NPC Session
makes it abundantly clear that Tibetans in
Tibet and other parts of China will lose more
of the liberty they have left. Such policies
will not only disturb the situation in Tibet
but further sharpen the Tibetan-Han divide
to an irreconcilable situation.
A new Tibetan movement, then, is on the
block. There is no amicable solution in sight.
The best situation available for China is to
revisit the 1951 17-point agreement and
Deng Xiaoping’s approach, and work with the
Tibetan government in-exile. No country in
its right sense is planning to disintegrate Chi-
na. Beijing should be confident about that.
(The author, a retired civil servant, is a vet-
eran China-watcher)
April 2011
Libya 69-71.qxd 4/8/2011 1:42 PM
BEHIND THE
LIBYANTURMOIL
It seems that Europe is not
prepared to play the role of
a second cousin to the
United States in
determining the future
contours in the Arab world
that is under turmoil. This
underplayed factor is the
most important one in
explaining what is
happening in Libya these
days, argues RSN SINGH
ECONOMIC STAKES: Unrest in Libya
pushes oil prices to its highest level
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g
GEOPOLITICS
DIPLOMACY
S
INCE THE exit of President
Mubarak in Egypt, the geopolitical
contours of the Arab world have
been changing rapidly. What was
touted as a revolution for democra-
cy has now degenerated into pure interna-
tional power politics. This is particularly true
in the case of Libya, where there seems to be
a clear clash of interests between the United
States and its leading European allies. Libya
with its vast oil resources is too important for
Europe, to allow it to lapse into uncertainty
because of the recent changes in American
policy towards Middle East and North Africa.
Europe, particularly Italy and France, in
that order, had invested too much in
Gaddafi. The way the internal situation in
Libya has developed, partly indigenous and
partly orchestrated by the US, Gaddafi’s
ouster has become imminent. Nevertheless,
some of the European countries like France
and Italy do not want to surrender their
influence in Libya to the US. Accordingly,
France inspired the formation of the rebel
Libyan National Council (LNC) as the coun-
try’s legitimate government and quickly
recognised it in early March 2011, thereby
(69)
preempting the US.
The Libyan National Council has 31 mem-
bers with Officers In-Charge for foreign
affairs, military affairs and importantly for
governance of Libya’s oil sector. The council’s
leader is Mustafa Abdul Jalil, a former
Deputy UN Ambassador, who broke away
from Gaddafi. Till today, the US, which is
backing the ongoing armed action by NATO
on Libya, sanctioned at the behest of a
hyperactive France, has not yet accorded
recognition to the National Libyan Council.
The fault lines
The 6.4 million Libyan people continue to
be divided over regional and ethnic lines in
the ongoing ‘Civil War’ since February 2011.
Even geography conspires to accentuate this
division: 90 per cent of Libyans inhabit only 10
per cent of the area, primarily along the coast.
Tripolitania in the west and Cyrenaica in
the northeast are the two major population
centres with a population density of 50 per-
sons per square kilometre, but in the remain-
ing areas it is less than one person per square
kilometre. These two population centres are
separated by one of the most formidable
April 2011
Libya 69-71.qxd 4/8/2011 1:42 PM Page 18
desert in the world, wherein in certain areas
it rains once or twice in a decade.
The other region is Fezzan in Southwest-
ern Libya, which constitutes 30 per cent of
the country’s landmass. The people inhabit-
ing this area are basically pastoralists, who
cross borders of Algeria, Chad and Niger.
The population in Fezzan is estimated to be
0.45 million, i.e. nearly eight per cent of the
total population.
Tripolitania and Cyrenaica sided with Axis
and Allied powers respectively during World
War II. Subsequently, when Libya was grant-
ed independence in 1951 and King Emir
Sayid Idris al-Sanusi, a Cyrenaican was
installed as the head of the state with the
support of Western powers. The people in
Tripolitania resented while the people of
Cyrenaica celebrated. In 1969, when a 27-
year-old Gaddafi along with 70 young army
officers, overthrew King Idris in a bloodless
coup, the reaction was in the opposite order.
Under Idris, Cyrenaica benefited political-
ly and economically. Idris in fact could not
break the shackles of his Cyrenacian identity
primarily because that was where he derived
his power from.
Gaddafi on the other hand, tried to pro-
mote nationalism by repudiating the tribal
system and by creating an Arab nationalist
regime. It may be mentioned that Libya has
140 tribes and clans. Gaddafi’s search for a
new national identity for Libya floundered
due to the exigencies of political power. His
power base essentially lay in the west to the
central part of Libya. Euphemistically speak-
ing, the Cyrenacian tribes were punished by
Gaddafi all through his rule. It is these tribes
which now sensed an opportunity and
decided to strike back.
Gaddafi, meanwhile, is being stoutly sup-
ported by his own tribe Gaddadfa as well as
Al-Magarha tribe.
The regional and tribal fault lines, in this
fourth largest country in Africa, have there-
fore hardly been bridged over the years.
Viewed thus, what is happening in Libya is
far from an ‘Arab Revolution’. It is the events
in Tunisia and Egypt that have provided the
opportunity and impetus. This is despite a
sound economy. Libya has a very generous
social security programme especially in the
fields of housing and education.
External dimension and linkages
The external dimension and linkages to
this so-called revolution in the case of Libya
cannot be ignored.
The Arab Revolution in Egypt led by
Nasser had significant impact on Libya.
This revolution was at the height of Cold
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DIPLOMACY
"OPERATION SAFE HOME COMING"
Operation Safe Home Coming of
15000-odd Indians from Libya was truly
a well-coordinated Inter-ministerial
effort. The operation was successfully
concluded at 0700 hrs on March 13.
Spread over 14 days' starting from Feb-
ruary 27, the operation involved arrival
of 53 flights including that of Air India,
Kingfisher, Fly Dubai, Emirates, Egypt
Air, Jet Air and Emirates.
The passengers were received at Del-
hi (Terminal 2) and Mumbai. The opera-
tion was coordinated by Ministry of
External Affairs, Ministry of Overseas
Indian Affairs, Department of Shipping,
Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of
Defence and the State Governments of
UP, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Kar-
nataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
Evacuation of Indians from Libya was
conducted with the help of IL-76 Plane,
Naval Ships and Commercial Vessels
from Libya to Egypt, Malta and Tunisia.
Indians were airlifted from Tripoli,
Alexandria, Djerba, Sebhe and Malta.
Ministry of External Affairs had
deported officials to set up facilities at
Alexandria, Malta, Djerba and Sebhe
and to assist in the evacuation process.
On arrival, passengers were provided
with assistance to return to their home-
town by train, road or air. Major Indian
firms operating in Libya were briefed
and assisted on regular basis to receive
their workers.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao,
Secretary (East) Latha Reddy and Secre-
tary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs,
Dr A Didar Singh led the coordinated
Operation Safe Home Coming.
War and as an outcome there was request of
British and American bases to be evacuated
from Libya. It may be recalled that Britain
and Libya had signed a 20-year friendship
treaty and in 1954 US had setup the
Wheelus Air base near Tripoli. By 1970, the
British forces and American bases were
withdrawn, and consequently, cooperation
including in the field of defence between
USSR and Libya intensified.
The coup by Gaddafi in 1969 should be
seen as an adjunct of the Cold War. The dis-
covery of oil in 1959 had raised the geopolit-
ical stakes of the Soviet Union, US and
Europe in the country. At the time of inde-
pendence, Libya was one of the poorest
countries in the world. Its most significant
(70)
exports were metal scraps of World War II.
Today, Libya is one of the world’s tenth
richest oil-producing countries and of
course Africa’s richest.
Libya holds the largest proven reserves in
Africa followed by Nigeria and Algeria. 80 per
cent of the reserves are located in the Sirte
basin. This basin constitutes the heart of
Libya running from the approximately the
center of the country to the coastline in the
north. It also extends towards the west for
some distance and to the east, falling short of
the border with Egypt. As per estimate, only
25 per cent of the Libyan oil has been explode
mainly due to sanctions, which was effective
for at least two decades. The UN and the US
lifted sanctions in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
If the Cold War was the impetus for the
coup by Gaddafi, this time, Libya is engulfed
by a different kind of revolutionary wave,
which many consider as being inspired and
abetted by the West. It appears regime
changes are being sought for an orderly
transfer of power in the Arab world, because
most of the dispensations have outlived their
age and utility. Most of these ruling dispen-
sations turned into family businesses and so
has Libya under Gaddafi and his eight sons.
Only a popular swell on the ground, engi-
neered or otherwise can uproot them. Given
the wherewithal and monopoly over instru-
ment of war and violence of the rulers, it is
impossible to bring regime changes without
external support.
The entire script is being calibrated with
Egypt serving as the epicenter. But in case of
Libya, the calculations have been upset
because of Gaddafi’s tenacity and his self-
destructive ways. He has been using the safe-
ty and security of his own people as a bar-
gaining chip in dealing with the rest of the
western world. He and his sons are display-
ing acute paranoia and therefore the ruth-
lessness in dealing with the situation. The
ruling dispensation in Libya therefore can be
very unpredictable and dangerous.
Gaddafi — The darling of the West
The exigencies and greed for power has
seen Gaddafi sway between socialism and
capitalism from anti-Americanism to pro-
Americanism. Libya till late 2003-04 was
treated a terrorist and pariah state by the
West, after the bombing of the Pan Am air-
craft in 1988 over the Scottish town of
Lockerbie. Unnerved by the US invasion of
Iraq and the consequent fate of Saddam
Hussain and the rising discontent due to
sluggish economy caused by sanctions,
Gaddafi was compelled to make a complete
‘U’ turn. He began to placate the West by tak-
April 2011
Libya 69-71.qxd 4/8/2011 1:42 PM Page 19
MISRULE EPITOMISED: People protesting for peace in Libya
ing formal responsibility of the Pan Am
bombing in 2003. Following this, the rehabil-
itation of Gaddafi in the international com-
munity was most dramatic especially after
the payment of compensation to US victims
of the Pan Am bombing in 2008 by Libya.
Following the emergence of this new rela-
tionship between the West and Gaddafi, the
major oil companies were once again active
in Libya. They stepped up oil exploration,
using Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques.
Libya had proposed to increase its oil produc-
tion by 40 per cent, i.e. from 1.8 million bar-
rels/day to three million barrels/day by 2013.
Assessment
The turnaround by Gaddafi and his bon-
homie with the West was strategic coup of
sort. Libya became one of the most ardent
supporters of the ‘war against terrorism’. In
fact, Libya was touted as a fine example of
responsible change in the discourse of
Islamic fundamentalism. Italy signed a
friendship treaty with Libya in 2008. The
treaty included a nonaggression clause.
Also, Italy paid $ 5 billion to Libya to com-
pensate for the colonial rule. Gaddafi’s son,
Saif al-Islam, was awarded a PhD degree by
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DIPLOMACY
the London School of Economics, allegedly,
after having accepted 1.5 million pounds
donation from Libya. All the major oil com-
panies of the West were enthusiastic about
the fresh and increasing prospects in Libya.
It was a happy situation for the West. What
went wrong then?
The regime change in Egypt, which ush-
ered in the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’, if
Wikileaks are to be believed, was engineered
by the US for which it had been working
since 2007. Egypt was to serve as the pivot
for the geopolitical change in North Africa.
The European powers, particularly France,
were not comfortable with the happenings
in Tunisia and to an extent in Egypt. When it
comes to the North African region, the Euro-
peans do not see it through the US strategic
prism. The economic stakes of the North
African region and Europe is intertwined,
because of geography, separated as they are
by only the Mediterranean Sea.
It is pertinent to note that most of Libya’s
oil exports are to the European countries i.e.
Italy-38 per cent, Germany-19 per cent,
Spain-8 per cent, France-7 per cent, China-7
per cent, Greece-3 per cent, etc. Importantly,
the oil sold by Libya to Europe is lighter and
(71)
sweeter, which implies that it has low sul-
phur grades. The heavier crude oil is export-
ed to Asian countries. In addition, oil supply
from North Africa to Europe is most timely
and cost effective. In the recent years, there
has been rapid increase in export of gas from
Libya to Europe. In 2004, the 540-kilometre-
long Green stream pipeline between Libya
and Italy became operational. This pipeline
has a capacity of 11 billion cubic metres of
natural gas per year.
North Africa, particularly Libya, is there-
fore critical to the very well-being of Europe.
It is for this reason that the French have tak-
en the lead. It is for this reason that against
all norms of international diplomacy, Italy
has repudiated its 2008 friendship treaty
with Libya and has allowed its military bases
to enforce the no-fly zone.
Europe has given clear message to the US
that they consider North Africa to be their
vital area of concern and influence, and
therefore expect the same kind of reciproca-
tion for their role in the US-led intervention
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(The author is a former official of Research
and Analysis Wing, Government of India)
April 2011
Tech Scan.qxd 4/7/2011 5:40 PM Page 24
TECH SCAN
g
DRDO PLANS THREE
PROJECTS THIS YEAR
gun the armed forces have.
The new Indian field gun will
be an Industry-DRDO-driven
venture.Already 4-5 indus-
tries have been identified for
the project, according to Dr V
K Saraswat, Chief of DRDO.
The gun in both versions
(towed and self-propelled)
will take a few years to devel-
op and would be a major
project led by the domestic
industry.
The launch of the long-
range, sub-sonic, cruise mis-
THE INDIGENOUS develop- sile ‘Nirbhay’, being devel-
ment of a field gun, first oped by the Aeronautical
launch of ‘Nirbhay’ (a long Development Establishment
range missile) and first test (ADE), Bengaluru and the
flight of Agni-5 are three RCI, Hyderabad is also
major initiatives ahead of the expected to get into the flight
Defence Research and Devel- trials mode this year. The
opment Organisation third project is Agni-5, the
(DRDO) in 2011. beyond 5,000-km, long-range
The controversial Bofors ballistic missile, which will be
gun is the last imported field flight tested in 2011.
AKASH MARK-II BY
2012
DRDO IS currently
working on a tists have discovered a giant
improved Mark-II ver-
sion of the surface-to-
air missile and will
have its first flight-test
by end of 2012. Akash
Mark-II version will
carry minor critical
improvement over
Mark-1 variant and
will not be a com-
pletely new missile,
New MK-2 will have better accuracy and will also be little faster
then the current variant.
Mark-2 variant will also will have faster reaction time to cover
the threat and will have an minor extended range to the missile
which will be 10 to 12 km improvement over the Mark-1 vari-
ant. Mark-2 variant will be replacing old Soviet Union-
acquired SA-3 GOA (Pechora) SAM systems. India's plans to
fortify North Eastern border area with China by installing
Akash MK-1 close to the border there
www.geopolitics.in
(72)
LAKSHYA-2 PERFORMS
LOW-ALTITUDE TESTS
INDIA HAS conducted low-
altitude trials with its develop-
mental Lakshya-2 target drone,
with the aircraft performing
high-g manoeuvres at altitudes
as low as 82ft (25m). According
to DRDO, on a test conducted
on December 20, 2010, the
drone flew
5.4nm (10km) at
an altitude of
82ft, with an
average altitude
deviation of less
than 3ft. On
December 23, it
flew the system
for 10.8nm at an
altitude of 490ft
towing a target
that was flown
at a height of
164ft.
The tests had four objectives.
The first was to assess the Lak-
shya-2's flight-control system
and ability to use autonomous
ISRO'S 'LUNAR TUNNEL'
COULD BE FUTURE BASE
INDIAN SPACE Research
Organisation (ISRO) scien-
underground chamber on
the moon, which could be
used as a lunar base
by astronauts for
i n t e r- p l a n e t a r y
missions. Scien-
tists at the Space
Applications
Centre (SAC),
using data gathered
from Chandrayaan-I's
Terrain Mapping Camera
and Hyper Spectral Imager
(HySI) payloads, found a
1.2km-long buried, uncol-
lapsed and near horizontal
lava tube.
The hollow cave situated
just above the lunar equator
on the nearside of moon,
waypoint navigation with GPS
updates. DRDO scientists also
looked at its ability to fly pro-
grammed low-altitude flights in
both clean and tow body con-
figurations, and to perform
high-g manoeuvres in both
regimes.
The process also assessed the
deployment of the Lakyhya-2
on its mobile launcher, and
introduced new features in its
ground control station.
can accommodate a large
number of astronauts and
scientific instruments, and
also protect them from hos-
tile lunar environment.
“Such a lava tube
could be a poten-
tial site for future
human habit-
ability on the
moon for future
human missions
and scientific
explorations, provid-
ing a safe environment
from hazardous radiations,
micro-meteoritic impacts,
extreme temperatures and
dust storms,” according to A
S Arya of SAC, Ahmedabad ,
who led a team of scientists
reporting the findings in
'Current Science'.
April 2011
Tech Scan.qxd 4/7/2011 2:17 PM Page 25
ROBOTS KNOW WHEN TO HIDE
THE CREATION of robots that can hide
from humans while spying on them brings
autonomous spy machines one step clos-
er. The spy approaches the target build-
ing under cover of darkness, taking a
zigzag path to avoid well-lit areas and
sentries. He selects a handy vantage point
next to a dumpster, taking cover behind it
when he hears the footsteps of an unseen
guard. Once the coast is clear, he is on the
move again — trundling along on four
small wheels.
This is no human spy but a machine, a
prototype in the emerging field of covert
robotics. It was being put through its
paces at a demonstration late last year by
Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology
Laboratories at Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
With an aerial drone to their credit (see
“Unseen watcher in the sky”), the compa-
www.geopolitics.in
g
ny now wants to design autonomous
robots that can operate around humans
without being detected.
What makes the robot special is its ability
to build a computer model of its sur-
roundings, incorporating information on
lines of sight. The robot is fitted with a
laser scanner to allow it to covertly map its
environment in 3D. It also has a set of
acoustic sensors which it uses to distin-
guish nearby footsteps and their direction.
Lead engineer Brian Satterfield says the
robot was designed to operate within
four constraints: “Avoiding visible detec-
tion by sentries of known locations,
avoiding potential detection by sentries
whose positions were unknown, avoiding
areas in which the robot would have no
means of escape, and, as this robot was
designed to run at night, avoiding areas
that were well lit.” To make it hard to spot
in the dark, the robot was painted black.
If the robot believes it is in danger of
being detected by an approaching sentry,
it will try to get to a place where it can
hide, Satterfield says. His comment is an
example of how natural it is for us to talk
about such robots as if they understand
how they are perceived and have a “theo-
ry of mind”.
“Lockheed Martin’s approach does
include a sort of basic theory of mind,
in the sense that the robot makes
assumptions about how to act
covertly in the presence of
humans,” says Alan Wagner of the
Georgia Institute of Technology in
Atlanta, who works on artificial
intelligence and robot deception.
But the level at which the robot’s
software operates is probably limit-
ed to task-specific instructions such
as, “if you hear a noise, scurry to the
nearest dark corner”, he says. That’s
not sophisticated enough to hide
from humans in varied environments.
“Significant AI will be needed to develop
a robot which can act covertly in a gener-
al setting,” Wagner says. “The robot will
need to consider its own shape and size,
to have the ability to navigate potential
paths, [to be aware of] each person’s indi-
vidual line of view, the impact that its
movement will have on the environment,
and so on.”
Satterfield’s robot was built with off-the-
shelf components. Both he and Wagner
say that specialised hardware which is
more compact and quieter will improve
(73)
future robots’ mobility and their ability to
stay hidden. “There are very few funda-
mental limits that would prevent robots
from eventually conducting extended
covert missions and evading detection by
humans,” Satterfield says.
Lockheed Martin’s work looks ready to
emerge, albeit quietly, into the real world.
The US army recently solicited proposals
for a “persistent surveillance” robot with
concealment capabilities and suited for
extended deployments. Later this year,
the US Department of Defense is expect-
ed to back that up with cash awards for
working designs.
UNSEEN
WATCHER
IN THE SKY
IN 2006 Lockheed Martin developed
a stealthy aerial drone, known as
Stalker, for US special forces in
Afghanistan. Launched by hand, it
weighs 6 kilograms and has a 3-
metre wingspan.
The electric-powered drones it
replaced are quiet, but Stalker is
designed to be even quieter, with a
“hush drive” combining a silenced
electric motor and a special pro-
peller. Stalker is said to be inaudible
beyond 80 metres away, and can fly
at night with the aid of infrared sen-
sors and low-light cameras.
Stalker can also accurately deliver a
payload weighing up to 1 kilogram,
such as remotely operated cameras
or microphones for eavesdropping
on a target.
April 2011
Rigt Angle.qxd 4/8/2011 2:58 PM Page 35
THE MILITARY AND THE MEDIA
I
n a democracy, there is always a “love and hate”
relationship between the media and the military. A
journalist wants information but the military is not
always in a position to tell the truth. American gen-
erals never spoke the truth when they were losing
the war in Vietnam. There are times when the journalists
themselves get influenced by the military. During a war,
the journalists often move along with the troops and
begin to identify themselves too closely with the officers
and soldiers.
On the other hand, there are times when
the military officers succumb to the charm
of the media glamour. They lose the balance
and discipline and say things which may
not be the reality but ensure for themselves
headlines and temporary glory. In this age
of “breaking stories”, it is entirely possible
that the scoops are based on uninformed Prakash
and out-of-proper-context information that
has been “disclosed” by the military sources.
In this column I had once discussed how General
McChrystal was relieved of duty in Afghanistan over a
Rolling Stone magazine article by journalist Michael
Hastings. The article quoted McChrystal making derisive
comments about top officials in the Obama administra-
tion. But this time I want to highlight the developments
in India that I find quite disturbing.
A leading TV journalist recently asked Army Chief
General VK Singh about the involvement of Lt. Col Prasad
S Purohit in the Samjhauta train blasts and in spreading
the cult of “Hindu terror” in the country. The Army Chief
replied that “Purohit is an aberration” and that he would
ensure that such people have no place in the Army. I think
this was a dangerous reply. The charges against Purohit
are far from being proved. Besides, the dreaded LeT of
Pakistan was declared a banned organisation by the Unit-
ed Nations on the basis of the reports of the US intelli-
gence agencies that it had caused the blasts. But the Indi-
an agencies all of a sudden discovered the hands of the
“Hindu terrorists” after the NDA government was voted
out and the UPA assumed power at the centre.
As it is, there has been always a crisis of credibility of
the central investigative agencies if the record of poor
conviction of their accused is taken into account. More
often than not, they have been more loyal than the king
of the day. We later were told of the “definite” hands of
the “Hindu terrorists” like Purohit in the Samjhauta
blasts on the basis of the “confessions” of one Swami
Aseemanand. But now the same Swami tells the Court
that his statement was extracted forcibly by the investi-
gating agencies!
Given this, I think it would have been proper for the
Army Chief to reply that the law would take its own
www.geopolitics.in
(74)
GEOPOLITICS
g
Right Angle
course and Purohit, if found guilty, would be dealt with
accordingly. In stead what he did was that he pro-
nounced Purohit guilty, even before the accused has
been formally charge sheeted!
The Army leadership has also not shown the maturity
in dealing with the much-maligned Adarsh Housing
Society in Mumbai. The charges were that in the name of
Kargil war widows, top officials of the armed forces
formed a housing society on the land belonging to the
Defence ministry. The defence minister and
the Army Chief took the charges very seri-
ously, ordered enquiries and threatened to
take actions against the wrong-doers. The
truth, as it has emerged now, is that the
application for the formation of the Society
did not refer to the war widows and what is
more important, the Defence Ministry has
Nanda admitted in an affidavit submitted to Mum-
bai High Court that it has no record of the
land in question to prove ownership!
This is not to suggest that there were no wrong doings
in the Adarsh Society. But the violations of the rules here
have to be dealt with at the civilian level. And that is being
rightly done. I think there was nor reason for the Army
leadership - I understand Defence Minister AK Antony’s
concerns; after all, he is a politician — to issue threats
openly and repeatedly to the officers — both retired and
serving, just because the media went hyper via “breaking
news” - without doing any thorough research.
The same is the case with the so-called Sukana scan-
dal. Here a senior General has been punished for issu-
ing a no objection certificate to a school building on a
property that did not belong to the Army. He thought
that the school would prove beneficial to the children
of Army personnel in the area. There were never any
monetary considerations. But, he has been punished
on the ground that he was influenced in his decision by
a superior in the Army headquarters and that he had
not informed his then immediate superior in Kolkatta,
who, incidentally, happens to be the present Army
Chief, and who came to know the clearance through
hyped media reports.
I have tremendous respect for the Army Chief, who,
my sources say, is one of our finest officers with impec-
cable integrity. I think the problem with him is that he
thinks that all in today’s media in India also value
integrity. Unfortunately, that is not true. Many of our
media leaders believe in power without accountability.
Why should our armed forces, one of the very best Indi-
an institutions, be hyper-sensitive to what these media
leaders say and write?
prakashnanda@newsline.in
April 2011
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