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Thursday, July 6, 2017

Recent PLAN Movements In IOR & The China-India Border Standoff

The 26th PLA Escort Naval Fleet, comprising Type 054A FFGs Huanggang 577 and Yangzhou 578 and the fleet tanker Gaoyouhu 966 from the PLAN’s East China Sea Fleet departed from Zhoushan City of east China’s Zhejiang Province on April 1, 2017 and arrived at its mission area in the Gulf of Aden after successively passing through the Miyako Strait, the Makassar Strait, the Sunda Strait and the Indian Ocean.
This Fleet also contained a double-hulled Type S-20 Yuan-class SSK along with a Type 925 Chongmingdao 302 submarine support vessel, and that is why the Fleet avoided entering the Malacca Straits, which requires all submarines to surface while cruising through this Strait. Both this vessel and the SSK later did an operational turnaround in Karachi in late May 2017. 
By the third week of June 2017 there was an increase in activity by PLAN vessels in the Indian Ocean. A Type 813 auxiliary general intelligence (AGI) ship, Haiwingxing 852 (Neptune), of the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet, was spotted entering the Indian Ocean via the Sunda Strait, and this vessel will monitor the forthcoming week-long India-US-Japan Malabar naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal from July 10.
The Type 813 AGI ship displaces about 4,000 tons and is used for SIGINT/ELINT data pertaining to the performance of radars and their IFF transponders, telemetry, navigation systems and acting jamming systems. There are two domes on the vessel’s superstructure that house high-sensitivity passive sensors for recording distant enemy radar emissions.
The PLAN presently operates six AGI vessels. The Beijixing 851 (Polaris) servfes with the East Sea Fleet, the Haiwangxing 852 (Neptune) with the South Sea Fleet, the Tianwangxing 853 (Uranus) with the East Sea Fleet, the Tianlangxing 854 (Sirius) with the North Sea Fleet, the 855 AGI vessel with the South Sea Fleet, and the Kaiyangxing 856 (Mizar) with the North Sea Fleet. 
The seventh such vessel is now being fitted-out at the Shanghai-based, CSSC-owned Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard.
The China-India Standoff Explained  
With Maps

155 comments:

AVIRAL said...

Prasun da,
Do we have such ships with SIGINT/ELINT capabilities? Do we need them? Any info on land vased SIGINT/ELINT capabilities of Navy??

AVIRAL said...

PLA claims that their armoured brigade conducted military exercise in Tibet at 5100m altitude.. http://m.indiatoday.in/lite/story/china-india-military-drill-doklam-plateau-pla-armoured-brigade/1/995334.html

joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

1. the map uploaded by you shows China virtually claiming the entire east bhutan, has got something to do with areas proximity to tawang

2. the area in white seems to be already gobbled up by China

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sikkim-standoff-china-accuses-india-of-misleading-public/article19214827.ece

3. points by manoj joshi are worth discussing

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/on-india-china-himalayan-face-off-china-may-just-have-a-case-4735853/

4. I dont understand at one hand Tibetan say china is oppressing them but they they allow themselves to used as herders by China to lay claim to territory of other nations, Han Chinese dont heard cattle in Tibet, using cattle herders China has gobbled land in Nepal, Bhutan, Arunachal (i remember a Times Now report when Mr.India Wants to Know was shouting that China has steadily captured lot of areas in eastern part of Arunachal)

5. Since the border with Bangladesh is now fully settled (after chitmahal exchange) why cant India negotiate a deal with Bangladesh to acquire some land in east of siliguri for strategic reason as that will not only widen the chickens neck area but also allow for a better access for North East India bypassing the troubles of Darjeeling/Gorkhaland region

your view

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

Anonymous said...

Thanks. That clears the ground situation a lot more and the maps really help as the bull-shit that is being thrown up daily by the news channels are completely confusing and completely subsumed by their political leanings.

Kane

Girish said...

http://idrw.org/chinese-media-calls-for-sikkims-independence-scrapping-of-unfair-bhutan-treaties/

"...... the Chinese official media has called for Sikkim’s “independence” and separation from India ......"

"......Although China recognised India’s annexation of Sikkim in 2003, it can readjust its stance on the matter......"

".......As long as there are voices in Chinese society supporting Sikkim’s independence, the voices will spread and fuel pro-independence appeals in Sikkim......"

Given the language used by the 'Global Times' above, war would not be merely likely, but inevitable.

It is quite one thing to criticise our supporting Bhutan, which after all is a sovereign state, but quite another to talk about separating a legitimate (and recognised) state of the Republic of India from India. Fermenting trouble (or even hinting at it) within our borders is for all purposes a call to war, albeit not an overt one. I am guessing they seem to have learnt that behaviour from their long association with Pakistan.

I think it is time we openly started discussing about the independence of Tibet and Taiwan from the PRC.

It is quite astounding to read the tone used in the above editorial. It is so obviously an amateurish bluster that one wonders how the supposedly intelligent Chinese expect the world to buy into the crap they are spewing. Difficult to believe they come from the same country/culture as Sun Tzu.

Unknown said...

Prasun: What are the plans to upgrade existing T-90s?

Manu Singh said...

Prasun,

Have a look at this guy's argument !!

http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/the-sikkim-patrol-clash.html

Apologies in advance for using bad language. But what an arsehole !!

Technology, Photograpy and Travel said...

Love the camera attached to the Persicope ...

Millard Keyes said...

HMS Queen Elizabeth https://youtu.be/dN-j7aRZ4S4

Prasun do you think China is deliberately provoking reaction from India by using its controlled media in a pseudo free speech? All the rants from Chinese media such as brutal annexation of Sikkim and pro independence movement etc to see if India blinks. If India challenges China would say the government never said anything it is the press and Chinese people.

Ujjwal said...

Prasunda,
1.If IN has any plan to induct any such auxiliary general intelligence ship ?
2. For IN , which kind of intelligence gathering vessel is most suited, how many are required and in which places those would be deployed?
3.http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/back-off-or-china-will-readjust-stance-on-sikkim-chinese-daily-1721258
http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/sikkim-did-not-merge-with-india-to-become-a-sandwich-between-china-and-bengal-sikkim-cm-pawan-chamling/story-UQjMKOoTUhtH7vF45Xcc2K.html
Is there any connection in between these two? Is there anything to be worried from these two news?
Thanks, regards

Gaurav said...

As again Mr modi has left Israel w/o much on defence deal and moved on to Germany.dont what if there are any substantial gains thru this foreign visits.we still don't have a full defence min and again modernization had slowed down. This govt does not know that public support has an expiry date. Even S70 NMRH deal is canceled which was so crucial...your thoughts prasun..what we need to do to quickly make up for the lost time

Devopriyo said...

Another of PKS' prediction or was the Indo - Russian Joint production a different project ?

http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/07/110-helicopters-to-be-bought-under-made.html

Ram Bharadwaj said...

Prasun what was the outcome of Senator M'cain visit to Pak? Are the Trump admin and Senate defence Committee on same page w.r.t Pakistan? Will this visit deter IA in its operations at LOC?

AsmitS. said...

Very confusing stuffs happening now a days in our country sir.Can you please explain to me why and how?
Kerela is said to be most developed state.Even you said so.But the actions happening truely DON'T say so.Like recent comment of Kerela's CM quoting Israel as an "terrorist" nation DURING the time NaMo is in Israel.Don't you think that it's height of immaturity of a such a big official of India's most literare state?

Parth said...

OFB 7.62X51mm NATO firing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFPjKRpjS0k

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

KSEW to Get Synchrolift from Norway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwPTNMRAauk

PAF’s Aviation City: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdWjH8_CL1c

PA COAS Visits Pano Aqil 4-7-2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0AsP1QGNRs

IAF MiG-23UBK Crash on 6-7-2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q--4rEi5cgA

To ASMITS: Why are you so surprised? the RM of UPA-2 A K Antony had always refused to either visit Israel or to invite the Israeli Defence Minister to India. Some Indians like to show themselves as being more Arab than the Arabas themselves. So don't be surprised by such Nautankis/Naatakaarans/dramatists.

To RAM BHARADWAJ: LoLz! While the PA wanted the US Congressional delegation to see their LIC Museum in Waziristan, confirmation has now come that the TTP & their ISIS supporters have started consolidating in Aurakzai Agency. The entire populace in FATA is totally alienated since the draconian regulations enacted since December 2014 make India's AFSPA look like a an extremely liberal piece of legislation!!!

To DEVOPRIYO: The IN's reqmt for a LUH is best fulfilled by the single-engined LUH that HAL is now developing. Main role of the NLUH will be provision of flying training for all IN rotary-winged pilots destined for flying the 10-tonne & 12-tonne NMRHs.

To GAURAV: It is always easy to target the present-day govt, while forgetting what mistakes were committed by past govts. For example, take the NDA-1 govt led by A B Vajpayee. While there are many who wanted ABV to be awarded the Bharat raztna, this very same ABV in 2003 recognised TAR as an integral part of China in return for China recognising Sikkim as an integral part of India. But now China is saying that when it refers to TAR, it is inclusive of southern Tibet, i.e. Arunachal Pradesh. So, by recognising TAR as an integral part of China, India has by consequence also recognised Arunachal Pradesh as being an integral part of China. You see now how China springs such traps? Unfortunately, very very very few in India have really bothered to analyse the mindset of a citizen of Mainland China. The majority in India eithyer always paint a citizen of the PRC as being 9 feet tall, or always get over-awed by the material progress that is visible only in coastal southern China.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AVIRAL: No, neither the IN nor DRDO possess such AGI-type vessels. Yes, the exercises were conducted in TAR, but nowhere near the LAC. The exercise area was near the Kunlunb Shan Mountain Range that is closer to Xinjiang & hence the photos of them now in the public domain don’t show any begetation whatsoever. For realistic high-alttude/highland wartfare, the PLA exercises in a plateau that’s close to the India-Myanmar-China trijunction. Later tonight, I will upload the ORBAT of the PLA/PLAAF in the Tibet Military District Command that will give a comprehensive picture of the balance of military forces.

To JOYDEEP GHOSH: 1) Not Tawang, but the Siliguri Corridor. 2) Nothing of that sort has happened on the ground. 3) The conclusions are WRONG, since that piece does not even consider the 2012 understanding that was reached by the Special Representatives of both countries WRT maintaining the status quo in the Chumbi Valley area. 4) How can intimidated folks oppose the power emanati8ng from the barrel of the gun? Only other option left for them is to self-immolate. 5) Haven’t you heard of the Teen Bigha Corridor that was obtained in 1996?

To KANE: Will upload later tonight more illustrations & maps of the PLA’s helicopter bases, airspace surveillance radar stations, SIGINT stations & POL Storage facilities inside TAR, plus some new photos of the ZTQ-105 light tank.

To GIRISH: Well, in case China officially embarks on this path, then it also leaves the door open for India to revoke her recognition of both TAR & Xinjiang as being integral parts of China. You should not be surprised from what’s emanating from Beijing. The rulers of China since 1949 have all hailed from the peasantry & therefore are devoid of sophisticated intellect. All the nobility of Mainland China fled to Taiwan in 1949.

To SHANTANU KUMAR: Nothing’s changed since DEFEXPO 2016.

To MANU SINGH: He’s not the only one. There’s another one called Subramanian Swamy, who came out as a buffoon YET AGAIN yesterday in this interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iKLeVFNOKo

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PIERRE ZORIN: LoLz! Aren’t you enjoying the pig’s daily squealing? And all this is happening when POTUS Donald Trump hasn’t even commenced his tweeting on this subject! So, can you now imaginge how pissed off Beijing will be once Trump enters the fray & sharing his ‘thoughts’? Will Communist Party of China then demand from its citizens that they completely strip off & participate in a million-citizen fully nude march in front of the Embassies of both the US & Indias?

Now Vietnam is helping India piss off China even more through this:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/strategic-move-vietnam-renews-india-oil-deal-in-tense-south-china-sea/articleshow/59478405.cms

To UJJWAL: 1) No. 2) Not reqd. 3) That should be welcomed, as it will then free India from the past blunders made by Pandit ‘Chacha’ Nehru WRT India’s recognition of TAR & Xinjiang as being integral parts of China. Did you know that when India recognized China in the UN back in 1949 & approached China for establishing diplomatic ties, the Chinese replied by asking India to outline the reasons why such a relationship/mutul recognition is necessary??? And they have the gall to evoke Panchsheel when everyone knows (including you, I presume) that the Panchsheel Treaty between China & India had a validity period of only 8 years & it had expired way back in June 1962.

To AMIT BISWAS: Read this: http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/sikkim-did-not-merge-with-india-to-become-a-sandwich-between-china-and-bengal-sikkim-cm-pawan-chamling/story-UQjMKOoTUhtH7vF45Xcc2K.html

Will you still persist in you support for the Gurkhas & their demand for a Gorkha Land? In reality, Darjeeling has overgrown, become over-populated & hence the provision of even basis public utilities is now quite difficult, thanks to the unavailability of funds from WB. And the Gurkhas have been led by the nose by highly mischievous people like the MP S S Ahluwalia who is always promising the Gurkhas the impossible just for the sake staying elected as an MP from Darjeeling. It is he who promised tio break up Bengal & the Gurkhas fell into this trap by falsely assuming that once they have their own state, they will also be additional funding from the Centre for all their desired welfare programmes. Sadly, this will not happen & all their pipe-dreams will sooner or later come crashing down & S S Ahluwalia’s perfidy will stand exposed. So, do go a bit deeper into this matter & you will realise how the Gurkhas are not just challenging the writ of law of Bengal’s law-enforcement agencies, but are also challenging the legitimacy of India’s federal Constitution. Sikkim’s native Lepchas & Bhutias have already suffered a lot from these polygamous Nepalis, while Bhutan took remedial steps as far back as the 1990s. If India & Bengal do not, then we are sure to face only apocalyptic disaster.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nNu4cA_8gw

Watch this interesting panel discussion in which China's Political Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi uploads his soundbytes WRT the standoff on YouTube at a time when YouTube itself is banned throughout China! Wish NaMo like Trump had tweeted about this & said: Doesn't this guy have anything better to do?"

VINOD KUMAR said...

Sikkim’s native Lepchas & Bhutias have already suffered a lot from these polygamous Nepalis, while Bhutan took remedial steps as far back as the 1990s. If India & Bengal do not, then we are sure to face only apocalyptic disaster. Sir please elaborate what kind of disaster?

rad said...

hi prasun
does it take much to jam the shit, blanking the chinese sigint ship from receiving any signals from close quarters. As a radio enthusiast i know i t will be next to impossible to to get anything meaning full in the face of spectrum jamming and underwater noise created to blanket all forms of sensitive stuff.??
do we have our own sigint ships?

joydeep ghosh said...

Prasun da

1. i asked the below question regarding image number 16 uploaded by you as east bhutan is virtually next to tawang district

'the map uploaded by you shows China virtually claiming the entire east bhutan, has got something to do with areas proximity to tawang'

2. you said to #Aviral IN doesnt have AGI type ship but AFAIK and you too have told that IN is due to receive a Ocen Surveillance Ship being built at HSL to track missile. Cant the same ship be used as listening post by adding additional sensors

3. the 3 bigha corridor doesnt help in case of siliguri corridor

4. India should lok to also acquire land from eastern eadge of nepal o setup a connection between sikkim and bihar thereby creatign a alternative route of access for sikkim

your view

Joydeep Ghosh

Ankit Singh said...

Prasunda,
According to you What are the steps that India & bengal need to take wrt gurkhas?

Anonymous said...

@Prasun,

NaMo or DM or anyone in the gov could do that but won't and you know why? They are literally hoping this would go away. IA are doing all the running.

Why is this Gorkaland issue being blown out of all proportions? Lot of these are patriots in the real sense that they put their lives at risk for the motherland. Reading up about this area, it seems this area was offered by the British to Nepal but the King at the time refused to protect his own family. Do you see this turning into an independence movement and is there a chinese hand behind these troubles?
I feel NaMo could just go down there and sort this out very quickly. His touch is needed.

RAT

Jasgill said...

sir, why india does not go with Rafael f4 co develop, co produce and scraps amac, fgfa or single engine fighter jet, I think f4, super sukhi along with lca great combination and also iaf save money for other products

Zaphon said...

Thank you for the most informative posts Mr. Sengupta. The maps and tables are very interesting.
What is the number of troops/ equipment China has in the indicated region vs India? How do the air forces compare for deployable assets in theatre?

rad said...

hi prasun
i forsee the death of the akash -1 as the astra comes to induction .I n all ways the astra is far superior, equal range, more maneuverable due to smaller size , active homing radar , aesa radar for guidance etc , net centric, more missiles per launcher etc.
your comment s please?
what western or russian sam will you equate it to.?

Ravi said...

Prasun, I'm confused. The map shows Dokula in west Bhutan. Some papers have been referring to 'trijunction'. None to be seen here. So are the Indian troops from the XXXIII Corps' 20 Division? Don't they normally hang around in India and not in Bhutan?

Thank you for all your work to educate us.

RAT said...

Hi Prasun,
Good read indeed however feel really bad how the idoits (politicians) have and are making mess again and again and still boasting of well informed they are. We don't need enemies to destroy us these people are quite capable of doing so. Wondering what next?

Ronit said...

Hi Prasun,

1.Rawalpindi has again started sabre rattling with its new Nasr variant. As the QR-SAM is being envisioned for providing mobile anti air protection for our mechanised and armoured formations, can the missile be modified to enable it to intercept the Hatf-9 missile ? If this can be done , we will able to pour cold water on Pakistan Army's grand plans for interdicting our IBG with their Nasr missile.

2. The QR-SAM poster you had posted gives the maximum engagement altitude of the missile as 6000 mtrs. Isnt this a bit low compared to other E-shorad systems out there like the Tor M2KM, Spyder SR .

3. When the missile has a active RF seekerand needs only mid course updates, why is there a BFCR attached to each MLV ? A singtlke battery with 4 MLV has 4 BFCR according to that poster. When the missile is radar connabd link guided then there is a requirement for such an arrangement. But here the missile doesnt need to be guided all the way to the target.

4. The deal for 164 Litening 4 I for the Indian airforce , has this deal been signed ?

Harsh said...

Hello prasun sir,
1. Do you have any status update on project-17a i.e. has the keel been laid for the first frigate as construction was to begin from early 2017.
2. What about Pakistan's new found aviation university and fifth generation fighter goals?
3. The drdo qr-sam looks more like a sa-8 gecko. Any relevance.
4. Why are Pakistanis addicted to the term 'cold start'. Do you see India dismantling pakistan in next 20-25 years.

Thank you.

Rahul said...

Dear Sir

Today the Pakistanis have announced plans for FIFTH GEN planes
ie most likely J 31

Also PLAAF will get J 20

So can F 16 s Block 70 take them on

Will the purchase of F 16 Block 70 Reduce the Number of RAFALES

Anonymous said...

Many people across various media channels are questioning why is it that Chinese are threatening us and our media is busy on other things. Here is a good explantion of why or have we been bought out?

https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/07/07/china-arnab-goswami-border-tension

Bhav

Millard Keyes said...

Rawalpindi is now called Mulk-e-Atankbad FYI ;) I had the pleasure of naming it!

Tharun said...

Can please post the present strength and composition of PLA ground forces facing India.

RAT said...

LOL so is it going to be US funded J31s or China gifted does Pak have that kind of money to even operate and maintain them forget about purchase Bhikaristhan

smith said...

sir, the current india & china crisis are really related to doklam or is it something else? china's current warning are really the signs that india is going to attack gilgit & baltistan after the monsoons and china want to secure its investment and plans in pakistan which runs from these areas to the gwadar port? does they want to create a second thought in the mind of indian policy makers and delay the indian plans with this? namo visits to the foreign lands specially russia france usa israle and other countries are related in getting the support and their weightage when india executes its plan and counter enemy states like china and pakistan from portraying india as a aggressor?

to derail or delay the indian plans is it possible that china may really conduct small confrontation(limited strike) in sikkim area only (note: china choose oct month during 1962 which could be the same timing for india's plan between nov to dec)?

is the current timing picture perfect for namo to accomplish the india's pending goals of reunifying kashmir, which would also solve major security issue of the country and would help for further plans (economic & military)? or this could be delayed till the end of 2018, which will also help him to gain the next level of popularity in the country and will mellow the hardship that the people of this country has gone through during demonetization and tax reform which was for betterment of this country? will this also help namo for the second term for his party?

the current media is not paying much attention to china's posture and actual reality on ground if china is in the position and readiness to do so. and how well india is ready to address any aggression from china. you have already posted lot of information on this in your posts and answers that you are providing to the people like us who have queries and also want to analyze there findings and thoughts by sharing on this blog.

sir, would you please share your comments and views on the above which could help me in understanding the current situations and geopolitics much better.

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,

(1) India rolls out red carpet for Myanmer military chief .
http://www.rediff.com/news/column/indias-quiet-victories-around-china/20170707.htm

(2) Claude Arpi posted 2 interesting article:

A) The Xinjiang takeover: China’s master-stroke
http://claudearpi.blogspot.in/2017/04/the-xinjiang-takeover-chinas-master.html

B) The Great Game over Sikkim
https://claudearpi.blogspot.in/2017/07/the-great-game-over-sikkim.html

3) About Gorkhaland issue:

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha(GJM) have failed to deliver in all these years. Be it the matter of regularisation of teachers and council workers or other issues, the GJM has not done anything.The GJM is cut up with West Bengal C.M over the formation of the various development boards like- (Lepcha,Bhutia,Rai,Limbu,Sherpa,Tamang development board). The GJM is afraid of losing the people’s support,so there is revival of Gorkhaland-issue.Due to CM’s initiative,Now Kalimpong is a district & Mirik a sub-division. Because of the unrest,the tea-timber-tourism,which is the backbone of the economy of this region is affected.The “second-flush Darjeeling tea” is badly effected.
Dada,you rightly indicate the role of Mr.Ahluwalia. Not only Gorkhaland , Mr. Ahluwalia also sympathetic to the demand of Kamtapur .This MP is try to fishing in troubled water. A dirty political game is on & they can't understand that jharkhand,Telangana & Darjeeling is not same.North Bengal or Darjeeling's geographic location is very important & it has 3 international boundary.
Why Mr. Chamling is so frustrated? Few days ago Mr. Chamling wrote a letter to the HM in support of Gorkhaland.And now he feels Sandwiched between China & West Bengal!...........What he want?




joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

something massive has happened, looks like china will be tackled before pak

https://thewire.in/155657/lobsang-sangay-central-tibetan-administration-tibet-flag-india-china/

today abdul sattar edhi/father teresa of pak died last year, pak really needs good people like him

remember sometime back i had said India shhould invite SAARC nation heads to Republic Day the govt has now gone ahead and is inviting heads of 10 Asean nations

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-invite-heads-of-10-asean-nations-for-republic-day-celebtations/articleshow/59497883.cms

your views

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

buddha said...

https://youtu.be/kEWiGIq1MRA
They are also getting hint of something is going to happen

smith said...

https://youtu.be/6IXlLdtKIxQ

buddha said...

http://www.janes.com/article/72099/serbia-s-mti-develops-hybrid-air-defence-system
Does Indian armed force need this type hybrid solution ..Multipurpose...

buddha said...

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201707081055370609-korean-peninsula-deescalation-plan/
At last common sense prevailing ...

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAVI & SMITH: Well, yesterday more mumbo-jumbo was broadcast to further confuse everybody, especially by a Mumbai-based delusional twit:

http://www.ndtv.com/video/news/the-big-fight/border-standoff-is-china-pushing-the-boundary-462352?video-featured

Why has China done it? Elementary, to teach Bhutan a lesson for not attending the BRI Summit in Beijing & boycotting it like India did, & by extension also try to draw a wedge between Bhutan & India because Bhutan is now actively discussing with India & Bangladesh the development of several hydroelectric projects in which all 3 countries will be risk-sharing financial investors. If this happens, China will lose all prospective economic leverage since the BICM/BIMSTEC economic corridors will start succeeding, thereby rendering BRI inconsequential. So, China wants to prove that BRI is far superior to BIMSTEC/BICM. Hence it is exerting pressure on Bhutan so that Thimpu buckles & opts for BRI instead of BICM/BIMSTEC.

That China unilaterally has violated the status-quo with Bhutan WRT unresolved territorial boundaries is universally recognised & in the coming few weeks statements will start emanating from the EU, Japan & the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office as well. From a military standpoint, construction of a Class 40-load road into Doklam Plateau will allow the PLA to bring ion its mediium tube artillery & MBRLs for use against the Siliguri Corridor that is a mere 50km to the south of the Plateau. Presently, if China were to bring its artillery units into the Chumbi Valley, it will be entering a funnel that gets narrower as one goes southwards from Yadong to the tri-junction. Hence, the PLA is highly vulnerable to artillery fire-assaults launched from the west in Sikkim, where the IA's positions throughout eastern Sikkim are so dominating that they overlook the ENTIRE Chumbi Valley & also the Chinese town of Yadong. Also from northernmost Sikkim there's a valley called the SORA FUNNEL that opens up to the flat plateau immediately below in Tibet. From here the IA's mechanised/armoured formations can easily enter Tibet & immediately make an extended U-turn towards the Chumbi Valley, completely cutting it off. This option is main task for the existing 3 Mountain Divisions of the IA that are currently deployed inside Sikkim & the Siliguri Corridor & this is the main reason why the IA is expanding its existing armoured regiment into a full brigade while another armoured regiment at Kalimpong too is being expanded into a brigade. On top of that, if a force of at least 50 Rudras are dedployed at Kalimpong & eastern Sikkim, the IA will be able to vertically envelop the entire Chumbi Valley. This place, therefore, is the worst place for China to fight with India. Hence, the PLA will never engage in kinetic actions there, but will try to choose elsewhere, like in the Barahoti area or Walong in southeastern Arunachal Pradesh. And that's what keeping me busy as I'm shuttling almost daily between Charbatia & Chakrata.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SUVO: Chamling is supporting Gorkhaland because he hopes creation of such a state will lessen the number of Gurkhas inside Sikkim! It's indeed surprisinjg how short-sighted he can be. The GJM has long been penetrated by 5th columnists & their topmost anarchists are all hiding now in either Nepal or inside TAR & hence the Bengal Police requisitioned amateur HAM operators to tap into the communications of absconding the GJM leadership. China will be extrenely stupid to let go of such an opportunity. Also, do note that when Chinese newspapers talk about encouraging Sikkim to break away from India, they're not making empty threats, for it was discovered 3 years ago by India that China's intelligence agency (Ministry for Public Security) had successfully penetrated 80 major Buddhist/Tibetan monastries starting from Ladakh all the way to Gangtok & Rumtek, although at that time this had more to do with the issue of Panchem Lama/Dalai Lama reincarnations.

Kunal Jadhav said...

Hi Sir,

Please can you tell are rudra helicopters ready to be deployed. If yes how many of Rudras are currently in service with army.
Since helina is not ready which anti tank missiles rudra will be using.

Unknown said...

@ All Bloggers

More alternate hill people view from Jaideep Majumadar, Sarajya Magazine:

https://swarajyamag.com/politics/after-setting-fire-to-darjeeling-hills-banerjee-clueless-on-dousing-the-flames

Some of its extracts are as below. note how conveniently only one sided view is being propagated. it is the own undoing of the Government of West Bengal that this issue has again come up. Ultimately it will be crushed for sure. Note how self created dissent is used by enemies to foment trouble. Some extracts here below:

"Utter insensitivity, and a complete lack of understanding and appreciation of the sentiments of the hill people, has caused the latest flare-up in the Hills. Add to that Banerjee’s propensity to shoot off her mouth, view all issues through the ‘me-versus-them’ prism, intolerance of contrarian views and ride roughshod over opposition. Banerjee’s ham-handed attempts to increase her political footprints in the Hills has also contributed in a big measure to the unrest there."

Demand for seperate gurkha homeland is not a new one.

"The demand for Gorkhaland, a separate state for the Nepali-speaking Gorkhas within the Indian Union, is an age-old demand. It was first articulated by the Hillmen’s Association of Darjeeling in 1907 through a petition submitted to the Minto-Morley Reforms Panel demanding a separate administrative setup. In 1917, the Hillmen's Association submitted a memorandum to the chief secretary of the government of Bengal, the secretary of state of India and the viceroy for the creation of a separate administrative unit comprising the then Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts."

"The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) led by Subash Ghisingh launched a fiery agitation in 1986 for the formation of Gorkhaland. The agitation ultimately led to the establishment of a semi-autonomous body in 1988 called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) to govern certain areas of Darjeeling district. The DGHC experiment was a failure since the then CPI(M)-led Left Front government refused to honour the commitments under the DGHC Accord.

In 2007, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) once again raised the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland and launched a protracted agitation. The agitation ended with the GJM signing an agreement with the Union and state governments for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous body replacing the DGHC. The GTA was to have been given administrative control over many departments in the Hills and much greater financial powers than the DGHC, but the Banerjee government dragged its feet and failed to honour the promises made in the 2011 Accord."

"However, to look at the current agitation sweeping through the Hills as a result of the failure of the state government to honour the 2011 accord would be deeply flawed. As many intellectuals and prominent citizens of the Hills will say, it is not an issue of autonomy, but of identity. “Yes, the non-implementation of the provisions of the 2011 Accord, and before that the DGHC Accord, by successive governments in Bengal has totally eroded the credibility of the Bengal government and created a trust deficit that will be impossible to bridge. So even if the Bengal government now promises to fulfill all provisions of the 2011 agreement and make the GTA a truly autonomous body, the people of the hills will not be convinced. But the issue now is much greater than that. It is one of identity,” said a very respected academic, who used to teach English at a reputable college in Darjeeling."

Wish good and balanced reading of the issue by all.

thanks

kunal kaistha

Soikot Banerjee said...

Sir, Any idea of the BMP-2 based Muntra UGV? The last time i heard it of undergoing trials in Mahajan firing range. Any idea what happened to it thereafter.
Regards
Soikot Banerjee

joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

your views on the below link

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/india-ready-theoretically-threats-to-siliguri-corridor-war-gamed/433789.html

to me securing the fight will be over in the chicken neck in first few hours, high time we start negotiation with bangladesh to acquire land that will help widen siliguri corridor

to me the reason why if ever PK Chamling is supporting Gorkhaland issue is that he wants the issue to be settled once and for all, as his state and people have been held ransom by gorkhas of darjeeling for far too long. This tension has cost his state lot of money,

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sikkim-says-bengal-caused-rs-60-000-crore-loss-in-gorkhaland-agitation-to-file-case-1721423

the best idea is to negotiate a deal with nepal to gain a patch of land directly linking sikkim with bihar that will allow sikkim to bypass the gorkhas of darjeeling. If that happens Chamling will be happy to flip the double birdie at the gorkhas of darjeeling

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

girishimmortal said...

Dear Sir,
Have been reading your blog and this is my first message:
I Keep a close watch on Pakistani Political and Economic Affairs and as per my reading their Economic Collapse is very much a possibility this year unless rescued by IMF Bailout.
1.Their currency reserves are at $16 billion (not including reserves with private banks).
2. Current account deficit in FY16-17 will be around $12 billion
3. Trade deficit in FY16-17 : $34 BILLION
4. Not much FDI as CEPAC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor is debt financed).
5. They will be requiring $6 billion next year to pay back the interest on loans.
Therefore there total forex requirement next year will be around $20 billion. China like this year may extend 2 to 3 billion dollars at maximum. Pakistani Rupee by depreciating 3% last week gave a glimpse of what is going to happen in the next 12 months.
Sir my question is that given that China will not extend more than 2 to 3 billion dollars they will have no choice but to go to IMF for a 10 to 15 billion bail out package. With Donald Trump at the helm of affairs and a revised Afghan Policy, which is going to come by July end, which will be adverse to Pakistan, IS THE USA GOVT. HAS ANY PLANS TO PUT A SQUEEZE ON PAKISTAN AND EXTRACTING CONCESSIONS ON ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM OR ON ITS TERROR LINKAGES. THIS IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY. WITHOUT A BAILOUT THEIR RUPEE WILL TOUCH 140 TO ONE DOLLAR.
Please advise
Regards
Immortal

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,
Thanks for the reply.
Tibetan government-in-exile hoisted Tibetan flag on the shore of Pang Gong Lake in Ladakh.
Global times will now stop talking about freedom of sikkim.

AMIT BISWAS said...

charbatia has ARC base...what about chakrata????

bhoutik said...

couldn't the Vikramaditya flight deck do without the red & yellow surface markings? looks garish

could the tech from bellatrixaerospace's engine for their chetak vehicle be used for developing a propulsion package for mars?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To UNKNOWN/KUNAL: Darjeeling is being held to ransom by anti-India anarchists like the GJM, which has been steadfastly supported by the BJP's anarchists like S S Ahluwalia. Those very folks you refer to as 'Hill people' were more than happy to be classified as 'Plains people' while they were settlers inside Bhutan after migrating from Nepal. After Bhutan kicked them out, they came to India when they should have been stopped at the IB by the SSB & should have been deported back to Nepal for registration with the UNHRC. It is because of this abnornal rise in Gurkha population (aided by widespread polygamy) that is the source of all troubles & therefore, today it is in Darjeeling & tomorrow it will be in Kalimpong. Clearly, the CAPFs responsible for safeguarding India from infiltration by foreigners have failed, just as they did earlier in Bengal & Assam since the 1970s. As per Indian law, state govts don’t guard borders, the CAPFs do. So, if any infiltration of illegals from anywhere has taken place, the CAPFs are to be held responsible. If the CAPFs are allowing such infiltration, then clearly they are doing so at the Centre’s behest. That’s why even a BJP govt in Assam has not yet been able to deport even a single so-called illegal Bangladeshi migrant. And these Gurkhas are hand-in-league with the Kamtapur separatists who are doing the gun-running for the GJM & at least 6 such supply tranches have so far been intercepted over the past 12 months. Even the Centrre has realised this greater game-plan & therefore is silent on the issue of Gorkha Land, & that S S Ahluwalia has been told to keep his trap shut, period. So, don’t get carried away by all the propaganda unleashed by such dubious publications. Instead, do some serious soul-searching & independent research on this topic & avoid over-simplifications offered by the non-Bengali duffers/buffoons sitting in Delhi who only know to dabble in polarising Gujrati, UP & Haryana politiking. That’s why there’s not a single Bengali represented in that party’s apex policymaking body & they’re being used only as foot-soldiers to be used as cannon-fodder. Identity-based politicking is not what India needs & the GJM & are their supporters are clearly indulging in it as they are the ideal anti-nationals.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To VINOD KUMAR & ANKIT SINGH: In order to obtain longlasting solutions, the problem must first be properly diagnosed. So let’s start from genesis. Firstly, ,any districts in Bengal have always had a peculiar political economy of local institutionalised violence systems. These have been instruments of violence but also of social control. The CPM deployed them effectively since the late 1960s to challenge the writ of the state, which led to the total subversion of the state’s law-enforcement agencies. Once in power, the Left Front, who wanted to emulate the 1-party countries like the USSR & China, clamped down heavily on all civil liberties, especially the freedom of speech. One could now argue, perhaps rightly, that Bengal’s residents rightly deserve all this mess for keeping the same Left front in power for 35 years non-stop. And the transition from CPM to TMCwas less violent than many feared, because these institutionalised systems of local control simply defected wholesale. Today, thanks to the Left front’s legacy, Bengazl is financially bankrupt, meaning majority of its annual revenues are used for debt-servicing & not on developmental spending. This then causes civil discontent throughout the state due to dashed hopes & unkept promises. Hence, the repeated cover-ups of incidents of communal violence by the TMC & over-reactions to conspiracy theories. In North Bengal, areas bordering Bangladesh are the poorest due to stagnating agricultural incomes & these folks then get motivated to indulge in criminal activities like smuggling of just about everything to make ends meet. Consequently, the state-level law-enforcement agencies there too have been compromised & are complicit in all acts of crime. Naturally what follows next in such lawless voids are non-state actors that have set up several high-class madrassas that are attracting students from Kerala & Jharkhand, as well as Indian separatists in league with Bangladesh JMB terror outfit that adores ISIS. Undoubtedky, therefore, religiosity-inspired radicalism is growing among Bengal’s rural Muslim communities. But the TMC govt refuses tgo acknowledge this since it wants to milk vote-bank politics & therefore smells a BJP-inserted rat everytime the BSF intercepts smuggled consignments. The TMC-controlled Bengal Police therefore receives instructions from the State Home Dept not to file any FIR, & all gathered forensic evidence is immediately destroyed by the local area’s SP nbon Laal Bazaar’s express instructions. The BSF is thus helpless & the NIA can’t even construct a criminal case worth prosecuting. At the same time, the TMC ain’t practising minority appeasement by any chance. Bengal, with a 27.5% Muslim population of 2.5 crores, has a total budget in 2017-18 of Rs. 2,815 crores for its Minority Affairs Dept--a per capita allocation of Rs. 11,433. Karnataka, with 13.2% Muslim population of 78 lakhs, has a Minority Affairs budget of Rs. 2,750 crores—a per capita allocation of Rs. 35,256. Telengana, with 14.2% Muslim population of 44.6 lakhs, has a budgetary allocation of Rs.1, 279 crores or Rs. 28, 677 per head. Telengana spends twice as much and Karnataka three times what Bengal spends on its minorities. So why is Bengal accused of "appeasement"?

Cont’d below….

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To cap it all, comes the polito-communal tinderbox. The politics of free speech has always been communally coded throughout India: We don’t want to defend the principle, but convert it into an argument of over my mob versus your mob. Every party has used the politics of free speech to mobilise communal passions. Bengal, in particular, has an abysmal record on free speech whether in universities or lack of support for writers like Taslima Nasreen. Under both the Left and TMC, Bengal has been the paradigm case of progressive hypocrisy when it comes to defending freedoms or condemning mobs. This is why this mob violence will have larger national & apocalyptic ramifications. Second, Bengal has always had a deep communal undercurrent. Despite massive differences, Bengal and UP are more similar in one respect: it has been politically easier to make the case in these two states that the non-BJP governments have practiced the symbolic politics of minority appeasement. Charges of religiously partisan and communal policing, more overt alliances with Islamic radicals, and a cruder minority “vote bank” politics abound more easily in Bengal and UP, than they have for instance in a state like Bihar, where the politics of minority incorporation is more sophisticated. And that explains why all the BJP leaders charged with handling Bengal hail from either UP or Haryana & a few from MP—but none from Bengal. Third, there is no question that creating and fishing in disorder will be a central part of both the Left Front’s & BJP’s strategy in Bengal. Only this explains why both parties sent their reps to Bashirhat, instead of waiting for Section 144 to be lifted. Anyone caring for national interest would never have indulged in such partisan politics. Instead, any rught-thinking patriot would have preferred to be part of an all-party delegation to visit the riot-affected areas after tempers had subsided. That this will never be done (rest assured) shows just how selfish the political parties are across-the-board. So, what’s the solution?

It’s elementary & is rooted in economics. Unless Bengal rids itself of its financial indebtedness, no party-in-power will be able to deliver. They will continue making only promises that can never be transformed into reality. Without a debt-restructuring formula, the flow of developmental funds will become even lesser as the years go by. If the Centre is unwilling to restructure the state’s debts, then the state itself will have to go out of its way to attract economic investments. And there’s an excellent opportunity here that has recently sprung up: all those abbatoirs involved in cattle slaughter throughout the country should be invited to set up shop throughout north Bengal along with related down-stream industries like Tanneries—all of which are also export-orientged. Concurrently, entrust the DRDO’s Life Sciences laboratories to devise novel methods of humanely putting the animals to permanent sleep, instead of brutally slaughtering them while they are still alive. Thirdly, Bengal should be the pioneer in legalising the export of old discarded cattle to neighbouring countries. This can be done efficiently & legally & this in turn will automatically act as the biggest deterrent to the illegal smuggling of cattle across India’s borders. This is but 1 of many ways of increasing Bengal’s revenue inflows which then can be pumped inmto developmental projects in north Bengal. If this is done, 90% of the current prevailing discontent will disappear forever, that I can guarantee.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AMIT BISWAS: It hosts Establishment 22, better known as the Special Operations Group—originally created & equipped by the CIA & raised by the IB in 1963 along with the Special Services Bureau (SSB) which today is called Shasastra Seema Bal. The role of the SOG is similar to that of the US Marine Force Recon. The President of India will be in Dehra Dun later today & the whole area is under a security lock-down. Very erratic power-supply due to dilapidated nature of the power transmission network there.

To JOYDEEP GHOSH: So far, the best appreciation of the China-India standoff at the tri-junction can be read here:

https://www.newslaundry.com/2017/07/08/panag-india-china-sikkim-bhutan

But, like most others, the Lt Gen too has got the location of Doklam Plateau wrong because he has shown it at the tri-junction, whereas in reality the plateau is further up north (refer to my maps above).

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To HIMANSHU VIJ: Any final-assembly line for any combat aircraft stabilises only after the first 65 airframes are built. As the proficiency-level increases, the pace of rollouts also picks up. There are presently more than 8,000 BEML-TATRA vehicles in-service with all 3 armed services & therefore, on a per-unit cost basis, is is FAR CHEAPER to buy, operate & maintain the same type of truck, while a heavy-duty multi-axle vehicle from either TATA or ASHOK Leyland will be far more expensive.

To SUVO: Kolkata Police Arrest Fakje-News Peddlar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK_-bPGoF_U

Ex Malabar 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94b33_ysHTw

AMIT BISWAS said...

" Kolkata Police Arrest Fakje-News Peddlar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK_-bPGoF_U "

" The TMC-controlled Bengal Police therefore receives instructions from the State Home Dept not to file any FIR, & all gathered forensic evidence is immediately destroyed by the local area’s SP nbon Laal Bazaar’s express instructions.The BSF is thus helpless & the NIA can’t even construct a criminal case worth prosecuting "

at one point you are believing into KP version of story and another time you are bringing true reality out.....that itself shows the dubious charateristic of KP led by asshole and cunning CoP Rajeev Kumar........and still you are trusting him......I wonder how???

and BTW you said WB police/KP/ wb home department dont cooperate with central ....and yet these offices are led by IPS/IAS recruited from UPSC expected to do impartial service to nation rather than toeing the political lines....and if they do toe political diktat to get plum postings with malaidaar maal to be looted who is to be blamed ????

and again you seem to be supportive to actions taken by officer cadre of police administration in Darjeeling .... I wonder how????

SPD said...

@Prasun Da
Are you consulting RAW in Chinese maters?

If yes than we can rest assured, the nation is in safe hands.

Anonymous said...

Hi Prasun,

What do you make out of this coming from the Chinese media about a 3rd country entering Kashmir, and also about somebody may challenge India's ownership of Andaman and Nicobar islands in the future.

http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/third-countrys-army-could-enter-kashmir-at-pakistans-request-chinese-media-1722604?pfrom=home-lateststories

Best Regards
Raj

smith said...

Comments from Chinese Media that Third Country's Army could enter kashmir at pak's request are the signs that I have queried in my previous queries.

joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

who is PP Ghosh?? :-)

this is plain sabre rattling i hope, if not then its serious

http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/third-countrys-army-could-enter-kashmir-at-pakistans-request-chinese-media-1722604?pfrom=home-lateststories

some say there are stract similarities in Modi-Xi & Nehru-Enlai interactions with regard to border, so will it lead to heavy skirmishes by 2022 on LAC something which are seeing now on LoC

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

SUJOY MAJUMDAR said...

PrasunDa,

As always you have made very erudite observations about the situation in West Bengal. Hat tip to you.

It's surprising that some people will cite BJP mouthpiece Swarjya & low life writer's like Jaideep Mazumdar to prove their point on Gorkhaland. I need to make a couple of points :

(1) For the uninitiated back in the 80s militant Gorkha leader Subhash Ghishing wrote a letter to the King of Nepal asking him to take over Darjeeling by force from India.Furthermore.

The Gorkhaland movement in Darjeeling has clarified that there is no legitimate basis for annex Darjeeling to India.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Nepal#Gorkhaland_Movement

(2) Those clamouring for Gorkhaland backed by BJP/RSS munnas stating that it is a question of development fails to answer the question why Nepal and the Gorkha territories in Nepal are so backward. In fact Nepal is the poorest country in South Asia.

(3) The BJP/RSS will allow both Darjeling and other parts of Bengal (like Basirhat) burn because that allows them to divert public attention from BJP ruled states like Maharashtra ,MP (where farmers have been killed in police firing)& now Haryana.

(4) Political parties from Bengal like Mamata's TMC lack the stamina or the intent to drive away Gorkhas or Muslim illegal migrants like Bhutan did. Nepali migrants had tried to remove the King of Bhutan from power back in the 80s & that's why Bhutan took stringent action against Nepalis.

(5) There is a final point worth stressing - the BJP has zero intention to drive away illegal Bangladeshi/Pakistani muslims from Bengal. They just want this 27%-28% Muslim vote bank to migrate from Mamata to BJP. In fact most BJP [cheer] leaders in Bengal were commies till 2011.


Thanks for reading.

-Sujoy


Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AMIT BISWAS: I don’t have the luxury of believing anybody’s version. Instead, I dig out those facts that are not in the public domain & then reach the necessary conclusions. No single law-enforcement agency, especially the state police forces, can be blamed for any wrongdoing for as long as they are at the mercy of the state govt administrations. Even though IAS & IPS cadres are part of the law-enforcement machinery, they are bound by the Constitution, which states that law & order is a state subject & therefore the Centre CANNOT interfere in any manner, for good or bad. Unless & until the long-overdue police reforms are enforced by all states of the Indian Union, dysfunctionalities will prevail—this being the writing on the wall. Therefore, you need to look at the bigger picture, instead on focussing on just one state or one police force. Maybe this will help you get a better understanding of just how dysfunctional the existing internal security set-up is:

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-internal-threats-kashmir-issue-naxalities-protest-against-government-internal-insecurity-4743274/

To SPD: Who’s consulting whom & for what is known only to the Gods of Yore & those who are directly concerned/involved.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAJ, SMITH & JOYDEEP GHOSH: LoooLLLLLLLLLLLzzzzzzzzz!!! Such mumbo-jumbo can emanate only from those buffoons who have NEVER READ either the UNSC 47 or about the CFL negotiations that led to the Karachi Agreement of 1949. For starters, they should read those scanned pages that I had uploaded from a book written by the late Lt Gen S K Sinha, who was directly involved in the negotiations in Karachi in 1948. The buffoons are therefore comparing apples with oranges.

For starters, PoK inclusive of Gilgit-Baltistan was always & is still regarded by the UNSC as sovereign Indian territory & that’s why UNSC had mandated that ALL Pakistani citizens were required to get out of J & K. This in turn meant that the UNSC upheld the legal sanctity of the Instrument of Accession signed by the erstwhile princely State of J & K in October 1947. Furthermore, whenever there arose a dispute during negotiuations in 1948 about control over enclaves of no-man’s land along the ceasefire line, India—not Pakistan—was given the first right of refusal (meaning it was up to India whether or not to accept control over such enclaves) AGAIN because the UNSC had then stated that since the erstwhile princely state of J & K had legally acceded to the Indian Union through the Instrument of Accession, India had the first say on whether or not to accept control over these enclaves, meaning the Instrument of Accession was used as the final/decisive tool for arbitration.

What all this proves is that J & K was never & is not disputed territory as per international law, but is an integral part of sovereign India. The ONLY TWO countries today who label J & K as disputed territory are Pakistan & China in total contravention of international law & UNSC resolutions, & therefore their self-righteous narratives will never stand up to scrutiny in any court of law, rest assured. Hence, any move by China to militarily intervene in or through PoK will be regarded as an act of war by India & will never go unpunished. China is more than welcome to base its military forces anywhere else in Pakistan, but not in PoK or through PoK as this will tantamount to violation of India's sovereignty.

As for the Doklam Plateau, all bunkers inside it are under the control of & are maintained by the Royal Bhutan Army & not the PLA. There are no Chinese post offices of police stations inside the plateau, meaning China does not exert any administrative control over any portion of the plateau & thus legally, China cannot claim sovereignty over the plateau. Lastly, as per international law, all international treaties have a lifespan of only 100 years. Consequently, treaties inked way back in 1890 no longer enjoy any legal sanctity.

In conclusion, those buffoons/duffers who are trying to draw parallels between Doklam Plateau & PoK will be well-advised to do some archival research & base their conclusions on facts derived from material evidence, instead of self-righteous, concocted & contradictory ASSUMPTIONS that serve to fool only their domestic constituencies.

Ravi said...

Hi, Prasun.

Wasnt it you who told me years ago there are 2000 Chinese soldiers, probably People Armed Police, in Gilgit, protecting their road-building teams? I've heard this from others, too.

IIRC, Pakistan has taken Gilgit-Baltistan out of POK and has direct rule over G-B. I mean, to the extent Pakistan Kashmiris have any rule in the first place.

Amusing to hear Pakistan now calling for Azad Kashmir.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAVI: The PAP detachments were posted there pending the raising by Pakistan of the 10,000 Special Security Force making up 3 Brigades, with the soldiers all being decommissioned earlier from the PA after fulfilling their short-service stints. They were recalled to make up the new force. GB has not been taken out of PoK but GB used to be referred to as Northern Areas since the 1970s. Both in the so-called AJK & GB there are no direct elections to Pakistan's Parliament & the whole of PoK is ruled directly from Islamabad. If Pakistan wants to annex GB & AJK then it will be violating the UNSC 47 resolution & will give India the perfect excuse for declaring war against Pakistan for the sake of recovering PoK & reuniting it with J & K state.

To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: Less than 24 hours after I had stated that certain non-Bengalis from UP & Haryana were over-eager to dictate the future of Bengal, here's the definitive proof of my observations:

BJP Raja Singh's Hate Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHEAuSU_YCk

BJP's Nupur Sharma Dessiminating Fake News/Photos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I618JNyitg

Does anyone want any more proof about the nerafious intentions of such creatures?

Meanwhile, here's a recent report on the on-going disturbances in Bengal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V97yqNSRdEU

And BTW, did anyone take note of the fact that the photos released by China on armoured exercises in TAR did not show any Type 96B medium tanks, but instead they were Type 96A tanks? The Type 96Bs all have 900hp air-cooled diesel engines that make them totally unsuitable for high-altitude manoeuvre warfare, while the Type 96As have the Russia-origin V84MS 740hp water-cooled diesel engines (same as those on India's T-72M1s & T-72CIAs). The ZTQ-105 light tanks with 105mm cannons on the other hand now have the 740hp water-cooled diesel engines, but such vehicles won't be able to survive against T-72s & will therefore be used only against dug-in infantry forces inside bunkers. I had explained this all in a previous thread.

Also to be noted is this: http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/private-firms-miss-out-on-rs-2-400-cr-tank-upgrade-deal-117070800765_1.html

In fact, I had alluded to this here: http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2017/01/mapping-out-incredible-rollercoaster.html

It was a foregone conclusion that OFB Medak would secure the contract, since it involves a 'deep upgrade' that can only be done in partnership with the OEM, i.e. Russia's KURGANMASHZAVOD (http://www.kurganmash.ru/en/). And OFB had teamed up with this OEM, while other competing Indian companies had not--a fact totally glossed over the the 'desi bandalbaaz'. The upgraded BMP-2s will feature new-design 'Kliver' turrets (see: http://www.kurganmash.ru/en/turrets/turret_bmp2/) & will also be armed with new 30mm AGLs & Kornet-E ATGMs.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

MOSSAD looks to start-ups for new espionage tech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTKTGch1wpg

While this ignorant twit hasn't yet figured out why Japan does not have a navy, but instead has a Maritime Self-Defense Force:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HPZgNJKINc

Thehundered said...

Kliver Missile and 30 mm Gun Turret
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkkrrVKUaWE

Prasun, As shown above in the video link..Is that what the new-design 'Kliver' turrets look like on upgraded BMP-2s? and how many BMP-2s will be upgraded? Thanks.

Manu Singh said...

Prasun,

Here is your editor from Force writing on Doklam:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/faceoff-may-boomerang/434685.html

He projects a pretty bad picture!!

soi said...

Sir,
Recent tweets from Saurav Jha claims that tejas mk2 and even AMCA is as good as dead, though he hasn't given some solid reasons but says that ADA has not much to do. What are your thoughts or info on the same.
Regards
Soikot Banerjee

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,

terrorist attack on Amarnath yatri. I am Frustrated. How long we suffer? 70 yrs. not enough? Our retaliation is limited to destruction of some Pak-bunkers & Kadi-ninda. Thank god the bus kept running & the presence of mind of a muslim driver. Hindutter dhawjadharira ki bolbe?

joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

heard om youtube today that Ashley Tellis who was your senior saying that China probably believes that time has come for to show no more need to accomodate Indias interest and that Chinese Prez is hell bent on expanding the borders of China.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rdyXa7uewc

Also heard on the youtube video that before upcoming party congress China is either likely to buckle or pushup the ante


but if so why India wants to conciliatory approach

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/exercise-strategic-maturity-india-asks-china/articleshow/59548163.cms

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To MANU SINGH: LoLz! Firstly, no one's 'my editor'. No one owns me/commands me & vice versa. I am only an editorial contributor. Secondly, the assessments are indeed 15 years old & part of those includes this: "With strengths of 18 to 20 divisions (not difficult for them to muster fast), the PLA could sever the Siliguri corridor"

Even as of now, leave alone 18/20 Divisions, not even one has been mobilised/deployed anywhere near either the Chumnbi Valley or facing northern Sikkim. Why? Where are the so-called Rapid-Reaction Forces of the PLA? Why have additional PLAAF combat not been dep0loyed to Lhasa Gonggar or Shigatse? Therefore, at best, this standoff will last till the onset of winter & by then then the PLA will buckle & negotiate for a a mutual withdrawal since the PLA will want its ill-equipped Border Defence Regiment troopers there to freeze to death, as they were never trained to such missions, despite they being ethnic Tibetans.

To JOYDEEP GHOSH: Instead of paying attention to all the speculatory rif-raf being blurted out by various Indian newspapers, one should listen to what's coming from those who have direct knowledge of what's going on. For instance, this:

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/the-only-way-to-deal-with-the-chinese-is-directly/article19259254.ece?homepage=true

To SUVO: This is happening because the concept of retributive justice is not being applied to the real enemies. Instead, retributive justicfe is being applied only to suspected cattle smugglers or alleged beef-eaters. Maybe that's why Mumbai-based Shic Sena yesterday called for the BJP & its affiliates to send their 'Gau rakshaks' to take on the terrorists inside J & K! I agree with this suggestion. For a change, let all those who were recently highly concerned about the survival/welfare of Bengal's 70% Hindu population now be challenged to go to Ground Zero in J & K & physically protect the Amarnath yatris. Let them prove who's the real 'Maii ka Laal'. I'm sure they will be the last ones to come in between harm's way & will expose themselves as bheing dogs full of bark but no bite at all.

Gopu said...

Why did no Indian company partner with Slovakia's MSM consortium to upgrade IA's BMP-2s to the already designed and built Sakal IFV specification? This upgrade package is more advanced and comprehensive than the Russian OEM's offering.

Also the Finnish BMP upgrade is considerably cheaper than the OFB-Kurgan offer on a per-unit basis. Doesn't this sound surprising?

Sakal IFV:
https://www.msm.sk/downloads/11/msm_tech_list_ifv_sakal_en.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZDqKmimDKY

Tololing said...

Sir,Your inside details are illuminating as always.
I have a few queries.

http://indianmilitarynews.com/2017/07/air-force-planning-to-construct-108-next-generation-aircraft-hangers/
1.Will this solve the issue of our fighter aircraft in the NE bases being vulnerable to Chinese NLOS ballistic missile strikes?

2.Would you please clarify what is exactly going on with the army's rifle procurement drama.First they said multibarrel.Then cancelled.Then indigeneous.That too rejected.Now another RFI.

3.Can upgraded t-72s in ladakh stop chinese t-96A and t-99s ?I have doubts.Why were not T-90s deployed instead.Will the new 464 T-90MS atleast be deployed facing china?

4.Chinese posters in defence forums often brag about their 300 km MBRL being able to smash IA ,is this feasible?

5.What sort of ATGMs equip our infantry in the NE?Are they sufficient for chinese heavy tanks in the areas where such vehicles can be employed?

6.Why are all 3 strike corps directed at Pakistan.It seems 3 strike corps would only be necessary in a total war scenario which is unlikely under the nuclear threshold.Should we not instead redeploy one of our strike corps to the chinese front?

7.Can our brahmos regiment and air force(keeping in mind s-400 deployment in TAR)destroy the main 3-4 rail road links supplying chinese forces in tibet quickly in a war?Are the Scalp cruise missile in rafales with BROACH warheads meant for that in part?

8.What is situation regarding towed artillery and truck mounted artillery?IS ATGS to fulfill towed requirement,or JV with foreign gun?Where does dhanush fit in into the equation?And its all quiet in motorized artillery dept,you had hinted Caesar might be favourite at one time.

Thank you.

Unknown said...

@ SUJOY MAJUMDARJuly 10, 2017 at 11:58 AM
it is ironical that on the one side swarajya magazine is being trashed as some mumbo jumbo whereas wikipedia is being quoted as an authentic source. whereas the article in swarajya mentions certain facts which till date i havent found being factually rebutted, but swarajya is being trashed. Articles from "the wire" is authentic although its owner Mr. siddharth vardrajan is an american citizen and has the right to comment on india from USA, but the same for somebody based in India is trash! it is ironical indeed. My humble suggestion that rather than talking about the symtoms of gorkhaland agitation do consider going into the grievences and look for solutions there. Rest assured gorkhaland will never be created till the time gurkhas for indians are gatekeepers and hence racially inferior. What the BJP is doing to Mamta is returning her in the same coin as she returned to the Centre by first passing the GST in assembly and then joining the opposition ranks criticizing it.

Anonymous said...

@Prasun,

Excellent reply to SUVO. But you cannot change the mentality of these gau/modi rakshaks. They only ever attack the weak, who is off course completely out numbered. Asking them to fight for the nation on the borders or in dangerous spots is totally no no. They will shit their pants.

RAT

Bernard Woolley said...

Prasun ji, why is Mr. Sawhney falling for the Chinese line so easily? Surely he knows better than this?

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/faceoff-may-boomerang/434685.html

Rajesh Mishra said...

I think this crisis is due to the ever growing internal contradictions of the Chinese Communist Party.

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA, Thanks.
"....concept of retributive justice is not being applied to the real enemies."-SAD.
So,let the 'Gau rakshaks' to take on the terrorists.-HA..HA...HA..HA..
Those who were recently highly concerned about the survival of Bengal's 70% Hindu population have no idea of our history & culture.It is the land of Rabindranath-vidrohi kobi Nazrul.It is the land of Kobir-Lalan-Ramprasad-Baul. So,it is not easy to disturb us.
But the problem is that, there is cultural difference between early-migrant & recent-migrant. Due to that there is some politico-cultural degradation which create fault lines. And every society have some goons who utilizes those fault lines.

joydeep ghosh said...

@Prasun da

iremember somtime backk you had said the major powers are ncluding China is thinking of reducing military numbers so India too should cthink about it but as long as Pak China issue remains we cant think of it, China may be hoping that idespite cutting troops it can continue to pinprick India either itself or via Pak. But china that has land dispute qith many natons can it really afford the downsize

http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-to-downsize-army-to-under-one-million-in-biggest-troop-cut-report-1723603

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh

Anik said...

Center authorised Army to make emergency purchases with no cap on spending:: http://m.indiatoday.in/story/indian-army-china-pakistan-sikkim-doklam/1/1000695.html


Also today we lost 2 of our soldiers to pakistani sniper fire. Most of our casualties on LoC are because of their snipers. We have under invested in sniper rifles and we are still using old SVD with no equipment to measure wind speed and corriolis forces which is needed for long distance sniping. We also need a dedicated sniper school. Your views Prasun da..?

Anik said...

Correction in my previous comment: Rs40000 cr. Cap on spending

Srinivasa Nanduri said...

Hi Prasun,

As per twitter feed on Indra, LCA MK2 is dead and ADA don't know what to do with the F414 engines from GE. Is it true.

What a waste of money.

And read somewhere on net, that India is on verge of signing licensed build deal for 90 rafale f4, is it true?

So with LCA mk2 dead, is amca plans shelved too?

Regards,
Srinivasa Nanduri

Anonymous said...

Prasun, nobody asked this question yet.
Why did Rahul Gandhi meet Chinece Envoy? Why is he criticizing our PM, instead of supporting the government against Chinese aggression?
Moreover, it looks like GoI is failing against the leftist Media. For these leftist libtard, the Hindu life is less valuable than a Muslim life.
Similarly, the RW Hindus have been murdered by Leftists and these are not news in English media. So far more than 16 Hindus have been killed and more than 100 have been injured by leftist cadres since left came to power in 2016.

Ravi_N

Kapil said...

Sir, 7 Amarnath yatris killed in Kashmir, 2 soldiers were martyred today. We have not seen any decisive change on the ground ever since ceasefire was enforced in 2003. How many livesare to be lost before IA destroys PA in PoJK and crush their jihad once and for all?

Zaphon said...

@Srinivasa Nanduri, do you have a link to any story about 90 Rafale F4 planned for license manufacture

Anonymous said...

DO you think it will be this year when the Chicken's neck area is taken from Pakistan?
Could this be reason why China is threatening our Chickens neck area? Except they could end up will all of the far east.

What is their game plan?

Rohit

Millard Keyes said...

How is it India did not try to secure Armata Tank and IFV as well as this new version of SPH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN9d-CE9zr0
I never ever see Indian military using either APCs like these:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRyn7ZhyW7E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UMevCQBMuM
What about the NIMR range which would be ideal in the deserts and arid areas for special ops?

buddha said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3XXbSLA1Yo
Pakistan Is A Fake Nation & Will Get Over Soon Pakistani Scholar

buddha said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj4_FuijBfg
WION Gravitas: A look at the reasons behind the India-China standoff in Doklam(WION Gravitas)

lachit said...

is the LCA MK2 program still alive and being pursued ?

or has it been ditched as per the rumors

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To BUDDHA: Excellent expose on Pakistan JIT Investigations on Pak PM’s Corrupt Ways:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52oqpGIMyBA

To GOPU: Why? Elementary. All the former Warsaw Pact member-states in Europe have nothing to do with Russia in the arena of military-industrial cooperation & therefore they give a damn when it comes to violation of Russia’s IPRs. India isn’t in the same position & had India spurned the Russian OEM & opted for some other OEM, India would have had to pay a very heavy price indeed.

To RAJ: No, not at all. India’s move into PoK will be made at the right time & optimum circumstances.

To UNKNOWN: Gurkhas as Gatekeepers for Indians? FYI it was the Gurkhas that massacred 300+ Indians at Jalianwala Bagh on the orders of their Irish military superior. I hope you haven’t forgotten that by transforming into GHAJINI-style memory-lapse.

To BERNARD WOOLEY: Why? That question ought to be put to him. I’m not in the business of trying to read the minds of others in order to understand their motives/intentions simply because I’m incapable of doing so, like any other human being. Thereforte, it is best that you kindly contact him directly & seek the answers.

To ANIK: here’s more data on this subject:

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ministry-of-defence-ammunition-procurement-indian-army-cag/1/796684.html

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SRINIVASA NANDURI: LoLz! Don’t worry, for it is a temporary hitch due to someone’s curse levied against ADA. All that one has to do now is to collect as much cowdung as possible from all corners of India & smear the whole of ADA with it & the cowdung’s healing qualities will lift the curse & everything will be back to Square One. In the final act, the MoD will be reqd invite Dr V K Saraswat from NITI Ayog to do the honours by breaking a few coconuts & do some pujas in front of a burning flame & the LCA Mk.2 will rise like a phoenix, I hope. If not, it doesn’t matter. The folks at ADA can go back to playing Solitaire in their consoles at the Indian taxpayer’s expense.

To RAVI_N: Why? Because that ‘Pappu’ is a thoroughbred twit/buffoon who has nothing better to do except glorify suicides by those claiming to be Dalits. After all, it takes one loser to get to know another. But he shouldn’t be blamed, for it is his parents who should be held accountable for his faulty upbringing & inherited value-systems.

To LACHIT: How can they be deported back to Myanmar when Myanmar has never recognized them as being its citizens? Plus, how to establish from where the Rohingyas started their journey? From Myanmar, or from Bangladesh? Thjose Rohingyas who are smart always take the trouble of getting themselves registered with the UNHCR, because that’s their own proof of existence. They don’t have any documentation to prove that they are citizens of another country.

To ROHIT: No. I had always stuck to the 2018 timeframe.

AMIT BISWAS said...

How true is this report

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/amarnath-yatra-attack-jammu-kashmir-police-informants-killing-2-months-ago-may-hold-key-to-attack-on-yatris-4749679/

Does these intelligence back channels deserve to be revealed in public forum ??

http://idrw.org/indian-navy-launches-hunt-to-acquire-110-helicopters-in-5b-deal/

Also any thing from yourside on this ?? will it frutify ever given the shortage of funds and more important ASW helicopter purchase pending??? it seems the IN is in love with western platforms and wont consider other options ever

http://idrw.org/indian-navy-launches-hunt-to-acquire-110-helicopters-in-5b-deal/

Unknown said...

1) Prasunji, ajith doval is flying to China later this month while gopal baglay has insisted this stand off will be solved diplomatically.

While I certainly hope for a peaceful solution, it seems we are showing signs of a climbdown.

R v about to surrender doklam to the Chinese?

2) You mentioned that we cut the pla off at doklam by going behind them. My question is how much of the plateau do the pla currently occupy?

Thanks

Rahul said...

Dear Sir

Is it possible that China has opened the Doklam Plateau front
to RELIEVE Pressure on Pakistan

And why has the LOC with Pakistan become Quiet

Is Pakistan preparing for the Next Round

Will BOTH of them spring a surprise

Millard Keyes said...

Those interested in watching the French military might on showcase Jour de la Bastille 2017 with Monsieur Macron et Monsieur Donny Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeFckU1f4EU

Anonymous said...

What option do we have if China were to capture the chicken neck area and declare the north east to be a separate nation?

Rohit

Harsh said...

Sir, we had contracted for a total 272 su-30mki out of which 8 have crashed while the contract is still not fulfilled and production is ongoing.
My question: will the 8 crashed aircraft be replaced or we will end up with 264 aircraft when production concludes?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your reply wrt to Rahul Gandhi.
But the Media considering him as the Prince that India is waiting for when the common man knows that he has a brain of the size of peanut.

Ravi

Pratap said...

I bet this will be in air before the so-called AMCA. Time to junk it and join them in this project. France and Germany to develop a new 5th gen fighter together www.defensenews.com/articles/france-and-germany-agree-to-jointly-build-new-generation-fighter-jet

Millard Keyes said...

Ravi these days brains do not count- the question is whether he has dump truck size balls to withstand pressure and a firehose like penis to shove it up those bastards who dare try and stick their arses in Indian business.

Rohit: The choices are- go dragging the feet at PRC, undies around the ankles and say "sorry just crapped in my pants " OR like a cricketer does- get to the pitch of the ball, right behind,show the full face of the bat and hit the ball where it came from invoking a Parliamentary session and immediately resolve to declare Tibet as an Independent nation and Taiwan is a sovereign country. This is the answer to your second question.
There is No answer to the first question because I don't think India is running a KFC store in the chicken neck area awaiting Chinese drive in orders.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AMIT BISWAS: This is not actionable intelligence-related news & therefore is not compromising anything. Instead, iot is now part of the material evidence reqd for criminal prosecution. But since the perpetrators are mostly Pakistanis, no prisoners are reqd to be taken & they can be eliminated through excessive force during encounters. Of the 110 helicopters reqd, the majority will be single-engined platforms to replace the remaining SA.316B Alouette IIIs, for which the HAL-developed LUH will be selected. The rest will be 10-tonne & 12-tonne helicopters, like the S-70B Seahawk & either AW-101 or the HH-92 Supwerhawk. And do watch these:

Hizbul Mujahideen Chemical Weapons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-avCwxi4M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIO1xM5eYn0

The plan is to create an international incident so that UNSC Resolution No.47 gets transferred from the Chapter 6 mandate to the Chapter 7 mandate. This so-called ‘global exclusive’ is not new at all. In fact, my ‘inter-stellar/inter-galactic exclusive’ is that this plan for using either Chlorine or Mustard Gas was hatched way back in mid-September last year.

RPG-7s Enter Kashmir Valley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1TPpvvJUuI

Such weapons are quite easily available from Pakistan nowadays, given the almost daily discoveries of such weapons caches inside Pakistan:

Dera Adam Khel 11-7-2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BHlfoabJVo

D G Khan 14-7-2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSwquQiIjFg

Finally, 21 Naval Air-Defence Battalion Building in Ormara Opened:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJzfftvSubY

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SANJAY SHARMA: LoLz! Both sides are exploring ways for a climbdown because the onset of winter in the months ahead will make it iompossible for both parties to maintain their deployed tents/soldiers in that desolate plateau. Don’t forget that both sides learnt their lessons from the 1986 Wandung Incident that took 8 years to defuse. So rest assured that no one will surrender Doklam to China. And for those who don’t know it yet, the IA’s soldiers never crossed from Doka La for entering Bhutan’s Doklam Plateau. Instead, the Brigade-strong IMTRAT team that is always present in Bhutan sent 300 of its soldiers & officers to the Doklam Plateau to halt the PLA’s road construction there. The PLA doesn’t have any permanent post anywhere inside Doklam Plateau. Only further northwest of the plateau the PLA has radar stations & SIGINT stations plus helipads, primarily to keep an eye on the IA’s movements & provide early-warning incase the IA comes out through the Sora Funnel in the Finger Area with mechanized infantry & armoured brigades in order to capture the entire Chumbi Valley. That’s why the PLA wants to extend build a railway line from Lhasa to Yadong so that it can quickly transport its armoured forces in order to stop an IA land offensive in that area. Meanwhile, do watch this interesting discussion on this issue from the Indian side:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQhEgutLdUA

And the Chinese perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdsP4D_MRNg

To RAHUL: Not at all. This has nothing to do with Pakistan.

To PIERRE ZORIN: Turkish Women Bring Bollywood to Istanbul:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrFH6OrtRBE

To ROHIT: Elementary: India then pre-empts that move by being the first to launch its mechanised/armoured brigades through the Finger Area’s Sora Funnel & capture the entire Chumbi Valley. China cannot do this because along the entire stretch of the western & southern portions of the Valley, the IA’s three Mountain Divisions (17, 20, 22) are sitting on dominating higher altitudes along with their tube/rocket artillery assets. In other words, if the PLA dares move below at the Valley’s base, it will be a turkey-shoot for the IA, like snipers picking off their targets with ease.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To HARSH: The number of in-service Su-30MKIs will reach 350 by 2020, rest assured.

To PRATAP: The ONLY 2 avenues open for the Tejas Mk.1 are: 1) procure about 80 tandem-seaters as LIFT platforms. 2) Optimise the LCA (Navy) Mk.1 as a shore-based maritime strike platform, with secondary air combat capability. The IN can easily procure 40 such platforms after arming them with Kh-35UE ASCMs, plus Derby & Python-5 for self-protection. Such platforms can be based at Jamnagar, Kochi & the A & N island-chain. I find it bizarre that the IAF is still being allowed to maintain maritime strike platforms like MiG-29UPGs armed with Kh-35 ASCMs & Jaguar IMs armed with AGM-84A Harpoons. Why should the IAF be entrusted with suich taskings is impossible to comprehend.

To SUJOY MAJUMDAR & SUVO: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/cross-border-maoists-in-darjeeling-bengal-govt/article19280518.ece?homepage=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5za2P98SXU

I can now confirm that this is all very true. 2 weeks ago a consignment of 36 9mm pistols & country-made 7.62mm revolvers & related ammo rounds were recovered during a raid from some GJM cadres & they had revealed that these weapons were obtained from Nepali Maoists from across the border. In addition, a certain monastery located on a hilltop in a neighbouring state was sending Ham radio messages through a high-power transmitter in Tibetan language to a destination inside TAR. The perpetrators have since been nabbed. Meanwhile, efforts are reportedly on to create widespread communal violence in North 24 Parganas & Malda, where adequate stockpiles of illegal firearms & IEDs exist. Everyone’s now waitying for a spark that will likely take the form of such inflammatory rants:

BJP MLA Brij Bhushan Rajput's Hate Rant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHRl62aKHwc

That will be enough for the flames to erupt. Of course matters will worsen when elements like the ex-CPM card-holder & the current local TMC leader and Panchayat Upa-Pradhan, Shahjahan Sheikh and his gang will take the bait & get incited, despite being reprimanded several times before by the TMC’s top leadership. But as they say, old habits die hard. This is the infamous Shahjahan Sheikh’s bio-data:

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-key-peddler-of-fake-indian-currency-notes-arrested-in-west-bengal-2072711

http://www.dailyo.in/politics/tuktuki-mondal-west-bengal-kidnap-babusona-ghazi-justice4tuktuki-simi-jei-saradha/story/1/5382.html

I’m just setting the record straight in order to map the anatomy of a man-made disaster that’s waiting to happen.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

Rosoboronexport, the Russian state-owned military company accounting for about 85% of all exports, alone sold military equipment to about 70 countries in 2015, the US DIA report said. Fifteen smaller companies make up for the other 15% of exports, which totals about $2 billion a year, the DIA report said. This means that the actual number of countries that bought military equipment from Russia in 2015 could easily be more than 70. Moscow also said last year that it sold $14.5 billion in military equipment overseas in 2015, the DIA report said. From 2012 to 2016, Russia sold weapons to 50 different states, as well as rebel forces in Ukraine, and Moscow remains the second-biggest arms exporter in the world—behind the US.

https://info.publicintelligence.net/DIA-RussiaMilitaryPower2017.pdf

AMIT BISWAS said...

" Hizbul Mujahideen Chemical Weapons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-avCwxi4M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIO1xM5eYn0

The plan is to create an international incident so that UNSC Resolution No.47 gets transferred from the Chapter 6 mandate to the Chapter 7 mandate. This so-called ‘global exclusive’ is not new at all. In fact, my ‘inter-stellar/inter-galactic exclusive’ is that this plan for using either Chlorine or Mustard Gas was hatched way back in mid-September last year. "

So this incident if happens /or the plot is discovered with concrete proofs pointing to pakistan will led to the expected flashpoint between india and pakistan sooner ???

what would be the role of uncle sam in it??? means which side they will take???about russia/eu/china??? god sake this would be a diplomatic headaches for all??

Also how does the UN resolution will be affected if it is shifted from chapter 6 to 7...can you elaborate??? Also does chapter 7 allows UNSC to solve kashmir issue militarily??

also as said by k c singh will pakistan take such heinous steps to raise the stake in kashmir conflict at all??? Also

AMIT BISWAS said...

I’m just setting the record straight in order to map the anatomy of a man-made disaster that’s waiting to happen.

finally you agreed that malaise does prevail in bengal at the behest of local thugs patronized by ruling parties of bengal time to time......and one common thing about all those malaise is they all are islamist radicals...

and some people here like suvo and sujoy majumdar here are day dreaming that bengal is a land of tagore and blah blah and that will save them from the wrath of muslims......its very easy to say that by typing on keyboard...my suggestion is just go and visit the interior areas of basirhat sub division and you will realise whats happening there......

charles darwin said survival of the fittest is the way of life on earth .....so i believe that applies to various religious sect too....if hindus dont get united and protect themselves ....they shouldnt expect others to come forward to help them...and they do deserve ethnic cleansing just like now happening in west bengal and previously east bengal aka bangladesh...

and prasun sir...these bengal police IPS it seems are very active against gorkhaland activists...fine if they are doing anti national activities like transmitting ham signals to TAR they do deserve rap on the knuckles...but what stops them to take action against the muslim perpetrators of basirhat .....i just hope this mamta begum allah ko pyaara ho jaye ...half of the problems will get solve there itself

AMIT BISWAS said...

http://idrw.org/pakistan-contacts-india-for-habibs-recovery-pakistani-media/

Is this true prasun sir.....inshallah this could be bargaining chip for kulbhushan yadav then...i just hope india and pakistan form a institutionalized way of swapping spies just as ussr/usa times

buddha said...

YouR proposal for Tejas Mk.I as LIFT and naval maritime role is really inspiting ..Hope you somehow convince the MOD about the utility and ecosystem of the homegrown fighter and face saving effort..
This production line may help to go through for other research resource..
Another query...Is there any thought still now or in near future to arm B.hawk 132 to arm for close air support...
When shall decisions on F16 take place and how long it will take...
Reading your report on west Bengal ...It is shocking to see how coming days will be ..

accidental loser said...

http://mybs.in/2UXHDWn
VP of European Parliament speaks on Doklam Standoff. BTW is there a way one can contact with you/your company for business purposes?

SUJOY MAJUMDAR said...

PrasunDa,

Brilliant insights about Darjeeling & GJM. As always the Delhi, Mumbai based media is completely clueless. GJM has always backed the terrorist group Gorkha Liberation Army whose members were apprehended in Arunachal last month after they were returning from Nagland where they received weapons from Naga terrorist groups.

There is another important aspect about Gorkhas that the media pretends to overlook - conversion. A significant number of them have been converted to Christianity by UK, US based churches & the UK govt. is putting a lot of pressure on the Gorkhas to demand a separate state so that Gorkhas do not have to be rehabiliated in UK once their service is over but rather can be send to India.

Gorkhas have always been mercenaries who have offered their services to the highest bidder which in colonial times ,was the British. Gorkhas lost almost all the wars they fought against Sikhs & British and yet the Brits created this image of them being "fierce warriors" simply because they could be tamed. Today Britain overhypes them because they are used by UK as cannon fodder & consequently they reduce casualties among White soldiers.

The modus operandi, of Gorkhas has always been sneaking into opponents tents and beheading those who are asleep. While this is completely acceptable in war this is certainly not bravery. Even today why would a Gorkha fight for Britain, apart from money?

British historian & Professor of Military Science and Doctrine, Chris Bellamy notes in his book The Gurkhas - Special Force

http://www.historyextra.com/book-review/gurkhas-special-force


Although Gurkha solders had been in British service since 1816, it was perhaps the Indian Mutiny that cemented the relationship with the British.

The Gurkhas held a unique position in the armed forces of the Raj. Being Nepalese, they were outsiders, just as the British were, and often had little sympathy for Indian troops. They were cheaper to employ than the British, but were “just as reliable”, with a fearsome reputation.

This made Gurkha units extremely valuable to the British.

As General Sir Charles Napier noted in 1849, a Gurkha force added to British troops would create “an army able with ease to overthrow any combination” of Hindus or Muslims, or indeed an alliance of the two. The outbreak of the mutiny only eight years later demonstrated the prescience of these words (although the fact that Sikh regiments remained loyal was also of great importance).


Now BJP/RSS nutjobs thought of teaching mercurial Mamta Banerjee a lesson & provoked GJM, Gorkhas to fight the Bengal administration. This was God send for China & Nepali Maoist. They will now be happy to take a bad situation in Darjeeling & make it worse thereby putting more pressure on the Indian Army. West Bengal police is a joke anyway.

And before I forget the "BJP/RSS hindutva lobby" is already discussing billions of dollars of investment with China in Mumbai today while lecturing non Hindi speakers on nationalism.

http://indianexpress.com/article/business/hundred-chinese-automobile-firms-attend-make-in-india-seminars-4749340/

Thanks,

Sujoy





SUVO said...

PRASUN DA, Thanks.
The venom of fundamentalism is the enemy of Humanity.They try to destabilize Bengal for a political purpose.

AVIRAL said...

China involved in creating unrest in Kashmir:Mehboba Mufti. http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mehbooba-mufti-meets-rajnath-accuses-china-of-meddling-in-restive-kashmir/story-BspnoKvkyTBXpVW6fvYbUP.html

So finally from Northeast they are moving to Kashmir. What will be the Consequences & our possible response?

AVIRAL said...

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sabotage-suspected-in-arjun-tank-engine-1177317

???

Rajesh Mishra said...

I believe in your vision of the Tejas Mk.1 procured about 80 tandem seaters as LIFT platforms by IAF. Further with the optimization of the LCA (Navy) Mk.1 as a shore-based maritime strike platform, with secondary air combat capability and procurement of 40 such platforms by the IN after arming them with Kh-35UE ASCMs, plus Derby & Python-5 for self-protection.

Perhaps this may also really help develop the LCA-Mk2 if desired.



Jay said...

For a country to develop a 4++ fighter jet like LCA MK1 with zero aerospace infrastructure and almost zero scientific/engineering precedence is beyond a miracle. It is only the beginning, imports are important but ultimately indigenous capability will be continue to be developed and encouraged

Kaustav said...

http://sc.mp/udjFTI D.R.C. & South China Morning Post at it again with old Neville Maxwell....The old bag just carries on...But historically Kailash Mansarovar and Indus as well as assorted rivers in Ribet are Indian..So the truth is always in between. We lost but we still are not in control of historical areas.

Srinivasa Nanduri said...

Hi Prasun,

Seems Chinese are uping the ante against India. SCMP published two scatching articles, one by maxwell and second by John Graver. This I guess are part of phy ops. Already Indian left is catagating govt. on its handling of kashmir, Pakistan and China, loinizing China and demeaning India. How can India do counter all this.

Regards,
Srinivasa Nanduri

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,
(1) Iran responds to Pakistan-based terrorist attack : Iranian Media
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/07/16/528621/Iran-Pakistan-IRGC-Sistan-and-Baluchestan-Saravan
(2) Myanmar military chief meets PM Modi.PM Modi described Myanmar as a ‘key pillar’ of India’s ‘Act East’ policy.
http://www.thestatesman.com/india/myanmar-military-chief-meets-pm-modi-1500187698.html

(3) What are the advantages of PLA , in case of Barahoti & Walong area? If possible,please discuss.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SRINIVASA NANDURI, KAUSTAV & SUVO: Here are the direct weblinks. Maxwell is rambling away due to his senility & is not on firm legal ground as far as his arguments go. Will elaborate on it later.

http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2102555/indias-china-war-round-two

http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2102547/standoff-china-telling-india-accept-changing-realities

Folks like Maxwell often overlook these:

Tajikistan gorged itself on Chinese investment with much fanfare more than a decade ago. There too the arrival of the Chinese was hailed as a ‘game changer’ when the enterprise got under way. By 2009 or so, they had difficulty meeting their debt-service obligations. So they asked for some relief from the burdensome terms. And you know what they had to give up in exchange for this relief? Land. In 2011, the government of Tajikistan announced that they had just concluded a deal with the government of China, ceding control of 1,100 sq km of mountainous land to the Chinese under the garb of settling a centuries-old border dispute. The agreement had been reached in 1999, but finalised precisely at a time when Tajikistan’s debt difficulties began. The territory represents 1% of the country’s total land area. At the time, more than a third of the country’s total external debt was owed to China. By 2010, the year before the land deal, some 82,000 Chinese were working in Tajikistan, up from less than half that in 2007. The land that was ceded is now being tilled by Chinese farmers. Around 6,000 Chinese citizens live in Tajikistan, mainly engaged in building roads and tunnels in the mountainous republic, where arable land is at a premium. After Russia, China is Tajikistan's biggest trade partner, with an 18% share of the country's total trade turnover. Tajikistan also owes China $700 million, 36% of its national debt. Loans from Beijing have been granted with a 20-year repayment period and 2% annual interest. Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry heralded the deal to cede only 4% of a disputed region the size of Albania as a "great victory" for Tajik diplomacy.

Take the example of Hambantota port in Sri Lanka. The Chinese built it, the Sri Lankans found they could not afford the repayment obligations, so they agreed to give the Chinese an equity stake and have them run the port. As an aside, the Chinese insisted on building a large industrial zone of around 15,000 acres (6070 hectares) next to the port for their investors and for housing their personnel. And then claims began to circulate in the Sri Lankan media, echoed by important lawmakers, that along with the land the government had also given policing powers to the Chinese government inside the housing colony, meaning a little Chinese enclave could now be built inside Sri Lanka that would effectively be a mini Chinese colony.

Then we have this: Ever since the stand-off between India and China, the movements of Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui have aroused curiosity. Zhaohui not only called on Rahul Gandhi but has also met other Opposition leaders: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, his son Gaurav. He also met former national security advisor Shivshankar Menon and even the Darjeeling district magistrate. An unusual trip, which went unnoticed, was that of Zhaohui’s wife, counsellor Dr Jiang Yili, who flew to Bhutan and called on the royalty there, including the Queen Mother. Such a visit is reportedly unprecedented since China has no diplomatic ties with Bhutan.

An finally, this: http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/post-26-11-coastal-security-has-improved-marginally/story-8jAO6uoVd9zZ7WMyoqFRDN.html

Looks like that rarest gift--sound common sense--is still proving to be elusive.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

DG ISPR's press conference earlier today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4wXi2DQg7o&t=50s

And Indonesia gives more headaches to China: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/15/asia/indonesia-south-china-sea-territorial-claims/index.html

Pawan said...

Dear Prasun da,

After reading your above mentioned analysis of China's doings in Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and many old reports on how china colonising Africa immediate question that comes to mind is how still these countries are sucking up China while in our case, India has become villain in Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and now seems in Bhutan also, despite doing best what it could in helping them.

Regards,

Pawan

Srinivasa Nanduri said...

Hi Prasun,

So the conclusion is, they are working on splitting our polity, woo Bhutan out of Indian sphere and egg us on.

Also, even after 10 years our coastal security is abysmal and venerable for attacks. Its pathetic state of affairs.

We are loosing info war, China is encircling us and effectively containing us and I see a calm non reactive govt. What has been Indian response so far, apart from stopping China at dokalam? And a real possibility of a Chinese colony with its own garrison at hambantota, what the hell.

Regards,
Srinivasa Nanduri

Anonymous said...

Hi Prasun,

What would be the implications of terrorists succeeding in carrying out a chemical attack against India?

External and internal forces appear to be teaming up for a coordinated attack against the nation to discredit the current government. I hope the government is aware.


Best Regards
Raj

buddha said...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/geologists-strike-seabed-treasure-in-indian-waters/articleshow/59624638.cms
interesting ...........

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA, Thanks.

"Ever since the stand-off between India and China, the movements of Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui have aroused curiosity".- Highly suspicious! What is the motive of Mr. Luo Zhaohui behind this act? Meeting with opposition-party leaders(Corrupt-leaders) & Queen of Bhutan?

Bhutan as a small Himalayan nation of one million people, the country has already carved out a unique position for itself as the only state in the region that lacks formal diplomatic ties with China. Bhutan also remains the only other country in the region, apart from India, that has not signed on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. As China continues to keep up the derisive diatribe, painting Bhutan as a country lacking sovereignty the question that arises is — how long can Bhutan hold off?

Zaphon said...

How much has been spent on the development of the Tejas to date (I've seen that it is about 7500 crore to date)?

Pratap said...

Pakistan says 4 of its soldiers were killed after their vehicle was hit by Indian firing and it fell into the river Neelum. India has denied any knowledge of this incident https://www.dawn.com/news/1345695 this is surprising as usually PA doesn't accept its losses.

Also, watch this https://twitter.com/CGTNOfficial/status/886514136569356288

AMIT BISWAS said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3XtM67CLEA

lollllz.........what is this sir?????
so much freedom in kashmir....yet they demand azaadi ....i wonder from whom???

Satya said...

Would it not be better to buy Su-34s from Russia instead of second hand Jaguars? www.defensenews.com/articles/india-begins-talks-for-french-jaguar-fighters

Armed forces want 400 billion dollars over the next 5 years for modernization economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/forces-seek-rs-27-lakh-crore-over-next-5-years-for-defence-projects/articleshow/59613944.cms what are your views on this? Is it even possible for us to spend this kind of money on defence?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PAWAN: Not at all. In Nepal there is now increasing realisation about China’s nefarious objectives & motives. This article explains it all:

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/doklam-stand-off-india-china-next-door-nepal-non-alignment-in-kathmandu-4753681/

Countries like Sri Lanka & Maldives will forever be depending on India for survival due to geographic realities. Both Nepal & Bhutan too do not want to end up as one-party national security states like China. In reality, China is extremely rattled by the fact that Bhutan will in the years emerge as the world’s richest country on a per capita basis once all the planned 15 hydroelectric projects involving financial investments from Bangladesh & Iran reach fruition under the BIMSTEC initiative. This in turn will lead Bhutan to lean increasingly towards Bangladesh & India for financial sustenance, which in turn will cause Bhutan to simply ignore China & for China this is the ultimate insult: imagine a permanent member of the UNSC still not be diplomatically recognized by a UN member-state like Bhutan! Everyone knowledgeable on such matters knows this & that’s why even the EU is now raising voices against China’s ulterior motives, just as I had predicted 2 weeks ago.

To SRINIVASA NANDURI: How can you ever reach such a conclusion (LoLz!) when Myanmar’s Army Chief is on a week-long visit to India, when the EU has started making noises about China’s tiff with Bhutan, & all that China can now do is organise some localised defensive ground exercises & reach out to Pakistan for inventing & releasing FAKE NEWS on China-India military clashes & firefights? So kindly try to de-toxify yourself from such unwarranted defeatist inferences & instead embark upon a path of re-discovering that rarest gift bestowed by divinity—SOUND COMMON-SENSE.

To RAJ: The implications will be serious for the perpetrator of such attacks since chemical weapons cannot be made by cottage industries & instead require inductrial facilities in settled areas for manufacturing even the basic ingredients & chemical compounds. In other words, without state-support, such weapons can NEVER be produced/manufactured. That’s why you need to connect the dots, i.e. why was Syed Sallauddin declared a global terrorist by the US & why followed that with the release of comms intercepts revealing the HuM’s plans for staging such attacks with chemical weapons. Do you really think TV channels like CNN-News-18 are capable of deploying military-standard comms interception stations along the LoC just for the sake of recording sich intercepts & then broadcasting them as ‘Global Exclusives’? Such intercepts were obviously collected by India’s agencies & then passed over to that TV channel for broadcast.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAJESH MISHRA: Not only that, it is one-party national security state that cares only about the perpetuation of the rule of the Communist Party of China. That’s why its annual budget on internal security is far more than its annual defence budget, a feat that’s equalled only by 2 other countries—North Korea & Pakistan. And recorded world history of the past 100 years shows us that such national security states all have a finite lifespan & they tend to wind up violently. You may recall that when the Tiananmen Square demonstrations were underway in 1989, the then Chinese Premier Li Peng (Chou en-Lai’s adopted son) had described the protestors not as anti-nationals or traitors, but as ‘ANTI-PARTY’, meaning questioning the total authority of the Communist Party of China was a far greater crime/offense than being unpatriotic or anti-national! This is the kind of mindset one must understand in order to figure out the thought-processes of China’s un-elected ruling elite, whose foundations will always be extremely shaky & unstable.

To SUVO: Bhutan will hold out for as long as it has India’s unstinted moral/financial support & is also supported by a great majority of the world’s democracies.

To ZAPHON: It is roughly that figure, but such investments have also created several spinoffs in the arenas of sub-systems manufacturing & systems integration—all of which are applicable to a range of combat aircraft platforms today. Hence, to me, about 60% of the sunken R & D costs have already been amortised. Meanwhile, the ‘desi’ band of buffoons/duffers who are always oblivious to the truth, continue to belch out outrageous inferencesz & conclusions like this:

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-arms-of-others-narendra-modi-israel-4753653/

This particular buffoon/duffer--it is now conclusive—is incapable of thinking straight & hence his comparison of the LR-SAM/MR-SAM with the QR-SAM. The QR-SAM won’t be available in bulk till the 2022 & despite this the buffoon/duffer wants the IAF & IA to wait until then & forego the imports of the SpyDer-SR! On top of all this, he claims that the Akash-1 uses a Russia-supplied seeker when everyone else except him knows that the Akash-1 is semi-active radar-guidexd, i.e. using RF-command-link guidance with the help of the Rajendra L-band fire-control/target-engagement radar illuminator. The US$64 million question that then arises is: what exactly will it take for such buffoons/duffers to permanently stop dessiminating dis-information?

To PRATAP: The deaths were caused by careless road driving by the PA in Athmuqam in the Lippa Valley. One vehicle carrying PA soldiers sweered off the road & drowned in the Neelam River. Whose fault is that? India’s or the Pakistani driver of that vehicle?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PRATAP & HARSH: LoLz! Obviously such FAKE NEWS had to emanate from no other country but Pakistan. As for the PLA ground exercises, here’s the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8bNgIckr10

CH-5 UAV Flies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx7lckzwKIE

Now here are the facts of the exercises: The defensive manoeuvre warfare exercises began on July 15 at a highland location west of Linzhi & involved the 3rd Battalion of the Linzhi-based 53rd Mountain Motorised Infantry Brigade, the Field Artillery Regiment (Jiage village, Linzhi City, Milin County) Unit-77683 that is equipped with Type 90 wheeled 122mm MBRLs, PCL-09 122mm motorised howitzers, PLZ-07 122mm tracked SPH, & NORINCO-built Type 66-1 cloned versionof the USSR-era 152mm M-1955 (D-20) towed howitzer. The related air-defence battalion also exercised with the Type 90 PG-99 twin 35mm anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), a re-engineered version of the Oerlikon-Contraves GDF-003 (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1jQuftgQTXM/WMWuLJOLqPI/AAAAAAAAMnw/A-i7ZnUnyXAC6R1RxrV_EiN5SPIYRjTEgCLcB/s1600/PG-99%2B35mm%2Btowed%2BAAA.jpg).

Earlier this month, the 2nd Armoured Battalion of the 54th Mechanised Infantry Brigade (77625 Unit), located in Duilongdeqing County, mobilised a squadron of its Type 96A MBTs for exercises in the firing range near the Kunlunshan mountaiun range near Xinjiang. The Type 96As are powered by USSR-era design V-84MS liquid-cooled four-stroke multi-fuel diesel engine developing 840hp (and whose manufacturing know-how was obtained from Croatia in the mid-1990s). The most comical was the use of ATGMs for bunker-bursting, because for first targetting the IA's bunkers along the LAC, along a north-south axis the PLA will first have to depart from the Highlands & climb the mountain ridges & then go down to the valley below, & then start climbing the next mountain ridge ahead who tops are always occupied by the IA. This means the PLA's infantry will start getting bombarded by IA's artillery fire-assaults just when are in the valley below & will never even get the chance to climb up the IA-occupied follow-on mountain ridges. And from the bottom-up one cannot use either ATGMs or flamethrowers. Such weapons can be used effectively in mountain warfare only when the target is far below the missile-launch position--plain & elementary laws of physics.

Needless to say, I have been visually monitoring them from above, from the ground & from around them all on a daily basis & there are no secrets that one is unaware of, rest assured.

Zaphon said...

Mr. Sengupta, thanks for the answer. But isn't the development cost of the Tejas much less than the expenditure on developing Gripen? I mean it does not seem that the project has ever been adequately funded or appropriately resourced. Add to that ADA's inexperience, plus project mismanagement ...
I wonder if HAL shouldn't be allowed to develop the Tejas Mk.2? I am advised F414 engines have started to arrive. If no Mk.2 what happens to them?

As to your question on Bharat Karnad, I could not believe what he wrote. I mean I am all in favour of indigenous effort but his examples are farcical.

Wouldn't the Tejas Mk.1A best be used in single seat configuration as a point defence interceptor with a secondary close air support/ anti-ship role? Then a LIFT based on the two-seat trainer could be used in the LIFT role plus just as the single seater in combat tasks.

Zaphon said...

One other question Mr. Sengupta - Shiv Aroor of Livefist indicated that India is interested in 30 odd AdA Jaguars for spares but is also being offered Mirage-2000s in operational configurations. What's going on here? Is India opting for 2nd hand Mirage 2000s to bolster the existing M2K squadrons? I know that you're not a fan of these defence correspondents but sometimes they may be pointing in the right direction.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SATYA: The ex-French Jaguars are reqd for cannibalisation of their accessories, & are therefore not reqd to be in flightworthy condition. Hence, the issue of Su-34s does not even arise. The amount of money being siought for force modernization won’t be available to the desired extent, rest assured.

To ZAPHON: One can’t compare apples with oranges. Adequate funding was made available, but the desired highly-skilled human resources were not available within ADA. Hence, the project’s military-technical & military-industrial components should have ben led by HAL & driven/directed by IAF HQ. Due to such deficiencies, the gestation period between the TDs & PVs wasn’t properly exploited & instead matters were rushed through, with one phase commencing even before the previous phase of engineering development had reached its logical conclusion. The architecture of internal fitments like the EW suite should have been finalized in the TD phase itself instead of the PV phase. And that’s why the PV phase was allowed to proceed in an incoherent manner, leading to severe delays in the development of a ‘desi’ internally-mounted EW suite. Today, there’s no internal space, leading to the EL/L-8222 pod being selected for external pylon-mounting, which will increase airframe drag. Furthermore, there’s no MAWS at all. I therefore will find it suicidal to order a MAWS-absent MRCA to go into dogfights involving all-aspect SRAAMs. Therefore, a Tejas Mk.1/Mk/1A being used for air-defence is out of the question. For maritime strike involving standoff target engagements from a safe distance will be more appropriate. As for additional Mirage 2000s, the reqmt is for 3 fully-equipped squadrons, i.e. 60 aircraft. AFAIK, only 41 airframes now exist with the IAF, so nine more are reqd.

To PAWAN: Watch this interesting talk-show on Gilgit-Baltistan that reveals the level of underdevelopment there, as well as the critical mistakes made by the Pakistanis when negotiating the ceasefire agreement in 1948:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N13fd0mbIQ8

To PIERRE ZORIN: Why it is mandatory to wear helmets in some govt offices in Bihar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-gJvoF11ZI

In case Srinivasa Nanduri offers himself for de-toxification, would you as the redident de-toxifier in this blog be willing to accept the case?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SUVO: Excellent analysis of the politics of the Gorkhas of Darjeeling & Sikkim:

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/changing-contours-of-the-darjeeling-agitation/article19290065.ece?homepage=true

Meanwhile, watch this ‘desi’ correspondent get totally confused between Doka La & Doklam Plateau, while she is standing in southeastern Sikkim near the trijunction & claiming in the same breath that she is close to Doklam Plateau:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bTi4XIqR8w

I guess she too is in acute need to de-toxification so that she starts developing the habit of first consulting survey maps before jumping to blind assumptions.

The PLA is interested in Uttrakhand & HP because there the IA & IAF are building new ALGs & helicopter bases for the IA’s rapid-response air-mobile forces that can be injected from across Barahoti into TAR. In Walong, where the most seriouis fighting took place in 1062, the area is made up of highlands through which PLA infantry can be concentrated for limited land offensives due to the absence of forbidding ridgelines in that area. So the PLA & PLAAF see this area as one ideal for heliborne insertions of SOF detachments that can be used for attacking some of the ALGs in northeastern AP. The PLA & PLAAF have been practising such tactical plans since 2009 in the highlands of northern Yunnan Province as well as in northern Sichuan Province.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AMIT BISWAS: LoLz! Those are short-lived moments of unwinding & glory. As God's 11th Commandment states, those who live by the (TV) tube, shall die by the tube, while the 12th Commandment states that those who live & thrive on social media shall die due to social media.

Also, do look at this on EX malabar 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khf-Y6Ag520

One would have expected that the IN, being the host naval force for this EX, should have led in perception management, especially from the media standpoint. Instead, what do we see? all shots of INS Vikramaditya shown during her sea-trials in Russia, all 'desi' reporters being flown on C-2A Greyhounds from Chennai to the USS Nimitz, & ground-reports from the same aircraft carrier. Not a single on-site news coverage from any of the participating IN warships, while the Japanese MSDF's helicopter carrier was out-of-bounds for all journalists. Apart from the fact that the US Navy was the principal driver of this EX, what elase does it reveal in terms of the IN's lack of demonstrable perception management skills during this EX? Very sad indeed.

To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: You will find this a very interesting read:

http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/wheels-within-wheels/article19284784.ece?homepage=true

Srinivasa Nanduri said...


Hi Prasun,

Thank you for patiently replying to my questions.

I was little carried away by too many media reports describing how ill prepared India is to confront China and so on.

China is uping its ante and phyops against India govt. and we are not handling the perception management.

Regards,
Srinivasa Nanduri

Ravi said...

Thanks, Prasun.

SO are you saying there will be two armored brigades with XXXIII Corps, one at Sukhna (raised)and one at Kalimpong (to be raised)?

joydeep ghosh said...

@Prasun da

you said to #Zaphon
i.e. 60 aircraft. AFAIK, only 41 airframes now exist with the IAF, so nine more are reqd. the count is 51 but now question is from where will IAF get those

a. Qatar was asking huge price so thats no deal
b. Greece once faced economic meltdown a chance was then not now
c. France unlikely to cut down on its own fleet
d. Brazil (12 retired) is only option but can these be upgraded to UPG standard

Also heard both Bangladesh & Malaysia are scratching their head on what to do with their Mig 29s thats expensive to them to maintain, MoD should give offer to Malaysia which is looking for replacing them with Rafales

here is a COMPLAINT

i was realy surprised with the kind of answer you gave to #RaviN regarding Rahul Gandhi mocking him, calling him names for meeting Chinese envoy as if only Rahul Gandhi himself went over to meet him;

then again

you answered to SRINIVASA NANDURI, KAUSTAV & SUVO that it was Chinese envoy himself who went over to meet not just Rahul Gandhi but many others, request you to not play to gallery dada

oh btw

WRT China i learned that PLAGF/PLAAF/PLAN all owe their allegiance to communist party of china and not their country china. If this is correct then India need not worry sooner or later China police state will have to crumble, sometime back had read a piece by a econimst who said demand sluggishness & overproduction may well force chinese economy to implode by 2020.

one more thing why this sudden reference of China by J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, its a known fact that China has captured 2 important regions of J&K (Aksai Chin & Saksgam valley/trans karakoram track) that India is unlikely to recover, as fmr J&K CM farooq abdullah has said.

thanks

Joydeep Ghosh



Millard Keyes said...

How appropriate the title: Only in India! I guess there lies a marketing story for MKU or someone manufacturing helmet- giving 100% guarantee against pieces of roof. It goes to show you that the box (head) is worth protecting more than the grey matter inside!

re: detoxification. Always willing. In fact after detox Srinivasa Nanduri would be delectable as Tandoori.

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,
THANKS.
(1)Medical visa story:
A) No letter from Aziz, ailing PoK student appeals for visa to Sushma Swaraj
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/no-letter-from-sartaj-aziz-ailing-pakistan-student-appeals-for-medical-visa-to-sushma-swaraj-osama-ali-4755509/
B) Sushma Swaraj calls PoK intergal part of India while granting medical visa to ailing resident
http://zeenews.india.com/india/sushma-swaraj-calls-pok-intergal-part-of-india-while-granting-medical-visa-to-ailing-resident-2024671.html?pfrom=article-next-story

(2) Anti Pakistan protests erupt in Sindh
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/news/anti-pakistan-protests-erupt-in-sindh/videoshow/59643286.cms

(3) Afghan strategy review is hard because of Pakistan,' admits US defence secretary James Mattis.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/afghan-strategy-review-is-hard-because-of-pakistan-admits-us-defence-secretary-james-mattis/articleshow/59628363.cms

(4) Chinese Roads near the Tibet-Arunachal border - a Google Earth study
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wUkKcSBtss




Deepak said...

Prasun Sir, How vulnerable are we on tawang front? Can we stop chinese from taking the tawang town in an event of war?

buddha said...

http://www.india.com/news/agencies/india-has-asked-for-time-to-study-proposed-sukhoi-upgrade-rostec-official-2330630/
HOW LONG INDIA DOES WANT TO WAIT FOR THE UPGRADE

buddha said...

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201707181055637932-donetsk-malorossiya-ukraine/

Rajesh Mishra said...

You are correct, so it is not only the CPC but it also has all the attributes of being a Han Fascist Party. The next people's democratic liberation movement can throw it out completely culminating in to 36 new free democratic republics.

Gopu said...

Are these pictures representative of the future SSNs that we will build with Russian assistance?

https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/15/54/62/79/husky-10.jpg
https://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/15/54/62/79/husky110.jpg
http://www.hisutton.com/images/HUSKY_side.jpg

This model looks like a streamlined Project 971, judging by its exterior (especially considering that the first picture has several P 971 SSNs in the background to contrast the new SSN). The new SSN uses a conventional propeller rather than a water jet.

This above SSN was not mentioned at IMDS St. Petersburg. Does this imply that Russians are not confident enough in the design yet to start construction?

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/igor-belousov-project-21300-search-and-rescue-vessel/

Does IN need Igor Belousov S&R vessels? I thought the DSARs we got from the UK can be air-dropped from C-17s.

And new BM tracking vessel VC 11184 has been spotted on Twitter... looks like testing of Agni 6 SLBM can begin 2018 (thank you HSL for your 3 year delay.... MoD babus should have given this contract to CSL and not the spoiled child HSL).

Anonymous said...

is Julie Bishop AUS foreign sec/min came to India with chinese message?

Kaustav said...

And So Mulayam Singh Yadav as always has his heart and balls in the right place, bless him, for all his political and OBC Minority shenanigans, his comments on The Evil Chinese as the real threat are spot on as also on supporting Tibet independence. Good chap and was a reasonably serviceable Defence Minister too.

Unknown said...

China on Friday defended Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts, following President Donald Trump's accusation that Islamabad harbours militants attacking US and Afghan troops.