Nepal's Chief of Army Staff, Purna Chandra Thapa on Monday received his first dose of the Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccine.&nbsp;

Nepal last month received the second shipment of one million doses of the coronavirus vaccines. The AstraZeneca vaccine is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the name Covishield. &nbsp;

Nepal began its nationwide inoculation drive after receiving the first one million Covishield vaccines following the emergency use approval in January. &nbsp;

An Air India aircraft carrying the consignment of Covid-19 vaccines had landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the morning, according to sources at the Indian Embassy in Nepal.&nbsp;

The Nepal government has decided to procure a total of two million doses of the vaccine manufactured by the SII. Last month, India gifted one million doses of Covishield vaccine to Nepal.&nbsp;

The Nepal government has already started administering the vaccines on health workers, security personnel and journalists on priority basis.&nbsp;

The second lot of vaccines would be used to inoculate people above 60 years of age, which is 8.73 per cent of Nepal's population, in the vaccination drive that will begin on March 7. &nbsp;

India is one of the world's biggest drugmakers and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring coronavirus vaccines.&nbsp;

India, under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, has been providing coronavirus vaccines to its neighbouring countries. &nbsp;

India has sent consignments of domestically produced coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mauritius and Seychelles.&nbsp;

It is also undertaking commercial supplies of the doses to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and Morocco.&nbsp;

Nepal's Chief of Army Staff, Purna Chandra Thapa on Monday received his first dose of the Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccine. Nepal last month received the second shipment of one million doses of the coronavirus vaccines.

Nepal's Chief of Army Staff, Purna Chandra Thapa on Monday received his first dose of the Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccine. Nepal last month received the second shipment of one million doses of the coronavirus vaccines. The AstraZeneca vaccine is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the name Covishield. Nepal began its nationwide inoculation drive after receiving the first one million Covishield vaccines following the emergency use approval in January. An Air India aircraft carrying the consignment of Covid-19 vaccines had landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the morning, according to sources at the Indian Embassy in Nepal. The Nepal government has decided to procure a total of two million doses of the vaccine manufactured by the SII. Last month, India gifted one million doses of Covishield vaccine to Nepal. The Nepal government has already started administering the vaccines on health workers, security personnel and journalists on priority basis. The second lot of vaccines would be used to inoculate people above 60 years of age, which is 8.73 per cent of Nepal's population, in the vaccination drive that will begin on March 7. India is one of the world's biggest drugmakers and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring coronavirus vaccines. India, under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, has been providing coronavirus vaccines to its neighbouring countries. India has sent consignments of domestically produced coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mauritius and Seychelles. It is also undertaking commercial supplies of the doses to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and Morocco.

Nepal's Army Chief gets Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccine's first dose

Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos have freed 23 security personnel and a civilian from a Taliban-run prison in northern Kunduz province, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.&nbsp;

The rescue operation by ANA was carried on Wednesday night, reported Xinhua. &nbsp;

"The special operation was launched in Kabuli Qishlaq village of Haqtash district on Wednesday night. No armed clash took place following the raid as the militants manning the Taliban hideout fled before troops' arrival," said Mohammad Omar Haqtash, a local official.&nbsp;

The freed people received medical treatment after they were shifted to an army camp, according to the official.&nbsp;

The Taliban is yet to comment on the ANA rescue operations. More details are awaited. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-sends-investigators-to-look-into-the-massive-fire-at-afghan-iran-border-363816">Afghanistan sends investigators to look into the massive fire at Afghan-Iran border</a>

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) killed 11 Taliban terrorists and wounded another four in the Babur area of Arghandab district, Kandahar province.&nbsp;

The operation conducted by the ANDSF with the help of the air force aimed to clear the Babur area from the Taliban insurgents. The local Babur school, closed for a long period of time due to security reasons, has now reopened to students.&nbsp;

The Taliban controls around two-thirds of Afghan territory, including all districts around the capital. Despite the claims of general support in the controlled lands, the Taliban continue to oppose all attempts at holding democratic elections in the country. &nbsp;

The peace efforts also appeared to be undermined by the Joe Biden administration's ongoing revision of the Taliban-US deal, signed by Donald Trump administration in February 2020.&nbsp;

Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos have freed 23 security personnel and a civilian from a Taliban-run prison in northern Kunduz province, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.

Afghan National Army (ANA) commandos have freed 23 security personnel and a civilian from a Taliban-run prison in northern Kunduz province, reported Pajhwok Afghan News. The rescue operation by ANA was carried on Wednesday night, reported Xinhua. "The special operation was launched in Kabuli Qishlaq village of Haqtash district on Wednesday night. No armed clash took place following the raid as the militants manning the Taliban hideout fled before troops' arrival," said Mohammad Omar Haqtash, a local official. The freed people received medical treatment after they were shifted to an army camp, according to the official. The Taliban is yet to comment on the ANA rescue operations. More details are awaited. Also Read: Afghanistan sends investigators to look into the massive fire at Afghan-Iran border Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) killed 11 Taliban terrorists and wounded another four in the Babur area of Arghandab district, Kandahar province. The operation conducted by the ANDSF with the help of the air force aimed to clear the Babur area from the Taliban insurgents. The local Babur school, closed for a long period of time due to security reasons, has now reopened to students. The Taliban controls around two-thirds of Afghan territory, including all districts around the capital. Despite the claims of general support in the controlled lands, the Taliban continue to oppose all attempts at holding democratic elections in the country. The peace efforts also appeared to be undermined by the Joe Biden administration's ongoing revision of the Taliban-US deal, signed by Donald Trump administration in February 2020.

Afghan Army frees 23 security personnel from Taliban jail in Kunduz

After a nine-month-long standoff, the satellite images from the banks of Pangong Tso show India and China are pulling back troops. The area has been one of the flashpoints for a long time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In late January, the Chinese military had built multiple camps, along with the deployment of soldiers and placement of military equipment. All of these have been removed. &nbsp;

China has already withdrawn 150 tanks and nearly 5,000 soldiers. And more will follow but this will not end the standoff as some flashpoints still remain. And China has not really had a change of heart. It is just the change of tactics. &nbsp;

So, what should India do? What should be Delhi's post-Ladakh strategy? &nbsp;

India is revamping its defence strategy in three broad ways - processes, procurement and partnerships. It is integrating its armed forces, upgrading weapons and strengthening its military alliances. &nbsp;

First, the reorganisation of the armed forces. It began with the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff. A position that was created by Modi Government. Besides being the single point military adviser to the defence minister, the CDS was given another critical job, which is the integration of the operations of the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy. &nbsp;

General Bipin Rawat was appointed as India's first CDS last year. A year into the job, he is now ready with a plan. According to a report, the first joint commands are ready for a roll out. &nbsp;&nbsp;

What are joint commands? &nbsp;

They are units and resources from different branches of the armed forces. They are combined under a single branch with a dedicated commander. This commander takes care of what is called a geographical theatre. The air defence command and the maritime theatre command could be launched by May. &nbsp;

Both of these commands will pay a critical role in boosting India's defences against Pakistan And China. The air defence command will be set up in Prayagraj. This command will control all the air defence resources of all three services. &nbsp;

The maritime theatre command will be headquartered in Karwar on the west coast. Its job will be to protect the Indian ocean, India's island territories and to keep the sea lanes free and open. It is essential, not just for India but the country’s allies too. &nbsp;

The maritime command will have assets from the Indian Army and Air Force. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ahead-of-pm-modis-visit-indian-foreign-minister-s-jaishankar-to-visit-bangladesh-on-march-4-364229">Ahead Of PM Modi's visit, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to visit Bangladesh on March 4</a>&nbsp;

India plans to reorganise its forces into five theatre commands by 2022. So, we expect three more to come in by next year. The reports say there will be one command each for China and Pakistan. India's defence resources will be integrated into these commands. &nbsp;

Secondly, the country will also be procuring the much-needed weapons upgrades. The work on this front already began last year. In the last six months, India has signed at least 10 defence deals. It includes 83 new light combat aircraft Tejas, 118 Arjun Mark-1a tanks, and tactical drones worth $20 million. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A $200 Million deal was also struck for Israeli spice bombs. These were used by the Indian Air Force during the Balakot air strike. &nbsp;

Even in the budget this year, the focus was on procurement. &nbsp;

While the overall defence budget was hiked by just over one per cent, the budget for military modernisation has been hiked by almost 19 per cent. &nbsp;

The Indian defence minister said this is the highest-ever increase in capital outlay for defence in 15 years. New and better weapons will improve India's defences. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/foreign-envoys-reach-union-territory-of-jammu-and-kashmir-364193">Foreign envoys reach Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir</a>

Thirdly, closer ties with like-minded countries could be a booster shot for India's defence strategy. One of the possibilities could be The Quad and India is already on the track. &nbsp;

In a recent interview, Japanese ambassador to India Sato Shi Suzuki said both allies, India and Japan, had collaborated within India's neighbourhood countries, such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Maldives. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It is to strengthen the Quad under the Indo-Pacific framework and this would be welcome news in the US. The new Biden administration is serious about the Quad. It wants this informal grouping to evolve into a formal alliance. Biden's biggest challenge is China and he will need India's help to deal with Beijing.&nbsp;

After a nine-month-long standoff, the satellite images from the banks of Pangong Tso show India and China are pulling back troops. The area has been one of the flashpoints for a long time.

After a nine-month-long standoff, the satellite images from the banks of Pangong Tso show India and China are pulling back troops. The area has been one of the flashpoints for a long time. In late January, the Chinese military had built multiple camps, along with the deployment of soldiers and placement of military equipment. All of these have been removed. China has already withdrawn 150 tanks and nearly 5,000 soldiers. And more will follow but this will not end the standoff as some flashpoints still remain. And China has not really had a change of heart. It is just the change of tactics. So, what should India do? What should be Delhi's post-Ladakh strategy? India is revamping its defence strategy in three broad ways - processes, procurement and partnerships. It is integrating its armed forces, upgrading weapons and strengthening its military alliances. First, the reorganisation of the armed forces. It began with the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff. A position that was created by Modi Government. Besides being the single point military adviser to the defence minister, the CDS was given another critical job, which is the integration of the operations of the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy. General Bipin Rawat was appointed as India's first CDS last year. A year into the job, he is now ready with a plan. According to a report, the first joint commands are ready for a roll out. What are joint commands? They are units and resources from different branches of the armed forces. They are combined under a single branch with a dedicated commander. This commander takes care of what is called a geographical theatre. The air defence command and the maritime theatre command could be launched by May. Both of these commands will pay a critical role in boosting India's defences against Pakistan And China. The air defence command will be set up in Prayagraj. This command will control all the air defence resources of all three services. The maritime theatre command will be headquartered in Karwar on the west coast. Its job will be to protect the Indian ocean, India's island territories and to keep the sea lanes free and open. It is essential, not just for India but the country’s allies too. The maritime command will have assets from the Indian Army and Air Force. Also Read: Ahead Of PM Modi's visit, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to visit Bangladesh on March 4 India plans to reorganise its forces into five theatre commands by 2022. So, we expect three more to come in by next year. The reports say there will be one command each for China and Pakistan. India's defence resources will be integrated into these commands. Secondly, the country will also be procuring the much-needed weapons upgrades. The work on this front already began last year. In the last six months, India has signed at least 10 defence deals. It includes 83 new light combat aircraft Tejas, 118 Arjun Mark-1a tanks, and tactical drones worth $20 million. A $200 Million deal was also struck for Israeli spice bombs. These were used by the Indian Air Force during the Balakot air strike. Even in the budget this year, the focus was on procurement. While the overall defence budget was hiked by just over one per cent, the budget for military modernisation has been hiked by almost 19 per cent. The Indian defence minister said this is the highest-ever increase in capital outlay for defence in 15 years. New and better weapons will improve India's defences. Also Read: Foreign envoys reach Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Thirdly, closer ties with like-minded countries could be a booster shot for India's defence strategy. One of the possibilities could be The Quad and India is already on the track. In a recent interview, Japanese ambassador to India Sato Shi Suzuki said both allies, India and Japan, had collaborated within India's neighbourhood countries, such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Maldives. It is to strengthen the Quad under the Indo-Pacific framework and this would be welcome news in the US. The new Biden administration is serious about the Quad. It wants this informal grouping to evolve into a formal alliance. Biden's biggest challenge is China and he will need India's help to deal with Beijing.

After Ladakh, India revamps defence strategy

From Nicki Minaj to Halsey: Best of BTS collabs that you have to add to your playlist

It was a historic moment on Wednesday as Kamala Harris became the first person of colour and first woman Vice President of the United States. The world witnessed Harris- a South-Asian and African woman, taking oath on the steps on Capitol Hill in Washington and collectively cheered her. But it seems the BTS Army had other reasons to celebrate.&nbsp; 
 
One Twitter user realised that Harris follows the popular K-pop band and instantly posted a screenshot of it.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-kamala-harris-opts-for-a-formal-purple-dress-and-coat-for-inaugural-ceremony-358096">Kamala Harris opts for a formal purple dress and coat for inaugural ceremony</a> 
 
Someone else shared a screenshot of Kamala Harris' Spotify playlist which features BTS hit track 'Boy With Luv'.&nbsp;

<img alt="t" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="60b7ea7b-5f8b-41cf-9d8a-5dbadeeb6fe2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-01-21T090013.009.jpg" />

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And she's a fan!!!!! Kamala Harris' Playlist got BTS' BWL on it!!! 
Madam Vice President got excellent taste! <a href="https://t.co/Bm5yXg2MeV">pic.twitter.com/Bm5yXg2MeV</a>
— KPphoenix💜𐤀 (@PphoenixK) <a href="https://twitter.com/PphoenixK/status/1351917499290275842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The two screenshots obviously got the ARMY excited as they claimed Harris as one of their own.&nbsp; 
 
Here's how Twitter expressed excitement at discovering that Harris was part of the ARMY.&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> follows <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BTS_twt</a> 😍🙌🏽💜 I love it! Kamala Harris has great taste <a href="https://t.co/2qHMaf1rPz">pic.twitter.com/2qHMaf1rPz</a>
— Kristian (@krissysingh59) <a href="https://twitter.com/krissysingh59/status/1351968658046611456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I wonder which one of ya’ll is Madam Vice President Harris’ ARMY stan account.....<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaHarris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaHarris</a> 💜 <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BTS_twt</a> <a href="https://t.co/E9qRJ8GbIE">pic.twitter.com/E9qRJ8GbIE</a>
— ⟭⟬ ᴮᴱQueen of 7 Kings⁷⟬⟭(semi ia) (@LJKOT7s14) <a href="https://twitter.com/LJKOT7s14/status/1351948653943001088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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VP Kamala Harris said let me start my Vice Presidency off RIGHT 💜 <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BTS_twt</a> <a href="https://t.co/2M72MpCORs">pic.twitter.com/2M72MpCORs</a>
— joc⁷ • semi ia 🥺 (@bangtanslov3) <a href="https://twitter.com/bangtanslov3/status/1351981900374568968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Yo yo yo <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> follows <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BTS_twt</a> I didn’t know I could fall deeper in love with her, but here I am <a href="https://t.co/Y4fMwYy9Fr">pic.twitter.com/Y4fMwYy9Fr</a>
— Megan⁷ (@megz_cat) <a href="https://twitter.com/megz_cat/status/1352070320493129729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> follows <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BTS_twt</a> 😍🙌🏽💜 I love it! Kamala Harris has great taste <a href="https://t.co/2qHMaf1rPz">pic.twitter.com/2qHMaf1rPz</a>
— Kristian (@krissysingh59) <a href="https://twitter.com/krissysingh59/status/1351968658046611456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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imagine youre ticketing for a bts concert and u find out kamala harris gets soundcheck instead of you
— nana (@jhscign) <a href="https://twitter.com/jhscign/status/1351944275064451078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Harris is not the only political leader to like K-pop. Former US president Barack Obama and his daughter Malia too are reportedly big fans of K-Pop and are known to be SHINee fans.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oprah-to-mark-ruffalo-celebrities-welcome-joe-biden-kamala-harris-to-lead-america-in-new-direction-358195" hreflang="en">Oprah to Mark Ruffalo: Celebrities welcome Joe Biden-Kamala Harris to lead America in new direction</a>

In Pics |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/kamala-harris-to-lady-gaga-women-opt-for-monochrome-colour-block-at-biden-harris-inauguration-358180" hreflang="en">Women opt for monochrome, colour-block at Biden-Harris inauguration</a>

Harris took oath on Wednesday and tweeted, "Ready to serve." She shared a video of her swearing-in and wrote, "It's an honour to be your Vice President."&nbsp;

The Joe Biden- Kamala Harris inaugural ceremony had performances by Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Garth Brooks.&nbsp;

It was a historic moment on Wednesday as Kamala Harris became the first person of colour and first woman Vice President of the United States. The world witnessed Harris- a South-Asian and African woman, taking oath on the steps on Capitol Hill in Washington and collectively cheered her.

It was a historic moment on Wednesday as Kamala Harris became the first person of colour and first woman Vice President of the United States. The world witnessed Harris- a South-Asian and African woman, taking oath on the steps on Capitol Hill in Washington and collectively cheered her. But it seems the BTS Army had other reasons to celebrate. One Twitter user realised that Harris follows the popular K-pop band and instantly posted a screenshot of it. Kamala Harris opts for a formal purple dress and coat for inaugural ceremony Someone else shared a screenshot of Kamala Harris' Spotify playlist which features BTS hit track 'Boy With Luv'. And she's a fan!!!!! Kamala Harris' Playlist got BTS' BWL on it!!! Madam Vice President got excellent taste! pic.twitter.com/Bm5yXg2MeV — KPphoenix💜𐤀 (@PphoenixK) January 20, 2021 × The two screenshots obviously got the ARMY excited as they claimed Harris as one of their own. Here's how Twitter expressed excitement at discovering that Harris was part of the ARMY. The @VP follows @BTS_twt 😍🙌🏽💜 I love it! Kamala Harris has great taste pic.twitter.com/2qHMaf1rPz — Kristian (@krissysingh59) January 20, 2021 × I wonder which one of ya’ll is Madam Vice President Harris’ ARMY stan account.....#KamalaHarris 💜 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/E9qRJ8GbIE — ⟭⟬ ᴮᴱQueen of 7 Kings⁷⟬⟭(semi ia) (@LJKOT7s14) January 20, 2021 × VP Kamala Harris said let me start my Vice Presidency off RIGHT 💜 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/2M72MpCORs — joc⁷ • semi ia 🥺 (@bangtanslov3) January 20, 2021 × Yo yo yo @VP @KamalaHarris follows @BTS_twt I didn’t know I could fall deeper in love with her, but here I am pic.twitter.com/Y4fMwYy9Fr — Megan⁷ (@megz_cat) January 21, 2021 × The @VP follows @BTS_twt 😍🙌🏽💜 I love it! Kamala Harris has great taste pic.twitter.com/2qHMaf1rPz — Kristian (@krissysingh59) January 20, 2021 × imagine youre ticketing for a bts concert and u find out kamala harris gets soundcheck instead of you — nana (@jhscign) January 20, 2021 × Harris is not the only political leader to like K-pop. Former US president Barack Obama and his daughter Malia too are reportedly big fans of K-Pop and are known to be SHINee fans. Also read: Oprah to Mark Ruffalo: Celebrities welcome Joe Biden-Kamala Harris to lead America in new direction In Pics | Women opt for monochrome, colour-block at Biden-Harris inauguration Harris took oath on Wednesday and tweeted, "Ready to serve." She shared a video of her swearing-in and wrote, "It's an honour to be your Vice President." The Joe Biden- Kamala Harris inaugural ceremony had performances by Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Garth Brooks.

Twitter can't keep calm as it discovers Kamala Harris is a part of BTS ARMY

6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the country now at least 7 people have been killed and the authorities expect death toll to rise. The army has also been deployed to help with search and relief operation.

6.4 magnitude earthquake jolts Petrinja town in Croatia

The Nigerian army on Sunday said troops had killed at least 20 Boko Haram terrorists while repelling an attack launched by the terror group in the northeast region. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-steps-up-rescue-efforts-for-abducted-students-349573">Also read: Nigeria steps up rescue efforts for abducted students</a> 
 
The attack on Saturday was repelled in the Askira-Uba local government area of the northern state of Borno, as the Boko Haram terrorists targeted a civilian population, said Ado Isa, a spokesman for the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, the state capital. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-indians-kidnapped-by-gunmen-in-nigeria-police-349574">Also read: Two Indians kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria: Police&nbsp;</a> 
 
Isa told Xinhua that one soldier was, however, killed and two others wounded in the gunfight. The Boko Haram terrorists, suspected to have come from the Sambisa Forest, their largest training camp in Nigeria, had mounted on over 15 trucks and approached the Askira-Uba area from different directions simultaneously to wreak havoc, according to the army spokesman.

Four gun trucks were captured by the troops, he said, adding some others were destroyed by airstrikes conducted in support of the ground troops. The Boko Haram group has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The deadly group has also extended its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin.

The Nigerian army on Sunday said troops had killed at least 20 Boko Haram terrorists while repelling an attack launched by the terror group in the northeast region.

The Nigerian army on Sunday said troops had killed at least 20 Boko Haram terrorists while repelling an attack launched by the terror group in the northeast region. Also read: Nigeria steps up rescue efforts for abducted students The attack on Saturday was repelled in the Askira-Uba local government area of the northern state of Borno, as the Boko Haram terrorists targeted a civilian population, said Ado Isa, a spokesman for the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, the state capital. Also read: Two Indians kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria: Police Isa told Xinhua that one soldier was, however, killed and two others wounded in the gunfight. The Boko Haram terrorists, suspected to have come from the Sambisa Forest, their largest training camp in Nigeria, had mounted on over 15 trucks and approached the Askira-Uba area from different directions simultaneously to wreak havoc, according to the army spokesman. Four gun trucks were captured by the troops, he said, adding some others were destroyed by airstrikes conducted in support of the ground troops. The Boko Haram group has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The deadly group has also extended its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin.

20 Boko Haram terrorists killed as Nigerian troops repel attack: Army

In a significant development, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be on a week-long two-country visit next week. He will be visiting Saudi Arabia and UAE. This is first such visit by any Indian Army chief to both the West Asian Arab countries.

He will be in Saudi Arabia from 6th to 8th December. India and Saudi Arabia have had increased engagement in defence. Riyadh-Delhi ties have seen high voltage diplomatic activity, including 2 high-level visit--first by Crown Prince to Delhi in 2018, followed by the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country last year. India is one of the key strategic partners of the Kingdom, with trade, investment and others being the main pillars.

General Naravane's next stop will be the United Arab Emirates, another country with which India has increased engagement on several fronts. The army chief's visit comes just days after India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to the country. UAE hosts one of the largest populations of Indians outside of India.&nbsp;

This is army chief's 3rd foreign visit, amidst the Covid pandemic. He has been to Myanmar, Nepal. The focus is now on the Arab world.&nbsp;

In a significant development, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be on a week-long two-country visit next week. He will be visiting Saudi Arabia and UAE.

In a significant development, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be on a week-long two-country visit next week. He will be visiting Saudi Arabia and UAE. This is first such visit by any Indian Army chief to both the West Asian Arab countries. He will be in Saudi Arabia from 6th to 8th December. India and Saudi Arabia have had increased engagement in defence. Riyadh-Delhi ties have seen high voltage diplomatic activity, including 2 high-level visit--first by Crown Prince to Delhi in 2018, followed by the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country last year. India is one of the key strategic partners of the Kingdom, with trade, investment and others being the main pillars. General Naravane's next stop will be the United Arab Emirates, another country with which India has increased engagement on several fronts. The army chief's visit comes just days after India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to the country. UAE hosts one of the largest populations of Indians outside of India. This is army chief's 3rd foreign visit, amidst the Covid pandemic. He has been to Myanmar, Nepal. The focus is now on the Arab world.

Indian Army chief to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE next week

In a major move, the defence ministry has approved the creation of a new post of deputy chief for military operations and strategic planning in the Army as part of mega reforms in the Army headquarters, official sources said on Thursday.

The ministry has also completed formalities for creation of another new post of Director-General of Information Warfare, they said.

The ministry had given in-principle approval for creation of both the posts last year as part of the first batch of reforms in the Army, and now the formal process for it has been completed, the sources said.

They said the post of deputy chief of the Army staff (strategy) has been created to deal with military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and operational logistics. It will be the third post of deputy chief in the Army.

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Paramjit Singh is set to become the first deputy chief of Army staff (strategy), they said.

The sources said the new post of director general of information warfare has been created in keeping with the needs of the future battlefield, hybrid warfare and social media realities.

The Army headquarters had instituted four studies with an overall aim to enhance the operational and functional efficiency of the force, optimise budget expenditure, facilitate modernisation and address aspirations. 
The recommendation to create the new posts was made as a result of the studies.

In a major move, the defence ministry has approved the creation of a new post of deputy chief for military operations and strategic planning in the Army as part of mega reforms in the Army headquarters, official sources said on Thursday.

In a major move, the defence ministry has approved the creation of a new post of deputy chief for military operations and strategic planning in the Army as part of mega reforms in the Army headquarters, official sources said on Thursday. The ministry has also completed formalities for creation of another new post of Director-General of Information Warfare, they said. The ministry had given in-principle approval for creation of both the posts last year as part of the first batch of reforms in the Army, and now the formal process for it has been completed, the sources said. They said the post of deputy chief of the Army staff (strategy) has been created to deal with military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and operational logistics. It will be the third post of deputy chief in the Army. Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Paramjit Singh is set to become the first deputy chief of Army staff (strategy), they said. The sources said the new post of director general of information warfare has been created in keeping with the needs of the future battlefield, hybrid warfare and social media realities. The Army headquarters had instituted four studies with an overall aim to enhance the operational and functional efficiency of the force, optimise budget expenditure, facilitate modernisation and address aspirations. The recommendation to create the new posts was made as a result of the studies.

Indian government approves new army posts for military ops, strategic planning

The popular Korean pop band BTS has been receiving a lot of love recently as a member of theirs, SUGA is recovering from a shoulder surgery. Many BTS fans have been concerned with his recovery as the ARMY (as their fans are popularly called) have taken to different social media platforms to share their concern.

BTS member J-hope shared recently that SUGA is “quickly recovering”. "SUGA is quickly recovering at the moment. The absence of even just one member feels huge for us, so all the members including SUGA himself are hoping that he gets better quickly, so that he can join us on stage for us to become whole again," J-hope told IANS.

The South Korean boy band, also comprising RM, Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook, have been entertaining music lovers with their music for some years now. Their latest single and album ‘Dynamite’ has topped Billboard Hot 100 chart. ‘Dynamite’ is their first single entirely in English language.&nbsp;

"We're very thankful for the love and support that we have received with 'Dynamite'. It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, so it is very meaningful for us, but we don't necessarily think this was because it was an English track," said Jungkook.

"Our goal with 'Dynamite' was to give a burst of energy to the listeners and we're just glad to have achieved that goal. We are eager to continue to give hope and joy to our listeners through our music," he added.

Talking about their new album "BE (Deluxe Edition)", RM shared: "We believe all of our albums are important and have played important roles in our career. 'BE' is an album that we created to reflect our current thoughts and emotions and deliver a message of hope to our fans all over the world."

"Like the meaning of the title track, 'Life goes on', we want to comfort people around the world through the message that life will continue even in this difficult moment. If that message is well conveyed, we will have achieved our goal," he said.

"We're ready to meet our fans whenever we can as soon as this pandemic comes to an end. There is nothing we want more than to go on tour to meet ARMY again in person. We really want to reach as many ARMY in the world as possible, so we hope to visit India in the future if an opportunity is given," said Jin, another BTS member on wanting to meet fans from around the world.&nbsp;

The popular Korean pop band BTS has been receiving a lot of love recently as a member of theirs, SUGA is recovering from a shoulder surgery. Many BTS fans have been concerned with his recovery as the ARMY (as their fans are popularly called) have taken to different social media platforms to share their concern.

The popular Korean pop band BTS has been receiving a lot of love recently as a member of theirs, SUGA is recovering from a shoulder surgery. Many BTS fans have been concerned with his recovery as the ARMY (as their fans are popularly called) have taken to different social media platforms to share their concern. BTS member J-hope shared recently that SUGA is “quickly recovering”. "SUGA is quickly recovering at the moment. The absence of even just one member feels huge for us, so all the members including SUGA himself are hoping that he gets better quickly, so that he can join us on stage for us to become whole again," J-hope told IANS. The South Korean boy band, also comprising RM, Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook, have been entertaining music lovers with their music for some years now. Their latest single and album ‘Dynamite’ has topped Billboard Hot 100 chart. ‘Dynamite’ is their first single entirely in English language. "We're very thankful for the love and support that we have received with 'Dynamite'. It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, so it is very meaningful for us, but we don't necessarily think this was because it was an English track," said Jungkook. "Our goal with 'Dynamite' was to give a burst of energy to the listeners and we're just glad to have achieved that goal. We are eager to continue to give hope and joy to our listeners through our music," he added. Talking about their new album "BE (Deluxe Edition)", RM shared: "We believe all of our albums are important and have played important roles in our career. 'BE' is an album that we created to reflect our current thoughts and emotions and deliver a message of hope to our fans all over the world." "Like the meaning of the title track, 'Life goes on', we want to comfort people around the world through the message that life will continue even in this difficult moment. If that message is well conveyed, we will have achieved our goal," he said. "We're ready to meet our fans whenever we can as soon as this pandemic comes to an end. There is nothing we want more than to go on tour to meet ARMY again in person. We really want to reach as many ARMY in the world as possible, so we hope to visit India in the future if an opportunity is given," said Jin, another BTS member on wanting to meet fans from around the world.

As a BTS member recovers from surgery, K pop band reveal 'we hope to visit India'

Their fandom is crazy. The popular Korean pop band BTS knows about the love for their songs as they recently revealed that they would love to meet with the Armies and thank them personally (K pop ARMY is what BTS fans called themselves around the world).

After their latest song ‘Dynamite’ became a global hit post its launch in August, in a recent interview to NDTV, BTS members said, First of all, thank you for the love and support, even though we haven’t been there. It’s crazy these days. I think we can’t say just one thing. If the time passes by, and when these crazy things all finish, then we want to be there and see all the armies in India, and have this energy together, dance together, sing together. So we want to really, say namaste, to really be there and just give our voices in person.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bts-creates-history-becomes-the-first-artist-to-top-billboards-social-50-for-consecutive-200-weeks-335359" hreflang="en">BTS creates history! Becomes the first artist to top Billboard's Social 50 for consecutive 200 weeks</a>

Watch the Dynamite song here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gdZLi9oWNZg" width="640"></iframe>

“I think more than ever, during this global pandemic, music transcends barriers, nationalities and age. It’s encouraging for us to hear how our music gave some energy through a difficult period. And I think that the way to overcome this is for all of us to pull ourselves together,” they said.

The Korean pop band BTS also said they plan to come to India and perform for their fans in the country. They promised, “We want to see our fans in India and show them our performances. We hope that day will come soon when this pandemic comes to an end.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-debut-to-breaking-own-records-a-look-back-at-bts-incredible-journey-335468" hreflang="en">From Debut to Breaking Own Records: A Look back at BTS incredible journey</a>

Their fandom is crazy. The popular Korean pop band BTS knows about the love for their songs as they recently revealed that they would love to meet with the Armies and thank them personally (K pop ARMY is what BTS fans called themselves around the world).

Their fandom is crazy. The popular Korean pop band BTS knows about the love for their songs as they recently revealed that they would love to meet with the Armies and thank them personally (K pop ARMY is what BTS fans called themselves around the world). After their latest song ‘Dynamite’ became a global hit post its launch in August, in a recent interview to NDTV, BTS members said, First of all, thank you for the love and support, even though we haven’t been there. It’s crazy these days. I think we can’t say just one thing. If the time passes by, and when these crazy things all finish, then we want to be there and see all the armies in India, and have this energy together, dance together, sing together. So we want to really, say namaste, to really be there and just give our voices in person.” BTS creates history! Becomes the first artist to top Billboard's Social 50 for consecutive 200 weeks Watch the Dynamite song here: “I think more than ever, during this global pandemic, music transcends barriers, nationalities and age. It’s encouraging for us to hear how our music gave some energy through a difficult period. And I think that the way to overcome this is for all of us to pull ourselves together,” they said. The Korean pop band BTS also said they plan to come to India and perform for their fans in the country. They promised, “We want to see our fans in India and show them our performances. We hope that day will come soon when this pandemic comes to an end.” From Debut to Breaking Own Records: A Look back at BTS incredible journey

BTS to fans in India: We want to be there, say namaste, sing and dance together

They are not convicted criminals. But more than 60 people in South Korea will work, eat and sleep in prisons- an alternative to compulsory military service. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: The alternative to compulsory military service in South Korea

Thailand's army has denied using Twitter to promote personal agenda and spread misinformation about their political opposition.

Twitter suspended nearly 926 accounts for violating its manipulation policies. Apparently, all these accounts were linked to the Royal Thai Army (RTA)

These accounts were reportedly linked to the Thai Army and were targeting their political oppositions.

"These accounts were engaging in amplifying pro-RTA and pro-government content, as well as engaging in behaviour targeting prominent political opposition figures," it said in a statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-interpol-issues-red-notice-for-red-bull-heirs-arrest-332627">Also read|&nbsp;Thailand: Interpol issues 'red notice' for Red Bull heir's arrest</a>

Thailand's army has, however, declined all these allegations.&nbsp;"The issue of information operations is a misunderstanding. We don`t do this. It`s not one of our objectives for using Twitter," said&nbsp;Deputy Army Spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong.

She also said that all these suspended accounts were anonymous and did not belong to the army as the RTA only has one official account.

As per the data provided from Twitter, nearly two-thirds of these accounts had no followers and had very less activity

A study by Stanford Internet Observatory, a research group at Stanford University, said more than half of the accounts never tweeted and most of the tweets had no engagement. "This was a coordinated but low-impact operation," it said in an analysis.

The controversy has been a direct result for Thailand Army's rule in the country from 2014 till 2019&nbsp;when junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha stayed on as prime minister,&nbsp;rejecting the complaints of critics that the ballot was a facade to keep the military's hands on power.

Twitter also took down accounts it said were linked to the governments of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and Russia.

Thailand's army has denied using Twitter to promote personal agenda and spread misinformation about their political opposition. Twitter suspended nearly 926 accounts for violating its manipulation policies.

Thailand's army has denied using Twitter to promote personal agenda and spread misinformation about their political opposition. Twitter suspended nearly 926 accounts for violating its manipulation policies. Apparently, all these accounts were linked to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) These accounts were reportedly linked to the Thai Army and were targeting their political oppositions. "These accounts were engaging in amplifying pro-RTA and pro-government content, as well as engaging in behaviour targeting prominent political opposition figures," it said in a statement. Also read| Thailand: Interpol issues 'red notice' for Red Bull heir's arrest Thailand's army has, however, declined all these allegations. "The issue of information operations is a misunderstanding. We don`t do this. It`s not one of our objectives for using Twitter," said Deputy Army Spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong. She also said that all these suspended accounts were anonymous and did not belong to the army as the RTA only has one official account. As per the data provided from Twitter, nearly two-thirds of these accounts had no followers and had very less activity A study by Stanford Internet Observatory, a research group at Stanford University, said more than half of the accounts never tweeted and most of the tweets had no engagement. "This was a coordinated but low-impact operation," it said in an analysis. The controversy has been a direct result for Thailand Army's rule in the country from 2014 till 2019 when junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha stayed on as prime minister, rejecting the complaints of critics that the ballot was a facade to keep the military's hands on power. Twitter also took down accounts it said were linked to the governments of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and Russia.

Thailand's Army denies spreading misinformation after Twitter suspends 926 accounts

A 24-year-old Indian army man has died in action after he accidentally stepped on an old landmine along the Line of Control (LoC)&nbsp;in Kargil.

The solider has been identified as Dev Bahadur, a resident of Uttarakhand. According to the army, he stepped on an old landmine following which he was given medical attention. Later, he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LtGenYKJoshi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LtGenYKJoshi</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArmyCdrNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArmyCdrNC</a> and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of Rfn Dev Bahadur; offer deepest condolences to the family. <a href="https://twitter.com/adgpi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adgpi</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpokespersonMoD</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FireAndFuryCorps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FireAndFuryCorps</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/foreverinops?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#foreverinops</a> <a href="https://t.co/0mRdgdqwqS">pic.twitter.com/0mRdgdqwqS</a>
— NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthernComd_IA/status/1285130953585684482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Lt Gen Y K Joshi, Army commander northern command and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of Rfn Dev Bahadur; offer deepest condolences to the family. The Indian army has paid tribute to the solider," Indian army's northern command tweeted.&nbsp;

This is a first such incident.

A 24-year-old Indian army man has died in action after he accidentally stepped on an old landmine along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kargil. The solider has been identified as Dev Bahadur, a resident of Uttarakhand.

A 24-year-old Indian army man has died in action after he accidentally stepped on an old landmine along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kargil. The solider has been identified as Dev Bahadur, a resident of Uttarakhand. According to the army, he stepped on an old landmine following which he was given medical attention. Later, he succumbed to his injuries. #IndianArmy #LtGenYKJoshi, #ArmyCdrNC and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of Rfn Dev Bahadur; offer deepest condolences to the family. @adgpi@SpokespersonMoD#FireAndFuryCorps#foreverinops pic.twitter.com/0mRdgdqwqS — NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) July 20, 2020 × "Lt Gen Y K Joshi, Army commander northern command and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of Rfn Dev Bahadur; offer deepest condolences to the family. The Indian army has paid tribute to the solider," Indian army's northern command tweeted. This is a first such incident.

Army pays tribute to soldier after he accidentally stepped on old explosive

Indian contingent takes part in Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow

After the violent clash between India and China at the Line of Actual Control, “Boycott China” became India’s mass movement against Chinese goods.

The government has fallen in line with the citizen’s sentiments by slowly attempting to corner out Chinese goods.&nbsp;For starters, the government is attempting to limit cheap imports from China, in a bid to boost domestic manufacturing of those goods.

To attain this goal, the government has sought domestic prices of similar goods that are made in India and details on domestic manufacturing capacity.

As per reports, the decision to review the situation was taken at the Prime Minister's office. A high-level meeting took place to discuss ways to promote a self-reliant India.

In the works for long

Even before the conflict had begun, India was attempting to limit such imports from China. The finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget had suggested raising duties on as many as 300 Chinese products.

So far, anti-dumping duty has been levied on 90 Chinese products, but this list could swell enormously. In December 2019, India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal indicated the number could go up to 5,000 products.

Additionally, the Indian government is reviewing its trade pacts with other countries. To override India’s plans, China is routing its goods to India via common trade partners.

India is revisiting its trade arrangements under South Asia free trade area, the ASEAN group and bilateral pacts with individual countries.

The only trade agreement that involves both China and India is the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement, which is also under scrutiny right now.

Maharastra government fires back at China

State governments are not far behind. The Maharashtra state government has hit back at China, and has stalled three Chinese projects worth 5,000 crore Rupees.

Under the Magnetic Maharashtra initiative to get foreign investment into the state, the government had signed over 12 agreements.

While the agreements with Chinese companies have been put on hold, the other nine agreements are being processed without a hassle.

After the violent clash between India and China at the Line of Actual Control, “Boycott China” became India’s mass movement against Chinese goods. The government has fallen in line with the citizen’s sentiments by slowly attempting to corner out Chinese goods.

After the violent clash between India and China at the Line of Actual Control, “Boycott China” became India’s mass movement against Chinese goods. The government has fallen in line with the citizen’s sentiments by slowly attempting to corner out Chinese goods. For starters, the government is attempting to limit cheap imports from China, in a bid to boost domestic manufacturing of those goods. To attain this goal, the government has sought domestic prices of similar goods that are made in India and details on domestic manufacturing capacity. As per reports, the decision to review the situation was taken at the Prime Minister's office. A high-level meeting took place to discuss ways to promote a self-reliant India. In the works for long Even before the conflict had begun, India was attempting to limit such imports from China. The finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget had suggested raising duties on as many as 300 Chinese products. So far, anti-dumping duty has been levied on 90 Chinese products, but this list could swell enormously. In December 2019, India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal indicated the number could go up to 5,000 products. Additionally, the Indian government is reviewing its trade pacts with other countries. To override India’s plans, China is routing its goods to India via common trade partners. India is revisiting its trade arrangements under South Asia free trade area, the ASEAN group and bilateral pacts with individual countries. The only trade agreement that involves both China and India is the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement, which is also under scrutiny right now. Maharastra government fires back at China State governments are not far behind. The Maharashtra state government has hit back at China, and has stalled three Chinese projects worth 5,000 crore Rupees. Under the Magnetic Maharashtra initiative to get foreign investment into the state, the government had signed over 12 agreements. While the agreements with Chinese companies have been put on hold, the other nine agreements are being processed without a hassle.

Taking cue from public, Indian government begins mission boycott China

The tension between India and China on Tuesday escalated as an Indian Army officer and two soldiers have been killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops last night, disrupting the fragile peace prevailing along the LAC.&nbsp;

"I can assure you that under the leadership of PM Modi, India’s territorial integrity will not be compromised. We now have the political will and our Army is fully equipped to take on any adversary. Nobody can cast any ill eye on Modi's India," said BJP President JP Nadda.

"Borders of India will remain intact and are intact under the leadership of PM. During the de-escalation process that was underway in Galwan Valley in Ladakh, violent face-off took place with the Chinese Army. Indian Army gave a befitting reply. Unfortunately, we lost our 3 army men," said BJP President JP Nadda.

Meanwhile, The Government of India issued a statement on the military altercation with China at the LAC that turned violent on Monday night leading to the death of three Indian Army personnel.

Colonel B Santosh Babu, Havildar Palani and Sepoy Ojha were killed in the clashes that took place at one of the four locations in Ladakh where the two armies have been locked in a 40-day standoff.

(With inputs from agencies)

The tension between India and China on Tuesday escalated as an Indian Army officer and two soldiers have been killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops last night, disrupting the fragile peace prevailing along the LAC.

The tension between India and China on Tuesday escalated as an Indian Army officer and two soldiers have been killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops last night, disrupting the fragile peace prevailing along the LAC. "I can assure you that under the leadership of PM Modi, India’s territorial integrity will not be compromised. We now have the political will and our Army is fully equipped to take on any adversary. Nobody can cast any ill eye on Modi's India," said BJP President JP Nadda. "Borders of India will remain intact and are intact under the leadership of PM. During the de-escalation process that was underway in Galwan Valley in Ladakh, violent face-off took place with the Chinese Army. Indian Army gave a befitting reply. Unfortunately, we lost our 3 army men," said BJP President JP Nadda. Meanwhile, The Government of India issued a statement on the military altercation with China at the LAC that turned violent on Monday night leading to the death of three Indian Army personnel. Colonel B Santosh Babu, Havildar Palani and Sepoy Ojha were killed in the clashes that took place at one of the four locations in Ladakh where the two armies have been locked in a 40-day standoff. (With inputs from agencies)

Our Army is fully equipped to take on any adversary, says BJP president JP Nadda

A rights activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has blamed the Pakistan army for Pakistan's negative economic growth.

Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza blamed Pakistan army and its fear among the people in power. Talking about the budget, he expressed his concern about the power the Pakistan army holds on the approving the country's budget.

"This budget has Rs 650 Billion allocated for the development purpose, while the military has been allocated a sum of Rs 1.3 Trillion. This simply means that the budget has been presented after the approval of the army," said Mirza.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistans-shahid-afridi-tests-positive-for-covid-19-305565">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan's Shahid Afridi tests positive for COVID-19</a>

"Hammad Azhar, the minister who presented the budget expressed his government's gratitude to the army on the floor of the house. This simply means that this government is powerless and scared of the army," he continued.

He alleged the ministers of spending more than what the country could afford. He claims the legislators have been spending money on luxurious things, instead of spending it on the people of several areas that haven;t received proper funding for years.

"This is the first time in the history in Pakistan that the budget is showing negative growth. It`s -0.4 per cent this time. This is a dangerous situation because it requires a lot of things to be done to convert a negative growth into positive. First and foremost, you need to stop your expenses that do not yield dividends."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-stimulus-package-is-as-large-as-gdp-of-pakistan-india-tells-imran-khan-after-he-offers-help-305154">Also read|&nbsp;Our stimulus package is as large as GDP of Pakistan: India tells Imran Khan after he offers 'help'</a>

While this allegation was made on fund allocation and the overpowering army, he also accused the Prime Minister Imran Khan of hiding the actual figures of debt.&nbsp;"Pakistan's debt is equal to 88 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product. The total budget is of Rs 7,294.90 billion. They have also projected a deficit of Rs 3,500 billion but I feel they are trying to conceal the real numbers. The total deficit would be around Rs 4,500 billion and this could even go up to Rs 5,000 billion," he said.

Adding on, he said, "They might have said that this budget is for 2020-21 but I fell that they would have to come up with a rolling budget after three months. The crisis is so deep that they will have to reassess their budget every three months and will be forced to come up with a new budget."&nbsp;

He also accused the Pakistan government of handing over the area&nbsp;Gilgit Baltistan to China, as the country has not been allocating funds for the said area.

&nbsp;"I was expecting a separate allocation for the Bhasha dam but they didn't make an announcement regarding that and instead, they have made a general allocation of Rs 70 billion for the water projects. This could lead to a very dangerous situation as the dam in which China already has 70% will go under their control completely."&nbsp;

A rights activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has blamed the Pakistan army for Pakistan's negative economic growth. Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza blamed Pakistan army and its fear among the people in power.

A rights activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has blamed the Pakistan army for Pakistan's negative economic growth. Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza blamed Pakistan army and its fear among the people in power. Talking about the budget, he expressed his concern about the power the Pakistan army holds on the approving the country's budget. "This budget has Rs 650 Billion allocated for the development purpose, while the military has been allocated a sum of Rs 1.3 Trillion. This simply means that the budget has been presented after the approval of the army," said Mirza. Also read: Pakistan's Shahid Afridi tests positive for COVID-19 "Hammad Azhar, the minister who presented the budget expressed his government's gratitude to the army on the floor of the house. This simply means that this government is powerless and scared of the army," he continued. He alleged the ministers of spending more than what the country could afford. He claims the legislators have been spending money on luxurious things, instead of spending it on the people of several areas that haven;t received proper funding for years. "This is the first time in the history in Pakistan that the budget is showing negative growth. It`s -0.4 per cent this time. This is a dangerous situation because it requires a lot of things to be done to convert a negative growth into positive. First and foremost, you need to stop your expenses that do not yield dividends." Also read| Our stimulus package is as large as GDP of Pakistan: India tells Imran Khan after he offers 'help' While this allegation was made on fund allocation and the overpowering army, he also accused the Prime Minister Imran Khan of hiding the actual figures of debt. "Pakistan's debt is equal to 88 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product. The total budget is of Rs 7,294.90 billion. They have also projected a deficit of Rs 3,500 billion but I feel they are trying to conceal the real numbers. The total deficit would be around Rs 4,500 billion and this could even go up to Rs 5,000 billion," he said. Adding on, he said, "They might have said that this budget is for 2020-21 but I fell that they would have to come up with a rolling budget after three months. The crisis is so deep that they will have to reassess their budget every three months and will be forced to come up with a new budget." He also accused the Pakistan government of handing over the area Gilgit Baltistan to China, as the country has not been allocating funds for the said area. "I was expecting a separate allocation for the Bhasha dam but they didn't make an announcement regarding that and instead, they have made a general allocation of Rs 70 billion for the water projects. This could lead to a very dangerous situation as the dam in which China already has 70% will go under their control completely."

PoK rights activist blames Pak army for first ever negative economic growth

A force to reckon with or a paper dragon? A question aimed at understanding the so-called might of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Tonight, this army is retreating from the border in Ladakh.

A force to reckon with or a paper dragon? A question aimed at understanding the so-called might of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Tonight, this army is retreating from the border in Ladakh. And the question becomes all the more significant. Does the PLA live up to the eulogizing reports by the Chinese state media? Is their ground enough for the hyperbole and hubris around its capabilities? It is the largest military force in the world. It has the second-largest defence budget in the world and it's under the absolute control of the Chinese communist party. The People's Liberation Army has grown more assertive during this pandemic. It is militarizing disputed islands in the South China sea, it is intensifying pressure on Taiwan and is attempting to grab territories at the India-China border. But lost in the hyperbole of its might and technological prowess is a sense of perspective. The PLA continues to be plagued by enduring weaknesses. The conscription challenge Technically the military service is mandatory for all Chinese citizens. The practice of conscription is held high even in the Chinese constitution. But the conscription cycle comes with its own set of challenges. The PLA is said to rely on approximately 800,000 conscripts that have to serve for a period of two years. Each conscript is trained for 90 days along with 15 days of political indoctrination. Due to this policy, the forces lose 20 to 35 per cent of their combat power for a period of three to four months annually. It recruits heavily but fails to retain professionals. Professionalism of recruits The second big challenge is recruiting and retaining qualified personnel. China's army recruits a higher number of poor youth from rural backgrounds. They join for the perks. The educated city dwellers tend to leave. Experts blame the one-child policy for this. A policy which is said to produce pampered children who cannot withstand military discipline. When in the army, they're dissatisfied the post-service perks are few. This weakens the force by depriving it of high-quality professionals. Civilian oversight The PLA is characterized by extremely weak civilian control. There's an almost total absence of civilian oversight. The only civilian in the military's chain of command is said to be the chairman of China's Central Military Commission President Xi Jinping himself. This leads to rampant corruption and allows the PLA to demand and spend its budget without accountability. There is no discussion or debate over the levels of allocations funding or PLA strategies in the National People's Congress. Operational initiative The CCP doesn't allow decision making at lower levels. It's the same with the PLA. This prevents the front-line commanders from taking initiative. It hinders soldiers from responding quickly to developments. The result is confusion and frustration at lower levels as troops await decisions from above. Insufficient training The videos don't tell the real story, they gloss over the fact that China's soldiers undergo insufficient training in conditions that are not challenging enough. Military exercises are not seen as a chance to identify problems. The aim is to always succeed. This reduces military training into opportunities to impress superiors. A few headlines give a preview to what it is. The military's orienteering team was disqualified for cheating at the military world games held in China last year and in 2015, Chinese troops as part of a UN peacekeeping force in Sudan are said to have fled the battlefield rather than engage in combat. This is the People's Liberation Army, burdened with organizational problems and riddled with inefficiencies. Neither perfect nor invincible.

Reasons why China's People's Liberation Army is not invincible

This can be termed as one of the biggest collaborations in K-pop. As promised, singers IU and Suga released their new song 'Eight' on Wednesday. 
 
The pop single is picturised on IU and talks about life as a 28-year-old. Interestingly, IU and Suga are both 28-years-old. 
The video is a visual delight with soothing music, much to the delight of the fans. &nbsp; 
 
The video also has a portion in animation with Suga's rap playing the background. The video was shared by IU on her Twitter page.

Watch the video here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TgOu00Mf3kI" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Soon after the video was shared online, fans started the trend 'IUxSUGA' and one of the Twitter users wrote, "Joon was right when he said eight is a driving song, imagine listening to it driving down a quiet road on a sunny afternoon with the windows down or it playing softly on a late-night drive #EIGHTIsComing #IUxSUGA". Another fan wrote, "that Suga was what I was yearning to hear. the song is beautiful, IU's voice is so pretty and Yooni’s rap is the best!! #SUGA #IUxSUGA #EIGHTOUTNOW @BTS_twt".

&nbsp;

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This can be termed as one of the biggest collaborations in K-pop. As promised, singers IU and Suga released their new song 'Eight' on Wednesday. The pop single is picturised on IU and talks about life as a 28-year-old.

This can be termed as one of the biggest collaborations in K-pop. As promised, singers IU and Suga released their new song 'Eight' on Wednesday. The pop single is picturised on IU and talks about life as a 28-year-old. Interestingly, IU and Suga are both 28-years-old. The video is a visual delight with soothing music, much to the delight of the fans. The video also has a portion in animation with Suga's rap playing the background. The video was shared by IU on her Twitter page. Watch the video here: Soon after the video was shared online, fans started the trend 'IUxSUGA' and one of the Twitter users wrote, "Joon was right when he said eight is a driving song, imagine listening to it driving down a quiet road on a sunny afternoon with the windows down or it playing softly on a late-night drive #EIGHTIsComing #IUxSUGA". Another fan wrote, "that Suga was what I was yearning to hear. the song is beautiful, IU's voice is so pretty and Yooni’s rap is the best!! #SUGA #IUxSUGA #EIGHTOUTNOW @BTS_twt".

IU and BTS' Suga's much-awaited collaboration 'Eight' is finally here!

Countries that are now pumping more money into their militaries than ever before!

The Pakistan government has authorised the Pakistan army to take over if the public violates lockdown rules. The order has been issued specifically keeping in mind the&nbsp;business community and religious clerics. The decision has been taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The decision came out after a meeting that took place at the ISI Headquarters in Rawalpindi on April 23. The meeting was attended by Imran Khan, COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, DG-ISI Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed, some of the Cabinet ministers and advisors. The motive of the meeting was to discuss the tense situation in the country and to plan counter measures in case of emergencies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-mosques-could-close-forever-due-to-coronavirus-lockdown-says-muslim-council-of-britain-294493">Also read:&nbsp;UK mosques could close forever due to coronavirus lockdown, says Muslim Council of Britain</a>

This is not the first time Imran Khan has been overpowered by the country's army. On March 22, Prime Minister addressed the nation and explained his reasons for not imposing a complete lockdown, stating that a lot of people would lose their jobs. However, few hours later&nbsp;Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar announced a complete lockdown. Following the announcement, military was deployed in the country&nbsp;an was seen handling the COVID-19 response through the National Core Committee, a body set up to coordinate policy between the national and provincial governments.

However, business community and religious clerics have claimed they will continue to operate their day-to-day life normal.&nbsp;According to sources, it was agreed in principle during the meeting that police, rangers and even troops can be used to maintain law and order if the business community and religious clerics attempt to cross their limit and violate the lockdown instructions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ramzan-amitabh-bachchan-sonam-kapoor-others-wish-fans-urge-people-to-stay-at-home-294517">Also read:&nbsp;Ramzan: Amitabh Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor &amp; others wish fans, urge people to stay at home</a>

Ramazan is an important month for the Muslim community all over the world. While the community is doing its best to stay indoors and celebrate from their homes, the situation seems to be tense in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Several violators were reportedly arrested in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other cities on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

"The situation will worsen soon if the government would not ease its restrictions since poor people are very frustrated of not getting food and other basic amenities," the sources said, adding "government system is not effective".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-to-keep-mosques-open-during-ramadan-coronavirus-outbreak-294348">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan to keep mosques open during Ramadan | Coronavirus Outbreak</a>

Total number of reported positive coronavirus cases have risen to&nbsp;12,723 with a death toll of 269. However, several questions have been raised on whether the actual number is as reported. The Pakistan government, following the figures, extended the lockdown till May 09.

The health officials of the country have been staging protests for weeks claiming that the&nbsp;hospitals are suffering from acute&nbsp;shortage&nbsp;of safety gear.

"Overall circumstances are not short of civilian disobedience if the government does not relax its strict measures to maintain lockdown effectively, it will face a difficult position," sources said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-reject-afghan-ceasefire-offer-during-ramadan-294562">Also read:&nbsp;Taliban reject Afghan ceasefire offer during Ramadan</a>

Dismissing reports of having made a vaccine for coronavirus, Advisor on Health Zafar Mirza informed the media that there is no coronavirus vaccine presently

“Let me clarify that while there are several initiatives to develop vaccines across the world, there is no such initiative in Pakistan at the moment," he said.

However, he confirmed the reports of a Chinese and Japanese manufacturer contacting the country for developing a vaccine.&nbsp;“We have asked for more information from them," Mirza said.

The Pakistan government has authorised the Pakistan army to take over if the public violates lockdown rules. The order has been issued specifically keeping in mind the business community and religious clerics.

The Pakistan government has authorised the Pakistan army to take over if the public violates lockdown rules. The order has been issued specifically keeping in mind the business community and religious clerics. The decision has been taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan to contain the spread of coronavirus. The decision came out after a meeting that took place at the ISI Headquarters in Rawalpindi on April 23. The meeting was attended by Imran Khan, COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, DG-ISI Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed, some of the Cabinet ministers and advisors. The motive of the meeting was to discuss the tense situation in the country and to plan counter measures in case of emergencies. Also read: UK mosques could close forever due to coronavirus lockdown, says Muslim Council of Britain This is not the first time Imran Khan has been overpowered by the country's army. On March 22, Prime Minister addressed the nation and explained his reasons for not imposing a complete lockdown, stating that a lot of people would lose their jobs. However, few hours later Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar announced a complete lockdown. Following the announcement, military was deployed in the country an was seen handling the COVID-19 response through the National Core Committee, a body set up to coordinate policy between the national and provincial governments. However, business community and religious clerics have claimed they will continue to operate their day-to-day life normal. According to sources, it was agreed in principle during the meeting that police, rangers and even troops can be used to maintain law and order if the business community and religious clerics attempt to cross their limit and violate the lockdown instructions. Also read: Ramzan: Amitabh Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor & others wish fans, urge people to stay at home Ramazan is an important month for the Muslim community all over the world. While the community is doing its best to stay indoors and celebrate from their homes, the situation seems to be tense in Pakistan. Several violators were reportedly arrested in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other cities on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. "The situation will worsen soon if the government would not ease its restrictions since poor people are very frustrated of not getting food and other basic amenities," the sources said, adding "government system is not effective". Also read: Pakistan to keep mosques open during Ramadan | Coronavirus Outbreak Total number of reported positive coronavirus cases have risen to 12,723 with a death toll of 269. However, several questions have been raised on whether the actual number is as reported. The Pakistan government, following the figures, extended the lockdown till May 09. The health officials of the country have been staging protests for weeks claiming that the hospitals are suffering from acute shortage of safety gear. "Overall circumstances are not short of civilian disobedience if the government does not relax its strict measures to maintain lockdown effectively, it will face a difficult position," sources said. Also read: Taliban reject Afghan ceasefire offer during Ramadan Dismissing reports of having made a vaccine for coronavirus, Advisor on Health Zafar Mirza informed the media that there is no coronavirus vaccine presently “Let me clarify that while there are several initiatives to develop vaccines across the world, there is no such initiative in Pakistan at the moment," he said. However, he confirmed the reports of a Chinese and Japanese manufacturer contacting the country for developing a vaccine. “We have asked for more information from them," Mirza said.

Imran Khan's government authorises army to take over in case of lockdown violations

International Women's Day Special: Nitika Kaul Dhoundiyal was shattered when she came to know that her husband Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal was martyred during an operation against the terrorists that took place following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. But now, Nitika has summed up the courage and has decided to follow the footsteps of her late husband. Dhoundiyal is all set to join the Indian Army. She has cleared Services Selection Board (SSB) exam necessary to join the Army. She has also got a call letter from Officers Training Academy or OTA, Chennai for joining as an officer in the technical wing of Indian Army. On the occasion of International Women's Day, she fits as the perfect example for hashtag 'She Inspires Us' which PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

International Women's Day 2020: Pulwama Terror Attack martyr's wife to don Indian Army uniform to fulfil husband's dreams

The Indian Army launched a major humanitarian evacuation operation on February 29 in Arunachal Pradesh to rescue 111 stranded locals and tourists from an altitude of approximately 14000 feet.

Two teams of the Indian Army, along with their medical staff and recovery vehicles, worked throughout the night of March 1 to help the stranded civilians.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-hear-plea-seeking-fir-against-bjp-leaders-kapil-mishra-anurag-thakur-283700">Supreme Court to hear plea seeking FIR against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur</a>

The people, included women and small children, were stranded in heavy snow at Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh in sub-zero temperatures while travelling in their vehicles.

The locals and tourists in distress were also provided with hot tea, snacks and food at the site by the Army personnel.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-violence-630-arrests-123-firs-registered-says-police-283409">Delhi violence: 630 arrests, 123 FIRs registered, says police</a>

The Chief Minister`s Office, which was also monitoring the situation, complimented the Indian Army for their timely and effective response.

The Indian Army launched a major humanitarian evacuation operation on February 29 in Arunachal Pradesh to rescue 111 stranded locals and tourists from an altitude of approximately 14000 feet.

The Indian Army launched a major humanitarian evacuation operation on February 29 in Arunachal Pradesh to rescue 111 stranded locals and tourists from an altitude of approximately 14000 feet. Two teams of the Indian Army, along with their medical staff and recovery vehicles, worked throughout the night of March 1 to help the stranded civilians. Also read: Supreme Court to hear plea seeking FIR against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur The people, included women and small children, were stranded in heavy snow at Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh in sub-zero temperatures while travelling in their vehicles. The locals and tourists in distress were also provided with hot tea, snacks and food at the site by the Army personnel. Also see: Delhi violence: 630 arrests, 123 FIRs registered, says police The Chief Minister`s Office, which was also monitoring the situation, complimented the Indian Army for their timely and effective response.

Army rescues 111 civilians stranded at 14,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh

Pakistan's Army commemorated February 27th as 'Surprise Day' to push propaganda against Indian AirForce MCC's Balakot Airstrikes. Why has the Pakistani Air force been unable to evacuate its citizens stuck in Coronavirus-hit China? Molly Gambhir summarises Pak govt's surprisingly misplaced priorities.

Gravitas: 'Surprise day', Pak propaganda on Balakot strikes

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement on Permanent Commission for women in Army.

Singh took to Twitter and welcomed the decision " wholeheartedly".

"I wholeheartedly welcome Hon'ble Supreme Court’s judgement on giving the Women officers permanent commission in the Armed Forces. PM Shri @narendramodi has supported the idea of permanent commission for women &amp; announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018," Singh tweeted out.&nbsp;

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I wholeheartedly welcome Honble Supreme Court’s judgement on giving the Women officers permanent commission in the Armed Forces. PM Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> has supported the idea of permanent commission for women &amp; announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1229394157522710528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The defence minister stated that a historic move to allow women in the field operations came when former defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman "announced that women will be inducted into the Military Police. The recruitment process has started in 2019," Singh added.&nbsp;

"In 2019, the defence ministry granted a permanent commission to women in all 10 branches of the Indian Amry, including Signal Corps, intelligence, aviation, engineering, service corps and ordinance corps," he said.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bar-on-granting-command-post-to-women-officers-in-Army-is-irrational-Supreme-Court-to-government">Bar on granting command post to women officers in Army is irrational: Supreme Court to government</a>

<img alt="Women Armed Forces" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6668d681-c79c-4b79-bf90-e1684139eb63" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EQUALITY_OPPORTUNITY..jpg" />

Sigh also highlighted that before the year 2016, women made up just 2.5 per cent of India's armed forces and worked mainly in non-combat roles.

"As of Jan 2019, 3.89 per cent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 per cent of the navy and 13.28 per cent of the air force personnel were women as of June 2019," Singh posted on Twitter.&nbsp;

The top court today said that women officers in Army be given a permanent commission as a change of mindset is required on government's part to end gender bias in armed forces.

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Before 2016, women made up just 2.5 percent of India's armed forces, working in mainly non-combat roles. 
As of Jan 2019, 3.89 percent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 percent of the navy &amp; 13.28 percent of the air force personnel were women as of June 2019.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1229394722084409344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Absolute bar on granting command post to women officers in Army is irrational and against Right to Equality," India's top court said.

The apex court directed the Centre to grant permanent commission within three months to all women officers in the Army who opt for it.&nbsp;

The court said that women officers will also be eligible for command posting in the Army.&nbsp;

The top court said even after 70 years of post-colonial era, there is a need for change in mindset with regard to giving equal opportunity to women officers in the Indian Army.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement on Permanent Commission for women in Army. Singh took to Twitter and welcomed the decision " wholeheartedly".

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement on Permanent Commission for women in Army. Singh took to Twitter and welcomed the decision " wholeheartedly". "I wholeheartedly welcome Hon'ble Supreme Court’s judgement on giving the Women officers permanent commission in the Armed Forces. PM Shri @narendramodi has supported the idea of permanent commission for women & announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018," Singh tweeted out. I wholeheartedly welcome Honble Supreme Court’s judgement on giving the Women officers permanent commission in the Armed Forces. PM Shri @narendramodi has supported the idea of permanent commission for women & announced the change in policy in his Independence Day speech in 2018. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 17, 2020 × The defence minister stated that a historic move to allow women in the field operations came when former defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman "announced that women will be inducted into the Military Police. The recruitment process has started in 2019," Singh added. "In 2019, the defence ministry granted a permanent commission to women in all 10 branches of the Indian Amry, including Signal Corps, intelligence, aviation, engineering, service corps and ordinance corps," he said. Also read: Bar on granting command post to women officers in Army is irrational: Supreme Court to government Sigh also highlighted that before the year 2016, women made up just 2.5 per cent of India's armed forces and worked mainly in non-combat roles. "As of Jan 2019, 3.89 per cent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 per cent of the navy and 13.28 per cent of the air force personnel were women as of June 2019," Singh posted on Twitter. The top court today said that women officers in Army be given a permanent commission as a change of mindset is required on government's part to end gender bias in armed forces. Before 2016, women made up just 2.5 percent of India's armed forces, working in mainly non-combat roles. As of Jan 2019, 3.89 percent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 percent of the navy & 13.28 percent of the air force personnel were women as of June 2019. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 17, 2020 × "Absolute bar on granting command post to women officers in Army is irrational and against Right to Equality," India's top court said. The apex court directed the Centre to grant permanent commission within three months to all women officers in the Army who opt for it. The court said that women officers will also be eligible for command posting in the Army. The top court said even after 70 years of post-colonial era, there is a need for change in mindset with regard to giving equal opportunity to women officers in the Indian Army.

Wholeheartedly welcome SC’s decision to give women permanent commission in Armed Forces: Rajnath

Military training is about reshaping social norms and obeying commands, irrespective of who the commander is. Military personnel should stand for discipline and not discrimination.

The women officers in the Indian Army aren't making any unrealistic demand. A&nbsp;plea has been filed in the Supreme Court of India by women officers demanding permanent commission. In other words, a career in the Army until they retire.

Currently, women in the Indian Army can only serve up to 14 years. 
 
The world has come a long way since military roles were gender-specific. Today, women officers across the world rub shoulders with their male counterparts.

Months into World War I, the triple alliance and the entente met with an unexpected crisis - the shortage of troops. There were no men to guard the borders or fight the enemy.

So several thousand men had to give up farming and their daily jobs to join combat roles. Women too were rushed to camps, but their task was different.

They were expected to nurse the injured soldiers back to health. That was the early 1900s, an age defined by clear division of labour and gender roles.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Today, women are in the frontline, they are in the cockpit and on the deck. Armed Forces are no-longer a male-exclusive club.

Women comprise nearly 15 per cent of Canada's fighting force, 19 per cent of the French military and 10 per cent of the German military.

In Australia, women make up 14.3 per cent of the Army, the number is 4.5 per cent in China's People Liberation Army, and 3.8 per cent in the Indian Army.

Women also make up 14 per cent of the active-duty Army in the United States of America. At least 16 countries allow women to serve in combat roles.

They have equal rights to military stars, stripes and medals as their male counterparts. 
 
WATCH:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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In 2016, Brazil allowed women to enter combat training. The year before that, United Arab Emirates allowed a female fighter pilot to strike a mission against the Islamic State in Syria. South Korea opened combat positions to women as early as the 1990s.

In China, the first class of female fighter pilots graduated in 2009. Germany opened combat roles to women in 2001. Women make up almost 2 per cent of the French combat infantry.

In 1985, Norway became the first nation to open all combat jobs to women. Israel allowed women in combat roles in 1995.

The Philippines did the same in 2006. A woman officer of the US army once shared her experience of serving in Afghanistan. She said women were integral to combating cultural warfare.

At warzones where local women often hide ammunition, terrorists and critical intel, it's the women officer who play a crucial role in getting the complicit locals to break their silence and confederate.

Women are essential to peace-keeping - at home and outside. It's time more countries rise up the ranks and usher in gender balance in their Armed Forces.

 
&nbsp;

Military training is about reshaping social norms and obeying commands, irrespective of who the commander is. Military personnel should stand for discipline and not discrimination.

Military training is about reshaping social norms and obeying commands, irrespective of who the commander is. Military personnel should stand for discipline and not discrimination. The women officers in the Indian Army aren't making any unrealistic demand. A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court of India by women officers demanding permanent commission. In other words, a career in the Army until they retire. Currently, women in the Indian Army can only serve up to 14 years. The world has come a long way since military roles were gender-specific. Today, women officers across the world rub shoulders with their male counterparts. Months into World War I, the triple alliance and the entente met with an unexpected crisis - the shortage of troops. There were no men to guard the borders or fight the enemy. So several thousand men had to give up farming and their daily jobs to join combat roles. Women too were rushed to camps, but their task was different. They were expected to nurse the injured soldiers back to health. That was the early 1900s, an age defined by clear division of labour and gender roles. Today, women are in the frontline, they are in the cockpit and on the deck. Armed Forces are no-longer a male-exclusive club. Women comprise nearly 15 per cent of Canada's fighting force, 19 per cent of the French military and 10 per cent of the German military. In Australia, women make up 14.3 per cent of the Army, the number is 4.5 per cent in China's People Liberation Army, and 3.8 per cent in the Indian Army. Women also make up 14 per cent of the active-duty Army in the United States of America. At least 16 countries allow women to serve in combat roles. They have equal rights to military stars, stripes and medals as their male counterparts. WATCH: × In 2016, Brazil allowed women to enter combat training. The year before that, United Arab Emirates allowed a female fighter pilot to strike a mission against the Islamic State in Syria. South Korea opened combat positions to women as early as the 1990s. In China, the first class of female fighter pilots graduated in 2009. Germany opened combat roles to women in 2001. Women make up almost 2 per cent of the French combat infantry. In 1985, Norway became the first nation to open all combat jobs to women. Israel allowed women in combat roles in 1995. The Philippines did the same in 2006. A woman officer of the US army once shared her experience of serving in Afghanistan. She said women were integral to combating cultural warfare. At warzones where local women often hide ammunition, terrorists and critical intel, it's the women officer who play a crucial role in getting the complicit locals to break their silence and confederate. Women are essential to peace-keeping - at home and outside. It's time more countries rise up the ranks and usher in gender balance in their Armed Forces.

Explained: Rise of women soldiers around the world

India aspires to become a global power and for that, India must have a modern military force, among other things. India buys a bulk of its defence equipment and there is urgent need to make it domestically.

So, there's a market, there's demand, there's a push from the government and India has the technological know-how, then why hasn't Make in India made a difference?

Last year, Former Army Chief General VP Malik - the man who led the Indian Army during the Kargil war spoke about it. And he made a strong case for making defence equipment in India. &nbsp;

He said that unless India becomes adequately self-reliant in defence, our national security remains vulnerable. 
 
So, why has India's domestic arms industry not flourished?&nbsp;&nbsp;

For the longest time, defence manufacturing in India was in the hands of state-owned companies. Private players were allowed only in 2001. A report from 2019 says that even today, bulk of the business goes to the public sector units.&nbsp;

Last year, the annual turnover of private sector companies was close to Rs 15 thousand crores. Public sector units earned more than four times this figure. Their turnover was well over Rs 60 thousand crores.

But, the Armed Forces have not had good experiences working with India's Defence PSUs. They give three reasons:

First, professionalism, or the lack of it. Second, delays in deliveries, and third, overshooting the budget.&nbsp;

Let's take the case of HAL, it had the exclusive rights to manufacture foreign jets in India. Last year, the Indian Air Force told the government that production delays are impacting its combat strength, particularly, when it comes to the Mirage 2000 and Jaguar Fighter fleets that were undergoing upgrades.&nbsp;

The IAF pointed out delays, ranging from two to six years. As a result, costs have also gone up. Furthermore, India lacks the talent to develop futuristic weapons.

Research and Development is still restricted to government agencies like DRDO. So, the Defence Forces have little choice and they have to resort to off the shelf purchases.

All the major contracts the Narendra Modi government has signed have been off the shelf. There has been no transfer of technology, this includes 36 Rafale jets from France, the S400 Missile Defence system from Russia, and the Apache and Chinook from the US.

Although, the government should be given credit where it's due. Some major bottlenecks for the entry of the private sector have been removed under the Modi government, like - increasing the FDI cap, easing licensing conditions and reduced time frame for obtaining defence exports approvals.

Several private players have entered the market - Adani Defence and Aerospace, Tata Advanced Systems, Bharat Forge and Mahindra and Mahindra. They have all tied up with foreign Defence manufacturing firms.

But as of last year, some deals were yet to be finalised, a few have even hit dead ends or have been cancelled.

The private sector hasn't really been able to graduate from making small components to creating full-blown systems.

First of all, finalise the pending deals. Second, invest more in defence research and development. Third, encourage private players and startups to build indigenous offerings. And fourth, push for weapons imports that come with a technology transfer.

This will boost India's know-how in defence manufacturing.&nbsp;

Another major concern is the budget. India might not have enough money to clear big-ticket purchases. This is where the Defence Forces must consider deeper integration of resources and talent and open up some room in the budget.

The appointment of the Chief of Defence staff is a step in that direction. The more immediate concern is the pending defence procurement. Public-private partnerships must be encouraged to complete priority purchases.

Delaying the development of India's defence manufacturing not just makes our imports bills bigger, it even forces the Armed Forces, bureaucrats and the government to make compromises with national security.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

India aspires to become a global power and for that, India must have a modern military force, among other things. India buys a bulk of its defence equipment and there is urgent need to make it domestically.

India aspires to become a global power and for that, India must have a modern military force, among other things. India buys a bulk of its defence equipment and there is urgent need to make it domestically. So, there's a market, there's demand, there's a push from the government and India has the technological know-how, then why hasn't Make in India made a difference? Last year, Former Army Chief General VP Malik - the man who led the Indian Army during the Kargil war spoke about it. And he made a strong case for making defence equipment in India. He said that unless India becomes adequately self-reliant in defence, our national security remains vulnerable. So, why has India's domestic arms industry not flourished? For the longest time, defence manufacturing in India was in the hands of state-owned companies. Private players were allowed only in 2001. A report from 2019 says that even today, bulk of the business goes to the public sector units. Last year, the annual turnover of private sector companies was close to Rs 15 thousand crores. Public sector units earned more than four times this figure. Their turnover was well over Rs 60 thousand crores. But, the Armed Forces have not had good experiences working with India's Defence PSUs. They give three reasons: First, professionalism, or the lack of it. Second, delays in deliveries, and third, overshooting the budget. Let's take the case of HAL, it had the exclusive rights to manufacture foreign jets in India. Last year, the Indian Air Force told the government that production delays are impacting its combat strength, particularly, when it comes to the Mirage 2000 and Jaguar Fighter fleets that were undergoing upgrades. The IAF pointed out delays, ranging from two to six years. As a result, costs have also gone up. Furthermore, India lacks the talent to develop futuristic weapons. Research and Development is still restricted to government agencies like DRDO. So, the Defence Forces have little choice and they have to resort to off the shelf purchases. All the major contracts the Narendra Modi government has signed have been off the shelf. There has been no transfer of technology, this includes 36 Rafale jets from France, the S400 Missile Defence system from Russia, and the Apache and Chinook from the US. Although, the government should be given credit where it's due. Some major bottlenecks for the entry of the private sector have been removed under the Modi government, like - increasing the FDI cap, easing licensing conditions and reduced time frame for obtaining defence exports approvals. Several private players have entered the market - Adani Defence and Aerospace, Tata Advanced Systems, Bharat Forge and Mahindra and Mahindra. They have all tied up with foreign Defence manufacturing firms. But as of last year, some deals were yet to be finalised, a few have even hit dead ends or have been cancelled. The private sector hasn't really been able to graduate from making small components to creating full-blown systems. First of all, finalise the pending deals. Second, invest more in defence research and development. Third, encourage private players and startups to build indigenous offerings. And fourth, push for weapons imports that come with a technology transfer. This will boost India's know-how in defence manufacturing. Another major concern is the budget. India might not have enough money to clear big-ticket purchases. This is where the Defence Forces must consider deeper integration of resources and talent and open up some room in the budget. The appointment of the Chief of Defence staff is a step in that direction. The more immediate concern is the pending defence procurement. Public-private partnerships must be encouraged to complete priority purchases. Delaying the development of India's defence manufacturing not just makes our imports bills bigger, it even forces the Armed Forces, bureaucrats and the government to make compromises with national security. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: India's defence manufacturing gaps

The state of Indian economy reflected in India's GDP to the growth of 4.8 per cent in 2019-20, and its projected GDP growth as per IMF at 5.8 per cent for 2020-21, coupled with the rise in fiscal deficit to 3.8 per cent, has constrained the government from enhancing the allocations for the Ministry of Defence.&nbsp;

The increased allocations to socio-economic sectors for boosting economic growth and on development of infrastructure had a bearing on the defence allocation, with a marginal increase in the defence <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/union-budget-2020-government-has-taken-bold-steps-to-put-economy-back-on-track-278226">budget allocation</a> from Rs 318,000 crores in &nbsp;2019-20 to Rs 337,533 crores for 2020-21.&nbsp;

The allocation for the revenue head continues to be in excess of the capital expenditure. Revenue allocation is essential for the maintenance of the weapons, equipment, transport and ammunition for the smooth functioning of the Armed Forces, apart from repairs, overhauls and procurements for the recoupment of the stores and the reserves. &nbsp;

The revenue allocation saw a marginal increase from Rs 201901.76 in 2019-20 to Rs 209319.00 for 2020-21 (Increase of Rs 7417.24 crores)&nbsp;

On the capital expenditure allocation, there is only an increase of Rs 3340 crores in the budgetary allocation from a RE (Revised Estimates) in 2019-20 of Rs 110,394.31 crores to Rs 113734 crores for 2020-21. &nbsp;

Despite a rationalisation of the requirements carried out by the Navy and IAF, (though the allocation to the Navy has risen from 13 per cent to 18 per cent in the current budget), this allocation with the committed liabilities, of the past will fall short of the requirements for modernisation.&nbsp; 
 
WATCH: Budget 2020: Hits and misses 
&nbsp;

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The largest increase in terms of budgetary allocation for capital expenditure is for the IAF of Rs 3979 crores followed by Army at Rs 3531 crores. The Indian Army has committed liabilities for the pending procurements of artillery gun systems, rifles and ammunition. IAF has liabilities for the acquisition of aircraft&nbsp;both from HAL and abroad.&nbsp;

Closer scrutiny of the allocation of the capital expenditure, reveals there is an enhanced share for aircraft and aero engines, for all the 3 services from FY 2019-20 to FY 2020-21 apart from their core acquisitions of weapon systems and naval fleet.&nbsp;

The allocation for aircraft and aero engines, for the Army, is Rs 4000 crores up from Rs 2115 Crores from last FY; Navy from Rs 2400 crores to Rs 4640 crores; and IAF from Rs 24807 to Rs 26909 crores to the FY 2020-21. Much of the increased IAF allocation will go to HAL for funding the contract of 83 LCA Mk-1A.&nbsp;

The Indian Armed Forces need to continue their modernisation to meet the growing challenges in the neighbourhood but the performance on the key economic parameters, will not allow for greater budgetary support in the next financial year(s).&nbsp;

Some long in the pipeline reforms such as enhanced FDI for Defence manufacturing, IPR protection and Defence SEZs will bring in more commitment of investment in defence production.&nbsp;

A two-pronged pragmatic approach could hold the key for meeting our security challenges.&nbsp;

At the strategic level of international relations – by forging alliances with partners who hold a stake in the Indian Sub-continent and the Indian Ocean Region. &nbsp;

The Quad in the Indian Ocean Region is one such welcome move, apart from securing naval berths in the friendly nations from Vietnam and Indonesia in the East to Qatar and Seychelles in the West, to counter the growing Chinese influence in the region buttressed by Chinese investments and OBOR.&nbsp;

The second approach involves a more pragmatic approach to continue modernisation of the Armed Forces by way of greater participation of the private industry through reliance on making in India and also assembling in India. &nbsp;

This initiative has given proven results in terms of faster induction of patrol vessels for Navy, K9 Catapult for the Indian Army and large number of key systems including airframes for LCA being sourced from the private industry – moving forward, the shortlisting of L&amp;T with MDL for the P75I project as a Strategic Partner, displays the growing confidence on the capabilities. &nbsp;

There needs to be more such partnerships of the Public Sector and Private Sector, to meet the shortfalls in the budgetary allocation to fill in the wide gaps of technology, capital and to broad base the defence production in the country.&nbsp;

With the creation of the office of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) and the enhanced powers of procurement to the services, it is hoped that the three wings of India’s armed forces may operate in synergy in terms of defence spends, both for capital and revenue expenditure. India’s security concerns mandate a strong army, navy and air force where the three wings work cohesively for maximum tactical and operational efficiency.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

*Source for Data: Union Finance Ministry Expenditure Budget Bill FY 2020-21.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The state of Indian economy reflected in India's GDP to the growth of 4.8 per cent in 2019-20, and its projected GDP growth as per IMF at 5.8 per cent for 2020-21, coupled with the rise in fiscal deficit to 3.

The state of Indian economy reflected in India's GDP to the growth of 4.8 per cent in 2019-20, and its projected GDP growth as per IMF at 5.8 per cent for 2020-21, coupled with the rise in fiscal deficit to 3.8 per cent, has constrained the government from enhancing the allocations for the Ministry of Defence. The increased allocations to socio-economic sectors for boosting economic growth and on development of infrastructure had a bearing on the defence allocation, with a marginal increase in the defence budget allocation from Rs 318,000 crores in 2019-20 to Rs 337,533 crores for 2020-21. The allocation for the revenue head continues to be in excess of the capital expenditure. Revenue allocation is essential for the maintenance of the weapons, equipment, transport and ammunition for the smooth functioning of the Armed Forces, apart from repairs, overhauls and procurements for the recoupment of the stores and the reserves. The revenue allocation saw a marginal increase from Rs 201901.76 in 2019-20 to Rs 209319.00 for 2020-21 (Increase of Rs 7417.24 crores) On the capital expenditure allocation, there is only an increase of Rs 3340 crores in the budgetary allocation from a RE (Revised Estimates) in 2019-20 of Rs 110,394.31 crores to Rs 113734 crores for 2020-21. Despite a rationalisation of the requirements carried out by the Navy and IAF, (though the allocation to the Navy has risen from 13 per cent to 18 per cent in the current budget), this allocation with the committed liabilities, of the past will fall short of the requirements for modernisation. WATCH: Budget 2020: Hits and misses × The largest increase in terms of budgetary allocation for capital expenditure is for the IAF of Rs 3979 crores followed by Army at Rs 3531 crores. The Indian Army has committed liabilities for the pending procurements of artillery gun systems, rifles and ammunition. IAF has liabilities for the acquisition of aircraft both from HAL and abroad. Closer scrutiny of the allocation of the capital expenditure, reveals there is an enhanced share for aircraft and aero engines, for all the 3 services from FY 2019-20 to FY 2020-21 apart from their core acquisitions of weapon systems and naval fleet. The allocation for aircraft and aero engines, for the Army, is Rs 4000 crores up from Rs 2115 Crores from last FY; Navy from Rs 2400 crores to Rs 4640 crores; and IAF from Rs 24807 to Rs 26909 crores to the FY 2020-21. Much of the increased IAF allocation will go to HAL for funding the contract of 83 LCA Mk-1A. The Indian Armed Forces need to continue their modernisation to meet the growing challenges in the neighbourhood but the performance on the key economic parameters, will not allow for greater budgetary support in the next financial year(s). Some long in the pipeline reforms such as enhanced FDI for Defence manufacturing, IPR protection and Defence SEZs will bring in more commitment of investment in defence production. A two-pronged pragmatic approach could hold the key for meeting our security challenges. At the strategic level of international relations – by forging alliances with partners who hold a stake in the Indian Sub-continent and the Indian Ocean Region. The Quad in the Indian Ocean Region is one such welcome move, apart from securing naval berths in the friendly nations from Vietnam and Indonesia in the East to Qatar and Seychelles in the West, to counter the growing Chinese influence in the region buttressed by Chinese investments and OBOR. The second approach involves a more pragmatic approach to continue modernisation of the Armed Forces by way of greater participation of the private industry through reliance on making in India and also assembling in India. This initiative has given proven results in terms of faster induction of patrol vessels for Navy, K9 Catapult for the Indian Army and large number of key systems including airframes for LCA being sourced from the private industry – moving forward, the shortlisting of L&T with MDL for the P75I project as a Strategic Partner, displays the growing confidence on the capabilities. There needs to be more such partnerships of the Public Sector and Private Sector, to meet the shortfalls in the budgetary allocation to fill in the wide gaps of technology, capital and to broad base the defence production in the country. With the creation of the office of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) and the enhanced powers of procurement to the services, it is hoped that the three wings of India’s armed forces may operate in synergy in terms of defence spends, both for capital and revenue expenditure. India’s security concerns mandate a strong army, navy and air force where the three wings work cohesively for maximum tactical and operational efficiency. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) *Source for Data: Union Finance Ministry Expenditure Budget Bill FY 2020-21.

Budget 2020: Here's what's in store for the Defence sector

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country.

Mishra, who chaired a coordination meeting of the state government and the Army at the Raj Bhawan here, advised regular meetings between the two sides at various levels, a communiqu informed here. The general security arrangements on the entire Indo-China border opposite were also reviewed during the meeting.

Lt General Anil Chauhan GoC Eastern Command and Lt General Shantanu Dayal GoC 4 Corps along with Army officials were present in the meeting in which various security and border infrastructure related issues were discussed. Chauhan apprised the governor of action taken by the Army in coordination with other agencies for maintaining peace and security in the state, the communique said.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Legislative Assembly Speaker P D Sona, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, DGP R P Upadhyaya and Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao also attended the meeting, it said.

The Army Commander assured the governor and the chief minister of assistance by the Army whenever required. Mishra suggested the general officers commanding of the Eastern Command and 4 Corps to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the state, it added.

In a separate meeting with Khandu at the Raj Bhawan, the governor discussed the administrative issues and deliberated on removing the hurdles and bottlenecks in the implementation of welfare projects. Issues related to border area development, farmers, agriculture and allied sectors were also discussed in the meeting, the communique added.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra Monday emphasized on strengthening the coordination between the border state and the Indian Army to reinforce the sense of security among the people and the territorial integrity of the country. Mishra, who chaired a coordination meeting of the state government and the Army at the Raj Bhawan here, advised regular meetings between the two sides at various levels, a communiqu informed here. The general security arrangements on the entire Indo-China border opposite were also reviewed during the meeting. Lt General Anil Chauhan GoC Eastern Command and Lt General Shantanu Dayal GoC 4 Corps along with Army officials were present in the meeting in which various security and border infrastructure related issues were discussed. Chauhan apprised the governor of action taken by the Army in coordination with other agencies for maintaining peace and security in the state, the communique said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Legislative Assembly Speaker P D Sona, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, DGP R P Upadhyaya and Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao also attended the meeting, it said. The Army Commander assured the governor and the chief minister of assistance by the Army whenever required. Mishra suggested the general officers commanding of the Eastern Command and 4 Corps to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the state, it added. In a separate meeting with Khandu at the Raj Bhawan, the governor discussed the administrative issues and deliberated on removing the hurdles and bottlenecks in the implementation of welfare projects. Issues related to border area development, farmers, agriculture and allied sectors were also discussed in the meeting, the communique added.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor emphasizes on strengthening coordination between state and Army

Programs aimed at counter-radicalisation of youth should be started for saving them while there is still time, said Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, on Thursday.

"We should start counter-radicalisation programs while identifying who are the people to have been radicalised and to what degree. Then look at them who are completely radicalised and then look towards the future. What we are seeing in Kashmir, young boys and girls as young as 10 years old have been radicalised, but they can still be isolated from radicalisation in a gradual manner," General Rawat said at the panel discussion during Raisina Dialogue 2020.

Asserting there is a need to counter the radicalisation programs, the CDS said that the sources of radicalisation need to be found out and treated.

"Radicalisation can be countered, anything which has started can end. You need to see where it is starting. It is starting from schools, universities, from some other sources. We get the nerve of the whole things from where the radicalisation is coming, we have to start isolation of these people through deradicalisation camp," Rawat said.

"We have such deradicalisation camps going in our country and so does Pakistan... ideology and radicalisation are the issues which have to be addressed on priority," he added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Programs aimed at counter-radicalisation of youth should be started for saving them while there is still time, said Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, on Thursday.

Programs aimed at counter-radicalisation of youth should be started for saving them while there is still time, said Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, on Thursday. "We should start counter-radicalisation programs while identifying who are the people to have been radicalised and to what degree. Then look at them who are completely radicalised and then look towards the future. What we are seeing in Kashmir, young boys and girls as young as 10 years old have been radicalised, but they can still be isolated from radicalisation in a gradual manner," General Rawat said at the panel discussion during Raisina Dialogue 2020. Asserting there is a need to counter the radicalisation programs, the CDS said that the sources of radicalisation need to be found out and treated. "Radicalisation can be countered, anything which has started can end. You need to see where it is starting. It is starting from schools, universities, from some other sources. We get the nerve of the whole things from where the radicalisation is coming, we have to start isolation of these people through deradicalisation camp," Rawat said. "We have such deradicalisation camps going in our country and so does Pakistan... ideology and radicalisation are the issues which have to be addressed on priority," he added.

De-radicalisation programs should be started to save the youth: General Rawat

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