India commissions nuclear powered submarine 'INS Chakra'

India has inducted Russian- made nuclear powered submarine 'INS Chakra' into the Navy, joining an elite group of five nations possessing such sophisticated warships.

Defence Minister A K Antony formally commissioned the Akula II class Nerpa, rechristened INS Chakra, into the Navy at the Ship Building Complex in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

With the country entering the select club consisting of the US, Russia, the UK, France and China with nuclear submarines after a gap of two decades, Antony said, "INS Chakra will ensure security and sovereignty of the country."

He did not subscribe to the view that the induction of nuclear powered submarines will lead to any arms race in the region. He said the armed forces will be strengthened to meet any challenge.

"India does not believe in arms race. We are not a confrontationist nation. We are a peaceloving nation....but, at the same time, the armed forces will be strengthened to meet any challenge," Antony told reporters when asked about Pakistan's reaction that INS Chakra's induction will lead to arms race in the region.

"We have a vast land border. We have more than 7500 kms of coastline and more than two lakhs EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zone). We have to protect the sea lanes of our core area of interest," he said.

With INS Chakra and indigenously built INS Arihant expected to start operational patrols soon, India will soon have two nuclear submarines guarding its vast maritime boundary.

To a question on China's increasing military capability, Antony said “Induction of INS Chakra or Vikramaditya (aircraft carrier) warships or any other platform is not aimed at any country. It is to strengthen our national security to meet any challenge more effectively.”

With a maximum speed of 30 knots, the submarine can go upto a depth of 600 metres and has an endurance of 100 days with a crew of 73.

The vessel is armed with four 533mm torpedo tubes and four 650mm torpedo tubes. India had leased and operated a Charlie class Russian nuclear submarine in 1988 for training its personnel on such submarines.

Antony said, "INS Arihant will be ready for sea trials sometime this year."

He also said the induction of INS Vikramaditya, earlier called 'Admiral Gorshkov', will take place sometimes early next year.

On future induction of platforms in the Indian Navy, he said four warships, including INS Vikramaditya, were expected to be delivered at the end of this year, besides 15 fast interception craft.

"In the next few years, the Navy will get more submarines," the Defence Minister said.

He refused to share details with the media about the cost of leasing INS Chakra from Russia. He said there is a proposal for leasing another submarine but refused to take queries on the issue.

"There is a proposal. But we have not taken any decision...Cost is not necessary, but India can afford it," Antony said.

On whether the process of procuring submarines from Russia was too long and slow, he said, "We want speedy procurement and we will modernise our armed forces as quickly as possible. At the same time, zero tolerance to corruption is also our policy."

INS Chakra has been taken on lease from Russia for 10 years and would provide the Navy the opportunity to train personnel and operate such nuclear-powered vessels.

India had signed a deal with Russia in 2004 worth over USD 900 million for leasing the submarine.

It was expected to be inducted a couple of years back, but after an on-board accident in 2008, in which several Russian sailors died, the delivery schedule was changed.

Indian Navy personnel have already been imparted training in Russia for operating the submarine.

A crew of over 70 people, including around 30 officers, is required to operate INS Chakra.

Kingfisher employees withdraw threatened agitation

The standoff between Kingfisher Airlines mgt and employees, agitating over delayed salaries, ended on Tuesday with the protestors accepting the assurance given by the beleaguered carrier's promoter Vijay Mallya and deciding to withdraw their agitation from Wed.

Mallya, who had a meeting with the employees including pilots and engineers late Monday night, had assured them that their dues would be paid in a staggered manner by 10^th April.

"The employees accepted the assurance Mallya had given in his letter and decided that they would not go ahead with their ultimatum of an agitation if a part of their dues were not paid by 8 PM" today, airline sources said on Tuesday.

After a day-long meeting between the employees and the management on Monday, Mallya made a last ditch effort and met the agitators at his residence late Monday night.

He is understood to have warned them that any agitation could lead to cancellation of Kingfisher's flying permit by aviation regulator DGCA if its services were disrupted any further.

The crisis-ridden carrier was in any case operating a curtailed summer schedule of about 100 daily flights with 16 planes.

Urging the employees not to press their ultimatum, Mallya reiterated his promise of clearing the salary dues of junior staff, including those involved in ground handling and security, by Wednesday and that of the pilots and engineers by 9^th and 10^th April.

The staffers have not been paid salaries since December.

On Monday, several pilots and staff of Kingfisher had not reported for duty to protest the continued delay in payment of salaries leading to cancellation of at least ten flights including those from Delhi and Mumbai.

The troubled carrier's employees had put the airline on notice asking it to pay two months' salaries and dues by 8 PM Tuesday and the rest by 20^th April.

Mallya, in a letter to his employees, had conveyed that the formalities of un-freezing the airline's bank accounts was completed on 31^st March after it paid Rs 44 crore to the Income Tax and Rs 20 crore to the Service Tax authorities.

"My only focus now is to start paying your seriously overdue salaries. All junior staff will be paid before the Easter that is on April 4th. All pilots and engineers will be paid on April 9th and April 10th," Mallya had said.

He had also told the employees that starting this week, he would be personally available at each major station for one day a week to listen to the concerns of all staff.

Kingfisher has massively cut down its operations, including shutting down many domestic sectors and completely discontinuing international operations.

From 400 flights a day before the crisis last November, it is operating just about 100 flights now.

The airline, which has a debt of USD 1.3 billion, is under pressure from its lenders to inject fresh equity.

The debt-laden carrier terminated operations to 28 of its 56 destinations, including Hyderabad and Kolkata, over the past few days and asked about 40-50 percent of its staff to stay at home till further orders.

India welcomes US$ 10 mn reward on Hafiz Saeed

The US has announced a USD 10 mn bounty on Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, a move welcomed by India, which said it sends a strong signal to LeT and its patrons that the int community remains united in combating terrorism.

Late Monday night, the US Government announced an award of up to USD 10 million for information leading to arrest and conviction of Saeed and up to USD two million for Hafiz Adbul Rahman Makki, his jihar financier brother-in-law under the Rewards for Justice programme, for information on the two terrorists, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

"India welcomes the notification under the Rewards for Justice Programme. It reflects the commitment of India and the United States to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack to justice and continuing efforts to combat terrorism.

"It also sends a strong signal to LeT as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

He also said Saeed, the brain behind the terror attack on Mumbai, was "safely tucked away" somewhere in Pakistan.

The US maintains both Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat ul Dawa as foreign terrorist organisations and has also individually designated Saeed and Makki for terrorist activities under its law.

Sixty-one-year-old Saeed has become one of only four terrorist leaders for whom the US has offered a bounty of USD 10 million, joining the likes of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar.

The only person with a higher bounty on his head than these four terrorist leaders is Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al- Zawahiri, for whom the US has put a reward of USD 25 million.

Krishna said in recent years, India and the US have deepened mutual understanding on the nature of terrorism challenges emanating from India’s neighbourhood.

"US which keeps a tab on all these terrorists around the world, would have kept a tab on Saeed.....I have always been insisting that he was the brain behind the terror attack on Mumbai. These terrorists and conspirators cannot be spared and they will have to be brought to justice and that is what we have been demanding from Pakistan," he said.

India and the US agree that all terrorist organisations, including LeT, should be defeated and have called for elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure inside Pakistan and Afghanistan, a statement by the MEA said.

It also said that on Monday, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman conveyed to Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai Washington's intention to take additional steps to deal with terrorists like Saeed and Makki to which Mathai expressed New Delhi's sincere appreciation.

The two countries have strengthened their counter- terrorism cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism, Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative, the Homeland Security Dialogue and regular exchanges between intelligence and law enforcement agencies, MEA said.

T20 to celebrate 150th anniversary of Indians landing in SA

India and South Africa meet in a one-off Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday, with India coach Duncan Fletcher insisting the long, round trip will be worthwhile.

 

The only one-off T20 clash will be played to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Indians landing in South Africa. 

India arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday with a near-full strength T20 squad, with batsman Virender Sehwag and pace bowler Zaheer Khan the only key players being rested.

South Africa, by contrast, has picked only eight of the squad which won a T20 series in New Zealand last month, resting all its Test players with the exception of Jacques Kallis, who will be the recipient of a special tribute at the match.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) will contribute to the Jacques Kallis Foundation, which provides scholarships for talented cricketers from under-privileged areas to attend leading cricket schools.

Kallis said he would, in turn, assist the Yuvraj Singh Foundation. India player Yuvraj is being treated for cancer. Kallis' father died of cancer in 2003.

The squads (from):

South Africa: Johan Botha (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Richard Levi, Albie Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk (wk) and Dane Vilas (wk).

India: M.S. Dhoni (capt, wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rahul Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary and Robin Uthappa.

India, Brazil ink six pacts to boost ties in Science & Tech

India and Brazil have signed six pacts on Friday to enhance mutual cooperation in the areas of Science and Technology.

The agreements were for executive program on cultural exchange, Technical cooperation and bio technology. An MoU was also inked to provide scholarship to Brazilian students in India.

Earlier, visiting Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff held talks with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on important bilateral and multilateral issues.

Later addressing media Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that both countries will ensure more consultations on global issues including on UN reform.

Dr Singh also assured Brazilian President that will give its full support to the Rio+20 summit on the sustainable development.

Brazilian President said that bilateral trade between both the countries will reach 15 billion dollar in next three years, a jump of 50 percent from the existing trade.

Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff, who is on a state visit to India was given a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Earlier, she also visited Rajghat and paid tribute to father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.

SC gives time to Centre to decide on nat monument status for Ram Setu

The Centre was granted more time by the Supreme Court to decide whether the mythological Ram Setu could be declared a national monument.

Appearing before a bench headed by Justice H L Dattu on Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Haren Raval submitted that consultation was needed on the issue with the competent authority and sought more time to file an affidavit on it.

"Take a decision whether or not to", the bench said, while granting the government two weeks time to take a decision. The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on 19^th April.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy seeking the court's direction to declare Ram Setu a national monument.

Earlier, the bench had on 27^th March directed the government to file an affidavit regarding its decision within two days.

"If you say you don't want to file counter affidavit, we can go ahead with the arguments in the case," the bench had said.

The case relating to Ram Setu came under judicial scrutiny after a batch of petitions were filed in the apex court challenging the ambitious Sethusamudram project, which was alleged to cause damage to the mythological bridge.

Sethusamudram project is aimed at constructing a shorter navigational route around India's southern tip by breaching the mythological Ram Setu, said to have been built by Lord Rama's army of monkeys and bears to the demon king Ravana's kingdom Lanka.

As per the Sethusamudram project, the shipping channel is proposed to be 30 metres wide, 12 metres deep and 167 kms long.

All the three Service Chiefs enjoy Govt’s confidence: Antony

Asking the media to desist from damaging the image of the Army, Defence Minister AK Antony has said all the three Service Chiefs enjoy the confidence of the Government.

He was speaking at the seventh defence expo in national capital on Thursday.

His remarks assume significance in the wake of controversy over leakage of a letter written by Army Chief VK Singh to the Prime Minister. Antony said intelligence Bureau has been asked to probe into the leak episode and strongest action under laws will be taken after inquiry.

Defence Minister said country needs substantial step up in allocation for modernization of defence forces as its neighbours are modernizing their defence force at a fast pace.

Speaking on the alleged corruption in defence procurement, Antony said there is policy of zero tolerance on corruption, and if the charges are proved he would not hesitate to scrap the process.

He said the ministry has blacklisted six firms including four foreign firms on the recommendations of the CBI recently.

Meanwhile, the Army Chief General VK Singh has said that the leak of his letter to the Prime Minister on defence preparedness should be treated as “high treason”.

In a brief statement released by Army Headquarters, General said his official communication  with the Prime Minister and Defence Minister is a “Privileged” communication.

He said the cynical approach to tarnish his reputation should stop and sources of the leakage should be found and dealt with ruthlessly.

The media leak of the letter came amid General’s media interview in which he claimed that he was offered a bribe by a retired Lieutenant General for swinging a sub-standard defence deal.

Five LeT militants shot dead in encounter in Kashmir

In the first major encounter in Kashmir this year, Security forces today shot dead five Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Handwara area of Kupwara district. 

"Five militants have been killed in an encounter in Handwara area," a defence spokesman said. He said the militants were foreigners.

The militants were asked to surrender after being confronted by the search party but they refused and opened fire, the spokesman said.

A police spokesman said security forces lauched an anti-militancy operation in Laribal-Peer Mohalla near Rajwar forests, 100 kms from here, following information about presence of militants in the area.

This is the first major gunbattle between security forces and militants in Kashmir Valley this year.

Centre stays hanging of BS Rajoana

The hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh was on Wednesday stayed by the Centre following a mercy petition. 

Sources in the government said that the hanging, which was scheduled to be carried out on March 31, has been stayed following a petition filed by SGPC, the Sikh religious body.

The sources said the decision to keep the hanging in abeyance was taken since a petition was filed in line with the guidelines followed in such cases.

The scheduled hanging of Rajoana had got the politics of Punjab in a turmoil with the ruling Akali Dal campaigning against his execution while its coalition partner BJP disfavouring such a course.

The state Congress leaders at a personal level had been favouring clemency.

Rajoana, a police constable and a close friend of another assassin Dilawar Singh Babbar, was the second human bomb to be used in case the first one failed to kill Beant Singh on August 31, 1995.

Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal today called on President Pratibha Patil and handed over a mercy petition on behalf of Punjab government seeking clemency for Rajoana.

The President's office later sent his petition to the Union Home Ministry, which will also be decided in due course of time.

Under normal circumstances, the petition would be sent to the Law Minsitry and Punjab government for comments after which it would be forwarded to the President with a view of the Home Ministry.

The President's office already has 18 mercy petitions to decide on.

Rojana row: Bandh cripples life in PunjabNormal life was crippled across Punjab which witnessed sporadic violence during the day-long bandh on Wednesday to protest the scheduled hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the Beant Singh assassination case.

Most business establishments were shut and road and rail traffic was disrupted at many places.

Areas around the Golden Temple, the main sacred place of Sikhs, were clogged with proteseters carrying saffron flags.

Board examinations, slated for Wednesday, were postponed with offices, private institutions, colleges and schools reporting thin attendance.

The protesters stopped New Delhi Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab at Jalandhar and Mumbai-Jammu Swaraj express at a crossing in Hoshiarpur district for brief periods.

Police swung batons to disperse them and restore calm.

SC refuses to direct Nanavati Comm to summon Modi

In a breather for Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, the Supreme Court has refused to direct Nanavati Commission to summon him for his alleged role in the 2002 riot cases, saying it would amount to judical overreach.

The apex court, which on Monday said that "the question of law should not be decided on the basis of the personality of a person" made it clear that it cannot monitor and interfere with the working of the Commission which is a statutory body and yet to place its report before the Assembly.

"How can we start monitoring the working of the Commission appointed under the Commission of Inquiry Act. It is a statutory body. Can't it be an overeach by this court?"

"We hear so much of judicial overreach these days. This will be another," a bench of justices D K Jain and A K Dave said while declining the plea of NGO, Jan Sangarsh Manch (JSM) to direct the Justice G T Nanavati Commission of inquiry which is going into the cases of riots for the last 10 years.

"The report has to be filed in the House and it is for the House to reject or accept it," the bench said on Monday.

At the outset, the bench wanted to know from the NGO's counsel and senior advocate Colin Gonsalves under which law the court can direct the Commission to summon a person.

When Gonsalves said he was unable to find a single judgement of the apex court on the issue, the bench said, "it is for the Commission to decide whom to summon."

The bench said it would not be prudent for the court to interfere at every stage when the Commisison passes some orders as it would never lead to completion of any inquiry.

"Which inquiry will be completed if it moves in a piecemeal manner and if we start looking into every order passed by it," the bench said while noting that "there are instances where 15 years have passed and the Commission has not filed its report."

The bench, which declined to pass any order to the two-member commission whose tenure is coming to end on 31^st March, however, said, "It is difficult to erase from our mind the cases which have arisen from the 2002 incidents".

The bench did not give credence to submission by Gonsalves that the Commission's order refusing to summon the Chief Minister was arbitrary and for the proper probe his testimony was necessary.

After the bench declined to interfere with the Gujarat High Court order dismissing the plea of the NGO, Gonsalves agreed to its suggestion to withdraw the petition.

The Nanavati Commission was formed in 2002 after the post-Godhra train carnage riots had examined around 400 witnesses.

In 2004, the terms of reference of the Commission had been expanded to include in its purview an examination of the chief minister's role in the riots.

In September 2009, the Commission had rejected JSM's plea to summon Modi and five others for cross-examination with regard to the communal violence in which over 1,000 people were killed.

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier questioned Modi on 2002 riots for over ten hours in 2010.

In November 2009, the NGO had moved the high court for quashing the order but a bench of Justice K S Jhaveri had dismissed its plea terming it as "premature".

In 2010, JSM filed an appeal before the high court's division bench against the single judge order.

Mukul Sinha, counsel for JSM, had argued that summoning Modi and others was required for collecting evidence with regard to the Godhra train burning incident and the riots.

The state government had opposed JSM's plea contending that the NGO had no locus standi to seek summoning of Modi.

It had submitted that the appeal is not maintainable as the Commission's Act does not allow any third party to demand questioning of any person.

It had said it is for the Commission to decide whom it should call for questioning.