ANNUAL REPORT 2004-05 lR;eso t;rs Ministry of Defence Government of India Front Cover : BRAHMOS Supersonic Cruise Missile being launched from a Naval war ship. Back Cover: The aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force the Suryakirans demonstrating its awesome aerobatic skills. CONTENTS 1. The Security Environment 5 2. Organisation and Functions of the Ministry of Defence 17 3. Indian Army 25 4. Indian Navy 45 5. Indian Air Force 55 6. Coast Guard 61 7. Defence Production 69 8. Defence Research and Development 97 9. Inter-Service Organisations 115 10. Recruitment and training 131 11. Resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen 159 12. Cooperation between the armed forces and civil authorities 177 13. National Cadet Corps 185 14. Defence Relations with Foreign Countries 197 15. Ceremonial, Academic and Adventure Activities 203 16. Activities of Vigilance Units 215 17. Empowerment and Welfare of Women 219 Appendix I. Matters Dealt by the Departments of the Ministry of Defence 227 II. Ministers, Chiefs of Staff and Secretaries 232 who were in Position from April 1, 2004 Onwards III. Summary of Latest Comptroller & Auditor General 233 (C&AG) Report on the Working of Ministry of Defence 1 THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT Su-30 5 THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT is bordered by the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. 1.1 Connected by land to west, India is thus a maritime as well as central, continental, and south-east continental entity. This geographical Asia, and by sea, to the littoral states and topographical diversity, espe- of the Indian Ocean from East Africa cially on its borders, also poses to the Indonesian archipelago, India unique challenges to our Armed is strategically located vis-à-vis both Forces. continental Asia as well as the Indian Ocean Region. It has a landmass of 1.3 Indias land frontiers extend 3.3 million sq. kms. and is home to across more than 15,500 kms shar- over a billion people with varying ing borders with seven neighbours ethnic, linguistic, religious and cul- namely Afghanistan, Pakistan, tural backgrounds. Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Bhutan and Nepal. Most of them do 1.2 The topography of India is not share borders amongst them- diverse, ranging from the snow clad selves, heightening the focus of their Himalayas with peaks over 28,000 relations with their larger common feet to deserts, thick jungles and vast neighbour. plains. The Siachen Glacier in the North is the worlds highest battle- 1.4 Indias peninsular shape pro- field with posts located as high as vides India a coastline of about 7,600 21,000 feet. Indias western border kms and an Exclusive Economic runs through deserts, fertile plains Zone of over 2 million sq. kms. The and thickly forested mountains. The island territories of the Andamans North-Eastern frontier also comprises and Nicobar in the East are 1,300 steep, high ranges and dense tropi- kms. away from the mainland, physi- cal forests. To the South, there are cally much closer to South-East Asia. ranges close to the sea, inland pla- Peninsular India is adjacent to one of teaus interspersed with river valleys, the most vital sea-lanes of the world, coastal plains, and far flung island stretching from the Suez Canal and territories such as the Lakshadweep the Persian Gulf to the Straits of to the west and the Andaman and Malacca through which 55,000 ships Nicobar Islands to the East. On three and much of the oil from the Gulf sides, from Gujarat to West Bengal, it region transit each year. The seas 6 surrounding India have been a the- the menace of terrorism and traffick- atre of super power rivalry in the ing in, and proliferation of, arms and past, and continue to be a region of drugs. In the midst of this, India heightened activity from and by stands as a bulwark against funda- extra-regional navies on account of mentalism and extremism, a centre topical security concerns. of economic gravity, a beacon of democracy (despite challenges of 1.5 Historically, India with its long, human diversity and economic layered and textured history stretch- disparity), a bastion of stability and a ing back close to 5,000 years, is one symbol of peaceful coexistence and of the major sources of civilization non-violence. An appreciation of having received, and radiated, influ- Indias security concerns and its ences from and to West and Central security is thus critical to regional Asia, China, Mongolia and East Asia, and global stability and security. South-East Asia, the Gulf and East Africa. Today, politically, South Asia 1.6 Indias size, strategic location, hosts a diversity of political experi- trade links and Exclusive Economic ences and experiments ranging from Zone (EEZ), and its security environ- monarchies and military dictator- ment link Indias security directly with ships to nascent and established its extended neighbourhood, particu- democracies. The region also faces larly neighbouring countries and the The fencing along the Line of Control helps check infiltration 7 regions of Central Asia, South-East Chinas rapid modernization elicited Asia, the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. both awe and nervousness in some Indias location at the base of conti- quarters. The global dependency on nental Asia and the top of the Indian the energy resources of the Gulf was Ocean gives it a vantage point in underlined by the steep hike in oil relation to both Central Asia and the prices intensifying efforts to seek Indian Ocean Region. access and control of the region and The Security Environment for alternative sources of energy, notably in Central Asia. The Revolu- 1.7 At its widest level, with some tion in Military Affairs (RMA) contin- variations for better or worse, Indias ued to drive military reform, restruc- strategic environment remained turing and modernization amongst largely unchanged from those identi- the major world powers. While elec- fied in the Annual Report of the tions in Iraq and the Palestine, and Ministry of Defence, last year. The the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip post Cold War, post 9/11 concerns opened prospects for the return of regarding the challenges posed by peace in the Gulf and West Asia, it is terrorism and the proliferation of still too early to predict a positive weapons of mass destruction re- outcome. Strains over Irans nuclear mained central to the international intentions and the reactions of the security agenda and at the bottom of international community to it, could Indias primary and most general have a destabilizing impact on the security concerns. Many of the region. By the end of the year, there trends in international relations and were also signs that new strategic military affairs identified in last years alignments, and a growing apprecia- report remain valid. The US retained tion of Indias economic growth and its position as the pre-eminent world potential, military experience and power though the nascent challenge success as a democracy had in- posed by a fast growing and mod- duced major powers to begin to ernizing China was too strong to be redefine their relations with India and ignored. The European Union contin- opened fresh prospects for India. ued its process of enlargement and consolidation. Relations between 1.8 Indias immediate security major powers remained stable concerns also remained basically the though historical strains between same though tempered by positive Japan and China were beginning to developments with its two largest reappear in East Asia. Russia contin- neighbours. Internal instability, au- ued trying to deepen its ties with the thoritarian and/or military rule, ex- US, Europe, China and Central Asia tremist political or religious move- for its security and economic revival. ments, weak state structures, and 8 insurgencies and internal or ethnic ary in the area in February 2005; and conflicts continued to characterize talks between Defence Secretaries of many of the countries of the region. India and Pakistan, on the Siachen Despite the operations against the Al issue. The second round of the Qaeda and Taliban elements on the Dialogue commenced in December Pak-Afghan border, the principal 2004. High-level contacts provided threats to peace and stability in the the momentum. Prime Minister met region remains the combination of President Musharraf on the sidelines fundamentalism and terrorism nur- of the United Nations General tured in madarssas and training Assembly in September 2004 where camps in the area, and the danger of PM reiterated the importance of the proliferation of weapons of mass fulfillment of President Musharrafs destruction and access to them by reassurance on terrorism. The fundamentalists and terrorists. Pakistan PM visited India as Chairperson of the SAARC in 1.9 Building on the November 2003 November 2004. cease-fire along the International Border (IB), Line of Control (LoC) 1.10 At the level of the Armed and the Actual Ground Position Line Forces, a number of confidence- (AGPL) between India and Pakistan building measures (CBMs) were in J&K, and the unconditional com- exchanged. Meetings on nuclear and mitment given by President conventional CBMs were held in Musharraf on January 6, 2004 not to which understandings were reached permit any territory under Pakistans on upgrading the link between the control to be used to support terror- Directors General of Military Opera- ism in any manner, a number of tions (DGMOs) of the two countries. initiatives were taken during the year India proposed, inter alia, an agree- to ease tensions, normalize and ment on peace and tranquility along improve relations between India and the LoC, new communication links at Pakistan. At the level of the Govern- Divisions/Corps Commanders level, ment, the Composite Dialogue was annual meetings at the level of Vice- initiated with the resumption of For- Chiefs of Army Staff, and exchanges eign Secretary level talks in June between the Armed Forces-related 2004.