2018 16-30 June Vol 65 No 12 ` 5 SAINIK Samachar Agni-5 Missile Successfully Tested Raksha Mantri, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurating the first Representative Office of BEL in Vietnam by handing over the symbolic key to the CMD, BEL, Shri MV Gowtama, during the Vietnam-India Defence Industry Business Meeting, at Hanoi, Vietnam on June 13, 2018. The Ambassador of India to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Shri P Harish, the Secretary (Defence Production), Dr Ajay Kumar and other senior officials are also seen. pic: DPR Photo Division Raksha Mantri, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman addressing a press conference on four years achievements of the Ministry of Defence, in New Delhi on June 5, 2018. The Raksha Rajya Mantri, Dr Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, the Defence Secretary, Shri Sanjay Mitra and other dignitaries are also seen. In This Issue Since 1909 PassingBIRTH Out ANNIVERSARY Parade CELEBRATIONS of 134 Course 4 National Defence Academy (Initially published as FAUJI AKHBAR) Vol. 65 q No 12 26 Jyaistha to 9 Ashadha, 1940 (Saka) 16-30 June 2018 The journal of India’s Armed Forces published every fortnight in thirteen languages including Hindi & English on behalf of Ministry of Defence. It is not necessarily an organ for the expression of the Government’s defence policy. The published items represent the views of respective writers and correspondents. Editor-in-Chief Hasibur Rahman Senior Editor Ms Ruby T Sharma Raksha Mantri 5 Raksha Mantri 6 Editor Ehsan Khusro inaugurates solar… inaugurates IAF… Sub Editor Sub Maj KC Sahu Coordination Kunal Kumar Business Manager Rajpal Our Correspondents DELHI: Col Aman Anand; Capt DK Sharma VSM; Wg Cdr Anupam Banerjee; Manoj Tuli; Nampibou Marinmai; Divyanshu Kumar; Photo Editor: K Ramesh; AHEMEDABAD: Lt Col Manish Ojha; ALLAHABAD: Wg Cdr Arvind Sinha; BENGALURU: T Shanmugam; CHANDIGARH: Anil Gaur; CHENNAI: T Shanmugam; GANDHINAGAR: Wg Cdr Abhishek Matiman; GUWAHATI: Lt Col P Khongsai; IMPHAL: Lt Col M Vaishnava; JALANDHAR : Anil Gaur; JAMMU: Lt Col Devender Anand; JAIPUR: Lt Col Manish Ojha; KOCHI: Cdr Sridhar E Warrier 8 Visit of Raksha Mantri to… ; KOHIMA: Col Chiranjeet Konwer; KOLKATA: Wg Cdr SS Birdi; Dipannita Dhar; Dr Subhash Ramrao LUCKNOW: Ms Gargi Malik Sinha; MUMBAI: Cdr Mehul Karnik; NAGPUR: Gp Capt 10 Raksha Mantri Flags-in NIMAS… Bhamre inaugurates… BB Pande; PALAM: Wg Cdr AR Giri;PUNE: Mahesh Iyengar; SECUNDERABAD: G 12 Chief of Army Staff inaugurates… 11 Surendra Babu; SHILLONG; Wg Cdr Ratnakar Singh; SRINAGAR: Col Rajesh Kalia; TEZPUR: Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande; THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ms Dhanya 14 Geo-Intelligence Asia - 2018 Sanal K; UDHAMPUR: Col NN Joshi; VISAKHAPATNAM: Capt CG Raju. 16 Passing Out Parade held at Air… Published by: 18 Convocation Ceremony held at… Ms SR Rajashekar, Official Spokesperson, MoD 20 Security Convergence Meeting… Nungsanglemba Ao, Officiating Addl DG (M&C) 21 Royal Australian Navy… 22 India–Indonesia Coordinated… Directorate of Public Relations, South Block, 26 Naval Pilots Graduate at INS… Ministry of Defence, New Delhi-110011 Editorial Office: 30 207 Army Avn Sqn celebrates… L-1 Block, Church Road, New Delhi-110001, 34 India-Nepal Joint Ex Surya… Telefax : 23094668 Telephone : 23092768 Regulars Email : [email protected] E-in-C: ASCON-32078 [email protected] 35 Armed Forces Panorama For subscriptions contact : Business Manager, Sainik Samachar, Telephone : 23092768 Lt Gen Devraj Anbu Assumes Charge Subscription Rates: Inland (Ordinary): One Year Rs 100.00, Overseas 15 (Surface Mail): Rs 450.00 Concessional (per year): Rs 20.00 (Applicable for as VCOAS dependants of service personnel & ex-Servicemen.) For all correspondence subscribers must quote their subscription number On front cover: The long range ballistic missile Agni-5 was successfully flight tested on June 3, 2018 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island). For more details visit our website: http://sainiksamachar.nic.in Follow us on: www.facebook.com/DefenceMinIndia https://twitter.com/spokespersonMoD https://www.instagram.com/prodefense/ Passing Out Parade of 134 Course National Defence Academy hri Ram Nath Kovind, President of SIndia was the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade of 134 Course NDA on May 30, 2018. A total 344 cadets graduated from the Academy as they passed through the portals of the prestigious Khetrapal Parade Ground. This included 238 cadets from the Army, 26 cadets from the Navy and 80 cadets from the Air Force. This also includes 15 cadets from the friendly foreign countries who passed out from the Academy. The cadets are from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Kazakhstan, Lesotho and Tajikistan. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, reviewed the parade and addressed the Passing-out-Course cadets wherein he complemented the cadets for their exceptional drill movements. He congratulated the cadets and parents of the Passing Out Course. He mentioned the pride he felt in reviewing the Parade. He also made a special mention of the award winners. The Reviewing Officer also appreciated the efforts put in by staff at NDA for having successfully Battalion Cadet Captain Akshat the Commandant, the officers and turned boys into scholar warriors. Raj won the President’s Gold Medal for standing first in the overall order of merit. Academy Cadet Captain Md Sohail Islam won the Silver Medal for standing second in the overall order of merit and Squadron Cadet Captain Ali Ahmed Choudhary won the Bronze Medal for standing third in the overall order of merit. ‘Kilo’ Squadron bagged the prestigious ‘Chiefs of Staff Banner’, for being the Champion Squadron which was presented during the Parade. - PRO Pune 4 Sainik Samachar June 16-30, 2018 Raksha Mantri inaugurates solar power plant at HVF, Avadi aksha Mantri, Smt Nirmala RSitharaman, inaugurated a 16 MW grid-connected Solar Power Plant set up by Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF), Avadi on June 8, 2018. Mr MV Gowtama, Chairman & Managing Director, BEL, was also present on the occasion. This is one among many green initiatives undertaken by BEL. BEL is establishing energy BEL solar power plant inauguration-Hon'ble Raksha mantri speaking security for the Ordnance Factory Estates under the Viability Gap plant will inject power at 110 kv to employment opportunities for the Funding (VGF) Scheme by setting TANTRANSCO’s 110 kv Sub-Station local population on a regular basis. up utility scale grid-connected Solar located around 2.5 km away and is The solar power plant will lead Power Plants. As part of this, a 16 expected to result in annual savings to reduction of SO2, NO2 and MW (AC) Power Plant, developed of Rs. 45.41 million for both, HVF particulate matter (pm) emissions in around 80 acres of land, has and EFA. resulting in improvement in air been set up at an approximate cost This project undertaken by quality and human health. The of Rs.105 cr for the annual captive BEL is generating employment for Carbon Dioxide avoided due to this consumption of HVF & Engine professional, skilled and unskilled Solar Power Plant would be around Factory (EFA), Avadi, around 25 labour. In addition, various kinds of 26,384 tons/annum. km from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The maintenance work will also generate - PRO Chennai BEL solar power plant inauguration-BEL CMD speaking June 16-30, 2018 Sainik Samachar 5 Raksha Mantri inaugurates IAF Commanders’ Conference he First biannual IAF Commanders, RM praised the TCommanders' Conference of exemplary conduct of IAF's biggest 2018 was inaugurated on May exercise in the recent times. She 31, 2018 by Raksha Mantri at Air complimented all personnel Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan). Chief for sustaining round the clock of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal operations in the most professional BS Dhanoa welcomed Raksha manner. She said that the focus of Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Exercise ‘Gagan Shakti' was to draw Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr Subhash lessons for evolving the doctrinal Bhamre and Defence Secretary Shri loop which is an ongoing process. Sanjay Mitra. He introduced IAF She mentioned that Exercise ‘Gagan Commanders to the Raksha Mantri. Shakti' was a landmark exercise for CAS briefed RM on the IAF. She complimented the IAF for a current status of the IAF and on leadership role in jointmanship which Exercise ‘Gagan Shakti', which was was evident during the exercise and conducted in April this year. CAS congratulated the Army and Navy for highlighted that the exercise was supporting the Air Force in achieving very fruitful in testing IAFs surge the objectives of ‘Gagan Shakti’. operations capability, logistics North Eastern Sector during the While laying down her vision supply chain, rapid augmentation Exercise to witness Air to Ground for contribution of the IAF towards of personnel, inter theatre move weapon delivery by IAF fighters and indigenisation, she emphasised that of forces, communication network helicopters, operation from ALGs, being a tech intensive service the IAF and reliability of equipment & accelerated fighter operations and should pioneer in laying the roadmap systems. It would be pertinent to Garud Assault Drill. for absorption and production recall that Raksha Mantri had visited While addressing the IAF of high end aviation technology Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman & Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr Subhash Bhamre with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Air Force Commanders and senior officials of Ministry of Defence on the inaugural day of Air Force Commanders’ Conference. 6 Sainik Samachar June 16-30, 2018 Air Force Commanders being introduced to Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during inaugural day of Air Force Commanders’ Conference held at Air Headquarters, New Delhi. products in India and propel India’s growth in these sectors as envisaged in Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ policy in the next 15 years. The Raksha Mantri also commended the IAF for the key role played by it in nation building by way of promoting regional connectivity by rendering support towards the UDAN scheme.