India looking at raising 'rocket-cum-missile' force: Army chief
New Delhi (PTI): India is looking at raising a "rocket-cum-missile" force in view of the evolving regional security situation as both China and Pakistan have similar units, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday.
It is the need of the hour that "we also have such a force", he said addressing a press conference ahead of the Army Day.
Drawing lessons from Operation Sindoor, the India Army has been extensively focusing on enhancing its combat prowess including inducting large numbers of drones, missiles and air defence weapons.
At present, the missiles and rockets in Army's inventory are handled by the Corps of Army Air Defence (AAD) and the Artillery regiments.
"We are looking towards a rocket-missile force. Pakistan has established a rocket force, and China has also created one," he said.
The China's PLA (People's Liberation Army) Rocket Force (PLARF) is considered to be a very potent wing of the country's military. China has been constantly enhancing the combat might of the PLARF since 2016.
In his remarks, Gen Dwivedi also noted that the Indian military has boosted its long-range strike capabilities and cited induction of BrahMos, Pralay, Pinaka and other similar missiles to augment its combat prowess.
"Rockets and missiles have become interdependent to each other in today's time. If we want a major impact, then we need both rockets as well as missiles," he said.
Gen Dwivedi said it will have to decide whether the "rocket-cum-missile" force will be part of the Army or it will be operated directly at a higher level.
"We have to decide whether it will be (operated) at the Army level or it will be directly under the Ministry of Defence or at the level of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff). This is the question which we need to decide," he said.
The Army chief said initially, it will be under the Army's artillery regiments.
"It may see a different look in terms of the size, scope and the command and control in future," he said.
He also said that the Indian Army on Tuesday strongly raised with Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) about sightings of Pakistani drones along the border areas in Jammu Sector in the last three days.
Gen Dwivedi said major reform measures are underway in the Army that included restructuring of the force which is focused on reviewing the organisational structures to enhance multi-domain combat potency and achieve an optimal "teeth-to-tail" balance.
"We have adopted a spiral development approach centred on organisation rather than equipment alone," he said.
"We have re-oriented and created several new structures: Rudra Brigades for high-tempo multi-domain operations and Bhairav Battalions for agility and disruptive effect," he said.
"Similarly Shaktibaan regiments and Divyastra batteries of artillery will use Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and counter-UAS for extended reach and real-time targeting," he said.
The Army chief said Ashni platoons and other units on the design board will enhance precision, surveillance and strike options at the tactical level.
Gen Dwivedi, highlighting the Army's focus on enhancing its combat prowess, said the focus now is to steadily progress towards a "different Indian Army -- capable of thinking smart, seeing all, striking deep, moving fast, connecting domains, standing resilient and most importantly, winning together".
"We are progressing towards integrated structures in the form of theatre commands -- a deliberate, consultative and well-synchronised process to which the Indian Army is fully committed," he said.
Gen Dwivedi said the Army is continuing to refine organisational mechanisms to adopt best practices, improve efficiency, enhance outcomes and gradually reorient manpower.
"Warfighting doctrines are being updated to fine-tune multi-domain operations -- ability to succeed in all four quadrants," he said.
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BJP repealed MGNREGA as they have 'allergy' to Mahatma Gandhi’s name: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that the MGNREGA was repealed out of "allergy" to Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
He also called for sustained, people-led agitation until the law is restored and the new VB-G Ram G Act is withdrawn.
The CM alleged that the BJP "killed" Mahatma Gandhi as the RAM in the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) represents Nathuram Godse, the "killer" of Gandhi, and not Lord Rama.
Addressing a preparatory meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme Bachao Sangram, organised by the Congress state unit here, Siddaramaiah said the struggle must continue "until MGNREGA is reinstated and the VB-G Ram G Act is repealed," urging party workers to turn it into a mass movement from the village to the state level.
The chief minister said, "The Centre has scrapped the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and brought in a new law called VB-G RAM G. Mahatma Gandhi’s name itself causes them an allergy."
He said the issue was discussed seriously at the recent All India Congress Committee (AICC) executive committee meeting, which viewed the scrapping of MGNREGA as a grave matter.
Drawing parallels with farmers’ protests in north India, Siddaramaiah said a similar sustained movement was needed to force changes in laws. He recalled that MGNREGA was enacted during Manmohan Singh’s tenure to make the right to work a basic right for the rural poor.
"Along with employment guarantee, landmark laws like the Right to Food, Right to Information, Right to Education and Forest Rights Act were introduced to address unemployment, hunger and the problems of forest dwellers," he said.
The CM noted that the scheme, which had been in force for nearly 20 years, had provided employment to 12.16 crore workers across the country, including 6.21 crore women.
Criticising the replacement of law, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Modi government had diluted workers’ rights.
"Earlier, rural workers could demand work for up to 365 days in their own villages and even approach courts if work was denied. Now, the Centre decides through notifications where people should work," he said.
Taking a swipe, he remarked, "This is not Dasharatha Ram or Sita Ram or Kaushalya Ram. This is Nathuram — the one who killed Mahatma Gandhi. Through VB-G RAM G, Gandhi is being killed once again."
Siddaramaiah also objected to the increased financial burden on states, stating that states now have to bear 40 per cent of the cost, forcing Karnataka alone to spend around Rs 2,500 crore.
"That is why we have launched the MGNREGA Bachao Andolan. It must transform into a people’s movement," he said.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar alleged that the Centre will decide the works and not the villages.
According to him, no state government will accept it. Even the BJP ruled states will not implement the scheme.
"Due to the VB-G RAM G, Panchayats will not be allowed to carry out works. After losing works worth Rs one crore to Rs two crore, what is left with the Panchayats," Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, asked.
He asked his party cadres to hold meetings in every corner of the state to spread awareness about repealing the MGNREGA.
In his address, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said, the BJP hates Mahatma Gandhi so much that they abolished the law and snatched the livelihood of poor people in the rural areas.
He also preferred calling the new scheme as "VB-Gram G" and not VB-G RAM G as the BJP has called it.
"For us, the livelihood of people is important, not the name of the scheme, but the BJP wants to trap us between the names of Gandhi Ji and Ram. We should not go for that fight. You name whatever you want, but give our villagers employment. If needed, we will change the name of the scheme once our government comes to power," Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said.
According to him, the "VB-Gram G" has been introduced to align it with PM Gati Shakti national master plan.
