Junior Digest

North Korea fires second missile after first launch fails – South Korea

SEOUL: North Korea launched what appeared to be a second intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday morning after another launch hours earlier failed, South Korea’s military said.

It was not immediately clear if the second launch, about two hours after the first, was successful.

The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers.

The launches were in continued defiance of international warnings and a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from using ballistic missile technology, which Pyongyang rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty.

Japan said after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated a United Nations resolution, Kyodo news agency reported, citing a government statement.

Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters after the launch that there had been no effect on Japan’s security. The Kyodo news agency separately quoted Nakatani as saying it was a “grave provocative action”.

The U.S. military detected a missile launch from North Korea, Navy Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman from the U.S. military’s Pacific Command, told Reuters in Washington on Tuesday after the first launch without providing details.

The first missile failed in flight over the sea between the Korean peninsula’s east coast and Japan, according to initial indications after the launch, said another U.S. official who also said it was likely to have been another Musudan.

The failure, if confirmed, would be the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam.

Japan put its military on alert on Tuesday for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch and South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, citing an unidentified government source, said the North was seen to be moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast.

North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, according to South Korean media, which officials said were first deployed around 2007, although the North had never attempted to test-fire them until April.

The U.N. Security Council, backed by the North’s main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after the isolated state conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit.

North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry.

@Agency report.

Govt allows agents in defence deals with strict oversight

New Delhi: Foreign firms can now appoint ‘agents’ to market their products to the armed forces and the government but with strict oversight which includes opening up of company’s books to scrutiny besides not allowing any success bonus or penalty fees among other measures.

The government will also have the veto power to reject or accept, at any point of time, an agent proposed by the company.

The new set of guidelines are now part of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), 2016 that was put out in public last week as the government works on ensuring transparency in the murky world of defence deals.

While previous DPPs also had a window for foreign companies to hire agents, it is for the first time that a detailed set of guidelines has come out.

The previous mechanisms had failed to ensure transparency even though defence agents continued to play crucial roles in defence contracts.

In an interview to PTI earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had drawn a distinction between agents and middlemen, saying the government will not leave room for any “hanky- panky”.

“Agents do not mean middlemen. There will be scope for a company to appoint an agent to represent it or to get over technical difficulties by paying him or her reasonable fees which will have to be mentioned upfront,” Parrikar had said.

As per the new guidelines, the vendor is required to disclose full details of any such person, party, firm or institution engaged by them for marketing of their equipment in India, either on a country specific basis or as a part of a global or regional arrangement.

These details should include the scope of work and responsibilities that have been entrusted with the said party in India.

If there is non-involvement of any such party then the same also be communicated in the offers specifically.

According to the new conditions imposed, the contract with the agent will not be a conditional contract wherein payment made or penalty levied is based, directly or indirectly, on success or failure of the award of the contract. .

@Agency report.

Admiral Sunil Lanba takes charge as the new Indian Navy chief

Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba took charge as the new chief of the Naval Staff on Tuesday, as Admiral RK Dhowan superannuated from service.

“I am sure under his leadership, the Indian Navy will execute every task,” Dhowan said.

Vice Admiral Lanba complimented the personnel of the command who worked with synergy and teamwork in ensuring that ships, submarines and aircraft are maintained in a high state of combat readiness at all times.

In keeping with the fragile maritime environment of the region, he said there is a need to be ever vigilant in all quarters and all fronts, adding that he had no doubt that fire power from units of fleet, flotillas and squadrons could be delivered appropriately should the need arise.

Pointing towards the International Fleet Review held recently at Visakhapatnam, vice Admiral Lanba said presence of 50 countries in the review clearly indicates the growing stature of the country in the region.

He added that many countries have expressed the desire to cooperate and exercise with Indian Navy, which is indicative of professionalism, training and sound culture displayed by the service.

He also urged the need to continue working together to bring change and work smartly and apprised the personnel on the steps taken by WNC in addressing the long standing issue of shortage of married accommodation.

Born on July 17, 1957, Lanba was commissioned on January 1, 1978 into the Executive Branch of Indian Navy.

During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 38 years, he has served in a variety of command, operational and staff appointments.

Lanba’s Sea Command includes commanding the minesweeper INS Kakinada, frigate INS Himgiri and executive officer of INS Viraat, the aircraft carrier. Before taking over as FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command, he was FOC-in-C, Southern Naval Command, vice-chief of the Naval Staff and Commandant, National Defence College.

Vice Admiral Lanba is a qualified specialist in navigation and direction course. He attended the course at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK. He is a recipient of Param Vishist Seva Medal and Ati Vishist Seva Medal and is married to Reena Lanba. The couple has a son and two daughters.

@Agency report.

India’s NSG Membership Is Not About Arms: US Tells Pakistan

In an apparent dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s opposition to India becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the US has said it is not about an arms race, but about civilian use of nuclear energy.

“This is not about an arms race and it’s not about nuclear weapons. This is about the peaceful civil use of nuclear energy, and so we would certainly hope that Pakistan understands that,” State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

He was responding to questions about India’s membership application to NSG and opposition to it by Pakistan on the grounds that this would give pace to nuclear arms race in the region.

However, the US has fingers crossed, ahead of the crucial meeting of the 48-nation NSG.

“Look, all I can say is that during his visit to India in 2015, President (Barack) Obama did affirm the US view that India meets missile technology control regime requirements and is ready for membership. But it’s a consensus body, so we’ll wait and see how the vote goes,” Toner said.

“Deliberations about the prospects of new members joining the Nuclear Supplier Groups are an internal matter among the current members. I don’t have much to say beyond that other than that I think they meet regularly,” he said.

The upcoming NSG meeting has not been set up for this purpose. “This I not a specific meeting, I believe – not set up to particularly talk about this issue,” Toner said.

“They (Pakistan) have made public their interest, and certainly any country can submit its application for membership. We will consider based on a consensus decision,” the spokesman said.

@Agency report.

Alarmed by the security threat posed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), the Indian Air Force (IAF) has sought a ban on them in the proximity of defence installations in Jammu and Kashmir (J &K) and Punjab.

This, even as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in consultation with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), para military forces, the Navy and the Army, has been working on a countrywide policy for regulating the use of UAVs and UASs.

IAF seeks ban on use of UAVs, air balloons near vital installations in J &K and Punjab | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis

IAF sources said a letter was shot to J&K and Punjab governments on June 2, underlining threats of terrorist attacks through the use of sub-conventional methods to target installations belonging to IAF, defence, para military forces and police.

Such sub-conventional methods could be misuse of adventure sports facilities like para gliding, parasailing and air balloons.

The IAF has also sought the civil administration’s help in respective areas to identify the private agencies that are involved in these adventure sports and declaration of the equipments they own.

IAF chief Arup Raha in October publicly showed concern about the possibility of UAVs becoming tools at the hands of terrorists while speaking to reporters. Other security agencies too, have been seeking a high-priority focus on regulating their use.

Since these devices fly at low levels, detecting them by radars become difficult.

In January this year, IAF had to press its frontline fighter jet Sukhoi-30 to shoot down an “unidentified” balloon over Barmer in Rajasthan, close to the international border with Pakistan. It later turned out to be a helium filled and harmless balloon but sources in security establishment didn’t deny that such instances could be to test IAF’s response time on breaching of the Indian air space.

In May last year, security agencies went into a tizzy after five remote controlled parachutes were spotted in the Mumbai airport airspace. Though they were later identified to have been mistakenly entered the area and ‘harmless’, it led to Mumbai police banning the use of drones and paragliders in the city.

@Agency report.

Junior Digest

North Korea fires second missile after first launch fails – South Korea

Govt allows agents in defence deals with strict oversight

Admiral Sunil Lanba takes charge as the new Indian Navy chief

India’s NSG Membership Is Not About Arms: US Tells Pakistan

Centre directs completing border fencing in Tripura

Missiles, copters, submarines : Anil Ambani’s ambitious defence plan

India’s first Reusable Launch Vehicle to take off today

India seeks to buy maritime patrol drones from US

ISRO to launch record 20 satellites on June 22

India’s application discussed, but NSG indicates no exception will be made

Global movement urges Lankan Army to release ‘surrendee’ records of civil war

BrahMos missile test-fired, hits target

India to become full member of MTCR tomorrow

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Defence Ministry nod to buy 145 ultra light howitzers from US

No evidence to suggest Pakistan helped JEM in Pathankot attack: NIA Director General

Will engage with Pak for peace, forces free to answer back : PM

China wants to extend its Nepal rail link to India: media

India plans expanded missile export drive

Pak raises US drone strike issue at UNSC

IAF seeks ban on use of UAVs, air balloons near vital installations

Malabar Exercise kicks off close to South China Sea

Putin slams NATO for ‘aggressive’ activities, rhetoric

India’s first batch of women fighter pilots inducted in IAF fighter squadron