India and China are in the final stage of setting up hotlines between their Armies on eastern and northern side of the divide to avoid any misunderstandings during the military patrols on the border. Eastern Command headquarters in Fort William, Kolkata, will have a dedicated telephone hotline with the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army headquarters in the Chengdu Military region, and the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur with its counterpart in the Lanzhou Military Region. Presently, sector commanders of the Indian and Chinese armies do talk over the telephone and meet periodically at designated places along the border.

Chengdu and Lanzhou are two of seven Chinese PLA military regions and cover the entire border with India. On the Indian side, the Northern Command, Eastern Command and the Central Command share the responsibility for the frontier with China. The proposal for telephone hotlines was conveyed by Beijing during the visit of the Chinese defence minister Liang Guanglie to New Delhi in the first week of this month.

AIR correspondent reports, both sides acknowledge that despite the peace and tranquillity on the frontier, there is the likelihood of border patrols’ movements being misinterpreted and snowballing because the border is unsettled. The Indian and Chinese militaries are beefing up border defences, raising more troops and redeploying new units.

As recently as July, Indian and Chinese army patrols came face to face at Chumar in Ladakh. The patrols held up banners and flags to signal to each other that they were transgressing the Line of Actual Control. There was no face-off as the patrols moved on. There were more than 200 such transgressions  अतिक्रमण ( in 2011. This year, the Indian army has listed 90 so far.

The Indian Army currently has a hotline only with Pakistan. The Directors Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan talk over a dedicated line every Tuesday and usually after incidents of firing on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir where a ceasefire has been holding since 2002.

he US and Japan have agreed to set up a second missile defence system on Japanese soil in an effort to counter the ballistic missile threat from North Korea. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta made the announcement in Tokyo today with Japan's defence minister. But the exact location of the system has not yet been determined. 

Japan and the US have worked on a joint missile defence system over the years. Officials say this new system would enable Japanese ships to cover other parts of the region. Mr Panetta also discussed with Japanese Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto the deployment of US Osprey aircraft to Okinawa, which has angered local residents concerned about safety. Mr Panetta is on a week-long tour of Asia that includes China and New Zealand.

 India has said the Maldives can count on it as a sincere friend and the two countries can work together to tackle challenges like terrorism piracy and drug trafficking to maintain peace and stability.

Inaugurating a military hospital build with Indian assistance in Male today, the Defence Minister Mr A. K. Antony said that the two countries shared culture, folkloreघरेलू कथा कहानी, trade and any traditions and customs and have fostered a close bond of friendship, which has withstood the test of time.

The Minister is scheduled to meet the Maldivian Defence Minister Colonel Retired Mohamed Nazim and lay the foundation of a Military training school at island of Maafilaafushi in Lhaviyani.

During the talks, both the Defence Ministers are expected to review ongoing defence exchanges and discuss ways to enhance military cooperation. A.K. Antony is on three day visit to Maldivies.

 The defence expenditure will be increased by about 44 per cent in the next two years, owing to modernization requirements. According to medium-term expenditure projections under Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Managment Act, Defence Services expenditure has increased by 13.52 per cent overall in 2012-13 of budget estimated over previous year's revised estimates. The revenue component, which has a large portion of salary of defence personnel has also grew up by seven per cent and the capital component by 19.6 per cent. 

For the next two years, it has been assumed that revenue component will increase by seven per cent per annum and capital component by 13 to 14 per cent. Thus, based on these projections, Defence Capital expenditure, which was 38.7 per cent of total allocations for Defence Services in revised estimate for 2011-12, will go up to 44 per cent in 2014-15.

This is required keeping in view the defence Moderationization requirements. Medium Term Expenditure Framework projected that the Defence will need 1,21,797 crore rupees in 2013-14 and 130,322 crore rupees in 2014-15.

Mr. Shinde said the communal colour given to the recent ethnic violence in Assam was unfortunate and noted that the motivated online rumours were evidence of terrorists resorting to cyber space. He urged the security forces should develop skills in the cyber domain to not only locate the malicious content, but also identify those responsible. Speaking on the occasion, Intelligence Bureau Director Nehchal Sandhu said, Bangalore arrests show vulnerability of youth to radicalisation. Mr Sandhu said, attack on Israeli envoy shows India's vulnerability to become playground for global terrorism . The Home minister also gave away awards to meritorious policemen.

 Myanmar military authorities have released 42 more child soldiers from the armed forces. The Ministry of Social Welfare said, the children who are from across the country's regions and states, were handed over to their parents respectively. The move came after an agreement was signed between Myanmar government and the United Nations in late June on prevention of further recruitment and use of children under age in the armed forces. The Myanmar Defence Ministry said that from 2004 to July 2012, 600 child soldiers have been released from the army and reintegrated with their families.

India and China have agreed to resume military exercises, stalled since 2010. Talking to reporters following the Defence Minister Delegation level talks in New Delhi this morning, Defence Minister AK Antony said that it will take place in China next year and then in India in 2014. He will also visit China next year.
General Liang Guanglie, who is the first Chinese Defence Minister to visit India in eight years, said that consensus has been reached on many issues of mutual concern.
It is believed that during the talks New Delhi expressed concerns over Chinese military infrastructure build-up along the border and discussed more Confidence Building Measures . General Liang arrived in Mumbai on Sunday on a five-day visit to the country.
Before the official meeting started, the Chinese Defence Minister thanked his Indian counterpart for the good arrangements made during his visit to Mumbai and Agra.
The Chinese Defence Minister is also to hold a meeting with the Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne at the South Block before calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Our Correspondent reports that Military exercises between the two countries had started in 2007 but were put on hold in 2010 after a series of hiccups

1. गड़बड़ी (f)
2.  हिचकी hiccuped, hiccupped (verb past tense)
   hiccuping

 in the defence ties between the two sides. The first exercise was held in Kunming, China in 2007 and the second in Belgaum in India in 2008. The third edition was to have been held in China in 2010 but has since remained stalled. After the denial of visa to the then Northern Army Commander, Lt. Gen. BS Jaswal by the Chinese in 2010, New Delhi had frozen all bilateral defence exchanges with Beijing. General Liang's visit is the first by a Chinese Defence Minister to India since General Cao Gangchuan's trip in March 2004. A Defence Minister-level visit to China from India had last taken place in May 2006.

 The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI today registered a case against arms dealer Abhishek Verma under Official Secrets Act, OSA. CBI spokesperson told AIR that a case has been registered in the special court against Verma and unkwown government officials after a formal complaint was received from the Defence Ministry, stating that documents purportedly provided by US-based attorney C Edmond Allen, Verma's business associate, were classified and violated OSA.

The CBI will now question senior defence ministry officials and retired defence personnel who are under theagency's scanner for their alleged relations with Verma and other arms supplier lobbyists.

The Chinese Navy has declared a fishing and navigation ban in waters near the East China Sea in order to conduct a five-day series of live ammunition manoeuvers from tomorrow. According to People's Daily Online, all boats are banned from sailing in the maneuvers area, and inspection boats will patrol the area regularly to keep fishing boats from transgressing. A military affairs commentator, Song Xiaojun said the live ammunition maneuvers are part of an annual exercise conducted in the East China Sea, regularly around the same time and in the same area. Song added that this exercises will be the largest in terms of scale compared to previous exercises. Song said that the scale of the event corresponds to China's needs to strengthen its capability in order to better safeguard its sovereignty over the disputed Diaoyu Islands.

Minister of State for Defence, M M Pallam Raju has stressed the need to channelize the energy of National Cadet Corps, NCC, in the right direction. Describing the cadets as the leaders of tomorrow, Mr Raju said, they are the key instruments of social change, economic growth and technological innovations. He was speaking at the 46th meeting of the Central Advisory Committee, CAC, on NCC in New Delhi today. In his address, the minister complimented the NCC on the excellent performance of its cadets in various activities, including training, sports, social service and community development. On the occasion, Director General of NCC, Lt Gen PS Bhalla presented a detailed update on NCC activities in the past two years, to the members of the CAC. The important issues discussed during the meeting, included introduction of a new syllabus based on the refined training philosophy to keep it up with times and meet the aspirations of the youth. The meeting also discussed increasing the number of cadets to be enrolled in NCC and raising of additional units for enhanced role in social and community development programmes.

Defence Minister AK Antony has ordered the immediate shifting of Lt. Gen Jitendra Singh, Commandant, from the National Defence Academy (NDA), in Pune. An official release issued in New Delhi said, the shifting has been done with the view to ensure a free and fair investigation in the alleged bribery racket in the recruitment of Group ‘C’ posts in the NDA, Khadakwasla, Pune.

The Ministry of Defence has cleared a 12,000-crore rupee proposal of the Indian Army to procure new generation air defence missiles to replace its ageing Russian systems. It has also cleared the purchase of an additional 14 Dornier aircraft for the transport wing of the Indian Air Force at a cost of over 1,000 crore rupee.

The additional Dornier transport aircraft will boost its fleet level up from the current 41. The aircraft used in light transport or personnel carrier roles - will be procured from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Defence Acquisition Council also approved the procurement of eight regiments of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles to replace the Russian Kvadrat systems that have become obsolete. The Army will float a global tender to purchase the systems.
cleared or approved Kvadrat Kvadrat Acquisition Aeronautics 

The Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has emphasised the importance of a strong US naval presence in Asia. His statement comes on the eve of a trip to the region.

Speaking at the US naval academy, he said the future of the US depended on ensuring security throughout the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. 

America is a maritime nation and we are returning to our maritime roots, he said. Mr Panetta is due to travel to Vietnam, India and Singapore for a security summit.

Speaking to naval graduates in Annapolis, he said the US should strengthen existing ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines, and form robust partnerships with South East Asian nations.

The Pentagon chief also spoke about the need to strengthen defence ties with China, even as its military is growing and modernising.

The government has approved a three-fold hike in the delegation of financial powers to Service Headquarters from the current 50 crore rupees to 150 crore rupees to accelerate the process of procurement for the Armed Forces. 

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held by Defence minister AK Antony with the three Service Chiefs and Defence Secretary in New Delhi today. During the meeting, Mr Antony directed the Service Chiefs to explore more avenues for giving permanent commission to women in the Armed Forces.

Earlier, the Defence minister also had a one-on-one meeting with Army Chief General VK Singh this morning. The meeting lasted 15 minutes.

Britain has said it will push for a new arms trade treaty to prevent unregulated and irresponsible arms sales across the globe and introduce international regulations to stamp out unscrupulous practices, during the July session of the United Nations.

Addressing the International Institute for Strategic Studies, IISS in London , Secretary of state for International Development Alan Duncan said, laws in different countries to regulate the arms industry needed to have common international standards, including making brokers accountable.

Stating that currently a variable patchwork of regulation exists across the world, he said that some Governments have very robust arms trade control systems in place, but other Governments are fuelling the illicit and irresponsible trade in arms by not having any control systems at all, or by only having weak systems.

Duncan added that as there are no common international standards for the arms trade, gaps and loopholes occur in it.

The proposed treaty is intended to close loopholes that currently allow corruption to thrive and weapons to be diverted on to the illicit market.

Russia says, talks on the U.S. plan for a NATO missile defense system in Europe are deadlocked. Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov today said that Russia, NATO and the U.S. have not been successful in finding a mutually acceptable solution.

He spoke at the start of talks in Moscow with Russian and U.S. officials on the missile defense plan. Moscow has rejected the U.S. position that the plan is to protect against potential threats from Iran.

The Defence Ministry has blacklisted four foreign and two Indian firms for ten years from all business dealings for their involvement in the corrupt practices. Replying to supplementaries during the question hour in the Rajya Sabha today, the Defence Minister A K Antony said, the four foreign vendors belong to Israel, Russia, Germany and Singapore and the two Indian vendors are from New Delhi and Ludhiana.
Mr Antony informed the House that his Ministry has already recovered the 200 crore rupees paid as advance to the Israeli vendor. Replying to a specific question, whether the government is considering to raise the cooling period for retired defence personnel working for Indian and foreign companies for lobbying, Mr Antony said, the Standing Committee on Defence has recommended to raise the cooling period for upto five years. He said, the government will take a decision in this regard soon. On the procurement of Tatra trucks by Defence Ministry, Mr Antony said, the CBI is inquiring into it at present. He hoped the agency will submit the report very quickly.

His visit gains signficance as the Presidential elections are around the corner. The DMK has been a long time ally of the Congress and was a part of the UPA Government in both terms with ministerial berths in the Cabinet.

The percentage of Punjabis joining defence forces in officer’s rank is two per cent. This is although not good but satisfactory keeping in view the present trend of entering into private sector for heafty pay package.

Disclosing this, the Pricipal Secreatry, Defence Welfare, Punjab, Mr. C. Roul told AIR in Jalandhar that after the implementation of the sixth pay commission, the trend has reversed and youngsters have again started opting to join defence forces for a better future. 

On the issue of less contribution from Punjab in National Defence Academy, Roul said the department is creating awareness amongst students to join forces for a respectful career. The department is also providing free coaching for prospective candidates at Jalandhar and Mohali.