Greek Push for BrahMos Missile Against Turkey's S-400: Indo-Russian Defense Collaboration

 In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Greece paved the way for potential cooperation between India and Greece, particularly in defense. Greek media has been increasingly vocal about acquiring the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from India to counter Turkey's activities in the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Crete.

During Prime Minister Modi's visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in four decades, discussions were held regarding collaboration in various sectors, including defense. The subsequent reciprocal visit by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in February 2024 further solidified bilateral relations.

Greek media outlets, notably the Greece City Times, have advocated for deploying BrahMos missiles on the eastern Aegean islands to strengthen Greece's naval capabilities. This move is seen as a strategic response to Turkey's assertive actions in the region.

Emmanuel Marios Economou and Nikos K. Kyriazis, academics at the University of Thessaly, have endorsed the acquisition of BrahMos missiles, arguing that it would significantly enhance Greece's maritime defense capabilities. They highlight the cost-effectiveness of BrahMos compared to traditional naval vessels.

The BrahMos missile, a joint venture between India and Russia, has garnered interest from several countries, including Greece. Its advanced features, such as supersonic speed and low-altitude flight capability, make it an attractive option for naval defense.

The potential deployment of BrahMos missiles in Greece has implications for regional dynamics, particularly in countering Turkey's "Blue Homeland" concept, which asserts territorial claims over the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

As tensions between India and Turkey persist, Greece's interest in BrahMos signifies a potential alignment of interests between Athens and New Delhi. The deployment of BrahMos missiles in the Aegean Sea could alter the regional balance of power, challenging Turkey's assertiveness in the region.

1st female battalion of Indian Army goes pregnant in held Kashmir

The first battalion of Indian army that actually comprises sex workers, recruited from relight areas across India with the help of RAW and posted as Border Guards in the occupied Kashmir by Indian army in September 2009, with aims to provide “fun” to soldiers in the area who were constantly committing suicide, is now reported to be suffering from some serious medical problems due to unsafe sexual activities while at least 63 out of the total 178 female “soldiers”, posted under Northern Command in September last, are reported t have been tested positive in the pregnancy tests, carried out at military hospitals while many male soldiers have also been diagnosed with serious sex related diseases, reveal the investigations of The Daily Mail.
The Daily Mail’s investigations reveal that the problem started occurring when in the month of December a large number of female “soldiers” started reporting SIQ (Sick-In-Quarter) at different formations with complaints of minute illness like vomiting and headaches. However, as the number of complaints in this direction started rising dramatically, the patients were referred to Military Hospital at Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar. At Srinagar’s Military Hospital, after different tests, it was found that the female soldiers sent there from different formations were mostly suffering from no disease but were found to pregnant while a few others were treated for different unsafe-sex related minor diseases. Captain Dr. Jyoti (name changes on source’s request) of the IAMC (Indian Army Medical Corps), posted at the Military Hospital told The Daily Mail that at least 63 female soldiers, sent to the base hospital from different field units were tested positive in the pregnancy tests. “It was something unusual that these women were found 8 to 10 weeks with pregnancy while they were not sent on leave since their posting some 12 to 14 weeks back. Similarly some other 38 were found having some minor diseases but these were sex related diseases that occur normally due to unsafe sexual activities and thus we reported the matter to the commandant of the hospital who forwarded the same to the high command”, asserted Dr. Jyoti.
The Daily Mail’s findings indicate that the situation rang alarm bells in the Eastern Command’s headquarters where an emergency meeting was held which, apart from others, was attended by Major General Harinder Singh, Commandant of the IAMC of Northern Command. Since the matter was of very serious nature, it was decided in the meeting that was held under the command of the Commander of the 14th corps to bring the matter to the notice of the Army Headquarters at New Delhi. The News arrived at Army Headquarters at New Delhi as a bomb because the headquarter was already suffering from a high profile controversy of land scams and the rift between Army Chief and Commander Eastern Command over the issue was at the peak and Defence Minister was in no mood to give any support to Army Chief Deepak Kapoor.
The Daily Mail’s findings indicate that since the project of posting sex workers in the disguise of female soldiers in Kashmir was initiated by the orders of General Deepak Kapoor without seeking any formal approval from the Defence Minister, the news cam as a big shock as General Kapoor was already at odds with the Defence Minister A.K Antony over the issue of corruption in sale of army lands. Our sources reveal that upon this, Army Chief held a classified meeting with his confidants and aides and also invited Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services Lt. General N.K Parmar. In the meeting, it was decided to dash a team of gynecologists from Delhi to Northern Command to tackle the situation on emergency, yet confidential basis. Upon this, a team of 9 gynecologists from IAMC was sent to Northern Command. The team performed the abortions upon some 56 “soldiers while rest of the 7 were shifted to Udhampur-based military hospital as their ‘cases’ were reported to be bit complicated and required some serious surgeries. The said team of Army Gynecologists, headed by Lt. Colonel. Bharti Sharma, not only treated the patients but also gave them tips to follow the safe sex practices. In the meanwhile, several male soldiers from the same region were also reported SIQ with sex related diseases.
The Daily Mail’s findings indicate that as the situation started worsening, the Army Chief General Kapoor contacted Lt. General. Raj Kumar Karwal, who was the head of the committee which recommended the posting of undercover sex workers in Kashmir to meet the natural requirements of the sex starving male soldiers. Sources reveal that General Karwal told General Kapoor that while following his committee’s recommendations, the recommendations, regarding the provision of safe sex devices like the condoms and educating the soldiers about safe sex practices were not followed at all as the committee had recommended that prior to the posting of sex workers amongst the ranks of soldiers, the soldiers must be provided with precautionary measures and should be given tips regarding the safe sex practices.
Sources revealed that upon this, General Kapoor, who had hopes of a support from Defence Minister Antony in this matter, decided to approach the Home Affairs Minister P Chidambaram. Upon contacting, Chidambaram promised general Kapoor of his all out support.
The Daily Mail’s findings indicate that hiding behind the notion of helping the Paramilitary forces, Chidambaram ordered the Home Affairs Ministry to procure condom making machines to be given to military and paramilitary authorities for installing at remote areas of deployment, particularly along the borders. According to a report, released by Indian’s State news agency Press Trust of India (PTI), Indian Government is procuring more than 1,000 units of condom vending machines to promote safe sex practices among its military and para-military deployed in far flung areas.


The machines, the PTI reports further, for the men of forces like CRPF, CISF, SSB, ITBP, BSF and NSG will be installed at the battalion and sector headquarters of the forces, especially along the borders.

"A total of 1,080 machines are being procured by the Home Ministry. The idea is to promote safe sex practices amongst the soldier who are deployed at far off places for long durations," PTI reports, quoting a senior para-military officer. 

The PTI further reports that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been appointed as nodal agency by the Home Ministry for procurement of these machines as well as all health related purchase and activities.

“The condoms, to be provided through these machines, have been procured from different companies and would be provided to the soldiers free of cost but on rationing basis every month,” concludes the PTI report.
The Daily Mail’s finding further indicate that the soldier of Indian army, posted in Indian Occupied Kashmir and other border areas of India often indulge into unsafe sexual activities including rapes and prostitution. While the complaints of rapes and gang rapes by Indian soldiers are fairly common in Kashmir valley, the border natives other regions are also constant victims of brutal forced rapes of women by the frustrating Indian soldiers. The female villagers along the either side of Indo-Myanmar border, Indo-Bangladesh border and Indo- Nepal border are often sexually assaulted by Indian soldiers while visiting the prostitution dens and opting for paid, yet unsafe sex is a common practice throughout the Indian Army and at many garrisons, Indian Army High Command has taken stringent measures to curb prostitution and have even displayed sign suggesting a ban on prostitution in the area. However the number of such incident had reached alarming limits and the Indian soldiers got into a severe trauma of sexual and mental frustration due to continuous bans on different recreational facilities by the top authorities and thus they started indulging into suicide practices and killing the colleagues as well. The Daily Mail’s findings indicate that adding to the miseries of soldiers in Kashmir, the Indian Army announced imposing a ban on use of mobile phones by soldiers, posted in the Occupied valley. These findings indicate that senior medical officers of the Indian armed forces believe that just engaging the sex workers under the grab of female soldiers was not enough to rid the soldiers of frustration and mental stress but the use of mobile phone by troops was also a permanent source of stress and strain for the soldiers, deployed in the occupied valley.
“The problem is not the stress in the encounter, the problem is the cell phone and that should be banned,’’ said Lt-General Dipankar Ganguly, speaking on the occasion of the 246th anniversary of the Army Medical Corps 
The top General said that cell phones allowed the soldiers to maintain regular contact with their families and get updated on their problems, which led to higher levels of stress among them. 
Armed Forces Medical Services Director General Lt-Gen N K Parmar, in his observation, said that the armed forces had taken a number of steps to tackle stress-related issues among the troops.

Still-angry Pakistan Backs Out of Afghan Conference

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan decided Nov. 29 to boycott a key international conference on Afghanistan next month, ramping up its protest over lethal cross-border NATO air strikes that have plunged U.S. ties into deep crisis.

The decision was taken at a Pakistani cabinet meeting in the eastern city of Lahore, days after Islamabad confirmed it was mulling its attendance in the German city of Bonn, where Pakistan's participation was considered vital.

"The cabinet has decided not to attend the Bonn meeting," a government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The prime minister's office said the cabinet agreed that "unilateral action" such as the Nov. 26 strike in the tribal district of Mohmand and the May 2 killing of Osama bin Laden near the capital was "unacceptable."

U.S.-led investigators have been given until Dec. 23 to probe the attacks, threatening to prolong significantly Pakistan's blockade on NATO supplies into Afghanistan implemented in retaliation for the killings.

The U.S. military appointed Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Clark to lead the investigation into the attack.

The team, set to include a NATO representative, is yet to arrive in Afghanistan but an initial military assessment team went to the border at the weekend after the catastrophic strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops.

The Afghan and Pakistani governments are also being invited to take part.

There was no immediate reaction from Islamabad or Kabul, although some analysts voiced surprise that it will take as long as nearly four weeks.

A Western military official in Kabul said the schedule for the findings being delivered was "way quicker" than initially expected.

U.S.-Pakistani ties have been in free fall since a CIA contractor killed two Pakistanis in January, and the latest attack raises disturbing questions about the extent to which the two allies cooperate with each other.

Islamabad insists that the air strikes were unprovoked, but Afghan and Western officials have reportedly accused Pakistani forces of firing first.

"With the kind of technology available to the U.S. and NATO, it was expected they would be able to do it [the investigation] much earlier, not more than two weeks," Pakistani defence analyst Talat Masood told AFP.

In Pakistan, angry protests over the NATO strikes pushed into a fourth day, with 150 to 200 people demonstrating in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, setting fire to an American flag and an effigy of NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The crowd carried banners and shouted: "Those who befriend America are traitors" and "We are ready for jihad," an AFP reporter said.

Pakistan has vowed no more "business as usual" with the United States. In addition to shutting its Afghan border, it has ordered Americans to vacate an air base reportedly used by CIA drones and a review of the alliance.

Yet behind the rhetoric, Islamabad has little wriggle room, being dependent on U.S. aid dollars and fearful of the repercussions for regional security as American troops wind down their presence in Afghanistan in the coming years.

In an interview with CNN, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani stopped short of threatening to break the alliance altogether saying: "That can continue on mutual respect and mutual interest."

White House spokesman Jay Carney said U.S. President Barack Obama believed the latest incident was "a tragedy," and said Washington valued what he called an "important cooperative relationship that is also very complicated."

Last time Pakistan closed the border, in September 2010 after up to three soldiers were killed in a similar cross-border raid, it only reopened the route after the United States issued a full apology.

The U.S. military has insisted the war effort in Afghanistan would continue and has sought to minimize the disruption to regular supply lines.

Nearly half of all cargo bound for NATO-led troops runs through Pakistan.

About 140,000 foreign troops, including about 97,000 American forces, rely on supplies from the outside to fight the 10-year-old war in Afghanistan.

Yet so far, officials say there has been no sign that Islamabad would bar the U.S. aircraft from flying over Pakistan.

Indian chopper force to land,after violating airspace of Pakistan

An Indian military Cheetah helicopter belonging to the 666 Siachen Falcons Squadron that violated Pakistani airspace near the Line of Control in Kargil sector in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan at 1:00 p.m. (PST) was forced to land near Olding, Pakistan after being intercepted by Pakistan Air Force fighter jets. The helicopter has been impounded and all four Indian military personnel on board have been taken into custody by the Pakistan Army. The four military personnel include 1 pilot (a Colonel), 1 co-pilot (a Major), 1 Engineer (a Major) and a JCO. The helicopter and crew are now in Skardu.

Indian television reports cited army sources saying the airspace violation by the Cheetah model helicopter operated by the 666 Siachen Falcons was not intentional.

The reports said the helicopter entered Pakistan territory during “whiteout” conditions due to snow in the montainous region.

“It was due to bad weather that the Cheetah chopper strayed across the LoC. There was no deliberate attempt to intrude,” the Indian army said in a statement to Times Now television station, referring to the de facto border in the divided Kashmir region known as the Line of Control.

The military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas had told Reuters that ”the helicopter had came deep into our airspace. It was forced to land. Four Indian army officers have been taken into safe custody. They are safe.”
The two nuclear-armed South Asian rivals have fought three wars since their independence from British rule in 1947.
However, their relations have improved after they resumed a peace process this year which was suspended after co-ordinated attacks by Pakistan-based militants in the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008, that killed 166 people.

Congolese Women Raped by Indian Rapists in UN Peace Missions

                You must have heard the story of a thief who had gave up his bad habit aftermarriage of his sons. After his death, his sons and daughter in laws gathered to distribute his possessions. His possessions were locked in trunk and he always used to hang its keys by his neck. When his sons and daughters in law opened the trunk, they were shocked to see items of their household that were stolen time to time in the past. Precious ornaments, crockery, and cloth that were part of dowries of daughters in law, all were there. Loss these items had created storms in the family. Many accusing fingers were raised. Secret of their father was revealed that although he had quitted theft but to satisfy his habit, he used to steal items from his own house.

                Same is the situation of Indian army. UNO had accused Indian army in writing of rape of Congolese women by its officers and soldiers. Previously such accusations were raised by Kashmiri and Indian minorities but were never listened to. Nobody sympathized innocent women of Kashmir and minorities whose honor was targeted deliberately by Indian army personnel. International media withheld such news of rape and murder. When such incidents resulted into general unrest and curfew, still international media highlighted different reasons for these. 

                The recent example of such incidents is that of Nilofer and Aasia, two girls in Shopian, Indian Held Kashmir, who were abducted by Indian soldiers while gathering wood near their home. Both girls (Nilofer had a baby back in home) were gang raped inIndian army camp and later murdered. Their bodies were thrown near their home. People protested against such heinous crime and Indian Held Kashmir had to go through curfew for six months. Tens of young Kashmiri including children were killed by Indian police during protests. Western median made no mention of such happening to the world. Even western media did not felt any moral deficiency when Indian homeminister accused Kashmiri mujahideen for this incident and arrested many innocent youth from that area.

                Even UNO has never paid any attention to accusation made not only by Arundhati Roy, a famous author, but other women organizations about rape of minorities particularly Kashmir women being practiced by Indian army as state policy. UNO sent  Aasma Jahangir, a favorite of Indians, for a fact finding mission to obscure the human right violation in India (you will observe Asma Jahangir in happiest mood at Wahga Border carrying flowers for Indians on the eve of their Divali or when she returns back from pilgrimage into India). She has always sponsored Indian interests against that of Kashmiri women.

                However, UNO has become the affected party to such incidents for the first time. A question can be raised that why so? UNO always send soldiers in war torn countries to protect its people and particularly women. UNO and its armed missions have played a dominant role in this regard. The troops from different nations are deployed to war affected countries after due considerations of local customs and conditions. The mission of such contingents is to establish peace, distribute food, medical, services, and promotes sense of protection amongst women so that they can start their normal life. If UN contingents are involved in moral and social crimes (prevention of which is sole purpose of their deployment) than you can well imagine the general condition. Such situations will benefit criminals and make life hell for peace loving people.

                The nations send their best military contingents as part of UN mission to increase their influence. Case of Indian army is different. Indian government often use their military might against its provinces to quell separatism and control minorities. Sexual abuse is used as a weapon. That is why Indian soldiers are good at this. On 15 July 2008, hundreds of old women gathered in front of Indian military headquarters at Kangla Fort, Imphal part of State of Manipur and protested naked against Indian armyatrocities. They were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against Indian army’s policy of sexual abuse and gang rapes. These women (including well educated, professors and doctors) had been victim of Indian atrocities in some part to their lives. Their only crime was that the men of their family had either refused to accept occupation of Manipur by Indian central government or were sympathizers to separation movements. These women were chanting slogans, “Indian sexual beasts, come and rape us, we are of the age of your mothers, come and rape your mothers”. Indian soldiers at the central gates were unable to decide either to open fire on these women or arrest these naked women. Women from spectators covered them with their clothes. This protest was result of Indian atrocities against a professor of famous Ghana Priya Women’s College, Imphal. Her son had joined United Liberation Front of Assam so she was raped by Indian beasts as a punishment. Details have been printed by “Tehelka dot com” Current Affairs in August 2008.

                 However, such incidents are not new for Indian media. Few years back,Indian army gang raped girls from Mao Separatist and than threw dead bodies intrenches. Such scandals have been noticed many times. Indian media has decided to ignore such incidents. However, Sohani Laxmi, a lady journalist from Gwahati, Assam has published full details of an incident in that high caste Hindus of Gwahati forced a seventeen year old girl walk naked for eight kilometers. This was published at “JharkandBlog” with a title of “Adivasi Girl”. Hundreds of such heinous incidents can be viewed on line. One of the sorry aspect of this whole issue is that incident of Mukhtiaran Mai is broadcasted throughout the world. On the other hand, the so called civilized nations and their media tacitly choose to ignore Indian policy of sexual abuse and rape.

                It is the result of such neglect on the part of local as well as international media that Indian soldiers failed to desist from sexual abuse in UN mission of Congo. The Indian soldiers exploited the war torn women of Congo. These incidents surfaced when some unmarried Congolese mothers reported this to UN headquarters in Durla, Congo for upbringing of their children. The looks of these children were Indian instead of African. After investigation by UN institution for women, it was revealed that Indian soldiers fathered these children. Fifty-one of such cases were registered. Victims of Indian sexual abuse reached into hundreds. These girls were raped either through coercion or under deceit of food items and Indian made cosmetics. Their war-ravaged condition was exploited. It was a disgrace for UNO as an institution because it is the legal and moral responsibility of UN to ensure protection of these Congolese girls. The matter was reported to UN authorities in New York. Another such incidents was reported to UN authorities by South African home ministry in that a Lt. Colonel and two Majors of Indian army were arrested raping a woman while on leave in tourist city of Plettenberg Bay. They were arrested by police and jailed. They were released under diplomatic laws and repatriated to India. 

                Indian brigade commander in Congo accused Pakistani soldiers of suchviolations to avert the blame. UN authorities ordered DNA tests. The DNA samples of these pre-marital babies resembled to those of officers and men of 6th Sikh Battalion of India which was part of UN mission in Congo in 2008. UN authorities informed Indian government and asked for legal proceeding against these officers and soldiers. Indian efforts of accusing Pakistani soldiers were refuted due to DNA test. It also helped trace the actual fathers of these babies that included 12 officers and 39 non-commissioned officers and soldiers of Indian army.

                As usual, Indian government took policy of denial and neglected UN report and demands of punishment against these army personnel. It was a set back to UN’s good image. In 2010, when an Indian battalion was ready to embark on UN mission in New Delhi, UN refused to accept them. UN has made it clear that until the time Indian government does not punish those culprits involved in sexual abuses in Congo, UN will not only repatriate all Indian contingents but also take legal actions against them by itself.

                Indian government could not ignore large amount of UN payments and its repute. UN threat has worked and at last a committee comprising a Brigadier and two Colonels have been tasked to investigate 6^th Sikh Battalion in Uttar Pradesh (battalion is stationed at Chandigarh). UN has reported involvement of Indian contingents in sexual abuse not only in Congo but also in Sudan, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone. Other than that, Indian soldiers have been involved in smuggling of narcotics and weapons.

                 

Now question is; will UN be able to force India to punish its soldiers involved in human right violations including sexual abuse not only in Indian Held Kashmir but in Congo as well. I am sure that Asma Jhangir, Najam Sethi and Indian influenced so called progressive authors, poets, journalists, politicians, industrialists and traders will raise hue and cry that we should not involve ourselves in such issues. Dear readers, I protest against these Indian atrocities on three reasons:

Ø  One, world is a global village, it is the moral responsibility of people to raise their voices against atrocities in any part of the world;

Ø  Two, Indians tried to blame Pakistan for their wrong doings;

Ø  Three, India is continuing its policy of sexual abuse and rape of Kashmiri women as a weapon.

Every man and woman is morally bound to protest against such atrocities. We must protest against Indian aggressions and atrocities no matter somebody likes it to not.

India Military Delegation Arrives in China

BEIJING - An Indian military delegation arrived in Beijing on June 19 for a six-day visit, an Indian official said, marking the resumption of defense ties that were frozen for a year over a visa dispute.

The eight-member delegation, headed by Maj. Gen. Gurmeet Singh, will visit the Chinese capital and the restive northwestern region of Xinjiang, a senior Indian defense official told AFP earlier.

A spokesman for the Indian embassy in Beijing confirmed the delegation arrived the afternoon of June 19 but could not provide details on their itinerary or with whom they would meet on the Chinese side.

India suspended military exchanges in July last year after Beijing refused to provide a proper stamped visa to the then head of India's Northern Army Command, which controls the region of Indian Kashmir.

China controls a sliver of Kashmir and regards the region, which is also split with Pakistan, as disputed territory. India has been angered by its practice of providing special stapled visas for visitors from Indian Kashmir.

"We decided to pause defense exchanges because of these differences of opinion," a second source in the Indian government told AFP previously on condition of anonymity.

"There were still phone calls and other contacts, but now with this visit we are seeing the resumption of normal, full-scale military exchanges," said the official.

Singh, the delegation chief, heads the Delta Force, part of a specialized anti-insurgency unit deployed in Kashmir.

Suspicion pervades relations between the two Asian giants amid border disputes over Kashmir and the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The two also fought a short war in 1962, while the presence in India of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, adds to the tension.

Media reports suggested that the decision to resume defense cooperation was reached during talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Hu Jintao in China in April.

India, Pakistan Hold Talks on Strategic Glacier

NEW DELHI - Top defense officials from India and Pakistan kicked off talks May 30 over a disputed glacier high in the Himalayas where troops have clashed intermittently for decades.
The two-day meeting in New Delhi between Indian Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and his Pakistani counterpart Syed Ather Ali is part of the slow-moving peace process aimed at bringing lasting stability to South Asia.

India broke off all contact with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which were staged by the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba according to Indian and Western intelligence.
An Indian defence ministry official said the two secretaries met behind closed doors, where they were to discuss the militarized 20,800-foot high Siachen glacier in Kashmir.
India in 1984 sent troops and occupied strategic areas on the glacier, raising fears of another full-blown war between the neighbors, and three years later the militaries fought a fierce skirmish in the region.
The two armies clashed intermittently until a ceasefire in November 2003, but the fierce cold and harsh conditions are thought to have cost more lives than combat - the temperature on the world's highest battlefield drops to minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter.
A security analyst said the ongoing talks on Siachen, which is about 47 miles long and nearly three miles wide, may not bear fruit.
"Right now, our position is that 'you mark your ground positions on the map and give us an assurance that once we vacate [Indian posts] you will not occupy,' " retired Indian Maj. Gen. Ashok Mehta said.
"Pakistan will, of course, not agree to that and so it will be zero outcome and we will meet once again," the Indian analyst said, referring to 11 previous unsuccessful meetings over the icy mass.
India wants "iron-clad" proof of existing Pakistani military positions to dissuade Pakistan from moving its soldiers forward in the event of troop withdrawals.
Relations between the estranged neighbors, who have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, have improved over the last year after contacts between prime ministers and other senior government figures.
But India has recently sharpened its criticism of Pakistan and its alleged state funding of militant groups in the wake of the death of Osama bin Laden.
At the weekend, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the leadership in Islamabad must "wake up" to the "terror machine", while Home Minister P. Chidambaram warned last week that Pakistan was becoming a "fragile" state.
India considers the Siachen glacier strategic because of its location between China and both the Pakistani- and Indian-controlled zones of divided Kashmir.

IAF losing edge over PAF

Shiv Aroor and Durga Nandini

The Pakistan Air Force is stronger than ever. Since the last Indo-Pak air war of 1971, the Pakistan Air Force has with steely determination built up numbers, lethal capabilities and a combat force now counted as one of the most disciplined and well-trained air forces in the world. Headlines Today has a disturbing proof that all this has made India worried. A recent presentation by the defence intelligence establishment paints a morbid picture of how the numbers and capability advantage that the Indian Air Force has always found comfort in is rapidly slipping away. Headlines Today has accessed the recent presentation made to the Ministry of Defence. The document makes singularly ominous projections. The most glaring warning is about combat force ratio. The presentation says that the ratio of 1:1.7 is likely to progressively dip to 1:1.2 by the end of 2012. It describes this as a "historic low". It also says that the traditional hi-tech advantage is almost equal now with 9.5:11 squadron ratio.

With Pakistan rapidly acquiring early warning aircraft, mid-air refuellers and long-range missiles, the technology gap is at a historic low. It is a wake-up call to India's military planners. The decisions taken now could forever doom the crucial advantage that the Indian Air Force has always enjoyed against an adversary that can never be underestimated.

A formidable adversary

The last time the air forces of India and Pakistan fought a full-blown war was 40 years ago. But if the Pakistan Air Force of 1971 was an enemy to be reckoned with, circumstances have made it an even more formidable adversary today. The internal assessment by the Indian defence establishment makes some grimly practical projections in the light of an adversary emboldened by an unfettered modernisation spree. The government has been warned that with the Indian Air Force's edge slipping fast, the Pakistan Air Force's assertiveness is likely to increase. Once seen as a primarily defensive force, the Pakistan Air Force will use its new strength to employ offensive and defensive operations in equal measure. With new precision weapons, the Pakistan Air Force will conduct limited strikes to achieve strategic effects. The one thing that won't change - high-value targets in the Indian held Jammu and Kashmir will be high-priority targets for the PAF. There's a deeper threat at play than just fighter numbers. Consider these newly inducted force multipliers that all but kill the Indian air advantage. Pakistan is inducting four Swedish Saab Erieye and four Chinese Y-8 airborne early warning aircraft, while India, currently, has three. India no longer has the mid-air refueller advantage. Pakistan is inducting four identical IL-78M aircraft. The Indian Air Force's UAV advantage is also disappearing. Pakistan is acquiring 25 European UAVs, with more in the pipeline. Despite the ominous projections of the presentation, there are those who believe the Indian Air Force will always remain on top. Among them, Air Marshal Denzil Keelor, one half of the legendary Keelor brothers, who scored independent India's first air-to-air kill against Pakistan in 1965. But for the IAF to remain ahead, and stem the swiftly dwindling capability advantage over Pakistan, it needs to make some hard decisions across-the-board.