Chicken neck(Siliguri Corridor), North-East India and Bangladesh

[Chittagong Port]

Siliguri corridor or chicken neck of north east India is a small stretch of land which connects the north- eastern states to the mainland India. This 21-40km land mass is the only land access to northeastern states from the rest of India. The railway line passing though this corridor and NH 31 are highly critical to India.

Talks are always on air about the land access to North eastern states through the rivers of Myanmar and Bangladesh. Both these proposals have a major degree of success. Recently Bangladesh agreed to allow Ashuganj as new port of call for transporting heavy consignments to Tripura for the proposed Palatana power project as well as the use of Chittagong port by India. Both countries are agreed to sign a deal for the Indian access to the port by May 2010.

According to the proposed agreement cargo vehicles could carry containerized cargo for intercountry or for a third country transfer. Vehicles used for cargo transportation will get 7 days permission to stay with in the territory of other country, while private vehicles will be allowed to stay from 5 days to 1 month. Vehicle's crew will get multiple entry visa for 1 year.

According to the reports proposals are also on the air to facilitate the trade between Bangladesh and landlocked nations like Bhutan, Nepal etc. The success of this initiative will lead other transit proposals between Bangladesh and India to materialize.

Considering overall picture, the new agreements will lead to more regional interaction between India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. If we opened the Siliguri corridor for free trade between 3 countries it will be helpful for the regional development.

The Indian investments in the Bangladesh trasport sector will help Dhaka to solve the infrastructure problems much more faster, and will lead to the development of the country. According to the ADB report Bangladesh needed $2.4 bn to effectively join the proposed Asain Highway Network. At the same time India will get much more connectivity to the north-east. This will ease the strain on the Siliguri corridor. The proposals for powergrid intrconnectivity and the agreement for the transfer of terrorists will open a new era of friendship.

What we have to keep in mind is the illigal migration, drugs and narcotics traffic in these routes. May be the talks between Indian foreign minister Mr SM Krishna and his Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni will lead much more partnerships between the two nations.

Sajeev

Continuous saga of delay in defence contracts, Army's struggle with choppers

[Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama - Known as Cheetah in India]

How many defense contracts are signed on time in India? And how many executed on time? Anyone submitted a request according to RTI act on this issue? It is a naked truth that a vast country like India which have not so friendly neighbors and constant floods on different parts of the nation requires a powerful and dynamic support from air. Many parts of India are inaccessible through land and many border posts of the army are heavily depended on air for survival.

The story is not different for people caught in floods and forces ho lead the campaign against Maoists in the deep forests.

Choppers are widely used for transportation of materials and humans to the remote parts and inaccessible terrains. Everyone knows that every machine have successful working time. Did you heared about any machine continuously working for ever?

Army uses Cheetah(Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama) helicopters for material transportation and causality evacuation at an astonishing heights of 20,000 feet or more. The sad fact is that these choppers are of 1970 vintage, already completed approximately 40 years in service.

The 3,000 crore tender for the procurement of 197 choppers(133 for army rest for Air force) canceled after finding discrepancies. Then new tenders are issued. According to the procedures after floating tenders government will invite companies for field trails - summer trials, winter trials, validation trails etc.

But government is yet to invite any company for trails moreover Bell pulled out of the contract citing the offset clauses. Even if trails started in next year the new helicopters will not arrive before 2013-14. 5 critical years after the scheduled time.

Remember that these choppers are the lifeline of thousands of troops deployed across high altitudes. What is the problem with us? Now a days deals after deals are delayed, postponed or re tendered. Aircraft carriers, Trainer aircraft and many other programs suffered the same fate.

What will happen if suddenly a war started? Who will support the troops in high altitudes? 40 year old Cheetahs? Who will provide the food and ammunition to the troops in border?

Government have to make swift decisions on these issues. These are high priority tasks which cant be postponed.

Sajeev

Expecting a significant surge of US troop level in Afganistan - Will it deliver?

[US Army in Afghanistan]

In the end the Game of choice and confusion is almost over. Washington is going to increase the number of troops serving in Afghanistan by 45,000 or close to this value. The new plan is expecting to be announced publicly in the next week. The decision was taken after the request from General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan some weeks ago.

In line with the new strategy British government is already announced the deployment of 1000 more troops in Helmand province[It is to be remembered that British premier earlier blocked the request for an additional 2000 troops]. In this 1000 new troops 500 will be new troops from Britain and the rest will be redeployed from British battle group currently under international command in Khandahar province. The new deployments will rise the British troop level in Afghanistan to 9,500.

The proposal for the new surge from General McChystal was on hold for some time. The question of new troop surge created heated debate in US. May people opposing the war and want to pullout from the region.

There was three option before Mr Obama. One was to send no new troops at all. But this will lead to a status quo much in favour of Afghan militants and will not show any quick results. Already the number of attacks is increasing exponentially. If Obama continue th war with the current troop level it will not add any substential value to operations and he will be criticized for the continuing turmoil in Af-Pak region.

[British troops on patrol in Helmand province]

The second option was to send a small contingent of additional troops, again this one will not increase the situation substantially. This will lead to severe criticism as a flawed military strategy, both by military strategists and people opposing the surge. The third option was to give enough troops to the General to fight.

Talks are also on air about making an agreement with the moderate group of Taliban, and people who are not fighting for ideology. That may be in correct direction after all Afghanistan suffered severely due to the decades long continuous civil war, and people who are living on the extreme conditions will be happy if they have some guarentee about their life. But any deals with hardcore Taliban and a premature exit will only lead to turmoil. Analysis suggests that their is a considerable possibility in the rise of insurgency level in India, Afghanistan and western provinces of China after a premature withdrawal.

Indeed Afghanistan required a substantial increase in troops, and a different war strategy. Afghan people are suffering the causalities of war from the time immemorial. This is not a conventional warfare, its a guerrilla one. In order to counter this insurgency there should be enough support from the people and and ground forces. More focus on aerial warfare will lead to massive collateral damage, and the war will become more and more unpopular in Afghanistan.

In order to form a substantial stability in Afghanistan, Obama should be able sell the war in Afghanistan successfully to the common people. This will not be an impossible problem for the already proven highly efficient PR machine of Obama. Considerable ground support and the destruction of the safe heavens in Pakistan will put US in an advantageous position.

In all countries there is a strange thing called patriotism. However bad the civil administration and army is, under invasion people will normally support their own army and government -This is true in majority of cases. Whatever US government i saying and doing, in the end of the day they are outsiders.

So in order to gain support of the locals, authorities should be able to generate belief in common people. Make them think that its their war, US and NATO is fighting for them. Another thing they have to do is to find a solution to the reported corruption and other illegal activities. Some reports suggest that Taliban is already receiving a cut in development aid as ransom for the protection of the new developmental projects.

If people doesn't have the faith in administration, then it will be a never ending war for US.

Sajeev.

Report of General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan

India - Argentina bilateral trade agreements

[Argentine National Congress]

If you come to mid of Kerala in the tim of Soccer world cup you will be conused whether any meeting of United Nations is going on here. Flags of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France etc will be there on both sides of the road. Fans associations will be formed, they will enjoy each and every victoy of their favorite country. And nedless to say Argentina and Brazil will always attract a good number of people.

The recent Bilateral trade agreements signed between India and Argentina holds another critical importance to the Indian economic interests. Argentina is one of the rare south American countries famous in many parts of India especially for her brilliant football game. Still in my home state - Kerala - there are a lot of admirers for Argentinian football.

Yet we are making delays in formulating trade agreements with South American countries many of them are rich in mineral resources especially in oil. Consider the fact that its first time in the last 15 years a president of South American nation visits India. South America and Africa offers vast opportunities for Indian companies. The trade with these countries will not only help us in attaining more markets abroad but also adds much more leverage to India's position globally.

At the same time this will give new opportunities for Argentina to tap the growing demands from Indian energy sector. I think if they reach a deal with Indian medical sector, the cost of medical care will be more cheap in Argentina. Boh countries can cooperate much more in space, IT sector etc.

Ten bilateral agreements are signed at Argentinian president's(Cristina Fernandez) visit to India. These includes peaceful use of nuclear energy and elimination of visas; other areas are cooperation in sports, Science and Technology, geology, space , industry etc. A MoU is also signed between ONGC Videsh and Vidarsa companies.

There are many countries in Africa, South America, Eastern Europe and Central and South East Asian region which are sill outiside of a trade agreement with India. We have to work hard to reach trade agreements with these countries. Once it established and give proper fertilizers in time then it will not be good for India and peace.

Will the agreements about the cooperation in sports will help India's football sector?

Sajeev.

Suryakiran team should not be disbanded

[Suryakiran Team]

Talks are on the air about the disbanding of one of the prestigious assets of Indian AirForce -Suryakiran Aerobatic team. After the formation of team in 1996 this 'Bidar air force station' based team have performed from Dal Lake in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south. Abroad 'suryakiran' also performed in Srilanka, China etc.

The reason for disbanding is the shortage of trainer aircraft in the air force arsenal. The currently employed trainer aircraft for pilots - HPT-32 is grounded following crashes and other technical failures. So in order to continue the pilot training program IAF don't have enough aircraft. So they are forced to disband the team and move all the HJT 16 kiran aircrafts to pilot training section.

It is said that usually 140-150 pilots are on training in HPT-32 aircraft at any given time. Then they will move on to other aircraft for further training. Now HPT-32 is down, next in line to be grounded may be the other aircraft series which are infamous for mechanical failures.

In the '90s, according to its own submissions in Parliament, it lost 80 pilots and 185 aircraft. Which makes it almost a squadron a year or a fourth of its entire fleet in the past decade alone. And the estimated loss: Rs 6,800 crore.

According to an old estimate "The IAF loses one MiG fighter every 2,500 flight hours, making it one of the most vulnerable machines in service with any force in the world"

They may find a temperory solution by disbanding the Suryakiran team. But what will they do next? Recently Air Force celebrates 77 years of service, after these much years are we reached in such a situation where we don't even have enough aircraft to train our pilots?

When this 42,000 crore MRCA deal will be finalized and start delivering? Even if it is finalized the shortlisted aircrafts Rafale, Typhoon, F16 C/D, F/A-18E/F, JAS 39 Gipen, MiG35 all are combat aircrafts, not the trainer one. The deal for 66 Advanced Jet Trainers(AJT) is one of the most procrastinated deals in aviation history. IAF projected requirement in 1984 but deal signed only in 2004, 20 years of delay. The deliveries of BAE Hawk Mk 132 finally started in 2007 , within that time may be the fighter aircraft gone one generation further.

The sanctioned strength of IAF is 39.5 squadrons, with an healthy level at 44 squadrons, but currently India doesn't have that much squadrons. For power projection over South Asia and Indian ocean region IAF requires much more squadrons. MRCA deal is good one but not enough, moreover further delays will be disastrous.

Suryakiran aerobatic team performed very good in skies, if Suryakiran will able to participate in foreign airshows it will be better for both IAF and India. What administration have to do is not disbanding the team but allow it more opportunities and bring in new trainer aircrafts for IAF. I don't want to see news like "IAF aircraft crashed; pilot killed" in the front pages. We already lost many promising pilots and trainers not any more. Replace the fleet...

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