General Affairs
Heavy Shelling Since Dawn Along LoC As Pakistan Violates Ceasefire Repeatedly
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JAMMU: Heavy shelling by Pakistani troops is being reported from Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera, Sundarbani and Pallanwala sectors since early morning. This is the sixth ceasefire violation in the last 12 hours by Pak and Indian forces are retaliating.
One civilian was also injured in Pakistani firing along the International Border in Jammu's Kathua district.
Border areas have been put on high alert since yesterday after repeated firing by Pak in several areas of Jammu and Kashmir including in Keri area, Hira Nagar, Mendhar and Poonch.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief of Border Security Force on Thursday, asking them to give a "fitting response".
Ceasefire violations were reported at six places along the Line of Control and the International Border today, in which one BSF personnel had died.
On Thursday, Pakistan had fired shells at Manjakote in Rajouri district. The army says Pakistan also violated the ceasefire along the Line Control at Sunderbani and they retaliated.
Jitender Singh, 46, died when Pakistani Rangers fired a mortar shell at Abdullian in RS Pura sector, said Danish Rana, a senior police officer in Jammu. He was the third BSF man to be killed in Pakistani shelling in last five days.
Eight civilians including four women were also injured in the Pakistani firing through the day.
Over the last one week, a six-year-old child was killed and 30 other civilians were injured in shelling from across the border.
One civilian was also injured in Pakistani firing along the International Border in Jammu's Kathua district.
Border areas have been put on high alert since yesterday after repeated firing by Pak in several areas of Jammu and Kashmir including in Keri area, Hira Nagar, Mendhar and Poonch.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief of Border Security Force on Thursday, asking them to give a "fitting response".
On Thursday, Pakistan had fired shells at Manjakote in Rajouri district. The army says Pakistan also violated the ceasefire along the Line Control at Sunderbani and they retaliated.
Jitender Singh, 46, died when Pakistani Rangers fired a mortar shell at Abdullian in RS Pura sector, said Danish Rana, a senior police officer in Jammu. He was the third BSF man to be killed in Pakistani shelling in last five days.
Eight civilians including four women were also injured in the Pakistani firing through the day.
Over the last one week, a six-year-old child was killed and 30 other civilians were injured in shelling from across the border.
No Change In Structure, Service-Civilian Rank Parity To Stay: Defence Ministry
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NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry today said there has been no down-gradation or any change in the existing equivalence of the Service ranks vis-a-vis their civilian counterparts.
There have been reports claiming that the government has issued a new order lowering the status of military officers with respect to their civilian counterparts in the Armed Forces Headquarters.
These reports, quoting a letter dated October 18, 2016 issued by the Ministry of Defence, "are erroneously stating that the equivalence has been disturbed and status of Service officers has been downgraded", a statement by the Defence Ministry said.
It is clarified that there has been no down-gradation or any change in the existing equivalence of the Service ranks whatsoever, it said.
The existing functional equivalence as clarified in 1991 and further reiterated in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2005 has only been re-affirmed.
It is further clarified that the present reiteration of rank equivalence, is only for matters of assigning duties and functional responsibilities as is already existing in different offices of the respective Service HQrs of the Army, Navy and Air Force having component of Service personnel as well as civilian officers.
"It has no bearing on civilian employees outside these offices of the Service HQrs. It is reiterated that there is no change in the rank structure or the status of the Armed Forces personnel," the ministry said.
There have been reports claiming that the government has issued a new order lowering the status of military officers with respect to their civilian counterparts in the Armed Forces Headquarters.
These reports, quoting a letter dated October 18, 2016 issued by the Ministry of Defence, "are erroneously stating that the equivalence has been disturbed and status of Service officers has been downgraded", a statement by the Defence Ministry said.
It is clarified that there has been no down-gradation or any change in the existing equivalence of the Service ranks whatsoever, it said.
The existing functional equivalence as clarified in 1991 and further reiterated in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2005 has only been re-affirmed.
It is further clarified that the present reiteration of rank equivalence, is only for matters of assigning duties and functional responsibilities as is already existing in different offices of the respective Service HQrs of the Army, Navy and Air Force having component of Service personnel as well as civilian officers.
"It has no bearing on civilian employees outside these offices of the Service HQrs. It is reiterated that there is no change in the rank structure or the status of the Armed Forces personnel," the ministry said.
Social Media 'Going Haywire', No Regulation Of News Media: Venkaiah Naidu
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NEW DELHI: There can be no regulation of the media in a democracy, feels Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who says self-regulation is good.
However, he said, there is a feeling that social media is "going haywire".
"In a democracy, in a free society where freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution, you cannot have regulation of the media, this is my conviction," Mr Naidu told news agency PTI in an interview.
He said self-regulation is good and what is required is not a new bill but political will and administrative skill. "That is lacking at some places," he added.
The minister, however, added that if at the end of the day, there are violations, there are laws of the land which are available already.
Freedom of expression is best utilised only when the value of such freedom is fully appreciated, he added.
"When this freedom is not exercised judiciously, our existing laws provide for necessary interventions. We are not thinking of any new restrictions on any media. But the government expects all stakeholders to be responsible in using different platforms." the Information and Broadcasting Minister said.
He said for the media, there are some regulations like it should not preach something which is anti-national, not propagate against the interest of the country aspects like obscenity, vulgarity, encouraging violence etc.
"There are already broad guidelines and stipulations under the law also and they will take care of these aspects," he said.
"For the mainstream journalists, there is some regulation by their organisations and management. But for social media there is no censorship, things go directly, he said.
"There is slowly a growing feeling of social media going haywire. And we have to find ways and means to go about it. But at the same time if you start regulating media, the effect will not be positive. Keeping that in mind, regrading social media also there are enough laws to take care of social media also and those laws should be effectively and properly used," Mr Naidu said.
The minister said that politicians may at times not have the will to apply these laws as they do not want to quarrel with the media which is quite powerful.
"Media is so powerful and some of the politicians are so weak that they don't want to use the law which is already available - Why should I quarrel with them? I say it is not a quarrel, as long as you are within line, you have every right, you must fight."
"We have the great examples of Ram Nath Goenka, late CR Irani, Ramoji Rao. They have fought against the mighty," he said.
Speaking about social media, Mr Naidu said it is an area of concern because it is immensely popular.
Mr Naidu said that while there are concerns about the unregulated content on social media, he emphasised that regulation was unlikely to bring any positive results.
On the role of media, he said that the duty of the media is to inform, but stories should not be invented or created.
"News should be news, views should be separate.... Of late, this tendency has erupted in certain sections of Indian media, which is creating distortion, of combining news and views," he added.
He said that news organisations should never get identified with any party as it affects their credibility.
Mr Naidu also said that the media should avoid sensationalism as well as obscenity and vulgarity; violence should be reduced while terrorism, extremism and anti-social
activities, they should not be highlighted as if they are heroic acts.
Citing his own experience in Parliament, Mr Naidu said that he once gave a comprehensive speech on agriculture which the media almost entirely ignored.
"If Naidu had torn some papers or gone to the Well of the House, then it becomes news. This is a development of recent years, which is bad," he said.
Mr Naidu also said that there are about one lakh newspapers in the country and about 890 TV channels which are set to expand more and more as the appetite for information and entertainment of 125 crore people keeps increasing.
"Our people fiercely guard the right to freedom of expression. This is valued even more than economic advancement," he said.
He said that social media is a new tool of communication with its own distinct features and advantages.
"It is spontaneous and interactive. Such a medium is both an opportunity and a challenge. While we believe in people taking full advantage of this new medium, we expect them to make judicious use of it in the larger national and individual good," Mr Naidu said.
However, he said, there is a feeling that social media is "going haywire".
"In a democracy, in a free society where freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution, you cannot have regulation of the media, this is my conviction," Mr Naidu told news agency PTI in an interview.
The minister, however, added that if at the end of the day, there are violations, there are laws of the land which are available already.
Freedom of expression is best utilised only when the value of such freedom is fully appreciated, he added.
"When this freedom is not exercised judiciously, our existing laws provide for necessary interventions. We are not thinking of any new restrictions on any media. But the government expects all stakeholders to be responsible in using different platforms." the Information and Broadcasting Minister said.
He said for the media, there are some regulations like it should not preach something which is anti-national, not propagate against the interest of the country aspects like obscenity, vulgarity, encouraging violence etc.
"There are already broad guidelines and stipulations under the law also and they will take care of these aspects," he said.
"For the mainstream journalists, there is some regulation by their organisations and management. But for social media there is no censorship, things go directly, he said.
"There is slowly a growing feeling of social media going haywire. And we have to find ways and means to go about it. But at the same time if you start regulating media, the effect will not be positive. Keeping that in mind, regrading social media also there are enough laws to take care of social media also and those laws should be effectively and properly used," Mr Naidu said.
The minister said that politicians may at times not have the will to apply these laws as they do not want to quarrel with the media which is quite powerful.
"Media is so powerful and some of the politicians are so weak that they don't want to use the law which is already available - Why should I quarrel with them? I say it is not a quarrel, as long as you are within line, you have every right, you must fight."
"We have the great examples of Ram Nath Goenka, late CR Irani, Ramoji Rao. They have fought against the mighty," he said.
Speaking about social media, Mr Naidu said it is an area of concern because it is immensely popular.
Mr Naidu said that while there are concerns about the unregulated content on social media, he emphasised that regulation was unlikely to bring any positive results.
On the role of media, he said that the duty of the media is to inform, but stories should not be invented or created.
"News should be news, views should be separate.... Of late, this tendency has erupted in certain sections of Indian media, which is creating distortion, of combining news and views," he added.
He said that news organisations should never get identified with any party as it affects their credibility.
Mr Naidu also said that the media should avoid sensationalism as well as obscenity and vulgarity; violence should be reduced while terrorism, extremism and anti-social
activities, they should not be highlighted as if they are heroic acts.
Citing his own experience in Parliament, Mr Naidu said that he once gave a comprehensive speech on agriculture which the media almost entirely ignored.
"If Naidu had torn some papers or gone to the Well of the House, then it becomes news. This is a development of recent years, which is bad," he said.
Mr Naidu also said that there are about one lakh newspapers in the country and about 890 TV channels which are set to expand more and more as the appetite for information and entertainment of 125 crore people keeps increasing.
"Our people fiercely guard the right to freedom of expression. This is valued even more than economic advancement," he said.
He said that social media is a new tool of communication with its own distinct features and advantages.
"It is spontaneous and interactive. Such a medium is both an opportunity and a challenge. While we believe in people taking full advantage of this new medium, we expect them to make judicious use of it in the larger national and individual good," Mr Naidu said.
How The Promise Of GST Is Shaking Up India's 'Zero Mile' City Nagpur
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MUMBAI: When Indian retailer Future Group opened a warehouse on the outskirts of Nagpur three years ago to supply its supermarkets, the building was surrounded by dry, barren fields. Now it is only one in an expanse of distribution centres, storage depots and factories.
A dusty provincial city of 2.5 million, Nagpur is at the geographical heart - India's "zero mile" marker, the centre of the country, has been located here since the British colonial era.
It is also at the heart of the action now as the government prepares to roll out the biggest fiscal overhaul since independence: GST, a national value-added tax that will replace a proliferation of local levies.
The Goods and Services Tax itself, due to be introduced in April next, could well see delays.
But Nagpur is already benefiting from a change that will allow companies to move goods across state borders without being hamstrung by local levies. Property prices have surged as companies from Amazon to tractor maker John Deere have set up central facilities in the city to cut down on transport costs.
"The advantage of Nagpur is simple. All metros (big cities) in the country are all about 900 km from there," said Rakesh Biyani, Future Group's joint managing director.
Consultancy Alvarez & Marsal, which specialises in turnarounds and performance improvement, estimates firms can cut logistics costs by 25 per cent if they consolidate their warehouses in Nagpur.
Future Group is quadrupling the land it owns at the edge of the city, with plans to turn Nagpur into its biggest warehousing facility supplying more than 250 of its Big Bazaar supermarkets.
Mahindra Logistics, part-owned by cars-to-IT conglomerate Mahindra Group, has accelerated plans to buy more land in Nagpur since the new tax was approved in August. E-commerce giant Flipkart and even guru-turned-businessman Baba Ramdev are setting up facilities in Nagpur or planning to.
Land prices are up by as much as a fifth since April, real estate agents say, as developers snap up farmland.
Viren Thakkar, managing director of warehouse manager Logistics Park India, said he was getting three enquiries a week about Nagpur, up from one a month a year ago. "I have started aggregating land parcels in the city, anticipating demand," he said.
Nagpur has seen ambitious plans before. Almost a decade ago, India was promoting plans to build an international metropolis here - then the global financial crisis hit and plans for export-oriented special economic zones were put on ice.
But since then, India's consumer goods market has blossomed, and so too has the pressure for better logistics hubs: the e-commerce industry, for example, has grown five-fold between 2013 and 2015, from $2.9 billion to $16 billion (around 19,300 crore to around 1.06 lakh crore), Deloitte estimates.
Nagpur is also in a rosy political spot. The city is home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor and the local MP is India's powerful transport and shipping minister, Nitin Gadkari.
Mr Gadkari has said the government has sanctioned Rs. 25,000 crore ($3.7 billion) worth of projects linked to the city since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, including starting work on a new ring-road and acquiring land for a dry port with rail and road connections to Mumbai, India's biggest city and largest port 825 km to the west.
"Nagpur is the zero mile, where you can manufacture and distribute in the country and the logistics cost is less. There are huge opportunities," Mr Gadkari said in an interview at his office.
Mr Gadkari said he wants to accelerate construction of a long-delayed international cargo hub and expanded airport, spread over an area the size of 4,000 football fields, so that it provides 50,000 jobs by 2019, compared to 9,600 staff today.
What is not clear is how quickly these ambitious projects will be completed. While a new expressway to Mumbai has been approved, critics say construction will mean acquiring land from reluctant farmers - a slow process.
Mr Gadkari's international cargo hub has been partly constructed and some tenants have arrived. But the airport expansion has stalled, although a tender for the project is likely to be launched this year.
There is little question India needs an efficient hub. It is hampered by creaking infrastructure, with many roads and rail links dating to the colonial era. It has few cold storage networks, and cross-country transport is at glacial speeds.
Fractured tax systems among India's 29 states and seven other territories have hardly helped. Goods trucks wait days at checkposts at state borders for clearance and payment of local taxes before they can proceed. That has blocked movement of goods and encouraged firms to operate multiple warehouses across the country.
Mahesh Y Reddy, director general of the Infrastructure Industry and Logistics Federation of India, said it was sometimes cheaper to send goods from Mumbai's port to Dubai than to Nagpur, less than half the distance away, because of delays in shifting goods onto trucks and then the slow haul through the interior of the country.
"Ultimately, it's because of these inefficiencies that the likes of Nagpur do not become industrial hubs," Mr Reddy said. "They remain as they are."
A dusty provincial city of 2.5 million, Nagpur is at the geographical heart - India's "zero mile" marker, the centre of the country, has been located here since the British colonial era.
The Goods and Services Tax itself, due to be introduced in April next, could well see delays.
But Nagpur is already benefiting from a change that will allow companies to move goods across state borders without being hamstrung by local levies. Property prices have surged as companies from Amazon to tractor maker John Deere have set up central facilities in the city to cut down on transport costs.
"The advantage of Nagpur is simple. All metros (big cities) in the country are all about 900 km from there," said Rakesh Biyani, Future Group's joint managing director.
Consultancy Alvarez & Marsal, which specialises in turnarounds and performance improvement, estimates firms can cut logistics costs by 25 per cent if they consolidate their warehouses in Nagpur.
Future Group is quadrupling the land it owns at the edge of the city, with plans to turn Nagpur into its biggest warehousing facility supplying more than 250 of its Big Bazaar supermarkets.
Mahindra Logistics, part-owned by cars-to-IT conglomerate Mahindra Group, has accelerated plans to buy more land in Nagpur since the new tax was approved in August. E-commerce giant Flipkart and even guru-turned-businessman Baba Ramdev are setting up facilities in Nagpur or planning to.
Land prices are up by as much as a fifth since April, real estate agents say, as developers snap up farmland.
Viren Thakkar, managing director of warehouse manager Logistics Park India, said he was getting three enquiries a week about Nagpur, up from one a month a year ago. "I have started aggregating land parcels in the city, anticipating demand," he said.
Nagpur has seen ambitious plans before. Almost a decade ago, India was promoting plans to build an international metropolis here - then the global financial crisis hit and plans for export-oriented special economic zones were put on ice.
But since then, India's consumer goods market has blossomed, and so too has the pressure for better logistics hubs: the e-commerce industry, for example, has grown five-fold between 2013 and 2015, from $2.9 billion to $16 billion (around 19,300 crore to around 1.06 lakh crore), Deloitte estimates.
Nagpur is also in a rosy political spot. The city is home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor and the local MP is India's powerful transport and shipping minister, Nitin Gadkari.
Mr Gadkari has said the government has sanctioned Rs. 25,000 crore ($3.7 billion) worth of projects linked to the city since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, including starting work on a new ring-road and acquiring land for a dry port with rail and road connections to Mumbai, India's biggest city and largest port 825 km to the west.
"Nagpur is the zero mile, where you can manufacture and distribute in the country and the logistics cost is less. There are huge opportunities," Mr Gadkari said in an interview at his office.
Mr Gadkari said he wants to accelerate construction of a long-delayed international cargo hub and expanded airport, spread over an area the size of 4,000 football fields, so that it provides 50,000 jobs by 2019, compared to 9,600 staff today.
What is not clear is how quickly these ambitious projects will be completed. While a new expressway to Mumbai has been approved, critics say construction will mean acquiring land from reluctant farmers - a slow process.
Mr Gadkari's international cargo hub has been partly constructed and some tenants have arrived. But the airport expansion has stalled, although a tender for the project is likely to be launched this year.
There is little question India needs an efficient hub. It is hampered by creaking infrastructure, with many roads and rail links dating to the colonial era. It has few cold storage networks, and cross-country transport is at glacial speeds.
Fractured tax systems among India's 29 states and seven other territories have hardly helped. Goods trucks wait days at checkposts at state borders for clearance and payment of local taxes before they can proceed. That has blocked movement of goods and encouraged firms to operate multiple warehouses across the country.
Mahesh Y Reddy, director general of the Infrastructure Industry and Logistics Federation of India, said it was sometimes cheaper to send goods from Mumbai's port to Dubai than to Nagpur, less than half the distance away, because of delays in shifting goods onto trucks and then the slow haul through the interior of the country.
"Ultimately, it's because of these inefficiencies that the likes of Nagpur do not become industrial hubs," Mr Reddy said. "They remain as they are."
India's Tobacco Industry, Government Face Off Ahead Of WHO Conference
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NEW DELHI: India's $11 billion tobacco industry has urged the government to take a softer line on tobacco control efforts when it hosts a World Health Organization conference in New Delhi next month, but officials say the government will not bow to "pressure tactics".
Delegates from about 180 countries will attend the Nov. 7-12 WHO conference on the sole global anti-tobacco treaty: the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In force since 2005, the treaty aims to deter tobacco use that kills around 6 million people a year.
The industry in India, the world's third-biggest tobacco producer, wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to soften its stance on what it says are tough FCTC measures that threaten livelihoods among the estimated 46 million people linked to the sector.
In documents obtained by a Reuters reporter under India's Right to Information law, industry and farmer groups wrote to officials across government asking to attend the conference and be part of India's delegation, in an effort to protect their interests.
Global tobacco firms have criticised the biennial event for not being transparent, in part because proceedings have in the past not been open to the public, including industry representatives.
The tussle comes at a time when the Indian industry is smarting from measures imposed this year forcing companies to print bigger health warnings on tobacco products.
A tobacco farmers' group this month questioned the legality of India implementing the FCTC treaty, and asked the Delhi High Court to compel the government to allow farmers to attend the WHO conference. A judge last week asked the government to "consider" the plea, but did not rule on the other requests.
"If we take them in the delegation, the government of India may feel embarrassed," said one health ministry official, who didn't want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. "We will not act on these (lobbying documents)".
The FCTC secretariat in Geneva told Reuters it welcomes India's decision, saying its guidelines state that no country should have delegation members linked to the tobacco industry.
Conference decisions on treaty provisions - designed for eventual implementation at national level by signatories - have a direct bearing on the global tobacco industry that Euromonitor International estimates is worth $784 billion this year.
Topics for debate at the conference include alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers, e-cigarettes and trade and investment issues.
Letters, Signature Campaigns
The nation's main cigarette industry body, the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), and farmer groups wrote to the agriculture ministry demanding to have their views represented and to be allowed into the WHO conference.
In a Sept. 28 letter, the TII said "there is no obligation on any signatory to the FCTC to comply with or implement any provision of the FCTC". The WHO, however, says the treaty is legally binding on its member countries.
The ministry also received a near-6,000-page petition signed by more than 100,000 farmers seeking protection from FCTC rules.
The TII - which represents cigarette makers including ITC, which is part-owned by British American Tobacco; and Godfrey Phillips, the local partner of Philip Morris International - also sent the health ministry a 'handbook' detailing how FCTC proposals are a threat to farmers' livelihoods.
It asked the government to ensure that "unreasonable and impractical" proposals are not adopted at the FCTC conference.
The TII did not respond to Reuters queries on the make-up of the Indian delegation or the legality of the FCTC.
In another letter, a group representing traditional Indian cigarette makers urged Modi to ensure the health ministry does not make any anti-tobacco commitments before or after the conference, fearing the potential impact on those tied to the industry.
The health ministry official said the government would consider farmers' views, but there was "no soft corner for the industry".
Smoking kills more than 1 million people a year in India, BMJ Global Health estimates. The WHO says tobacco-related diseases cost the country $16 billion annually.
Delegates from about 180 countries will attend the Nov. 7-12 WHO conference on the sole global anti-tobacco treaty: the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In force since 2005, the treaty aims to deter tobacco use that kills around 6 million people a year.
The industry in India, the world's third-biggest tobacco producer, wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to soften its stance on what it says are tough FCTC measures that threaten livelihoods among the estimated 46 million people linked to the sector.
Global tobacco firms have criticised the biennial event for not being transparent, in part because proceedings have in the past not been open to the public, including industry representatives.
The tussle comes at a time when the Indian industry is smarting from measures imposed this year forcing companies to print bigger health warnings on tobacco products.
A tobacco farmers' group this month questioned the legality of India implementing the FCTC treaty, and asked the Delhi High Court to compel the government to allow farmers to attend the WHO conference. A judge last week asked the government to "consider" the plea, but did not rule on the other requests.
"If we take them in the delegation, the government of India may feel embarrassed," said one health ministry official, who didn't want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. "We will not act on these (lobbying documents)".
The FCTC secretariat in Geneva told Reuters it welcomes India's decision, saying its guidelines state that no country should have delegation members linked to the tobacco industry.
Conference decisions on treaty provisions - designed for eventual implementation at national level by signatories - have a direct bearing on the global tobacco industry that Euromonitor International estimates is worth $784 billion this year.
Topics for debate at the conference include alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers, e-cigarettes and trade and investment issues.
Letters, Signature Campaigns
The nation's main cigarette industry body, the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), and farmer groups wrote to the agriculture ministry demanding to have their views represented and to be allowed into the WHO conference.
In a Sept. 28 letter, the TII said "there is no obligation on any signatory to the FCTC to comply with or implement any provision of the FCTC". The WHO, however, says the treaty is legally binding on its member countries.
The ministry also received a near-6,000-page petition signed by more than 100,000 farmers seeking protection from FCTC rules.
The TII - which represents cigarette makers including ITC, which is part-owned by British American Tobacco; and Godfrey Phillips, the local partner of Philip Morris International - also sent the health ministry a 'handbook' detailing how FCTC proposals are a threat to farmers' livelihoods.
It asked the government to ensure that "unreasonable and impractical" proposals are not adopted at the FCTC conference.
The TII did not respond to Reuters queries on the make-up of the Indian delegation or the legality of the FCTC.
In another letter, a group representing traditional Indian cigarette makers urged Modi to ensure the health ministry does not make any anti-tobacco commitments before or after the conference, fearing the potential impact on those tied to the industry.
The health ministry official said the government would consider farmers' views, but there was "no soft corner for the industry".
Smoking kills more than 1 million people a year in India, BMJ Global Health estimates. The WHO says tobacco-related diseases cost the country $16 billion annually.
Business Affairs
China warning: Boycotting our products will hit Indian consumers
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Amid calls from some quarters for boycott of Chinese goods in ongoing Diwali season, China said on Thursday any such move will negatively impact the India-bound investments from its enterprises and also the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
China also asserted that any such boycott would not have much impact on its exports, but without proper substitutes, the biggest losers of the boycott of Chinese goods will be Indian traders and consumers. In a statement issued in New Delhi, the Chinese embassy said China is the world's largest trading nation in goods, with its exports in 2015 amounted to $2276.5 billion.
The exports to India accounted for only 2 per cent of China's total exports and India's boycott of Chinese goods will not have much impact on China's exports. China is more concerned that the boycott will negatively affect Chinese enterprises to invest in India and the bilateral cooperation, which both Chinese and Indian people are not willing to see.
Amid rising tensions in Indo-Pak ties, there have been calls from some fringe entities, including through social media platforms, about boycott of Chinese goods to protest against China's support to Pakistan.
Apex traders body CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders) recently said the sale of Chinese products may decline by 30 per cent this Diwali.
India is a big market for Chinese products and over the years import of toys, furniture, building hardware, crackers, lighting and electric fittings, furnishing fabric, office stationary, electronic appliances, consumer electronics, kitchen equipment & appliances, gift items, watches etc from China has increased to a great extent.
Chinese products are generally low-priced which is the root cause of infiltration of Chinese goods in the Indian market, CAIT had said. In its statement, Chinese embassy referred to reports that local sellers in Sadar Bazaar, the largest wholesale market of household items in India, have complained about their Chinese goods sale dropping by at least 20 per cent.
The boycott effect will not limit to Diwali related products, but extended to other Chinese products that are not related to the festival. In the long-run, boycott will not only hurt Chinese goods sale, but also cause negative effects to consumers in India, it said.
The Embassy further said China-India trade cooperation has deepened over the years and the bilateral trade has grown 24 times in 15 years, from $2.9 billion in 2000 to $71.6 billion in 2015.
China has become India's largest trading partner, source of imports and fourth largest export market. Moreover, India is the China's largest trading partner in South Asia and ninth largest export market in the world, it said. According to the statement, the distinct features of China-India trade are mutual benefits and growing inter- dependence, which contributes to the full use of factors of production and maximization of the benefits to all the people.
In 2015, China has imported 2 billion dollars worth of cotton and more than 100 million dollars worth of black tea from India, bring benefits to 1.2 million cotton growers and 50000 tea farmers and sellers in India.
Moreover, 60-70 per cent of Indian APIs for its pharmaceutical industry are from China. China has played an important role in Indian pharmaceutical industry's march to EU and America market.
China also exported a lot of electronic and household products which are attractive both in price and quality. Chinese products not only lowered India's inflation rate, but also fulfilled Indian ordinary people, especially the low- income people's daily needs, greatly improved their life quality.
Amid calls from some quarters for boycott of Chinese goods in ongoing Diwali season, China said on Thursday any such move will negatively impact the India-bound investments from its enterprises and also the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
China also asserted that any such boycott would not have much impact on its exports, but without proper substitutes, the biggest losers of the boycott of Chinese goods will be Indian traders and consumers. In a statement issued in New Delhi, the Chinese embassy said China is the world's largest trading nation in goods, with its exports in 2015 amounted to $2276.5 billion.
The exports to India accounted for only 2 per cent of China's total exports and India's boycott of Chinese goods will not have much impact on China's exports. China is more concerned that the boycott will negatively affect Chinese enterprises to invest in India and the bilateral cooperation, which both Chinese and Indian people are not willing to see.
Amid rising tensions in Indo-Pak ties, there have been calls from some fringe entities, including through social media platforms, about boycott of Chinese goods to protest against China's support to Pakistan.
Apex traders body CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders) recently said the sale of Chinese products may decline by 30 per cent this Diwali.
India is a big market for Chinese products and over the years import of toys, furniture, building hardware, crackers, lighting and electric fittings, furnishing fabric, office stationary, electronic appliances, consumer electronics, kitchen equipment & appliances, gift items, watches etc from China has increased to a great extent.
Chinese products are generally low-priced which is the root cause of infiltration of Chinese goods in the Indian market, CAIT had said. In its statement, Chinese embassy referred to reports that local sellers in Sadar Bazaar, the largest wholesale market of household items in India, have complained about their Chinese goods sale dropping by at least 20 per cent.
The boycott effect will not limit to Diwali related products, but extended to other Chinese products that are not related to the festival. In the long-run, boycott will not only hurt Chinese goods sale, but also cause negative effects to consumers in India, it said.
The Embassy further said China-India trade cooperation has deepened over the years and the bilateral trade has grown 24 times in 15 years, from $2.9 billion in 2000 to $71.6 billion in 2015.
China has become India's largest trading partner, source of imports and fourth largest export market. Moreover, India is the China's largest trading partner in South Asia and ninth largest export market in the world, it said. According to the statement, the distinct features of China-India trade are mutual benefits and growing inter- dependence, which contributes to the full use of factors of production and maximization of the benefits to all the people.
In 2015, China has imported 2 billion dollars worth of cotton and more than 100 million dollars worth of black tea from India, bring benefits to 1.2 million cotton growers and 50000 tea farmers and sellers in India.
Moreover, 60-70 per cent of Indian APIs for its pharmaceutical industry are from China. China has played an important role in Indian pharmaceutical industry's march to EU and America market.
China also exported a lot of electronic and household products which are attractive both in price and quality. Chinese products not only lowered India's inflation rate, but also fulfilled Indian ordinary people, especially the low- income people's daily needs, greatly improved their life quality.
Tata Sons' spat with ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry gets uglier
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The ongoing spat between the Tata Group and ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry got uglier on Thursday with the company releasing a strongly worded response to Mistry's leaked email.
In a statement published on its website, the Tata Group said a confidential letter had been made public in an "unseemly and undignified manner".
Cyrus Mistry had expressed his disappointment over his removal from the position of the Chairman and cited reasons behind the poor performance of some of the Tata projects in the letter.
Without naming Ratan Tata, the company said Mistry's allegations against "respected individuals" in the company would be responded in an "appropriate manner". Mistry had written in his letter that his predecessor had constantly interfered in decision making of the company.
"The correspondence makes unsubstantiated claims and malicious allegations, casting aspersions on the Tata group, the Tata Sons board and several Tata companies and some respected individuals. These will be responded to in an appropriate manner," Tata Sons' statement said today.
Tata Group also said it was "unfortunate" that Mistry made the allegations after his removal from the position of the chairman.
"It is unfortunate that it is only on his removal that allegations and misrepresentation of facts are being made about business decisions that the former Chairman was party to for over a decade in different capacities," it added.
Tata Group said that directors of the company had lost confidence in Mistry and had "repeatedly raised queries and concerns on certain business issues".
The statement also accused Mistry of "repeated departures" from the culture and ethos of the Tata group. Tata Sons also added that the "public spat" with Cyrus Mistry was "beneath the dignity" of the company.
The statement accused Mistry of releasing "selective information" in the public domain to defend his point of view.
Tata Sons said that it had a "multitude of records" to show that the allegations made by Mistry was "unwarranted" and these records would be "duly disclosed before appropriate forums".
The ongoing spat between the Tata Group and ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry got uglier on Thursday with the company releasing a strongly worded response to Mistry's leaked email.
In a statement published on its website, the Tata Group said a confidential letter had been made public in an "unseemly and undignified manner".
Cyrus Mistry had expressed his disappointment over his removal from the position of the Chairman and cited reasons behind the poor performance of some of the Tata projects in the letter.
Without naming Ratan Tata, the company said Mistry's allegations against "respected individuals" in the company would be responded in an "appropriate manner". Mistry had written in his letter that his predecessor had constantly interfered in decision making of the company.
"The correspondence makes unsubstantiated claims and malicious allegations, casting aspersions on the Tata group, the Tata Sons board and several Tata companies and some respected individuals. These will be responded to in an appropriate manner," Tata Sons' statement said today.
Tata Group also said it was "unfortunate" that Mistry made the allegations after his removal from the position of the chairman.
"It is unfortunate that it is only on his removal that allegations and misrepresentation of facts are being made about business decisions that the former Chairman was party to for over a decade in different capacities," it added.
Tata Group said that directors of the company had lost confidence in Mistry and had "repeatedly raised queries and concerns on certain business issues".
The statement also accused Mistry of "repeated departures" from the culture and ethos of the Tata group. Tata Sons also added that the "public spat" with Cyrus Mistry was "beneath the dignity" of the company.
The statement accused Mistry of releasing "selective information" in the public domain to defend his point of view.
Tata Sons said that it had a "multitude of records" to show that the allegations made by Mistry was "unwarranted" and these records would be "duly disclosed before appropriate forums".
Govt clears 2% dearness allowance, to benefit over 1 crore staff, pensioners
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Ahead of Diwali, the Centre on Thursday approved 2 per cent dearness allowance and relief benefitting about 50.68 lakh employees and 54.24 lakh pensioners.
The decision to provide 2 per cent DA on basic pay was taken by the Union Cabinet and will be effective from July 1, 2016. The 2 per cent DA will result in annual burden of Rs 5,622.10 crore, though for period of 8 months (July-February in 2016-17), it would be Rs 3,748.06 crore. The central government had increased DA by 6 per cent to 125 per cent in March this year.
DA was later merged with the basic pay following the implementation of 7th Pay Commission. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to release an instalment of DA to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners from July 1, 2016 representing an increase of 2 per cent of the revised Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise, a press statement said.
According to statement, the increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs 5,622.10 crore per annum and in the Financial Year 2016-17 for the period of 8 months (i.e. from July 2016 to February 2017), it would be Rs 3,748.06 crore.
Ahead of Diwali, the Centre on Thursday approved 2 per cent dearness allowance and relief benefitting about 50.68 lakh employees and 54.24 lakh pensioners.
The decision to provide 2 per cent DA on basic pay was taken by the Union Cabinet and will be effective from July 1, 2016. The 2 per cent DA will result in annual burden of Rs 5,622.10 crore, though for period of 8 months (July-February in 2016-17), it would be Rs 3,748.06 crore. The central government had increased DA by 6 per cent to 125 per cent in March this year.
DA was later merged with the basic pay following the implementation of 7th Pay Commission. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to release an instalment of DA to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners from July 1, 2016 representing an increase of 2 per cent of the revised Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise, a press statement said.
According to statement, the increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs 5,622.10 crore per annum and in the Financial Year 2016-17 for the period of 8 months (i.e. from July 2016 to February 2017), it would be Rs 3,748.06 crore.
IT spending by banks, securities companies to hit $7.8 bn
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IT spending by banking and securities firms in India is estimated to touch USD 7.8 billion in 2017, an 8.6 per cent jump from 2016, technology research firm Gartner on Thursday said.
"The banking and securities industry is increasingly working towards investing in core banking solutions to transform the legacy systems," Moutusi Sau, principal research analyst at Gartner said in a statement.
In addition, there is a lot of investment from banks to leverage digital technologies in order to enhance the customer facing platforms, Sau added.
The banking and securities industry forecast entails total enterprise IT spending including internal spending and spending on data center, devices, software, IT services and telecom services.
"IT services and software will both be the fastest growing segments at 12.6 per cent in 2017, as firms in the banking and securities industry invest more in applications and business processes, specifically in business process outsourcing," it added.
The focus is on integrating the digital framework firmly into the banking and securities industry in India, Gartner pointed out.
IT spending by banking and securities firms in India is estimated to touch USD 7.8 billion in 2017, an 8.6 per cent jump from 2016, technology research firm Gartner on Thursday said.
"The banking and securities industry is increasingly working towards investing in core banking solutions to transform the legacy systems," Moutusi Sau, principal research analyst at Gartner said in a statement.
In addition, there is a lot of investment from banks to leverage digital technologies in order to enhance the customer facing platforms, Sau added.
The banking and securities industry forecast entails total enterprise IT spending including internal spending and spending on data center, devices, software, IT services and telecom services.
"IT services and software will both be the fastest growing segments at 12.6 per cent in 2017, as firms in the banking and securities industry invest more in applications and business processes, specifically in business process outsourcing," it added.
The focus is on integrating the digital framework firmly into the banking and securities industry in India, Gartner pointed out.
Move over gold! Here's what you can buy this Dhanteras
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While gold remains a preferred choice of consumers during Dhanteras, there are other things one can invest in which don't end up in your locker. Here are a few cool gadgets you can buy this Dhanteras.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
With a 12.3-inch full HD display, the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a great hybrid. It can be used as a stand-alone tablet and a laptop when the keyboard is plugged in. It runs on the Windows 10 operating system, has an 8-MP rear camera and a 5-MP front camera, and comes with Personal Assistant Cortana on board as well as a stylus Pen. This top-of-the-line machine is powered by Intel Core i7 processor paired with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB hard drive. Price: Rs 1, 44,990
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2
With the high level of pollution these days, the gift of pure air will be much appreciated. If you plan on buying one without burning a hole in your pocket, the Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2 is a great option. It is a good looking air purifier that doesn't consume much space. Equipped with a 360-degree cylindrical filter, it takes in air more efficiently from every direction and claims to remove PM2.5 particles, dust, indoor plant pollen, pet fur and more. With its 310m3/h CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), Mi Air Purifier 2 takes just 10 minutes to circulate purified air in a 21 sq. metre room. Connected and controlled through a smartphone via an app, it also shows the air quality and the number of days required for the filter to be changed. Price: Rs 9,999.
Kindle Voyage
A book lover's delight, this Kindle ebook reader is the best from Amazon so far, both in terms of build quality and performance. Boasting a 300-ppi, 6-inch E Ink display, it has an adaptive front light that provides brightness during the day as well as night. Text appears sharper (like in print) and pages can be turned by pressing the thumb against PagePress, a custom-designed force sensor. The Voyage is lighter and easier to hold. It has a 4-GB internal storage, good enough to store a thousand books. Weighing 188 gm, its battery lasts close to a week. Price: Rs 16,499
Goqii 2.0
This wearable band goes beyond tracking footsteps. It has an advanced ecosystem with a focus on healthy living. There's an inbuilt coaching service that will motivate you to adopt healthy eating habits and indulge in regular exercise. The subscription also allows you to interact with a doctor over phone and gives access to a health vault (to safely store health reports at one place). The Goqii 2.0 lasts close to a week on a single charge. Unlike other bands, this one has a USB that can be plugged to a PC or an adaptor for charging. A gift of fitness goes a long way. Price: Rs 1,999 for a three-month subscription.
While gold remains a preferred choice of consumers during Dhanteras, there are other things one can invest in which don't end up in your locker. Here are a few cool gadgets you can buy this Dhanteras.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
With a 12.3-inch full HD display, the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a great hybrid. It can be used as a stand-alone tablet and a laptop when the keyboard is plugged in. It runs on the Windows 10 operating system, has an 8-MP rear camera and a 5-MP front camera, and comes with Personal Assistant Cortana on board as well as a stylus Pen. This top-of-the-line machine is powered by Intel Core i7 processor paired with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB hard drive. Price: Rs 1, 44,990
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2
With the high level of pollution these days, the gift of pure air will be much appreciated. If you plan on buying one without burning a hole in your pocket, the Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2 is a great option. It is a good looking air purifier that doesn't consume much space. Equipped with a 360-degree cylindrical filter, it takes in air more efficiently from every direction and claims to remove PM2.5 particles, dust, indoor plant pollen, pet fur and more. With its 310m3/h CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), Mi Air Purifier 2 takes just 10 minutes to circulate purified air in a 21 sq. metre room. Connected and controlled through a smartphone via an app, it also shows the air quality and the number of days required for the filter to be changed. Price: Rs 9,999.
Kindle Voyage
A book lover's delight, this Kindle ebook reader is the best from Amazon so far, both in terms of build quality and performance. Boasting a 300-ppi, 6-inch E Ink display, it has an adaptive front light that provides brightness during the day as well as night. Text appears sharper (like in print) and pages can be turned by pressing the thumb against PagePress, a custom-designed force sensor. The Voyage is lighter and easier to hold. It has a 4-GB internal storage, good enough to store a thousand books. Weighing 188 gm, its battery lasts close to a week. Price: Rs 16,499
Goqii 2.0
This wearable band goes beyond tracking footsteps. It has an advanced ecosystem with a focus on healthy living. There's an inbuilt coaching service that will motivate you to adopt healthy eating habits and indulge in regular exercise. The subscription also allows you to interact with a doctor over phone and gives access to a health vault (to safely store health reports at one place). The Goqii 2.0 lasts close to a week on a single charge. Unlike other bands, this one has a USB that can be plugged to a PC or an adaptor for charging. A gift of fitness goes a long way. Price: Rs 1,999 for a three-month subscription.
General Awareness
India set to complete N-triad with Arihant commissioning
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India is finally close to operationalising its long-awaited nuclear weapons triad — the capability to launch nukes from land, air and sea.
About Nuclear Triads :
A nuclear triad refers to the nuclear weapons delivery of a strategic nuclear arsenal which consists of three components: strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
- The purpose of having a three-branched nuclear capability is to significantly reduce the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a nation’s nuclear forces in a first-strike attack; this, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and thus increases a nation’s nuclear deterrence.
- India has recently become a nuclear triad with INS Arihant, which has been officially commissioned as of August 2016. INS Arihant will either carry 12 K-15 missiles with a range of 750 km or 4 K-4 missiles with an extended range of 3500 km.
- India maintains ano first use nuclear policy and has been developing a nuclear triad capability as a part of its credible minimum deterrence
- India’s nuclear-weapons program possesses surface-to-surface missiles such as the Agni II and Agni III. In addition, the 5,000–8000 km range Agni-V ICBM was also successfully tested for third time on 31 January 2015 and is expected to enter service by 2016.
- India has nuclear-capable fighter aircraft such as the Dassault Mirage 2000H,Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, MIG-29 and SEPECAT Jaguar.Land and air strike capabilities are already in place under the control of Strategic Forces Command which is a part of Nuclear Command Authority.
- Tactical nuclear weapons are used in air, land and sea warfare. Air-to-air missiles and rockets, surface-to-air missiles, and small air-to-ground rockets, bombs, and precision munitions have been developed and deployed with nuclear
- Ground forces have included tactical nuclear artillery shells, surface-to-surface rockets, land mines, medium and small man-packable nuclear engineering demolition charges, even man-carried or vehicle-mounted recoilless rifles. Naval forces have carried nuclear-armed naval rocket-assisted and standard depth charges and torpedoes, and naval gunnery
- Tactical nuclear weapons and the doctrine for their use is primarily for use in a non-strategic war fighting role destroying military forces in the battle area; they are not counted toward triad status despite the possibility of many of these systems being usable as strategic weapons depending on the target.
India’s N – Triads,
INS Arihant’s 750km and 3,500km missiles may be somewhat dwarfed by SLBMs with ranges of well over 5,000km with the US, Russia and China, but the completion of the nuclear-triad is critical for a country like India, which has a clearly declared policy of “no first-use” of nuclear weapons. It makes its second-strike capability much more credible.
- A pre-emptive enemy strike can conceivably take out a rival’s nuclear missiles and fighter bombers. That is why an SSBN, capable of lurking underwater for months without being detected, is considered the most effective and deadly platform for a retaliatory nuclear strike.
- INS Arihant has undergone a whole host of surface and “dived” sorties during its trials to prove its sea-worthiness. But the full weapons integration with the “K” (named after former president APJ Abdul Kalam) series of SLBMs will take some more time. While the K-15SLBM has a 750-km range, the K-4 can go up to 3,500-km.
- INS Arihant is the first of three such SSBNs being constructed under the secretive ATV programme launched decades ago. The construction of the second one, INS Aridhaman, is also almost complete now, with its delivery slated for 2018.
India is finally close to operationalising its long-awaited nuclear weapons triad — the capability to launch nukes from land, air and sea.
About Nuclear Triads :
A nuclear triad refers to the nuclear weapons delivery of a strategic nuclear arsenal which consists of three components: strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
- The purpose of having a three-branched nuclear capability is to significantly reduce the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a nation’s nuclear forces in a first-strike attack; this, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and thus increases a nation’s nuclear deterrence.
- India has recently become a nuclear triad with INS Arihant, which has been officially commissioned as of August 2016. INS Arihant will either carry 12 K-15 missiles with a range of 750 km or 4 K-4 missiles with an extended range of 3500 km.
- India maintains ano first use nuclear policy and has been developing a nuclear triad capability as a part of its credible minimum deterrence
- India’s nuclear-weapons program possesses surface-to-surface missiles such as the Agni II and Agni III. In addition, the 5,000–8000 km range Agni-V ICBM was also successfully tested for third time on 31 January 2015 and is expected to enter service by 2016.
- India has nuclear-capable fighter aircraft such as the Dassault Mirage 2000H,Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, MIG-29 and SEPECAT Jaguar.Land and air strike capabilities are already in place under the control of Strategic Forces Command which is a part of Nuclear Command Authority.
- Tactical nuclear weapons are used in air, land and sea warfare. Air-to-air missiles and rockets, surface-to-air missiles, and small air-to-ground rockets, bombs, and precision munitions have been developed and deployed with nuclear
- Ground forces have included tactical nuclear artillery shells, surface-to-surface rockets, land mines, medium and small man-packable nuclear engineering demolition charges, even man-carried or vehicle-mounted recoilless rifles. Naval forces have carried nuclear-armed naval rocket-assisted and standard depth charges and torpedoes, and naval gunnery
- Tactical nuclear weapons and the doctrine for their use is primarily for use in a non-strategic war fighting role destroying military forces in the battle area; they are not counted toward triad status despite the possibility of many of these systems being usable as strategic weapons depending on the target.
India’s N – Triads,
INS Arihant’s 750km and 3,500km missiles may be somewhat dwarfed by SLBMs with ranges of well over 5,000km with the US, Russia and China, but the completion of the nuclear-triad is critical for a country like India, which has a clearly declared policy of “no first-use” of nuclear weapons. It makes its second-strike capability much more credible.
- A pre-emptive enemy strike can conceivably take out a rival’s nuclear missiles and fighter bombers. That is why an SSBN, capable of lurking underwater for months without being detected, is considered the most effective and deadly platform for a retaliatory nuclear strike.
- INS Arihant has undergone a whole host of surface and “dived” sorties during its trials to prove its sea-worthiness. But the full weapons integration with the “K” (named after former president APJ Abdul Kalam) series of SLBMs will take some more time. While the K-15SLBM has a 750-km range, the K-4 can go up to 3,500-km.
- INS Arihant is the first of three such SSBNs being constructed under the secretive ATV programme launched decades ago. The construction of the second one, INS Aridhaman, is also almost complete now, with its delivery slated for 2018.
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