Sunday, February 28, 2010

India-Myanmar to jointly fight northeast rebels

IMPHAL - India and Myanmar will conduct a ‘coordinated operation’ against northeast separatist outfits taking shelter and setting up base camps in the neighbouring country, Union Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai said here.

“A coordinated operation by the joint forces of India and Myanmar would be conducted in the jungles of the neighbouring country to flush out northeast militants camps,” Pillai told reporters here Saturday night after holding a meeting with top Manipur government officials.

The strategy for the joint operation was discussed with Myanmar officials during Pillai’s visit to Yangon Jan 19-21.

“All camps (in Myanmar) which are acting against the interest of India would be targeted,” the home secretary said refusing to divulge details about the proposed joint operation.

According to Pillai, quite a large number of separatist outfits belonging to northeast India have their camps across the border.

Pillai was here to review the law-and-order situation in Manipur and the development work being undertaken in the state.

Three northeastern states — Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram — share a 1,643-km unfenced border with Myanmar.

“We have given detailed information about the insurgent camps with specific locations to the Myanmar authorities,” the union home secretary stated.

“If any extremist outfit abjures violence, it would be a great potential for talks,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh in his speech during the internal security meeting in New Delhi earlier this month pointed out that the almost unchecked trans-border movement of Indian insurgent groups and the continued existence of their camps in Myanmar posed threats to the internal security of Manipur and other northeastern states.

“It is no secret that most arms and ammunition used against our security forces are smuggled in from Myanmar. It is also known that whenever our army, Assam Rifles and the state police launch operations, the militant groups take shelter in neighbouring areas of Myanmar,” Singh told the meeting.

Highlighting the positive outcome of the home secretary-level talks Jan 19-21 at Yangon, the Manipur chief minister asked the central government to consult authorities in Myanmar for ascertaining the dates convenient for the first meeting of the proposed series of meetings between the border liaison officers.

Indian Air Force to showcase ‘Vayu Shakti-2010′ at Pokhran today

POKHRAN - The Indian Air Force will display its full combat power capability when ‘Vayu Shakti-2010′, its biggest firepower demonstration is unleashed at the Pokhran firing ranges this evening.

The whole of Pokhran will reverberate to the sound of fighter planes. For the first time ever, there will be a day-night practise and show of strength of the IAF.

About 70 planes of different variety like Sukhoi 30s, Mirage 2000, Jaguars, MIG 21, attack helicopters, UAVs and high-tech AWACS will display their full firepower.

This demonstration is to showcase the full range of IAF skills and capabilities.

The transport aircraft include AN-32, Embraer and IL-76, while Mi-17 4 and Mi-35 attack helicopters will constitute the rotary wing ingredients.

For the first time Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) will be used to monitor the mammoth exercise, while an unmanned aerial vehicle will stream live video images of the target destruction.

In addition to the 65 aircrafts participating from all IAF Commands, 30 standby aircraft in air and an equal number on ground will make it one of the biggest participation by IAF aircraft in any such FPD ever.

Mock radar sites, tanks, marshalling yards, terrorist camps, runway, BMP (infantry fighting vehicles), blast pens and convoys are among few of the targets that pilots will seek to destroy. Para-drop and troop insertion of Guard- IAF’s Special Forces to neutralize a terrorist camp will also be on display.

The other attractions will include aerobatics display by Surya Kirans and Sarang, display by IAF skydiving team-Akash Ganga and renditions by IAF Symphonic Orchestra.

The fire power demonstration is a collective display of skills and accuracy in weapon delivery by pilots at the end of their training year. The exercise also aids commanders and planners to ain better insight into the potential and deployment capabilities of aerial weapons. (ANI)