Naval Investiture Ceremony at New Delhi – 2020

New Delhi. Naval Investiture Ceremony to felicitate naval personnel who have demonstrated leadership, professional achievements and distinguished service of high order was conducted at INS India, New Delhi on October 14. Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff, conferred the Distinguished Service Awards announced on the Republic Day this year to the recipients. Eight medals which included one Yudh Seva Medal, one Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) and six Vishisht Seva Medal (long meritorious service) were awarded.

The event is traditionally conducted as a ceremonial parade centrally for all awardees of the Indian Navy. However, in view of the prevailing pandemic, the Naval Investiture Ceremony is being conducted locally by each Command of the Navy. The award ceremony was witnessed by a limited number of senior dignitaries of the Indian Navy and the spouses of the awardees. All social distancing norms and COVID 19 protocol were adhered to during the ceremony. Though simple, the event was conducted in a manner to make it memorable to the awardees.

Joint Press Release of the 7th Round of India-China Military Commander-Level Meeting

New Delhi. On October 12, the 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting of India and China was held in Chushul. The two sides had a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas. They were of the view that these discussions were positive, constructive and had enhanced understanding of each other’s positions.

Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement as early as possible. Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, not to turn differences into disputes, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas.

Six Day War Alliance, Causes, Aftermath

The Muslim nations in the Middle East would not accept Israel's existence since its founding in 1948. 

They began amassing huge amounts of sophisticated weaponry and lobbying for the implementation of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against the Jewish State. 

Six Day War Causes

On the 15th of May 1967, on Israel's Independence Day, a 3-week period began which was one of the tensest and fearful periods in Israel's history. In direct contravention of international agreements, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser removed the UN peacekeeping forces and began moving tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of tanks into what was the demilitarized Sinai Peninsula towards Israel's southern border. 

Egypt also blockaded the Straits of Tiran, an open international waterway, which was essentially a declaration of war. Israel turned to the nations of the world, primarily to the United States, for assistance against Egyptian aggression but somehow all Western countries decided to remain neutral. Very quickly, it became apparent that the promises were all but forgotten. 

Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon Vs Israel

Israel, with 2.5 million Jews, was left alone to face the might of the Arab nations. Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon formed a military alliance and began moving forces into Jordan towards Israel's borders. When the Arab countries realized that the world had abandoned Israel, many other Muslim countries were openly calling for the destruction of Israel. 

The will and means to murder millions of Jews were evident. Top IDF commanders expressed their concerns that the high price Israel was liable to pay in a war with the Arab world. Some military experts projected a toll between twenty and a hundred thousand lives. Israel prepared cemeteries all over the country ready to accommodate many expected victims. Massive parks were prepared in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other cities, in case the cemeteries would have no more space. 

World governments, instead of defending Israel's right to exist, warned Israel continuously not to attack. However, the people of Israel had no choice but to go to war, to defend their country and their very existence. 

At 7:15 am on June 5th, 1967, the IDF launched operation "Moked"- Focus. Almost the entire Israeli Air Force was dispatched in a daring mission. Only 12 planes stayed behind. The risk of this operation was extraordinary as the fighter pilots flew at an unprecedented low altitude of fewer than 20 meters above the ground. Egypt had the most advanced ground-air missile defense systems in the Middle East. 

Most of the Israeli jets were old and outdated French planes. If the Israeli jets would've been detected, many would have fallen, and Israel would've been left with practically no air force. And then a miracle occurred: The most advanced Russian MiG jets that patrolled the airspace along the borders between Egypt and Israel were, for that one critical hour, grounded. Incredibly, at that very same time, the top commanders of Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq flew together to observe the Egyptian forces invading Sinai. The Egyptian officers had ordered all anti-aircraft units not to fire unless given a direct order as long as they were in flight. 

This created total confusion on the Egyptian ground as Israel struck exactly in that window of time. By 7:45 a.m. the High Hand of Providence resulted in the Israeli air force reaching all the Egyptian airfields without even one plane being detected. More than 200 Egyptian planes – almost half of Egypt’s fleet – were almost instantaneously destroyed, also bombing the runways and making impotent the mightiest air force in the Middle East. General Moti Hod, Commander of the Air Force said, The second wave of Israeli jets were directed to Cairo to confront the remains of the Egyptian Air Force. And here another miracle occurred, no less miraculous than the first. Even though Israel had lost the element of surprise, and the anti-aircraft systems were operating with full capacity, Egypt was only able to hit one Israeli plane. 

The Israeli Air Force went on to destroy a total of more than 300 Egyptian planes, and every airfield in Egypt was neutralized. It was nothing less than a military miracle... Seemingly impossible... And then another miracle occurred. It was as if God hardened the heart of Egyptian president Nasser who continuously gloated about his glorious military victory over Israel. 

In the Arab media, President Nasser spoke of the end of Israel's airforce and of the Egyptian tanks on their way to Jerusalem. Jordan, Syria, and Iraq believed these bombastic statements and wanted to join in the "great victory against the Jews". All the Arab airpower struck simultaneously on multiple fronts. In almost any other scenario, Israel would not have been able to respond as quickly as it did. 

The timing was seemingly orchestrated to position Israeli jets exactly where they should be. Not in six days, but in six hours the war was won. And then, perhaps, the greatest miracle of all... A miracle Israel never expected – Jerusalem. Again, it seemed as though it was a Divine appointment in time. Jerusalem was to be restored to the Jewish People, after 2,000 years. The enemies of Israel had twice as many soldiers as we did, three times as many planes, four times as many tanks. The odds were stacked against us on every military front. 

Aftermath of Six-Day War 

The love of Israel, self-sacrifice, and courage of the Israeli soldiers combined with Divine guidance and assistance made these miracles possible. Yitzchak Rabin, then Chief of Staff, was given the honor of giving the war its name. He chose the Six-Day War recalling the six days of creation as Israel too was created with the liberation of Jerusalem. As the center of gravity of the Jewish people has now returned to the land of our fathers, the Torah center of the world has once again returned to Jerusalem. 

The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel has established the 28th of Iyar – a Day of Hallel and Hodaya, praise, and thanks for the salvation of our people and the liberation and return of our capital Jerusalem. Jews in Israel and in every country in which they reside come together in prayer and celebration. Similar to Chanukah and Purim, it sometimes takes many years for the miracles to be fully recognized and celebrated. 

The Mizrachi World Movement is involved in massive community-wide celebrations across the globe from London to Los Angeles, from Melbourne to Johannesburg, to Chicago and Toronto. For 2,000 years our hope never died. Our faith as a people never wavered. Wherever Jews were, whenever they prayed, they prayed to face Jerusalem. Whatever happened the night before, whether it was the Crusades, the Inquisition, Muslim oppression, or Nazis in Germany, the next morning, a Jew would wake up, dust himself off, put on his tallit, face Jerusalem and pray to come home, knowing somehow, someway, God would bring us back. 

This is our greatest celebration. To be alive in this generation, where the prayers of our fathers and mothers have finally been answered, to be alive and to take part in Jewish destiny. To experience miracles of Divine Providence, Bayamim Hahem Bazman Haze, like in those days but in our time. 

Books on six-day war 

Ukraine Crisis Explaination, Timeline

Introduction

Ukraine has never existed independently and its existence has always vacillated between Europe and Russia. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the centre of gravity in the region shifted to Moscow, and since then, Russia has been a force on the global scene. 

In modern times, Ukraine had an independent existence only for a limited period in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Post the Second World War in Europe, Ukraine has the second largest area and below Ukraine was the Crimean peninsula. 

Ukraine Crisis

In the period from 1853 to 1856, the region witnessed the Crimean War, in which the Russian Empire lost to an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain and Sardinia. 

The immediate cause involved the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, which was a part of the Ottoman Empire. 

The French promoted the rights of Roman Catholics, while Russia promoted those of the Eastern Orthodox Church, The long-term causes involved the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the unwillingness of Britain and France to allow Russia to gain territory and power at the Ottoman expense.

From 1917 to 1921, Russia witnessed the Russian revolution, during which Ukraine vacillated and drifted under the control of Austria-Hungary Empire and the Polish empire. Post-1921, Ukraine again came under the control of Russia and remained there for some time Crimea was controlled by Russia, but in 1954, there was the transfer of power, annexing Crimea to Ukraine, Russia's Nikita Khrushchev decided to hand over Crimea to be controlled by Ukraine because Crimea was dependent upon Ukraine for all ts basic needs. Khrushchev was of the opinion that such a mechanism would be useful for the administration of Crimea and would not create an issue for Russia because Ukraine was under Russian control. This mechanism prevailed until 1991. 

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the erstwhile Russian satellite states began to assert independence. Ukraine too asserted independence but was vacillating between having a pro-Russian or pro-eurozone regime. In the period after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in a referendum in Ukraine, 90 per cent people voted in favour of separation from Russia. Since then, till 2004, Ukraine has vacillated and remained a state with loose control.

In 2004, Ukraine witnessed elections where Yanukovych won and initiated his rule. The election of Yanukovych was challenged by Yushchenko, who launched a protest against Yanukovych called as Orange Revolution. The Orange Revolution led to re-election in Ukraine where Yushchenko won. In 2010, Ukraine had the next election. In the 2010 election, Yushchenko lost while Yanukovych won.

Yanukovych was a pro-Russian leader, In 1994, Russia and NATO entered into an agreement that neither would resort to expansion in Europe. In 1998, Russia and Crimea entered into an agreement where Crimea agreed to allow Russia to station 25,000 Russian soldiers in Crimea near the Black Sea. This led NATO to initiate expansion and extend NATO membership to Poland and Hungary, In 2004, NATO expanded by offering memberships Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. 

Ukraine Crisis 2008

In 2008, the US initiated the process to bring Ukraine into the fold of NATO. In 2008, Ukraine has led b Yushchenko, who was a pro-US leader. As a consequence, the Russians entered into an agreement with Crimea where Crimea offered Russia access to a part of Sevastopol in the Black Sea region. 

As per the agreement, Russia would maintain a Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol and such Russian presence would remain undisturbed till 2042. 

Ukraine Crisis 2013

As this expansion and counter-expansion b NATO and Russia unfolded in 2013, the US-backed eurozone offered Ukraine a membership to the EU.

This offer was made to Yanukovych, a pro-Russia leader, in power since 2010. Russia saw this offer an indirect attempt by NATO to reach Russia borders. As Yanukovych rejected the deal to allow Ukraine to be a part of the EU, a crisis began to unfold. 

In the independence square in Kiev, massive protests took place to seek a pro-EU decision for Ukraine. Russia supported the counter-protests and this led to violence in Ukraine leading to the beginning of the Ukraine crisis in November 2013. 

Ukraine Crisis 2014

As the conflict intensified in February 2014, Yanukovych fled the country, signalling a victory for the rebels. Witnessing the situation turning in favour of the rebels, Russia, in March 2014, instigated Crimea to undertake a referendum. 

On 16 March 2014, Crimea ordered a referendum and 95 per cent people in Crimea voted in favour of Crimes joining Russia. 

On 19 March 2014, Russia took over Crimea and used Crimea to assert power in the region The 5 per cent people who did not vote in favour of Crimea joining Russia were the Tartars. The Tartars are ethnic Muslims in Crimea who have always been at the receiving end of repression by the Russians In the 1950s, Stalin had crushed the Tartars and even deported them to Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania. Post-Soviet disintegration, the Tartars settled back in Crimea again. 

Since 19 March 2014, Crimea is under Russian control. The US and other western states allege that Russia has illegally annexed Crimea, In October 2014, when fresh elections happened in Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko won the election. Poroshenko has favoured an equidistance policy and has maintained a distance from both Russia and the US. 

Over a period of time, the US to have realised its mistake of stirring up controversy in Russian backyard, Russia has tried to assert dominance on the entire issue. For Russia, Crimea and Ukraine are very crucial. The Russians get access to the warm waters of the Black Sea only through Ukraine and Crimea. Russia's northern stream and southern stream pipelines pass through there. These pipelines are lifelines for the European states of Germany, France and others. Russia supplies oil to the European states through these pipelines that pass through the region of Crimea and Ukraine. 

Ukraine Crisis 2015

The violence in Kiev, Luhansk and Minsk, along with other regions, has been under control since a 2015 ceasefire agreed upon between the rebels and others. However, the rebels who were armed by the CIA (which has pumped 5 million USD in the region) continue to possess arms as there has been no mechanism to take back the arms from the rebels

The Ukraine issue was a geopolitical conflict for dominance. The west has expanded through NATO aggressively and is at the doorsteps of Russia. An indirect attempt was made by NATO through the EU to penetrate into Ukraine. Russia lost its patience over NATO expansion and precipitated a crisis. Some scholars have observed that the crisis is only a beginning of a new energy war in Europe since the US is desperately looking for a shale gas market in Europe and wants to end the dominance of Russia in Western Europe. 

However, an assertive and rising Russia, as visible in Ukraine, Iran and Syria, is a pointer to the fact that the future could see the commencement of a new Cold War. The implications of the Ukrainian crisis on global politics are that Russia has tried to assert multipolarity and has conveyed to the US that it should learn to respect the opinions of others. Though India has not been a direct party to the dispute over the crisis in Ukraine, it has still maintained that it favours the Russian assertion of multipolarity. Multipolarity itself is a goal that the Indian foreign policy stands for. 

India has not condemned the Russian intervention in Crimea like most of the western powers as it believes that there are Russian interests in the region that need to be taken care of by Russia. However, nor has it openly supported the Russian invasion as stands for conflict resolution through positive dialogue.

Airbus to bring first Mars samples to Earth: ESA contract award

Toulouse. Airbus has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as prime contractor for the Mars Sample Return’s Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) – the first ever spacecraft to bring samples back to Earth from Mars. Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a joint ESA-NASA campaign and the next step in the exploration of Mars. ERO and the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) are the two main European elements of MSR, both are set to be designed and built by Airbus. A manipulating arm, referred to as the Sample Transfer Arm (STA), that will transfer the samples from the SFR to the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), is the third European contribution to the MSR program. The value of the ERO contract is € 491 million.

The five year mission will see the spacecraft head to Mars, act as a communication relay with the surface missions, perform a rendezvous with the orbiting samples and bring them safely back to Earth. Prior to launch from the Mars surface onboard the MAV, the Martian samples will be stored in sample tubes and collected by the SFR, for which Airbus has already commenced the study phase.

For ERO, Airbus will use its autonomous rendezvous and docking expertise built up over decades of experience in optical navigation, using technologies from the successful ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) and recent developments from JUICE, Europe’s first mission to Jupiter.

“We’re bringing the full force of our experience gained on Rosetta, Mars Express, Venus Express, Gaia, ATV, BepiColombo, and JUICE to ensure this mission succeeds. Bringing samples back to Earth from Mars will be an extraordinary feat, taking interplanetary science to a new level and Airbus is excited to take on this challenge as part of this joint international mission.” said Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems.

To be launched on an Ariane 6 in 2026, the 6 ton, 6 m high spacecraft, equipped with 144m² solar arrays with a span of over 40 m – some of the biggest ever built – will take about a year to reach Mars. It will use a mass-efficient hybrid propulsion system combining electric propulsion for the cruise and spiral down phases and chemical propulsion for Mars orbit insertion. Upon arrival, it will provide communications coverage for the NASA Perseverance Rover and Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) missions, two essential parts of the MSR Campaign.

For the second part of its mission, ERO will have to detect, rendezvous with, and capture a basketball-size object called the Orbiting Sample (OS), which houses the sample tubes collected by SFR; all this over 50 million km away from ground control. Once captured, the OS will be bio-sealed in a secondary containment system and placed inside the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV), effectively a third containment system, to ensure that the precious samples reach the Earth’s surface intact for maximum scientific return. It will then take another year for ERO to make its way back to Earth, where it will send the EEV on a precision trajectory towards a pre-defined landing site, before itself entering into a stable orbit around the Sun.

After landing, the samples will be transferred to a specialised handling facility where they will be quarantined. Once the sample tubes are opened, initial measurements will be taken to generate a detailed catalogue, enabling specific parts of the samples to then be targeted for specialist science investigations.

Airbus will have overall responsibility for the ERO mission, developing the spacecraft in Toulouse, and conducting mission analysis in Stevenage. Thales Alenia Space Turin will also have an important role, assembling the spacecraft, developing the communication system and providing the Orbit Insertion Module. The mission enabling RIT-2X ion engines will be provided by ArianeGroup.

About Mars Sample Return
Mars Sample Return is a set of three separately launched missions, which will together achieve the objective of returning Mars samples to Earth before the end of 2031.

The NASA-led Mars 2020 rover, known as Perseverance, was launched in July 2020 to land on Mars in February 2021. Perseverance will acquire Mars samples, cache them into sample tubes, and leave the tubes in one or more depots for later collection by the SRL mission and its European Sample Fetch Rover.

The NASA-led SRL is to be launched in 2026 and comprises a surface platform with a European robotic Sample Transfer Arm (STA), the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR), and a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The surface platform will land in the near vicinity of the sample tube depot in the Jezero crater. SFR will navigate, locate and collect the sample tubes, and return to the lander platform. The STA will transfer the sample tubes into the Orbiting Sample (OS) then load the OS aboard the MAV. The MAV will launch the OS into Mars orbit, where ERO will be waiting to rendezvous and capture it.

The ESA-led Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is also to be launched in 2026 and will have onboard the NASA-led Capture, Containment and Return System (CCRS), which will handle and bio-seal the OS as well as provide the Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV). ERO will arrive in Mars orbit on time to provide communications coverage for the SRL entry, descent and landing, surface operations, and the MAV launch placing the OS into Mars orbit. ERO will have to detect, rendezvous with, and capture the OS. The OS will then be bio-sealed and transferred to the EEV before ERO heads back to Earth.

Upon approach to Earth, ERO will release the Earth Entry System on an Earth entry trajectory. After landing in the desert of Utah, the samples are transferred to a sample receiving and curation facility.

Boeing Receives $477 Million Performance Based Logistics Contract from Defense Logistics Agency

MIAMI. Boeing received a Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract award valued at $477 million from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for supplies, full supply chain management and logistics services to ensure long-term, affordable sustainment of multiple weapon systems platforms. Work will be performed under a fixed-price, master services agreement.

Under the contract, Boeing will support individual contracts based on operational performance requirements. The first phase includes the delivery and supply chain management of Honeywell proprietary parts licensed exclusively to Boeing and is valued at $39 million.

“Boeing’s supply chain management and distribution capabilities will help ensure parts are accessible whenever and wherever they are needed based on their use, while reducing inventory and logistics lifecycle costs,” said John Guasto, Director of Global Integrated Services Support for Boeing.

Boeing will be responsible for forecasting, demand planning, acquiring, stocking, packaging and shipping the individually priced consumables directly to warfighter locations to satisfy daily demand requirements. The work will be completed over a five-year period with an additional five-year option.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries, leveraging the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

BDL pays final dividend to government for 2019-20

New Delhi. State-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Hyderabad-based Defence Public Sector Undertaking that manufactures missiles and a range of high-tech equipment for the armed forces, has paid final dividend of Rs. 35.018 crore (over $476,000) to the Indian government for 2019-20.

The Akash missile system that is part of a range of equipment manufactured by BDL

Commodore Siddharth Mishra (retd), Chairman and Managing Director, BDL presented cheque for Rs. 35.018 crore, being the final dividend pertaining to the government’s shareholding to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on October 13.

BDL has declared final dividend of Rs. 2.55 (0.03 cents) per share of Rs. 10 (0.13 cents) each for the financial year 2019-20. The final dividend declared by the Company works out to 25.5 per cent of the paid up share capital of Rs. 183.28 crore ($24 million).

Earlier, during March this year, an interim dividend of Rs. 6.25 (0.08 cents) per share amounting to Rs. 100.518 crore ($13 million) was paid by BDL for the financial year 2019-20 towards government’s shareholding in.

Raj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence Production (DDP) and Chandraker Bharti, Joint Secretary (Aero) from Ministry of Defence were present on the occasion.