World Defense Forum

India was only an ally: Dhaka unhappy over PM Modi’s Victory Day post​

12h • 1 min read




India was only an ally: Dhaka unhappy over PM Modi’s Victory Day post
DHAKA: Bangladesh interim govt law adviser Asif Nazrul has "strongly protested" against a social media post by PM Narendra Modi on the country's Victory Day.

Also read: At foreign secretary-level talks, India raises concerns over minority safety, attacks on religious sites in Bangladesh

"I strongly protest. Dec 16, 1971 was the Victory Day of Bangladesh. India was an ally of this victory, nothing more," Asif Nazrul wrote on his verified Facebook page on Monday, attaching a screenshot of Modi's Facebook post.

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"Today, on Vijay Diwas, we honour the courage and sacrifices of the brave soldiers who contributed to India's historic victory in 1971. Their selfless dedication and unwavering resolve safeguarded our nation and brought glory to us," Modi said. "This day is a tribute to their extraordinary valour and their unshakable spirit. Their sacrifices will forever inspire generations and remain deeply embedded in our nation's history,"PM said.
For more news like this visit TOI. Get all the Latest News, City News, India News, Business News, and Sports News. For Entertainment News, TV News, and Lifestyle Tips visit Etimes


Related video: Bangladesh celebrates victory day of 1971 liberation war (ANI Video)




Times Now'India Was An Ally, Nothing More': Bangladesh Leaders Object To Vijay Diwas Celebrations

We're exporting ships to a NATO/EU Navy for the first time.

Indonesia shows interest in collaborating with India in defence tech sector​

Indonesia shows interest in collaborating with India in defence tech sector
Indonesia has shown keen interest in collaborating with India in the defence technology domain as Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi held wide-ranging talks with top military brass of the Southeast Asian nation on boosting strategic ties. Ways to forge bilateral collaboration in the area of defence technologies figured prominently in a meeting between Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Admiral Tripathi.


The Navy chief is on a four-day visit to Indonesia from Sunday.

The two sides discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and various aspects of defence collaboration, including joint exercises, the Indonesian defence ministry said.

It said Admiral Tripathi explained that India is developing indigenous technologies to support the advancement of its Navy and Sjafrie appreciated the rapid progress in the domain.

The minister expressed his "enthusiasm for working together to improve Indonesia's defense technology," it said.

Discussions were held on the expanding India-Indonesia defence relations with a focus on measures to further consolidate maritime cooperation, including operational engagements and joint training initiatives, the ministry said.

In the meeting, Tripathi highlighted potential avenues for defence industrial collaboration between the two sides.


The visit of Admiral Tripathi underscores the strong maritime relations between the two countries conforming to the shared vision in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian Navy said last week.

Indonesia is a key member of the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) grouping.

The overall strategic relations between India and Indonesia have been on an upswing but both sides are of the view that there is huge potential for expansion of the ties.
For more news like this visit The Economic Times.

Ind Aus is what I been watching these days with great interest so we begin with that.. zabardast series.

In response to a question regarding the reported upcoming visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister to China and planned talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese FM spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Monday that China values maintaining dialogue and communication with Japan at all levels and in various fields, and is willing to work together with Japan to promote China-Japan relations.

As for the visit, Lin mentioned that he currently has no information to provide.

According to Kyodo News on Saturday, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is arranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on December 25, a Japanese government source close to the matter said, in what will be his first visit to the neighboring country as Japan's top diplomat.

@Jiangnan

Global Times

Stephen Fry is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer.

@Lulldapull

I was thinking doin up a Mississippi pot roast just like this:


Nihari/ Biryani/ Polao is not on de agenda this year.

ISRO starts assembly of HLVM3 for Gaganyaan mission at SDSC for first uncrewed flight​

Story by TOI Science Desk
• 11h • 4 min read




ISRO starts assembly of HLVM3 for Gaganyaan mission at SDSC for first uncrewed flight
Indian Space Research Organisation continues to make significant milestones in space exploration with its continuous efforts to launch India's first crewed spaceflight under the Gaganyaan mission. The Indian astronaut called Gagannauts into space aboard Human - Rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3). On Wednesday, ISRO initiated the assembly of Human - Rated Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3) as a critical component of India's Gaganyaan mission which aims to achieve the country's first crewed spaceflight. This coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3-X/CARE) mission as a foundational role in the Gaganyaan program mission.



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ISRO HLVM3 successfully launched on December 18​

On December 18 2024 at 8:45am, ISRO began the launch campaign for the HLVM3-G1/0M-1 featuring the full-flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor at the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota. This step acts as a major step towards the launch vehicle for the future space missions. Some of the additional components following the launch vehicle include S200 motors, control systems, and avionics to be integrated.

LVM3’s human-rating enhances safety for future missions​

HLVM3 assembly as the crucial development is the successful human rating of the LVM3 launch vehicle. The human-rating involves the rigorous testing to ensure the vehicle's systems meet the safety standards being required for the human spaceflight. All the systems have undergone extensive ground and flight tests even in off-nominal conditions to verify their performance and reliability under the human safety requirement, confirmed ISRO.



LVM3, a human rating process, ensures to handle the human-space travel complexities. The inclusion of the Crew Escape System (CES), a safety feature designed to protect astronauts during every phase of ascent, adds a layer of redundancy to the vehicle’s safety mechanisms. The CES system, which is operational from the launch pad until its separation after the atmospheric flight regime, significantly boosts the confidence in the upcoming manned missions.

Specifications of HLVM3​

• HLVM3 is a massive, three stage vehicle standing 53m tall and 640 tonnes in weight.
• Capable of carrying payloads up to 10 tonnes into Low Earth Orbit
• This crew module will be a part of the Gaganyaan mission designed with multiple redundancies and enhanced safety features to protect the astronauts.
• It can operate under the most extreme conditions of human spaceflight.

The Gaganyaan program is not only an important aspect of India's space exploration goals, but it is also a necessary precursor to the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The Gaganyaan mission's experience will be valuable in the construction and operation of India's prospective space station. ISRO's long-term strategy includes applying Gaganyaan's lessons to the development of more advanced space technology and a sustainable space infrastructure.

Development in India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program​

The LVM3-X mission, which launched on December 18, 2014, was critical in the development of India's human spaceflight program. The mission successfully transported a 3,775 kg crew module to a suborbital altitude of 126 km, where it was manoeuvred with thrusters to guarantee a successful reentry.

The module was designed as part of Gaganyaan's pre-project operations and data from this flight will have a direct impact on the design and the testing of the crew module for the subsequent mission.

Crew module to ensure safe human spaceflight for Gaganyaan​

The crew module from the Bay of Bengal on December 18 2024 was a watershed moment that confirmed the ability of the vehicle to safely return from space highlighting the importance of the mission. Information collected during the mission has been an integral part in refining the crew module and its associated systems to ensure that they are capable of supporting human spaceflight in future.

Leveraging LVM3 data to enhance the Gaganyaan mission and future of manned missions​

After the successful completion of the LVM3-X mission, ISRO has built upon the foundational data gathered during that mission. The improvement in the design of the crew module has been made and the other subsequent tests such as pad abort tests, air-drop tests, and test vehicle flights. This has provided with the valuable insights that informed the ongoing development of the crew module and other systems of the Gaganyaan mission. The data will be essential to ensure the success of the manned future missions which will ultimately allow ISRO to make necessary adjustments and improvements to the module the launch vehicle before launching astronauts into space.

Paving the path for India’s first human spaceflight​

As ISRO prepares for the uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, the insights gained will be pivotal for the future of human spaceflight in India. With the human-rating of the LVM3 vehicle and the successful integration of key systems, the nation is now closer than ever to achieving its goal of sending astronauts to space. The upcoming uncrewed flight will serve as a critical testing ground for the various systems and technologies involved, paving the way for a successful manned mission.


ISRO's successful assembly of the HLVM3 vehicle and the completion of key tests mark significant progress in India’s space exploration journey. The Gaganyaan mission not only aims to send humans to space but also plays a key role in laying the foundation for more ambitious future projects, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station. The lessons learned from this program will help shape India’s space exploration goals for the coming decades.

India's Diplomatic Move In North Korea Marks Significant Shift In Policy

Besides boosting its ties with Southeast Asian nations, New Delhi has been working silently and cautiously towards its policy in the Korean peninsula.

Written by:
Abhishek Chakraborty
World News
Dec 17, 2024 20:35 pm IST

India's Diplomatic Move In North Korea Marks Significant Shift In PolicyIndia has reopened its Embassy in North Korea as it aims to build on diplomatic ties.

While the world is focused on central and west Asia and the actions of the West vis-a-vis the wars in the Middle East and Europe, India has been looking and acting eastward with its Act East policy. Besides boosting its ties with Southeast Asian nations, New Delhi has been working silently and cautiously towards its policy in the Korean peninsula.

North Korea functions with a great degree of opacity, which in turn, leads New Delhi to also maintain its diplomatic relations with Pyongyang in the shadows, unnoticed and silent from the rest of the world.

In July 2021, India quietly shut its embassy in Pyongyang and Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve along with the entire staff returned to New Delhi via Moscow. Though the Ministry of External Affairs never officially declared the embassy 'closed', when asked by journalists why the entire staff was called back, it said the step was taken due to COVID-19.

Years went by with no update on the diplomatic mission in Pyongyang, and fourteen months ago, Mr Gotsurve was given a new posting as Ambassador to Mongolia.

Another year went by, and then suddenly, earlier this month, India decided to resume normal operations at its embassy in Pyongyang. Within days a team comprising technical staff and diplomatic personnel were dispatched for North Korea. According to a report in The Tribune, the staff has already reached Pyongyang and are in the process of making the mission fully functional.

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The embassy, now shut for more than three-and-a-half years, needs to first undergo a thorough check. North Korea, infamous for its suspicious intelligence-gathering techniques, would mean the staff must first debug the entire embassy building. This, and the delays expected from North Korea's bureaucracy, means that a new Ambassador and the rest of the team might be several months away from joining the initial staff sent.

NORTH KOREA'S GROWING IMPACT

North Korea's strategic importance today is significantly more than it was four years ago - not just for India and Asia, but for the West too. Militarily, North Korea has been steadily growing its nuclear arsenal while also rapidly working on technology such as hypersonic missiles, tactical weapons, short, medium and long-range missiles, among others. For India, it is important to be present in Pyongyang and establish ties such, that such technology does not make its way to Pakistan or its rouge elements.

In the last few years, North Korea has also deepened its ties with Russia, China, and Iran - a growing alliance in Asia which many see as a counter to the Quad - a security and trade grouping comprising US, Japan, India, and Australia. This too is a major priority for India to tackle diplomatically.

While New Delhi already has very strong ties with Moscow, it shares good diplomatic relations with Tehran too. Neighbours India and China - the two most populous nations are also working to iron out differences to see lasting peace in Asia. That leaves Pyongyang - a relationship New Delhi has thus far tread with great caution.

North Korea has also increased trade ties with Russia and has even provided boots on the ground in Ukraine to battle alongside Russian soldiers.

Keeping Pyongyang's growing stature and activity across Asia in mind, New Delhi aims to build on diplomatic ties in accordance with its global outlook and objectives. North Korea thus becomes increasingly important strategically for India and reopening the embassy in Pyongyang is seen as the first step to reestablishing a channel of communication.

Source: India's Diplomatic Move In North Korea Marks Significant Shift In Policy

Big news.

Cheers, Doc

In the past two decades, China has rapidly emerged as an increasingly consequential economic, political, and security actor in the Middle East. China is the largest consumer of Middle Eastern oil, Chinese trade with the region has more than tripled over the past 20 years, and China is playing an expanding role in regional peace, security, and diplomacy. Beijing’s strategy in the Middle East has emphasized a comprehensive plan to expand its influence in almost all key domains. The next four years will be essential to China’s acceleration of its political, economic, and diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, with a strong focus on diversifying economic ties, involvement in peace and mediation, and managing a regional power equilibrium that has shifted as the result of the war in Gaza.

Engine, suspension, protection, electronics, weapons, and sensors. Just about everything is upgraded in this version while maintaining amphibious capabilities.

I hope all GZPTs soon get this upgrade.

Boost to Indian Army's firepower: MoD signs Rs 7,628.70 crore deal with L&T for 100 K9 Vajra-T artillery guns
New Delhi: A week after receiving approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Defence on Friday signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited for the procurement of 100 K9 VAJRA-T Self-Propelled Tracked Artillery Guns, with a total value of Rs 7,628.70 crore. The artillery system will be procured under the Buy (Indian) category.
The defence ministry in a statement said: “The procurement of K9 VAJRA-T will catalyse the artillery modernisation and enhance overall operational readiness of the Indian Army.”
The K9 Vajra-T, a versatile artillery gun with impressive cross-country mobility, will significantly enhance the Indian Army's firepower, enabling precise strikes at greater depths. Its lethal capabilities will strengthen artillery operations across all terrains.
Also read: CCS greenlights procurement of 100 K-9 Vajra howitzers for Indian Army in Rs 6,500 crore defence boost



Equipped with advanced technology, the K9 Vajra-T can deliver long-range, high-accuracy fires at a rapid rate, and it is designed to operate effectively even in sub-zero temperatures at high altitudes, reaching its full potential.
Weighing 50 tonnes, the K9 Vajra can fire shells over distances of 50 kilometers. The first K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer was inducted into the Indian Army in 2018 and has since become one of its most powerful weapons.
The K9 Vajra's technology is based on South Korea's Hanwha Defense K9 Thunder system. Although originally designed for desert operations, the K9 Vajra was deployed in high-altitude regions along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh during the border standoff.

Mazagon Dock Empowers Indian Navy with Stealth Frigate INS Nilgiri and Destroyer INS Surat​

Mumbai, India - Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) announced the successful delivery of two state-of-the-art warships to the Indian Navy—INS Nilgiri, the first stealth frigate of Project 17A, and INS Surat, the fourth stealth destroyer of Project 15B. The milestone event highlights India’s growing self-reliance in naval shipbuilding under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.



The ceremonial handover took place at MDL, with the Acceptance Document signed by MDL Chairman and Managing Director, Sanjeev Singhal, and Rear Admiral R. Adhisrinivasan, CSO (Tech), in the presence of MDL directors, Navy officers, and project teams. Captains Sandeep Shorey and Nitin Kapoor, commanding officers of INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, respectively, were also present.

INS Nilgiri: A Technological Marvel of Project 17A​

INS Nilgiri, the First of Class (FoC) ship under Project 17A, epitomizes advanced naval engineering and indigenous capability. Designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau in New Delhi, the stealth frigate features:

• Enhanced Stealth Technology: A radar-transparent hull and stealth-shaped fittings for reduced detectability.
• All-Round Combat Capability: Equipped to counter submarines, surface warships, missiles, and fighter aircraft.
• Independent Operations: Capable of operating autonomously or serving as the flagship of a naval task force.

The ship also incorporates cutting-edge technology for survivability, manoeuvrability, and seakeeping. With a high indigenous content, INS Nilgiri is a testament to India's progress in self-reliant warship design and manufacturing.

INS Surat: A Powerhouse of Maritime Warfare​

INS Surat, the fourth destroyer under Project 15B, is a versatile warship designed for multi-dimensional maritime warfare. Notable features include:

• Advanced Weapon Systems: Armed with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles and Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missiles.
• Undersea Warfare Capabilities: Equipped with Humsa NG sonar, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) rocket launchers.
• Operational Superiority: Capable of functioning independently or as a flagship in naval task forces.

INS Surat boasts 72% Indigenous content, significantly higher than its predecessors under the P15A (59%) and P15 (42%) classes, reaffirming India's push for defense self-reliance.



Mazagon Dock Empowers Indian Navy with Stealth Frigate INS Nilgiri and Destroyer INS Surat
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited has been at the forefront of India's warship and submarine-building efforts, delivering iconic vessels such as the Delhi and Kolkata-class destroyers, Shivalik-class frigates, and Scorpene-class submarines. Its unmatched expertise and contributions have earned MDL the title of "Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation." These state-of-the-art warships will significantly bolster the Indian Navy's operational readiness and contribute to India's maritime security and strategic capabilities.

Govt to procure 50,000 tonnes of rice from India​

Will also buy oil and lentil for food distribution programmes
The rice will be used to supply state-sponsored food distribution programmes, which are running in full swing to meet consumer demand amid the persistent inflation.
The rice will be used to supply state-sponsored food distribution programmes, which are running in full swing to meet consumer demand amid the persistent inflation. Photo: Star/file
The interim government of Bangladesh will procure 50,000 tonnes of rice from India to address the depletion of the country's food stocks and thereby meet consumer demand for the cereal grain amid ongoing inflationary pressure.


The rice will be used to supply state-sponsored food distribution programmes, which are running in full swing to meet consumer demand amid the persistent high inflation.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.​

The associated proposal for this purchase was approved by a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday.

As such, the food ministry will now import the rice through M/S Bagadiya Brothers Private Ltd in India at a cost of $456.67 per tonne.


As per data of the food ministry, Bangladesh had a stock of 11.48 lakh tonnes of food grains as of December 17. Of this amount, about 7.42 lakh tonnes were rice.

The government had imported 26.25 lakh tonnes of food grains, of which 54,170 tonnes were rice, as of December 17 in the current fiscal year.

Read more

Govt decides to lift duties on rice imports​

The government plans to distribute 20.52 lakh tonnes of food grains through various channels in the current fiscal of 2024-25.


Of the total, 8 lakh tonnes of rice will be collected from the local market during the ongoing Aman season. A higher amount will then be sourced locally during the Boro season in early 2025.

Up until December 5, the food ministry had supplied about 11.17 lakh tonnes of rice for various food distribution programmes.

The government has also approved separate proposals for purchasing two cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 90,000 tonnes of fertiliser (urea) in order to meet the country's growing demand.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has settled on procuring the LNG from M/S TotalEnergies Gas and Power Ltd in Switzerland on floating an international quotation.

One cargo will cost $14.25 per MMBtu and the other $13.87 per MMBtu.

Meanwhile, the industries ministry will buy 90,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser through separate proposals, including to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 10,000 tonnes of lentils from Sheikh Agro Food Industries in Dhaka, with each kilogramme costing Tk 95.40.

In addition, the TCB will procure 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil from City Edible Oil Limited in Dhaka for about Tk 172.25 per litre.

India Eyes Customized Two-Seat Variant of Russia’s Su-57 Stealth Fighter for Local Production: Russian Media​

India Defense







India's ambition to strengthen its airpower capabilities appears to have taken a significant stride, with Russian media reporting that India is evaluating the potential acquisition of a customized two-seat variant of the Su-57 Felon, Russia’s premier fifth-generation stealth fighter. If materialized, this move would not only enhance India's combat readiness but also signify a deeper Indo-Russian defense partnership.

The Su-57, designed to rival the world's most advanced stealth fighters like the American F-35, is lauded for its superior maneuverability, powerful armament, and advanced stealth technology. What sets this potential deal apart is India’s specific interest in a two-seat configuration—a feature unprecedented in fifth-generation fighter jets.

The Two-Seat Innovation: A Game Changer​

The two-seat variant, tailored for Indian requirements, could revolutionize the operational capabilities of stealth fighters. The second cockpit would likely host a weapons systems officer or a trainer, offering advantages in several key areas:

• Enhanced Mission Complexity: The second operator can manage electronic warfare, reconnaissance, or complex long-range strike missions, freeing the pilot to focus solely on navigation and combat maneuvers.
• Improved Training Efficiency: Trainees could directly experience real-time combat scenarios, making the learning curve for advanced fighter operations significantly steeper.
• Flexible Multirole Capabilities: Dual-operator systems could optimize performance in coordinated operations, especially in environments requiring split-second decision-making.

Specifications of the Su-57​

The Su-57 boasts state-of-the-art features designed for modern warfare, including:

• Stealth Technology: Incorporates composite materials and radar-absorbing coatings to reduce its radar cross-section.
• Supermaneuverability: Powered by advanced Saturn AL-41F1 engines, with future models expected to feature the more powerful Izdeliye 30 engines, enabling high agility in dogfights.
• Advanced Avionics: Equipped with N036 Byelka radar, which provides enhanced situational awareness and target detection capabilities.
• Multirole Armament: Capable of carrying advanced air-to-air missiles, guided bombs, and hypersonic weapons in internal bays to maintain stealth.

Aligning with India’s Strategic Vision​

India’s interest in the Su-57 aligns with its overarching goal of modernizing its military infrastructure and achieving strategic autonomy. Recent acquisitions such as the S-400 missile defense system underscore India's willingness to diversify its defense imports. Integrating the Su-57 could complement existing platforms like the Rafale and bolster India’s aerial dominance in the region.

The Su-57’s two-seat variant would not only address India’s immediate tactical needs but also offer a pathway for enhanced technological cooperation with Russia. The "Make in India" initiative could pave the way for localized production, reducing dependency on imports and potentially facilitating the transfer of critical stealth and avionics technologies.

Challenges and Considerations​

While the prospect is promising, several hurdles remain. The cost of developing a customized two-seat variant and ensuring technology transfer could be substantial. Moreover, integrating such an advanced platform into India’s Air Force may pose logistical and operational challenges. Another critical aspect is balancing this acquisition with indigenous projects like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which remains a cornerstone of India’s fifth-generation ambitions.

A Strategic Leap Forward​

The potential acquisition of a two-seat Su-57 variant signifies a bold step in India's quest for cutting-edge airpower capabilities. Whether this deal comes to fruition will depend on the outcome of bilateral negotiations, financial considerations, and alignment with India’s long-term defense goals.

If realized, the deal could set a global precedent, marking the first operational two-seat stealth fighter while cementing India’s position as a dominant player in the realm of advanced military aviation.

The Indian Army’s dash to Dhaka in the 1971 war involved a massive helidrop across the Meghna River. Here’s how it took place.

Prakhar Gupta
Dec 16, 2024, 12:51 PM | Updated Dec 20, 2024, 05:54 PM IST


Lieutenant General Sagat Singh and an Indian Mi-4 helicopter.

Unlike most rivers flowing through Bangladesh into the Bay of Bengal, Meghna is not fed by the glaciers in the Himalayas. Still, it is one of it’s mightiest.

The Meghna is formed by the confluence of multiple fast-flowing streams, which descend into the plains of Bangladesh, that barely rise above the sea level, from the rolling hills of eastern India — the area which receives the largest monsoon precipitation in the world.

Consequently, during the monsoon, the river swells, bursts its banks and puts a large part of the country underwater.

As the water recedes, it leaves behind marshy land and perennial lakes, capable of bogging down the most sophisticated military manoeuvres.

As the Indian Army marched into East Pakistan in December 1971, it managed to avoided much of the monsoon swell.

Headquartered in Agartala under Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, a veteran of World War-II and India’s wars with Pakistan and China, the IV Corps of the Indian Army was tasked to move into East Pakistan and secure the areas till the the Meghna River.

The forces under Sagat Singh had to isolate the town Sylhet in north-eastern East Pakistan, and take areas around it, capture Chittagong in the south-east and secure the eastern bank of the Meghna River running north to south.

The IV Corps was closest to Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan, which was barely 80 km from the Tripura bulge projecting into Pakistani territory.

To bog down Indian forces while it tried to get the United States and China to intervene on its behalf militarily and at the United Nations, the Pakistan Army had occupied nodal points and turned them into fortresses with concrete bunkers. These fortresses were stocked with 45 days of ration and 60 days of ammunition to hold off the Indian Army’s advance for as long as possible.

However, by 8 December, nine days after the war officially began, forces under Sagat Singh were advancing fast towards the Meghna River. The towns of Akhaura, Daukhandi and Chandpur, east of the Meghna, had been captured by his troops after intense fighting, and Sylhet and Chittagong were under siege.

Indian forces had reached close to Ashuganj, which lies on the eastern bank of the Meghna and was one of the nodal points turned into a fortress by the Pakistan Army. The only bridge over the Meghna River, the nearly 3000 feet long Coronation Bridge, was located in Ashuganj and held by Pakistani forces. It was through this bridge that the Indian forces could advance towards Dhaka.

Not tasked to take Dhaka

But when the IV Corps was allocated its tasks, there was no mention of Dhaka. In fact, Dhaka was not spelt out as the objective of the Indian operation.

In a meeting in Tezpur with Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, who was the Commander of the Eastern Command during the 1971 war, Sagat Singh had enquired about the tasking for capture of Dacca, as then known. He had been told, Maj Gen Randhir Sinh, his Aide-De-Camp during the war writes in his biography of Sagat Singh, that decision on Dhaka would be taken once the progress of the overall offensive was known.

Another account by Major Chandrakant Singh, who was second in command of the 4 Guards during 1971 war, says that Lieutenant General Aurora had ordered Sagat Singh twice against moving towards Dhaka, as late as 7 and 8 December.

As Major General Sukhwant Singh, who was deputed in September 1971 to tour the formations preparing for offensive into East Pakistan later recalled, Sagat Singh was “not one to be bound by petty constraints”.

Any mention of the opportunity to march to Dhaka “...brought a glint into his eyes....once the battle was joined Sagat Singh was not the one to be bound by petty constraints. He would head the race to Dacca,” he says.

Sagat Singh was “bent on exploiting any fleeting opportunity,” Maj Gen Randhir Sinh writes in Sagat Singh, A Talent for War: The Military Biography of Lt Gen Sagat Singh, adding that he was never fixated on written directives.

Meghna Heli Bridge

With his task east of the Meghna River nearing completion, the opportunity had arrived. Sagat Singh was going to put his forces on the road to Dhaka.

But Ashuganj, where the rail bridge to Dhaka lay, was still under Pakistani control. As Indian forces reached within 150 meters of the Meghna bridge, they came under heavy fire from the Pakistanis. With mounting casualties in absence of significant artillery support, the Indian forces wilted down.

The menacing water of the Meghna threatened to put Dhaka out of the reach of the Indian Army’s IV Corps for long enough to force a military stalemate.

To avoid being bogged down by the Pakistan Army in a costly battle to take Ashuganj and the bridge over Meghna, Sagat Singh decided to airlift his forces across the Meghna to put them on the road to Dhaka.

However, the Pakistan Army, still fearing that the Indian forces will get to the Ashuganj bridge over Meghna at some point, blew it up.

“Engineer resources of the magnitude required to span the river obstacle were not immediately available, and were not likely to be so early enough to keep up the momentum of the advance,” Maj Gen Sukhwant Singh writes.

As Sagat Singh’s task was limited to securing land on the east of the Meghna River, no allocation of inland water transport had been made to his forces.

Preparations for the operation

Before the operation could go ahead, the Indian Army had to find a safe landing zone for the force and equipment that was to be airlifted.

By 7 December, Sagat Singh had already completed preliminary reconnaissance for the heliborne operation to airlift troops across the Meghna.


Sagat Singh on aerial reconnaissance. (@SurajPrSingh/X)

On the night of 8 December, he ordered another reconnaissance of the area across the Meghna for a suitable landing zone led by Captain Gurbaksh Singh Sihota.

While flying the reconnaissance mission close to the Meghana bridge with military officers on board, Captain Sihota’s helicopter was targeted by the Pakistanis on the ground with small arms fire. As he scrambled to take the helicopter away from the bridge, he watched it blow up and collapse into the river.

“I had inadvertently come down to 400 feet when we heard the sound of firing. Bullets had gone through the rear of the cockpit and I saw Brig Mishra sitting frozen. Brig Mishra missed losing his head... three bursts of bullets missing his head by no more than three inches,” Sihota, who retired as Lt General, recalls.

Sihota was awarded Vir Chakra for the operation.

On 9 December, as Sihota reached Agartala for an inspection of his helicopter damaged by Pakistani fire, Sagat Singh decided to recce the landing area.

Unaware at this point that the bridge had been blown up, he watched its collapsed span with disappointment. Just moments later, as his helicopter flew lower and closer to the bridge, it was targeted by the Pakistanis by medium machine gun fire.

“...bullets went through the controls and hit Flt Lt Sidhu, the pilot. The passengers sitting behind were splattered by his blood and bone splinters. Sidhu collapsed, the helicopter made a dip but the controls were immediately taken over coolly by Flt Lt Sahi the co-pilot,” Maj Gen Sinh writes.

“...Sagat remained unperturbed, even when a burst shattered the perspex near his head and a bullet grazed his temple like a vermilion mark. He was sitting next to Sahi and half smiling continued to encourage him,” he adds.

Sagat Singh was annoyed and disappointed to find that the enemy had not only blown up the bridge but was still in control of Ashuganj. This made the heliborne operation much more critical for him, and it was to commence by late evening that day.

As enemy interference was expected during the operation from Bhairab Bazaar, a Pakistani-held town on the west bank of the Meghna opposite Ashuganj, most of the operation was to be carried out through the intervening night of 8 and 9 December. The first wave of sorties was to begin just before dusk.

Before the operation began, Sihota went on another reconnaissance mission to “ensure that the Landing Zone was across any distributaries of the Meghna, near the railway line and outside the range of any artillery pieces at Bhairab Bazaar.”

A safe location at a place called Raipur, located nearly 2 km west of the Meghana River, had been selected for the landing of Indian forces.

The operation had to be mounted using the ageing Mi-4 helicopters of the 110 Helicopter Unit of the Indian Air Force. Not all helicopters belonging to this unit were serviceable, and Sagat Singh had to make do with these as the Mi-8s, which he was expecting will arrive in time to replace the Mi-4s, never arrived.

Not just that, the pilots who had to fly the missions across the Meghna carrying troops and equipment had to be qualified for night flying.

4 Gaurds, the unit which was to be flown across the Meghna, had no time to rest and prepare for the herculean operation as it had been pulled out from operations in an area under Pakistani control during its advance towards Ashuganj.


4 Gaurd getting ready to cross the Meghna River. (@SurajPrSingh/X)

First wave and a near disaster

Not just that, he had also lost visual contact with the Mi-4s, and soon realised that they were flying at different altitudes. A disaster was avoided when he improvised, found a new location to land the troops safely and guided the Mi-4s to land at the spot.


Mi-4 of IAF mounting troops in Brahmanbaria on 9 December 1971.

“As soon as they [Mi-4s] had done so [landed] he [Sihota] took off and headed back to Teliamura. He was in a cold sweat and did not 'sleep the whole night', any moment expecting some news of disaster,” writes Maj Gen Sinh.

No bad news arrived.

“There was some desultory shelling but as most of the shells were landing a km away, the enemy soon gave that up,” Maj Gen Sinh adds.

The helicopters had to land in the dark as lighting up the landing zone would have given away the location of the incoming troops instantly, inviting immediate and focused counter from the Pakistani forces on the ground.

But the ingenuity of the pilots and those assisting them on the ground helped. They formed the letter ‘H’, representing the helipad, with hand-held torch lights. The reflector of the torches had been removed to minimize the glare at the pilot’s eye. This arrangement produced just enough light to guide the pilots to land safely.

By 4:30 pm, the 4 Guards unit had landed at Raipur, without resistance from the enemy, and forces continued to fly in till 3 am.


Heli landing across the Meghna River. (@SurajPrSingh/X)

“Nobody looked at the charts to see what we can carry, we just filled up the helicopter and coaxed it to get airborne, very fortunate we had no accidents. We were overloaded most of the time. I can tell you MI-4 never let us down – what a wonderful workhorse,” Squadron Leader Pushp Kumar Vaid, who flew nearly three dozen missions as Flight Lieutenant in such hazardous conditions and was awarded Vir Chakra for it, writes.

Over the next 36 hours, 409 sorties were carried out, and around 5,000 troops and 51 tonnes of equipment had been heli-lifted through the air-bridge.


As Maj Gen Sinh writes, Sagat Singh, “through sheer dint of his personality and at times brutal goading”, had managed to push Indian forces across the mighty Meghna, “an obstacle considered impassable by the sanguine Niazi”.

If not for Sagat Singh, the war may not have ended the way it did — as the swiftest and the most decisive victory in India’s recent military history.

I had mentioned this a few days ago.

This is not a small move, its symbolism not to be missed.

The Indian mega ocean liner is cutting the rope attached to which the small Bangladeshi dinghy trails in its wake.

1971 has been consigned to the annals of history. Academic. Juiceless. Dry.

Cheers, Doc