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T h e O N LY j o u r n a l i n A s i a d e d i c a t e d t o L a n d F o r c e s
In This Issue
India is all set to join the Ballistic Missile Defence club. The recent successful test-fire of an interceptor system shows that a workable missile defence shield for the country is not a long way off.
Internet Protocol Security is complex evolutionary process and an important aspect of military communications. It assumes greater importance in view of the operationally sensitive data conveyed.
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P U B L I C AT I O N
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45 YEARS FINAL.indd 1
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LT COLONEL S. NATARAJAN
E di torial The Indian electorate has once again proved its maturity and wisdom. The Congress-led UPA has been given an adequate majority and a fresh mandate to govern at a time when the country is facing serious challenges in the fields of human resource development, infrastructure and economic development, and national security. India’s immediate neighbourhood is on the boil once again. Sri Lanka has announced the military defeat of the LTTE. While no one is shedding tears for the rebel outfit, immediate humanitarian aid for its Tamil population together with a fair political solution would set the foundation for democracy and peace in the island nation’s embattled north. Pakistan’s military has finally decided to clear the Taliban from the Swat Valley and is employing tanks, heavy artillery, and attack helicopters to neutralise the militants. The collateral damage has resulted in the displacement of 1.85 million people of the Swat region already. It is obvious Islamabad has shown no restraint or mercy for its own people. Nepal continues to be an unstable democracy. The crisis following resignation of the Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahl Prachanda on May 5 goes on even though the decks have been cleared for Madhav Kumar Nepal of the CPN–UML to be the next Prime Minister of Nepal. In the current scenario, India will have to use all its political and diplomatic skills to ensure the country’s national interests are not jeopardised. This issue carries an interview of Signals Officer-in-Chief Lt General P. Mohapatra, and articles of topical interest on body armour, air defence radars, network centric warfare, communication security and artillery modernisation, among others.
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LT GENERAL (RETD) S.R.R. AIYENGAR
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“Since the Indian army is so large and do not have an unlimited budget, you must take advantage of the legacy equipment already in the field, and construct a Battle Management System that can utilise that technology.”—DANIEL VERWIEL, Director, BMS DSD, Northrop Grumman
Face t o Fa c e
Photographs: Sharad Saxena
2009
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2009
Issue 3 • 2009
‘Ready for futuristic communication challenges’ Interacting with SP’s Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal and SP’s Land Forces Editor Lieutenant General (Retd) V.K. Kapoor, Signals Officer-in-Chief Lieutenant General P. Mohapatra, AVSM, communicates the latest developments and distinctions of the Corps of Signals
SP’s Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal presents a copy of SP’s Military Yearbook 2008-2009 to Defence Minister A.K. Antony
Lt General (Retd) V.K. Kapoor
SP’s Land Forces (SP’s): Define the roles and charter of duties of the Corps of Signals. Is the policy for planning communications at unit level also within the charter?
Signals Officer-in-Chief (SO-in-C): The role of Corps of Signals is to provide reliable communication support to the Indian Army (IA), across the entire spectrum of conflict as well as its peace-time
communication requirements. As communicators, the prime duty of Corps of Signals is to evolve, establish and maintain the communication channels of the IA, one of the largest standing armies in the world. Corps of Signals is an arm with varied commitments, and the task of Information Warriors is unique and challenging. Apart from providing the backbone and access to communication,
all communication needs of the entire IA are coordinated by the Corps. SP’s: Are the strategic and tactical level communications in the army keeping pace with the galloping field of communication technologies in the 21st century?
SO-in-C: Certainly, the journey of the Corps from Morse to Mouse has pre3/2009 SP’S LAND FORCES
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