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Allies are pitching in with commitments to deliver urgently needed weapons for the armed forces.

New Delhi: As Indian troops remain dug in at Ladakh in a prolonged standoff with China, allies are pitching in with commitments to deliver urgently needed weapons and ammunition for the Indian armed forces. France has promised to deliver additional Rafale jets next month, an in-service Israeli air defence system is expected soon, precision artillery rounds will be sent by the US, and Russia will make early deliveries of ammunition and weapons worth $1 billion.

The commitments have been made after top-level bilateral talks and a key meeting in the capital at which it was decided that emergency financial powers will be given to the armed forces to prepare for a prolonged standoff in eastern Ladakh.

The first set of cutting-edge Rafale fighter jets – equipped with perhaps the world’s best long-range air-to-air missiles – is expected to reach India by July 27. As per the initial plan, four fighters were to reach the home base at Ambala next month but sources said that France has now made a commitment to send additional Rafales in the first batch. A total of eight aircraft are nearing certification but it is unclear how many additional fighters could be delivered early.

Ferried by Indian Pilots
The planes will be ferried by Indian pilots who have been trained in France and will be fully combat ready when they arrive at Ambala. Sources said that in support of early delivery, France has committed that it will deploy its aerial refuelers to ensure that the jets make it to India with just a single hop.

Key defence supplier Israel – which showed its commitment as a reliable partner during the Kargil war too – is expected to deliver a much-needed air defence system that will be deployed along the border. Sources said that the unnamed air defence system is likely to come from the current holdings of the Israeli defence forces and would supplement the Ladakh sector. This would be useful as the Chinese side is said to have deployed its newly acquired S-400 air defence system in the sector as well.

India’s largest defence supplier Russia has pledged urgent delivery of weapons, ammunition and missiles that India asked for during the recent visit to Moscow by defence minister Rajnath Singh. A detailed list has been shared by India for several dozen requirements that would cost in excess of $1 billion and a commitment has been received from Russia of delivery within weeks.

Given that most land-based systems such as tanks and armoured carriers are of Russian origin, India is looking for a variety of ammunition that will be required in the event of a larger conflict. The air force is looking for urgent supply of air-dropped bombs and missiles while the army requires anti-tank missiles and man-portable air defence systems for the border.

India’s newest strategic partner – the US – has already been helping out with vital intelligence and satellite imagery that give military planners clarity on the border situation. Sources said that the US has invited India to share a list of all requirements with a commitment to be of assistance at the earliest.

In particular, additional Excalibur artillery rounds have been ordered on an emergency basis. The precision attack rounds with a range of over 40 km are used in a variety of artillery guns in the Indian inventory, including the M 777s that are designed for mountain warfare. These rounds are known for their accuracy and damage potential and have been tried and tested by the army.

With inputs from ET Bureau

PTI

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday stayed the National Law University, Delhi (NLUD) decision to reserve 50 per cent seats for candidates from the national capital.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad asked the NLUD to issue fresh admission notification on or before July 2.

The court said a prima facie case was made out for a stay on the university’s decision.

The court’s interim order came on a plea by NLUD students and alumni who challenged the reservation decision saying it “strikes at the heart of national character and the standards of excellence” of the university.

The students filed the petition against the introduction of 50 per cent horizontal reservation at the university for candidates who have cleared their qualifying examinations from an institute in Delhi.

The last date for submission of application form is June 30, 2020, the petition has said.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on August 18.

One of the petitioners Pia Singh said she intended to pursue LLM from NLUD after graduating from a university in Rajasthan.

The petition also challenges NLUD’s move to increase the seat intake from 80 to 120, saying it was against the express decision of the varsity’s governing council and there was also lack of infrastructure like residential hostels for students, accommodation for teaching and other staff and classrooms.

The plea has claimed that the new admission policy, which provides for the reservation and increased intake, was bad in law as it was notified on January 14, 2020, without approval of the governing council, the plenary authority of NLUD.

Delhi government standing counsel Ramesh Singh had questioned the locus standi of the alumni to move such a plea and the court directed that their names be removed from the petition.

On the petition, Singh had argued that NLUD was not a central university or a national institute of excellence and was only a state university which came into existence on the basis of the Act enacted by the Delhi legislature.

The petition has contended that NLUD’s decision to introduce the reservation from the academic year 2020-21 was “unconstitutional and illegal”.

NLUD has decided to reserve 50 per cent of the total seats for candidates passing the qualifying examination from a recognised school, college or institute located within the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD).

The petition has claimed that the new admission policy seeks to take away the “mandatory residential nature” of NLUD, which would result in “disrupting the academic curriculum, various seminar and certificate courses taken by industry experts and former judges”.

The petition has sought setting aside of the admission notification and related guidelines and a direction that Delhi government has no power to interfere in administrative functioning of NLUD.

Besides that, the plea also seeks a direction to NLUD to bring a fresh revised policy “in conformity with the previous admission notification for academic year 2019-20 and guided by the existing infrastructural constraints and limited number of seats”.

PTI

Uttar Pradesh: Two girls were allegedly raped by their uncles in separate incidents in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda and Chitrakoot, police said on Monday.

In Banda, a nine-year-old girl was abducted by her uncle from her home on Saturday night while she was sleeping, they said.

He allegedly took her to a forest and raped her, SHO of Tindwari police station Ram Dinesh Tiwari said.

The accused, identified as Chandu, was arrested by police based on a complaint lodged by the girl’s father, Tiwari said, adding that he confessed to his crime during interrogation.

The girl was recovered from the forest on Sunday and was rushed to the hospital, where her condition was stated to be stable, the SHO said.

In a similar incident, a 10-year-old girl, who had gone to her grandmother’s house in Chitrakoot for a marriage function, was allegedly raped by her uncle, police said.

SHO of Bharatkoop police station Sanjay Upadhyay said the incident took place on June 20.

The girl narrated her ordeal to her family members on June 24 after which police were informed and an FIR was registered in the case on June 27, he said.

Police arrested the accused, identified as Gorelal, on Sunday and the girl was sent to a hospital for medical examination.