Indian Navy reaches North Pole

The Indian Navy team has done the unthinkable! The Indian team reached the geographic North Pole at 2016 Hrs (local time) on the night of 9th April 2008. Having created many a records in the past including the successful ascent of Mt. Everest in 2004 and ski traverse to the geographic South Pole in 2006, the team of ten officers and men of Indian Navy set out for a historic ski traverse to The North Pole at 90° North. The team reached North Pole yesterday night, thereby doing India and Navy proud. They became first ever Indian Team to have successfully ski traversed to both the geographic poles. With this extraordinary feat, three of the ten members would have also joined the elite club to successfully complete the “Three Poles” Challenge.The Three Poles Challenge includes successful traverse to the North Pole, South Pole and ascent of Mt. Everest, considered to be the third pole. By far, this is regarded as amongst the most daring feats in the genre of adventure sports.Commencing 02 April the team progressed to the desired goal facing numerous challenges enroute. The ski traverse to the North Pole was replete with hazards of high winds, freezing temperatures, polar bears, water leads, pressure ridges and variable sea drift. Heavy Odds not withstanding, the navy’s mavericks have created history. The spirit of selfless desire to achieve such a feat for the country and the navy is in keeping with the highest traditions.The team members exuded pride, exemplary motivation & great emotion during the Phone-in ceremony. The team was congratulated by Vice Admireal Sekhar Sinha, Controller of personnel service, who also conveyed the felicitation message on behalf of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta. The team leader then interacted over the phone with members of the media and described in details the surroundings, details of the traverse and the elation felt on having achieved the rare feat.The team had earlier, left India on 24 th of Mar 08 and commenced the first leg of their journey at Oslo, capital of Norway. From Oslo the team flew to Longyearbyen and then onwards to the Arctic Ice Cap. Interestingly, Longyearbyen has the northernmost airport in the world and is the main township of the Svalbard group of islands. Greater details would be available when the Heroes return back and share their wonderful experiences.*Records Attempted:1. 1st Indian team to Ski Traverse to the Geographic North Pole2. 1st Indians to complete the Three Pole Challenge3. 1st Indian Everest Summiteers to the South and North Pole4. First organization in the world to complete the Three PolesThe team was led by Cdr Satyabrata Dam. Lt Cdr Avinash Khajuria, Surg Lt Cdr Ajay Sharma, MCERA Rajkumar, Petty Officer Medical Assitants Rakesh Kumar and Vikas Kumar, Brijendra Singh, SEA I PT II, LME Ramendra Pandey, Manoj Vats and Sonam Tamchos are part of the 10-member expedition team. Commander Satyabrata notably has been the leader of the previous two successful expeditions to Mount Everest and South Pole also.

India plans more frequent joint exercises with US Navy

As a major force for stability in the Indian Ocean, India will continue regular joint exercises with the US and other major navies with increasing frequency for enhancing maritime security, says the Indian ambassador to the US. “As a responsible maritime power, India is a major force for stability in the Indian Ocean,” ambassador Ronen Sen said at the opening session of a workshop on “The Indian Ocean Region Today” at the US National Defence University here Tuesday.“We have regular joint exercises with almost all major navies in the Indian Ocean, including the US Navy,” he said. “These exercises will continue, with increasing frequency, with the objective of achieving inter-operability and enhancing maritime security.”“India remains committed to an Indian Ocean region that is stable and peaceful,” said Sen, citing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s inaugural address at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium hosted by the Indian Navy last February in New Delhi.Manmohan Singh had said: “We would like to cooperate with all like-minded countries so as to ensure the freedom of the seas for all nations, and to deepen trade and economic linkages between Indian Ocean Rim countries.”Expressing serious concern about the maritime challenges posed by the increase in piracy, terrorism, trafficking of narcotics, arms, and also human beings, Sen said: “India has unfortunately faced these threats, much before their global nature was fully recognised.”The bomb blasts, which claimed hundreds of lives in Mumbai in 1993 were caused by explosives smuggled by sea, he said, recalling that the ship, Alondra Rainbows, a hijacked Japanese owned and Panama registered ship, was captured, after a tense stand-off, by the Indian Navy in 1999.Noting that the Indian Ocean accounts for around 70 percent of the world’s natural disasters, the envoy said India remained willing to offer training and capacity building in prediction, modelling and early forecasting of such natural disasters.The Indian and the US navies had cooperated closely in relief operations after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in end-December 2004, together with those of Japan and, to some extent, Australia, he recalled. In July 2005, an India-US Disaster Response Initiative was announced.“India has vital stakes in stability and security in the Indian Ocean,” Sen said, noting the country is located at the natural junction of important sea-lanes of communications, and strategic choke points, such as the Straits of Malacca and the Straits of Hormuz.The maritime area around India is among the busiest in the world, with over 100,000 ships crossing it every year. Currently, 90 percent of India’s trade, by volume, and about 75 percent, by value, move by ship, he said.By 2025, India is poised to become the third largest global importer of oil. Much of this will be by sea. India is the third largest fish producing country in the world. However, its annual catch is only about 8.5 million tons, against a potential of at least 40 million tons a year.Across the Arabian Sea are states, which are vitally important sources of India’s energy needs, apart from being home to nearly 4.5 million Indian expatriates, Sen said. To its north, India is separated from Central Asia by less than 40 miles. The Indian Ocean is a natural outlet to the world for energy rich Central Asia.Across the Bay of Bengal are India’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) neighbours, he said.“We have long been a Dialogue Partner of Asean, and a Summit Partner since 2002. We have been actively engaged in the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), which is the only political and security dialogue forum in the region,” Sen said.

Afghan Defence Minister in Kashmir

Afghanistan's Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, currently on a week-long visit to India, Friday visited disputed Kashmir province to witness Indian counter militancy operations.
Upon his arrival in Srinagar, the minister accompanied by a six- member delegation, was briefed by top military commanders at Badamibagh here.
Badamibagh is the headquarters of Indian army's 15th Corps, engaged in fighting Muslim militants for past 19 years.
Minister Wardak was given a presentation on the way Indian army conducts its anti-militancy operations, official sources said.
Around sixty to seventy thousand people have been killed in the militant struggle for an independent Kashmir.
Indian officials say militancy has been largely contained and a near normal situation prevails in Kashmir now.
They are expecting biggest ever rush of tourists in years to scenic Kashmir this year.
Wardak's visit to Kashmir, first by an Afghan Minister in 3 decades, is loaded with lot of symbolism, observers here say.
The very fact that the Afghan defence minister is being taken to Kashmir indicates the significance of the visit and the underlying message that will go across to Pakistan.
Indian troops have been fighting Kashmiri militants for last 19 years.
Many of the militant groups were backed by Pakistan and some of them with links to Taliban.
However, there has been no evidence of Taliban or al-Qaeda militants' presence in Kashmir.

Army orders for 3,000 HAPO bags to fight high-altitude sickness

Maintaining its position along the Actual Ground Position Line, the Indian Army battles on the highest terrains in Siachen glacier region where the inclement weather is its biggest adversary. The forbidding terrains have claimed more casualties then the enemy's bullets.Despite improved living conditions and hi-tech communication facilities, army personnel stationed at higher terrains often fall prey to high-altitude pulmonary oedema (Hapo). Hapo is a condition where water collects in lungs of the infected and takes a life-threatening form. The only remedial measure for this illness is to immediately evacuate the soldier to lower altitudes and pump in fresh oxygen. But at these posts, where every move is a laborious exercise, where a helicopter evacuation is at the mercy of the weather gods, the survival options are minimal.Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL) in Bangalore has unveiled a unique solution for those affected by Hapo. It has developed a life-saving Hapo bag. Patients affected by Hapo can wait in these magical bags, till evacuated to safer climes. Hapo normally sets in when soldiers posted at high altitudes of about 3,000 metres are exposed to the feral elements. Water accumulation in the lungs of the patient leads to a rise in the carbon-dioxide levels in the body. Once tucked into a Hapo bag, the patients’ condition is reversed. The bag absorbs carbon dioxide from the body by increasing pressure, temperature and pumping in oxygen, DEBEL director V C Padaki explained.The Hapo bag has been extensively field-tested and the Army has ordered around 3,000 Hapo bags costing one lakh rupees each. Debel, a DRDO unit, which developed the Hapo bag has transferred the technology to three private industries in Pune, Rajkot and Kolkata. “We have transferred knowledge to these three private industries who have been our development partners. They are now manufacturing the bags. Around 1,100 Hapo bags are in the process of being delivered to the Army. The entire lot will be made by the end of the year. This will help the Army reduce its casualty rates,” Padaki said.Padaki said DEBEL is not interested in exporting or selling these bags to private parties involved in mountaineering expeditions. “We are trying to meet the requirements of the Army alone. That is our priority.” The unique feature of the Hapo bag is the ability to rejuvenate the patient in debilitating conditions. “The person can easily be inside the bag for a week. This helps if the unit is caught up in bad weather and the patient cannot be transferred to lower altitudes or given immediate medical help,” averred one of the scientists.Once an officer or jawan is nestled inside the life-saving bag, the Army unit can think of options to evacuate him. Presently, a foot pump needs to be operated to keep the patient stable. Debel is experimenting with other viable options like the hand pump, which can be operated by the patient himself. The one-man portable Hapo chamber is meant for operations in Kashmir, Siachen, Ladakh, Himalayan posts and the North East. The cost of the imported bags varies from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh per piece. “The Hapo bags developed by Debel have been designed for the Indian soldier. A lot of foreign exchange can be saved due to this indigenous effort,” Padaki affirmed.