Depression Over Southeast Arabian Sea
Depression Over Southeast Arabian Sea
A Depression has formed over southeast Arabian Sea. At 0830 hrs IST today, the 28th October 2015, it lay centered about 1200 km southwest of Mumbai and about 1320 km southeast of Salalah (Oman). It expected to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a Deep Depression during next 24 hours and into a Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 24 hours. It would then move westwards towards Yemen and adjoining Oman coast.
As the system is expected to move away from the Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along and off west coast of India. However, the fishermen over Lakshadweep area are advised to be cautious while venturing into the sea during next 24 hours. In another warning the Indian Meteorological Department has advised the fishermen to be cautious as they venture into the seas off and along the Coasts of Tamilnadu also.
Related satellite imagery picture is as below:
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India and France sign an agreement on digital preservation and conservation of rare written treasures.
Indian and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conserve, develop and publicize written heritage, at the National Library in Kolkata today. Smt Sreya Guha, Joint Secretary (Library) in the Ministry of Culture and Mr. Bruno Racine, President of the National Library of France signed the MoU on behalf of their respective countries. This will entail development of digital co-operation, sharing of technical and other expertise, competency and skill-building and cultural co-operation between the two countries.
The MoU will assist a programme on digitization of old manuscripts and documents, begun in France seven years ago, as it will make it possible for gaining their experience and high –quality expertise in this field. Smt. Guha said that the Ministry of Culture is emphasizing on the project of building a National Virtual Library in India which will store and share numerous manuscripts, archives, artworks etc and this co-operation will go a long way in efficient implementation of this project. The National Virtual Library will link and share all knowledge resources lying within the possession of various government institutes and other organizations of both the countries. France is also keen to avail India’s assistance in sorting out, deciphering and gaining a better insight into their collection of the several thousands of Indian documents, especially in Sanskrit and Tamil languages,that are archived in their possession. Mr. Racine mentioned a number of correspondences between Rabindranath Tagore and French scholar Sylvan Levin lying with them. All these can be made a part of the digital collection, he said. Mr. Racine disclosed that a number of joint Indo-French symposia and conferences in connection with this are lined up.
The Director General of National Library, Dr. Arun Kumar Chakraborty and the new Consul-General of France in Kolkata, who were also present on the occasion, said that capacity and skill building programmes under the agreement will give a boost to Make In India and Skill India programmes.
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BRO must maintain Transparency and Accountability in Quality Road Construction – Rao Inderjit Singh
The Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh has emphasized on the need for maintaining transparency and accountability in the execution of road projects by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Addressing the Annual BRO Chief Engineers’ Conference 2015 here today, the Minister who is also the Chairman Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) said the main concern in road construction is maintaining the quality in construction with transparency. “I am told that few steps have already been taken in this regard and few more are in the pipeline”, he stated. He further added that there is a general awareness amongst the users and there is an increased aspiration in terms of riding quality and roadside amenities.
Speaking on environmental and ecological issues pertaining to construction of new roads in remote areas, the Minister reiterated that the Government has taken various policy decisions in easing-out procedures for according clearances to defence projects. All these initiatives will help executives and engineers on ground for faster construction of infrastructure in border areas. He also stressed on the need for the organisation to put in their best to fulfil the strategic needs of the country and to meet the requirements for the socio economic development of the region as a whole.
The Minister commended the organisation for doing excellent work in building roads in remote areas and achieving the targets set for construction of strategic roads which includes Indo-China border roads in north and north-eastern borders despite all odds. He also acknowledged rescue and rehabilitation works carried out by the Organisation despite adverse climatic conditions during the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir last year.
Earlier the Minister was received by the DGBR Lt Gen RM Mittal on his arrival at BRO headquarters to address the conference.
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Naval Commanders’ Conference Concludes
Navy’s Role is Not Only Vital for National Security, but also for National Prosperity and Development: Admiral RK Dhowan
The second edition of this years’ bi-annual Naval Commanders' Conference was conducted at New Delhi from 26-28 Oct 15. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan chaired the conference and addressed the Navy’s top leadership on à host of issues including enhancing operational readiness of the Commands, infrastructure development, human resources management, coastal security, cyber security in the Indian Navy and foreign cooperation initiatives, amongst others.
Emphasising upon India’s geographic location and the prevailing security situation which demands continuous vigil and readiness to respond to any contingencies in our area of interest, the Admiral urged the Commanders’ to maintain highest combat readiness of our platforms and diligent monitoring of developments in the maritime domain. He complimented all ranks of the Navy in maintaining a high tempo of operations with our ships deployed at extended ranges from our coasts, spanning from the South China Sea and Sea of Japan in the East to the Persian Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean in the West and at the same time remaining focused on maritime and coastal security in close liaison with other national authorities and agencies.
The Admiral lauded the efforts of the Navy for its focused action in deterring piracy attempts off the Gulf of Aden and closer to our islands in the Arabian Sea. Indian Navy’s presence and proactive operations in the area have instilled a sense of confidence in the shipping industry and has been a major contributory factor in the recent decision by CGPCS to shift the eastern limit of High Risk Area from 78 Degrees East to 65 Degrees East. He highlighted that not even one Indian owned ship has been hijacked since Oct 2008 due to the Indian Navy’s proactive anti-piracy stance.
The Naval Commanders’ discussed the numerous initiatives taken by the Navy to usher in E- governance for providing greater impetus to the Indian Navy’s integration with the ‘Digital India’ initiative wherein measures to further strengthen cyber security in the Navy were also examined.
The Naval Commanders’ deliberated on the key technological enablers for transformation of the Navy. The CNS complimented the Commanders for good pace of modernisation with focus on ‘Indigenisation’ and urged continued and sustained efforts with progressive substitution of imports by ‘Make in India’. These discussions should serve as a roadmap for the future Navy till 2030 as Indigenisation, in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, is the key driver for this roadmap. The Navy has been at the forefront of indigenisation with 47 ships currently under construction at Indian shipyards.
One of the focus areas discussed during the conference was the induction of manpower, aspects pertaining to training and skill development, and welfare of personnel. Consequent to 2015 being observed as the ‘Year of the Sailor’ in the Indian Navy, various aspects related to service conditions of sailors and their quality of life (including post retirement placements, accommodation and hospital facilities etc. for them and their next of kin) were deliberated extensively. The CNS stated that men and women behind the machine are the Navy’s greatest strength and are our greatest asset and their morale and well-being should always remain our primary concern.
During the course of the conference, the CNS reviewed progress of various infrastructure projects that are in the pipeline and shall contribute towards capacity building. The need to adopt sustainable green technologies, re-cycling and waste management to reduce carbon footprint of our bases, in pursuance of the energy goals of our country as also to have ‘zero carbon footprint’ were also stressed upon by the CNS.
Consolidation and strengthening of the rapidly expanding aviation arm of the Navy was discussed. Deliberations were also held on infrastructure and manning requirements for new induction aircraft, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and enhancement of surveillance in our area of interest.
The CNS reviewed the 'coastal security construct' and was satisfied with the steady progress made in strengthening the coastal security apparatus viz. induction of FICs, ISVs and NC3 I project. He asserted the need to remain ever vigilant and focussed towards our coastal security responsibilities through proactive coordination with other maritime agencies and coastal states.
In order to have a better understanding of the navies of the world and share best operational practices; the arrangements for the forthcoming mega event i.e. International Fleet Review (IFR) scheduled at Visakhapatnam in Feb 16 were also reviewed.
The Conference also provided an opportunity to the Commanders to interact with the MoD officials wherein various pending issues were discussed. The Admiral also released the revised ‘Strategic Guidance to Transformation: A Passage Plan for the 21st Century’, a document which identifies the key enablers and taskings for transforming the Indian Navy to meet its growing role and operational responsibilities over the coming decades.
In his closing address the CNS complimented all personnel of the Indian Navy for their professionalism and patriotism and exhorted them to prepare themselves and the Navy to meet all future maritime security challenges before the country. Operational consideration should remain our collective focus in the coming years, he said. The Navy’s role is not only vital for national security, but also for national prosperity and development, he concluded.
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A Depression has formed over southeast Arabian Sea. At 0830 hrs IST today, the 28th October 2015, it lay centered about 1200 km southwest of Mumbai and about 1320 km southeast of Salalah (Oman). It expected to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a Deep Depression during next 24 hours and into a Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 24 hours. It would then move westwards towards Yemen and adjoining Oman coast.
As the system is expected to move away from the Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along and off west coast of India. However, the fishermen over Lakshadweep area are advised to be cautious while venturing into the sea during next 24 hours. In another warning the Indian Meteorological Department has advised the fishermen to be cautious as they venture into the seas off and along the Coasts of Tamilnadu also.
Related satellite imagery picture is as below:
***********
Indian and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conserve, develop and publicize written heritage, at the National Library in Kolkata today. Smt Sreya Guha, Joint Secretary (Library) in the Ministry of Culture and Mr. Bruno Racine, President of the National Library of France signed the MoU on behalf of their respective countries. This will entail development of digital co-operation, sharing of technical and other expertise, competency and skill-building and cultural co-operation between the two countries.
The MoU will assist a programme on digitization of old manuscripts and documents, begun in France seven years ago, as it will make it possible for gaining their experience and high –quality expertise in this field. Smt. Guha said that the Ministry of Culture is emphasizing on the project of building a National Virtual Library in India which will store and share numerous manuscripts, archives, artworks etc and this co-operation will go a long way in efficient implementation of this project. The National Virtual Library will link and share all knowledge resources lying within the possession of various government institutes and other organizations of both the countries. France is also keen to avail India’s assistance in sorting out, deciphering and gaining a better insight into their collection of the several thousands of Indian documents, especially in Sanskrit and Tamil languages,that are archived in their possession. Mr. Racine mentioned a number of correspondences between Rabindranath Tagore and French scholar Sylvan Levin lying with them. All these can be made a part of the digital collection, he said. Mr. Racine disclosed that a number of joint Indo-French symposia and conferences in connection with this are lined up.
The Director General of National Library, Dr. Arun Kumar Chakraborty and the new Consul-General of France in Kolkata, who were also present on the occasion, said that capacity and skill building programmes under the agreement will give a boost to Make In India and Skill India programmes.
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The Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh has emphasized on the need for maintaining transparency and accountability in the execution of road projects by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Addressing the Annual BRO Chief Engineers’ Conference 2015 here today, the Minister who is also the Chairman Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) said the main concern in road construction is maintaining the quality in construction with transparency. “I am told that few steps have already been taken in this regard and few more are in the pipeline”, he stated. He further added that there is a general awareness amongst the users and there is an increased aspiration in terms of riding quality and roadside amenities.
Speaking on environmental and ecological issues pertaining to construction of new roads in remote areas, the Minister reiterated that the Government has taken various policy decisions in easing-out procedures for according clearances to defence projects. All these initiatives will help executives and engineers on ground for faster construction of infrastructure in border areas. He also stressed on the need for the organisation to put in their best to fulfil the strategic needs of the country and to meet the requirements for the socio economic development of the region as a whole.
The Minister commended the organisation for doing excellent work in building roads in remote areas and achieving the targets set for construction of strategic roads which includes Indo-China border roads in north and north-eastern borders despite all odds. He also acknowledged rescue and rehabilitation works carried out by the Organisation despite adverse climatic conditions during the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir last year.
Earlier the Minister was received by the DGBR Lt Gen RM Mittal on his arrival at BRO headquarters to address the conference.
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Naval Commanders’ Conference Concludes
Navy’s Role is Not Only Vital for National Security, but also for National Prosperity and Development: Admiral RK Dhowan
The second edition of this years’ bi-annual Naval Commanders' Conference was conducted at New Delhi from 26-28 Oct 15. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan chaired the conference and addressed the Navy’s top leadership on à host of issues including enhancing operational readiness of the Commands, infrastructure development, human resources management, coastal security, cyber security in the Indian Navy and foreign cooperation initiatives, amongst others.
Emphasising upon India’s geographic location and the prevailing security situation which demands continuous vigil and readiness to respond to any contingencies in our area of interest, the Admiral urged the Commanders’ to maintain highest combat readiness of our platforms and diligent monitoring of developments in the maritime domain. He complimented all ranks of the Navy in maintaining a high tempo of operations with our ships deployed at extended ranges from our coasts, spanning from the South China Sea and Sea of Japan in the East to the Persian Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean in the West and at the same time remaining focused on maritime and coastal security in close liaison with other national authorities and agencies.
The Admiral lauded the efforts of the Navy for its focused action in deterring piracy attempts off the Gulf of Aden and closer to our islands in the Arabian Sea. Indian Navy’s presence and proactive operations in the area have instilled a sense of confidence in the shipping industry and has been a major contributory factor in the recent decision by CGPCS to shift the eastern limit of High Risk Area from 78 Degrees East to 65 Degrees East. He highlighted that not even one Indian owned ship has been hijacked since Oct 2008 due to the Indian Navy’s proactive anti-piracy stance.
The Naval Commanders’ discussed the numerous initiatives taken by the Navy to usher in E- governance for providing greater impetus to the Indian Navy’s integration with the ‘Digital India’ initiative wherein measures to further strengthen cyber security in the Navy were also examined.
The Naval Commanders’ deliberated on the key technological enablers for transformation of the Navy. The CNS complimented the Commanders for good pace of modernisation with focus on ‘Indigenisation’ and urged continued and sustained efforts with progressive substitution of imports by ‘Make in India’. These discussions should serve as a roadmap for the future Navy till 2030 as Indigenisation, in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, is the key driver for this roadmap. The Navy has been at the forefront of indigenisation with 47 ships currently under construction at Indian shipyards.
One of the focus areas discussed during the conference was the induction of manpower, aspects pertaining to training and skill development, and welfare of personnel. Consequent to 2015 being observed as the ‘Year of the Sailor’ in the Indian Navy, various aspects related to service conditions of sailors and their quality of life (including post retirement placements, accommodation and hospital facilities etc. for them and their next of kin) were deliberated extensively. The CNS stated that men and women behind the machine are the Navy’s greatest strength and are our greatest asset and their morale and well-being should always remain our primary concern.
During the course of the conference, the CNS reviewed progress of various infrastructure projects that are in the pipeline and shall contribute towards capacity building. The need to adopt sustainable green technologies, re-cycling and waste management to reduce carbon footprint of our bases, in pursuance of the energy goals of our country as also to have ‘zero carbon footprint’ were also stressed upon by the CNS.
Consolidation and strengthening of the rapidly expanding aviation arm of the Navy was discussed. Deliberations were also held on infrastructure and manning requirements for new induction aircraft, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and enhancement of surveillance in our area of interest.
The CNS reviewed the 'coastal security construct' and was satisfied with the steady progress made in strengthening the coastal security apparatus viz. induction of FICs, ISVs and NC3 I project. He asserted the need to remain ever vigilant and focussed towards our coastal security responsibilities through proactive coordination with other maritime agencies and coastal states.
In order to have a better understanding of the navies of the world and share best operational practices; the arrangements for the forthcoming mega event i.e. International Fleet Review (IFR) scheduled at Visakhapatnam in Feb 16 were also reviewed.
The Conference also provided an opportunity to the Commanders to interact with the MoD officials wherein various pending issues were discussed. The Admiral also released the revised ‘Strategic Guidance to Transformation: A Passage Plan for the 21st Century’, a document which identifies the key enablers and taskings for transforming the Indian Navy to meet its growing role and operational responsibilities over the coming decades.
In his closing address the CNS complimented all personnel of the Indian Navy for their professionalism and patriotism and exhorted them to prepare themselves and the Navy to meet all future maritime security challenges before the country. Operational consideration should remain our collective focus in the coming years, he said. The Navy’s role is not only vital for national security, but also for national prosperity and development, he concluded.
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