The Indian Army expressed grief over the death of two officers who lost their lives in an accidental grenade blast along the Line of Control in the Mendhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch on Monday.
“General officer commanding (GOC) @Whiteknight_IA and all Ranks salute brave hearts Capt Anand and Nb Sub Bhagwan Singh who made the supreme sacrifice while performing their duties on the LoC in Mendhar Sector. We offer deepest condolences to their family members,” the White Knight Corps tweeted.
According to the Defence PRO, Jammu, the officers succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
“Last night, an accidental grenade blast occurred in Mendhar sector, Dist Poonch when troops were performing their duties along the Line of Control. The blast resulted in injuries to soldiers. During the treatment, one officer and one JCO succumbed to their injuries,” said PRO Defence Jammu.
The blast occurred along the Line of Control (LOC) on Sunday night, when the Army troops were performing their duties, thus injuring them. All the injured soldiers were immediately evacuated to Udhampur via helicopter.
Para (Special Forces) also known as Para SF, are a group of special forces battalions of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian Army. These units specialize in various roles including hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defence, counter-proliferation, counter-insurgency, seek and destroy, and personnel recovery.
13 PARA SF
A few days back, we saw news stating that a new Para SF batallion has been raised which is named as 13 Para SF and are also called Thunderbolt Thirteen.
As of now, the Indian Army had total of nine SF battalions – 1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12, and 21.
Now we have the newest batallion resulting in the 10th SF battalion of the Indian Army.
Although, not much information about this battalion is there in the open source but choosing the number 13 as it may sound unlucky or not auspicious resounds the fact that this is yet another dreaded covert battalion of the Para SF, much like the 9 PARA SF which was famously known as the “ghost battalion” of the Indian Army, hence the number 13 gives the battalion a deadly profile for what SF is known for.
Also, it should be noted that this battalion came into the existence after the raising of the armed forces special operations division (AFSOD). The AFSOD came into operation back in 2019. So we can say that the 13 Para SF can especially cater to the interest of the AFSOD and its growing area of responsibility.
As we know that the Indian Army follows a multi-skilled approach in raising such specialized units. Guesses can be made that this battalion might hold multi-skills to its envelope like other PARA SF battalions.
It can also be seen that 13 Para SF can also play a major role in undertaking Special Operations in the mountainous terrain, especially given the experience the Army gained in the recent entanglement with the PLA in the Leh and Ladakh region during the skirmishes in the India China border.
So we can say that raising a new SF batallion is not only customary important but also strategically important to serve the specific needs of the Indian Army.
What’s in the Future?
Conjectures can be made by saying that the Indian Army has got enough experience from the recent disputes on the India-China border. And by these experiences Army is implementing what needs to be done. This also gives an indication that the posture of India vis-à-vis China is changing. Now, India is not merely interested in undertaking a defensive posture when it comes to China but is looking forward towards developing offensive capabilities. Given the new approach of the Army, there is the possibility that more such new battalions and the task forces would be created based on modern age requirements as we face the constant threat of two-front conflict.
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Hope this article helps. Jai Hind.
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PM Modi Participated In The First-Ever I2U2 Virtual Summit Along With The Heads Of State Of Israel, The UAE, And The US On Thursday (July 14, 2022).
What Is I2U2:
I2U2 Is A New Alliance Created By 4 Countries: India, Israel, The United Arab Emirates, And The United States.
The Countries Share Several Global Challenges, Including The Food Security Crisis, Green Energy, And Defence, Which Will Be A Focus Of The Four-Nation Summit.
The Possible Joint Projects Within The Framework Of I2U2 As Well As The Other Common Areas Of Mutual Interest To Strengthen The Economic Partnership In Trade And Investment In The Respective Regions And Beyond.
These Projects Can Serve As A Model For Economic Cooperation And Offer Opportunities.
I2U2 Is Aimed To Encourage Joint Investments In Six Mutually Identified Areas As Water, Energy, Transportation, Space, Health, And Food Security.
It Intends To Mobilize Private Sector Capital And Expertise To Help Modernize The Infrastructure, Low Carbon Development & Green Technologies Etc.
I2U2 Summit 2022 – Highlights:
The Inaugural I2U2 Leaders Meeting Focussed On The Food Security Crisis And Clean Energy. Innovative Ways Were Discussed To Ensure Longer-term, More Diversified Food Production And Delivery Systems That Can Better Manage Global Food Shocks.
Intend To Mobilize Private Sector Capital And Expertise To Modernize Infrastructure, Advance Low Carbon Development Pathways For Industries, Improve Public Health And Access To Vaccines, And Advance Physical Connectivity Between Countries In The Middle East Region.
The UAE Will Invest Two Billion Dollars To Develop A Series Of Integrated Food Parks Across India That Will Incorporate State-of-the-art Climate-smart Technologies To Reduce Food Waste And Spoilage, Conserve Fresh Water And Employ Renewable Energy Sources.
India Will Provide Appropriate Land For The Project And Will Facilitate Farmers’ Integration Into The Food Parks.
The US And Israeli Private Sectors Will Be Invited To Lend Their Expertise And Offer Innovative Solutions That Contribute To The Project’s Overall Sustainability. These Investments Will Help Maximize Crop Yields And Help Tackle Food Insecurity In South Asia And The Middle East.
The I2U2 Group Will Advance A Hybrid Renewable Energy Project In Gujarat Consisting Of 300 Mega Watts Of Wind And Solar Capacity Complemented By A Battery Energy Storage System. The US Trade And Development Agency Funded A Feasibility Study For The 330-million Dollar Project.
UAE-Based Companies Are Exploring Opportunities To Serve As Critical Knowledge And Investment Partners. Israel And The US Intend To Work With The UAE And India To Highlight Private Sector Opportunities.
Indian Companies Are Keen To Participate In This Project And Contribute To India’s Goal Of Achieving 500 GW Of Non-fossil Fuel Capacity By 2030.
Significance Of I2U2 For India:
India Will Get An Important Role To Play In West-Asian Policies
Benefit From Large Untapped Market Full Of Potential
Greater Say In Global Politics & Thrust to Geopolitical Presence
Security Of Indian Diaspora And Hassle-Free Remittances
Challenges Associated With I2U2:
Arab-Israeli Problem
Internal Conflicts of the Arab World
China’s Expanding Presence in the Middle East
Possible Splitting of Countries For Lobbying Purpose
Way Forward:
Better Opportunity For India To Play A More Active Role As Far As Cooperation With West Asia Is Concerned.
Issues Such As Energy Security, Food Security, Workers, Trade, Investment, And Maritime Security Could Be Discussed And Worked Upon.
Enhancement Diplomatically And Strategically In This Region & Cooperation Among The Four Countries.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Which Alliance Is Also Called As “Quad Of West Asia”
NATO
ASEAN
I2U2
NAFTA
ANSWER: C
Not A Member Of the I2U2 Alliance
India
Israel
USA
Ukraine
ANSWER: D
I2U2 Summit 2022 Took Place At
Washington DC
Tel Aviv
New Delhi
None
ANSWER: D
I2U2 Alliance Was Conceptualized In
June 2021
July 2021
October 2021
November 2021
ANSWER: C
I2U2: Areas Of Cooperation
Food Security
Green Energy
Transportation
All The Above
ANSWER: D
Initially, the Name Of I2U2 Alliance Was
West Asian QUAD
Alliance For Middle Eastern Security
International Forum For Economic Cooperation
Forum For Indo-pacific & Gulf Cooperation
ANSWER: C
Capital Of UAE
Dubai
Abu Dhabi
Sharjah
Ajman
ANSWER: B
Capital Of Israel
Tel Aviv
Jerusalem
Haifa
Bethlehem
ANSWER: B
I2U2: 300 Mega Watts Of Wind And Solar Capacity Projects
Andhra Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat
Maharashtra
ANSWER: C
I2U2: 2 Billion Dollars Integrated Food Parks Across India
Israel
USA
UAE
China
ANSWER: C
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Every officer has to command his troops, motivate them and brief them the plan. This needs confidence and clarity in voice and words. To check all these, SSB panel conducts a test in GTO, known as lecturette. In this task, the candidate is given a card having 4 topics and a 3 minute time to prepare for it. After 3 minutes, the candidate has to deliver a lecture over one of the selected topic. Well, candidates should stay aware of all aspects related to this task.
Some points to remember to lustre your performance in lecturette are given below.
Try to choose any of the top two topics
Wind up the lecture in time (3 minutes)
Use Hindi, in case you stuck while speaking
Speak major points, avoid pushing around.
The soul of the lecturette is the composition of lecture. Now, coming to its composition, candidates must go through the following points to frame a lecture.
Make an outline of what you have to speak – The 3 minutes given to you, should be utilized for making an outline of main points that you have to speak out. Just remember the main points. And make a sequence of those points.
Introduction, body and conclusion – Segregate all the points in three segments, i.e. introduction, body/ material and conclusion. All the three segments are to be individually covered in 1 minute each totalling to 3 minutes
Don’t give bulky descriptions – The time is limited and the matter to be conveyed clearly. So don’t add deep description. Going point to point saves time and saves you from entangling in your own points.
Use Facts and figures to support your point – The points mentioned in the lecture need to be supported by the facts, figures and examples. This, not only enhances your lecture, but also shows your knowledge level.
Some precautions are to be taken while going through this task. The points that should not be performed are:-
Don’t see the assessors
Don’t use hands while delivering the lecture
Don’t stare at any one person while delivering the lecture
Conclusion – Lecturette is a task to check your confidence to face a group of people staring at you. What all you have to do is, make a blueprint of the topic and frame it in the form of a lecture. All those sitting in front of you, are just like you. Don’t hesitate, nobody is there to rectify your point or grammatical mistakes. Just show your confident attitude.
Medals are awarded to soldiers as a mark of honour for military heroism, outstanding service or achievements. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and the Marines are awarded medals for outstanding work. In some cases, this honour is extended to the members of the Reserves and National Guards.
The medals awarded are to be worn only on the left side of the chest by the recipient.
Coming to the big question; can family members wear medals of an Army soldier?
Spouses, children and parents of gallantry or service award winners can wear the medals on their chest as a mark of respect after the original recipient has passed away.
On 11th July, 2019, an order was passed by the Ceremonial and Welfare Adjutant General’s Branch and it was concluded by the Army that the medals can be worn by the family members while “attending homage ceremonies at war memorials, cemeteries and funerals.”
The next of kin can wear the medals of the right side of the chest. Serving Army personnel in uniform, however, cannot wear the medals of their spouse, parent, forefather or children.
A next of kin, civilian or serving personnel, can wear these medals in formal civil attire and on select occasions only after the achiever of the medal(s) has passed.
This decision ensures that the legacy of the medal awardee continues even after their death. It allows their family to honour them in the best way possible.
In other instances, the members of the family are not allowed to wear the medals.
Medals are to be worn only by persons on whom these are conferred, while serving or by ex-servicemen as laid down in regulations for the Army, 1978, revised edition.
In conclusion, medals can be worn by family members of an Army soldier provided it is only during the occasion of paying homage at war memorials, cemeteries or funerals.
In other instances, the family members cannot wear the medals.
Serving personnel in uniform are also not allowed to wear medals of their family. They can, however, be worn with formal civil attire and on select occasions.
I hope this article was informative.
Keep reading SSBCrackExams blog posts for more such articles!
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Indian Army has published the ADC notification2022 for the dental aspirants. Online applications are invited from Indian citizens, both male and female, for the grant of Short Service Commission in the Army Dental Corps 2022.
VACANCIES: 30 (27 Male + 03 Female)
QUALIFICATION: Candidates must be BDS (with minimum 55% marks in final year BDS)/ MDS having passed from a College/University recognized by Dental Council of India (DCI). He/she should have completed one-year Compulsory Rotatory Internship, as mandated by DCI, by 31 Jul 2022 & must be in possession of Permanent Dental Registration Certificate of State Dental Council/DCI valid at least up to 31 Dec 2022.
Note: – Only those candidates (BDS/MDS) who have appeared in the National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test, NEET (MDS)-2022 conducted by National Board of Examinations (NBE), New Delhi, under the aegis of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI, on 02 May 2022, are eligible to apply. Candidates must submit the copy of Mark-sheet/Score card of NEET (MDS)-2022 along with the application.
AGE LIMIT: The candidate must not have attained 45 yrs of age as on 31 Dec 2022.
Details of Eligibility, Terms & Conditions, Instructions and online applications will be available on the website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in from 15 July 2022 onwards.
*Only those candidates who have ticked ‘YES’ for SSC in AD Corps option while filling of NEET (MDS)-2022 application form can apply.
OFFICIAL: NDA 1 2022 SSB Interview Update: NDA 149 AND NA 111: DATE SELECTION LINK FOR NDA-149 AND NA-111 IS OPENED AND WILL BE CLOSED ON 22 JULY 2022 AT 12:30 HRS.
NDA 1 2022 Result was published on 10th May 2022, around 8,262 candidates cleared the NDA 1 2022 written exam for NDA 149 course. After the NDA 1 2022 result, many successful candidates are waiting for the NDA 149 SSB interview dates. The date selection link for NDA-149 and NA-111 courses are open and candidates can check more details on the official career website of the Indian Army.
UPSC has published the NDA 1 2022 result and around 8,262 candidates have cleared the NDA exam, these candidates are going to face the NDA SSB interview soon. For candidates who have cleared the written exam and now waiting for the NDA SSB interview but are not aware of the procedure, do not worry, in this article we are going to explain the next step you need to follow after clearing the NDA exam. The SSB interview dates for NDA 149 and NA 111 course is open for allocation now. Candidates get the chance to select their own SSB dates for the NDA SSB interview, this makes it easier for aspirants to attend the SSB interview without fail. Below you can find more details on NDA 1 2022 SSB interview details.
NDA 1 2022 Army SSB Interview Centre
SSB Allahabad
SSB Bhopal
SSB Bangalore
SSB Kapurthala
NDA 1 2022 Airforce SSB Interview Centre
1 AFSB Dehradun
2 AFSB Mysore
3 AFSB Gandhinagar
4 AFSB Varanasi
5 AFSB Kanchrapara
NDA 1 2022 Navy SSB Interview Centre
NSB Coimbatore
SSB Bhopal
SSB Bangalore
SSB Kolkata
NDA 1 2022 SSB Interview Date Details:
SSB interview of NDA – 149 and NA – 111. Candidates of NDA-149 and NA-111 Course are not required to carry their UPSC admit card/application at the time of SSB interview. They are required to carry identity proof with requisite documents mentioned in the call-up instructions of the SSB center. Their credentials will be checked against details received from UPSC.
Registration NDA-149 & NA-111. The candidature of all the candidates whose Roll Nos. are shown in the list is provisional. In accordance with the conditions of their admission to the examination, “candidates are requested to register themselves online on the Indian Army Recruiting website joinindianarmy.nic.in within two weeks of announcement of written result. The successful candidates would then be allotted Selection Centres and dates of SSB interview which shall be communicated on registered e-mail ID. Any candidate who has already registered earlier on the site will not be required to do so. In case of any query/Login problem, e-mail be forwarded to dir-recruiting6- [email protected].”
SSB Date Selection (All Entries): There are no absentee batches for any entry. Candidates are advised to select their dates with due diligence.
Candidates must make a profile with correct details on joinindianarmy website and then wait for the NDA 1 2022 ssb date selection to go live.
Candidates can select the desired NDA SSB interview date out of given dates, but make sure you check other things like reservation and booking and your own convenience before selecting a date.
Make sure, while registering you use the same email id as used in UPSC portal while registering for NDA exam.
In case of any doubt, contact the official website joinindianarmy and [email protected]
In a brief reply “What is the SSB Interview process” we can say SSB interview or service selection board interview is a recruitment process under which a candidate’s skills are tested intellectually, physically, psychologically, and through group activities.
There are mainly two ways a candidate can get qualify for an SSB interview: First, he/she has cleared the written exam based on a particular type of entry; Second, a candidate can be selected on the merit list prepared on the basis of candidates academic records. Below discus are the types of entries to get recruited in the Indian Armed Force as a commissioned officer.
A Kalashnikov (Калашников) rifle is any one of a series of automatic rifles based on the original design of Mikhail Kalashnikov. They are officially known in Russian as “Avtomát Kaláshnikova” . the AK-203 and AK-47 are different models with different specifications.
To better understand the difference between both the rifles, Let us first understand the specification of both the rifles in brief!
AK-203
The AK-203 is a Russian gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire assault rifle with a 7.62mm ammunition chamber. It is one of the most recent models of Mikhail Kalashnikov’s AK family of assault rifles. The Kalashnikov Concern in Russia created the AK-203 in the 2010s. Before being renamed to AK-203 in 2019, the weapon was known as the AK-103M.
It is considered to be the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle. According to experts, the Russian rifle is reliable, durable and easy to maintain. It also has better ergonomics, accuracy and density of fire.
The prototype development of the AK-203 rifle’s predecessor, the AK-200 series, began in 2007. In 2010, the first prototype of the AK-200 was built and tested. The AK-200 was updated and dubbed AK-103-3 for the Ratnik programme in 2013.
In 2016, the AK-200 series project was restarted, with the KM-AK kit produced as part of the Obves programme being used to enhance the AK-103-3 assault rifle prototype. The modified assault rifle prototype was first known as the AK-300, then the AK-100M, and eventually the AK-203 in 2019.
The Indian Army is procuring 670,000 AK-203 assault rifles to replace the INSAS, through a contract with Russia.
The first 70,000 rifles were purchased from Russia and delivered in January 2022. The remaining 600,000 rifles will be manufactured in Amethi, India under a transfer of technology agreement, by joint venture company Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL).
Specifications
Caliber
7.62mm
Ammunition
7.62х39mm
Weight, with empty magazine
3.8 kg
Sighting range
800 m
Magazine
Magazine
Action
Gas operated, rotating bolt
Barrel length
415 mm (16.3 in)
Cyclic rate of fire
700 rounds per minute
AK-47
The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova is a gas-operated assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. It was developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov.
It is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov (“AK”) family of rifles.till now, the AK-47 model and its variant rifles remain the most popular and widely used rifles in the world.
The number “47” denotes the year when the rifle was finished.
The AK-47 was first designed in 1945. The fixed-stock variant was placed into active service for selected units of the Soviet Army in 1948, after it was presented for official military trials in 1947. The AK was officially approved by the Soviet Armed Forces in early 1949, and the majority of Warsaw Pact member states used it.
The AK 47 model has gained huge popularity among the world because of many reasons. Some of these reasons are as follows :-
Reliability under harsh conditions
Low production cost
Availability in virtually every geographic region
Ease of use
The AK-47 has been produced in a number of countries and has been used by armed forces, as well as irregular forces and insurgents, all over the world. “Of the estimated 500 million rifles globally, about 100 million belong to the Kalashnikov family, with three-quarters of them being AK-47s,” according to statistics from 2004.
The model serves as the basis for the development of many other types of individual, crew-served and specialised firearms.
Specifications
Caliber
7.62x39mm
Action
Gas operated, rotating bolt with 2 lugs
Overall length
870 mm
Barrel length
415 mm
Weight, with empty magazine
AK 4,3 kg; AKM 3,14 kg
Magazine capacity
30 rounds (also 40-round box magazines and 75-round drums)
Cyclic rate of fire
600 rounds per minute
The Area Of Difference Between The AK 203 And AK 47:
Against AK-47’s empty magazine weight of 4.3kg, the AK-203 is lighter at 3.8kg
it has a sighting range of 800m compared with an effective range of 300-400m for the older variant.
The AK-203 magazine contains 30 rounds while the AK-47 magazine carries 20 or 30-rounds.
The two rifles have an identical rate of fire of 600 rounds/min. The AK-203 has a length of 705mm with the stock folded, while the AK-47 measures 645mm.
AK-203 also features an integrated compensator and flash suppressor which is missing in the older variant that is AK 47.
Overall, the AK- 203 is equipped with more technological advancements than the AK-47. Also, With over 100 million units in circulation globally, an Avtomat Kalashnikov is said to be the fifth assault weapon in the world. According to Russia, AK series rifles are “now in service with nearly 100 foreign militaries, whose number is constantly growing.”
To curb the sale of new Army pattern combat dress/uniforms to unauthorised persons, the Delhi Police in coordination with the Military Police conducted a special awareness campaign.
The drive to sensitise shopkeepers was conducted in the Delhi Cantonment area. The Indian Army showcased the pattern and design of the new combat uniform introduced for its soldiers on the occasion of Army Day 2022 on January 15, 2022.
Soldiers of the Indian Army will now be provided with the best quality, all-terrain, lighter, stronger and operational digital camouflage pattern combat uniform, which also caters for gender-specific changes for women combatants.
There are two major issues which the Indian Army has flagged with respect to the introduction of a new combat uniform – security and the wearing of unauthorised pattern combat dress by serving personnel, the official statement said.
The uniform is unique in its creation as it has an exclusive digital camouflage pattern, contemporary and functional design and a lighter yet stronger and more breathable fabric. Because of this, the Army wants to adopt control measures to maintain its exclusivity.
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multi modal transportation established in 2000 for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. This corridor connects the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, Islamic Rep., and is then connected to Saint Petersburg and North European via Russia. We are going to cover this important current affairs topic which can be asked in SSB interviews and other defense exams.
India, Iran To Activate New Shorter Corridor To Russia
A series of high-level talks in order to activate a shorter and sanctions-proof route between Russia and India is recently held. Almost a dozen countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus will also benefit from the route.
India has requested for the Chabahar Port to be brought under the INSTC ambit. Touching on the importance of the INSTC last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said Moscow would pay more attention to it as it could help make the Caspian basin the hub of energy and logistics.
Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir- Abdollahian visited India. It held talks on regional connectivity which entailed reviewing the progress made at the Shahid Beheshti terminal, Chabahar that will provide sea access to landlocked Afghanistan and emerge as a commercial transit hub for the region, including Central Asia.
Russia Launches Trade With India Via Eastern Branch Of INSTC
Russian logistics firm RZD Logistics has stated that it has commenced transportation by full container trains from Russia to India by the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor involving transport infrastructure of Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and India.
INSTC is a multimodal transportation network of sea, road, and rail routes between Russia and India, two countries that notched up bilateral trade of up to $13 billion (about 1 lakh crore rupees) at the end of 2021.
Dozen-odd central Asian countries like Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, besides southern Russia, too, will benefit from trade through INSTC.
Avoiding Key Trade Stumbling Blocks
Dry runs have shown transit time falling by up to 25 days from the earlier 40-45 on this route, bringing down carriage costs by 30%. INSTC is also sanctions-free since it is an alternative to the Suez Canal and is not dominated by Western countries.
Besides, India’s relations with Iran are crucial given its dependence on Iranian crude oil, despite the US sanctions leaving things in disarray. Even geographically, Iran holds importance as it provides an alternate route to Afghanistan and central Asia, avoiding Pakistan.
What Is International North-South Transport Corridor?
India, Iran, and Russia had in September 2000 signed the INSTC agreement to build a corridor to provide the shortest multi-model transportation route linking the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran and St Petersburg. ‘
It is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving freight.
India, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.
From St Petersburg, North Europe is within easy reach via the Russian Federation. The estimated capacity of the corridor is 20-30 million tonnes of goods per year.
There are 13 member states of the INSTC project.
India
Iran
Russia
Azerbaijan
Armenia
Belarus
Tajikistan
Kyrgystan
Oman
Turkey
Syria
Ukraine.
The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia via ship, rail, and road.
The Objective Of INSTC
The Objective of the corridor is to increase trade connectivity between major cities such as Mumbai, Moscow, Tehran, Baku, Bandar Abbas, Astrakhan, Bandar Anzali and etc.
Significance Of The Corridor
Conceived well before China’s BRI, INSTC will not only help cut down on costs and time taken for transfer of goods from India to Russia and Europe via Iran but also provide an alternative connectivity initiative to countries in the Eurasian region.
This will also synchronize with the Ashgabat agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement signed by India, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for creating an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.
India shows interest in extending INSTC membership to countries like Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Analysts predict by having improved transport connectivity between Russia, Central Asia, Iran and India, their respective bilateral trade volumes will increase. The Foreign Trade Policy of India, 2015-20, has highlighted the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in expanding India’s trade and investment links with Central Asia.
The successful activation of the corridor will help connect India to Russia within 16-21 days at competitive freight rates leading to development of trade on the INSTC. At present we have to either use Rotterdam port or land route via China to reach Russia and Central Asia. These are long, expensive and time-consuming.
It is also expected to eliminate usage of reefer containers for agro commodities and further support the supplies to Russia.
A study conducted by the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India found the route is, “30% cheaper and 40% shorter than the current traditional route”.
For India, we can have access to the lucrative markets of the Central Asia, by-passing the transit through Pakistan. Indian exports could potentially get a competitive advantage due to lower cost and less delivery time.
The INSTC has particular economic and strategic relevance to India given the increasing regional ambitions of China through its One Belt, One Road Initiative. The proposed INSTC trade corridor could help India secure its interests in Central Asia and beyond.
Potential of this route is manifold, if India can bring on board its South East Asian neighbours too. The Suez Canal route takes 45-60 days, whereas the INSTC would take 25-30 days. Turkey has offered to provide necessary information for linking Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) with INSTC.
India And INSTC
Establishing a land route via Kabul and Tashkent to form the INSTC’s “Eastern corridor” would maximize the potential of this collaboration.
Also, India wants to include Chabahar port to be included in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
The potential export sectors in India that benefit from INSTC include perishable goods (fruits and vegetables), high-value items like ATMs, industrial printers, 3D printers, robotic assembly accessories, etc., cross-border e-commerce, and sectors that are likewise.
INSTC Vs BRI From Indian Perspective
One of the biggest and most discussed advantage of INSTC is reduction in carriage cost between India and Russia by about 30%, also the transit time from 40 days will be reduced to 20 days or less.
The tail ends of this corridor, which happens to be Russia and India, have committed to surging the bilateral trade by US$5 billion per annum within next four years.
This will bring an economic boom not just to the tail ends, but also the other countries situated along the corridor. Compare this to BRI, which has left myriads of lower- and middle-income countries saddled with “hidden debts” amounting to USD $385 billion.
India has pitched INSTC as a viable and fairer corridor, which doesn’t have surreptitious neo colonialist agenda like that of BRI. The dreaded debt-trap of China is being circumvented by poorer yet resource-rich Central Asian Republics by joining INSTC.
India has been developing close ties with CARs vis-e-vis trade, energy (uranium), defense and counterterrorism, as well as in technical and cultural spheres through “Connect Central Asia” and other frameworks.
Oman is another ally with whom India will work closely on INSTC. Earlier in Feb 2022, India and Oman’s top official held 10th meeting of the Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC), in which Duqm Port was discussed.
At this point it must be added that India and Russia are also working at the Chennai Vladivostok corridor, which goes through Southeast Asia and reaches the Southeastern tip of Russia.
