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Chinese vessels in Indian ocean, Indian Navy on alert
India is keeping a “very close watch” at the large presence of Chinese vessels in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and other developments in the region to protect its national interests in the maritime domain, Navy Chief, Admiral R Hari Kumar, said on Saturday.
A report published by the Indian Express said: During an interaction at The Chanakya Dialogue, organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Admiral Kumar said the Navy is aware that the Chinese PLA Navy is docking its ships at ports in Pakistan and at ports of other countries.
Stating that a certain amount of contest is taking place daily at sea, the Navy chief said while it is well below the threshold of conflict, the possibility of a full-fledged war cannot be ruled out. On the pace of modernisation of Pakistan Navy or PLA Navy, he said the former is looking to become a 50-platform force in 10-15 years and adding new corvettes and frigates to their fleet, while the latter has commissioned many ships and submarines in the last decade.
He said a third aircraft carrier is under construction and the PLA Navy is working on much larger destroyers, but this could plateau in sometime. “We are keeping a very close watch in the Indian Ocean Region,” he said. The Navy chief said the effort is to know who is present there and what they are up to. He said it is monitored 24×7 and the Navy and we deploy aircraft, UAVs, ships, submarines towards that.
“At any point of time, there are three to six Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean Region,” he said.
He said some are close to the Gulf of Oman, and some in the eastern part of the IOR, among others.He said two to four Chinese research vessels are always present in the region, and there is a presence of Chinese fishing vessels as well here. “So we refine our plans, actions that are required to be taken, and this also feeds into our capability development,” the Navy chief said.
Elaborating on Chinese research vessels, Admiral Kumar said they can track and collect electronic signals, and the Navy tracks them, especially when they are operating close to India’s areas of interest. He said the modernisation plans of the Navy involve making it a “well-balanced force”, and it is thus not about nuclear submarine vis-a-vis aircraft carriers, given that both have their own unique capabilities and they are not either/or.
Admiral Kumar reiterated that the Navy will be fully Atmanirbhar by 2047, which marks the 100th year of India’s Independence. Talking about the three components to a naval asset — float, move and fight — he said nearly 95 per cent self-reliance has been achieved in the float component, while in move and flight components, it is about 65 percent and 55 per cent.
He explained that the Navy’s role is set to grow with the Indian economy in the future, with the volume of trade multiplying with it.In a separate interaction, IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said the IAF, in future, will have space-based offensive systems as well, leading to reduced response time and greater effect on adversaries.
He said the fundamental utilisation of space for military purposes includes Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and communication and this has seen a quantum jump in their capabilities in the last several years.
Separately, referring to a difficult evacuation operation in Sudan on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, where a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft rescued 121 people from a small airstrip at Wadi Seidna, the Air Chief told the media later that the IAF carried out the operation in the most difficult situation. “My kudos to the crew who executed this mission so flawlessly,” he said.
On the ongoing Operation Kaveri, he said IAF has already carried out 11 sorties and evacuated 1,850 civilians from Khartoum and Port Sudan and is on standby at Jeddah for more such operations.In a separate session earlier in the day, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said there is a major change underway in the global order and the global security environment currently is in a state of flux and the new order is yet to crystallise.
“Post-World War-II, the Trans-Atlantic Anglo-Saxon lands could not unite around Europe the way the Russian invasion of Ukraine has done,” he said. He said Russia and China are getting closer and Iran is joining this bandwagon. Stating that India is the third largest ecosystem for start-ups globally, CDS Chauhan said the country is expected to be the fourth-largest economy by 2024, overtaking Germany.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
