The 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra was recently conducted with considerable vigour at the Jodhpur Military Station, India. This biannual event, jointly hosted by the Singapore Army and the Indian Army, stands as an emblem of successful bilateral military cooperation between the two nations.
Launched first in 2005, this exercise series has grown exponentially in scale and complexity. For the first time in its history, the armies took part in a command post exercise consisting of Battalion and Brigade level planning elements, further enriching their operational strategies through computer wargaming simulations.
The arrangement for this joint Army training and exercise comes under the auspices of a bilateral agreement between the Singapore Army and the Indian Army. Besides Exercise Bold Kurukshetra, Singapore’s association with India also extends to the Joint Military Training for Air Force, the trilateral SIMTEX maritime exercise involving Thailand and the land-based Exercise Agni Warrior.
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy – Compensation Dismissed by Supreme Court
In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India recently dismissed the Centre’s curative petition for additional compensation from the Union Carbide Company (UCC) for victims of the infamous Bhopal gas tragedy. This tragedy occurred on December 3, 1989, when a leak from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) released the highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas into Bhopal, causing widespread devastation.
The aftermath resulted in approximately 5,295 fatalities and injuries to nearly 5,68,292 individuals, along with massive loss of livestock and property. The Centre’s quest for additional aid from UCC ended with this dismissal, leaving the victims without any further prospect for compensation.
Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines & AUKUS
In response to China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, a new strategic plan was unveiled by the United States, Australia, and Britain. The 2021 AUKUS partnership aims at equipping Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines from the early 2030s as part of their shared commitment to maintaining a free-and-open Indo-Pacific region.
Announced in September 2021, this trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) poses a significant counter to China’s increasing dominance in the South China Sea. A key highlight of this agreement is the provision for sharing US nuclear submarine technology with Australia, strengthening the regional counterbalancing forces against China.
The Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)
The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently achieved two consecutive successful flight tests of the Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile, conducted at the Integrated Test Range, off the coast of Chandipur, Odisha.
VSHORADS stands as an indigenous development in Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) technology, created to neutralize low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges. Designed and developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry partners, this missile incorporates numerous novel technological advancements.
