Each plant will have a capacity to produce 40 litres of oxygen per minute and 2,400 litres per hour.
The scheme is aimed at slashing the salary and pension bills of the three services, which have been increasing rapidly.
While we seem to want soldiers on short-term engagement, warfare itself is getting more technical and needs skilled manpower. The world has seen the dismal performance of armies that rely on short tour of duty soldiers or have outsourced war to 'contractors' in Afghanistan and now in Ukraine, points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The defence ministry has informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the National Defence Academy will be out by May next year.
Dominic Xavier salutes the Assam Rifles's decision to deploy women soldiers in Kashmir.
'If approved it will be a voluntary engagement and there will be no dilution in selection criteria'
The top court which recorded its appreciation for all the concerned authorities including Chief of Army Staff for acting fair and objective manner to resolve the issue directed that 12 WSSCOs, who have been released from service during the pendency of proceedings, shall be deemed to continue in service and be granted the Permanent Commission (PC).
'Today's India is fearless and is on track to be a great power. But this is definitely not happening without women, who form 48 per cent of our population.'
Twenty-seven months after she lost her husband in an anti-insurgency operation in south Kashmir's Pulwama, 29-year-old Nitika Kaul on Saturday donned the army uniform after completing a one-year rigorous training in Tamil Nadu.
Threatened with contempt action against the Indian Army and its chief Manoj Mukund Naravane by the Supreme Court over non-compliance of its earlier orders, the defence force agreed on Friday to grant permanent commission to all of its eligible women officers.
In a relief to some Women Short Service Commission Officers (WSSCO) in the Army, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to issue orders granting Permanent Commission (PC) to 39 such officers in seven working days and furnish the details of 25 officers with reasons, who were not considered.
'Those 10 years in the IAF has made me what I am today.'
The experts said adequate care must be taken before implementing what is being touted as a "game-changer".
"The Air Force and Navy have acted in a more liberal way. However, in the Army, you kept giving them a five-five year's job and never gave permanent commission till the verdict of the Supreme Court. If you are introducing women in the Army then why do you create a bar in NDA," the SC said.
The Indian Navy granted permanent commission to seven women officers of the Short Service Commission batch of 2008-09.
While the army and air force allow permanent commission for women, the Navy has limited women officers only to short service commission of 14 years.
Advocate Meenakshi Lekhi, who appeared for women officers, said the apex court judgment has given equal rights to the women officers as their male counterparts. She said a long-pending right has been given to women officers through this order.
The apex court said the Annual Confidential Report evaluation criteria for grant of permanent commission to women officers ignored the achievement and laurels brought by them to the Indian Army.
The top court had on March 17, maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, cleared PC for women in the Navy and asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.
It is worrisome that salaries are consuming as much expenditure as equipment.
'Putting your life at stake defending your motherland is the best feeling you can get.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the nation for the seventh time from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day on Saturday and it will be his second speech of the second term in office.
The bench said denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in serious miscarriage of justice.
"There is no issue of gender discrimination," Dhowan said responding to queries on alleged gender bias in Indian Navy.
Applications are invited from Indian citizens both male and female, who have passed their final MBBS examination in first or second attempt and completed internship for grant of Short Service Commission in the Army Medical Corps.
Grant of Short Service Commission in the Indian Army for veterinary graduates
The Indian Navy is set to open the doors soon for increased role of women on its rolls but has made it clear that there will be no combat positions yet.
The Indian Navy Invites unmarried men to join The Indian Navy as Short Service Commissioned Officers in Executive Branch (General Service) Jul 2008 Course.
We have a generation of youth in our country with fire in their bellies and the 'tamanna' to emulate the Indian soldier. Such is the image that has been created by our soldiers over time. The proposal for civilians into the Military fray for a short stint must be considered favourably keeping the national interests foremost, says Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha passed the order on a plea filed by the 14 officers seeking direction to the government to grant them permanent commission.
'I have only one life and that is enough.'
'While all would agree on the need to be ready to launch cross-border strikes on terror camps, there is sharp disagreement on how best to do it.' 'Through IAF fighters, or surface-to-surface missiles?' 'Or should army Special Forces be created to do the job?' 'If air strikes are the agreed priority, additional funding must be made available for the purchase of fighters and missiles.' 'If it is to be Special Forces, the army must be facilitated in raising a Special Forces Command,' notes Ajai Shukla.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi as India celebrates the 72nd Independence Day. This is Modi's fifth and final address as PM in the current tenure. During his speech, Modi reflected on the achievements of the National Democratic Alliance government and presented a report card of his four-year tenure. Here are the main takeaways from his address:
Recalling the 2016 surgical strikes, he said Indian troops gave a befitting reply to the "audacity of a proxy war" under the "garb of terrorism".
The 11 officers were relieved from the service during the pendency of the petition in the high court in 2009-10.
He cautioned people against forces inside and outside India which are working against the country by targeting it and its constitutional values.
The 7th Pay Commission has recommended more than doubling the 'Military Service Pay' to defence personnel, and suggested that Short Service Commissioned Officers should be allowed to exit the Armed Forces at any point in time between 7 and 10 years of service.
Indian Army's 108th Technical Graduates Course (Jan 2009) and 32nd Short Service Commission (Tech) Course (April 2009).
In a path-breaking move, the government on Friday decided to grant permanent commission to future batches of women officers in the armed forces, but restricted it to non-combat arms of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
President Pratibha Patil accorded sanction to the defence ministry's proposal, which was agreed to by the three services, hitherto an exclusive domain of men.
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