Editorial 1. Valour and prestige — the world of special operations
Context
The remarkable and dramatic aerial rescue by the Indian Air Force (IAF) of Indians stranded in war-torn Sudan with their Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 ‘Super Hercules’ military transport aircraft at the ‘degraded’ Wadi Sayyidna airstrip qualifies unquestioningly as the stuff of military legend.
About IAF
- President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces,
- The fourth-largest air force in the world is the Indian Air Force.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Motto of India Air Force: Touch the sky with Glory.
- It was taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
- The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief marshal is responsible for the operational command of the air force.
Significant operations of IAF
- After independence, IAF took part in wars with Pakistan and the People's Republic of China.
- Operation Meghdoot: To regain control of the heights commanding the Siachen glacier, the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and paramilitary troops launched "Operation Meghdoot" on April 13, 1984.
- IAF took part in relief operations during natural calamities such as Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the tsunami in 2004, etc.
- Other significant operations of the IAF:
- Operation Vijay (1961)
- The Second Kashmir War (1965)
- The Bangladesh Liberation War (1971)
- Operation Poomalai (1987)
- Operation Cactus (1988)
- The Kargil War (1999)
- The Balakot airstrike
- The India-Pakistan standoff of 2019
- IAF was also involved in massive rescue operations of its citizens from all corners of the world. E.g Operation Ganga, Operation Devi Shakti etc
Challenges
The component faces many challenges too. Such as
- Poor intelligence.
- Rough runway with no landing aids.
- Weaponization of space
- Cost of making aircrafts indigenously has proved to be costly.
- There is a lack of collaboration between PSUs and the private sector wrt airforce.
- The expenditure diverted is not enough and is a concern.
- India faces two major threats: Pakistan and China. Therefore, there is a need for joint operations with friendly nations.
- Multiple technologies in all areas such as cyber, space, electromagnetic spectrum, etc. require proper approach to meet the national objectives Therefore, IAF would require a proper synchronization with these technologies.
The essence of special ops
Special operations are much more than stick and throttle operations, night vision goggles and dark nights. Every member of such a mission bears on his shoulders the weight of a nation’s prestige.
They are India’s ‘strategic corporals’. This term, coined by General Charles C. Krulak of the U.S. Marine Corps, denotes that in modern warfare, the actions of even the enlisted man on the front lines has a strategic effect on a nation’s policies; and that institutional training should cater for this.
Way forward
With India trying to cement its place as a regional power of reckoning, these combat support assets are also vital for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief that are important cogs in military diplomacy and foreign policy. Neglecting them would be to India’s disadvantage, more so because they are critical too in sustaining kinetic power.
Editorial 2. The death of another Nehruvian idea
Context
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has recently announced a proposal for closing of Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous body which is tasked with promoting scientific temper and enhancing public understanding of science through communication.
The origins of Vigyan Prasar
- Vigyan Prasar started functioning in 1989 and was proposed by our former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and has been a part of an unbroken chain of government institutions and policies concerning scientific temper since 1947.
- He put forth the idea that science and technology were essential inputs in the nation-building project, and this was reflected in the creation of national laboratories, higher education institutions, large dams, and so on.
- To fight irrationality and obscurantism, he supported a scheme to open ‘Vigyan Mandirs’ or science centres which was established to popularise scientific ideas in rural populations, were equipped with basic scientific appliances, books, film slides, etc.
- In the 1960s, science communication through All India Radio and ‘Krishi Vigyan Kendras’ played a pivotal role in the adoption of new, high-yielding crop varieties that powered the Green Revolution.
- As new societal challenges like the energy crisis and superstitious beliefs emerged, the DST formed an agency called the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) in 1982. It supported several voluntary groups and grassroots science movements.
- One of its major contributions was the ‘Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha’ (BJVJ) movement, which, after its culmination, gave birth to a network of voluntary organisations. This took the shape of the All India People’s Science Network, which survives to date.
- The NCSTC’s work and the momentum generated by BJVJ led to the birth of a national institute of Vigyan Prasar.
- Vigyan Prasar prepared content on scientific temper and disseminated it widely via radio and TV in the 1990s. This includes ‘Vigyan Vidhi’ (series on the method of science), ‘Bharat Ki Chaap’ (series on the history of science in India), ‘Maanav Ka Vikas’ (series on human evolution), ‘Kyon Aur Kaise’ (TV series on critical thinking), and ‘A Question of Science’ (TV show on scientific questions).
- It also commissioned filmmakers to produce documentaries about leading scientists. One notable outreach project was ECLIPSE-95, a year-long programme to generate awareness and create safe viewing opportunities of the total solar eclipse of 1995.
Reasons to revive
- Vigyan Prasar has built communication capacities and engaged the people following knowledge enrichment inculcating scientific temper, nurturing critical thinking amongst citizens of the country through Indian languages including local dialects.
- It has been inclusive and embraced every strata of the society be it women, physically challenged, tribals, people from remote and geographically inaccessible regions for S&T communication, popularization & extension by producing content.
- It has been the only organization in the country that has been working pan India on science & technology communication, popularization and hands-on outreach.
- It has acted as an interface between society, scientists, media and policy makers.
Conclusion
The expertise, capability and skills that Vigyan Prasar has nurtured and grown will be lost if it is closed or reduced to a cell. The development, aggregation and content generation is a skill set that has been nurtured over 30 odd years which cannot be replaced through outsourcing.