Sardaukar

kuku, we too had many experiences like this ;-)

One small one was when my parents wanted to build a house in Kerala. So one of the things that was needed was sand. So we buy sand and transport it to the place where we are building the house.

Now comes the funny part, the lorry was on our land but we were not allowed to unload the sand ourselves. Only workers from some trade union/party/organization (i was young, don't remember) had the authority to do that (Adux, correct me if i am wrong). And they were really expensive.

The best part is that the guy from the organization offered to allow(!!!) us do it ourselves, we just had to send the cash to him and everything would be ok

What a nice guy

Adux

Just to let you people know the CPI(M) workers are taking hafta from trucks carrying sand through a particular route, for a very trip Rs.10, They seem to collecting very good tax. Maybe I shouldnt pay my Road tax, and just give it to the politburu.

texasjohn

About this here topic heading.... Urban legend after all!! The US has NO strings attached...

USN refutes Indian claim about sale of vessel - Jane's Defence News

The United States has denied imposing restrictions on the Indian Navy (IN) regarding its 2007 sale of USS Trenton, the 16,900-ton Austin-class landing platform dock (LPD) now renamed INS Jalashwa.

The denial came in response to a report from India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which was delivered to the Indian parliament in March and complained that the US had set conditions as to how the IN could deploy the vessel.

"There are no unique terms or language associated with the transfer," US Navy (USN) Secretary Donald C Winter said in New Delhi on 28 March at the end of a three-day visit.

The CAG report said that "restrictive clauses" in the USD50.63 million purchase of the 37-year-old LPD "raised doubts about the real advantages" of the acquisition.

nebula82

Well thank god it didn’t end up being true. I just couldn't believe the original story when I first read it. Talk about not being treated as an equal!

Anyway, when is the next multi-lateral exercise the IN will be involved in? And where?

The Indian Navy has conducted exercise operations in the deep Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific with US, Japan and other countries, it would be cool if the IN could also take part in exercises in the Atlantic Ocean. That would really give them some operational reach, and further extend their blue-water advantage over China.

Thx,
Nebula82.

KENT

Yeah, that's a good idea as well, if IN get to exercise in Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, it would be a great moral booster for Indian Navy. But now Viraat is already lying in shipyard for reparing, so this time onward we should bring our Frigates and destroyer to have healthy exercise with USN.

Ray

The Atlantic Ocean is not India's beat in the geostrategic interests.

Therefore, what will India gain from it?

There has to be some purpose in actions.

Or have I missed something?

__________________


"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

HAKUNA MATATA

KENT

See I know there is no geostrategic interests, but operating beyond its own regional periphery is completely an all new experience for its naval persoanel which is something could not be felt while operating in home water, Morever it would also help IN to address some of its loopholes when it get disintegrated from the its own shore and need to operate in completely different part of the world.

Ray

How will it help in the Atlantic?

The Indian Ocean is large enough and each point of the Ocean has some serious gaps in the Indian reach geopolitically and geostrategically!

One must see how we are losing out in the African Indian Ocean rim!

India's Engagement with the African Indian Ocean Rim States - Small Wars Council

KENT

See, may be there have been some serious loopholes in our own backyard, But what I was propogating that having an completely different experience for our naval personnel.

We have several problems in our own backyard, but that doesn't mean that we should just kept on focusing our emphsis on them itself. If we have to emerge as creadible navy in IOR, then we also learn to engage in completely all new envirnoment, the experience of which we can't get in our own environment.

Adux

Sir,

Why not the Atlantic, why not the pacific why not the North or South Poles, If the Brits can do it in the 1700's. Why cant we now. Why limit ourseleves. Why not be a World power aka Imperalistic. Why not.

We all live by Darwin, dont we

physicsmonk

I hope you are not serious about it Adux.As a nation that has been a victim of imperialism we most certainly should not be advocating it.Oh and our moral support to tibetan cause would ring hollow if we become imperialists ourselves.

Adux

Let me rephrase it: neo-imperalism. I dont blame the brits, I blame us for not being good enough to take them down in our own land.

We have to be the topdog and if we shy away, there will be someone else doing it.

nebula82

Imperialism? Neo-imperialism? Hmm….as an Indian I would love to see that but I hope in addition to that they can also become imperialistic in the areas of knowledge & science (maybe in some ways they already are?).

Nebula82.

physicsmonk

I dont mind India being a top dog and yes I would love to see an assertive India,however neo imperialism or imperialism is distinct from assertiveness.Its predatory and no I dont want India to become a predator.

Adux

What do you think Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Burma, Bangladesh or to some extent China and Pakistan say, Its human natiure. So why keep it regional lets make it global. May we have a fleet sailing to any corner in the world when an Indian life is in danger, Shouldnt we because since we have a billion?

Imperalism of yesteryears isnt possible now, but definitly a new kind will evolve as we have since with the Americans. If we dont get there somebody else will, and to retain that position it will have to destroy all those who challenge (Soviet Union) or might have a remote chance of it. Like it or not, Neo-Imperalism is going to be thrust upon us, There arent enough resources in this world, their gain will be a less of a better life for an Indian. I for one, cant stand that. I am a staunch nationalist.