The General Manager, Ordnance Parachute Factory, Kanpur has invited trade enquiries from the business community concerning their parachute products. This factory under the Ministry of Defence is a certified unit possessing ISO : 9002. The factory specialises in the production of man-carrying parachutes, brake parachutes, a few other varieties of parachutes and rubberised inflatable boats. The factory also undertakes the export of these items to many countries. The factory has been supplying 'Parasail Assembly' to ‘adventure clubs’ and 'National Cadets Corps'. The entrepreneurs interested in responding can write to The General Manager, Ordnance Parachute Factory, Napier Road Kanpur-208004 or The Secretary, Ordnance Factory Board, 10-A SK Bose Road, Kolkata-700001.

The Minister of State for Defence Production and Supplies, Mr Harin Pathak visited Poland on July 5, this year. He had been there at the invitation of the Polish government. The Minister led a four-member delegation comprising Mr Om Prakash, Joint Secretary (Export), Mr SC Khanna, Director (Bharat Electronics Limited) and Cmde Srikumar, Director (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers).

During his visit, Mr Pathak called on the Polish Minister of National Defence, Mr Jerzy Szmaldjdzinski. He also had official level talks with Secretary of State and First Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Janusz Zemke as well as Secretary of State of the Polish Ministry of Economy and Trade, Mr Amdrzej Szarawarski.

This was Mr Pathak's first visit to Poland after taking over as Minister of State for Defence Production and Supplies.

Recently Maj Gen AS Jamwal, GOC ATNKK & G Area conducted an administrative inspection of No 2 Signal Training Centre in Goa. During his visit, all ex-servicemen were invited for a barakhana. The General launched several welfare schemes for the benefit of the ex-servicemen.

Territorial Army has inserted an advertisement in the news papers for recruitment of officers. Only male citizens of India and ex-service officers who are medically fit and are gainfully/self-employed are eligble to apply. Their age should be between 18 and 42 years as on Sep 15, 2002. The candidate should be a graduate from a recognised university. The selected candidates will be granted Commission in the rank of Lieutenant. The pay and allowances and privileges will be same as regular Army Officers when embodied for training and military service. They will be entitled to promotions up to Major by time scale subject to passing promotion examinations. Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brigadier will be by selection. The officers commissioned in TA Infantry may be called out for military service for longer duration depending on requirement and two months annual training camp every year including the first year. Further, there will be 75-days post commissioning training within first two years. For application form, the candidates should contact Addl Directorate General TA, Army Headquarters, ‘L’ Block, New Delhi-110001. Forms duly completed will be submitted by 15, September 2002.

(Sainik Samachar will not be entertaining any further correspondence on the subject.)

As part of the rapidly expanding Indo-US defence ties after the post-Pokhran-II chill, more joint military exercises between the two countries are being planned.

The decision to progressively increase the scope and content of the joint exercises was taken forward during Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy's recent visit to the US. At least five more joint exercises are to take place in the near future.

The two countries are also stepping up co-operation in the exchange of experts and specialised delegations in fields like intelligence sharing, flight safety and logistics. Four IAF officers, for instance, are now participating as observers in the on-going USAF (US Air Force) exercise in Alaska named "Operation Cope Thunder".

As for the forthcoming exercises, the first one involving the IAF and Army personnel will take place in Alaska in the last week of October.

The next exercise will be held in the US Pacific Command base in Guam in December, in which the IAF is exploring the possibility of sending an IL-76 aircraft. The possibility of US special forces participating in it is being worked out.