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EDITOR'S NOTES |
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Eight years, four months and 100 issues |
BORDER GUARDS Paramilitary forces like the BSF, ITBP and CRPF have been integral to FORCE editorial. While in March 2005, FORCE spent four days with the ITBP at their location in Joshimath and Auli, in April 2005, from snow-bound Auli, we went to Jaisalmer and spent the night at the BSF’s border outpost just off the fence. The following morning, the FORCE team patrolled the India-Pakistan border along with the BSF’s ‘khojis’ who go to the fence at the crack of dawn to look for footmarks to determine infiltration. After the BSF jeep got stuck in the sand dune, we had to rely on the camels. |
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We are happy to present the 100th issue of FORCE. We are also happy at the feedback that we have got over the years. This has been a vindication of the editorial policy we had conceived. With a combined 40 years’ understanding of the subject between us, we started with the idea to demystify India’s defence. To us this meant putting defence into perspective with a three-pronged approach.
Given the secrecy surrounding defence matters in India, there is a huge gap between what is and what analysts think is. This is dangerous as faulty facts lead to misleading analysis. The need was to go to the primary sources. FORCE decided to travel extensively to meet with field commanders. We have the unique distinction of having been to the remotest and hazardous parts of India, from high altitudes to deserts, to collect facts. Probably, in support of this, FORCE is the only private newsmagazine to have had all three defence services chiefs talk about their service’s vision from our anniversary celebratory platform in 2005 and 2009.
Our second prong was to place defence matters where they belong, into the national security matrix. This meant covering a host of issues, from foreign policy to internal security, defence industry, and of course, strategic capabilities. We were well placed to meet this challenge. Unlike general magazines, we had time and space for national security issues, and reliable contacts trusted us with sensible analysis.
The third prong of our editorial policy was to meet the expectations of both the discerning reader and the enthusiast. This was easy and we both brought rich journalistic experience to FORCE. This in a nutshell was how FORCE was conceived. Along the way, we added many things to stay ahead. We are probably the first in the print media to comprehensively cover terrorism on the mainland, Left-wing extremism and cyber security. Conscious of the readers’ expectations, we will not disappoint them. This issue encapsulates all that FORCE has learnt over the last over eight years. We hope you like it. On this note, wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2012.
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Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab |
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RUMTEK MONASTERY For FORCE first anniversary, we travelled to Sikkim, the state with the distinction of the highest density of troops in July 2004. While FORCE travelled to Nathu la as well as to Lachen and Lachung in north Sikkim to visit the Indian Army position, we also met a cross-section of Sikkimese people including the chief minister Pawan Chamling to understand what this Himalayan state thinks of the Chinese threat. This picture was taken at the Rumtek Monastery which is zealously guarded by the ITBP for fear of Chinese spies.
REACHING TAWANG In August 2010, FORCE decided to travel to Tawang the way the troops will travel in the event of a border conflict with China. We started to drive up from Tezpur. At three different points during the journey, we came across landslides, which didn’t make much of a difference though because the road in any case was nothing but mud and slush. The journey from Tezpur to Tawang took two full days.
LINE OF CONTROL FORCE spent 10 days travelling along the LC in July 2003. This was before the ceasefire, and twice during the journey, FORCE team travelling along the army personnel came under Pakistani artillery fire. This photograph, taken from Indian Army’s TMG post in the Naugam sector, shows the Lipa Valley in Pakistan occupied Kashmir
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SU-30MKI LANDS IN LEH When the western air command under AOC-in-C Air Marshal P.K. Barbora decided to start Su-30MKI operations in the high altitude airfield in Leh in September 2008, he invited FORCE to witness the historic moment. The flying started early and FORCE was at the runway, when the fighter touched down with Spituk Gompa forming a heart-warming background. FORCE had first visited Ladakh in November 2003, and spent a few days in Kargil and Dras. Subsequently, it travelled across the region, from Siachen base camp to Thoise across Khardung la, as well as to Pangong Tso
REACHING OUT A regular visitor to Kashmir, FORCE spends several months in the state every year. FORCE has been a close witness to life before the ceasefire, the beginning of CBMs like cross-LC travel and trade as well as successive unrest over human rights violations. This picture was taken during the Friday prayers in August last year, when cries of Azadi was the only sound one heard in the streets.
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December 2011
Issue
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