Raman Gupta

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@ShrutiDhore A guy gets attacked for killing a cow, it is lawlessness, cow vigilantism, saffronisation. Let law take its own course, they say. Right to eat what you want, they say. Ab kya hua?

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@ShrutiDhore Waah, so many law abiding ppl supporting the lady? Maybe some of them can go out and mete out the same treatment to Nirbhaya's rapists. Is any criminal allowed to be manhandled like this, even by the police? Kasab khaaye biryani, ye khaaye laat

[Mohonto Panging Pao @MontyPanging]

Having myself operated many such missile systems, man in the loop is important. Many missiles have to be guided on to the target during terminal phases. Few missiles need mid-course guidance & corrections. Most vital areas would deploy counters like smoke, jammers etc and need human interference. General seems to be unaware of missile/ drone guidance & targeting technology. Missing the fairway for the woods! @GauravT71548031 @SandeepUnnithan @IAF_MCC

[Arjun Subramaniam @rhinohistorian]

Deeply flawed arguments that reveal a sense of frustration and waning influence of a particular arm of the Indian Army that seeks relevance- instead of aiming your long distance vectors at a sister service , why don’t you first regain your mojo within the service !

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@GauravT71548031 The statement is exactly in keeping with his history

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@palepurshankar @YouTube @rhinohistorian This was the exact mindset that killed the fighter ac industry in the UK decades back, until they had to revive it with the Typhoon. Please study the thater before applying the lessons

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@palepurshankar @YouTube @rhinohistorian The retired general is on reinforcing the tenet that air assets needs to be controlled by an airman. Despite such extensive combat experience, he displays such ignorance about air ops. Have seen the same in many experienced officers.

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@GauravT71548031 The retired general is on reinforcing the tenet that air assets needs to be controlled by an airman. Despite such extensive combat experience, he displays such ignorance about air ops. Have seen the same in many experienced officers.

[Gaurav M Tripathi @GauravT71548031]

Went through the entire interview end to end.

Stands out for the simplicity of analysis. To disregard the very considerable cost of subterranean tunnels that are essential for the ultra defensive strategy of Iran is inexplicable. The cost argument goes out of the window.

Other shocking observation "Iran approximates to India". How so? India's force asymmetry with Pak (positive) or China (negative) is far lesser than Iran-US. Thus, India's notion of victory and hence CONOPS can certainly not be the same as Iran's.

Iran has no real surface offensive options. Whether extensive or limited, but surface offensive actions are a part of India's warfighting scheme. Can we cede control of our airspace and have our surface forces decimated?

Scientific cost studies of the "missiles vs fighters" question have been done. Re-usable weapon delivery platforms win every time. Spacex is profitable for a reason.

Further, fighters can switch between domains, being applied 2500 km apart 1500 km out over the sea where none of the 100 rocket launchers the General wants to buy can go. They also won't do ISR, ELINT, Jamming, or carry out the next attack from another direction.

Ground launchers in this day of Sat based ISR, are vulnerable to interdiction during their period of operations. Fighters concentrate, ingress, apply combat power and disperse. Shock, Surprise, and Survivability.

Historically, the army has been least interested in anything they couldn't see themselves. So anything beyond WLR range. Long range targeting was the responsibility of the air force, which is structured for it. SSMs and long range attack drones thus, should be under air force control so that the mix they provide is optimized and coordinated with air delivered fires.

That such basics have to be reiterated just goes to show the gap in understanding that exists. Also perhaps the hesitation to discuss prior.

This is not how it should be, but is how it is. Sad.

[Gaurav M Tripathi @GauravT71548031]

The @SwarajyaMag has of late begun to concentrate on defence, security, technology and strategic affairs and it has been a refreshing experience overall. However, this article shows a worrying lack of knowledge. There are three issues that stand out.

Firstly, the views of a retired officer have been extended to the service he served.

Secondly the article conflates the 'organisation' (rocket force) with the weapons (rockets/ missiles).

Thirdly, it belies stark ignorance of how targeting takes place or what are the systems in place.

To tackle these one by one,

A retired senior officer's opinions are not organizational policy. That needs some journalistic rigour. Any number of amateur defence watchers could have informed that the IAF's Mehar Baba actually brought swarm technology to India. The service also operates both cruise and ballistic missiles. It is the ONLY service which is converting some 10-15% of its primary war fighting units to uncrewed systems. There is no corresponding Unmanned Corvette/Frigate, or Tank program at AON stage. A look at ongoing procurement cases would have reassured all Shahed lovers. Alas! It was not done.

Second, the Air Mshl voiced opposition to a rocket "force". That could well be IAF policy. And rightly so. Readers must know that there exists various target lists, one of which is called the Joint Target List. This contains all major pre surveyed targets of operational relevance to any service (strategic targets excluded). This was addressed exclusively by the air force till just recently (I don't know current status). The army wasn't interested in anything beyond medium artillery range and in fact berated the air force for its commitment to deep strike. Appropriately, the air force has structures , systems, and skills (specialists) to study GB of imagery and detect,  identify and study targets. Weapon and mode of attack matching is done, and numbers crunched for getting desired assurance levels. A rocket force is not needed. Rockets going beyond organic sensor range of the army, need to be under IAF. Thats how a synchronised air missile campaign can be done.

Third, whatever does "scattered across IAF's strike squadrons" even mean? Unlike artillery divisions, strike sqns can strike within 24 hours of activating. From Thanjavur or Pune or Bareilly. They concentrate IN AIR. To say fast response is not possible is belying a lack of knowledge. Old timers can cite much shorter (not giving specifics) response times for specific designated "core" forces earlier.

A separate rocket force will not solve this problem in anyway, air launched, or IAF controlled missiles can not. An overhaul of decision making apparatus, and prior positioning, posturing and tasking is needed.

So, for an issue that deserves understanding, and an open mind, now "deep scars" of past transfers of roles are brought forward as the motive for IAF "blocking" changes. The change that is deemed necessary,  based on narratives. "Service parochialism" brought in, like its true.

Perhaps the IAF's views could have been sought, before writing this hit job based on a retired officer's opinion?

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@GauravT71548031 @palepurshankar @YouTube @adgpi @IAF_MCC @indiannavy @SpokespersonMoD @PMOIndia @SandeepUnnithan The RAF fell prey to the same fallacy decades back and stopped developing Fighter ac. Had to return with the Typhoon.

[Gaurav M Tripathi @GauravT71548031]

Sir, this is the popular line of thinking. It's seductive to do a mathematical reduction of one Rafale = so many rocket launchers. But while drones and rockets certainly have their compelling use cases, a direct substitution is not wise. Here, I mean over aerial reusable platforms, whether manned or unmanned.

Why you concluded what you did, as have many others is by watching Iran hold off the US-Israel combine.

What you don't take cognisance of, is that Iran won it's strategic victory by force protection. It has invested a HUGE amount in protective infrastructure. That, and only that, allowed it to protect its missiles and drones. Which is where the x Rafales = y rocket launchers logic falls flat.

Defending an airbase with more air defence is still FAR CHEAPER than going underground at scale. Also, while more air defences also protect against enemy air and missile attack, going underground doesn't protect anything outside. So not only it isn't cheap, it's also only acceptable if your CONOPS is ultra defensive and involves giving up your sovereign airspace to your enemy. For India therefore, it is unacceptable.

So you can imagine what will then happen to our surface forces. All land/sea offensive options will evaporate. And drones/missiles will remain the only options.

But, if we take the option Iran has, we need to change everything. Our posture, our notion of victory, and yes, if our surface forces are as it is now going to get pulverized, perhaps reduce them as well.

Also, sqn strengths will restore in ten years. But for you to create the necessary infra needed, will take as much if not more. If you get clearances, acquire land, get money, and build.

The thought sir, is deeply flawed. Happy to discuss should you wish to. Regards.

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@theskindoctor13 @AmitShah @RamMNK Capt Pokhriyal has not been to DGCA for over a month as he is hospitalised and is currently on resignation. Clear case of victimizing the hapless

[Saumya Gupta @Saumyacritic]

the daily joyride! Just 25 minutes to cover 1 KM, #Bandhwari dumpyard for your gracious road grab. wrote emails, tweets… but clearly, garbage has a better response rate than governance.
@PradeepIAS_HR
@MunCorpGurugram @OfficialGMDA @ganesh_2197 @TrafficGGM #Traffic #Gurugram #bandhwari

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@AVM_SAgarwal @MunCorpGurugram @cmohry @NayabSainiBJP @diprogurugram1 @DiprHaryana @DC_Gurugram @PradeepIAS_HR @Rao_InderjitS @RaoNarbir Gurugram needs implementation, not plans

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@DeelipMenezes So everybody buying liquor from the duty free is drinking onboard? You are aware that if the packet is unsealed, it is not considered a duty free purchase and subject to customs duty...? Do u know that Indian pilots have an alcohol test every time after landing from an intnl flt.

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@its_AkankshaG https://t.co/8LmKqYEGON

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@cmohry @MunCorpGurugram @DC_Gurugram Major health hazard being bred in condominiums. ATS Tourmaline dumping untreated sewage and garbage in basement. Zero sewage treatment or waste disposal

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@gsam2411 In case you can pitch in on this story, we can take you around and show you the condition, provide pictures.

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@gsam2411 Builder and local admin making residents lives miserable. No streetlights outside. A simple shower makes the road outside flooded. Authy and builder blame each other, residents suffer.

[Raman Gupta @raman_iaf]

@gsam2411 Hi, this is about ATS Tourmaline, Sec 109. Unusable basement due water leakage, untreated sewage let out in gardens, in bathroom water tanks or let out in basement. All garbage collected dumped in basement, leading to a population of aggressive stray dogs.