Nuclear Command Authority (India)

The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding India's nuclear weapons programme.

Introduction

India's first Nuclear test was conducted on 18 May 1974 with the code name Smiling Buddha. Since then India has conducted another series of tests at the Pokhran test range in the state of Rajasthan in 1998, which included a thermonuclear test, code named Operation Shakti. India has an extensive civil and military nuclear program, which includes at least 10 nuclear reactors, uranium mining and milling sites, heavy water production facilities, a uranium enrichment plant, fuel fabrication facilities, and extensive nuclear research capabilities.

Though India has not made any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal, different estimates indicate that India has anywhere between 100 and 200 nuclear weapons.

On January 4, 2003, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) constituted the Political Council and the Executive Council of the NCA. The Executive Council, chaired by National Security Advisor (NSA) gives the inputs to the Political Council, which authorises a nuclear attack when deemed necessary. The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister, and advised by the Executive Council. This mechanism was implemented to ensure that Indian nukes remain firmly in civilian control and that there exists a sophisticated Command and Control (C2) mechanism to prevent their accidental or unauthorised use.

National Command Authority (Pakistan)

The National Command Authority, (Urdu: نيشنل كمانڈ اتھارٹى; abbreviated as NCA), is the apex civilian led command to oversee the employment, policy formulation, exercises, deployment, research and development, and operational command and control of Pakistan's nuclear arsenals. The National Command was established in 2000 as a successor of Air Force Strategic Command which was established by then-Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Anwar Shamim in 1983.

The National Command Authority is charged with joint-space operations (such as military satellites), information operations (such as information warfare), missile defense, internal and external command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), and strategic deterrence, and combating weapons of mass destruction. The National Command Authority oversees the operations of the Pakistani Army, Air Force, and Navy's Strategic Commands, along with their functional basis. The unified military strategic command structure is intended to give the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Pakistan a unified resource for greater understanding of specific threats (military, nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological, conventional, and non-conventional, and intelligence) and the means to respond to those threats as quickly as possible to prevent the collateral damage. The civilian Prime Minister is the Chairman of this Command, with all military assets, components of NCA, and strategic commands directly reporting to Chairman of their course of development and deployment.

India?

India? is the third studio album by the band Suns of Arqa, recorded and released in 1984 by Rocksteady Records. The album was produced by Suns of Arqa founder Michael Wadada. It is their fourth album overall when including their 1983 live album with Prince Far I, and this is indicated subtly on the spine with the letters "Vol IV". The spine also reads "Such big ears, but still you can't see".

'India?' is a radical departure from the style of the previous two albums Revenge of the Mozabites and Wadada Magic. As the title suggests, this album has a strong Indian feel to its arrangements and instrumentation. It has not been released on CD, however three of the five tracks have found their way onto other Suns of Arqa CD releases.

Track A1 'Give Love' which features Ras Michael appears on the 1991 compilation CD 'Land of a Thousand Churches', and tracks A3/B2 (Kalashree/Vairabi) both appear on the 1992 CD Kokoromochi.

The sleevenotes for this LP include thank-yous to Adrian Sherwood, Style Scott, Gadgi, Martin Hannett, Chris Nagle and Kevin Metcalf.

India (East Syrian ecclesiastical province)

India (Syriac: Beth Hindaye) was an ecclesiastical province of the Church of the East, from the seventh to the sixteenth century. The Malabar Coast of India had long been home to a thriving East Syrian (Nestorian) Christian community, known as the St. Thomas Christians. The community traces its origins to the evangelical activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. The Indian Christian community were initially part of the metropolitan province of Fars, but were detached from that province in the 7th century, and again in the 8th, and given their own metropolitan bishop.

Due to the distance between India and the seat of the Patriarch of the Church of the East, communication with the church's heartland was often spotty, and the province was frequently without a bishop. As such, the Indian church was largely autonomous in operation, though the authority of the Patriarch was always respected. In the 16th century, the Portuguese arrived in India and tried to bring the community under the authority of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. The Portuguese ascendancy was formalised at the Synod of Diamper in 1599, which effectively abolished the historic Nestorian metropolitan province of India. Angamaly, the former seat of the Nestorian metropolitans, was downgraded to a suffragan diocese of the Latin Archdiocese of Goa.

India (Vega album)

India is the first studio album by Spanish singer Vega, released on November 7, 2003 on Vale Music Spain.

History

This album represents her success after having sold more than 200.000 copies of her first single "Quiero Ser Tú" (Spanish for "I Want to Be You"), which was a task to be accomplished before being entitled to a recording contract. The album itself sold more than 110.000 copies in Spain alone.

The country, India, has always been an inspiration to Vega, and that is why she decided to name her album after it. All but two songs on the album, "That's Life" (Frank Sinatra cover) and "Believe" (K's Choice cover), were written by Vega. The eighth track, "Olor A Azahar", is dedicated to the city she was born in.

The first single from India was "Grita!", which became the best-selling single of 2003 in Spain. After the success of the first single, "La Verdad (ft. Elena Gadel)" and "Directo Al Sol" followed. Elena Gadel, a member of the girl-group Lunae, whom Vega had met during the time they were part of Operación Triunfo, also helped with the background vocals for "Grita!".