EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: HEADQUARTER SOUTHERN

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001413

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USDOC FOR 532/OEA/M. NICKSON-DORSEY/JAY HATFIELD
USDOC FOR 3131/USFCS/OIO/ANESA/KREISSL
USDOC FOR 4530/MAC/ANESA/OSA
ICE HQ FOR STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS
STATE FOR EB/ESP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC ETRD BEXP IN
SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: HEADQUARTER SOUTHERN
COMMAND, PUNE, LICENSE NO. D368007

REF: USDOC 07039


1. Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is
prohibited by Section 12(c) of the Export Administration Act.


2. Acting Export Control Officer (ECO) Perry Davis and BIS FSN Prem
Narayan conducted a Pre-license Check (PLC) at the Headquarter
Southern Command (HSC),Pune, on March 20, 2007.


3. BIS requested a PLC at HSC, Ministry of Defence (MOD),GOI,
website: http://mod.nic.in. HSC was listed as the Ultimate
Consignee and Redington Distribution Pte Ltd. (Redington),Singapore
as Foreign Purchaser and Intermediate Consignee; for 11
ASA5510-AIPLO-K9: ASA 5510 applicable with AIP-SSM-10, SW, 3FE,
(3DES/AES) and 11 ASA5500-ENCR-K9: ASA 5500 strong encryption
license (3DES/AES) controlled under ECCN 5A002 and ECCN 5D002,
respectively. The license applicant was Cisco Systems, Inc.
(Cisco),San Jose, CA.


4. ECO along with FSN Narayan met with Col. S.S. Birdie (Birdie),
General Staff System Branch, HSC and Amit Shirolkar (Shirolkar),Avi
Electronics & Networks Pvt. Ltd. (Avi Electronics),Pune. Prashant
Agrawal (Agrawal),Under Secretary (AMS),facilitated the meeting.
Agrawal was also present at the meeting.


5. Birdie stated that HSC is in the process of setting up a new
computer system that would connect 350 workstations within HSC and
its various Corps, Divisions and Brigades will beQnnected through
intranet. The process for installing the new system was initiated in
January 2006. Prior to floating the bids HSC invited certain
vendors to make presentation for the required system. Cisco
representative based in Mumbai visited HSC and made presentation for
the commodities on check. Based on feedback received from various
vendors the technical specifications were prepared and tender was
floated for the procurement of equipment needed for the new system.
The tender was awarded to Avi Electronics who is Premium Partner for
CISCO in India. Shirolkar stated that Avi Electronics is reseller
and sQem integrator for CISCO in India for defense industry.
Shirolkar stated that Redington and Ingram are the clearing and
forwarding agents for CISCO in India. Birdie stated that HSC has
plans to purchase 34 more of such Cisco firewall to install at all
its 45 locations.


6. Birdie was not aware of the BIS regulations. This was the first
USG or BIS official visit to HSC. He was cooperative and
forthcoming. He produced the documents before ECO and FSN Narayan
to view pertaining to the proposed transaction. Those contained the
HSC Supply Order for various equipment required for the system
including Cisco items on order and Cisco questionnaire concerning
the BIS export license compliance. BIS team was handed over a copy
of these documents.


7. Birdie confirmed the stated end use of the Cisco firewall and VPN
technology. He stated that HSC would be using Cisco technology to
provide a secure and reliable network infrastructure. The Cisco
equipment will be used to support the security enhancements to
protect its windows server, exchange server, SQL server and
share-point server via firewall and VPN technology. The type of
data that would be encrypted using Cisco technology is email, web
and portal traffic. He stated that other required products for the
system have been installed and is awaiting the Cisco products. As
soon as the Cisco products are received they will be integrated in
the new system. Of the 11 Cisco units on order, one will be
installed at HSC and 10 of them will be installed at HSC's Corps,
Divisions and Brigades.



7. The basic responsibility of the Army is to safeguard the
territorial integrity of the nation against external aggression.
Due to India's long borders encompassing different geographical and
climatic conditions such as desert terrain on the west, snow-covered
mountains in the north and thick rain-fed mountainous jungles in the
east, the Army has to constantly prepare itself for diverse
challenges. In addition, the Army is often required to assist the
civil administration during internal security disturbances and in
the maintenance of law and order, in organizing relief operations
during natural calamities like floods, earthquakes and cyclones and
in the maintenance of essential services. Demands on the Army have
increased manifold due to continuous deployment of its forces in
intense counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the
North East parts of India. To achieve these objectives, the Army is
organized into five regional commands which are: HQ Central Command,
Lucknow; HQ Eastern Command, Kolkata; HQ Northern Command, Udhampur;
HQ Western Command, Chandimandir; and HQ Southern Command which is
headquartered at Pune is responsible for whole of South India,

Gujarat and Maharashtra. It consists of the XII and the XXI corp.


10. Recommendation: Post recommends the Headquarter Southern Command
as a reliable recipient of the controlled U.S. origin commodities.
All indications are that the listed commodities will be used in
accordance with U.S. Export Administration Regulations
(PDAVIS/PNARAYAN) Mulford
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