India, S Korea may discuss leasing of minesweeper vessels

 

During his visit, the South Korean defence minister will discuss with Rajnath Singh defence cooperation between the two nations along with other regional and international issues of mutual interest.

India may discuss the leasing of minesweeper vessels from South Korea, a longstanding demand of the Indian Navy, during talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his visiting South Korean counterpart Suh Wook on Friday.

Suh, a former South Korean Army general who became the defence minister last September, arrived in New Delhi later on Thursday.

During the visit, Singh and Suh will “discuss India–RoK (republic of Korea) defence cooperation along with other regional and international issues of mutual interest," according to a statement from India’s defence ministry.

According to a person familiar with the development, the subject of leasing minesweepers from South Korea could come up in discussions with Suh. South Korea, Russia and the US are seen as the three countries having minesweepers that are key to keeping sea lanes and harbours safe from floating or underwater mines.

The talks could also cover a follow-on order for the 155mm, 52 calibre K9 Vajra howitzer built by India’s Larsen & Toubro with technology transfer from South Korea’s Hanwha Defense, the person cited above said. The K9 Vajra is based on South Korea’s K9 Thunder. L&T has completed an order of 100 howitzers from the Indian Army last month under a contract awarded in 2017.

The Indian Navy has been on the lookout for mine-counter measure vessels or MCMVs since 2005. It was earlier in talks with South Korea’s Kangnam Corporation to build 12 vessels at Goa Shipyard Ltd. But the talks failed in 2018 with India cancelling the estimated $5 billion deal that also involved transfer of technology.

“High costs involved and some compliance issues," were seen as the deal breakers, the person cited above said.

mint

Upgraded Akash missile test fired in Jaisalmer dist

 The Indian Army and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday successfully conducted the launch of the new generation of Akash missile from Pokhran Field Firing range in Jaisalmer district.

The upgraded Army version missile has been fired from a heavy mobility truck. The new generation missile is designed for use by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Army in order to intercept high-manoeuvring aerial threats. The Indian Army artillery will become stronger from the missile.

An official source said, “The surface-to-air missile was fired on Tuesday. The Akash-NG (new-generation) missile will be used by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to intercept high-manoeuvring low radar cross-section aerial threats. The missile intercepted the target with textbook precision. The launch met all the test objectives by performing high manoeuvres during the trajectory. The missile is capable of engaging in multiple targets in real time. The missile has an intercept range of 40km with the missile guidance system being more accurate now along with the fire control system.

A defence source said, “The performance of the command and control system, on-board avionics and aerodynamic configuration of the missile was successfully validated during the trial. Several range instruments including radar, EOTS and telemetry systems were used while monitoring the entire path of the missile during the test launch.”

The source said that during the test launch, the entire flight path of the missile was monitored and the flight data was captured by various range instruments. The multi-function radar was tested for its capability of integration with the system. The range of the missile is from 1.8 to 2.5 Mach. The missile could be fired from tanks which are stable or even from moving surface life warships and trucks.

A source said, “The Akash-NG system has been developed with better deployability compared to other similar systems. The missile is solely designed by DRDO and has been produced by defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL). The test launch was carried out by a combined team of DRDO and India Army.”

TOI

3 Rafale fighters landing next week, 9 more in April to add to IAF’s firepower

 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to acquire more teeth with three more Rafale omni-role fighters on their way to Ambala early next week with another nine slated to land by mid-April from France. The Hasimara forward base in north Bengal will start operations with five fighters next month, people aware of the matter said.

According to French and Indian diplomats, an IAF team has already reached Merignac airbase in Bordeaux to finalise the date for ferrying three Rafales to Ambala. The expected date is either March 30 or 31 with the fighters to be refuelled mid-air by French refuellers as per availability with a stop-over at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE.

India ordered 36 planes from France (the equivalent of two squadrons with 18 jets each) in September 2016 for ₹59,000 crore under a government-to-government deal. The IAF’s Ambala-based Golden Arrows Squadron has already inducted 11 Rafale jets between July 2020 and January 2021. These fighter jets have been operated in the Ladakh theatre where the military is on high alert amid a border standoff with China since early May 2020.

Dassault Aviation has already handed over seven more fighters to the IAF for training in France and will deliver the remaining six Rafale jets after April to complete the delivery of 36 aircraft by end of this year.

The aircraft carries a range of potent weapon systems including long-range Meteor missiles, HAMMER smart munition and SCALP cruise missile. The beyond visual range air-to-air Meteor missile is considered a game-changer by defence experts with undisclosed range well beyond 100 kilometres.

Diplomats cited above said there was a remote possibility that IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who will be on a bilateral visit to France around April 20-22, could flag off the nine fighters from Merignac airbase.

The arrival of nine Rafales in April will complete the Ambala squadron with 18 aircraft. The second squadron at Hasimara forward base will be raised with five fighters. Although Hasimara is a front-line airbase for the fourth-generation-plus fighters in the eastern sector to keep a close eye on Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh borders with China, the fighters will be deployed all over the country, particularly north Assam.

Air force officials said after the induction of Rafales in Hasimara, India’s eastern flank will enhance the strategic capability of the IAF with a C-130J Hercules squadron based at West Bengal’s Panagarh.

National security planners are also pushing for the upgrade of Indian airbases in the eastern sector with more blast pens and surface-to-air missile cover given the rapid upgrade of Chinese infrastructure and military airbases all along the Line of Actual Control. An influential section within the military believes that IAF’s eastern air command, currently headquartered in salubrious climes of Shillong in Meghalaya, should be shifted closer to north Assam for rapid response.

HT

For Navy, 6 nuclear-powered submarines take priority over 3rd aircraft carrier

 

The Indian Navy has informed the Narendra Modi government that the induction of six nuclear-powered submarines would take priority over a third heavy aircraft carrier discussed earlier to counter the rapid expansion of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and dominate the Indian Ocean, people familiar with the matter said.

According to South Block officials, the Indian Navy told the country’s national security planners at the Combined Commanders Conference this month that the plan to build the nuclear-powered attack submarines or SSNs should take priority over the project to build a third aircraft carrier (also called indigenous aircraft carrier 2). It is understood that the Navy will seek “acceptance of necessity” or AON approval from the government on the submarine project soon as China has developed the capacity to produce 12,000-tonne Renhai class destroyers in just five years.

While even Pakistan’s Agosta 90B submarine, the only one of the five that are operational, can make its way to the Bay of Bengal with an intrepid crew, the SSN class of submarines, carrying a conventional missile and weapon systems, is only limited in range by food supplies.The nuclear-powered submarines can patrol the entire Indo-Pacific without even surfacing once and remain detected on high seas and equatorial waters. China has nearly a dozen such submarines in operation. Its latest, the Type 095 attack submarine has a reduced acoustic signature as compared to the Han class of submarines.

While India has a number of options to jointly design and develop the submarines with countries such as Russia, France and the US under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat rubric, India’s preferred partner appears to be Paris as it is already designed Kalvari class of diesel attack submarines for Indian Navy and is currently jointly developing a nuclear attack submarine (named Alvaro Alberto) for Brazil under a strategic partnership.

Apart from being India’s closest allies in defence technology, joint development of submarines with France is free from any regulatory regimes such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) with the US or any future sanctions in case of Russia. India already operates one Akula class SSN from Russia on lease with an agreement to get another one when the lease on the first expires.

The government’s emphasis on upgrading naval assets is an attempt to counter China’s navy in the Indian Ocean and beyond. The PLA’s navy is larger than the US navy in terms of the number of ships, although the US is still ahead in terms of tonnage and capability.

It is in this context that the Navy is also seriously thinking of reviving its heavy-destroyer project to counter the 12,000-tonne cruisers being built by China. The first of India’s 7,500 tonne INS Visakhapatnam class of guided-missile destroyers is expected to be commissioned within a year.

Indian national security planners believe that the next threat from China will come on Indo-Pacific, particularly in the Indian Ocean with the US Navy continuously deployed in the South China Sea and ensuring that the PLAN ballistic missile submarines do not cross the first island chain. This means that PLAN will have to take a circuitous route to deploy its nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean as it is mandatory for sub-surface vessels to surface when they cross Malacca Straits, Sunda or Lombok straits.

As part of India’s effort to match China, India will commission its second aircraft carrier INS Vikrant - it is New Delhi’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier - later this year. It will be home-based on the eastern seaboard while INS Vikramaditya, the other carrier built by Russia, will be on the western seaboard of India. INS Arighat, the second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) will also be commissioned this year.

HT

Indigenous light choppers get go-ahead, delivery in 2022

 

India is going ahead with an indigenous light utility helicopter (LUH) after it proved it worth during high altitude operations, including at the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airstrip on the China border. The defence ministry has given the go ahead for placing an order for 12 of the choppers, with developer and manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics  Limited (HAL) expected to deliver the first by August next year.

The LUH is a homegrown success story, having demonstrated its capability of operating in all kinds of environments, with a focus on high altitude missions that are essential for maintaining troops on the Pakistan and China border.

HAL Chairman R Madhavan told  that the letter of acceptance for 12 helicopters – six each for the army and air force – has been received and work has started to produce the aircraft. “The LoA has been received and we plan to deliver the first helicopter by next year. The production facility at Tumkur is ready and we will manufacture the choppers there,” he said.

The LUH order is a boost for the Make in India initiative, given that the chopper has been fully designed and developed in house by HAL, borrowing on the expertise gained by older platforms like the Advanced Light Helicopter.

While 12 helicopters are to be ordered in the first lot, the expected requirement of the LUH within the services is pegged at 185. In addition, India and Russia have also been negotiating a deal for the Kamov Ka 226 helicopters for the army and air force to fulfil the large needs of such type of aircraft.

The LUH will progressively replace the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that operate at impossible heights on the border, including the Siachen glacier. Given its new design, the LUH can carry more than eight times the meaningful payload to the highest helipads in the world, as compared to the Cheetahs.

The indigenous chopper has gone through rigorous trials and tests by the services, including at forward helipads on the border. These include test missions from Leh to both the China and Pakistan borders. It has also demonstrated a flawless flight from Bangalore to Leh, a distance of over 3000 km, in three days without any servicing issues.

ET

IAI completes test of new defense missile with 150 km. range

 

The Israel Aerospace Industries defense contractor said on Monday it had successfully completed live fire trials of a new long range defense missile.

The Barak extended range interceptor can take out airborne threats at a range of 150 kilometers (93 miles), the company said.

The missile, part of the firm’s family of Barak interceptors, is launched vertically and includes a rocket motor, a booster, and a radar homing seeker. The range was extended by adjusting other interceptor missiles and radar capabilities.“The combination of several interceptors in a unified launcher and the inherent modularity of the Barak system provide an optimal response for the future battlefield,” IAI president and CEO Boaz Levy said in a statement after the test.

The Barak system provides an integrated defense against an array of potential simultaneous aerial threats fired from different sources and ranges, the company said.

The extended range interceptor reaches an altitude of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) and can defend against threats including fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones, helicopters and gliding bombs. It is deployed in a launcher with eight missiles and can be used on land or at sea.

Israel Aerospace Industries, the nation’s largest aerospace and defense firm, develops and manufactures advanced systems for air, space, sea, land, cyber, and homeland security.

The firm has worked with India’s military and in 2019 won a $777 million contract to supply India with a maritime version of the Barak-8 missile defense system.

 The Times Of Israel

China aggressively building new villages in disputed borderlands in Himalayas: Report

 

With the aim to expand its territory, Beijing is aggressively building many new villages in disputed borderlands in the Himalayas, according to a report published in The Japan Times.

Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research, in an article, titled 'China's Himalayan salami tactics' said, "China is aggressively building many new villages in disputed borderlands to extend or consolidate its control over strategically important areas that India, Bhutan, and Nepal maintain fall within their national boundaries."

Chellaney wrote that the strategic implications of China's drive to populate these desolate, uninhabited border areas is its major buildup of new military facilities. The new installations range from electronic warfare stations and air defence sites to underground ammunition depots."China's militarised village-building spree has renewed the regional spotlight on Chinese President Xi Jinping's expansionist strategy at a time when, despite a recent disengagement in one area, tens of thousands of its troops remain locked in multiple standoffs with Indian forces. Recurrent skirmishing began last May after India discovered to its alarm that Chinese forces had stealthily occupied mountaintops and other strategic vantage points in its northernmost Ladakh borderlands," he wrote.

He further stated that Xi's regime advanced its South China Sea expansionism through asymmetrical or hybrid warfare, waged below the threshold of overt armed conflict. This approach blends conventional and irregular tactics with small incremental territorial encroachments (or "salami slicing"), psychological manipulation, disinformation, lawfare, and coercive diplomacy.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, citing a Chinese government document, recently reported that China intends to build 624 border villages in disputed Himalayan areas.

"In the name of "poverty alleviation," the Communist Party of China (CPC) is callously uprooting Tibetan nomads and forcing them to settle in artificial new border villages in isolated, high-altitude areas," Chellaney said while adding that the CPC has also sent ethnic Han Chinese party members to such villages to serve as resident overseers.

By building new border villages and relocating people there, China can now invoke international law in support of its claims. Effective control is the sine qua non of a strong territorial claim in international law. Armed patrols don't prove effective control, but settlements do, wrote Chellaney.

He added that China's construction of villages and military facilities in the borderlands threatens to wreak havoc on the ecologically fragile Himalayas, which are the source of Asia's great rivers. Environmental damage is already apparent on the once-pristine Doklam Plateau, claimed by Bhutan, which China has transformed into a heavily militarized zone since seizing it in 2017.

TOI

French senator plans to visit Taiwan despite China protests

 

A veteran French senator is still planning to visit Taiwan, the island said Thursday, accusing China of using “wolf warrior” diplomacy to try and scupper the trip.

China has reacted with fury to plans for a visit by Alain Richard, a former defence minister and member of France’s ruling party.

Last month, Beijing’s ambassador wrote a letter to Richard saying China was “firmly opposed” to the visit, which it said would “clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to pro-independence forces in Taiwan”.

China’s communist party regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

It opposes the island having any official exchanges with other countries. In recent years, it has become more aggressive at trying to dissuade politicians from travelling there.

Both Taiwan and France have shrugged off the protests.

“The Chinese government’s barbaric behaviour will only spark deeper resentment from Taiwanese people,” Taipei’s foreign ministry said Thursday.

It added that Richard’s visit would go ahead, although no date has been made public.

“We believe China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy is unacceptable to civilised countries with the rule of law and has been condemned by international public opinion.”

Wolf warrior is a label given to China’s more aggressive posturing under President Xi Jinping, a moniker that has been embraced by many Chinese diplomats.

France’s foreign ministry on Wednesday also dismissed China’s protests.

“French parliamentarians are free to make decisions about their own travel plans and contacts,” a foreign ministry official said on Wednesday.

Richard chairs a parliamentarian exchange group with Taiwan and has previously visited the island in 2015 and 2018.

China has tried to keep Taiwan diplomatically and economically isolated from the rest of the world, especially after the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016.

She rejects Beijing’s idea that Taiwan is part of “One China” and views the island as a de facto sovereign nation.

Last September, China’s protests failed to stop a similar visit by a group of Czech politicians to Taiwan.

macaubusiness

Govt to soon give nod for indigenous stealth fighters

 The government is likely to approve India’s homegrown fifth-generation fighter programme - the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) - by mid-year, with design, development and first prototypes set to cost around ₹15,000 crore, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

The Indian Air Force’s modernisation map envisages the deployment of around 240 stealth fighters (six squadrons) 2032 onwards, with the stealth planes forming an important element of future air combat, said a senior official, one of the people cited above.

AMCA will be developed in two phases.

“The first two squadrons will consist of Mk-1 version of AMCA. The remaining four squadrons will be raised with a more advanced Mk-2 version with a raft of sixth-generation technologies,” said a second official. Sixth-generation technologies are more advanced than those in any fighter jet currently in service globally.

The stealth fighter could be put into production in the next seven to eight years, Hindustan Times has learnt.

The Mk-1 stealth fighters will be powered by American GE 414 engines, with indigenous engines likely to replace the imported power plant in the Mk 2 version, said a third official. “AMCA is a top focus area for the Defence Research and Development Organisation, and IAF is firmly backing the project,” he said.

DRDO is looking at incorporating sixth-generation technologies in AMCA. There is a possibility of equipping AMCA with directed energy weapons, superior anti-missile systems, advanced missile approach warning systems and teaming it with unmanned systems, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said at Aero India-2021 last month.

Experts said AMCA will be a crucial indigenous project.

It will take Indian research and development and defence manufacturing to a much higher scale in terms of technology, said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies. “It is imperative that the timeline laid down for the project is practical since breakthrough technologies will be getting implemented and the IAF’s operational plans will depend on it,” Bahadur added.

India was earlier planning to co-develop a stealth fighter with Russia, but the proposed multi-billion dollar fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project was abandoned after IAF expressed strong reservations about the project due to high cost and the extent of technology transfer.

Boosting indigenisation in the defence sector is a top priority for the government. India has set aside ₹70,221 crore -- 63% of the military’s capital budget for 2021-22 -- for buying locally produced weapons and systems.

The allocation for indigenous procurement - made for the second consecutive year - will power the purchase of Tejas LCA (light combat aircraft) Mk-1A jets, light combat helicopters, basic trainer aircraft, Arjun Mk-1A tanks, Astra beyond-visual-range missiles, Pinaka rocket systems and anti-tank missiles, as previously reported.

  HT.

Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems rolls out the first batch of indigenous missiles for Indian Army

 

Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) on Tuesday rolled out its first batch of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Army and the Air Force from its Hyderabad plant.

KRAS is a joint venture between the Kalyani Group and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. This was part of the company's agreement to deliver over 1000 MRSAM missile kits to the Indian Army and Air Force over the coming years.

These missile sections will then be further integrated by state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited 

“This is beginning of a new era, filled with self-confidence, a marked step-change in technological expertise and a collective demonstration of capability to be the global manufacturing hub for defence products. We are confident to complete the order far ahead of the stipulated time and support the armed forces with the best-in-class missile kits,” Baba Kalyani, chairman of Kalyani Group said in a statement.

Economictimes

Limited ACMI systems purchased so transfer of technology not sought: Defence ministry to PAC

 

The defence ministry has told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that it did not include the transfer of technology (ToT) clause in the contract for procurement of around 100 air combat manouvering instrumentation (ACMI) systems from Israeli firm BVR System as only a "limited quantity" of these systems were being purchased.

The ACMI system provides an electronic replay of the entire combat sorties that helps in improving combat and operational skills of fighter pilots.

"The procurement of ACMI pods and associated ground stations was for a limited quantity only and hence ToT was not envisaged at the time of procurement," the ministry told the PAC, as per the committee's report tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday.

In between 2007 and 2013, the ministry had procured around 100 ACMI pods and ground stations from BVR Systems for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

"ACMI pods are not specific to any type of aircraft and the current inventory of 100 pods is considered to be adequate to meet the needs of the IAF," the ministry said, as per the PAC report.

Further, the ongoing project of integration of software defined radios (SFRs) with the fighters would enable the IAF to undertake networked operations, it mentioned.

"The training values accrued from social network operations are more enhanced as compared to that of ACMI operations. Hence for the document of pods is not envisaged," the ministry noted.

In February 2019, the PAC had tabled its initial report on procurement of the ACMI systems from BVR System, wherein it had asked why ToT was not included while signing the contract with the company.

The ministry had asserted that ToT was not included in the contract as the same was not envisaged in the request for proposal (RFP) stage, but this response was considered by the PAC as inadequate.

Therefore, the ministry gave another response, which was quoted in the fresh PAC report tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday.

The New Indian Express

Is Indian Air Force Leasing KC-46 Mid-Air Refuellers To Support Its Latest Fighter Jets?

 

According to The Financial Express, Boeing is competing with European firm Airbus, which has offered the A330 MRTT platform to IAF. India’s new defense acquisition policy has opened doors for the leasing of foreign military hardware, which will help in the rapid modernization of the armed forces.

“We are in talks with the IAF for KC-46tanker. There is a requirement for air-to-air refueling and we are working through certain issues. We are open to leasing these tankers.

“We already lease commercial aircraft to various domestic airlines in India; we understand there is provision for leasing military platforms in the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP),” Torbjorn Sjogren, VP, International Government & Defence, Boeing Global Services told Financial Express Online.

He also compared the KC-46 ‘Pegasus’ to the A330 MRTT and said, there is a need for mid-air refuellers in India. He stressed that the Boeing KC-46 can operate out of both big and small airports, which will eventually bring down IAF’s operational cost compared to others.

Boeing’s KC-46 is more of a combat tanker, Sjogren asserted.

In a similar leasing procedure, the Indian Navy had leased two MQ-9B UAVs in November last year.

The KC-46 ‘Pegasus’

The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. It is a widebody, low-wing cantilever monoplane with a conventional tail unit featuring a single fin and rudder.

It has a retractable tricycle landing gear and a hydraulic flight control system and is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 engines, one mounted under each wing. The KC-46 has been described as combining “the 767-200ER’s fuselage, with the 767-300F’s wing, gear, cargo door, and floor, with the 767-400ER digital flight-deck and flaps”.

The aircraft is in use by the US Air Force. Boeing has already delivered 42 aircraft to the service with more than 90 planes currently on order. Recently, Israel also decided to purchase four KC-46A tankers; Japan, too, has given orders for 4 aircraft.

Interestingly, when the Indian Air Force sent out the request for information (RFI) for six refueling aircraft to Boeing, Airbus, and Ilyushin, the Russian contender was rejected as the proposal only asked for an aircraft with two turbofan engines. This left only KC-46 and A330 MRTT eligible for the tender.

 The Eur Asian Times

U.S. Wants India’s Help on China, but There Are a Few Sticking Points

 

The Biden administration is working to embed India in a network of countries in sharp competition with China, though they need to smooth over disagreements that include human rights and New Delhi’s acquisition of a Russian defense system.

Highlighting the push was Friday’s virtual meeting between President Biden and the prime ministers of two longtime treaty allies—Australia and Japan—as well as of India, the fourth country in the so-called Quad and the least developed economically.

The leaders committed to a full-throttle effort to expand production in India of Covid-19 vaccines designed by U.S. company Johnson & Johnson, with some of the doses going to Southeast Asian and other developing nations, in an effort, an Indian official said, to compete with China’s “vaccine diplomacy” with other developing countries.

While the Quad has been around on and off for more than a decade, Washington in recent years has turned to the group as the U.S. rivalry with China intensified. India’s has too. A clash last year between Indian and Chinese troops along their contested Himalayan border was the deadliest in more than five decades and provided an additional opening for Washington.

A slate of challenges now looms if the Biden administration is to keep relations on track. India is in the midst of acquiring the advanced Russian S-400 missile system, a step that could result in U.S. sanctions. The Indian government’s treatment of religious minorities and recent farmers’ protests have brought renewed scrutiny from human-rights groups and members of Congress.

India’s government has threatened to jail employees of Facebook Inc., its WhatsApp unit and Twitter Inc. in response to the tech companies’ reluctance to comply with data and takedown requests related to protests by Indian farmers, people familiar with the warnings said.

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology denies the government has issued such threats, in writing or orally, to social-media firms.

These tensions with India, which has long championed its nonaligned status, contrast sharply with that of Australia and Japan, whose solid cooperation with the U.S. in defense is backed by shared views on governance and free markets.

Biden administration officials, for now, are treading carefully as they try to assemble a coordinated international strategy against China. They say India, as a democracy with a rapidly growing economy, offers opportunities to work on a range of issues like climate and energy, and to boost competition with China by cooperating on technology and defense.

“We work with a partner like India to confront the common challenges that we have; we certainly recognize the challenges that China poses,” said Dean Thompson, acting assistant U.S. secretary of state for South and Central Asia. An interim security strategy the administration issued this month lists China as a priority concern and pledges to deepen a partnership with India.

India has cheered the prospects for cooperation, pointing to areas like climate change, healthcare and a limited trade deal. Both sides share concerns about China’s aggressive behavior, said an Indian official, so the Biden administration needs to choose whether human rights and other issues will take priority.

“It’s for the U.S. to decide whether it wants to engage more with India on discussing strategic, geopolitical and economic issues or pinpointing local matters which the Indian government is capable of handling itself,” another Indian official said.

The Russian surface-to-air missile system poses an early test. Former President Donald Trump strengthened ties with India and built a rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Still, before leaving office, the Trump administration urged India to drop the acquisition of the missile system, saying a 2017 U.S. law mandates sanctions for the purchase of weapons from blacklisted suppliers such as Russia.

The State Department said the U.S. is discouraging Delhi from a deal that would trigger sanctions and in recent years has made advanced defense platforms available to India. A senior administration official declined to say if the Biden administration would issue a waiver should India move forward with the deal.

The Indian government has already made an initial payment to Moscow of $800 million and the first set of equipment in the $5.5 billion deal is expected later this year. Indian government officials say New Delhi will go ahead with the Russian system because it is needed to defend the country, which has tensions with Pakistan and China.

“We found it as the best possible platform,“ said one of the Indian officials. ”We expect our friends to understand our security concerns.”

U.S.-based groups are putting pressure on Prime Minister Modi’s government and his BJP party—some of whose leaders espouse Hindu nationalism—over policies they see as discriminating against the country’s Muslim minority. Policies drawing fire include a 2019 citizenship law.

Last week, the U.S.-government-funded research group Freedom House, in its annual ranking of democracies, downgraded India to “partly free” for the first time since 1997. The report cited India’s treatment of Muslims and other minorities, the targeting of journalists and its frequent use of internet shutdowns.

The Modi government’s handling of the recent protests by farmers added to concerns. Tens of thousands have camped on roads around Delhi the past few months to protest the government’s decision to deregulate agricultural markets and remove support the farmers say they need.

In response, the government temporarily shut internet services around the protests and tried to curtail social-media activity, including by getting platforms to block accounts the government said were inflammatory.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki expressed U.S. concerns “about crackdowns on freedom of speech,” and a senior administration official said the concerns about human rights and free speech have been raised in high-level discussions with India.

“It’s not an area that we are going to shy away from,” the official said. “It’s a priority for our foreign policy around the world, and India is no exception.”

The Indian government has said the laws will help farmers and consumers by modernizing and streamlining the agricultural supply chain.

One prominent critic in the U.S. is Meena Harris, a lawyer and the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, who was heralded by many Indians and Mr. Modi for being the first Indian-American woman to serve in the role.

In a string of social-media posts amid the protests, Meena Harris, who has no role in the Biden administration, likened Mr. Modi’s rule to fascism and called for a dialogue around “violent Hindu extremism.”

Some pro-government protesters in India burned photographs of Meena Harris in response.

Meena Harris declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Vice President Harris declined to comment.

The Wall Street Journal

At least 50% of required Sig Sauer rifles received by Indian Army infantry battalions: Officials

 

The Uzbekistan Army has been learning to handle Sig Sauer assault rifles from the Indian Army during the joint exercise that is happening currently in Chaubatia of Ranikhet district, said senior military officials on Friday.

Moreover, all infantry battalions of the Indian Army have got at least 50 per cent of the required Sig Sauer rifles, said its spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand.

The frontline infantry battalions (posted along the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control) have got Sig Sauer rifles in a much larger number while other battalions have got at least 50 per cent, he added.

The military exercise called Dustlik-2 between India and Uzbekistan started on March 10 and it will end on March 19.

Col Amit Malik, who heads the 13th battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, said, "We will be training them (Uzbekistan Army personnel) because they would be using it for the first time."

Around 45 personnel of the 13th battalion are conducting a joint exercise with around 45 personnel of the Uzbekistan Army. The focus of this military exercise has been counterterrorist operations.

The mainstay of the Indian Army's infantry has been the indigenously-built Insas 5.56 mm rifle, which has a firing range of around 400 metres. However, the Army has recently been shifting to the American Sig Sauer 7.62 mm rifle, which has a firing range of 600 metres.

The defence ministry had in September last year approved the procurement of 72,000 Sig Sauer rifles for the Indian Army.

Theweek

Chinese threat looms despite Ladakh pullback

 

The hope that withdrawal by the Chinese and Indian forces from the north and south of Pangong Tso lake, respectively, to status quo as existing in April-end 2020 would lead to a similar resolution at Gogra, Hot Springs and Depsang Plains appears to be gradually fading. This belief is further strengthened not only by a lack of progress during subsequent talks, but also by the statement of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 7.

At his annual press conference, while blaming India for the standoff, Wang stated that the border issue was not the ‘whole story’ of the bilateral relationship and seemed to suggest that the Ladakh issue should be left on the backburner while moving on to ‘business as usual’ in other fields. Thus, the ‘salami slicing’ strategy was sought to be shifted out of focus and glossed over in quest of ‘normalisation’ of mutual relationship.

Some aspects of the Ladakh imbroglio stand out. The policy of two steps forward, one step back has been followed by China all along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) while gradually creeping forward over the last 50 years. This is unlikely to stop, considering the aggressive and expansionist approach adopted by China as its power grows. Its actions in the South China Sea (SCS), East China Sea (ECS) and towards Taiwan are clear examples.

Secondly, while healthy competition between the two regional powers is welcome, the reality of such competition harbouring inherent seeds of conflict cannot be wished away.

Sources of raw material and markets for finished products intensify this economic competition, invariably leading to discord. Efforts to retard India’s economic growth by forcing it to divert its limited resources towards defence are a good reason, besides others, to prolong the Ladakh standoff.

It is interesting to note that India has spent a whopping Rs 20,776 crore on emergency purchases to meet the Ladakh challenge. The possibility of further such purchases to guard the entire LAC remains strong with no end to the standoff in sight.

Thirdly, Covid-19 has been a major factor in checking India’s growth trajectory. On the other hand, China has come out relatively unscathed from the pandemic, thus resulting in its economy rapidly bouncing back. Obviously, it felt this was the opportune time to strike a weakened India and achieve a resounding victory, perhaps without even firing a shot.

That subsequent events proved this appreciation wrong is indeed a tribute to India’s defence forces and their ability to defend the nation at all costs. However, loss of face is hard to digest by a Chinese mind, thus increasing the chances of the faceoff continuing.

Lastly, India, having occupied important features on the Kailash Range south of Pangong Tso, had bargaining chips on the negotiating table to ensure the Chinese withdrawal from features north of Pangong Tso as part of quid pro quo.

Disengagement having happened on both sides of Pangong Tso, India now has no such bargaining leverage to make the Chinese withdraw from other friction points in east Ladakh. This aspect heightens the likelihood of the Chinese not moving back from these friction points, thus prolonging the faceoff.

In such a scenario, India has to orchestrate its actions both at the international and domestic levels. At the international level, a consensual approach with like-minded nations is essential to thwart Chinese expansionist designs. Thus, the impetus being given to Quad and its deliberations are a step in the right direction. The Quad’s consensus on observing the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region and resisting any unilateral actions to change quo would be keenly watched.

Likewise, a number of ASEAN countries are affected by arbitrary Chinese expansionist designs in the SCS. They need to come together and collectively resist any subversion of the UN Convention on Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) by China. That China has refused to implement the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on Scarborough Shoal is indicative of a clear breach of the rule of law.

Collective pressure through forums like the SCO, BRICS, EU and UNSC would also help in keeping the Chinese aggressive approach in check.

At the domestic level, experience has shown that a firm stance against China has always paid dividends. Wang Dung, Chumar, Demchok and Doklam are examples. The need to resist every attempt at grabbing territory cannot be overemphasised.

Areas where the Indian military holds a tactical advantage need to be identified and occupied, if required, as a bargaining chip on the negotiating table as was done with respect to Pangong Tso. Conversely, we should be prepared to thwart similar designs by the Chinese where we are at a disadvantage.

An improvement of infrastructure in forward areas along the LAC, matching those existing in Tibet on the Chinese side, is crucial to enabling troops on the forward line to defend the territorial integrity of the nation successfully.

Finally, Pakistan taking advantage of an Indian confrontation with China cannot be ruled out. Its past defeats have left it thirsting for revenge. This raises the possibility of a two-front threat to India. It is, therefore, important to prepare for such an eventuality by raising the defence budget to at least three per cent of the GDP. Important committees in the past have made this recommendation to the government. The sooner it is implemented, the better.

The Tribune

Why Russia’s Best Nuclear Submarines are Sailing for India

 

Here's What You Need to Remember: Though its primary purpose is likely as a testbed to facilitate India’s plans to indigenously produce six nuclear attack submarines, it remains to be seen if the Chakra III will become embroiled in the ongoing Sino-Indian tensions in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

In the latest instance of long-standing military cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi, India is set to rent additional Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines as a stepping stone on its path to acquiring an indigenous nuclear submarine force.

A somewhat unusual arrangement, India’s willingness to lease—rather than procure or import outright— submarine technology from Russia has clear precedent in recent history. In 1986, the Soviet Union became the first state to lease a nuclear submarine. In an attempt to cultivate the Sino-Soviet defence relationship, the Kremlin inked a deal with New Delhi for the 10-year lease of a Charlie-class nuclear cruise missile submarine. The transfer was accompanied by a myriad of Soviet-imposed restrictions: the K-43 submarine, which entered service in the Indian Navy as the INS Chakra, was subject to frequent Soviet inspections and maintenance sessions, could not be loaded with certain types of weapons, and was severely restricted for purposes of offensive wartime operations. Further still, the contract stipulated that parts of the INS Chakra were to be manned entirely by Soviet crews; Indian servicemen were reportedly denied access to the reactor. Partially due to these restrictions, New Delhi opted to terminate the lease agreement. The INS Chakra was returned to the Soviet Union in 1990 and decommissioned one year later.

The K-43 contract disintegrated, in no small part, because the Soviets’ onerous terms ignored the reasons why India was interested in renting the K-43 in the first place. Namely, the INS Chakra was meant to provide the Indian Navy with the crucial experience of maintaining and operating a nuclear submarine as if it were their own. Secondly, the Indian Navy-- which has long planned on making the leap into domestically produced nuclear attack submarine production-- sought access to Soviet nuclear reactor designs. With the former greatly curtailed and the latter denied outright, New Delhi lost all interest.

A Partnership Rebooted:

The Putin administration, in 2008, negotiated the lease of another nuclear attack submarine, this time the K-152 from the Akula-class. Under the $900 million lease agreement, Indian engineers and sailors travelled to Russia to receive training on how to operate and service the submarine. The K-152, commissioned as the INS Chakra-II, was partly meant to check Chinese expansion in the Indian Ocean. Despite significant operational differences between the submarines (one is an attack sub, and the other a ballistic missile submarine), the Indian navy used Chakra-II to prepare its submarine crews for the introduction of its nuclear-powered Arihant-class submarine line in 2016. New Delhi was apparently much more interested in renting a submarine from Russia’s new Yasen cruise missile submarine line, but there were none available-- other than the older Severodvinsk, all of the new Yasen-M submarines remain in various stages of testing and construction.

With the Chakra II lease set to expire in several years, India has rented yet another Akula-class vessel. Dubbed the Chakra III, the Akula submarine will be transferred to India by 2025 as part of a $3 billion contract. According to an Indian official, the deal includes the refurbishment of the submarine with Indian sensors and communications components. From what little has been publicly revealed, it appears that this latest contract imposes few restrictions on what the Indian navy is allowed to do with the Chakra-III.

Though its primary purpose is likely as a testbed to facilitate India’s plans to indigenously produce six nuclear attack submarines, it remains to be seen if the Chakra-III will become embroiled in the ongoing Sino-Indian tensions in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

indian defence news

Be prepared to respond to 'complex and difficult' situations: President Xi Jinping tells Chinese military

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has told the country’s military that it must be prepared to respond to a variety of "complex and difficult" situations at any time, and to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty.

Xi, 67, who heads the ruling Communist Party and the military made the remarks at a panel discussion attended by representatives of the armed forces during the annual Parliament session in Beijing on Tuesday.

“The current security situation of our country is largely unstable and uncertain,” Xi said.

The entire military must coordinate the relationship between capacity building and combat readiness, be prepared to respond to a variety of complex and difficult situations at any time, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and provide strong support for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist state,” he said.

Xi spoke to the military delegates of the National People’s Congress, (NPC) which is due to end its six-day annual session on Thursday.

There are 288 national legislators from the armed forces, the largest group of lawmakers in the NPC which has over 2,000 members.

The Parliament session is taking place in the backdrop of China’s decision to pullback its troops from the contentious area of Pangong Lake area in eastern Ladakh region in a synchronised withdrawal of soldiers by the Indian Army. India has told China that the disengagement of troops at all friction points is necessary to bring peace and tranquillity on the border and for the development of bilateral relations.

Xi also spoke of uncertain times, amid the growing tensions with the US as President Joe Biden continues to pursue the hardline policy of his predecessor Donald Trump towards China.

The relations between China and the US are at an all time low. The two countries are currently engaged in a bitter confrontation over various issues, including trade, the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the communist giant''s aggressive military moves in the disputed South China Sea and human rights.

China’s Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe earlier called on the military to boost combat readiness, saying China’s national security had “entered a high-risk phase”.

Wei, at a separate meeting held on the side-lines of the NPC session on Saturday, called for the military to boost combat readiness, saying China’s national security had “entered a high-risk phase”, the South China Morning Post report said.

The question of how the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should handle security risks dominated the meeting on Saturday as the country faces challenges on multiple fronts – from its Himalayan border dispute with India to simmering tensions with Japan over the East China Sea and rivalry with the United States, including over technology, the report said.

Wei told the delegates that “we are facing mounting tasks in national defence … and we must comprehensively improve military training and preparedness for battle so as to increase our strategic capabilities to prevail over our strong enemies.”

“The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is at a critical stage where we are facing unprecedented opportunities as well as unprecedented challenges,” We said.

Wei also warned that US containment efforts would “last throughout the process of China’s national rejuvenation”.

ET

DRDO tests new Air Independent Propulsion system to be fitted in Scorpenes

 

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) crossed an important milestone on Monday, when it demonstrated an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system that will allow Indian Navy submarines to operate for up to two weeks without having to surface to recharge its batteries.

“The (AIP) plant was operated in endurance mode and maximum power mode as per the user requirements. The system is being developed by Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) of DRDO,” announced the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday.

Since NMRL’s is expected to operationally field its indigenous AIP only by 2023-24, this will come too late to power the six new submarines that the navy is tendering in a Rs 45,000-crore programme called Project 75-I.

Instead, the six Project-75I submarines will be powered by AIP systems that the foreign vendor must offer. The DRDO’s AIP system, once ready, will from 2024-25 onward, be “retrofitted” into six Scorpene submarines that are being built in India under Project 75, say naval sources.

Legacy, diesel-electric submarines can operate silently underwater for up to 48 hours, but they must surface after that to run a generator to recharge their batteries. When they surface, diesel-electric submarines become vulnerable to detection by enemy radar, which easily detects submarine masts or snorkels protruding out of the water. This vulnerability is reduced by powering a submarine with an AIP system, which allows for underwater operations for up to two weeks. However, submarines fitted with AIP must still surface every fortnight for battery charging. In that sense, they are not as difficult to detect as nuclear-powered subs, which can stay submerged indefinitely.

“AIP has a force multiplier effect on the lethality of a diesel-electric submarine as it raises the submerged endur­ance of the boat, several-fold. Fuel cell-based AIP has merits in performance compared to other technologies,” said the MoD.

Fuel cell technology-based AIP generates power through the reverse electrolysis of oxygen and hydrogen. In this process, the two elements chemically combine, thereby generating electricity to charge the submarine’s batteries. This process does not need air, but requires storage of highly inflammable hydrogen on board. This is not true of the DRDO’s AIP system, which relies on the innovative Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell technology.

This process is more rugged, tolerant of fuel impurities, offers longer life and efficiency, and is much safer, since it does not require hazardous Hydrogen to be stored on board.

“While there are different types of AIP systems being pursued internationally, fuel cell-based AIP of NMRL is unique as the hydrogen is generated onboard. The technology has been successfully developed (by NMRL), with the support of industry partners Larsen & Toubro and Thermax. It has now reached the stage of maturity for fitment into target vessels,” said the MoD.

Having tested its AIP on a ‘land-based prototype” (LBP), the DRDO will now evolve this into a “marinised” AIP system, which can fit into an actual submarine and operate underwater in live conditions.

The other type of AIP in service is a relatively untried, French system called “Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome (MESMA). The navy had the option to fit the MESMA AIP systems into the six Scorpene submarines that were contracted in 2005 under Project 75.

However, sceptical about MESMA, the navy decided to put its faith in a conventional diesel-electric system for the Project 75 submarines. Once the DRDO developed an indigenous AIP, that would be fitted onto the Scorpenes submarines.

Businessstandard

Project-75I : Defence Ministry to take up big deals for armed drones, submarines in April

 

Multi-billion deals for 30 armed drones from the U.S. and six advanced submarines under Project-75I are likely to be taken by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in April for approval, a government official said. “All the procedures have been completed and the deals are likely to be taken up at the next meeting of the DAC for approval,” the official said. “There is no DAC in March, the next one is scheduled in April.”

India has been looking to procure 30 armed drones, 10 for each service, from the U.S. but the process has been repeatedly delayed over the last couple of years. While the Navy has a pressing requirement for the High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, there have been questions on their utility for the Army and Air Force, given the high cost of the platform.

The three Services have since finalised the Qualitative Requirements and the all the processing has been completed. The case is now ready to be put up before the DAC, the official stated.

Last November, the Navy inducted two MQ-9B Sea Guardian unarmed drones procured from the U.S. on lease for one year.

The U.S. has given in principle approval for the sale of these armed drones to India sometime back and the deal came up for discussion during the India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue last October.

However, since the stand-off with China in Eastern Ladakh last May, the need for long endurance drones to maintain continuous surveillance of the border has been acutely felt and the armed forces are in the process of procuring drones of several other categories as well.

Submarine deal

In January 2020, the DAC had shortlisted Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as the Indian partners for the P-75I deal worth over ?45,000 crore. Once the DAC clears it, the Navy will issue the Request For Proposal (RFP) to the two Indian companies who would respond to it in partnership with a foreign Original Equipment manufacturer (OEM).

The delay in the P-75I deal was the extra caution at each step of the process as this was being done for the first time, the official stated.

This project is being processed through the Strategic Partnership (SP) model of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), which aims to promote the role of Indian industry in defence manufacturing and build a domestic defence industrial ecosystem.

While there are two Indian companies shortlisted, there are five foreign OEMs selected. They are Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME)(South Korea), Naval Group (France), Navantia (Spain), Rosoboronexport (Russia) and TKMS (Germany).

TheHindu

Eye on China, India’s plan for 6 nuclear-powered attack submarines back on track

 Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) successfully carried out the final test of the land based prototype of the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in Mumbai. The AIP system, retrofitted by expanding the hull area, ensures that diesel attack submarines can remain under surface for a longer period and become more silent than a nuclear-powered submarine. The AIP system will be retrofitted into Kalvari class submarines, the third of which (INS Karanj) will be commissioned on Wednesday March 10.

But analysts say that rather than being seen in isolation, Monday’s significant test should be seen as part of the navy’s overall capability-building plans, ranging from the ongoing plan to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines or SSNs – the project is back on track and was discussed at the Combined Commanders’ Conference in Kevadia, Gujarat -- to the commissioning of its second aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, later this year.

Overall, they add, the plans should also be seen as a concerted bid by the Indian Navy to counter the rise of China’s navy – now larger than the US navy in terms of number of ships, although the US is still ahead in terms of tonnage and capability. In submarines for instance, India currently has only one Akula class SSN on lease from Russia; one more is expected to come on lease before 2025.

The analysts said the Indian Navy is all set to acquire big teeth and long legs this year. While South Block remains tight-lipped about the country’s increasing naval capabilities, HT learns that the Chinese interlocutors during WMCC (working mechanism for consultation and coordination) meetings on disengagement in East Ladakh complained about Indian Navy warships being aggressive against the PLA Navy in the Indian Ocean. Thanks to Indian Navy full deployment in Indian Ocean and real time intelligence from the QUAD allies and France, the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) warships are only deployed around the Gulf of Aden as of now with no presence anywhere else in Indian Ocean.

India’s national security planners are worried about the expanding PLAN and expect Chinese carrier strike force deployment in Indian Ocean by 2023 with Beijing expected to commission a third aircraft carrier this year. That’s one reason the Indian Navy has embarked on its own capability-building drive. India will commission its second aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and second nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) INS Arighat this year. While INS Vikramaditya, the other carrier, will be home-based on the western seaboard of India, INS Vikrant will be on the eastern seaboard. Each will have one SSBN and SSN as part of its strike force.

Although the Indian Navy wants a third aircraft carrier with more tonnage than the two existing ones, the strategic planners of the Modi government are still to be convinced of the idea given the massive expenditure involved. The Vikramaditya’s tonnage is 45,000 and the Vikrant’s 37,500. There’s long been talk of a third carrier, INS Vishal, with a tonnage of 65,000, but this could set India back by at least $15 billion.

Adding teeth to the Indian Navy are also its two leased Predator drones, which provide maritime domain awareness from Gulf of Aden to Sunda Straits with the unmanned aerial platform having endurance upwards of 30 hours and acquiring attitude of over 30,000 feet. Once the Indian military is trained to handle the Predator drones, currently based in the Arakkonam base in Tamil Nadu, the plan is to buy 10 armed Predator drones for each of the three services.

Vice Admiral (Retd) Madanjit Singh, former Western Naval Command Chief, said that New Delhi should be cured of its sea-blindness as this is the war theatre of future. “The Modi government must expand to blue water navy status if PLAN’s expansion is to be checked.”

HT

DRDO’s Light Tank Will Be Power Pack As “The Highest Altitude Operable Tank In The Globe”: DRDO

 

DRDO is tasked to empower India for building capability in defence –that not only limited to armed forces but it is now about technology for today and future which is foundational to growing defence economy. Last year, in the wake of precarious situation at LAC, despite the Covid 19, DRDO had some of the best moment of technological breakthrough with avant garde R&D, speedier trials and turnaround delivery so far. Besides such feet recently, It does get fair and unfair amount of criticism which it carries from the past record and legacy issues.

In a first, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO speaks with Manish Kumar Jha on the entire gamut of current and futuristic projects that will be definitive for India in the world of defence, security and aerospace.

DRDO haas had some of the breakthrough moment in delivering and launching critical equipment for our Forces — among the first few in technology space in the world? Could you talk about such DRDO project delivery under your leadership?

As the head of DRDO, the first big challenge undertaken was the anti-satellite (ASAT) mission and it was a great moment for the nation that we could successfully demonstrate ASAT capability during its maiden launch. India became the fourth nation in the world to showcase the direct hit of an (inactive) orbiting satellite.

In 2020, DRDO has conducted 12 trials within six weeks. This includes MRSAM, HSTDV, Dhruvastra, QRSAM, Rudram, SMART, BrahMos, SANT, Prithvi-2, Nirbhaya Cruise Missile and the like. Trials of the Nirbhay cruise missile, Nag missile, man-portable anti-tank guided missile and other systems have been successfully conducted in the past one year.

We are in a phase of consolidation as well as expanding into futuristic technologies in defence research at DRDO. In last one year itself, five Astra missile systems were delivered to IAF, three sets of 10m Short Span Bridging system given to Indian Army, Indian Maritime Situational Awareness to Indian Navy, first Heavy Weight Torpedo Varunastra were handed over to Indian Navy while JVPC underwent the final phase of user trials. In addition, many systems have successfully undergone trials and are now ready to be inducted into the services.

At the same time, research and development has been initiated in areas of advanced technologies like quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, asymmetric technologies, advanced materials, sensors to make products with cutting-edge capabilities in defence. Defence technologies for space and cyber-security are other areas where we have started work in a big way. Work on indigenous air-independent propulsion systems is progressing well and is ready for deployment.

When are we ready for India’s next gen fighter Jets – AMCA prototype and Tejas Mk 2 (Design and Development)?

Tejas MK-II program is in advance stages of development. After completion of aircraft PDR early last year, the detailed design activities are nearing completion. Manufacturing of long lead parts has already begun and the first prototype is on schedule for rollout in August 2022. Since there are very few unknowns in the programme, activities are moving rapidly.

The configuration of AMCA is frozen and PDR of the configuration is completed. The detailed design activities have commenced and rollout of the first prototype is planned in first half of 2024. The production of AMCA is planned through an SPV which will have large participation from private industries in addition to HAL.

What is the status of jet engine/aero engine for such program? Are we exploring international collaboration with global OEMs for joint co-design and development?

For LCA Mk2, a bigger GE 414 engine is planned to be used and the test trials of the aircraft are expected to happen by 2022. While AMCA Mk-1 will have the same engine, the AMCA Mk-2 will have an indigenous engine. The LCA Mk-2 engine will be replaced with an indigenous one at a later stage.

The aircraft is being designed such that the indigenous engine will fit with minimal changes in the configuration. Kaveri engine design has given enormous experience in various aspects of engine design & development. We are working out the collaboration with engine houses having complementary capabilities for making the new engine with in the country. We are getting closer to achieving the desired technology. We are also expecting international collaboration.

The third new fighter jet that we are working on is the Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) for the Navy. The TEDBF is being developed to replace the Russian-made MiG-29K fighters in service with the Indian Navy. The jet will operate from the current and future aircraft carriers of Indian Navy. TEDBFs is planned to be inducted in service by 2032.

The budget allocated to DRDO remains as per the last year. In comparison with many emerging and advanced countries with their budget spent ~15-20 % on R&D in defence, India puts as low as about 6% of total defence budget. How does it affect the big-ticket research projects underway? What is expected in terms of budgetary allocations?

The defence budget has been increased to 4.78 lakh crore for the Financial Year 2021-22 (FY21-22), which includes capital expenditure worth Rs 1.35 lakh crore. It is nearly 19 per cent increase in defence capital expenditure. This is the highest ever increase in capital outlay for defence in last 15 years.

The Capital allocation for DRDO has been increased to Rs 11,375.50 crore. This is an increase of 8 per cent over 2020-21 and 8.5 per cent over 2019-20.

It was noted that 40% of DRDO’s budget is spent on maintenance and manpower, leaving a lesser margin for buying critical equipment, testing platforms and project development? What is your take in this?

With an increase of 8% in our budget this year, there is less likelihood of major shortage of funds for critical equipment. As much as 20 per cent of resources of each laboratory should be spent on research content of futuristic technologies and DRDO has been spending around 20-25 per cent of the budget on R&D. Human Resources are equally important.

What stage of development are we as far as AIP systems are concerned for Indian Navy’s critical P75 project? This would be first such strategic partnership which MDL is responsible for submarine projects initiatives based upon AIP.

The DRDO developed indigenous AIP propulsion system is a modular system which can be easily configured for any conventional submarine platform. At present the system is configured for P75 submarines and has got the safety and interface acceptance and permission from the Submarine designer M/s NG France. The firm is to undertake the detailed design for its possible integration to the first available P75 platform.

Regarding P75I as per IN request, initial level of interactions have been done with four foreign designers and preliminary interface requirements are obtained from three designers. The preliminary design of DRDO AIP system is studied and feasibility is established for integration of the same in all the three platforms proposed by the designers.

Accordingly, the preliminary design of DRDO AIP is forwarded to the designers. Further action from IN is awaited for next course of action.

Today DRDO launched Fuel Cell based Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System which crosses important milestone. AIP has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel electric submarine as it enhances the submerged endurance of the boat, several folds. Fuel cell-based AIP has merits in performance compared to other technologies.

The system is being developed by Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) of DRDO.

While there are different types of AIP systems being pursued internationally, fuel cell-based AIP of NMRL is unique as the hydrogen is generated onboard. The technology has been successfully developed with the support of industry partners L&T and Thermax. It has now reached the stage of maturity for fitment into target vessels.

Could you throw light on India’s next generation UAVs for our forces that might set benchmark capability?

DRDO has envisaged the need for a dedicated test range for testing and evaluation range to handle the fast-growing requirements of UAVs. Aeronautical Test Range has been established at Chitradurga, which is the only range for flight testing of UAVs in the country.

Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is working on UAV configurations. Our laboratories CAIR and R&DE(E) are working on autonomous technologies and development of various kinds of robots for multiple applications. DRDO young scientist laboratories are also working on the technologies required for UAVs and robotics.

MALE UAV TAPAS BH-201 (Rustom II) programme has an operational range of 1000 km and payload capacity of 350 kg with an endurance of 24 hours at 30,000 ft altitude. It will carry variety of payloads such as Long Range Electro Optic (LREO) payload and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) MPAR, ELINT, COMINT, IFF, TCAS, UCR etc. depending upon the ISR mission requirements.

Abhyas is an expandable aerial target for practice firing by Armed forces. It is being used for many SAM trials and has enormous potential for use for practice sessions.

What is the USP of DRDO’s proposed light tank for the Indian Army and especially for the mountain corps? Any acceptance and delivery timeline if you could tell us?

The need of light weight tank is felt in today’s scenario especially for the mountainous regions. The configuration is worked out.

The USP of DRDO’s proposed light tank for the Indian Army is that it will be fitted with High Altitude Operable Power pack (Engine + Transmission) of 1000hp and will be capable of firing multiple ammunition. This tank may be called as “highest altitude operable tank in the globe”. The design work has commenced and we will bring out the timelines.

Saras (crane) Mk1 multi-purpose light civilian aircraft, designed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), which works closely with HAL, DRDO and the IAF–what is the case now?

This is not under the purview of DRDO, hence, I would not comment.

Artificial Intelligence is the now hugely used in unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, the unmanned ground combat vehicle, the unmanned submersible systems. How India is developing. Should not we lead in such technology with our strong Informational Technology base?

In fact, the artificial Intelligence is set up in all of DRDo divisions as they are working on set of systems as varied as land, air and naval. I agree with you that we could have led on this front.

Besides donning leadership role as DRDO’s Chairman, foremost, you are India’s leading aerospace scientist. I would like you to tell us your vision for DRDO as it is to play very vital role in India’s development. Though credited, DRDO is also often criticised for being too large; deliberates and drags too much on unviable projects and sometimes too bureaucratic as a leading R&D organisation for 22nd century India? How do you bring change?

DRDO with its existing capabilities is poised to take up system development in the emerging dimensions of warfare and in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, photonics, cyber technology and the like. DRDO scientists are working in niche defence technology areas for building next generation systems, weapons and platforms and have chartered out paths to harness these technologies. Scientists are collaborating extensively with academia in the blue-sky research and with industry to develop defence systems in the shortest time frame.

A number of activities pertaining to various systems like AEW&C, AMCA, Guided Pinaka, Radar systems, Missile systems, Underwater Unmanned Systems are planned for 2021.

There are many other defence technologies and systems DRDO has taken up for development. DRDO will be responding ably to the future war fighting requirements of the tri-services with advanced technologies. Constructive criticism is welcome and we will continually strive to improve ourselves. Considering the number of systems and technologies that DRDO is working on, DRDO has optimally deployed its scientific manpower on important projects.

business world

US blocks Turkey's 30 locally-made attack helicopter sale to Pakistan

 

The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally made attack helicopters to Pakistan, Turkish Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said.

During a briefing on Monday, Kalin noted that the US blocked Turkey's helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China and cause more detriment to Washington down the line, Daily Sabah reported.

The ATAK-12 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is equipped with American engines.

The US is holding up export clearance for the LHTEC engine. Turkey and Pakistan signed a USD 1.5 billion deal for the Turkish-made helicopter gunships in July 2018. But the delivery date was pushed back after the Pentagon refused to issue the Turkish company an export license for the engines, Dawn reported.

United States' blockade comes as the impact of US sanctions on Turkey, triggered by Ankara's decision to buy S-400 missiles from Russia. The United States announced the first blockade in July 2019, days before a meeting between the former US president, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington.

In January 2020, the head of Turkey's Defence Industries (SSB) said that Ankara and Islamabad had extended the delivery deal by another year to ensure a smooth delivery. The agreement gives Pakistan the option to buy the Chinese Z-10 helicopters should the Turkish deal not materialise.

Reports in the Turkish media said that the Turkish-built T-129 ATAK helicopter was still on the Pakistan Army shopping list.

In August 2020, Turkey hired a Washington law firm to lobby with the US administration and Congress for securing an export licence, which will help complete its biggest-ever defence deal with Pakistan.

The latest blockade, however, is likely to force the two allies to cancel the deal, persuading Islamabad to look for other options. US officials in Washington were contacted for comments on the announcement made in Ankara but did not respond.

WION

Saab fighter jets tender still ongoing, says Swedish Ambassador

 

Klas Molin, Sweden’s Ambassador to India, says there have been many highlights in the bilateral relationship between the two countries. He highlights the work of Swedish manufacturing companies that have been here for decades and the new service-oriented operations that are in place. Excerpts:

When Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Stefan Löfven met in Stockholm in April 2018, in the Joint Action Plan (JAP) there was a sharp focus on initiatives in trade and investment, including conversations with major Swedish companies with operations in India, such as Volvo and Ikea. Could you talk a bit about the major points of progress achieved in the bilateral space since then?

I was very happy to, as a fairly newly arrived Ambassador, be working on that historic visit that followed the state visit of President Mukherjee, who had been in Sweden just a couple of years before. That was followed by a Swedish state visit to India at the end of 2019. So, we have had many highlights in the bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Löfven was, of course, here also in 2016, and met Prime Minister Modi during that visit.

Many of the original ideas we’ve been cooperating on for four decades, and the work of many manufacturing companies that have been here since the 1950s, and 1960s — and some since the beginning of the 20th century — mean that we are no strangers to working in and cooperating with India. I speak for the community and the Chamber of Commerce in saying that working and being in India is not just essential, it is also very fruitful and productive. There are companies engaged in the manufacturing, development, and code development of many products, and some that supply manufacturing companies and service-oriented companies, including global service operations. For example, the company Ericsson is bigger in India than anywhere else in the world, including in Sweden, with approximately 30,000 employees. The same is true of ABB and AstraZeneca

The climate is generally very positive. This past year has been challenging, but the Prime Ministers have very much set the tone for increased cooperation.

Although for its MMRC tender India went with the Rafale, is there hope that the IAF could consider the Saab jet fighters, at some point in the future?

Absolutely, and I believe that is also Saab’s assessment. The tender is still there, it is modified, and it was opened up to two more categories. It was a single engine, originally, that was broadened to include all kinds of multi-role fighters. Saab is definitely a contender and would very much like to partner with India, for co-development and production in India. I believe the process is ongoing.

At the 2018 summit meeting, the JAP agreed on a Sweden-India Innovation Partnership for a Sustainable Future. Could you touch upon areas where innovation cooperation has been translated into policies or actions on the ground? The JAP [following their 2018 summit meeting] has as one of its provisions a standalone partnership on innovation for a sustainable future. Innovation has very much set the tone and dominant flavour. Recently, we had the first dialogue on innovation.

Sweden has a National Innovation Council that the Prime Minister chairs, and it is a very important part of the policy of working with the public sector, the government, academia, and the private sector, in incorporating and setting up science parks, incubation centres, and so forth. This was also much of the idea behind the innovation partnership to partner with India in key sectors, such as health.

Just the other day, during a bio conference, we had a seminar on precision medicine, where Swedish technology, which is not just adopted, but is very much being developed in India at the moment, meets the incredibly rich data of patients in India. This helps pinpointing treatments for patients and developing treatments that can then be extrapolated to huge numbers of patients. This is an example of the latest areas that we cooperate more and more in. And it’s not entirely new. We have had an MoU for well over 10 years now in the health and life sciences.

We had our Minister for Health here a couple of years ago. She travelled to a couple of places in India, met her counterparts, of course, and has worked since with Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan very closely on COVID-19 response, but also with the AIIMS hospitals in India. We are setting up a hub in Jodhpur.

The foundation of our partnership is very much the manufacturing sector, and increasingly about services, start-ups and the IT sector. Migration is mostly one way — of Indian IT engineers going to Sweden. This is the predominant but not the only category. The COVID-19 pandemic is not making things easier, but we do everything we can regarding work permits and more.

There have been many joint ventures too. You have an Eicher-Volvo joint venture, which is over 10 years old now, on buses and trucks, which is quite successful. They will tell you that they are increasing their market share, with Volvo being well known for long haul buses that are comfortable, air-conditioned and safe transportation.

We had a hackathon recently that ended with an award ceremony. Honourable Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was kind enough to take part in the award ceremony virtually. He has visited Sweden and he and his counterpart in Sweden recently set up a partnership on safe transportation. You might have seen that he had a Road Safety Month declared in February, nationally, and we are now looking at e-highways, electrification and other sustainable and renewable modes of transportation. Space and polar research are also part of the JAP, just as defence is an important component.

Mikael Damberg, formerly Enterprises and Innovation Minister, told The Hindu earlier that the issues that require attention to keep the momentum going on bilateral economic cooperation include IPR protection and reducing red tape in the bureaucracy. Have things moved forward on this count since 2018?

I would say the way that India is moving up in the Ease of Doing Business index is one good sign and testament to something that I also perceive in the Swedish business community. There is definitely a sense that reforms are taking place that make it easier, for example through investment facilitation meetings under a mechanism set up by our Ministers for commerce and enterprise under a joint commission that meets under the Prime Minister. Under this joint commission, I meet the President of our Chamber, we meet the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, we meet Ministry of Commerce, we meet Customs under the Ministry of Finance also and tackle issues that companies have when it comes to the GST. These issues can be brought up directly with the agencies, which is not to say they would be resolved at the table, but the grievances or problems or questions that they have, we have been able to raise in our presence. We have found it very useful.

Also, the States have been vying in some kind of competition nationally for investments, which can lead to them providing infrastructure, guaranteeing electricity supply, sewage, and more for setting up manufacturing and other presences. This can help with red tape.

Predictability is always a factor that these companies mention when asked about what could be even better.

These companies are global, with global supply chains, and they can move part of their production and their supplies elsewhere. Yet they do want to remain in India, and there is no question that they have grown. Over the last decade, we’ve seen 100% increase — doubling of companies with presence in India — and not all of them are Ericssons and Volvos. They include software developers, start-ups and incubation centres, new companies that are created in both in India and in Sweden, but co-owned or jointly owned.

Regarding COVID-19 pandemic and the Swedish firm AstraZeneca being at the heart of the vaccine strategy in India, do you have a sense that the vaccine will be made widely available, equitably distributed world over, including in developing countries?

We know for a fact they are very large in India, and they are an important part of India’s production and rollout. It is heartening to see also their speed and the very deliberate and successful rollout that India is undertaking, including in the neighbourhood, and commercially with over 20 partner countries. We are impressed to see how quickly and professionally this is being done.

In Europe we thirst for successful examples, and India is definitely setting one. Given the mutations of the coronavirus, everyone needs to be vaccinated eventually, for everyone to be safe. There are IPR issues that are discussed in the WTO and elsewhere, and there are exceptions and exemptions possible under regulations. There are ways of solving this and I hope for everyone’s sake that it would be possible to find ways of doing this in the best possible way, which is also commercially viable, takes into account IPR and other issues as well as everyone’s health and wellbeing.

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