Defence ministry clears Rs 35.47 billion rifle buy under “fast track” process

The defence ministry has gone back to the start line in procuring a basic weapon for the army’s infantry battalions – the footsoldiers who make up the bulk of the army, defend or capture territory in war and carry out counter-insurgency duties in peace.

After an earlier procurement was aborted last year after years of fruitless trials, the defence ministry announced on Tuesday its go-ahead for re-starting the procurement of 72,400 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines, worth an estimated Rs 3,547 crore (Rs 35.47 billion).

This is a fraction of the one million rifles and carbines that will be needed to re-equip the entire army. However, the ministry said it would “enable the Defence Forces to meet their immediate requirement for the troops deployed on the borders.”

The ministry’s apex procurement body, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, cleared this procurement under the “fast track basis”, which requires a contract to be concluded in less than six months and delivery of weapons within a year of signing the contract.

As this newspaper first reported (November 4, Infantry to get foreign rifles, others to get ‘made in India’), the army – struggling to make do with a strained procurement budget – decided against importing the army’s entire requirement of 800,000 assault rifles. Instead, it would cut costs by importing only 250,000 assault rifles for about Rs 200,000 each; and ask the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) and the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to design and build the remaining 550,000 rifles in the country. An indigenous rifle, it is estimated, would cost less than half the price of an imported one.

On Friday, army chief General Bipin Rawat explained that some high-quality assault rifles would have to be imported in order to “empower the infantry soldier”, who fights eyeball-to-eyeball with the enemy.

It is still unclear whether the remaining 1,77,600 assault rifles needed for frontline infantry would be imported, or manufactured in India with technology transferred by a foreign vendor. Rawat raised that possibility, stating: “Let us see if this imported weapon can subsequently be manufactured in India also by our own industry.”

Meanwhile, the DRDO is continuing perfecting the indigenous INSAS 1C rifle, and the OFB is separately developing another rifle it calls the Ghatak. These weapons are still to pass army trials.

Once these new weapons are introduced, the army will simultaneously juggle two different weapon philosophies. The frontline infantry’s heavy 7.62 x 51 millimetre rifle will be optimised for conventional war, with a longer range and heavier bullets that kill or completely incapacitate enemy soldiers that they strike. These rifles will also be equipped with reflex sights and modern night vision sights.

The indigenous weapons that will arm soldiers other than frontline infantry, will be lighter 5.56 x 45 millimetre weapons, optimised for counter-insurgency operations, with smaller bullets that soldiers can carry in larger numbers.

    ajaishukla

Scrapped $500 Million Missile Deal With India Back On Track: Benjamin Netanyahu

India will buy Israel's Spike anti-tank guided missiles, Israeli media today quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying, weeks after New Delhi scrapped the USD 500 million defence deal.

The deal was cancelled a few weeks ahead of Mr Netanyahu's visit to India and its renewal is considered to be a "major strategic achievement", the Jerusalem Post reported.

"India will buy Israel's anti-tank spike missiles," the paper quoted Prime Minister Netanyahu as saying after spending the day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India, said the final details and scope of the deal are still in the process of being worked out, the paper said.

Another leading Israeli daily 'Haaretz' reported that the deal is "back on the table".

Quoting Israel's National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, the paper said that current talks are trending in a positive direction, and more details will be disclosed later.

The Israeli arms firm, Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd, had earlier this month confirmed that India cancelled the deal and expressed "regret" over the decision.

As per the original proposal, India had planned to acquire the ATGMs for the Army at a cost of USD 500 million.

The Indian defence ministry has been strongly pushing for transfer of technology in procuring various weapons and other platforms from foreign defence majors as part of its broad policy initiative to encourage domestic defence industry.

Official sources in New Delhi had earlier indicated that the proposal to acquire the missile system faced hurdles when Israeli side apparently expressed reservations in ensuring full transfer of technology as per the provisions of the 'Make in India' initiative.

The company had recently inaugurated its facilities in Hyderabad where the project was to be executed.

 ndtv

India, US should finalise joint defence agreement: US think tank

Having designated India as a “major defence partner”, the US should launch a government-wide “strategic advantage initiative” focused on developing New Delhi’s defence capabilities as a premier security contributor in the Indo-Pacific, and to ensure India has the capabilities to prevail in contested domains, a US think tank has said in a new report.

This assumes significance as New Delhi and Washington are collaborating on “free and open Indo-Pacific” more closely in the wake of Chinese activities in the region. Led by former Foreign Secretary and India’s ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao and former US ambassador to India Richard Verma, the report was prepared under the aegis of Center for American Progress (CAP).

Titled the “United States and India: Forging an Indispensable Democratic Partnership”, the report prepared by the CAP task force on US-India relations said that India should finalise, in consultation with the United States, a “joint defence implementation agreement” that facilitates information sharing, interoperability, and technology transfers within the two countries’ comfort zones. “Indian leaders need to make a strong public case for a more efficient, transparent, and effective defense procurement process,” the report said.

It also called for creating a US-India Indo-Pacific Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) cell to plan, train for, and undertake joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in the Indian Ocean region.

Stressing that India and the US must build an economic relationship that creates jobs and opportunities for the people of both nations, the report said that the United States and India must look not just at areas like hi-tech, but also at infrastructure, to expand the benefits of investment and trade to all sectors of societies.

“The two nations cannot divorce the future of the bilateral economic relationship from what each country does at home. Both India and the United States must invest in the building blocks of their own economies and middle classes — including health care and education — and continue to innovate new domestic policy solutions if they are to benefit from the bilateral economic relationship,” the report said.

Among its key recommendations in the economic arena was to make infrastructure a key shared area of focus by holding summits to educate institutional investors about the Indian infrastructure market, and hosting conferences and exchanges to share lessons about developing digital infrastructure.

On clean energy, the report said that as two of the world’s three largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and with intense and growing energy needs, both countries must take concrete action to develop clean energy solutions that can boost economic growth and prevent the worst effects of climate change.

In this context, it said that the US should remain party to the Paris Climate Agreement. It also said that both countries should cooperate in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) — “the United States should become a full member of the ISA”, it recommended.

The report also stressed on the need to strengthen democratic institutions at home and around the world. It suggested starting a US-India track 1.5 dialogue on democracy and technology to discuss internet governance, the impact of social media on democracy, and the intersection of big data and privacy.

The CAP team also recommended strengthening ties between Indians and Americans, as that is the backbone of the US-India relationship. In this context, it said that the US should facilitate market conditions that give incentive to more cultural and educational exchange programmes.


 indianexpress

India wants advanced sub-hunting planes in response to China

India’s Navy is considering adding to its fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, as the country shifts its military posture toward its southern approaches out of concern about Chinese naval activity.

India’s Naval Chief Adm. Sunil Lanba told India Strategic magazine that aerial-surveillance capability was an important part of navy operations, and the country’s Defense Ministry has said the P-8I is able to provide “a punitive response and maintaining a watch over India’s immediate and extended areas of interest.”

New Dehli made its first purchase of the aircraft in 2009, not long after the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, during which attackers arrived by boat. India bought eight P-8I aircraft at the time, deploying them in 2013. It followed that with a purchase of four more in 2016, buying them at the 2009 price.

“A number of measures have been taken since ’26/11′ to strengthen maritime, coastal, and offshore security by the concerned agencies in the country,” Lanba said, including expanding maritime security forces’ capabilities, enhancing surveillance in maritime zones, and streamlining intelligence-sharing.

While Lanba did not say how many long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, like the P-8I, the Indian navy would ultimately require, his predecessors have said as many as 30.

The P-8I, which is India’s variant of Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon aircraft, has some of the most sophisticated anti-submarine-warfare technology available, including Raytheon and Telefonics systems that provide 360-degree radar coverage. The plane also has a magnetic anomaly detector, which searches for shifts in the earth’s magnetic field created by a submarine’s hull.

The aircraft can carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles, depth charges, Mk-54 torpedoes, and rockets. The Indian variant also has specific communications software and Identify Friend or Foe abilities, allowing it to interoperate with Indian naval and air force systems. They can also data-link with Indian submarines to share information about target vessels.


‘Our Navy is fully capable and ever ready’ ::

Anti-submarine warfare has become a focal point for the Indian military, and the U.S. and India have held talks about related technology and tactics. Both countries have become increasingly wary of Chinese naval activity, particularly Chinese submarines, in recent years.

China has also expanded its infrastructure in the region, including a presence at ports in Djibouti, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
India has been tracking Chinese submarines entering the Indian Ocean since 2013, and a 2015 U.S. Defense Department report confirmed that Chinese attack and missile submarines were operating there.
In mid-2016, Indian naval officials said they were sighting Chinese subs four times every three months on average.
“As a professional military force, we constantly evaluate the maritime security environment in our areas of interest. We lay a lot of stress on Maritime Domain Awareness,” Landa told India Strategic when asked about hostile submarines operating in the Indian Ocean.
“Accordingly, we are fully seized of the presence and likely intentions of all extra-regional forces operating in the Indian Ocean,” Landa said. “Our Navy is fully capable and ever ready to meet any challenges that may arise in the maritime domain.”


‘A tectonic shift’ ::

Some sightings of Chinese subs have taken place around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which sit near the Malacca Strait, through which more than 80% of Chinese fuel supplies pass.

New Delhi started deploying P-8I aircraft and spy drones to the islands in early 2016, with plans to develop enough infrastructure and maintenance capabilities there to support a division-level force of about 15,000 troops, a fighter squadron, and some major warships. Other reports suggest India is considering installing an “undersea wall” of sensors in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Growing activity in the Indian Ocean, as well as the ocean’s centrality to global trade and India’s own security, have led New Delhi to shift its focus to the country’s 4,700-mile southern coastline, where security and energy infrastructure are concentrated.

“This is a tectonic shift in India’s security calculus, that it has to protect its southern flank,” Brahma Chellaney, a strategic-studies professor at the Center for Policy Research, told The New York Times in July 2017, around the time of the Malabar 2017 naval exercises between the U.S., India, and Japan.

India has done naval patrols and anti-submarine warfare exercises with partners in the region — in November, India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia announced the creation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, defense partnership. New Delhi has also looked to expand its military, spending tens of billions of dollars on foreign fighter jets, armored vehicles, and naval vessels.

Subs have become of particular interest for India in light of growing Chinese naval activity in the region, according to India Strategic.

The Kalvari, the first of six diesel-electric attack submarines designed by a French firm and built in India, was commissioned in December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Kalvari a marquee example of the “Make in India” initiative, which aims to develop India’s domestic arms industry through collaboration with foreign firms.

India has already contacted foreign shipbuilders about building six more nonnuclear subs.

The navy, citing concerns about China, has called for a third nuclear-powered carrier that incorporates U.S. technology and is pushing ahead with plans to acquire such a carrier at an expected cost of nearly $25 billion.

The plan includes a component of 57 fighter aircraft, for which U.S. F-18s and French Dassault Rafales are being considered. Aircraft acquisitions may push the price higher.

The expense of acquiring such a ship has given India’s Defense Ministry pause, however, though others have argued that aircraft carriers are the best way to counter threats around the region.

“As India does not have a policy of overseas basing, a carrier force remains the only suitable alternative for a regional power like India to conduct out-of-area contingencies,” retired Indian Vice Adm. Shekhar Sinha wrote in December 2016.

The Indian navy has one operational carrier, INS Vikramaditya, which is a Russian Kiev-class carrier-cruiser overhauled by Moscow for the Indian navy between 2004 and 2013. The Vikramaditya operates Russian-made aircraft, including MiG 29K fighters, which India has asked Russia to “ruggedize” for carrier operations. The INS Vikrant, which is India’s first domestically built carrier, is under construction.

In what appears to a sign of the Indian navy’s move toward the U.S. and away from Russia, American naval officials from a joint working group were invited aboard the Vikramaditya in late October to assess ways to transition Indian carriers to U.S. naval operational concepts, according to India’s Business Standard.

 wearethemighty

Union Budget 2018: Why India needs annual defence allocation of 3% of GDP

A recent editorial in a national daily has cited, among other reasons, professional misgivings over persistent shortages of weapons and systems - combat aircraft, submarines and artillery pieces head the list that trickles down to a reliable rifle, safe helmet and body armour causing unhappiness in the army. Voids are permitted to grow because of multifarious reasons including vested interests that capitalize on creating criticalities to facilitate imports for individual and collective benefits in the face of emergencies.

A recent example is cancellation of the ‘Make in India’ project for 12x advanced minesweepers or mine-counter measures vehicles (MCMVs) in collaboration with the South Korean firm at Goa Shipyard . For the whole process to start again means years of delay.

Goa Shipyard, which has already invested over Rs 700 crore in infrastructure for construction of the MCMVs, will take almost a decade now. More delay implies a devastating adverse effect on our Navy that is making do with six 30-year old minesweepers that are to be de-commissioned by end 2018. Compare this with China having some 100 minesweepers, its conventional and nuclear submarines prowling the Indian Ocean, and Chinese capacity to lay mines. Mines that cost a few hundred dollars can cause immense damage to the Navy or sea-borne trade.

The Niti Aayog stated last year that the new 15-year long-term vision being worked out would also include defence and internal security. While Niti Aayog matches the MoD in not having any military professionals, the issue is how can a 15-year defence plan be worked out in the absence of a national security strategy (NSS), which no government has bothered to define since Independence, and without undertaking comprehensive defence review (CDR)? All the previous Long-Term Integrated Procurement Plans (LTIPPs) have also been worked out without a NSS and a CDR. Ironically, the higher defence set up and the MoD continue to be sans military professionals because the government remains straight-jacketed in the time wrap of the bureaucracy.

Lack of NSS and CDR affects holistic procurement planning, resulting in haphazard purchases, as can be seen by the looming near-zero minesweeping capability that should have been addressed past several years. Leasing odd minesweepers will hardly address the gap considering the aggravating situation in the Indo-Pacific.

What defence allocations for Financial Year 2018-2019 will be announced by the Finance Minister in the Union Budget on 1 February is awaited with trepidation in the military considering that successive defence budgets under the present government have been low, and is presently pegged at just 1.5 percent of the GDP.

It must be noted that the LTIPP for period 2012-2027 that stood approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister, as also the 12th Five Year Plan, were based on a defence allocation at “3% of GDP”. But the allocation of defence has always been much below that, which also must be seen in the backdrop of the capability gap between our military and the PLA. CAG reports point out that equipment provided by DRDO is sub-standard and provisioned at excessive costs, as also obsolete holdings of weapons, weapon systems and equipment by the military. Besides new raisings and modernisation too needs to be catered for.

It may be recalled that defence allocation for FY 2015-2016 and FY 2016-2017 were same 2,46,727 crore. Media was quick in calling the allotment of 2,74,114 crore for FY 2017-2018 as a 6.2 percent hike. But it was naïve to not view this defence allocation in backdrop of the rupee depreciation and yearly inflation rates of defence procurement. It is also noteworthy that defence allocation of 2,46,727 crore in fiscal 2015-2016 also stood at $40 billion, while 2,46,727 crore in last fiscal (2016-2017) went below $40 billion in actual terms.

In addition to the voids of NSS and CDR, our pre-budgeting process also needs an overhaul. In the present context, the three Services project their demands to the HQ Integrated Staff (IDS), which forwards the compiled demand to MoD. After some minor tinkering, MoD sends it to the Ministry of Finance. The Finance Minister puts arbitrary cap on defence allocations, without considering operational necessities.

In sharp contrast in the US, a Congressional Committee is formed to which all Theatre Commanders and Commander Special Operations Command (SOCOM) make pre-budget presentations; covering what their present operational capabilities are and given funds requested based on what their future operational capability would be. It is then that the Congressional Committee projects budget requirement to the Congress. There is no reason we can't have a similar system especially when Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence is headed by a two-star military veteran. Let this committee project the budget requirements to the government in writing with operational justifications, which will go on record.

There is also the issue of surrender of funds from the defence budget, which is not done by any other ministry, albeit there are occasions when complete defence budget has been utilized in a particular financial year. The reason of surrender of funds is because of red-tape that at times is deliberate, for ‘inducing’ surrender.

A former Vice Chief of Army Staff who had a close friend in MoD (Finance) was told by the latter that they have to give a quarterly report as to how much money 'can' possibly be surrendered from the defence budget. Jaswant Singh, Defence Minister during NDA I, had mooted the idea of carrying forward unspent defence budget to the next financial year. This was also recommended in various reports by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence but the idea was given a quiet burial. The recent reform announced about ‘Roll On' plan for fresh acquisitions can overcome 'surrendering' funds at the end of every FY is a misnomer, as it still leaves loopholes.

The year gone by has seen expanding China-Pak nexus resulting in heightening proxy war against India. China's PLA has made strategic lodgment in Gilgit-Baltistan and Gwadar port. Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka have opened their arms to China. Chinese assertiveness along the entire Himalayan belt has increased, with new probing actions such as in Tuting area last December.

China supports Pakistani radicals at the UN, continues aggressive moves even after the Doklam standoff, and its state media threatens. China can destabilize our northeast if India pressurises Pakistan in Kashmir. We need to address cumulative critical deficiencies of the military, need for modernisation and adverse strategic fallout of a 'hollowed' defence. In addition, operational requirements indicate why India needs annual defence allocation of 3 percent of GDP.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has pointed out that meagre funds for the armed forces as a whole, cannot be justified through standard answers like, 'The allocations made to the Services are based upon the ceilings conveyed by the Ministry of Finance'. Hopefully, the government will keep this in mind.

 firstpost

China prepares to deploy nuclear submarines at Pakistan's Gwadar Port: True face of CPEC?

China has already begun work on infrastructure required to station nuclear submarines at the Gwadar Port in southwestern Pakistan. This vindicates India's long-standing discomfort over the possibility that the true purpose of China's involvement in Gwadar is strategic more than trade.

Gwadar Port, which China has financed and built, would give Beijing the direct strategic access and to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that it has always craved, and give it blue water naval capability. The stationing of a submarine fleet there would also allow China to keep close tabs on the operations and influence of the Indian Navy.

Nuclear submarines are called so only because they are powered by a nuclear reactor onboard. They do not necessarily carry nuclear weapons. Nuclear submarines can remain at sea for extended periods of time since they do not need to keep returning to land for fuel.

It is learnt that a high-level delegation of Chinese officials recently visited Islamabad and held meeting with key figures in the Pakistan Navy, to expedite the nuclear submarines base projects.

China is eager to have three submarine bases operationalised on the southern Pakistan coast.

Beijing had recently denied speculation that it was setting up a harbour in Jiwani Port, close to the Iran border. This harbour was meant exclusively for Chinese warships, with Gwadar being portrayed as a trade hub.

The Pakistani Navy is constructing a VLF station for strategic submarine communications. VLF, or Very Low Frequency, stations enable one-way communications with submarines operating in deep sea. Submarine communications tend to be one-way most of the time, because a submarine that doesn't transmit is extremely difficult to detect.

China is working with the Pakistani Navy on the civil works. Work has already begun on the foundation for a 205-foot antenna tower, underground VLF building and power station. Work has also begun on activating Forward Operating Bases, which would allow repair, maintenance and other logistics work to be carried out on Chinese and Pakistani Navy ships.

Indian military intelligence agencies have already reported instances of Chinese submarines hanging around close to the Indian coast.

China also recently operationalised a military base in Djibouti, on the coast of the African mainland, at the entry to the crucial Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to the Red Sea.

 zeenews

China's aircraft carrier sails by Taiwan as tensions grow

China's sole operational aircraft carrier passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday (Jan 17), the island's Defence Ministry said, as Beijing steps up pressure on its democratic rival.
It comes weeks after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen warned against what she called China's "military expansion" - the increase of air and naval drills around the island since she came to power in May 2016.
Beijing views the self-ruling island as part of its territory, to be reunified at some point.
Cross-strait relations have become increasingly frosty as Ms Tsai refuses to acknowledge Taiwan is part of "one China".
The aircraft carrier - a second-hand Soviet ship - caused a stir in Taiwan when it first entered the strait in January last year, viewed as a symbolic show of strength by Beijing.
The Defence Ministry said the Liaoning carrier and accompanying vessels entered Taiwan's air defence zone early on Wednesday morning and left by noon.

The fleet, which earlier this month had sailed south through the strait that separates Taiwan and China, was seen again heading north, it said.
As in the past two crossings, the ship did not enter Taiwanese waters, the ministry added.
"The military conducted surveillance and took responsive measures during the whole process," the ministry said in a statement.
"There were no unusual activities during the time the fleet passed through the Taiwan Strait. We urge people not to worry," it added.
Built nearly 30 years ago, the carrier was commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.
According to Taiwan's Defence Ministry, Chinese warplanes conducted 25 drills around Taiwan between August 2016 and mid-December last year.
The latest Liaoning appearance also comes after tensions were further fuelled by China starting new flight routes in the Taiwan Strait without consulting Taiwan.
Taipei questioned the move as politically motivated and called it reckless, saying it threatened the island's security and could compromise flight safety.

 straitstimes

China in North Doklam with armoured vehicles, helipads and observation tower, claims report

The Doklam conflict between Indian and China may have been resolved but the Chinese activity in the area has not gone down. A report in The Print claims that China has almost completely taken control of the northern side of the disputed plateau.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat had said a few days ago that China had been keeping its troops in North Doklam. "This is disputed territory between Bhutan and China. There has been a reduction in the strength of Chinese troops there. But there is the possibility that they could come back (in force) after the winter. We have to wait-and-watch," he said.

The Print report says satellite images from December 10 show concrete posts, seven helipads, new trenches and several dozen armoured vehicles close to the point where the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops were locked in a 72-day confrontation last year.

TOI had reported on December 11 that 1,600-1,800 Chinese troops had virtually established a permanent presence in the Doklam area, near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction, with the construction of two helipads, upgraded roads, scores of pre-fabricated huts, shelters and stores to withstand the freezing winter in the high-altitude region.

"These are first images that show the extent of the Chinese deployment at Doklam - and indicate a likely permanent PLA deployment, retaining the capability to construct the contested road at short notice," says the Print report.

The report says there is at least one complete mechanised regiment of possibly ZBL-09 IFVs or infantry fighting vehicles, and there is also a strong possibility of another mechanised regiment under camouflage nets.

"There is a very tall observation tower, at least two storeys high, constructed with cement concrete less than 10 metres from the most forward trench occupied by the Indian Army," says the report. "The elevation profile of this tower suggests that it can observe the entire Gnathang Valley from Kupup to Zuluk. The entire movement of the Indian Army beyond Kupup can also be very clearly observed by the PLA."

The report says a large number of fighting posts have been created on almost every hillock on North Doklam plateau, and numerous areas have been dug out, possibly to accommodate troops under camouflage at a later date.

"At least seven new helipads have been constructed with permanent cemented round bases. The diameter of the helipads is 25 metres, suggesting that the largest helicopters in the PLA inventory will be able to land here," the report says.

 economictimes

Russian manufacturer has eyes on India with Ka-266T helicopter

As a helicopter buzzes in circles despite a blizzard, thousands are busy working in the huge hangars of a Siberia-based aircraft maker, eager to win a contract with India that would be a major coup for Russia’s defence industry.

“It can drop to minus 40 degrees in winter or soar to plus 40 in summer here, allowing us to test the machines in extreme conditions,” chief engineer Sergei Solomin said as he walked on the frozen tarmac, a fur hat keeping him warm.

Launched in 1939 in the main city of Russia’s Buryatia region that lies on Lake Baikal and the border with Mongolia, the factory belonging to the Russian Helicopters holding company once churned out thousands of Mi-8 helicopters popular in many different countries - but also washing machines.

Today the facility is focusing on the Ka-266T, a model which instead of a tail rotor uses two top-mounted rotors that turn in opposite directions.

Russian Helicopters says this makes the light helicopter more manoeuvrable and better able to hover, which makes it suitable for a number of civilian uses, including for search and rescue operations and medical transport.

The Ka-266T has engines manufactured by France’s Safran that allow the helicopter to land safely if one fails.

The helicopter could soon join the Indian military’s fleet, with long-running contract discussions, including at recent meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The deal is of key importance for Russia, which has invested in modernising its army and defence industry in recent years.

As the world’s top importer of military equipment, India is a key partner of Russia, the second-largest arms exporter. Moscow has carved itself a niche as a weapons supplier to developing countries, with sales unfettered by Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

“We are finalising the contract with the Indian defence ministry,” Russian Helicopters chief executive Andrei Boginsky told journalists visiting the site recently. He said he hoped the deal would be signed “at the beginning of 2018” and production launched later this year, but did not give any financial details.

Over the following nine years, 60 Ka-266Ts would be built in Russia and 140 more in India, as part of a joint venture, with the possibility of export to third countries.

Russian Helicopters sees China and Iran as potential markets for the Ka-266T.

The Ulan-Ude factory has a rich history. Built in the middle of the country to be out of reach of potential enemies, it has produced space rockets and aircraft, and even household appliances.

“After the war, the Soviet Union lacked everything, so the factory started to produce household items: cutlery, appliances...We made washing machines up until 2000,” said factory administrator Andrei Chirkov, showing off the plant’s museum.

He praised the “indestructible” machines called “Belka” (Squirrel) still washing Russian laundry to this day.

These days the factory just produces civilian and military helicopters. Only about 50 are made annually, down from 300 during the facility’s Soviet heyday. The oil industry has been a leading customer of the civilian models.

“This one was nicknamed Terminator,” Chirkov said, motioning at a massive Mi-8 that was launched into production in the 1960s and since then has been exported around the globe.

Although Russian Helicopters boasts about the Ka-226T’s potential in civilian roles, the potential deal with New Delhi would see the helicopter mainly used by the Indian military, which wants to replace its ageing fleet.

The Russian military also flies an earlier versions of the Ka-226, dubbed the Hoodlum by NATO.

Russian Technologies, or Rostec, a giant military-industrial conglomerate uniting Russian factories, has announced its intention to increase production of civilian products to 50% by 2025, focusing on exports.

Rostec, a state corporation, and its chief executive Sergei Chemezov, are both currently under Western sanctions. It hopes to concentrate on Asian market, given its difficulties with European sales.

In November, the organisers of the Farnborough airshow in Britain announced they would not include Russian military aircraft in the 2018 show.

Russian Helicopters’ CEO shrugged this off. “The exhibition attracts mostly neighbouring countries, and northern Europe is not a very important area for us,” said Boginsky. “There are other shows.”

 hindustantimes

Chinese technicians spotted at Pakistan military post, BSF alerted

Chinese technicians were spotted near the Pakistan border post in Jannat Gul, opposite Bikaner. According to intelligence input, 4-5 Chinese officials were seen at the Pakistan post in Jannat Gul.

Sources suggest that the officials are involved in testing of surveillance equipment for the Pakistan military.

Indian agencies have alerted the concerned authorities. The BSF has been alerted and is directed to collect more information about the same.

Previously as well, Chinese engineers/technicians/officials were spotted with Pakistan army at various Pakistan posts including Jannat Gul.


RISING TENSIONS

Tensions between India and its northern neighbour China have risen since General Bipin Rawat's comment last week. Army chief General Bipin Rawat said last week that India should shift its focus from its western border with Pakistan to its northern border with China.

Following the comment, China expressed anger on Monday stating that such comments may hurt peace and tranquility.

"....the unconstructive remarks by the Indian senior officials not only go against the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and do not conform to the efforts made by the two sides to improve and develop bilateral relations. It cannot help to preserve tranquillity and peace in the border areas," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement.

Rawat also pointed out that the Doklam standoff ended due to the onset of winters and Chinese troops might return.

 indiatoday

Army to equip T-90 tank with 3-G missile system

The Indian Army is planning to induct a third-generation missile system for its battle mainstay, the Russian make T-90 tank, with a view to enhance its capability of hitting targets at a range of 8,000 metres as against the existing range of 5,500 metres.

A senior officer of the Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S), here, on Monday said: "Upgradation of the existing T-90 tank missile system is in the pipeline and is in different stages of trial evaluation. The upgrade will give us an edge over enemies and better operational preparedness."

As of now, the T-90 tanks are equipped with laser-guided INVAR missile system which has a target hitting range of 5,500 metres. "The upgraded system will achieve more depth of penetration as well as hit target at a range of 8,000 metres, which would be a big advantage for us," another officer of the armoured corps said.

Army sources said the new missile system should be able to engage mobile as well as static targets effectively. "Since the tanks are now also deployed in high altitude regions, the mobility and strike capability is of great importance. Hence, there is another plan to install a modular engine for the T-90 tanks," sources added.

Lieutenant General Dalip Bhardwaj (retd), former director general of mechanised forces, said, "All tanks have to be upgraded with latest equipment and missile system as the threat perception keeps changing. If it is possible to induct a third-generation missile system on T-90 tanks, it would definitely give a big advantage to the Indian Army on the battlefield."

Meanwhile, a section of armoured corps officers are of the opinion that there is a very slim chance wherein a tank will have to engage a target at a range of 8 km on battlefield. "Considering past references and terrains, tanks will have to engage targets at a maximum distance of 2.5 km. Therefore, the missile upgradation will be deliberated in detail before carrying out changes on the tank," an army source said.

However, Bhardwaj said, "Although, the chances are very slim of engaging a target of this long range (8 km), but at the same time, one needs to understand that the third generation missile system would be quite effective against a shorter range target than the existing system. Therefore, I am of the firm believer that the missile system of the T -90 tank should be upgraded by the force."

timesofindia

India to purchase 8,000 Israeli Spike missiles

According to a report in Israeli newspaper, Arutz Sheva, India is to purchase as many as eight thousand Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from Israel.

Quoted an Indian report, the Israeli newspaper also said that the purchase will take place through the so-called government to government (G to G) route because the military wants the proven weapon.

The missile purchase deal is worth $500 million was done by highest level just days before Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visit to India next week for trade talks which will also cover defence sales.

According to Israeli newspaper report Israeli Foreign ministry deputy director general for Asia, Gilad Cohen, declined to answer questions on the Spike missiles in his briefing to journalists in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Arutz Sheva reported added that Israel is a major weapons supplier to India, selling it an average of $1 billion of military equipment each year.

In April last year, the two countries signed a military deal worth nearly $2 billion which includes the supply over several years of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, launchers and communications technology.

Spike missiles are widely used by the Israeli Defence Forces and are exact guided missiles that can be fired from various land, air, and sea platforms, from up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away from a target.

India and Israel are also working on the long-range surface to air missile (LRSAM) project which is been co-developed for the Indian and the Israeli navies.

Pakistani defence experts are seriously concerned about Indo-Israeli covet collaboration in the region including Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan and keeping a close eye on possible designs against Pakistan.

 pakobserver