India successfully launches canister version of Agni V "China Killer" ICBM

  

Marking another technological milestone in the country’s missile programme, the maiden canister-based trial of India’s most potent strategic missile, Agni-V was successfully carried out for its full range of more than 5,000 km from the Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast on Saturday.

  A DRDO missile technologist who was associated with the launch described it as a grand success and said it was a perfect launch. Another missile technologist said it would be the footprint for future configuration of Agni-V.

Chinese Subs Challenge India's Control Over Sea Routes

     China has said that submarines docking in Colombo are routine calls and are for refueling in anti-piracy missions in Gulf of Aden. But this is ridiculous. As the ultimate offensive weapon, even the thought of using submarines in anti-piracy ops is overkill. For that matter, even destroyers, frigates and corvettes are not cost-effective solutions in such missions. Modern offshore patrol vessels and special forces would be more than adequate.
 

It is clear that the nuclear submarines that do not require any basing facility in times of war were here earlier this year to test India's response and the waters, literally. Operation from Indian Ocean provides these lethal platforms the nuclear option against all adversaries including India. 

Conventional submarines, however, do require some form of support on extended missions which explains the presence of an auxiliary during the recent visit. Colombo or Hambanthota could well be on the radar of China for creation of such a facility. And Sri Lanka may find it increasingly difficult to say no to such Chinese requests. Even PNS Ghazi which ultimately met its watery grave off Vizag, was on a mission to sink Vikrant during 1971 war. It is on record that Ghazi was supported logistically by Sri Lanka on its passage to Bay of Bengal. 

China is aware that its merchant fleet, which carries more than 80% of its energy needs, and its trade through the Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) happen under the watchful eyes of Indi an Navy. If there is any spillover of a conflict with India over land borders to the maritime domain, the Indian Navy is in a position to intercept these Chinese vessels even before they enter Malacca straits. 

The presence of nuclear or conventional submarines in areas where the Indian Navy would like to exercise Sea Control would make this task of the Indian Navy a challenging one. It also needs to be borne in mind that the concept of operations (CONOPS) of the Indian Navy is centered on the Carrier Task Force (CTF) whose center of grav ity is the aircraft carrier. Nuclear and conventional submarines would be able to target the aircraft carrier. 

Interdiction of merchant fleet by submarines and surface forces is a legacy from the World War though not witnessed since. What the deployment of the Chinese submarines would do as a game changer is challenge the modern surface forces of the Indian Navy in this possible task, to compel a shift in emphasis on anti-submarine forces. 

Sea Control by Indian Navy could become even more complicated should there be some synergy between Pakistan and China in operating sub-surface forces in the event of a maritime conflict. 

The Indian Navy depends largely on its newly inducted P8i Boeing, the older Tu 142 M long-range maritime and antisubmarine aircraft operating from Rajali, a naval air station in Arakkonam, and IL38 aircraft from Goa to keep track of submarines. This is complemented by a dwindling strength of Integral Helicopters in the form of Seaking Mk 42B and Kamov. While there is a lot of public awareness of the acute shortage of submarines, the same is not the case when it comes to both surface and integral anti-submarine assets. Many new surface vessels suffer from the lack of an integral dedicated helicopter for anti-submarine warfare missions. The delay in the acquisition of Mine Counter Measure vessels from South Korea adds to the challenges of the Indian Navy to keep its channels and vital areas clear of possible mines that could be planted by the Chinese submarines, which are designed to do just that.

It is clear that the government has to move on fast track at many levels and work closely with the Navy to overcome the above deficiencies, which would dent the capability of the Indian Navy to pursue its missions.On the part of the Indian Navy, it would need to work on all contingencies by scenario-building and work in a time bound manner to optimize the efficiency of the present capability to counter the designs of China till it achieves a balanced force structure. 

PLA incursion into India foiled by Modi's beefed-up border police

Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army recently made a two-pronged simultaneous incursion into the Indian-controlled region of Ladakh, according a report in the Times of India on Nov. 3.

A source from the Indian government said these incursions were launched by the PLA simultaneously along the road built beside Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh and on the northern bank of the lake in an area 168 kilometers from Leh on Oct. 22.

The Indian-Tibetan Border Police responded to the PLA intrusions immediately, first intercepting the Chinese troops aboard their boats at the line of actual control, the demarcation line between Indian and Chinese territory agreed upon in a 1993 agreement between the two nations.

Two high-speed interceptor boats bought from the United States, equipped with radar, infra-red and GPS systems, played an important role in the operation. Both boats can carry nearly 15 soldiers and are as good as their Chinese counterparts, according to the paper. PLA soldiers on mountain terrain vehicles were also blocked by the Indian-Tibetan Border Police before they were able to cross the line of actual control by road.

Fu Xiaoqiang from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations told the Communist Party-run Global Times that Pangong Lake is a disputed territory claimed by both Beijing and New Delhi located in the Ngari prefecture of Tibet. Currently, two thirds of the lake is under Chinese administration and the other third is controlled by India, according to Fu. He said Pangong Lake is relatively peaceful compared to other disputed territories along the border.

Fu told the Global Times that Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, is trying to use Chinese incursions across the Indian line of actual control to hide his true ambitions in southern Tibet. With assistance from Japan, India is constructing a 2,000-kilometer strategic highway along the border region. At the same time, an additional 10,000 troops have been deployed to the eastern part of the line of actual control to boost the numbers of the border police.

China and India have butted heads over border issues for over a century, in particular Arunachal Pradesh, which officially became an Indian state in February 1987. China continues to claim the state, including its strategically important Tawang district, as a part of Tibet.

PLA visits to Sri Lanka port present an issue for India

Chinese vessels' frequent visits to the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka are causing concern for India as it engages with Sri Lanka in a joint military action called Exercise-Mithra Shakthi in the later country's Uva-Kudaoya training school, reports Huanqiu, website of China's nationalistic tabloid Global Times, which translated the original report from the Times of India.

The visits included one on Sunday when a Chinese submarine docked at the port after conducting an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and waters near Somalia and another in mid-August when a Chinese amphibious landing ship and a frigate visited the port after another anti-piracy mission off Somalia.

Although Kosala Warnakulasuriya, spokesperson for the Sri Lankan navy, said the visits were no different from the 230 warships around the world that have visited the port since 2010 for refueling and restocking, Indian geo-strategist and thinker Brahma Chellaney said it suggests India's influence in the region has been weakened and called the frequent visits "a grave miscalculation," the Indian paper said.

Around 42 Indian special force troops have joined the three-week joint exercise that began Nov. 2. The exercise aims to enhance the interoperability of the two countries' militaries, according to News.LK, the official government news portal of Sri Lanka. It was the second time the two countries held such drills since December 2012 which took place in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, India, said the Times of India.

Over the past few years, India has been regularly helping to train the Sri Lanka military and providing military equipment to resist China's influence over south Asian countries.

India to test missiles including long-range Agni-V

      India's Defence Research and Development Organization under the country's defense ministry is preparing to test various intercontinental ballistic missiles with the ability to attack targets in the Far East, Africa and even Europe according to the official website of the People's Liberation Army's China Defense Science and Technology Information Center.

A source from the Indian military said that the country is ready to test three types of Agni intercontinental missiles after the launch of the Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile in November. The missiles include the Agni-II, with a range 2,000 kilometers, and perhaps even the Agni-IV, with a range of 4,000 km, the source said, while the Defence Research and Development Organization said the Agni-V, estimated to have a range of 5,000-8,000 kilometers, will be tested as well.

The Agni-V's first test was in April 2012. On Sept. 15, the Agni-V completed its second test. Both tests were launched from road-mobile launchers. Its latest test took place on Wheeler island in the Indian Ocean. The Defense Science and Technology Information Center believes, the road-mobile launcher allows the Agni-V more mobility against a potential enemy attack. Like Russia's Topol road-mobile missile, it is hard for satellites to detect.

China has developed DF-21 missiles to enable it to confront all of its potential enemies in Asia, including India. When launched from bases in Liaoning, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Fujian and Qinghai, the DF-21 can reach all major targets in Japan, South Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan, Vietnam, India and Central Asia. The DF-31B road-mobile launcher, with an attacking range of 9,000 km and the ability to carry multiple warheads, is another weapon in China's arsenal which could be used to counter the Agni-V.

New Indian Missile Can Strike Deep Into Chinese Territory

     India has successfully completed the test of a new long-range subsonic cruise missile capable of hitting Chinese territory.

On Oct. 17, the surface version of the Nirbhay — meaning "dauntless" or "fearless" — missile was tested at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in the Balasore district of Odisha, meeting all parameters and completing all 15 way-points. The missile reportedly traveled more than an hour and accurately hit its target.

"The missile maintained an accuracy better than 10 meters throughout its path and covered more than 1,000 kilometers," said Avinash Chander, head of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Nirbhay's developer.

The Nirbhay was test fired for the first time in March 2013 but the missile veered away from its trajectory, forcing the command center to detach the engine and destroy the missile mid-flight.

Referred to as India's answer to America's Battleaxe subsonic cruise missile, the Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy. It weighs about a tonne and has a length of six meters. The missile has its own wings and tail and has a range of more than 1,000 km, meaning it has the ability to strike deep into Chinese territory.

Notably, the Nirbhay can fly at very low altitudes to avoid the detection of enemy radars and can be launched from the land, sea and air. It can also carry 24 types of warheads — including nuclear — depending on mission requirements and uses an inertial navigation system for guidance.

Once the Nirbhay is inducted into the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force, currently expected around 2016, New Delhi will begin to stop importing new missiles.

"Our target is to make India missile-import free by the year 2022. This means that we need not import any missile in terms of air-to-ground, surface-to-air or the air-to-air missiles," Chander said.

Eye On China, India And US Set To Ramp Up Joint Naval Drills

     India and the US are set to deepen and broaden their bilateral military exercises to include more warfare components involving nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. They would also invite more countries to join the Malabar exercises as the two nations share concerns about the growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean.


Both the Indian and US navies have been warily watching the growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, especially its submarine manoeuvres. In the recent weeks, India conveyed its displeasure to the Sri Lankan government at least twice over its decision to permit Chinese submarines to dock in its ports.

According to dependable sources, India and US officials have had detailed discussions, including at the Defence Policy Group meeting in Washington DC, on stepping up the bilateral naval exercises. The decision involves a series of steps, starting with increasing the nuclear submarine and aircraft carrier warfare components.

The two sides are also looking at adding both army and air force components to the traditionally naval exercise.

Sources said the two sides are looking at inviting more countries, thus expanding them mostly into trilateral exercises. In July 2014, India and the US invited Japan to the exercises held in north-western Pacific. Malabar has featured Australia and Singapore, besides Japan, in 2007.

Through most of the UPA tenure, especially under defence minister AK Antony, Malabar exercises off Indian coast have mostly been bilateral affairs, in an effort not to raises Chinese hackles.

However, under the new regime in New Delhi there is a noticeable shift in the strategic posturing, especially vis-a-vis China. In Washington DC in October, the joint statement issued by Narendra Modi and Barack Obama had referred to the situation in South China Sea. It was the first time that the two sides had so explicitly referred to the issue in an Indo-US joint statement.

The move to deepen and broaden the Malabar exercises flow from Modi's declared strategic vision, especially reflected in the joint statement.

The move comes even as the government is warily looking at the growing Chinese submarine activities in the region. It has for sometimes been uncomfortable about Chinese sending its submarines as part of their anti-piracy patrols. When INS Vikramaditya was sailing from Russia starting November 2013, a Chinese submarine was in Indian Ocean observing the carrier. At one point of time, the Chinese officially informed New Delhi about the presence of its submarine in Indian Ocean, though it said it was for anti-piracy operations.

Bangladesh Turns To Russia For Submarines

When it became known to India that Bangladesh is on the hunt for two submarines for its navy, there was some consternation. More so when it came to be known that Bangladesh is negotiating with China for the Ming-class submarines. Something that India can do without at the moment is a spurt in military ties between China and Bangladesh. The level of anxiety has come down somewhat in recent times after information was received that Bangladesh is planning to procure the submarines from Russia. 

"From reliable sources, we have come to know that Bangladesh is making efforts to move away from the China-centric approach where it comes to defence procurement. Nearly half of Bangladesh's military hardware is sourced from either China or Pakistan. This provided an excuse for Chinese and Pakistani military presence along India's east coast. Russia is different. India enjoys good relations with Russia and also uses military hardware built there. Better ties between Russia and Bangladesh are encouraging. We don't believe that Russia will not do anything to harm India's interests," a highly placed source in Delhi said. 

For years now, India has been attempting to keep the 'dragon's presence' away from Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries. In certain cases, India has even offered products and services at rates that would be convenient for these countries. By the end of this year, India hopes to deliver the 'Barracuda', a Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel for the Mauritian Navy. The 'Barracuda', being fitted-out at Kolkata's Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) will be India's first such export. 

"This is more of a diplomatic move rather than a financial deal. One can also call this a confidence building measure. Once Mauritius is satisfied with the NOPV, India may get more orders from this region. This is good diplomacy," the source added. 

According to sources in Dhaka, Bangladesh proposes to purchase two diesel-electric submarines from Russia. Plans are also afoot to procure aircraft for the navy. Bangladesh already uses Russian hardware in the form of Mig-29 fighters and military helicopters. In 2013, Russia allegedly offered a $1.5 billion loan to Bangladesh that would be used to purchase military hardware. The Bangladesh government wants the submarines to join its navy by 2019. 

Bangaldesh air force's fleet of eight MiG-29s is due for upgradation. So is its fleet of Russian made Mi-17 helicopters. HAL has maintenance facilities in India for both aircraft as they are used by the IAF as well. India has offered to upgrade and maintain the Mig-29s and helicopters at HAL facilities to bolster ties with Bangladesh.

Can India Emerge As A Top Global Military Power?

     

      A recent study by Britain's ministry of defence has predicted that India is likely to be among the top three military powers in the world by 2045, along with the US and China, with a projected defence outlay of $654 billion. Though India's military-industrial acumen is unlikely to surpass technological sophistication of the US by 2045, it may, along with China, rival it in terms of size. 

It is also likely to surpass Japan, Australia and South Korea (which will be ahead of other regional military powers) by developing sizeable and technically advanced armed forces, including ocean-going navies, capable of delivering an enduring and capable maritime presence both regionally and further afield, according to the study titled 'Global Strategic Trends - Out to 2045'.


This projection explains why the Narendra Modi government is aggressively pushing its defence agenda. Recently the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared purchases worth Rs 80,000 crore, including six submarines worth Rs 50,000 crore. DAC also approved purchase of 8,356 Spike anti-tank guided missiles and 321 launchers from Israel. Modi's reaction to the recent Pakistan-engineered skirmish on the Kashmir border—which resulted in the death of hordes of civilians besides forcing hundreds of villages to flee their homes as troops exchanged fire in perhaps the worst violence in the region in a decade—also amply demonstrated that India is posed to strongly defend its borders and foil any peer attempt aimed at weakening its military might. 

Modi not only asked the army to retaliate befittingly, but warned Pakistan that its military infiltration may cost the neighbour more than what it imagines. Pakistan's subsequent retreat showed that it was sort of taken aback by the strong, calculated response from the Indian side. India's 'retaliation response' to Pakistan followed its equally strong reaction during the recent border standoff with Chinese forces that overshadowed Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India aimed at deepening commercial ties between the two countries. 

The Modi government also unveiled plans to build 54 more border posts in Arunachal Pradesh and strengthen Indo-Tibetan Border Police, which guards the Indo-China border. In another geopolitical move, India said it will supply naval vessels to Vietnam and help it modernise its defence system during the India visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. All these recent moves are early signs of India's determination to strengthen its defence prowess and slowly emerge a top military power globally.

While the US will continue to be a key partner in India's quest to emerge a global military power, as reflected by the Modi government's recent decision to acquire Boeing's Chinook and Apache helicopters in a deal worth $2.5 billion, what is more important is India's growing defence alliance with Israel. The fact India chose to buy anti-tank guided missiles worth $670 million from Israel, rejecting a rival US offer despite US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel's 'unprecedented' offer to co-develop and co-produce US' Javelin missiles in India during his recent India visit, reinforces that Israel is likely to be a crucial defence ally for India going ahead.

A key feature of Modi's government's defence strategy is to indigenously develop military equipment as part of its broad 'Make in India' strategy—the decision to build six submarines in India at a cost of about Rs 50,000 crore is a clear deviation from the hitherto followed strategy of sourcing military equipment from outside. However, the government will find it difficult to convince the top honchos of armed forces which want sophisticated, ready-to-use foreign weaponry, than trying to develop it locally which may involve a lot of time and effort. The Modi government also has to keep lobbyists for foreign manufacturers of defence equipment at abeyance. 

While study by the Britain's ministry of defence portrayed a bullish future for India as a military power, it warned that the country has to "overcome domestic political issues and improve the way it invests to attain the capabilities needed to project conventional military power globally". One hopes that PM Modi is listening.

India, Russia to export BrahMos to mutually agreeable countries

     The governments of India and Russia have agreed that BrahMos missile will be exported to a list of mutually agreeable countries for defensive purposes. There is also a negative list to which exports are barred.

The missile has been showcased in several countries to apprise the potential customers of its capabilities. “If any country approaches us we will look into it on a case by case basis. BrahMos Aerospace has the production capacity, game plan and skilled labour to supply. I would like to state that we are ready and waiting. It is for the government of India to decide”, Sudhir Mishra, CEO and MD of BrahMos Corporation said on Wednesday.

It has been learnt that three submarine manufacturers Amur (Russia), HDW (Germany) and Navantia (Spain) have approached BA for installing BrahMos on the new Project- 75I submarines should they bag the contract. The manufacturers have all assured that BrahMos can be installed on their submarines without affecting the quality of the missile or the submarine. Land attack capability is one of the requirements of the Project 75I submarines.

Asked about the deliverables for the next five to seven years, Mr. Mishra said, “We are concentrating all energies on the air launched variant to deliver it on schedule. Second is advanced land variants for the Army. We have recently demonstrated a steep dive capability at 65 degree to identify targets in a clutter. Next we are working on a near vertical and surround capability for use in the mountains.”

Airbus Defence teams with Tata for Indian Air Force bid

Flightglobal

Airbus C-295

     Airbus Defence and Space has announced it is teaming up with Tata Advanced Systems to bid to replace the Indian air force’s ageing fleet of small tactical transport aircraft with the Airbus C295 twin-turboprop medium airlifter. The main competitor is for the bid is Alenia Aermacchi with its C27J Spartan.

If the C295 were to be chosen for the contract, Tata Advanced Systems would be the Indian production agency for the project, which entails replacing a fleet of 56 severely ageing British Aerospace Avro 748s.
Airbus says it would supply the first 16 aircraft "in flyaway condition from its own final assembly line", and the remaining 40 would be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced in India. Airbus explains: "This will include undertaking structural assembly, final aircraft assembly, systems integration and testing, and management of the indigenous supply chain."

Domingo Ureña Raso, Airbus Defence and Space executive vice-president for military aircraft, says: “We firmly believe that in the C295 we have clearly the best aircraft to replace the IAF Avro fleet, and in Tata Advanced Systems we have secured the cream of the Indian private aerospace sector as our partner for this project."

Tata Advanced Systems chairman S. Ramadorai says: “We are extremely pleased to announce our partnership with Airbus Defence and Space for the Avro replacement programme for the Indian air force. It is a landmark for the development of aircraft manufacturing capability in India, now that Tata Advanced Systems is poised to take this step toward building entire aircraft in India. The selection of Tata Advanced Systems by Airbus demonstrates the confidence that has been built in our ability to undertake this complex programme.”

Nirbhay Cruise Missile : Fearlessly taking India to new heights

Deccan Herald

Nirbhay long range subsonic cruise missile

     The successful launch of India’s first long range subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay is an important landmark in the country’s missile development history. 

It is expected to fill a vital gap between supersonic cruise missiles and long range ballistic missiles in the country’s war fighting capabilities. It has long been in development and the success now comes after a failure when it was launched for the first time in March 2013. The missile had then strayed off its course and failed to hit the pres-designated target. But this time, it was a complete success with the missile flying along 15 pre-determined points on its 1,000 km course in the Bay of Bengal and maintaining an accuracy of 10 metre in the entire path. 


It is a low-flying missile moving just about the speed of commercial aircraft and is designed to evade detection by radars. It has such high accuracy that it can even hit a targeted building in populated area about 1,000 km away. The fact that it is nuclear capable raises its profile. 

The most important feature of Nirbhay is that it is completely indigenously designed and manufactured. The scientists and engineers of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who have worked on it for years, can be proud of their achievement. The missile’s specialised engine was made at the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bangalore. DRDO has not risen to the nation’s expectations in many areas and on many projects but it has done well in the development of missile technology. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) forbids signatory countries from assisting India in the development of a cruise missile with a range of over 300 km. 

That is why the range of the BrahMos missile, which was developed in a joint venture between India and Russia, had to be limited to 295 km. Pakistan has its Babur missile which is in the same category as Nirbhay, but its engine is considered to have been supplied by China in violation of the MTCR. The US, Russia and France are the only other countries which have the cruise missile technology. The missile will need more changes and fine-tuning and it will take three years before it is deployed in the forces. When it is ready, it is likely that it will be as good as the US’ iconic Tomahawk missile. It is a multi-platform weapon and can be launched from land, air, sea and underwater. The ability to launch them from submarines will greatly increase India’s strike power. It is also felt that it will fit well into the framework of India’s much discussed “cold start’’ strategic doctrine.

Airbus may partner Tatas for manufacturing defence transport aircraft in India

   TNN

Airbus C-295 AEW&C

     European aeronautics giant Airbus is likely to tie up with the India's Tata group to manufacture transport planes for the defence sector, sources familiar with the development told TOI.

The planned partnership is likely to mark the first big-ticket entry after the Narendra Modi government raised the FDI limit in defence production to 49% from 26% to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce outgo of foreign exchange.

The proposed entry of Airbus in partnership with the Tatas puts at rest doubts that were expressed when the sector was opened up. The government had faced criticism for not allowing majority control for foreign partners and there was an apprehension that global majors might stay away.

India Air Force has plans to replace its Avros aircraft, and the Airbus-Tata combine is one among several groups that are expected to bid for the contract. An email sent to a Tata Sons spokesperson did not elicit any response.

Several Indian companies ranging from Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries to the Mahindras and Bharat Forge have entered the defence industry but the Tata Group seems to have taken an early lead in a segment hitherto dominated by imports.

The government has embarked on a "Make in India" campaign to ensure that the country emerges as a global hub for low-cost quality manufacturing; the defence sector is a key element in this strategy.

In August the Union cabinet approved raising the FDI in the sensitive defence sector and opened up railway infrastructure to foreign firms. The cabinet had also decided that FDI beyond 49% would be allowed in state-of-the art defence equipment manufacturing, with technology transfer under Indian control and management.

Technically, this means 100% FDI is allowed, but sources said this has been the position since 2002. As a safeguard, the Cabinet Committee on Security will approve such proposals. Sources also said that FDI up to 24% would be allowed via the automatic route.

Headquartered in Toulouse, Airbus has had close links with India, a key market for planes, for a while now. In 1988, Airbus struck a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian PSU to manufacture passenger doors for the A320 aircraft. In addition, Airbus India Engineering in Bangalore employs 350 local engineers working in engineering design and innovation activities; the number working directly or indirectly on Airbus programmes has reached some 5,000 Indian jobs, according to the company's website.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is the strategic aerospace and defence arm of the Tata group. It has a tie-up with US helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky.

Why India needs to rethink the Rafale deal

Russia India Report

Fighter planes fall into two categories – the hunters and the hunted. The French are pitching their Rafale as the dogfight duke that is the crème de la crème of jet fighters. But the Russian side disagrees. Alexander Kadakin, Russia's ambassador in India, says Chinese-made Sukhoi-27s would be able to swat the Rafales like “mosquitoes on an August night.”

At this point it’s pointless to deliver the verdict on which aircraft is superior. The Rafale is a largely unknown commodity in aviation circles. Like most French fighters, it is most likely an unassuming, unspectacular but honest aircraft.


But what Kadakin left unsaid is ominous. First up, he said the hundreds of Su-27 Flankers supplied by Moscow to Beijing are much less advanced than the Flankers in India’s inventory. Now forget the Su-27 for a while and let’s talk about the two squadrons of the latest Su-35 Super Flanker that Russia has cleared for sale to China. This new iteration is a huge advancement over the already potent Su-27. If the aircraft's stupendous performance at the 2014 Paris Air Show is any indication then the Rafale is likely to fare even worse against the Su-35.
Costing dogfight

To be sure, the most significant aspect of the Rafale deal is the cost. Originally pegged at $10 billion, the size of the deal has climbed to a stratospheric $30 billion. So instead of bolstering the country’s air power, the Rafale is threatening to blow a gaping hole in India’s overstretched defence budget.

India may the third largest economy on the planet but in the backdrop of numerous projects requiring bucket loads of cash, New Delhi can’t afford to splurge on weapons, especially when alternatives are available for far less.

The IAF’s requirement of 126 aircraft can be quickly met – at a fraction of the cost of the Rafale – by inducting more numbers of the technologically superior Su-30s, which the IAF described as its “air dominance fighter,” and which is being produced at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

Each Indian made Su-30 costs approximately $75 million per unit. So if the IAF goes for 126 of them, the total cost will come to under $10 billion, which coincidentally is the originally envisaged amount. Plus, the Sukhois will provide more bang for the buck. “These aircraft will be the high end of India’s air power, and can be expected to remain in the force past 2030, and are competitive with or superior to top-end European fighters and American F-15 variants,” says Defense Industry Daily.

Another option is to buy more of the – even more cheaper – MiG-29, which is the mainstay of India’s interceptor force, and which had shattered the morale of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during the 1999 Kargil War.

With the $20 billion or so saved, India can import leading edge aviation technology – from France, Russia, Germany or even the US to beef up its military aviation. With manufacturing declining in the US and Europe and thousands of defence sector jobs facing the axe, western engineers would be more than happy to work in India.

There is a precedent in this area. After 1991 when elite Soviet weapons engineers and scientists found their jobs gone, many of them found work at Chinese and South Korean companies – both military and civilian. Russian scientists and engineers ended up transforming the defence sector in both these Asian countries.

India too needs to tread the same path. Hiring unemployed or underemployed European defence sector workers would cut the development time frame of Indian defence projects. In fact, even Pakistan has a tenuous Russian connection. An administrator of Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission from 1967 to 1970 was Polish aeronautical engineer air commodore Wladyslaw Turowicz. Born in Siberia, the Pole made significant contributions to Pakistan’s missile programme as an aeronautical engineer.

That brings up the third option. India’s homemade Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) is being fielded in limited numbers, and further development can easily make it a world class fighter. India can then produce hundreds of LCAs costing around $40 million – for the IAF. For decades, China has adopted this policy of having hundreds of obsolete aircraft because “quantity has a quality all its own”.

Sending hundreds of LCAs swarming into Pakistani air space would completely overwhelm that country’s defences. In 
effect, the Tejas fleet would kick the door in, allowing the Sukhois to pulverise targets with the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles.

The LCA even become the military equivalent of India’s $2000 TATA Nano car, for which there was a waiting list in Sri Lanka. Similarly, the LCA could be the ideal export aircraft to small countries with limited budgets. Aircraft such as the Su-30, MiG-29 and F-18 are too expensive and too big for the use of such nations. India could be the first to market a no-frills fighter.


Why Rafale?
When the MMRCA tender was floated over a decade ago, it seemed like a good idea. One, it was aimed at lowering India’s overwhelming dependence on Russia for advanced weapons.

Secondly, India wanted to acquire a medium aircraft that would fill the gap between the low-end LCA and the premium Sukhois.

The third reason was to shore up the IAF's depleting fighter fleet. The IAF’s sanctioned strength is 39.5 squadrons (an IAF combat squadron consists of 18 aircraft in service with another 3-4 in maintenance) but its current fleet is down to 34 squadrons. The air force says it requires 44 squadrons to meet a full-scale war with Pakistan, while also maintaining "a dissuasive posture" against China.

Earlier this year, the IAF told a Parliamentary standing committee on defence that a "collusive threat" from China and Pakistan would be difficult for it to handle. This was played up by the media, which failed to see the fine print: the IAF admitted (in the same statement) China may not pose “a collusive threat” if hostilities were to break out between India and Pakistan.

Indeed, why would the Chinese team up with a rapidly balkanizing Pakistan and attack a fellow BRICS member? It is not only counterintuitive but also a ridiculous idea.

As for the threat from Pakistan, it is really a joke. The arrival of the MiG-29 and the Sukhoi-30 in the 1990s has given the IAF a fearsome qualitative advantage over the PAF. This edge was demonstrated during the 1999 Kargil War. While a number of IAF aircraft took part in that campaign, it was the cover provided by the MiG-29 that spooked – and demoralised – the PAF pilots.

Says Strategy Page in a report dated May 20, 2005: “While PAF fighters did fly Combat Air Patrols (CAP) during the conflict, they stayed well within Pakistani air space. On occasions, IAF MiG-29s armed with the deadly R-77 BVR air-to-air missiles were able to lock on to PAF F-16s, forcing the latter to disengage.”

So scared were the Pakistani pilots of the Indian MiGs that the “PAF simply refused to play any part” in the war.

In the report “Airpower at 18,000 feet: IAF in the Kargil War” published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 2012, Benjamin Lambeth says the Pakistani F-16s “typically maintained a safe distance of 10 to 20 miles on the Pakistani side of the LoC”.

Qualitatively, the IAF is on an upward curve. In fact, in an interview to the media in 2012, former air force chief N.A.K. Browne gave the lie to the claim that the IAF was becoming weaker. According to Browne, the IAF is replacing older MiG-21s with Su-30s. He said once older aircraft are replaced with brand new Sukhois the IAF will have “far greater capability than even what we have today”.

If India and France sort out the numerous issues dogging the MMRCA deal and a contract is signed this year, then the first 18 Rafales will arrive from France in 2016. If all goes smoothly, the rest of the 102 aircraft could start rolling off HAL’s assembly lines by 2018.

But here’s the rub: around 2020 Sukhoi’s stealth fighter, the PAK-FA, in which India is a junior partner, will be ready to join the IAF. Why India is committing itself to a stopgap aircraft is mysterious.

China could nuke India from Tibet: Russia

    Want China Times

     After India declared plans to construct a road in the disputed region of Northern Arunachal Pradesh near the Chinese border, the Voice of Russia, a Moscow-based radio broadcasting service, said that Beijing is capable of launching a full scale nuclear strike against New Delhi from Tibet.

     India spent US$7 billion for the construction of a road in northern Arunachal Pradesh state. Due to its proximity to the Chinese border, check points will be established along the road using the most advanced equipment. Meanwhile, India also decided to increase the number of troops stationed in the border region next to China.


     There have been several confrontations between the PLA and the Indian Army in Northern Arunachal Pradesh since April of 2013.

     The Voice of Russia reported that India's new road is aimed at provoking China and Pakistan, its rivals in the border region. The announcement, it said, which took place after Xi Jinping's visit to New Delhi last month, indicated India's unwillingness to reduce hostilities with China. Despite the fact India welcomes more investment from China, the political relationship between Beijing and New Delhi remains the same.

     The broadcasting service went on to say that deploying ballistic missiles to Tibet can become an option for China to confront India in the future. Chinese ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads, if launched from there, can strike targets within India. To defend its line of actual control in the border region, India has begun to deploy missile regiments to its frontlines.

Both nations are now competing against each other for the leadership of South Asia.

India to double border outposts, use drones in Arunachal Pradesh to check aggressive China

NEW DELHI: Though much of the border trouble vis-a-vis China has been visible in Leh-Ladakh region recently, it is the Arunachal Pradesh border which is most vulnerable because of its terrain and lack of infrastructure. In view of this, home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday announced that ITBP border outposts (BoPs) in Arunachal would be more than doubled and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed for effective surveillance.

This would eventually result in infusion of close to 10 more battalions (around 10,000 soldiers) in the region, considerably increasing the presence of Indian forces in Arunachal. Singh also announced sanction of Rs 175 crore for repair and maintenance of border infrastructure in the state.


The announcement comes even as China has raised serious objections to India constructing roads and other infrastructure in Arunachal, which it has often claimed as its own.

While addressing ITBP personnel on the force's 53rd Raising Day, Singh announced that the government had sanctioned 54 new BoPs to be constructed on the Arunachal border. At present, there are about 40 BoPs on the 1,126 km Arunachal border making patrolling and surveillance in the region extremely difficult.

While on Indo-Pak border, there are BoPs every three-four km, on the Arunachal border the distance can stretch up to 50-100 km between two BoPs in certain sectors. "There was an urgent need to increase the number of BoPs in Arunachal. The proposal had been in the works for a year. We are happy the government has sanctioned it. We will now need to increase the strength on the border by eight to 10 battalions to man these new BoPs," said an ITBP officer.

The home minister also warned China that India wants peace but would not compromise its territorial integrity. He said: "India wants peace with China, but it cannot be at the cost of national honour and any compromise on the territorial integrity of the country. The infrastructural development on the Indian side of the border with China is necessary for facilitating our forces. There should be no concern for any infrastructural development on our side of the border from our neighbours. Any issue along the border can be resolved through negotiations in a peaceful and cordial manner."

ITBP DG Subhash Goswami raised the issue of the force being overburdened and stressed due to 100% deployment in extremely tough terrain. ITBP has no reserve battalions, making it difficult for rotation of jawans between easy and tough postings. Singh is learnt to have promised to look into the issue.

Singh said the ministry is committed to the empowerment of paramilitary forces and in this regard, the delegation of financial powers to the DGs of the forces for procurement of machinery and equipment has been increased from Rs 8 crore to Rs 20 crore. The power for procurement of arms and ammunition has also been enhanced from Rs 5 crore to Rs 20 crore. The delegated power for clothing and tents has been raised from Rs 6 crore to Rs 15 crore.

Singh also objected to the unprovoked firing along the Pakistan border even on Diwali. The minister said the neighbouring country should restrain from such activities. He mentioned that such cease-fire violations are unacceptable to India and the forces are forced to take appropriate retaliatory measures. "While our eastern border is managed in a peaceful manner, our western neighbour should also maintain calm and peace at the border," he said.

India clears Defence Projects of Worth Rs. 80,000 Cr

French Scorpene SSK Submarine

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley led Defence Acquistion Council on Saturday gave approval to the defence procurements of worth Rs. 80,000 crore.

Major long pending proposals have just seen the light with the defence ministry giving clear signal to the navy’s Project 75 India i.e construction of six new submarines with the cost of approximately Rs. 50,000 crore.


Navy’s depleting under water capability has been a serious cause of concern especially after accident o INS Sindhurakshak and INS Sindhuratna. Besides, submarine, defence ministry also cleared crucial anti tank guided missile system for the Indian army.

Israeli Spike has been selected over US’s Javelin to buy third-generation Spike ATGM systems including 321 missile launchers, 8,356 missiles and 15 training simulators along with transfer of technology with an estimated cost of Rs 3200 crore.

The Army would mount these ATGMS on its infantry combat vehicles. Order for production of 363 BMP-2 for army unit from Ordinance Factory Board has also been approved alongwith Rs. 1850 crore deal for procurement of 12 additional Dornier surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for the navy. Army’s another proposal of worth Rs. 662 crore for buy Radio relay container.

“National security is of paramount concern for the government and all hurdles and bottlenecks in procurement process should be endorsed expediently,” Jaitely said while taking first major meeting with the defence ministry officials after recuperating from illness.

India picks Israel's Spike anti-tank missile over U.S. Javelin

Israeli Spike ATGM

US Javelin ATGM

India has opted to buy Israel's Spike anti-tank guided missile, a defence ministry source said on Saturday, rejecting a rival U.S. offer of Javelin missiles that Washington had lobbied hard to win.

India will buy at least 8,000 Spike missiles and more than 300 launchers in a deal worth 32 billion rupees ($525 million), the source said after a meeting of India's Defence Acquisition Council.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five-month-old government wants to clear a backlog of defence orders and boost India's firepower, amid recent border tensions with China and heavy exchanges of fire with Pakistan across the Kashmiri frontier.

"National security is the paramount concern of the government," the source quoted Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds the finance portfolio, as telling the procurement panel.

"All hurdles and bottlenecks in the procurement process should be addressed expeditiously so that the pace of acquisition is not stymied."

Spike is a man-portable 'fire and forget' anti-tank missile that locks on to targets before shooting. It is produced by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, which declined to comment.

It beat out the rival U.S. Javelin weapons system, built by Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co, that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had pitched during Modi's visit to Washington at the end of September.

Senior U.S. officials had said they were still discussing the Javelin order as part of a broader push to deepen defence industry ties with India by increasing the share of production done in the country.

Analysts estimate that India, the world's largest arms buyer, will invest as much as $250 billion in upgrading its Soviet-era military hardware and close the gap on strategic rival China, which spends three times as much a year on defence.

India: Israel's Next Major Military Ally?

India's Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is set to make a high-level visit to Israel next month, in the first Home Minister visit since a 2000 trip that began resurgent bilateral ties - the visit comes after India last month approved a $144 million missile purchase from Israel.

Singh, whose position is roughly parallel to Internal Security Minister, is to meet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on November 6 as part of a four-day trip with senior officials, Indian diplomatic sources told the Times of India on Thursday.


India is currently the largest buyer of Israeli defense hardware, and Israel's military delegation to India is second only in size to its delegation to America. The two countries also have a Joint Working group on counter-terrorism, with bilateral ties flourishing under India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Netanyahu and Modi met in New York last month, where he told him "we are excited about the possibilities of stronger ties with India, and the sky is the limit."

The statement came the same month that Modi approved the purchase of 262 Israeli-made Barak 1 surface-to-air missiles, in a $144 million deal that will arm India's 14 battleships over the course of five years.

The deal had been frozen since a scandal in 2006, when suspicions of corruption by Indian politicians surfaced claiming that they had taken bribes in return for advancing weapons deals. Those suspicions were never proven, and with Israeli-Indian ties flourishing the deal has come back into play.

India has been actively buying Israeli weapons; last year it approved the purchase of 15 Heron drones.

The two countries are also involved in joint military projects, with Israel developing the Barak 8 advanced missile in cooperation with India, further pointing to the strong military ties.

Reportedly India is also looking to sell its Iron Dome anti-missile defense system to India as well, as India is interested in using the system to defend its key assets.

As defense ties with America continue to grow tense, as highlighted in Operation Protective Edge when US President Barack Obama froze the routine transfer of Hellfire missiles to Israel and ordered scrutiny on future shipments, Israel continues to show signs of developing Asian allies such as India, China and Japan.

India, Singapore can consider warship-building venture

SINGAPORE: Singapore and India should consider exploring the untapped potential of cooperation in naval ship building, an expert from an Indian naval think-tank said here today. 

There are excellent opportunities for the two countries to jointly build warships in India, given Singapore's technological and design expertise and the low production costs in India, particularly in terms of labour and raw-material, said Captain Gurpreet S Khurana, who is the Executive Director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi. 


"India has lately offered several incentives to foreign firms to undertake joint-research and co-development of defence hardware," he said.

"These include New Delhi's new 'mantra' of 'Make in India', the attendant facilitation of overseas investments, and the raising of Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI) cap on defence from 26 per cent to 49 per cent," he added. 

Khurana spoke at the conference "The Merlion and the Ashoka: Singapore-India Strategic and Defence Ties", which was organised by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies of Singapore.

He pointed out that the private sector in India was now being encouraged to participate in the defence industry, which was hitherto driven largely by state-controlled or public-sector enterprises. 

He noted the strengthening defence cooperation between Singapore and India.

However, Khurana pointed out that defence-technology was conceived by the Singapore leaders as a facet of cooperation more than a decade ago during the signing of the bilateral Defence MoU in 2003. 

Following that India-Singapore Defence Procurement and System Development Working Group (DPSD-WG) met in June 2007 to identify the specific areas of such cooperation, the two countries were yet to develop a functional agenda. 

"This facet of Singapore-India defence cooperation must not be seen as only buyer and seller relationship; both the nations may have to move towards long term and comprehensive cooperation such as joint scientific and technological research, development and production of weapons system and even explore sale to international customers," he said. 

Khurana said he was expecting to see the initiation of defence hardware co-development tie-ups between India and Japan in the near future.

"There is enormous economic potential for the Japanese to benefit from India, which is poised to spend a whopping USD 150 billion on defence hardware over the next decade, and is creating an in-house investment-friendly environment", he said. 

"The only hurdle for Tokyo is the restriction posed by the post-World War II Japanese Constitution on sharing defence hardware and technology with other countries, which are likely to be overcome sooner than later." he added.