Indian Defence Industry Development

Air Force to Get Brahmos. The Govt. has cleared Rs 11,600 Crore Agreement for formal induction of the Brahmos missile into the IAF. It has also cleared two more regts of the supersonic land attack system to the Army.

The missile is already in service with the Navy and Army. This is the first time that a surface-to-surface version of the missile will be inducted into the IAF.

Brahmos Aerospace, a joint venture between the DRDO and Russian company. This is to develop and manufacture of advanced versions of the cruise missile that can be launched from aircraft, submarines, ships and land. Brahmos is capable of attaining speeds between 2.5 and 2.8 mach, it has a range of about 290 km .

Indian Light Combat Helicopter(LCH). India has flight-tested a prototype of the LCH successfully.

"The maiden test flight of the LCH on 29 Mar 2010 was successful. Though it was a short haul lasting about 20 minutes, the performance was good," said the CMD, HAL.

The 5.5-tonne attack helicopter copter is an Air Force derivative of HAL's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), known as Dhruv. The LCH can operate at altitudes up to 6,000 m. It has Shakti engine, developed by HAL in partnership with Turbomeca, France.

HAL plans to supply about 150-175 units of the LCH to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Army which already operates the military version of Dhruv for various functions.

The LCH will be equipped with advanced weapons systems , helmet-mounted targeting system, EW Systems. It will incorporate a number of stealth features and crash-worthy landing gear for better survivability. It will have a narrow fuselage, with two crew stations.

Svipja Technologies

Launch of ‘Svipja Civil- Military Relations (CMR) Chair’

General

“Svipja Civil- Military Relations Chair” (or ‘Chair’, for short) has been set-up by Svipja Technologies with a view to harness Ideas from Intellectual Defence Community to promote Civil-Military Relations in India. Views from the International Community will also be welcome.

This work is needed in order to raise intellectual capital of the stakeholders in line with the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It would help reinforcing democratic values in the Defence Community with Military Ethos intact.

Objectives

The establishment of the Chair and Fellowships is expected to:

1. Promote healthy and meaningful exchange of ideas amongst the intellectual Defence Community on civil-military relations in the Indian Context.

2. Facilitate wider, deeper, and un-biased discussions / interactions amongst the intellectual Community, and Faculty / Moderator(s) appointed against the Chair or as Fellows, in particular.

Terms and Conditions

The creation and operation of the Chair and Fellowships will be subject to the terms enumerated in the succeeding paras.

Methodology Research work on the subject will be undertaken by a Team constituted by Svipja Technologies within the Objectives laid. Certain identified Blogs / Sites will be used to initiate discussions amongst the stakeholders. Once done, ‘finished product’ would be circulated to the stakeholders, and published in a transparent manner.

Donor(s) Svipja Technologies will meet all the expenses of the Chair as a Founder.

Founder Fellowship Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh will be the first faculty against the Chair.

Guidelines for “Appointment” of Faculty Against the Chair To be approved by the Board of Governors established by Svipja Technologies / Trusts / Donors.

Eligibility Anyone with a track record in defence with independent, impartial & sound logical abilities would be eligible to be considered for “appointment” against the Chair. Individual(s) being considered would first be appointed as Moderator(s). The Chair has a Think Tank’s charter.

Duration of the Chair The “appointment” against the Chair will be made for a period of up to five years. However, continuation into the fourth and fifth years will be subject to a review at the end of the third year. Further, an individual may be eligible to be considered for re-appointment, together with other eligible candidates, for a period of up to 5 years (without a break) any number of times.

Designation Member(s) appointed against the Chair will be called “Svipja Civil-Military Relations Chair Emeritus Research Fellow / Research Fellow / Research Associate Fellow”.

Research Grant To be assigned by Svipja Technologies on need basis as the faculty / work expands.

Intellectual Property (IP) Rights As a result of the “appointment” against the Chair, there shall be no change in the rights applicable to the IP developed by the researchers / faculty members and/or his/her collaborators.

Strategic Alliance(s) Svipja Technologies would be willing to establish strategic alliance(s) with like-minded bodies.

Research Presentations Research Articles will be published on Media/Sites/Blogs identified for the purpose. In addition, as a result of the “appointment” against the Chair, the faculty would be expected to undertake Presentations of the research findings of the Chair to various targeted audience, organizations and institutions.

Conclusion

This work would enhance intellectual capital of the stakeholders for security of the country in environments unfolding in the 21st Century India. Dynamics of the Civil-Military relations needs to be captured routinely in the Indian Polity.

All Veterans are welcome to contribute their thoughts.

Sukhwindar

www.svipja.com

Civil-Military Relations: Why are These More Important in a Democracy?

There is a ‘rooted’ tendency amongst Us to narrow Civil-Military Relations to IAS-Military Top Brass. In wider sense it in fact relates to who governs the Country, Civil or Military leadership?

Civil is all encompassing - politicians, civil bureaucracy including allied civil services, police, State machinery, civil offices providing services like supplies, power, water, teles, transportation, roads, etc. Military and its personnel deal at various levels of ‘civil governance’ in official and personal capacities. Any aberrations to military personnel while on duty, off duty, or at home leaves them frustrated if not handled well. Military has expectations to be governed / handled diligently and in an orderly fashion. It is here that a soldier ‘grumbles’ when he is ‘towed’ to follow ethos alien to him.

First damage to civil-military relation stems when a soldier is handled shabbily, dishonestly, or indifferently in the Civil. And this could multiply manifold as he moves through his ‘life cycle’. In his frustration, he then uses ‘force’, the only ‘expertise’ developed in him to reach his objective, at least temporarily, willing to face its consequences subsequently.

Any nation has to be sensitive not to bruise soldiers’ pride in day-to-day interactions. Self-Pride, Self-Respect, Self-Reliance, High-Class Motivation, Professionalism, Ability to Lead by Example, etc are his inherent strengths. Any act that tends to lower it is damaging to the Forces, and Nation as a whole. Anyone including Armed Forces Leadership hurting/undermining these basic traits in any manner is doing disservice to the Nation as it may result in ‘mass grouse’, sometimes difficult to be handled by leadership. That’s why the Armed Forces handle cases of bad management, indiscipline or corruption strictly.

‘All Civil Institutions’ need to fully appreciate it in a democracy like India, where ‘ethos & personal examples’ tend to become casualty.

A Soldier is a Class by Itself and Should be treated as Such. He is then ‘fit’ to deliver optimally ensuring Your Freedom.

We are an established democracy now, it is time that we talked and discussed Civil-Military Relations openly, and organised ourselves on 'Systems Approach' both in thinking and action.

Sukhwindar
Svipja Technologies
[It is a stub, could be expanded to a full Article by some Researcher(s)]

100% FDI in Defence Sector

It could be a 'wishful thinking' to reach 49% figure and a 'red herring' of a special variety etched differently. MOD remains firm on 26% FDI generally enhanced on case-to-case basis.


Sukhwindar
Svipja Technologies

India to Get Second AWACS Today

India will receive another Israeli-made Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) today, giving it the second 'eye in the sky' for enhanced surveillance.

The second AWACS will arrive in Jamnagar in Gujarat and will be based in Agra.

With the arrival of the second AWACS, officials said the IAF can keep an eye on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.After the induction of the third system, India would be able to virtually cover the whole nation at one go.

The system, primarily used for detection of incoming hostile cruise missiles and aircraft from hundreds of kms away, can also direct air defence fighters during combat operations against enemy jets. It also helps detect troop build up across the borders.

Svipja Technologies
Credit: PTI.

Indigenous Effort in A & D

India's Public and Private Sector would have a much bigger role to play in the production of defence equipment in the near future if the country is to achieve near-self-reliance, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on 17 March after commissioning the ICGS ‘Vishwast' at the Goa Shipyard Limited. Our desire is to strive for more self-reliance in this critical area.

“We should reduce reliance on other countries and make more space for Indian industries in both the Private and Public Sectors,” he said.

The bottom line is, while underlining the growing importance of the Private Sector in the area of defence equipment production, it would not mean the weakening of the Public Sector. Private Sector production in the A & D is to be add-on. Defence equipment supply to other friendly countries should also be on our agenda.

Svipja Technologies
Credit: The Hindu.

Transparency and 'Value Receipt' in Offset Projects

Offsets are to flow in India in the next 5-10 years. This could give rise to ‘scandals’ if not handled prudently. It is important that offsets drive value to the Buyer in a transparent and accountable manner without compromising professional integrity in the Offset System which includes all the ‘players’ both in India and abroad.

Offset projects should be screened with the same diligence as the main contract. This would need an ‘organisation’ that should be capable of conducting ‘due diligence’ on a number of offset projects, large number in most cases, with each project evaluated and valuated with ‘buyer-country-fit’ to get real value of the offsets.

All ‘leakages’ need to be plugged while evaluation is under way.

DOFA-MOD and DAC have to ‘mediate’ effectively. It is no secret that most of the offset agencies quite often are not very experienced to handle the offset projects. If required, professional help from ‘neutral experts’ can be taken. Defence Industry Units, both at home and abroad, are quite burdened with their routine schedules; offsets are extra work, need extra professional staff.

Svipja Technologies

‘Relax Hi-Tech Export Control’, India to US

In the 7th High Technology Cooperation Group held in Mar 2010, India again asked the US to liberalise its export control regulations which restrict ToT to India. India feels that there could be no better partner than India to galvanise its High-Tech.

"We see this as yet another area where Indian and US interest converge and, as a reliable and strategic partner, we look forward to seeing enhancement of trade in such goods and technologies between our two countries and removal of remaining Indian organisations from the Entity List. It is anomalous that a body like ISRO, which is developing several collaborations with NASA, should continue to be on this list," Nirupma Rao, Indian Foreign Secy, said in the Group.

With the US Government's recent decision to undertake a thorough export control review to increase High-Tech exports, Ms Nirupma Rao said, "We noted the announcement of a National Export Initiative - to reform the Export Control System for American strategic, High-Tech Industries, so that their competitiveness is enhanced without compromising the country’s national security”.

India needs a close co-operation with the US in High-Tech Strategic Areas.

Svipja Technologies

Try and Begin from Within

Courtesy: Mohinder S Saundh, IIT, Kharagpur, Sweden.

Indian Defence Industry Development

LCA. India is likely to induct the LCA into the Air Force by March 2011, as per the Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony. LCA is an advanced technology, supersonic, multi-role, air superiority fighter, single-seat, single-engine, lightweight, all-weather ac designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea combat roles. The IAF has already inducted 20 LCAs at the Operational Clearance Stage. They need more than 200 LCA-type ac.

Nag (Cobra) Missile/ATGM. It is a third-generation (Gen-3) - fire-and-forget- missile. Its optical guidance system is virtually jam-proof. It will be inducted into the Indian Army shortly. Has a range of 500 m to 3000-4000 km. Can be fired at night. Developed by the DRDO under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) which was initiated in 1983. The IGMDP has the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles; the Akash and Trishul anti-aircraft missiles; and the Nag ATGM to its credit.

Sukhwindar

Indian Defence Industry Development

Issues are falling in place after the recent Def Expo 2010. The Govt./MOD has made its stand clear on certain matters. Some of the important developments are listed in the succeeding paras.

FDI in Defence. As articulated in this Blog from the very beginning, the Govt. may allow higher FDI than 26% on case-to-case basis, but the 26% limit remains.

Basic Trainer Planes. India is to procure 75 Basic Trainer Planes. As per Reports, RFPs have been floated to EADS PZL (PZL-130-TC-11 Orik), Raytheon (T-6 Texan), Grob Aircraft Company (G-120TP) , Embraer’s Tucano, Pilatus (PC-7 or PC-/9), Finmeccanica (M-311), and Korea Aerospace Industries (KT-1). Later, 106 ac will be built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)”.

Russia-India Co-operation. Are likely to sign 4 b USD defence contracts. These are to be three contracts incl retrofitting the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, possibly during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to India.

NBC Simulator by Navy. The Navy is setting up a NBC defence training facility for its personnel. Request for Information (RFI) has been issued.

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.indiandefenceindustry.com/
(An e-Hub for India Defence & Aerospace Ecosystem)
Credit: USIBC and Its News Agencies.

Pak Urdu Press: 23 Feb - 01 Mar 2010

Pakistan Urdu Press is IDSA's Weekly Newsletter containing selected translations from Pakistan's leading Urdu dailies. It contains editorial excerpts, opinion columns and selected news items.

Pakistan and surrounding areas impact local and global security. It is important to 'monitor' reports in the local press of Pakistan.

Pse Click Pakistan Urdu Press

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.indiandefenceindustry.com/
(An e-Hub for India Defence & Aerospace Ecosystem)
Credit: In Arrangement with the IDSA, http://www.idsa.in/ ,India's Think Tank on Matters Defence.

TCS to BEL?

There is a report in the Business Standard today captioned 'MOD Sidelines Pvt Sector in Crucial Defence Project'. There is a logic in engaging DPSUs, or OFB for sensitive projects though the defence sector participation is open to the Private Sector. Reasons are not difficult to understand. The MOD on case-to-case basis could decide the project clearance. It is therefore not very difficult to appreciate why should BEL be in the lead for getting the TCS project.

BEL can be the main integrator with technology taken from the DRDO and Others incl from abroad. Also MSMEs get their share as vendors of components and subsystems. BEL as a DPSU is best placed to evaluate security needs of our main stay comn system like TCS, and monitor in various stages of its integration.

In fact in EW-intensive battle environments, TCS procurement ‘must’ be categorised as, “Make — Strategic, Complex and Security Sensitive Systems”, and funded accordingly.

If the decision comes through the way it is being reported in the Press, it would be highly pragmatic – no one should be very ‘doubtful’ of the DPSUs and the DRDO in certain abilities, or technologies.

Defence Projects, as I have said elsewhere on this Blog, are 'not a purely business decision’.

Sukhwindar

Parliament House & North-South Blocks - Sometimes Mid 1930s

Sukhwindar
Courtesy: Sandeep Budhiraja, Sector 33.

India Defence Budget: 2010-2011

"Secure Borders and Security of Life and Property Fosters Development”. The Defence Minister proposed to increase the allocation for defence to Rs.147,344 Crore. This includes Rs.60,000 Crore for Capital Expenditure. Any additional requirement for the security of the nation will also be provided for.

The allocation for OFB has been slashed by Rs.1,835 Crore to Rs.1,999 Crore against Rs.3,834 Crore in the previous fiscal.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) receives a hike of Rs.881 Crore to Rs.5,260 Crore from its revised allocation of Rs.4,379 Crore in the FY.

India Defence Budget 2010-2011

Happy Holi !