Page 4 - Defence Plan

EU buying too much defence equipment from abroad, especially US: Report

European Union countries are buying too much of their defence equipment abroad, almost two thirds of it in the US, and failing to invest enough in joint military projects, a landmark report on EU competitiveness warned on Monday. The 27 member states are also failing to make best use of Europe's research and development capacities to modernise their armed forces, with just a fraction the level of US investment, said the report by former Italian prime minister and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi. The report comes as the EU continue to struggle to find enough weapons and ammunition to help Ukraine survive the full-scale Russian invasion, now in its third year, and to kickstart Europe's defence industry. Europe is wasting its common resources. We have large collective spending power, but we dilute it across multiple different national and EU instruments, said Draghi's report, which has been a year in the making and is likely to fuel an overhaul of the bloc's industrial ...

India, Maldives hold fresh defence dialogue focusing on Indian Ocean

India and the Maldives on Friday held a fresh round of "productive" defence dialogue with a focus on the situation in the Indian Ocean and ways to expedite implementation of ongoing defence projects. The defence dialogue in Delhi took place nearly a month after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid a three-day visit to the Maldives, in the first high-level trip from New Delhi after the island nation's pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu assumed office. "The entire range of talks were productive which will advance shared interests of both the nations in near future and bring stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region," the defence ministry said on the defence dialogue. The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office last November. Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel

Defence ministry to approve major Navy, Army projects worth over Rs 1 trn

The defence ministry is poised to clear key projects, including the construction of advanced frigates for the Navy and the Army's plan to replace T-72 tanks with modern combat vehicles

Tech Mahindra, Marshall partner to drive advancement in aerospace, defence

IT major Tech Mahindra on Thursday said it has inked a pact with UK-based engineering service provider Marshall Group to combine their digital solutions and engineering capabilities to spur advancements in aerospace and the defence industry. Tech Mahindra in a statement said it will assist Marshall's engineering programmes in aircraft design and manufacture, special mission platforms, and the development of digital maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) technologies. Marshall will also make use of Tech Mahindra's suite of data analytics and intelligent field support technologies to enhance its infrastructure solutions' operational efficiency and reliability. "Combining Tech Mahindra's global engineering and technology capabilities with Marshall's rich heritage and specialised knowledge, we are poised to create a powerful collaboration to drive innovation, deliver exceptional customer value, and enable the industry to scale at speed," Narasimham R V, President, Engineering Services,

World in most violent phase since second world war: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

Gen Anil Chauhan noted that the world is passing through an era of big global disruptions, ranging from technological to environmental, peace, security and other issues

Over 20 NATO allies likely to hit defence spending target amid Ukraine war

A record more than 20 NATO member nations are expected to hit the Western military alliance's defence spending target this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday, as the war in Ukraine drives worldwide concerns. The estimated figure, announced by Stoltenberg during a talk at the Wilson Centre in Washington, marks a nearly fourfold increase from 2021 in the ranks of the 32 NATO member nations meeting the alliance's defense spending guideline. Only six nations were meeting the goal that year, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NATO member countries agreed last year to spend at least 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence. The surge in spending reflects the worries of Western allies about the war in Ukraine. Some countries also are concerned about the possible reelection of former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly characterised many NATO allies as freeloading on US military spending and said on the ...

Soon India will become provider of services to other nations: CDS Chauhan

Addressing the Indian Defspace Symposium 2024 here, General Chauhan said that space is called the final frontier

In a first, India posts defence attaches to African states, Philippines

India is deploying 15-16 new attaches to countries such as Poland, Armenia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines

India upgrading strategic military infra in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

The upgrade will enable the deployment of more military forces and provide facilities for a greater number and size of warships, aircraft, troops

Govt open to change in Agniveer scheme if needed, says Rajnath Singh

As announced, the 'Agnipath' or 'Agniveer' scheme is a process for recruiting soldiers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to be hired for a term of four years on contract

China increases its defence budget 7.2% as it pushes for global heft

China on Tuesday increased its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to USD 232 billion as it continues with the massive modernisation of its military amid prevailing tensions over Taiwan, the disputed South China Sea as well as border frictions with India. China, which is the second highest spender on defence after the US, has allocated 1.67 trillion yuan (about USD 232 billion) for defence spending. The increase in terms of the percentage was the same as last year. China last year hiked its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to 1.55 trillion yuan (about USD 225 billion), marking the eighth consecutive year of increase in its military spending. Like its previous budgets, this year's defence budget of China was almost three times higher than that of India. India's defence allocation this year amounted to Rs 6,21,541 crore (about USD 74.8 billion). China has simmering territorial disputes with some of its neighbours. China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the ...

Army chief holds high-level professional discussions with US counterpart

Indian Army chief Gen Manoj Pande has held high-level professional discussions with his American counterpart Gen Randy George and other senior military officials on matters of bilateral importance and ways to enhance mutual commitment towards global peace and security. Pande, who is on a four-day official visit to the US beginning February 13, is the first Indian Army chief to visit the country in several years. The discussions were aimed at aspects of bilateral importance and further enhancing mutual commitment towards global peace and security, according to an official post on X by the Additional Directorate General of Public Information of the Indian Army. During his ongoing official visit, Gen Pande reviewed the US Army Honour Guard on arrival at Fort Myers and thereafter, in a solemn ceremony, paid respect by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery. Thereafter he engaged in high-level professional discussions with the Chief of Staf

India-France partnership can help build prosperity: Joint statement

Prime Minister Modi and President Macron reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in Horizon 2047 and other documents from the July 2023 Summit

N Korea stresses alignment with Russia against US, hints at Putin's visit

North Korea said Sunday it has agreed to further strategic and tactical cooperation with Russia to establish a new multi-polarised international order, as the two countries work to build a united front in the face of their separate, intensifying tensions with the United States. In describing North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui's meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov in Moscow last week, the North's Foreign Ministry said Putin also reaffirmed his willingness to visit Pyongyang and said that could come at an early date. North Korea has been actively strengthening its ties with Russia, highlighted by leader Kim Jong Un's September visit to Russia for a summit with Putin. Kim is trying to break out of diplomatic isolation and strengthen his footing as he navigates a deepening nuclear standoff with Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. In a separate statement on Sunday, the North's Foreign Ministry condemned the U.N. Security Council for calling a

IAF indigenised more than 60,000 components in last 2-3 yrs: VR Chaudhari

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has said the IAF has indigenised more than 60,000 components in the last two to three years. He also said the Air Force cannot rely on foreign OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for repair and overhaul maintenance activities and that it has to be done in-house. The IAF chief was speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a programme held in the Bhonsala Military School in Nagpur on Saturday. Queried on tracing the wreckage of a transport aircraft of Indian Air Force in the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast, the Air Chief Marshal said, "Unfortunately, it took so long but finally we at least got the technology to (explore) deep sea and locate such things in seabed". "We are grateful to the Ministry of Ocean and Earth Sciences for facilitating this and to be able to discover this wreckage. It brings closure to a long pending sad accident". The wreckage of an IAF transport aircraft has been located at a depth of around 3.4 km in the Bay of Bengal

Rajnath Singh's UK visit first by Indian defence minister in 22 years

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to embark upon a three-day visit to the UK from Monday, seen as significant to the bilateral partnership in the sphere of defence and security as the last ministerial level visit took place 22 years ago. Singh's previously planned visit to the UK in June 2022 was called off by the Indian side for protocol reasons, making next week's tour a highly anticipated one. Besides wide-ranging talks with his UK counterpart, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Singh is expected to inspect a ceremonial Guard of Honour and undertake visits to Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R. Ambedkar memorials in London. A community interaction with members of the Indian diaspora in the UK is also expected to be part of his three-day itinerary. This visit is significant in terms of both optics and substance. In terms of the former, this is the first visit of India's defence minister to the UK in 22 years the last visit was by then defence minister of a previous BJP-led government, .

India making defence ecosystem for self-reliance, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the government is developing a strong base of domestic defence industrial ecosystem to make the country a strategic economy. Addressing the 21st Convocation of Tezpur University here, Singh said his ministry is making all efforts to achieve the target of becoming self-reliant in the defence sector. "Our government is developing a strong base of domestic defence industrial ecosystem to make India a strategic economy", he said. Highlighting the various steps taken by the Ministry of Defence, Singh stressed that for the first time, the import of arms went down while exports rose. "We issued five positive indigenisation lists, under which 509 defence equipment have been identified whose manufacturing will now be done indigenously. "In addition, we have also issued four positive indigenisation lists of Defence Public Sector Undertakings, in which 4,666 items have been identified and these will now be manufactured in our country," he ...

Russia to deploy newest howitzers close to borders of Finland and Norway

Earlier in December, Russia's TASS state news agency reported that single Coalition-SV howitzers had already been deployed to the frontline in Ukraine

Macron invited for R-Day: Propelling Indo-French defence into new orbits

Emmanuel Macron's surprise R-Day visit shapes a strategic rendezvous as France becomes the linchpin in India's defence, space, and nuclear ambitions. SUBHAYAN CHAKRABORTY writes

India making border infra robust with seriousness it deserves: Jaishankar

The country is making its border infrastructure robust with the seriousness it deserves to strengthen national security, with the construction of roads, bridges and tunnels along the China border at a much faster pace compared to what was achieved in previous decades, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here Saturday. Despite the setback India faced in 1962, in the war with China, due to complacency and neglect for infrastructure along the border areas, it failed to learn a lesson until the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi started approaching the domain of security with the seriousness it deserves, he said. Speaking at the third convocation of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), the Union minister said India has deeply embedded security factors into its diplomatic strategy. Acquiring and developing weapons, and building related capacities have not only been at the core of our defence policies, but also of our diplomacy, he said. Even when logistics has been a key