Page 14 - Defence

Defence deals boost India-US ties, marks new era in relations, say experts

Defence deals signed between India and US during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit not only enhance India's defence capabilities, but also show growing proximity between the two countries, experts said on Friday. India and US inked a $3 billion deal for 31 High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs, of which the Navy will get 15 SeaGuardian drones. while the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will get eight each of the land version - SkyGuardian. Another major announcement that came was an MoU signed between GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to jointly produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force. Former Deputy National Security Advisor Pankaj Saran called it a "new era" in India-US relationships. "This marks a new era in relationships. The key takeaway is the focus on two sectors - defence and technology. The third element is the boldness of ambition shown by both sides," Saran told PTI. "In the past also we have had summits, but in this particular summit th

Dy Navy Chief Mahindru on 3 days Kenya visit to oversee maritime exercise

Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru is on a three-day official visit to Kenya from June 21-23, where he will oversee the Harbour Phase activities of the ongoing Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) between the two countries' navies, Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Vice Admiral Mahindru's visit coincides with Indian Naval Ship Sunayna making port call at Mombasa as part of the Ocean Ring of Yoga' initiative conceptualised to celebrate ninth International Day of Yoga. The Deputy Navy Chief called on Aden Bare Duale, Cabinet Secretary in the Kenyan Ministry of Defence, on Wednesday and discussed historical ties between the two maritime neighbours and stressed on strengthening defence relations between them. Mahindru also called on General Francis O Ogolla, Chief of Defence Forces, Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF). Key aspects of enhancing coordinated operations in the maritime domain and bolstering interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Kenya

India, US launch INDUS-X for technology and defence industry partnership

A factsheet was released for operationalising the 'Defence Innovation Bridge' under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies at a two-day event in Washington DC

Self-reliance in not an option, but a necessity, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday emphasised the need for self-reliance for the country, saying it was not an option but a necessity in the fast-changing global scenario. "During the 1971 war, when we needed equipment the most we were refused. We had to look for alternatives. I don't want to take the names of the countries that refused our request," he said addressing an event on "Atmanirbhar Bharat". The defence minister said the Kargil War of 1999 saw a similar story. "During the Kargil war, when our armed forces felt a strong need for equipment, those countries were imparting us lessons of peace. Those who traditionally used to supply us weapons, they too refused," Singh said. "Hence, we do not have any option than strengthening ourselves," he said. Singh said the country is moving ahead with the pledge of self-reliance. "From the ground to the sky and from the agriculture machines to the cryogenic engine, India is moving fast to become self-reliant in every sector," h

PM Modi's US visit to focus on defence, technology, industry cooperation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US next week is expected to be high on substance as both sides are looking at concrete outcomes in a range of key areas such as defence and critical technology and ways to simplify regulatory framework for deeper industrial cooperation. People familiar with the preparation for the trip said a major aspect of Modi's state visit to Washington will be to lay a ground for forging a strong technology partnership and enhance economic engagement between India and the US. There is a "very genuine and widespread interest" on both sides to use the visit to take the relationship to the next level, they said. "In terms of focus areas of discussions, it would perhaps be a very forward leaning visit," said one of the people cited above. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday formally announced Modi's two-nation state visit to the US and Egypt from June 20 to 25. Following Modi's talks with US President Joe Biden, the two sides are expected t

Defence industry fulfilling security needs of friendly countries: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that irrespective of the ideology, there has always been consensus from all quarters towards attaining the goal of complete self-reliance, and India's defence industry is also fulfilling the security needs of friendly countries.. The Minister chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 'Self-reliance in Defence Manufacturing' here, an official release said. During the meeting, the members of the committee from both the Houses of Parliament were apprised about the initiatives taken by the MoD to achieve 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence and the progress achieved, so far, due to the decisions. The Minister highlighted the Government's constant endeavour to enhance the security of the country and make the Armed Forces technologically advanced to deal with "challenges emanating out of the ever-evolving global scenario." Terming "demand assurance" as one of the most important aspects to ensure self-reliance

India successfully test-fires night lauch of ballistic missile 'Agni Prime'

India has successfully carried out a night launch of new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile 'Agni Prime' from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, marking a boost to the country's strategic weaponry. The first pre-induction night launch of the missile with a strike range of 1,000 to 2,000 km was carried out on Wednesday by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the elite strategic forces command, officials said. The defence ministry said the test-firing met all the desired objectives and that it paved the way for induction of the system into the armed forces. The test-firing of the missile came amid India's lingering border row with China. "New generation ballistic missile 'Agni Prime' was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on June 7," the ministry said. "This was the first pre-induction night launch conducted by the users after three ..

Indian Navy's indigenous torpedo successfully engages underwater target

An indigenously developed heavy-weight torpedo of the Indian Navy successfully engaged an underwater target that was described by the force as a "significant milestone". In a brief statement, the Indian Navy said on Tuesday that the torpedo's engagement of the target reflected its commitment to "future proof combat readiness" through self-reliance. "Successful engagement of an underwater target by an indigenously developed heavy weight torpedo is a significant milestone in Indian Navy's and the Defence Research and Development Organisation's quest for accurate delivery of ordnance on target in the underwater domain," it said. "This showcases our commitment to future proof combat readiness through Aatma Nirbharta (self-reliance)," the Navy said. In the last few years, the Navy has been focusing on bolstering its combat readiness, especially in the Indian Ocean in view of Chinese Navy's growing forays into the region.

Iran unveils hypersonic missile amid US tensions that can beat air defences

Iran claimed on Tuesday that it had created a hypersonic missile capable of travelling at 15 times the speed of sound. The announcement comes as tensions remain high with the United States over Tehran's nuclear programme. Iran's state television reported that the missile called Fattah, or Conqueror in Farsi had a range of up to 1,400 kilometers (870 miles). The report also claimed the missile could pass through any regional missile defense system, though it offered no evidence to support the claim. The TV broadcast what appeared to be a model of the missile being unveiled by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a hard-line paramilitary organization in the Islamic Republic, before President Ebrahim Raisi. The Guard already has a vast arsenal of ballistic missiles. In November, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh of the Revolutionary Guard claimed that Iran had created a hypersonic missile, without offering evidence to support it. That claim came during the nationwide protests that followed the Septe

SFC carries out successful training launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

India on Thursday carried out a successful training launch of the Agni-1 ballistic missile that validated all operational and technical parameters of the strategic weapon. The defence ministry said the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) carried out the missile launch from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. "A successful training launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, Agni-1, was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, on June 1," it said in a statement. "The missile is a proven system, capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision. The user training launch successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the missile," it said. In the last two decades, India has been focusing on enhancing its strategic deterrent capability by developing various ballistic missiles, precision-guided munitions and related platforms. India has developed various variants of the Agni series of missiles. In December last, India

PM Modi, Vietnamese PM discuss expanding cooperation in trade, technology

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh and discussed expanding cooperation in areas like trade and investment, defence and energy. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the summit of the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies in Hiroshima. "Propelling - ties to new levels. Wide-ranging talks between PM @narendramodi and PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) tweeted. "Leaders discussed expanding cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, defence, building resilient supply chains, energy, science & technology, human resource development, culture & people to people ties," it said. Talks also covered regional developments as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, it added. ASEAN nations include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The .

Defence production crosses Rs 1 trn for first time ever: Defence ministry

The value of defence production in FY 2022-23 has crossed Rs one lakh crore for first time ever. Ministry of Defence on Friday said that the continuous and consistent efforts were made for this result

iDEX achieves milestone by signing of its 250th contract: Defence Ministry

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence, has reached a milestone with the signing of its 250th contract on Monday, officials said. This was also the first contract signed under Mission DefSpace, the ministry said in a statement. "The first iDEX contract of Mission DefSpace was exchanged between Additional Secretary (Defence Production) and CEO Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) T Natarajan, and CEO, InspeCity, Arindrajit Chowdhary, one of the winners of the challenge 'Micropropulsion system for cubesats'. This challenge is being led by the Defence Space Agency," the ministry said in the statement. It said iDEX has "reached a milestone with the signing of its 250th contract - first under Mission DefSpace - and 100th SPRINT (Navy) contract in New Delhi on May 15". The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and other senior civil and military officials. Cubesats are a class of small satellites

Defence import dependency could become hindrance to autonomy: Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said self-reliance in defence is essential for strengthening the security apparatus of the country. Addressing the 12th convocation ceremony of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune, Singh said dependence on import of defence equipment can become a hindrance to India's strategic autonomy. This is the reason the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making all-out efforts to achieve self-reliance in the sector, he said. Without self-reliance, we cannot take independent decisions on global issues in line with our national interests. More equipment we import; more adverse impact it will have on our balance of trade. We aim to become a net exporter instead of net importer. It will not only strengthen our economy, but increase employment opportunities, he said. Singh said self-reliance does not mean isolation from the world. Today, the world has become a global village and isolation isn't possible. The aim of ...

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes over as Deputy Chief of Air Staff

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff on Monday. He succeeds Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Dixit was Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. He is a graduate of the Staff Course, Bangladesh and National Defence College, New Delhi. The Air Marshal is a qualified flying instructor as well as an experimental test pilot, with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on fighter, trainer and transport aircraft. Air Marshal Dixit commanded a Mirage 2000 squadron, a frontline fighter base in the Western sector, as well as a premier fighter training base. He has earlier served as Principal Director Air Staff Requirement, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Air headquarters. The Air Officer has also been the Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and was Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air

Navies of India, Indonesia begins 6-day exercise to expand bilateral ties

The navies of India and Indonesia on Sunday began a six-day maritime exercise in sync with their overall efforts to expand bilateral military engagement. The Indian Navy has deployed its indigenously built anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kavaratti, a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft and a Chetak chopper for the Samudra Shakti exercise, officials said. Earlier, the Navy said the ship arrived at Batam Port in Indonesia for the exercise. The Indonesian Navy is being represented at the exercise by warship KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda, CN 235 maritime patrol aircraft and AS565 panther helicopter, they said. "Exercise Samudra Shakti is aimed at enhancing interoperability, jointness and mutual cooperation between both the navies," the Indian Navy said. It said the harbour phase of the exercise will comprise cross-deck visits, professional interactions and subject matter expert exchanges. "During the sea phase, weapon firing, helicopter operations, anti-submarine warfare and air defence .

IAF chief embarks on 4-day Sri Lanka visit in a bid to boost defense ties

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Monday embarked on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka to explore ways to boost bilateral defence ties amid concerns in India over China's attempts to expand its influence over the island nation. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari is scheduled to meet with the top political and military leadership of the country. The defence ministry said the IAF chief is scheduled to meet the Sri Lankan president and the prime minister, state minister of defence, chief of the defence staff, defence secretary and the commanders of the country's air force, army and navy. The Chief of Air Staff is visiting Sri Lanka following an invitation of the Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal SK Pathirana. During the visit, he will also interact with student officers of Sri Lanka's National Defence College and visit the Sri Lankan Air Force Academy. "The visit of the Chief of Air Staff will enhance the existing professional ties and bonds of mutual cooperation

Major defence collab in work to make modern equipment in India: US official

A major India-US bilateral defenCe collaboration is in the works for India to make sophisticated modern defenCe equipment, the Biden administration's point person for South and Central Asia said on Thursday, hoping an announcement in this regard will be made in the next few months. I think it makes eminent sense for India to produce world-class defence equipment for its own needs, and potentially as an exporter, for the world, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu told PTI in an interview on Thursday. The senior State Department official, however, refrained from giving details of the major defence collaboration to manufacture modern and sophisticated defence equipment in India. We are already major partners in the defence field. We, over the last 20 years, have had a defence trade of over USD 20 billion. And I know our private companies and our governments, our ministries of defence are talking on a regular basis about how we cooperate, he said. Lu ..

Pakistan's Defence Ministry moves SC to seek 'simultaneous elections'

Pakistan's Defence Ministry has moved the Supreme Court (SC) to seek 'simultaneous elections' in the country, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

India, Bhutan closely coordinate on shared security interests: Kwatra

Against the backdrop of renewed focus on the Doklam tri-junction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Tuesday held talks focusing on a five-point broad roadmap to expand the "time-tested" relations besides delving into shared national security interests. At a media briefing after the talks, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said India and Bhutan closely coordinate on shared national and security interests and that security concerns of both sides are intertwined and indivisible. The talks between Modi and the visiting King took place days after Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that China has an equal say in resolving the border dispute relating to the strategically-located Doklam tri-junction. When asked whether the Doklam issue figured in the talks, Kwatra said India-Bhutan ties are based on mutual respect, trust, close understanding and sensitivity to each other's concerns, adding Modi and the King covered the entire gamut of ..