India Defense & Military News

[dhruv]

As Indian armed forces progress leaps and bounds in military hardware and technology, Bharat as a nation will get more and more secure. Let us use this thread to bring all the important and useful news and articles related to the defense of India and related news from its neighbors - Pakistan and China.

This thread can also be used to post links about advancements in space technology that ISRO is involved in.

[dhruv]

US working to secure Pak nukes (Seymour Hersh of New Yorker magazine)

Here is the original article from the New Yorker:

Defending the Arsenal: In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe?

[yogi]

India buys upgraded Israeli air defences for $1.1 bn

TEL AVIV: Israel has signed a $1.1 billion contract to supply an upgraded tactical air defence system to India, with delivery expected by 2017, an Israeli official said on Monday. The sale of the Barak-8 systems came as India's army chief, General Deepak Kapoor, held high-level talks in Israel, India's biggest defence supplier. Made by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., the Barak-8 is designed for use aboard ships and can shoot down incoming missiles, planes and drones. The most advanced version can be also deployed on land, the Israeli official said.

India has already acquired an earlier generation of the Barak system, the official said. The Barak-8 contract was signed in April, and delivery of the systems will take place "over the next six to eight years".

Related News: India deepens defense ties with Israel

Israel has become India's No. 1 supplier of arms and ammunitions, overtaking Russia. The bulk of supplies constitute about 50 percent of Israel's defence exports and about 30 percent of India's imports. Israel has supplied a range of defence products, including Barak missiles, assault rifles, night fighting devices, radar network, hi-tech electronic warfare systems and information technology related equipments. The Indian Air Force last May received the first of the three Phalcon airborne early warning radar systems (AWACS) from Israel as part of a 1.1 billion USD deal in a big boost to its surveillance capabilities in the region. The next delivery is expected in the first quarter of next year. As per recent reports, India is interested in working with Israel on submarine-launched cruise missiles, ballistic missile defense systems, laser-guided systems, satellites as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.

[konada]

Navy plans forward operating base in Paradip

Paradip (Orissa), Nov 8 (PTI). As part of steps to galvanise coastal security after the Mumbai terror attack, the Indian Navy plans to set up a forward operating base in Orissa's Paradip, besides substantially expanding its fleet size to ward off any threat. "At least six new medium and small warships will soon be commissioned to raise our fleet size for which orders have been placed," fleet commander of eastern naval command Rear Admiral P Murugesan told reporters during a demonstration and exercise by seven warships off the Paradip coast. The entire coastline would be defended through fleet expansion of the navy, which now has about 140 warships of different categories with state-of-the-art gadgets.

Location of Paradip shown below, with the marker:

[konada]

This is some really great development. The Akash missile system was dubbed a failure by the army earlier. Its really exciting to see that DRDO has finally delivered, and army has acknowledged.

Army warms up to Akash missile

India’s long-criticised Akash anti-aircraft missile is now blazing towards success. Its counterparts in the DRDO’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the Prithvi and Agni ballistic missiles, were on target from the start; the anti-tank Nag missile will also enter service shortly; the Trishul short-range anti-aircraft missile was abandoned unceremoniously. Now, after years of rejection from the military, the Akash is being accepted as a world-class missile. The IAF’s order last year for two Akash squadrons — dismissed by sceptics as a face-saving burial for the Akash programme — has just been doubled with a fresh IAF order for 16 more launchers that will be stationed in northeast India. And now, Business Standard has accessed even better news for the Akash programme: the Indian Army is considering ordering several Akash squadrons for its ground forces.

Theoretically, a “ripple” of two Akash missiles has a 99 per cent chance of shooting down a modern fighter aircraft. Practically, however, in 9 live Akash trials so far, all 9 missiles that were fired hit their targets. Videos of the firing trials, witnessed by Business Standard, show the Akash missiles smashing their targets into tiny fragments at ranges beyond 20 kilometres.

[konada]

After the recent IL-76 mishap, I think this is a welcome move by India. Even though the C-17 costs 3 times the IL-76, its capability of launching and landing on short airstrips will be very helpful in frontier air-bases in Ladakh and Arunachal.

India Seeks To Bolster Transport With 10 C-17s

NEW DELHI - The Indian Defence Ministry is negotiating the purchase of C-17 heavy-lift Globemaster aircraft from the United States through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route, say ministry sources. The U.S. Air Force flew the Globemaster in a joint air exercise between the air forces of the two countries held in India Oct. 19-23 at Agra to let the Indian military familiarize itself with the transport craft, said a senior Indian Air Force official.

India is negotiating the purchase of 10 C-17 aircraft made by U.S.-based Boeing, disregarding the Russian IL-76 transport even though the American aircraft is three times costlier, Defence Ministry sources said. The C-17's advantages include its easier handling (compared with the IL-76) and ability to operate from short and rough airstrips, added the sources. The $1.7 billion deal, likely to be finalized by early 2010, would be Boeing's second-largest deal with India since New Delhi signed a $2.1 billion agreement in January to purchase eight P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.

The Indian military needs to do three things: augment its ability to quickly lift larger numbers of troops as it views possible threats on its border with China; strengthen its presence on the Pakistani border; and fight terrorism and low-intensity warfare, said a senior Defence Ministry official. India needs to triple its lift capacity, said the official. India already has contracted for six C-130J aircraft from the United States, the delivery of which is expected to begin by 2011.

The Air Force's current fixed-wing transport fleet comprises 40 Russian-made IL-76 and more than 100 AN-32s, which are being upgraded by Ukraine, and the U.S.-made C-130J transport aircraft. In addition, the Indian Defence Forces are buying about 800 rotary-wing assets in the next seven years. In July, India signed a $400 million contract with Ukrainian military export agency Ukrspetsexport to upgrade 100 Soviet-built AN-32 cargo aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

[dhruv]

Stealth warships to get deadlier (Business Standard)

The Indian Navy’s prestigious Project 28, the programme to build four of the world’s stealthiest anti-submarine corvettes, is on track to become even more cutting edge. By the end of this month, three international shipbuilders will be bidding to provide Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) with the technology to build a major part of the corvettes — the entire superstructure — with lightweight composites.

By making the superstructure, which is the upper part of the ship that rests on the hull, of lighter composite material, the 2,500-tonne warships will become lighter, stealthier and far more stable in the water. Already acclaimed as world-class warships, composite superstructures will make them amongst the most effective submarine hunters in any of the world’s navies.

[rms12]

India step closer to getting the Russian Nuclear Submarine (timesofindia.com)

NEW DELHI: India got closer to deploying a nuclear-powered submarine by mid-2010 after the Russian Navy formally inducted the Akula-II class attack submarine `K-152 Nerpa' on Monday. The over 12,000-tonne Nerpa is to be leased to Indian Navy for a 10-year period under a secret contract inked between India and Russia, along with the $1.5 billion package deal for refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29K fighters in January 2004.

Incidentally, the bitter wrangling over huge cost escalation in Gorshkov's refit has also been virtually settled now, with India agreeing to shell out around $2.5 billion instead of the earlier $974 million earmarked for it. The Nerpa saga, too, has been quite chequered. Though Nerpa's construction at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard in Russia began way back in the early 1990s, it was derailed by the financial crisis after Soviet Union's collapse. India then deftly stepped in to fund Nerpa's construction with an initial $650 million in lieu of Russia's promise it would be handed over for the 10-year lease. Then, just as Nerpa was beginning its sea trials in November 2008, 20 sailors and technicians were killed on it due to a toxic gas leak. Even as the repairs were underway, a top Russian official said Nerpa would not be leased to India.

But defence ministry sources here on Monday seemed quite confident that Nerpa -- to be christened INS Chakra -- would now join Indian Navy by March-April next year. India, in fact, is even keen to lease a second Akula-II class submarine at a later stage. Nerpa, of course, will not come armed with `strategic weapons' like the 3,200-km range Granit nuclear-capable cruise missiles due to international treaties like the Missile Technology Control Regime. Instead, it's likely to have the 300-km range Klub-S land-attack cruise missiles, which India already deploys on its Kilo-class conventional submarines. "With its long endurance and stealthy nature, Nerpa will be a very potent hunter of enemy submarines,'' said a source.

Navy, of course, will also use Nerpa to train its sailors in the intricate art of maintaining and operating nuclear-powered submarines. India, as reported earlier, is forging ahead in constructing its own nuclear submarines after the first, the over 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, was `launched' on July 26 this year under the ATV (advanced technology vessel) programme. Acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles is critical for India to fulfil its long-standing quest to have a viable nuclear weapon triad -- the capability to fire nukes from the air, land and sea. The hard-to-detect underwater leg of the nuclear triad is, after all, considered the most lethal, survivable and effective platform for launching retaliatory strikes, especially for a country like India which has a "no first-use'' nuclear doctrine.

Incidentally, India had leased a `Charlie-I' class Russian nuclear submarine from 1988 to 1991 to give its Navy first-hand experience in nuclear submarine operations. That submarine, too, had been named INS Chakra but the expertise gained was steadily lost since India did not operate any other nuclear submarine thereafter. India already has the `Agni' family of road and rail-mobile ballistic missiles as well as fighter jets like Mirage-2000s and Sukhoi-30MKIs jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But the aim to add an underwater component to the nuclear deterrent has become clear on the horizon only now.

[rms12]

India, Russia setting up USD 600 million aircraft Joint Venture

Moscow: India and Russia are to invest USD 600 million to set up a joint venture (JV) to produce a medium lift transport aircraft for their armed forces. While Bangalore based state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will fork out USD 300 million, Russia's United Aircraft Cooperation (UAC) will invest a similar amount for the joint venture which will start rolling out the aircraft by 2017.

Voice of Russia radio said the joint venture coming up with fifty-fifty equity would develop the aircraft at Aviastar-SP plant based in Ulyanovsk city on Volga. The Indian Air Force is expected to order at least 35 and Russian Air Force as many as 100 medium lift transport aircraft. In its basic configuration the new transport aircraft will have a payload capacity of 18.5 tons of cargo and can fly up to a a distance of 2500 km in any climatic conditions.

The aircraft is being designed to also operate from high altitude mountain airstrips, according to information posted on UAC website. India hopes that the new medium lift transport aircraft will replace its ageing fleet of 104 AN-32 aircraft. Though India has signed a contract worth USD 398 million for the upgradation of these aircrafts between this year to 2017, the new plane will replace it.

[yogi]

Although a little late (this strategy should have been in place a decade back), but Indian Army finally announced a new war doctrine that places emphasis on better coordination between the three wings of the armed forces, and coming up with strategies to handle both of India's hostile neighbors.

Army reworks war doctrine for Pakistan, China (timesofindia.com)

NEW DELHI: The Army is now revising its five-year-old doctrine to effectively meet the challenges of a possible `two-front war' with China and Pakistan, deal with asymmetric and fourth-generation warfare, enhance strategic reach and joint operations with IAF and Navy. Work on the new war doctrine -- to reflect the reconfiguration of threat perceptions and security challenges -- is already underway under the aegis of Shimla-based Army Training Command, headed by Lt-General A S Lamba, said sources. It comes in the backdrop of the 1.13-million strong Army having practised -- through several wargames over the last five years -- its `pro-active' war strategy to mobilise fast and strike hard to pulverise the enemy.

This `cold start strategy', under a NBC (nuclear-chemical-biological) overhang, emerged from the `harsh lessons' learnt during Operation Parakram, where it took Army's strike formations almost a month to mobilise at the `border launch pads' after the December 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament. This gave ample opportunity to Pakistan to shore up its defences as well as adequate time to the international community, primarily the US, to intervene. The lack of clear directives from the then NDA government only made matters worse. "A major leap in our approach to conduct of operations (since then) has been the successful firming-up of the cold start strategy (to be able to go to war promptly)," said Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, at a closed-door seminar on Tuesday.

The plan now is to launch self-contained and highly-mobile `battle groups', with Russian-origin T-90S tanks and upgraded T-72 M1 tanks at their core, adequately backed by air cover and artillery fire assaults, for rapid thrusts into enemy territory within 96 hours. Gen Kapoor identified five thrust areas that will drive the new doctrine.

One, even as the armed forces prepare for their primary task of conventional wars, they must also factor in the eventuality of `a two-front war' breaking out. In tune with this, after acquiring a greater offensive punch along the entire western front with Pakistan by the creation of a new South-Western Army Command in 2005, India is now taking steps -- albeit belatedly -- to strategically counter the stark military asymmetry with China in the eastern sector. There is now "a proportionate focus towards the western and north-eastern fronts", said Gen Kapoor.

Two, the Army needs to `optimise' its capability to effectively counter `both military and non-military facets' of asymmetric and sub-conventional threats like WMD terrorism, cyber warfare, electronic warfare and information warfare.

Three, the armed forces have to substantially enhance their strategic reach and out-of-area capabilities to protect India's geo-political interests stretching from Persian Gulf to Malacca Strait. "This would enable us to protect our island territories; as also give assistance to the littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region," said Gen Kapoor.

Four, interdependence and operational synergy among Army, Navy and IAF must become the essence of strategic planning and execution in future wars. "For this, joint operations, strategic and space-based capability, ballistic missile defence and amphibious, air-borne and air-land operations must be addressed comprehensively," he said.

And five, India must strive to achieve a technological edge over its adversaries. "Harnessing and exploitation of technology also includes integration of network centricity, decision-support systems, information warfare and electronic warfare into our operational plans," he added.

Apart from analysing the evolving military strategy and doctrines of China and Pakistan, the Army is also studying the lessons learnt from the US-launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and their relevance to India.

Not unexpectedly, noise from Pakistan has already started emerging (nation.com.pk).

The real war in that scenario will be between India and China while Pakistan will be used by China to create adequate disturbance for Indian Military. That is the reason why Lt-General A S Lamba of Indian Army is so keen a massive thrust into Rawalpindi to quiet Pakistanis within 48 hours of the start of assault. India's biggest advantage is the its software capabilities in integrating signal intelligence with ground intelligence. India will use algorithmic seek and scan technology to counter the Chinese threats in the North and possible Pakistani nuclear threat in the West. India is focused on integrating its Navy, Army and Air Force into an integrated command and Control system completely controlled and dominated by the superior software algorithms that can prove deadly in the war front.

Another link.

[yogi]

$50-bn defence deals since Kargil (timesofindia.com)

NEW DELHI: In the decade since the 1999 Kargil conflict, India has inked deals worth over $50 billion to acquire fighters, warships, tanks, missiles, other weapon systems and platforms, the overwhelming majority of them from abroad. That is not all. India is poised to spend well over $30 billion over the next four-five years to import military hardware and software, which will only serve to reinforce its position as the developing world's biggest arms buyer. China, of course, spends much more -- its `declared' defence budget this year is $70 billion compared to India's $30 billion -- but it's difficult to do number-crunching about its military acquisitions, hiding as it does more than revealing.

Pakistan, on its part, is not too far behind. It even pipped India, for instance, in 2006 by notching up arms import deals worth $5.1 billion, compared to India's $3.5 billion. Disclosing the defence ministry's official figures on Thursday, top sources said India spent Rs 62,672 crore on `direct capital acquisitions' in the 1999-2004 timeframe. "This has more than doubled in the last five years (2004-2009) to Rs 1,37,496 crore. It becomes Rs 1,78,496 crore if one adds the Rs 41,000 crore earmarked for net capital expenditure this fiscal,'' said a source. The scorching pace set can be gauged from the fact that the defence ministry inked as many as 465 arms contracts worth Rs 1,35,000 crore in just the last three years.

Russia continues to lead the pack of defence suppliers to India, with annual sales worth around $1.5 billion, followed by Israel, which adds $1 billion or so to its kitty every year. Then come others like France and UK. But it's actually the US which is now increasingly muscling into the lucrative Indian arms market, having already bagged the $2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the $962 million deal for six C-130J Super Hercules planes.

There is, however, quite a bit of disquiet over whether India actually gets the biggest bang for its buck, given the lack of concrete long-term strategic planning to systematically build military capabilities in tune with the country's growing geo-political aspirations. Nevertheless, the sharp upward trajectory in modernising the armed forces is considered imperative since India is the only country with long unresolved borders with two nuclear-armed, largely hostile neighbours. Then, of course, there is the deadly threat of unconventional warfare, as was underlined by the 26/11 terror attacks.

Big defence deals inked

• US: 6 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for $962 million (2007); 8 Boeing P-8I planes for $2.1 billion (2009)
• Israel: 3 Phalcon AWACS for $1.1 billion (2004); Rs 10,075 crore project to jointly develop medium-range surface-to-air missile systems (2009)
• France: 6 Scorpene submarines in a Rs 18,798 crore project (2005)
• Russia: Admiral Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29Ks in $1.5 billion package deal (inked in 2004 but aircraft carrier's refit to zoom up to $2.5 billion now from original $974 million); 230 Sukhoi-30MKIs for $8.5 billion
• UK: 66 Hawk AJTs in a Rs 8,000 crore project (2004)

Big projects in offing

• Rs 42,000 crore project for 126 multi-role combat aircraft
• Rs 30,000 crore project for 6 new-generation submarines after Scorpenes
• Rs 20,000 crore artillery modernisation programme to acquire 1,580 towed guns, 814 mounted gun systems, 180 self-propelled wheeled guns, 100 self-propelled tracked guns and 140 air-mobile ultra-light howitzers
• Rs 20,000 crore for around 800 helicopters, ranging from VVIP and heavy-lift to attack and light utility

The only disappointing pieces from the list above is the purchase of Gorshkov/Mig-29k, 126 MRCA, and foreign purchase of artillery. Had there been a defense visionary in place during mid 90s, in national leadership, rapid indeginisation would have produced a desi aircraft carrier for a cheaper price, and Tejas II would have already been inducted (thus negating the need of 126 MRCAs). Artillery is such a crucial piece, that its shameful that India is still dependent on foreign howitzers and shells.

[rms12]

India to develop 25% of fifth generation fighter

THE FIFTH GENERATION FIGHTER

Cost of development	$8-10 billion
India's requirement	250 fighters
Russia's requirement	250 fighters
Cost per aircraft	$100 million
Indian name		FGFA
Russian name		PAK FA

Bangalore-based HAL has negotiated firmly to get a 25 per cent share of design and development work in the FGFA programme. HAL’s work share will include critical software, including the mission computer (the Su-30MKI mission computer is entirely Indian); navigation systems; most of the cockpit displays; the counter measure dispensing (CMD) systems; and modifying Sukhoi’s single-seat prototype into the twin-seat fighter that the Indian Air Force (IAF) wants. India will also contribute its expertise in aircraft composites, developed while designing the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
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This contract will mark a significant shift in the aeronautical relationship between India and Russia. For decades, HAL has played a technologically subordinate role, assembling and building fighters that Russia had designed. Now, forced to accept HAL as a design partner, the Russians have negotiated hard to limit its role.

The reason: Russia is sceptical about India’s design ability in such a cutting edge project. In June 2008, Business Standard interviewed Vyacheslav Trubnikov, then Russia’s ambassador to India, and an expert on Russia’s defence industry. Contrasting the Su-30MKI with the Tejas LCA, Trubnikov pointed out snidely, “I know perfectly well the Russian ability. But I don’t know what contribution the Indian side might make. So, one must ask the question to the Indian designers, to HAL…what is their claim for building a fighter of the fifth generation type? Either avionics, or engine? What might be India’s contribution? To be absolutely frank, I don’t know.”
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With just a 25 per cent share of design, South Block policymakers still believe that the FGFA project is a vital step towards India’s emergence as a military aeronautical power. “Developing 25 per cent of this fighter is far better than just transferring technology to build it in India, as we did with the Su-30MKI,” points out a defence ministry official.

Ashok Baweja puts the project in context. “India can only (develop the FGFA) by partnering with Russia. They have so much experience. It’s not just the design… you must also have materials… maraging steel, titanium, composite alloys, and the industrial base to convert these into high-tech components like gyros, sensors and optics. The FGFA will give us important experience for building fighters hereafter.”