India to discuss sharing of coastal surveillance radars in the Indian Ocean

[Hindustani78]

PM Modi's France visit: India to discuss sharing of coastal surveillance radars in the Indian Ocean - The Times of India
Manu Pubby & Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury,ET Bureau | Apr 1, 2015, 11.23 AM IST

NEW DELHI: India and France are expected to firm up discussions on sharing of radars in the Indian Ocean as part of the strategic talks during PM Narendra Modi's visit to Paris next week.

While India is setting up a grid of coastal surveillance radars in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) that will enable it to monitor, among other things, the increasing Chinese presence in the area, France has expressed interest in sharing data from surveillance systems on its Indian Ocean territories, it is learnt.

As part of bilateral discussions during the PM's visit, the modalities of sharing maritime domain awareness data from at least three French monitoring sites in the Indian Ocean is set to be on the agenda. French territories in the region include the Reunion Islands and Mayotte, besides military bases in UAE and Djibouti.

It is learnt that the Indian Navy is keen on the French proposal and has recommended that it be added to an ambitious plan to set up a 24-nation radar grid in IOR to monitor all traffic - civilian and military. The 24 nation plan - which is currently pending a formal clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security - looks at integrating radars from most littorals of the region with the Indian coastal radar chain.

As part of the plan, India could also lend financial aid to littoral nations for setting up radars. In the future, surveillance data from other military sites, including the American base at Diego Garcia, could be integrated.

As reported by ET, a Rs 600-crore project to set up a Coastal Surveillance Radar System in the Indian Ocean is underway as part of New Delhi's plans to increase maritime domain awareness in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

While coastal surveillance radars have been set up in Sri Lanka (6), Mauritius (8) and Seychelles (1), ten radars that have to come up in Maldives have hit a block due to political uncertainty that led to the cancellation of Modi's visit to Male last month.

The moves come even as China has turned more active in IOR and has been attempting to expand its footprints in India's extended neighbourhood as part of the grand Maritime Silk Route launched last year, according to experts. Besides Beijing wants to safeguard the sea lanes of communication through which its trade passes amid growing incidents of piracy along Africa's eastern coast.Seychelles has been viewed by China as a possible replenishment port for navy ships taking part in anti-piracy operations in the region.

 

[Hindustani78]

Union Government of India, Satellite Surveillance of Ships on Oceans and Vehicles on Roads Ways
BENGALURU, August 24, 2019 02:00 IST
Updated: August 24, 2019 00:34 IST

Ten low-earth orbit satellites will track Aggression, Terror Network , Ocean and Sea Piracy, Smuggling, source of oil slicks, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.

Government of India have Formalised, Developed and Launched of what is probably a unique constellation of around 10 low-earth orbit satellites that will continuously provide Maritime Surveillance and Security.

When in place, the satellite-based Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) will detect, identify and track a range of vessels moving in the ocean region and guard against Aggression, Network Terror, Ocean and Sea Piracy, Ocean and Sea smuggling, source of oil slicks and also be useful for rescues. At present, ship operators do fix a non-space-based Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) on their vessels but they can turn it off when they do not want to be detected and identified.

Most ships are mandated to have a transponder that gives their details and also to detect ships around them. By making out the kind of ship, its location, speed and course with Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) , a country’s maritime force can make out potential threats, similar to the aviation system of IFF or ‘identify friend or foe’ for planes.

Joint maritime space fleet

A joint maritime space fleet was first announced, In late July, ISRO Chairman Shri K.Sivan and Government of India signed an implementing agreement on it in Bengaluru.

The pact was formally announced at the Thursday G-7 summit with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The Two Leaders met ahead of the G7 summit that the G-7 Summit hosting at Biarritz, according to a joint statement issued after the event.

French space agency CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales or the National Centre for Space Studies) said in a release, “French Satellites constellation carrying telecommunications (AIS) and radar and optical remote-sensing instruments will constitute the first space-based system in the world capable of tracking ships continuously. The satellites will be operated jointly by France and United Kingdom to monitor ships in the Indian Ocean.”

There was no immediate information coming from French counterpart, the Indian Space Research Organisation, about the cost of the constellation. (An average low-earth satellite and its launch vehicle could cost a conservative ₹300-400 crore; Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) payload could add to the cost.)

It is reliably learnt that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will share development of the spacecraft and their payloads; the Automatic Identification System ( AIS ) satellites would be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its space port in Sriharikota.

French space agency CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales or the National Centre for Space Studies) had earlier said the agreement includes setting up of a maritime surveillance centre in France, sharing of capacity to process satellite data available currently; and joint development of ‘associated algorithms’ or platforms.

So far, the two agencies have put up two climate and ocean weather monitoring satellites — Megha-Tropiques in 2011 and SARAL-AltiKa in 2013. The new AIS ring, according to French space agency CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales or the National Centre for Space Studies), will be further supported by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Oceansat-3 carrying the payload .A joint infrared Earth-observation satellite is under study.

26-August, 2019 16:39 IST
Contract for installation and commissioning of nine Precision Approach Radars concludes between MoD and M/s Data Pattern (India) Pvt Ltd

A contract for installation and commissioning of nine Precision Approach Radars (PARs) was concluded today between Ministry of Defence and M/s Data Pattern (India) Pvt Ltd at a cost of Rs 380 crores under ‘Buy Indian’ category. The state-of-the-art radars incorporating latest Phased Array technology will be installed at Indian Naval Air Stations and Indian Air Force Stations.

The installation of these radars will enhance the Flight Safety at the terminal stages of aircraft landing at the airfields. The installation and commissioning of radars at Indian Naval Air Stations is envisaged has been completed by April 2019 and at Indian Air Force Stations by December 2019.