Indian Army thread

[nitesh]

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=480999

Indigenously developed ammunitions test-fired at Chandipur
Chandipur-on-sea (Orissa), Nov 04: The oldest laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur, today test-fired many upgraded indigenous ammunitions, including 155 mm extended range full bore (ERFB).

The 155 mm ERFB ammunition, developed for Bofors gun, is designed to achieve an extended range of 32 km, which is 25 per cent more than its normal range," PXE director Maj Gen Anup Malhotra said.

The shell weighs about 45 kg and it contains high explosive warheads of around 8 kg.

A host of other ammunition like 120 mm Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) and 105 mm Indian Field Guns (IFG) were also test-fired in a demonstration as part of the celebrations of the golden jubilee year of the DRDO.

Explaining the destructive capability of the ammunition, Malhotra said, "a regiment of 18 guns if fired together can neutralise a target of 300 square metre.

"Testing of this shells are carried out with a sample of 33 rounds drawn out randomly from a production lot of 1000 nos for evaluating its different components.

"Three observation posts at approximately 20 km range have been occupied today for observing the fall of shot for assessing consistency," he said.

Similarly, in a successful recovery proof of indigenously developed 130 mm high explosive shells used in 130 mm gun system of Russian origin were conducted for demonstration from the test range.

 

[nitesh]

A step in right direction

Finally, Pranab calls China a challenge-India-The Times of India

Finally, Pranab calls China a challenge
5 Nov 2008, 0220 hrs IST, Indrani Bagchi, TNN

NEW DELHI: The rise of China is a strategic challenge to a rising India. After years of dancing around this central factor in India's foreign policy, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, for the first time, has described China as a security "challenge and a priority", but significantly not as an opportunity.

India, said Mukherjee, would have to develop "more sophisticated ways of dealing with these new challenges posed by China".

Addressing the National Defence College on Monday, Mukherjee outlined India's security challenges. "To my mind, the foremost among these would be (a) to cope with the rise of China; (b) maintenance of a peaceful periphery; and (c) managing our relations with the major powers."

Shorn of the excitement of the $60billion bilateral trade figures and a "strategic partnership", Mukherjee described the current phase of India-China ties in stark terms, calling it only "a somewhat normalised relationship".

Ten years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee blamed China's proliferation activities as one of the reasons for India going overtly nuclear, India is again articulating its concerns. In the meantime, the world has changed, as have both India and China. As a homogenous and focused China powered ahead in economic development, funnily enough, so did heterogeneous and chaotic India, to the extent that both countries are now being seen by the world as the twin engines of global growth. But with its growth trajectory intact, fears are growing in many parts of the world that China's rise may not always be "peaceful" as its leadership promises.

Mukherjee said, "We are today faced with a new China. Today's China seeks to further her interests more aggressively than in the past, thanks to the phenomenal increase of her capacities after 30 years of reforms. There are also new set of challenges which China poses such as the strategic challenge as China develops its capabilities in outer space; the geopolitical challenge as it reaches out to various parts of the globe in search of raw materials and resources."

India is not yet fully equipped to deal with the challenges that China poses. For instance, during his return flight from Beijing last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists that his conversation with Chinese president Hu Jintao focused a lot on the future of trans-border rivers.

While India does not articulate this concern often, it's clearly very high priority.

 

[nitesh]

South India's Best-News,Cinema,Fashion,Music,Food

‘Important tests in offing at ITR’

BALASORE: There would be tests of some more important missiles from the Chandipur test range soon. This was announced by Director of Integrated Test Range (ITR) S.

P. Dash at the 26th raising day celebration of ITR .

Dash said that the development trials of the missiles, which include indigenously developed beyond visual range air-to-air missile Astra,were on the cards.
Against the backdrop of the celebration of golden jubilee year of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the ITR Director also foresaw upgradation of the existing missile testing range,which has track record of conducting safe and reliable launch of missiles and considered a world class test range.
‘‘As missile technologies are growing day by day, range is also augmenting various facilities and infrastructure to meet the futuristic mission requirements,” he said. “Equipments are with us, only thing we have to keep pace with the technologies and motivate our people and getting it done. Earlier 10 labs were there but now we have 50 labs,” he pointed out. Congratulating the scientists and technical staff on their support during various missions, Dash recollected his past experience in the DRDO, which was started in a small way in Delhi in 1958.

On ‘Agni’ missile, Dash said that the development of Agni-III has been completed and as per the decision of the government, it would soon be inducted in the armed forces. IIT, Kharagpur, Director Damodar Acharya, chief guest, hailed the scientists for developing high-class missiles and urged them to achieve self-reliance. Chairman of raising day committee P C Routray, secretary f works committee P K Panda and G R Panda respectively spoke. PXE director Anoop Malhotra, ITR joint director B K Das and ITR associate director M V Baskarechary were present

 

[nitesh]

Astra sees big bucks in offset clause

Astra sees big bucks in offset clause
K Rajani Kanth / Chennai/ Hyderabad November 05, 2008, 0:18 IST

Hyderabad-based Astra Microwave Products Limited is set to receive its first offset order from Israel-based Elta Systems in a month, said B Malla Reddy, managing director of the company.

The order, valued at Rs 50 crore, involves manufacturing some components for the Israeli firm’s radar products. The manufacturing of these components will commence from April 2009. Astra is engaged in the manufacture of microwave components and subsystems for wireless communications used in defence, space and civilian applications.

Under the offset clause, all foreign vendors are mandated to source one-third of the price of all defence equipment worth over Rs 300 crore from India. Elta Systems had been awarded a contract worth Rs 900 crore for supplying radars to the Indian defence industry. Under this, it had signed contracts with two Indian firms for purchase of components and Astra Microwave is one of them.

Astra is also in talks with four major European radar manufacturers for supplying subsystems and other products. “We have already received requests for proposals and are working on a few sample orders. However, the process, including evaluation of the products by the overseas firms, requires at least one and a half years. We expect to obtain sizeable export orders from them from FY11,” Reddy told Business Standard.

It has delivered a sample order to an Italian electronic warfare systems manufacturer and expects a bulk order for supply of digital instantaneous frequency measurement (DIFM) subsystems worth about $1.5 million (Rs 7.5 crore) in the next six to eight months, execution of which will go beyond next year. “In all, we expect our export revenues to be in the range of Rs 30 crore to Rs 35 crore in FY11,” he said.

The company currently caters only the Indian market and is executing a Rs 40-crore order from the Space Application Centre (Ahmedabad), which envisages manufacture of transmit/receive modules for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro)’s remote sensing satellite. The order is likely to be completed by December 2008.

Astra Microwave, which has three manufacturing facilities – two at the Anrich Industrial Estate in Bollaram here and one abutting the Srisailam Highway near the Hyderabad international airport – is setting up a fourth facility in the vicinity of the third plant. The new unit, coming up on 20 acres at an outlay of Rs 35 crore, will go on stream by April 2009, Reddy said.

The company posted revenues of Rs 123 crore in the last financial year. It expects to close the current fiscal with revenues of about Rs 130 crore on the back of the Rs 95-crore orders that it has on hand, to be executed during the current fiscal. These include an Isro order for radar wind profilers and a Rs 25.5-crore order from the Indian Meteorological Department for supply of remote unmanned automatic weather stations in 550 locations across the country.

The scrip of the 17-year-old company, which raised Rs 2.7 crore through an IPO in 1994, is currently trading at about Rs 36 per share of Rs 2 on the BSE and NSE.

 

[nitesh]

Army to store ammunition in bunkers

Army to store ammunition in bunkers
NEW DELHI: The Army plans to store its ammunition in underground bunkers.

The proposal was in the pipeline for several months and was finally given the go-ahead by top Army Commanders when they met in New Delhi last week.

To begin with, the two underground facilities will come up in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the North-East.

Storing of ammunition is a gigantic task and there have been several incidents of fires in the depots. Several crores of rupees have been lost due to improper handling of ammunition.

A series of fires in the ammunition depots exposed the Army’s handling of critical material.

One of the worst incidents was reported from Khundru in South Kashmir last year.

More than 30,000 people had to be evacuated from the vicinity of the depot and it took almost several days to contain the catastrophic impact of the incident.

The Army has been for long trying to grapple with the issue of improving the safety measures at their ammunition storage facilities.

Several steps have been taken to modernise the facilities and also make them more safe.

The proposed two underground facilities in the North-East will be set up on an experimental basis.

If successful, the Army will set up similar facilities in other parts of the country.

The underground facilities will be basically constructed in the border areas.

It is hoped that through these facilities, the problem of ammunition going waste due to improper handling could also be checked.

Fire is not the only danger to ammunition.

Measures need to be taken to ensure that the ammunition remains in operational condition.

 

[nitesh]

Indo-Chinese joint army exercise in Belgaum this December


Indo-Chinese joint army exercise in Belgaum this December




New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) Taking the thaw in military-to-military relations between them a notch higher, India and China today agreed to hold their next joint army exercise at Belgaum in Karnataka this December.
The fortnight-long exercise, the first on Indian soil, comes a year after the Indian Army and the Peoples Liberation Army had conducted their maiden military counter-terrorism exercise on Chinese soil last December at Kunming in south west China.

Army headquarters sources told PTI here that though the dates and venue for the exercise were agreed to "tentatively," at the bilateral meeting in progress in Beijing at present, a final confirmation from the Chinese was expected soon.

Belgaum has been suggested as the exercise venue by India, as it is home for its Army's Commando School. "December is when the school will be holding no courses and the campus would be available to host the Chinese troops," said an Army officer who is closely associated with the talks in Beijing.

India and China, which had fought a short war in 1962 that had strained relations for nearly four decades, had since the dawn of the 21st Century improved their defence ties.

Mukherjee, who had this week named China as a futuristic threat to India's economic and strategic national interest, was the architect of the improved defence ties, which was firmed up when he as Defence Minister in 2006 signed agreements for greater military-to-military exercises between New Delhi and Beijing. PTI

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : Government to allow industry participation in indigenous UAV project

BANGALORE:Breaking with tradition the Government has allowed the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) to co-opt a partner from the Indian industry who will join in the development and production of the Rs.1,000 crore, indigenous, medium altitude long endurance, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme, Rustom.

Traditionally laboratories under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) umbrella develop a product or system, build a prototype of it, prove it in field trials and then transfer the technology to a production agency. A sequential approach which has seen: time delays in making the system operational, poor product management and even obsolesces. The DRDO are therefore exploring ways to move to a regime of concurrent engineering practices where initial design efforts also take into consideration production issues, with the production agency participating in the development of the system right from the design stage, and concurrently developing the necessary infrastructure and expertise for the product and product support. The Rustom programme is the first of this exploration and could become a trendsetter for future projects.

Request for proposals

Confirming the Government’s decision to allow the development of the Rustom in association with a production agency cum development partner (PADP), P.S. Krishnan, Director, ADE told The Hindu that requests for proposals (RFP) would shortly be issued to four vendors: Tatas, Larsen and Toubro, Godrej and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-Bharat Electronics (joint bid).

The chosen PADP will also have a financial stake in the Rustom project. While proposals from the vendors are expected by February, the entire selection process could take 18 months. The users (the armed forces) would also be asked to take up a financial stake. Also, in order to placate apprehension that orders may not be placed the Government might guarantee that a specific number of Rustoms will be bought.

 

[nitesh]

Now, women to man India-Pakistan border
IANS
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 14:58 IST

HOSHIARPUR (Punjab): With women getting ready for patrol duty, gender barriers are falling on the international border between India and Pakistan.

The 36-week training of the first batch of about 200 out of the 612 women recruits, all between 18 and 22 years of age, started at the Border Security Force's (BSF) training camp at Kharkan village, 15 km from here, on Monday. Classes for the remaining recruits will start later.

The women, 45 from West Bengal and the rest from Punjab, were gung-ho about not just the training programme but even postings in inhospitable terrain along the border where the BSF is stationed.

"This is a very happy moment for me. This is an active job and will give job security to me and my family," Sandeep Ghumman, a graduate, said.

"Both my parents are in the police. The job with BSF should be interesting," added another recruit, Kiranbir Kaur.

Taking pride in her new uniform, recruit Jyotibala of Punjab's border district of Gurdaspur said: "I always wanted to serve my motherland. My dream has come true."

The women will primarily be used along the 553 km international border between India and Pakistan, which has 300 gates along the electrified barbed wire fencing in Punjab.

"They will mainly be used to frisk women from villages along the international border who have to cross the fencing to cultivate land," BSF's Punjab frontier inspector general of police (IGP) Himmat Singh said here.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1205378

 

[nitesh]

good news guys

Israeli army may buy M&M Scorpios: report
05 November 2008

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is test-driving the `Scorpio', the flagship utility vehicle of leading Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and is likely to place orders once it was found to be meeting the required standards.

The Scorpio will have a turbo diesel engine developed in Europe and an automatic gearbox manufactured by General Motors and will comply with updated EU standards, the 'Globus' business daily reported.

Scorpio has a manual gearbox but the model to be sold in Israel will have an automatic gearbox, which is still under development.

The Israeli version of the vehicle is expected to cost only $7,000 and the Elul Group, Mahindra's defence division in Israel, will facilitate imports by obtaining an official franchisee from Tel Aviv, the report said.

If Mahindra decides to market the Scorpio in Israel, it will be the cheapest diesel automatic off-road vehicle in the Israeli market.

Bilateral relations between India and Israel have increased significantly in recent years, with both nations experiencing a convergence of interests on a number of issues.

Besides defence production, a number of Indian companies have signed deals with Israeli companies in the infrastructure and agriculture sectors.

The Tata Group, recently agreed to jointly develop missiles, UAVs, radar and electronic warfare systems with IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries).

Mahindra & Mahindra's flagship utility vehicle, which already had made its mark in some European countries, had main advantage of its price.

"The model that will be sold in Israel will cost only USD 7,000," the report said.

The Elul Group Ltd, Mahindra's defence division in Israel -- which does not import vehicles, will reportedly arrange regular imports and will seek a franchisee from local vehicle market to sell the car.

If Mahindra decides to market the Scorpio in Israel, it will be the cheapest diesel automatic off-road vehicle in the Israeli market, the report said. PTI

http://www.domainb.com/defence/general/20081105_israeli_army.html

 

[nitesh]

good news guys

Israeli army may buy M&M Scorpios: report
05 November 2008

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is test-driving the `Scorpio', the flagship utility vehicle of leading Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and is likely to place orders once it was found to be meeting the required standards.

The Scorpio will have a turbo diesel engine developed in Europe and an automatic gearbox manufactured by General Motors and will comply with updated EU standards, the 'Globus' business daily reported.

Scorpio has a manual gearbox but the model to be sold in Israel will have an automatic gearbox, which is still under development.

The Israeli version of the vehicle is expected to cost only $7,000 and the Elul Group, Mahindra's defence division in Israel, will facilitate imports by obtaining an official franchisee from Tel Aviv, the report said.

If Mahindra decides to market the Scorpio in Israel, it will be the cheapest diesel automatic off-road vehicle in the Israeli market.

Bilateral relations between India and Israel have increased significantly in recent years, with both nations experiencing a convergence of interests on a number of issues.

Besides defence production, a number of Indian companies have signed deals with Israeli companies in the infrastructure and agriculture sectors.

The Tata Group, recently agreed to jointly develop missiles, UAVs, radar and electronic warfare systems with IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries).

Mahindra & Mahindra's flagship utility vehicle, which already had made its mark in some European countries, had main advantage of its price.

"The model that will be sold in Israel will cost only USD 7,000," the report said.

The Elul Group Ltd, Mahindra's defence division in Israel -- which does not import vehicles, will reportedly arrange regular imports and will seek a franchisee from local vehicle market to sell the car.

If Mahindra decides to market the Scorpio in Israel, it will be the cheapest diesel automatic off-road vehicle in the Israeli market, the report said. PTI

http://www.domainb.com/defence/general/20081105_israeli_army.html

 

[daredevil]

Great news indeed, if this deal goes through.

 

[Contrarian]

Its not a deal. Its a commercial contract b/w IDF and M&M. India is not party to this contract. M&M however is an Indian company.

 

[nitesh]

Lt Gen Thamburaj appointed new Army vice chief from Jan 1

Lt Gen Thamburaj appointed new Army vice chief from Jan 1

New Delhi, Nov 18: The government on Tuesday appointed Army's Southern Command chief Lt Gen Noble Thamburaj as the next Army vice chief after incumbent Lt Gen M L Naidu retires from service on December 31.

Lt Gen Thamburaj, the next senior most Lt Gen in the Army, will take over his new appointment from January 1, 2009, when he would move from the Pune-based Southern Command headquarters to the Army headquarters in New Delhi.

In other routine appointments, the government also issued orders promoting Udhampur-based Northern Command's Chief of Staff Lt Gen P Khanna as an Army Commander and appointed him as the next Southern Command chief in place of Lt Gen Thamburaj from the New Year Day.

On the same day, the present Army Training Command chief Lt Gen J K Mohanty will take over as the new Central Command chief.

Lt Gen Mohanty will move from Shimla to Lucknow to take over charge of the Central Command from incumbent Lt Gen H S Panag, who will retire on December 31.

The government also promoted Lt Gen B S Jawal, the present Tezpur-based 4 Corps Commander, as an Army Commander to take over the Army Training Command as its chief from Lt Gen Mohanty.

Bureau Report

 

[blain2]

Can anyone in the know comment about how the regional commands being commanded by Lt Gens and then Corps also being commanded by officers of the same rank is working out in the Indian Army?

I believe Indian Army sticks to seniority fairly rigidly so I would venture that the regional commanders are usually the senior most Lt Gens. Is this really the case or do junior Lt Gens make it as regional Army commanders passing over more senior Lt Gens?

 

[nitesh]

‘Joint exercises boost intelligence agents’ activities’

‘Joint exercises boost intelligence agents’ activities’

Chandigarh, November 23 : With the increasing globalisation, interdependence on international affairs and as a basic confidence-building measure, there is a considerable increase in conducting joint exercises with foreign countries in the territorial limits of the country. For this purpose, according to the internationally recognised conventions and customs, participating states are required to sign an memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the Armed Forces is bound by the terms and conditions agreed upon.

It is an open secret that during such an exercise, intelligence agents are secretly activated to gather information about Indian capabilities and installations, besides cultivating ‘sources’ on permanent basis. Such ‘sources’, whether within or outside the Armed Forces, are duly rewarded and taken care of.

According to media reports, the Indian Armed Forces will shortly conduct a joint exercise with the Chinese Army on the Indian soil. Has any such MoU been signed between Indian and China? If yes, whether legal advice was obtained from the Judge Advocate Generals of the Army, Air Force and Navy? Will the soldiers of Chinese Armed Forces be subject to the laws of India while operating within the territorial limits of India or their conduct will be regulated by and they will be governed by their respective laws if they happen to commit offence(s) against the people and the country? The answer to theses questions directly affects the sovereignty of the country.

This issue is being raised in the view of some past experience. During 2005, a similar joint exercise ‘Emerald Mercury’ was conducted in India with the British Armed Forces and an MoU was signed between the two countries. In order to resolve and settle the legal issue of subjectivity of the British troops to Indian laws, Lt Cdr RN DGS Foster of British High Commission in India in their letter No. DEF206/110/1 dated December 17, 2004, had specifically mentioned that “Major General Kumar (I believe the Chief Indian Army Judge Advocate) met a Group Captain Boothby from our joint doctrine and concepts during a recent India/UK PSO working group. During their discussions, Group Captain Boothby was given a copy of a statutory provision and some associated commentary as an indication of the position under the Indian law. In essence, it is thought that Major General Kumar suggested that a ‘foreign army’ cannot be subjected to Indian jurisdiction and that it would imply that the UK would enjoy exclusive jurisdiction”. a correct legal advice “The Section 2 of the Indian Penal Code determines the liability and punishment of persons who have committed offences within India. The section asserts categorically that every person will be liable for punishment under the code for every act or omission contrary to the provisions of the code and of which he shall be guilty within India.” The object of this section is to declare the liability of every person, irrespective of rank, nationality, caste or creed, to be punished under its provisions. In this respect it makes no distinction between an Indian citizen and a foreigner.

The legal opinion expressed by JAG Army at Army Headquarter should be reviewed as it is contrary to the internationally recognised legal position. I hope sovereignty and security have not been compromised for the joint exercise with the Chinese troops