Indian Build Up

[Bull]

Close on the heels of the success of the intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-III, defence scientists plan to carry out the second test of the indigenous missile defence system in another four months.

“The second test of the interceptor is being planned by August-September. But this time it will be an endo-atmospheric test, in which the interceptor will destroy the enemy missile in lower atmosphere,” said Dr M Natarajan, the scientific advisor to the defence minister and the director-general of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Most of the Asian nations as well as rich European countries do not have their own missile defence systems.


Actually, the test has been delayed by a couple of months as the project director, Dr V K Saraswat, had earlier claimed that the test would be conducted by March.

The missile, meant for low atmospheric use will have a different configuration as compared to the one tested at higher altitude. The control systems will be different.

The first test was carried out on November 27 last year off Orissa coast when the interceptor missile destroyed an oncoming Prithvi missile at an altitude of 40 km. But that was an exo-atmospheric test in which the missile with a kill vehicle engaged the target at an altitude of more than 40 km.

If the upcoming lower atmospheric test becomes a success, the Indian missile scientists will strive to make the indigenous system as good as the US Patriot-3 missile, which destroys the enemy missiles at 15 km altitude.

Currently, the Indian missile defence system is somewhat similar to the Israeli Arrow-2 interceptors, according to Dr Saraswat.

Interestingly, Israeli Green Pine radars were used in tracking the missile in its maiden flight.

DRDO says at least six tests of the anti-missile system spanning over the next three years, code named Project Advanced Device (PAD), are required before it is ready for induction. About 30-35 Indian industries are involved in making the anti-missile system.

 

[Bull]

To augment its night fighting capabilities, Army is planning to buy more night vision equipment for the forces and also embarking on induction of ultra fast quick reaction missiles to provide cover for troops from low flying threats.

As part of its modernisation and upgrading weaponry, Army has decided to buy more night fighting equipment for infantry as well as armour and firmed up new deals to upgrade its Air Defence artillery as part of the ongoing modernisation drive, army officials said.

The purchase of more night fighting equipment, to give the forces capability to be operational after dark were discussed an agreed upon at the Army Commanders conference presently on in the capital.

At present army has equipped all its strike formations and detachments deployed on the International border with Pakistan and China and along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir with night visions.

"Under new agreement signed with Russia, Army is also going in for provision of night vision in its front line T-90 and T-72 tanks," senior officials said.

The new Air Artillery upgrading plans okayed by the commanders meeting here for their bi-annual meeting include upgrading the ZU-24 air defence guns included its tank chassis mounted version Schilkas, officials said.

Army along with IAF and Navy is on the verge of finalising a deal to induct a 12 kms vertically launched, low level quick reaction missiles to provide cover for troops from low flying threats.

The missile would be made by Defence Research and Development Laboratary (DRDL) in collobration with the European missile giant MBDA and would be called Rohini. Army also deploys shoulder firing Russian IGLA Missile, for which Russian have developed an upgraded version.

The commanders reviewing the modernisation drive in the force also took up plans to augment the Army Aviation. Army is planning to induct 197 light helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Chetak and Cheetahs.

Two firms Eurocopter and US aviation giant Textron's bell helicopters have been shortlisted and the awarding of the 700 Million US dollar deal has been sent up to Cabinet Commiteee on Security (CCS).

Under the deal, army would purchase 67 helicopters off the shelf and make the rest 137 under technology transfer at HAL.

The commanders also discussed and finalised plans to augment military-to-military interaction with friendly nations and in the coming months clearance was given for participating in more bilateral and even multilateral ground forces exercises

 

[Neo]

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Indian army seeks night fighting gear

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: India’s army commanders have asked the government for more night fighting equipment and quick reaction missiles to provide cover for troops from low flying threats.

The five-day Army Commanders Conference discussed modernisation and requirement for new equipment for the army on Tuesday. The conference decided to recommend to the government that it purchase more night vision and night fighting equipment for infantry as well as armoured divisions. They also decided to firm up new deals to upgrade air defence artillery as part of the ongoing modernisation drive, army officials said.

At present, army strike formations and detachments deployed on the international border with Pakistan and China and along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir are equipped with night vision gear.

“Under a new agreement signed with Russia, the army is also going in for provision of night vision in its front line T-90 and T-72 tanks,” senior officials said.

The new air artillery upgrade plans okayed by the commanders meeting here includes upgrading the ZU-24 air defence guns, officials said. The Indian army, air force and navy is on the verge of finalising a deal to induct 12-km vertically launched, low level quick reaction missiles to provide cover for troops from low flying threats. The Rohini missile would be made indigenously with held from European experts.

The commanders reviewing the modernisation drive in the force also took up plans to augment army aviation. The army is planning to induct 197 light helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Chetaks and Cheetahs.

Eurocopter and US aviation giant Textron’s Bell Helicopters have been shortlisted for bids for the $700 million helicopters contract, to be decided by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The commanders also discussed and finalised plans to augment military-to-military interaction with friendly nations.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\18\story_18-4-2007_pg7_34

 

[Neo]

Supersonic cruise Brahmos missile test fired
Sunday April 22, 2007

Balasore, Orissa: Brahmos, a supersonic cruise missile, developed under an Indo-Russian joint venture project, was Sunday successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range(ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here.
Acording to an Indian News Agency, Army version of the missile, with a range of 290 km, operating on the principle of fire, with a capacity of carrying a conventional warhead up to 200 kg, was test fired from the ITR launch complex at 1120 hrs.

The 9-m long missile could be carried aboard a ship or a submarine with some modification.

The missile could fly up to a height of 14 km at twice the speed of sound when fired from a ship. Charged by a solid propellant and a preset trajectory, it could change its course to strike 20 km from the target.ITR sources said this was the 10th BrahMos missile test fired.The last BrahMos was test fired on February 4, 2007.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?175918

 

[joey]

lol Neo look at the report, 10th test? pre planned trajectory? 20 km seeker targetting?

 

[Neo]

I knew you'd see that! lol.

 

[Contrarian]

Submarine version of BrahMos test next month
Thursday April 26 2007 12:35 IST

BALASORE: After the successful test-firing of the `Army' version of surface-to-surface missile BrahMos, Defence scientists are planning to conduct the first-ever test of its submarine version shortly.

According to a top Defence scientist, the success of the test will be a watershed in Indian Defence programme. “The submarine version of BrahMos is ready to be tested, but we are actually waiting for the platform,” A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace Limited, said.

Pillai was here to witness the successful test of the Army version of the supersonic cruise missile.

Reliable source told this paper that the missile would be tested as early as next month from Visakhapatnam. Scientists are on a high after tasting success in the test-firing of `Asta' and Dhanush missiles in March and April. While the test of Astra missile in two rounds had successfully met all mission parameters, the successful trial of Dhanush from a naval ship was a great experience for the scientists.

India's most powerful intermediate range Agni-III missile also was successfully tested earlier this month.

The sources said BrahMos Aerospace has already started talks with Indian Navy to get a kilo-class submarine on loan to launch the missile from under the sea. “The submarine variants alternatively could be tested in Russian waters from a Russian submarine,” sources revealed.

For the air-launch version, the missile would be integrated with Sukhoi MKI multi-role fighter aircraft. BrahMos is currently being configured for aerial deployment with the Su-30 MKI as its carrier.

The air-launch version has a smaller booster and additional tail-fins for stability during launch.

Sources further said the missile had already been inducted into the Navy. After the Navy, which has procured the missile for its warships, the Army will be the second major customer to add the missile to its arsenal.

“The BrahMos, with a range of 290 km and Mach 3 speed, will be inducted into the Army this year,” Pillai said. “We are going to deliver the missile to the Army this year as orders have been placed with us,” the CEO said.

Many countries have also evinced interest in the missile, which has no equivalent in the world in terms of precision, speed and power, he added.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20070425111029

 

[Neo]

Well, BrahMos seems to be getting a lot of funds these days and developping fast.
Good job!

 

[joey]

^ absolutely, more money more honier, defence spending is like a black hole! i'm not kiddin!

look at akash spending 800 crore is what Mahindra spends to upgrade their Scorpio car...............

 

[Neo]

Monday, April 30, 2007

3 percent GDP share urged for Indian armed forces
By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary standing committee headed by a Congress MP here has decried the declining defence share in the government budget and the finance ministry slashing funds to the armed forces.

Asserting that three per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be reserved for defence services every year to ensure a fixed amount for carrying out modernisation, acquisitions, research and fulfilment of the need-based requirements, the committee pointed out that the defence share in the budget has fallen compared to previous years and many earlier years standing at 14.11 percent in 2007-08 while its share of the GDP has also continuously declined to be 2.07 per cent now.

In a report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Saturday by its chairman, Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, the committee rejected the Finance Ministry’s plea of the unresolved debate on the “guns versus butter choice”, a political choice, for not linking defence budget with GDP and justifying the defence expenditure as percentage of GDP continuously falling from 2.50 per cent in 1991-92 to 2.07 per cent in 2007-08.

A Finance Ministry representative had sought to argue before the committee that “in a country like India which has a large segments of disadvantaged, not included in the growth process as the GDP grows, a larger amount should be allocated to the welfare of those people rather than spending it more on arms and ammunition.”

Referring to the Finance Ministry’s plea that the defence budget is decided keeping in view “overall resource position of the government and also various compelling needs of different sectors,” the committee felt that the defence sector needs a different treatment as it strongly recommended that the government must allocate the amount as projected by the Defence services to avoid resource crunch in defence acquisitions and modernisation since otherwise it would adversely affect the country’s defence preparedness.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\30\story_30-4-2007_pg4_22

 

[Neo]

India aims to boost tea exports to Pakistan after record crop
Mon Apr 30, 2007

GUWAHATI, India (AFP) - India, the world's largest tea grower from plantations in southern and northeast highlands, aims to boost exports to Pakistan from a record crop this year, an industry body said Monday.

A team of planters and traders returned Sunday from Pakistan to market India's mainly black tea varieties from the lush hills of northeast India famed for Darjeeling tea and from the southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu states.

Because of trade barriers caused by decades of bitter conflict between the South Asian rivals, green tea varieties from Sri Lanka and Kenya are more widely sipped to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

But with a peace process underway since January 2004 and falling customs barriers, the Indian tea industry hopes to greatly expand trade.

"Some giant steps were made during the recent visit with a proposal to set up a tea container depot. The response has been very positive," said Dhiraj Kakaty, secretary of the Indian Tea Association's branch in Assam state.

The insurgency-hit northeastern state of Assam accounts for over half of the tea production in India, which recorded a jump in exports this year after a nine-year slump.

Last year, Pakistan imported about 16 million kilograms (35.2 million pounds) of tea from India to meet a shortfall in its domestic use of 170 million kilograms.

The Indian business team visited the tea markets of the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Peshawar and Rawalpindi.

The industry body has also set up marketing bureaus in Cairo and Tehran as part of its drive to boost exports to Egypt and Iran.

"We are getting queries from all these countries and we hope to do some good business," Kakaty said.

Buoyed by export successes this year, India's federal ministry of commerce will organise an international tea festival in Assam's main city of Guwahati in November.

"We are expecting delegates from Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom for the festival that is expected to help improve exports of tea," the official said.

India's 1.5-billion-dollar tea industry has been in a slump since 1998, with prices and exports plummeting because of weak domestic demand and increased international competition.

But last year it produced a record 955 million kilograms, 27 million kilograms more than in 2005, Kakaty said. Exports went up by about 8 million kilograms to 200 million kilograms.

Now, weekly auction prices are on the rise as well. Prices for good-quality Assam tea last week hit 73 rupees a kilogram after languishing below 65 rupees last year.

Last year, the Indian government announced a 50-billion-rupee (1.1 billion dollars) package to help the industry replant tea bushes and boost quality.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070430/wl_sthasia_afp/indiapakistaneconomycommoditiestea_070430071048

 

[Muradk]

in a report published by some pakistan pro person he has accused that these 67 jet trainers can be converted into fighting machines with in short period of time.is it true? I do not think so?
Abhi

Yes it is true it take couple of min to change a trainer to a fighter average time is between 7min to 20min.

 

[Bull]

Reports emanating from New Delhi would suggest that the IAF may now have asked the government to clear the induction of up to five more Phalcon AWACS aircraft from Israel, three of which are already contracted for and due for delivery from this year onwards, up to 2009

As part of the Phalcon deal, New Delhi has an option to acquire three to five more AWACs from Israel Aircraft Industries, which, if exercised, would be delivered in the time period 2009-12.
Reports suggest that the IAF has already trained about 250 personnel in Israel for operating the sophisticated radars and sensors that are part of the system. In addition, up to 450 personnel have also been trained to man ground facilities for the AWACs aircraft

 

[Contrarian]

Constant vigil needed to guard Indian coastal belts: Antony


Ezhimala (Kerala), April 30: India will exercise constant vigil along the highly sensitive coastal belts of the country in the wake of serious threats posed by maritime terrorism and infiltration along coastal areas, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Monday.

The threat posed by maritime terrorism and infiltration along the vast stretches of the coastal belt was a matter of grave concern, with India having sensitive installations in close proximity to the sea. The government will equip the Navy and Coast Guard and provide expertise and equipment to coastal police to face the challenges, he said.

"In the olden days, the Himalayan region was perceived to be the nation's borders while the vast stretch of the coastal belt was considered as good pitch for fish wealth and minerals. But with its vital installations around the sea, any mis-happenings along the sea belt and ports would lead the nation to serious chaos, especially hitting our entire oil needs," Antony said.

On the extensive damage caused by bombing on the oil storage tank, partly owned by Indian Oil and Colombo, by LTTE, he said India was concerned over the situation in Sri Lanka.

The Navy was maintaining a round-the-clock watch over the emerging situation in the neighboring country, he said.

Laying the foundation stone for the Indian Naval hospital ship Navjivani on his maiden visit to Enear Hešv after assuming charge, he said works at the prestigious academy would be over by 2008 end.

"The state-of-the-art institution would begin full fledged operations by early 2009," he said.

Bureau Report

 

[Bull]

Forty new ships to be commissioned in coming years: Mehta


MUMBAI, MAY 1 (PTI)
Asserting that its objective is to "get smarter and not merely larger in terms of numbers", the Indian Navy today announced that it would commission 40 new ships, most of them to be built indigeneously, in the coming years.

"We are currently in the process of acquiring 34 new ships and have asked for funds for 40 more ships as part of ongoing process in the next three five-year plans," Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta told reporters here.

"This is an ongoing process and we need to scrap certain ageing ships in the fleet to make way for the new ones. The objective is not to get bigger in terms of numbers but smarter in terms of our capabilities," he said.

Mehta also said that a majority of the 40 new ships will be built indigeneously itself and said it is his "vision" to have a strong ship building industry in the country which includes both warship building as well as merchant navy ships.

The Naval chief also said that "assymetric threats" emanating from smaller vessels, mostly used by terrorist elements, were the next big challenge for the Indian Navy and welcomed US navy chief Admiral Mike Mullen's concept of "1,000-ship international navy".

"We are concerned that the economic assets of the country can come under the scanner of certain groups (terrorists) and we must be prepared to tackle them," Mehta said.

Regarding cooperation between countries, which is the key in Mullen's concept, Mehta said India is already strengthening relations with countries in the Indian Ocean and South East Asia like Mauritius, Myanmar and Thailand.

Mehta said maritime threats emanating from the terrorists would increase with time and asked the Navy to be more professional to meet the challenges while addressing the personnel of the Western Naval Command at INS Kunjali here today.

According to Mehta, the Indian Navy is being globally recognised during its participation in the joint exercises across the world and advocated an increase in such programmes which helps it in "shaping the maritime battlefield".

Mehta was at INS Kunjali to preside over the investiture ceremony commemorating naval officers and men for meritorious services and gallantry in the last year.