indeed.
when China filed almost 7000 patents compared to india's 700 patents, and such stats is now clearly reported by the United Nations's WIPO, how could some india members shamefully argue that india does real R&D while China is doing some copycat stuff? nationalism is making too many indian members blind.
we dont carry such crap and thus we can openly admit the failure of our projects, like J-9/Y-10/Y-9 (almost failed), have you ever seen any indian member openly admit the failure of the 30 years long LCA/Arjun. NO. why? nationalism - everyone made in india must be great, because it is indian.
Without taking any dig at other countries, can the members present fact and logical discussion.
Its true that we are taking long with most of our indigenous defence projects. But we must keep this in mind that we are starting from scratch as far as tchnology and knowhow goes unlike others who had a headstart by atleast 50 years. Also its not a competition, its about self reliance and I am sure after the intial teething problems, once we start making the first perfect batch, success will flow. Just like our space capabilities.
As far as Arjun/ LCA goes, here are some interesting reads.
SindhToday 25th Feb:
DRDO to make indigenous Arjun tank hi-tech
124 MBTs for Army by year end
Army falls for Arjun, induction by month-end
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 6
In what may be considered as a fillip for the countrys indigenous production of defence equipment, the first-ever fleet of Indian-made Arjun battle tanks would be inducted into the Army by February end.
A total 45 tanks would form this armoured regiment and the first order of tanks is expected to arrive within next three weeks. In the first phase, 18-20 tanks would be handed over to the Indian Army by the heavy vehicle factory, Avadi, Tamil Nadu. Already, about 85 tanks are in various stages of production.
Notably, the induction is coming almost 36 years after India announced its programme to build own tanks, and the process was laced with glitches and delays.
The tanks would be available at the Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACCS), Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, where training of personnel would be carried out. It would take a few months more before the Arjun is actually deployed in one of the armoured corps on field duties. It is likely that the deployment could be the Indo-Pak border where a majority of the 59 tank regiments of the Army are deployed.
The induction is coming despite stiff opposition from within the armed forces,
which tested the tank to the hilt and agreed only after various parameters were met. Defence Minister AK Antony stood his ground and made it clear that the 58-tonne Arjun would be inducted, as it was working fine.
Well-placed sources in the government said the tanks earlier had to be handed over by January end, but the deadline was extended by a month. Sources in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) confirmed that the tanks were ready for shipment and handing-over to the Army.
Rather, the move implies that the induction would be carried out without waiting for the much-awaited comparative trials of the indigenous Arjun tanks with Russian-made T-90s, as had been desired by the DRDO.
HAL to deliver 350 combat jets, choppers by 2012
India unveils plans for LCA 'Mark 2'
India to develop medium combat aircraft with stealth features
EADS flying the LCA into Indian market
Ajai Shukla / Yelahanka February 12, 2009, 0:45 IST
At the opening of the Aero India 2009 defence exposition today, Defence Minister AK Antony clearly enjoyed what must have seemed like a wild-west style shootout. One after another, four contenders for India's purchase of 126 medium fighters the Eurofighter Typhoon, the F/A-18, the F-16 and the MiG-35 took to the skies in a fiesta of aerobatics clearly aimed at impressing the decision-makers who must decide which aircraft will win the $12 billion contract.
But the performance that evoked Antony's praise was that of the Indian-built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). Although more cautious than the all-out performances of the established fighters,
the Tejas went far beyond anything it had ever displayed before, surprising the spectators with steep climbs, an inverted pass, high-gravity turns and loops.
Addressing the press, Antony remarked, "I was very excited to see the LCA. After many years we could see the LCA doing manoeuvres
I was excited to see the Indian-made LCA in Indian skies."
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The German and Spanish governments have already permitted EADS to part with the technology needed for the Tejas programme; the US government, in contrast, imposed stringent restrictions on Boeing.
Explains a senior EADS official, "If we don't supply technology, India will develop it anyway, perhaps with some delay. So it is better for us to establish our presence here, partner India in the Tejas, and perhaps even market it together.
