1. Defence Minister approves 'indigenisation list' to promote domestic defence industry
Tags: Defence
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on August 28 approved a fresh list of 780 components and sub-systems that will be procured from the domestic industry after restrictions on their imports under a time-frame of about six years.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This step has been taken to promote self-reliance in defence manufacturing and to reduce imports by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
The Defence Ministry has set a specific time frame for the import ban of goods in the period from December 2023 to December 2028.
This list is in continuation of two similar positive lists brought out in December 2021 and March 2022.
Indigenization of these items will be done through various routes under 'Make' category.
The 'Make' category aims at achieving self-reliance by involving greater participation of Indian industry in defence manufacturing.
Projects related to the design and development of equipment, systems, major platforms or their upgrades by the industry can be taken up under this category.
Indigenous development of these items will boost the economy and reduce the import dependence of DPSUs.
DPSUs will soon issue Expression of Interest (EoI) and Request for Proposal (RFP).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
What is a positive indigenization list ?
A positive indigenization list means that the armed forces will procure the listed items only from domestic manufacturers.
Manufacturers can be private sector players or Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
Govt Initiatives for indigenisation in defence sector :
The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit under the automatic route in the defence sector has been increased from 49% to 74%.
In October 2021, the government dissolved the four-decade-old Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and merged 41 factories of seven new state-owned companies to manufacture defence hardware ranging from munitions to heavy weapons and vehicles.
India has inaugurated two defence industrial corridors, one in Tamil Nadu and the other in Uttar Pradesh, to promote the flagship "Make in India" programme.
According to an estimate, the Indian Armed Forces are projected to spend around USD 130 billion in capital procurement over the next five years.
2. Argentina shows interest in Made in India 'Tejas' fighter aircraft
Tags: Defence International News
Argentina has shown interest to buy Tejas fighter aircraft manufactured in India under Make in India.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar acknowledged Argentina's interest in Tejas fighter aircraft and highlighted the importance of the proposal to enhance strategic cooperation of bilateral ties.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Argentina Minister of Foreign Affairs Santiago Cafiero jointly presided over a Joint Commission Meeting in Buenos Aires.
During the meeting, both sides underlined the importance of bilateral relations in defence, nuclear energy, space, pharma, science and technology, yoga, climate change and economic cooperation.
Australia, Egypt, the United States, Indonesia and the Philippines are also interested in Tejas jets.
TEJAS fighter aircraft :
It is an 'Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft'.
It has been jointly developed by 'Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)' and 'Hindustan Aeronautics Limited' (HAL).
It is the smallest-lightweight single-engine 'Multirole Tactical Fighter Aircraft'.
It has been designed with an aim to reduce India's dependence on Russia's MiG-21 fighter jets and move towards self-reliance in the field of national security.
It is designed to carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-surface weapons.
It is capable of refueling in the sky during the journey and has a maximum payload capacity of 4000 kg.
It can achieve a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and has a range of 3,000 km.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
Types of tejas :
Tejas Trainer
LCA Navy
LCA Tejas Navy MK2
LCA Tejas Mk-1A
Argentina :
President - Alberto Fernández
Capital - Buenos Aires
Currency - Argentine peso
Official Language -Spanish
location - South America continent
3. IAF terminates 3 officers in missile firing case
Tags: Defence
The Indian Air Force (IAF) Court of Inquiry (Col) has terminated the service of three Indian Air Force officers in connection with the accidental firing of the BrahMos missile in Pakistan.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- In the investigation report of the Air Force, the three officers have been found guilty of not following the SOP.
The BrahMos missile was wrongly fired on 9 March 2022.
What was the incident ?
On March 9 this year, an 'unarmed' supersonic BrahMos missile of India inadvertently fell in Mia Channu area of Pakistan during inspection.
No one was killed in this incident, but the cold-storage on which it had fallen was completely destroyed.
Pakistan had strongly objected to this incident and demanded a joint-investigation.
Taking this incident seriously, the Government of India had ordered a high-level inquiry, as well as ordered a review of the SOPs related to the maintenance of the missiles.
About BrahMos missile :
BrahMos is a short-range ramjet, supersonic cruise missile.
It can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or even from land.
It has been jointly developed by Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation.
Brahmos is named after the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva river of Russia.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
Features of BrahMos :
It can change course in the air and can also hit the moving target.
It can fly at a height of 10 metres and is not caught by radar.
4. US, South Korea begin biggest joint military drills since 2018
Tags: Defence International News
South Korea and the United States began their biggest joint military exercise 'Ulchi Freedom Shield' since 2018 on 22 August with the resumption of field training.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, thousands of military personnel are expected to participate in the exercise.
It will run for two weeks starting 22 August.
The US and South Korea have said they are defensive in nature and will conduct exercises to coordinate security forces in response to North Korea's aggression.
The exercise is likely to involve warships, aircraft and armoured vehicles.
The US, South Korea and Japan conducted a joint missile defence exercise in Hawaii earlier this month.
The US, Japan and South Korea have warned that North Korea is preparing for its first nuclear test since 2017.
North Korea is trying to develop smaller weapons to attack US allies in Asia and could increase the power of those weapons that would be carried to the US by intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The US still has about 28,500 troops in South Korea and military leaders on both sides have said the exercises are necessary to prepare for any provocation by Pyongyang (North Korea).
Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will improve South Korea's combat capability.
South Korea :
It is in East Asia. It is located on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.
In 2017 South Korea had the fastest internet connectivity globally.
President - Yoon Suk-Yeol
Prime Minister - Kim Boo-Kyum
Capital - Seoul
Official Language - Korean
5. Ocean Sailing Expedition on INSV TARINI to Mauritius
Tags: Defence
Commodore Sanjay Panda, Commanding Officer, INS Mandovi flagged off a sailing expedition from Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius on 20 August.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- A team of six members, including three women officers, is involved in this campaign. All of them are aboard INSV Tarini.
The expedition will take 20-21 days to cover a one-way distance of about 2500 nautical miles (approximately 45,000 km).
During this time, the team is likely to face rough weather and rough sea conditions during monsoon.
Tarini had circumnavigated the world in 2017 under 'Navika Sagar Parikrama'. The team that took part in it were all women officers.
Gender balance has been created in this campaign and three male and three female officers have been selected.
The sailing is captained by Captain VD Maharishi, the most experienced yachtsman of the Indian Navy.
Other members included Commander Vikas Sheoran, Lt. Commander Payal Gupta, Lt. Commander Kaushal Pednekar, Lt. Commander Delina and Lt. Commander Roopa.
Six sailing boats of Indian Navy :
Indian Navy has six sailing boats, their names are-
INSV Mhadei,
INSV Tarini,
INSV Bulbul,
INSV Hariyal,
INSV Kadalpura
INSV Neelkanth
All these boats regularly embark on maritime expeditions with small contingents of naval personnel.
The crew members in these missions are voluntarily selected by naval personnel, requiring substantial sailing experience.
6. Amethi unit all set to make AK-203 rifles
Tags: Defence
Manufacturing of AK-203 assault rifles by Indo-Russian joint venture in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to start by the end of the year 2022.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- According to Kalashnikov, a Russian company that manufactures rifles, the manufacturing equipment required for this will soon be sent from Russia to India.
Over 6.1 lakh AK-203 assault rifles costing over Rs 5,000 crore will be manufactured by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), a joint venture in Korwa, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
IRRPL was established jointly between the then OFB of India (now Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited -AWEIL), Munitions India Limited (MIL) and Rosoboronexport (ROE) and Kalashnikov of Russia.
A modern production line has been set up and a short range of weapons has been set up where the rifles will be tested.
India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) in February 2019 for the production of AK 203 assault rifles.
About AK 203 Rifles :
The AK-203 assault rifle is considered to be the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle.
It is a 7.62×39mm variant from the AK-100 rifle family.
This variant will replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45mm assault rifle, which is currently being used by the Army, Navy and Air Force besides other security forces.
INSAS rifles are not suitable for use at high altitudes. These rifles also have problems like gun jamming, oil leakage etc.
Other India-Russia bilateral projects :
Indigenous production of T-90 tanks and Su-30-MKIaircraft
Supply of MiG-29-K aircraft and Kamov-31 and Mi-17 helicopters
Upgrade of MiG-29 aircraft and supply of Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher Smerch.
Develop and produce supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles in India
7. China’s army to take part in Vostok-2022 exercise in Russia
Tags: Defence International News
The People's Liberation Army of China will participate in the strategic command and staff exercise Vostok-2022 in Russia from 1 - 5 September.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and other countries will also participate in the exercise.
The exercise will be held under the command of the chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, at 13 training grounds of the Eastern Military District.
During the exercise, the participating forces will practice measures to maintain military security in the eastern sector.
The exercise will contribute to "friendly cooperation between the armed forces of all countries".
It will advance the level of strategic dialogue by all parties and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats.
Last year, India participated in Exercise ZAPAD 2021 in Russia, in which 17 countries including China and Pakistan participated.
India’s Exercises with China & Russia :
China - Exercise Hand-in-Hand
Russia - Exercise Indra, Exercise TSENTR
8. India gift Dornier Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft to Sri Lanka
Tags: International Relations Defence
India on August 15 gifted Sri Lanka a Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft that will enable the island nation to tackle a range of challenges such as human and drug trafficking and other organized crimes in its waters.
Important facts
It was gifted at a special event at the Sri Lanka Air Force Base in Katunayake.
Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force personnel who have undergone training in India for nearly four months will operate the aircraft.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay were also present on the occasion.
The celebrations took place as India celebrates its 76th Independence Day and a day later China's high-tech missile and satellite surveillance vessel will anchor at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port.
The aircraft has been delivered to Sri Lanka by the Indian Navy to help meet the immediate security needs of Sri Lanka.
The Indian Navy has also given intensive training in maritime reconnaissance aircraft to a team of the Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force.
During the 2018 Defence Dialogue between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi, Sri Lanka had discussed the possibility of acquiring two Dornier reconnaissance aircraft from India to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities.
Dornier Aircrafts
In March 2022, India and the Government of Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide two Dornier 228 aircraft to the Sri Lankan Navy.
Dornier 228 Aircraft
It is a 17-seater non-pressurised aircraft that has a turboprop engine.
It is capable of day and night operations, short take-off and landing, and can take off from semi-prepared runways.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) started manufacturing Dornier-228 in India.
The Dornier-228 aircraft have been used by the armed forces so far.
Alliance Air had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HAL to operate Dornier aircraft.
9. IAF leaves for Malaysia to participate in bilateral exercise 'Udarashakti'
Tags: Defence
A contingent of the Indian Air Force left for Malaysia on 12 August to participate in a bilateral exercise named 'Udarashakti'.
About Udarashakti Exercise
This is the first bilateral exercise being conducted between the Indian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
This exercise will take place at the RMAF base of Kuantan.
The Indian Air Force will participate in the aerial exercise with Sukhoi-30 MKI and C-17 aircraft while the RMAF will fly Su-30 MKM aircraft.
The exercise will give an opportunity to the IAF contingent to share and learn best practices with some of the best RMAF professionals while discussing mutual combat capabilities.
Various aerial combat exercises will be conducted between the two air forces in the four-day exercise.
It will help in strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
In 2021, the RMAF issued a request for proposal (RfP) to five countries: Italy, Russia, China, South Korea and India to purchase fighter jets.
Malaysia is expected to announce its decision to purchase the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' in September.
Pitch Black Air Combat Exercise
Both India and Malaysia are participating in a multilateral aerial warfare exercise Pitch Black which is conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
The drill is starting from next week and 17 countries are participating and 100 aircraft will take part in the Defensive Counter Air (DCA) and Offensive Counter Air (OCA) Combat Drills.
17 countries are participating including Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea.
10. 12th edition of Defence Expo to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Tags: Defence
On 8 August The Ministry of Defence announced that the 12th edition of the Defence Expo, India's flagship exhibition on Land, Naval and Homeland Security systems, will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Important facts
The event will take place from October 18 to 22, 2022.
Theme of the 12th edition - 'Path to Pride'
The theme invokes nationalist pride and encourages citizens to participate in nation building through the establishment of a capable indigenous defence industry.
The five-day event will have three business days followed by two public days.
Live demonstration of equipment and skill sets of Armed Forces, DPSUs and Industry will be done for five days at Sabarmati River Front through active participation and synchronized efforts.
This helipad exhibition will be organized in a three-venue format over an area of one lakh square metres.
It was postponed in March 2022 due to logistics problems being faced by the participants.
It is Asia's biggest event in the defence sector.
Aim of Defence Expo 2022
Achieving 'Atmanirbharta' in defence and achieving the $5 billion defence export target by 2024.
To make India a major destination for the Army, Navy, Air Force and homeland security systems and defence engineering.
Significance of the Defence Expo
The participants will get an opportunity to showcase their tools and platforms.
It will also be able to explore the expanding strengths and capabilities of the Indian defence industry to forge business partnerships.
The event will help boost investments, expand manufacturing capabilities and find avenues for technology absorption.
About Defence Expo
The 11th edition of Defense Expo was held in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) in 2020.
It is a major biennial event of the Ministry of Defence, showcasing Army, Navy, Air Force and Homeland Security systems.
Achievements in defence sector
Defence exports have grown by 334% in the last five years.
India is exporting defence to more than 75 countries.
In February 2021, India was the first country to organize a hybrid aerospace exhibition, Aero India-2021, in Bengaluru.
