CATEGORIES

'Hal Is Involved In Major Development Programmes'

HAL is engaged in the design, development, manufacture, repair, overhaul, and upgrade and servicing of a wide range of aircraft, helicopters, aero-engines, avionics, accessories and aerospace structures, says R MADHAVAN, Chairman and Managing Director, HAL in this conversation with Geopolitics.

'Be Rest Assured That IAF Is Prepared To Respond To Future Challenges And Safeguard Indian Skies'

Commissioned in the IAF in June 1978 as a fighter pilot, Air Chief Marshal BIRENDER SINGH DHANOA took over as the Chief of the Air Staff on January 1, 2017. As Commanding Officer of a frontline ground attack fighter squadron, he had led the IAF punch during the Limited War against Pakistan to evict the enemy from their dug in defences in the icy heights of Kargil region. During the conflict, under his leadership and supervision, the squadron devised unique and innovative methods of bombing in the night at altitudes never before attempted in the history of air warfare. While acknowledging that the IAF faces many challenges and that its procurement schemes were being prioritised within the budgetary resources to ensure that urgent and critical capabilities were acquired first, he assured PRAKASH NANDA that it was potent enough to deliver a befitting response to any contingency. Excerpts from the interview:

The Importance Of A Space Force

Looking at the role played by the US Air Force in space-related activities in the past decades, HARINI MADHUSUDAN finds out its relevance for the Indian Air Force in the Indian Space domain

'Qinetiq Could Test And Evaluate Integrated Test Ranges In India'

SOPHIE LANE, Head of Strategic Engagement (International), Business Development at QinetiQ, tells Geopolitics that there could be an opportunity to work with India in the Science & Technology arena

we will attain complete self-reliance in the near future

admiral sunil lanba took over as the 23rd chief of the naval staff on may 31, 2016. being a navigation and direction specialist, he has served as the navigation and operations officer onboard numerous ships in both the eastern and western fleet. he was also responsible for transformation in training methodology for the future indian navy as the chief of staff, southern naval command. the indian navy under him is rapidly transforming and positioning itself as a well-balanced force. he talks to mayank singh about how indian navy today ushers on various fronts of indigenisation and selfreliance. excerpts:

Kalyani Group: Taking India Towards Self-reliance And Self-sufficiency In Artillery

Manufacturing of artillery guns is a highly complex science which involves cross-disciplinary architecture, robust design and engineering capability, and intensive knowledge of complex materials, with a solid foundation in metallurgy that forms the backbone of this capability.

ARMY 2018 - Russia Showcases State-Of-The-Art Armament

The International Military Technical Forum, ARMY 2018, was held between August 21- 26, 2018 in Kubinka near Moscow. Held since 2015 it encompasses air, naval, land and police weapons and equipment. Organised and fully supported by the Ministry of Defence of Russia, it combines an exhibition with live demonstration of military equipment as well as an extensive congress programme.

Cyber Security - Government, Private Sector Synergy Is The Key

While India has policies and specialised teams to deal with cyber-security, it is undoubtedly the case that severe deficiencies continue to exist in the country’s cyber-security preparedness.

Meeting The American Arm Twisting To Protect The Affair With Russia

The United States wants to scuttle India’s burgeoning defence ties with Russia via the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. However, India has a number of options to avoid its punitive sections and use the opportunity to fast-track indigenisation and become immune to such blackmail, argues.

Key India-Russia Defence Deals

This checklist of big-ticket defence programmes shows how critical Russian weapons systems are to maintain India’s military primacy in the region.

Asymmetric Warfare Two Can Play The Game

India is in the unique and unfortunate position of being targeted by a large number of terrorist movements with ample foreign backing. The country’s political and military leadership must employ innovative ways to meet and combat the newly evolving patterns involving non-state actors and asymmetric warfare.

Shaping Or Disrupting The World System?

There are many strong leaders in Europe, Japan, Turkey, Iran and Israel who are influencing the happenings in the world and working in alliance with each other. However, four leaders – Trump, Xi, Putin and Modi – and their interactions and strategies are going to be more significant in shaping the future world order, writes VIJAY KUMAR KAUL, explaining these four leaders’ world views, governance systems, domestic and foreign strategies.

Fighting Terror With Corporate Sector

Given the corporate sector’s presence in almost every sphere of India’s economy and in particular its increasing presence in the critical infrastructure and information technology sectors, there needs to be a revised and updated relationship between the government and the corporate sector in respect of meeting internal security challenges, argues.

The Indo-Pacific A Narrative Of Overture And Reluctance

As an idea, the “Indo-Pacific” promises a lot, but the problem with it is that there is no real consensus among the promoters of the idea over its economic, political and military dimensions, argues AMIT GUPTA.

Anti-Armour Weapons A Work In Progress

While anti-armour weapons have undergone a massive technological and generational transformation in the last seven decades, India is yet to catch up with the world in terms of volumes. The possibility of a two-front war scenario with Pakistan and China notwithstanding, it is time for the newly-elected NDA-3 government to do the needful towards building a robust ecosystem for precision-strike weapons development and manufacturing in the long run, writes Amartya Sinha

Enhancing Firepower Through Private Sector

By placing private arms manufacturers at the heart of its mission to transform India into an industrial power, the Modi government is trying to usher in a new era for the country’s defence industry.

Need For A Supportive Eco-system For The Defence Industry

While indigenous industry must be given preference over imports, local products should be competitively priced because the defence budget cannot be made to sustain and bankroll an inefficient local production regime. Unless an indigenous product is priced attractively with a developed eco-system, mission ‘Make in India’ will remain a pipe dream, argues MRINAL SUMAN

India's Battle Tank Upgrade Programmes to Boost Fleet Capabilities

With Arjun's future in doubt and the Indian Army's Armoured Regiments looking for futuristic combat vehicles, it is now clear that the upgrade programmes for the T-72s and T-90s are the first steps taken to ensure the force levels are maintained and the combatedge remains intact

Operational Requirement Leads to Indian ICV Upgrade Programme

Geopolitics takes a look at the Indian Army’s quest to upgrade its Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) fleet with anti-tank guided missile systems and new engines

India-Russia Gets Into Tight Defence Embrace

The US may have emerged as the single largest defence supplier to India over the last decade with nearly $17 billion worth of deals in its kitty, but Russia has certainly overtaken at just one summit meeting between Modi and Putin

Modi's Defence Budgets A Flat Trajectory

It is not possible for India to sign new defence contracts for more than `50,000 crore in 2018-19. There are hardly any funds for expediting the ongoing infrastructure development projects and capital acquisitions, building up the war wastage reserves beyond the Minimum Acceptable Risk Level (MARL), or giving a leg-up to the Make-in-India projects in defence. The dreary trajectory of defence budget since 2014-15 puts paid to the demand for creation of Cyber, Space and Special Forces commands, which is far below the trajectory of the demand projected by the armed forces and other departments, laments AMIT COWSHISH

India Successfully Tests - Two Missiles Long Under Development

The DRDO has been rapidly validating its long-pending missile projects such as the Nag ATGM and the QR-SAM to enable the Indian Armed Forces to fight better and defend more efficiently. A Geopolitics report

GRSE - Sets Revenue Targets, Aims For Higher Status

Kolkata based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers is now executing five shipbuilding projects for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard and aims to get a 'Schedule-A' shipyard classification from the Government of India to boost its financial powers and thereby bag more orders from within and outside the country. A Geopolitics report

Meteor BVR Air-To-Air Missile

Outstanding features of the Meteor missile include a variable flow, solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) motor, that gives the missile the capability to effectively engage targets at long range, an X-band active seeker, a two way data link, and the ability to obtain mid-course target updates from third party sensors

Indian Navy Is Recognised As A Predominant Force In Indian Ocean And Beyond

NAVY CHIEF ADMIRAL SUNIL LANBA, PVSM, AVSM, ADC tells Geopolitics how the Indian Navy is preparing itself to be a force of the future.

India's 212-warship Target For 2027 Is Far Away

India's responsibility as a net security provider for the Indian Ocean region is huge. The only force that is capable of taking up that responsibility is the Indian Navy. Being a maritime nation primarily, India needs a strong navy that befits its size, geographical location and global stature,argues this report from Geopolitics bureau.

Army Prepares for Induction of Apache Next

The 22 Apache Longbow helicopters are one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, featuring all-weather and night-fighting features.

Imperative Need for a Comprehensive National Security Strategy

A comprehensively formulated National Security Strategy reflects the national will to protect and promote national interests pertaining to security and dissuades adversaries from attempting to play mischief and also provides guidance to all stakeholders on policies related to national security, writes GURMEET KANWAL

Whither Indian Navy

Coupled with bureaucratic sloth and political myopia, India’s naval capability is on the wane. The much delayed Scorpene class is expected to enter service shortly and all six ships of the class will probably be available by 2030, but the successor Project 75I is still to get off the ground.

Minesweeper Build Up by Indian Navy To Protect Its Assets

The Indian Navy has repeatedly sounded alarm over delays in the acquisition of mine counter measure vessels as its fleet is down to just six ageing Karwar-class of minesweepers.