Monthly Archives: August 2018

Army is in process of procuring armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot ammunition fired by T-72, T-90 main battle tanks, additional Heron drones and mines, among other things.

This procurement could easily eclipse the Rs 11,000 crore worth of contracts inked after the Uri terror attack in 2016, ThePrint has learnt.

Government sources told ThePrint that there will be no shortage of funds for the armed forces, and any additional funds that may be needed will be provided.

The contracts being pursued include those under capital budget. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had, on 15 July, given the go-ahead with Rs 300 crore worth of capital acquisitions to meet emergent operational requirements.

As reported earlier, the armed forces are on a shopping spree and the Army is in the process of procuring armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) ammunition fired by the T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks, additional Heron drones, Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS), mines and high altitude clothing, among other things.

Also read: IAF to induct 5 Rafale fighters on 29 July in Ambala, their first mission could be in Ladakh

Not all contracts are worth Rs 500 crore

Sources said the Army alone is pursuing 100 contracts, both under revenue and capital budget heads.

“These contracts have an upper ceiling of Rs 500 crore. This does not mean that all contracts are for Rs 500 crore. Some could be as less as Rs 25 crore while some would be closer to the ceiling,” a source explained.

Another source said emergency procurement powers extended to the armed forces in June were important, given the tensions with China.

One of the sources cited above said that between January 2014 and October 2016, 17 Army contracts were inked under emergency procurement by the Ministry of Defence, totalling Rs 400 crore.

In October 2016, emergency powers were extended to the services by the Narendra Modi government.

Between October 2016 and December 2016, the Army alone inked contracts worth about Rs 11,000 crore under emergency procurement provisions. These dealt with operational requirements like arms, ammunition, radars and mines, among other things.

Sources said the figures for the Navy and the Air Force were different, but lower than the Army’s.

‘There will be no shortage of funds’

Sources said the forces are currently managing the funds from what was already allocated to them in the Union Budget 2020.

“The funds for the emergency contracts are coming from what has already been given to the defence ministry,” a source said.

But the source added that if the budget is not adequate for making other payments under the normal procurement process, a request for additional funds will be made to the finance ministry around September.

“There will be no shortage of funds for the armed forces,” he asserted.

Laxman Kumar Behera, research fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, said nine times out of 10, the finance ministry turns down the request. “However, this time the defence ministry will most likely get the additional funds that they will seek. The threat from China is real. Last year too, they got an additional Rs 10,000 crore,” he said.

Sunil Kumar Kohli, former Financial Advisor to Defence Services (FADS), who retired in 2018, said the armed forces manage well since the entire payment is not made at once.

“The payments are spread out. Under emergency procurement, the forces do have to make some additional payments up front, and hence, they reprioritise. What also happens is that bottlenecks are removed under emergency procurement,” he said.

Kohli added that the forces have, in the last few years, not surrendered any funds from the capital budget, which shows that a lot of procurement is being done.

Also read: Here’s how Army is getting 30,000 additional troops winter-ready in Ladakh

Washington, Esper said, is pleased to see New Delhi and Beijing trying to de-escalate tensions in the Himalayas. But at the same time, he slammed China, saying the Chinese Communist Party “continues to engage in systemic rule-breaking” even as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “continues its aggressive behaviour” in the East and South China Sea.

“We are monitoring it (the LAC situation) very closely and what’s happening along the Line of Actual Control, and we are very pleased to see that both sides are trying to de-escalate the situation,” Esper said, addressing a special presentation of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based research body, on the US vision for security in the Indo-Pacific region.

During his address, which was moderated by IISS Director General and Chief Executive John Chipman, Esper also weighed in on the growing defence relationship between New Delhi and Washington.

The US declared India a ‘Major Defence Partner’ in 2016, which enabled New Delhi to access and procure high-tech and sensitive American defence technologies, something that is granted only to its closest allies

“We also continue to grow our defence sales and look forward to a robust 2+2 ministerial dialogue to build on this progress,” Esper said, referring to the annual summit between the two countries’ foreign and defence ministers that was launched in 2018. The previous edition of the 2+2 dialogue — during which the ministers discuss strategic and security interests of both nations — was held in December last year in Washington DC.

The joint two-day India-US Naval exercise PASSEX that began Monday, he said, is another sign of the strong India-US partnership.

The exercise, which took place off the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, involved Indian warships and the USS Nimitz.

“We conducted our first-ever joint military exercise last November and, as we speak today, the USS Nimitz is conducting combined exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean demonstrating our shared committed to a stronger naval cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he said.

He lashed out at the Chinese Communist Party, which he said “continues to engage in systemic rule-breaking”.

“We are not in search of conflict. We are committed to a constructive and results-oriented relationship with China, and, within our defense relationship, to open lines of communication and risk reduction,” he said.

Also Read: India wants concessions from US on drug exports, offers to cut farm goods prices, report says

‘US transforming the way it fights’

Esper’s address also dwelt on how the US is “transforming the way” it fights by modernising its “force, and strengthening deterrence, prioritising development and deployment of game-changing technologies, such as hypersonic weapons, 5G, and artificial intelligence”.

“We are developing a new Joint Warfighting Concept and … Doctrine for the 21st century, and implementing novel concepts to become more nimble, less predictable, and able to rapidly shift to combat operations if needed,” he said.

Esper He said the US has urged all Indo-Pacific nations to “expand their own intra-regional security relationships and networks of like-minded partners”.

Also Read: The US hasn’t woken up to India’s nightmare of a two-front war with China and Pakistan

“It is being planned to deploy the MiG-29K fighter aircraft at an Indian Air Force base in the northern sector. They might be used for carrying out operational flying in the Eastern Ladakh sector along the Line of Actual Control (LAC),” government sources told ANI.
The Indian Navy has a fleet of over 40 MiG-29K fighter jets that are deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and carry out regular flying from the naval fighter base INS Hansa in Goa.

The Russian-origin fighters were procured by the Indian Navy along with the aircraft carrier over a decade ago.

Amid the ongoing dispute with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Indian Navy has been playing an important role as its planes are being used for surveillance along the LAC for picking up the Chinese activities and positions there.

The surveillance aircraft were used extensively during the Doklam crisis as well.

The Indian Navy is also carrying out an exercise close to the Malacca Straits from where the Chinese Navy enters into the Indian Ocean Region.

“The warships and submarines of the Western Fleet are carrying out wargames near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands territories as part of their deployment,” government sources said.

The nuclear submarines including the INS Chakra and INS Arihant are also out of their harbours, they added.

Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has also been out in the sea for missions with its carrier battle group. The Indian Navy has been keeping a constant eye on the activities of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean Region where they come regularly with their warships including Landing Platform Docks and long-range frigates and destroyers.

Indian Navy warships also carried out a passage exercise with the American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz a few days ago amid the tensions with China.-ANI

Also read: Armed forces working on 100 emergency procurement contracts amid tensions with China

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 21

Former Vice-Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal PK Barbora (retd) said the Ambala air station was chosen for in the induction of Rafale jets because of its strategic location.

Air Marshal PK Barbora (retd), who once served at the airbase and witnessed the induction of first Jaguar aircrafts in 1979, said: “Ambala was the first air force base post-Independence the country had. The location is very strategic. It is equidistant from the east and west”.

“In case of raid at Ambala, it has to go through many layers of air defence before reaching the air base. It will give us adequate warning to be able to take all precautionary measures. We can activate all ground and air based defence systems to take care of any threat.”

“We also got first of Jaguar aircrafts at Ambala which is a Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft (DPSA). It implies we have a long range which we can cover, do the job and come back at our base or land at a secondary base. So, it suited the Jaguar aircrafts and two squadrons were formed at Ambala.”

“Over a period of more than 50 years, the infrastructure at Ambala is developed enough to induct any new aircraft without pumping a lot of money. The air defence systems around Ambala are also developed,” he said.

“Rafale gives us longer range than Jaguars. Ambala gives us adequate depth when the range required is more, both towards the north and west. We have adequate area for air to air refueling which is not possible at forward bases,” he said.

At present, Ambala has two squadrons of Jaguar and one of MIG-21 Bison.

“The second base for Rafale is planned at Hashimara (West Bengal). Pakistan is not the real enemy as far air power is concerned, but our eastern neighbour China is. When we didn’t have Rafale, we had moved three squadrons of Sukhoi in the east. With Rafale, we will have adequate number of airborne fighters and fighter bombers to look after the China threat,” he said.

He added that nearby bases of Hashimara had also been beefed up.

Barbora had also served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Air Command and then Western Air Command.

The Indian Air Force is inducting Rafale aircrafts into the ‘Golden Arrows’ squadron on July 29.

History of ‘Golden Arrows’

After MIG-21 aircrafts were phased out, Golden Arrows was ‘number plated’ on December 31, 2011. It was resurrected on September 10, 2019, when Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa was Chief of Air Staff.

Dhanoa himself had served in the ‘Golden Arrows’.

It was formed on October 1, 1951, at Ambala under the command of Flight Lieutenant DL Springett. Then it was equipped with Harvard-II B aircraft.  According to information provided by the Indian Air Force, the squadron converted fully to De Havilland Vampire by November, 1955 and by 1957, it was flying Hawker Hunter aircrafts.

The squadron converted to the MIG-21 M in 1975.

As far as operations were concerned, the squadron participated in Goa Liberation Campaign in December, 1961 and in 1965 operations as a reserve force.

Under the command of Wing Commander N Chatrath, it took part in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 and flew close air support, counter air and fighter recce missions, getting numerous gallantry awards.

In November, 1988, the squadron was presented ‘Colours’ by then President of India, R Venkataraman.

Under Dhanoa, when he was Wing Commander, Golden Arrows participated actively in Operation ‘Safed Sagar’ in 1999.

New Delhi, July 21

The Indian Navy’s Poseidon 8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft have been deployed in eastern Ladakh to carry out surveillance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and some of its MiG-29K jets are likely to be stationed in key IAF bases in the northern sector amid the border row with China, sources said on Tuesday.

The sources said the military brass is considering deploying Indian Navy’s MiG-29K fighter jets in a couple of air bases in the northern sector as part of efforts to bring in tri-services synergy in dealing with national security challenges.

The maritime fighter jets will complement the Indian Air Force’s efforts to significantly boost deep strikes and air dominance capabilities, they said.

At present, the Navy has a fleet of around 40 MiG-29K jets and at least 18 of them are deployed on board the country’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

The IAF has already positioned almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the LAC, a move that came against the backdrop of the border row with China. Diplomatic and military talks between China and India are continuing for complete disengagement of troops from a number of friction points in eastern Ladakh.

The IAF has been carrying out night time combat air patrols over the eastern Ladakh region in the last few weeks as part of its preparedness to deal with any eventualities in the mountainous region.

By the second half of August, the IAF is planning to deploy five Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh sector which are expected to significantly enhance its combat capabilities. India is scheduled to receive the first batch of five Rafale jets on July 27.

As part of its high-level of alertness, the IAF has also deployed Apache attack choppers as well as Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to transport troops to various forward locations in eastern Ladakh.

The sources said Poseidon 8I aircraft of the Navy has been deployed for monitoring the movement of Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. The long-range anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft was deployed in Doklam along the Sikkim border too during the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in 2017.

The P-8Is were also deployed to keep an eye on movement of Pakistani troops after the Pulwama terror attack last year.

In the midst of the border row with China, the Indian Navy on Monday and Tuesday carried out a military drill with a US Navy carrier strike group led by nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Four frontline warships of the Indian Navy participated in the “PASSEX” exercise when the US carrier strike group was transiting through the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) on its way from the South China Sea, officials said.

The USS Nimitz is the world’s largest warship and the exercise between the two navies assumed significance as it took place in the midst of China’s renewed military assertiveness in eastern Ladakh as well as in South China Sea.

The US Navy carrier strike Group comprises USS Nimitz, Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Ralph Johnson, the officials said.

India carried out similar exercises with the Japanese navy last month.

The Indian Navy has increased its surveillance missions and beefed up operational deployment in the IOR in the wake of the bitter border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval forces like the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in view of the fast evolving regional security landscape, the officials said.

Navies from the US, India, Australia, Japan and France have been deepening their mutual cooperation in the IOR in view of China’s growing attempt to expand military influence in the resource rich region.

Following escalation in tension between India and China in eastern Ladakh, the government put all the three forces on high alert. The Indian Navy was asked to raise its alert-level in the IOR where Chinese Navy has been making regular forays. PTI

The victim’s son Surya Prakash is posted in Jammu and Kashmir