Monthly Archives: August 2018

Indigenous military weapons manufactured by Kalyani Group private defence Contractor
The upcoming fifth ‘positive indigenisation list’ will be a pivotal development in India’s quest for self-reliance in defence and will also boost the country’s status as an exporter of military hardware
Union minister of defence Rajnath Singh on Sunday indicated that India could bring more weapons and systems under an import ban and manufacture them in the country to give a new push to self-reliance in the defence sector, with the latest ‘positive indigenisation list’ set to come on the back of four similar lists that have barred the import of 411 military items during the last 30 months.
“I cannot rule out the possibility of a new positive indigenisation list (coming out soon), given India’s focus on self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector,” Singh said.
His comments came on the eve of the five-day Aero India-2023, Asia’s biggest air show, that gets underway at the Yelahanka airbase on Monday and seeks to project India as a defence manufacturing hub and showcase the country’s rising prowess in the aerospace and defence sector.
“The air show promises to be a big draw with the presence of more than 800 defence firms, 98 foreign countries, 32 defence ministers, air chiefs of 29 air forces and 73 CEOs representing foreign and Indian original equipment manufacturers,” Singh said.
The air show, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to witness the signing of 251 memoranda of understanding worth more than ₹75,000 crore, defence ministry officials said.
The upcoming fifth ‘positive indigenisation list’ will be a pivotal development in India’s quest for self-reliance in defence and will also boost the country’s status as an exporter of military hardware. The first four lists, announced in August 2020, May 2021, April 2022 and October 2022, impose a phased import ban on weapons that are planned to be indigenised over the next five to six years. The fourth list was announced by PM Modi during the opening ceremony of DefExpo-2022 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat last October.
The lists cover a raft of weapons and systems including artillery guns, missile destroyers, ship-borne cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, light transport aircraft, long-range land-attack cruise missiles, basic trainer aircraft, multi-barrel rocket launchers, a variety of helicopters, assault rifles, sniper rifles, mini-unmanned aerial vehicles, next-generation corvettes, and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems.
Military hardware sought to be developed locally also ranges from light tanks, naval utility helicopters and mounted artillery gun systems to medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles and loitering munitions. Import substitution of ammunition, which is a recurring requirement, has been given special emphasis in the previous lists.
The possibility of the new list comes at a time when India has sharpened its focus on getting a toehold in foreign markets, set a target of achieving defence exports worth $5 billion by 2025, and taken a raft of policy measures to boost the indigenous defence manufacturing sector.
In November 2022, Indian defence firm Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited won an export order worth $155.5 million for supplying artillery guns to a friendly foreign country, the first order won by a local company for the 155mm weapon system. Kalyani Strategic Systems will execute the order over the next three years. That order came on the back of the Philippines ordering BrahMos missiles and Armenia choosing to buy Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers from India.
Military hardware being exported by India include missiles, the advanced light helicopter, offshore patrol vessels, personal protective gear, surveillance systems and a variety of radars. The hardware that holds export potential includes the light combat aircraft, Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Akash surface-to-air missile system, tanks, sonars and radars. India currently exports military hardware to 84 countries, with the number likely to increase in the coming years, the officials said.
“Aero India-2023 will showcase the country’s manufacturing prowess and the progress achieved towards realising the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat.’ This event will significantly contribute to the development of the aerospace and aviation sector” the defence minister said.
The airshow’s focus will be on showcasing indigenous equipment and technologies, and forging partnerships with foreign companies, in line with the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision, the defence ministry said in a statement. About five lakh visitors are expected to attend the airshow, which will feature more than 100 aircraft in flying and static displays.
“A strong and self-reliant defence sector will play a pivotal role in helping India emerge as one of the top three world economies in the times to come. Achievements in the defence sector provide spin-off benefits to the Indian economy. The technologies developed in the field are equally useful for civilian purposes,” Singh said.
One of the main events at the air show will be the defence ministers’ conclave themed on “Shared Prosperity through Enhanced Engagements in Defence (SPEED),” the officials said. “The conclave will address aspects related to deepening cooperation for capacity building through investments, R&D, joint venture, co-development, co-production and provisioning of defence equipment,” the statement said.
The latest edition of Aero India comes on the back of PM Modi inaugurating the country’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility at Tumkur in Karnataka, in what was seen as a shot in the arm for ‘Atmanirbharta’ in the defence manufacturing sector.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) helicopter factory, spread across 615 acres, will initially produce the light utility helicopters (LUH) followed by light combat helicopters (LCH) and later the Indian multirole helicopters (IMRH).
HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tons, with a total business of more than ₹4 lakh crore over 20 years, according to the defence ministry.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 11

Engines of the fleet of MiG-29K fighter jets of the Navy will now be maintained by using artificial intelligence (AI).

Termed the health usage and monitoring system, it will use AI to reduce the time needed for data analysis, resulting in faster turnaround of aircraft and having better projection for preventive maintenance.

The AI-based programme has been included in the “launch of new technology” by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the biennial Aero India 2023, scheduled to be held at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru, from February 13-17.

The MiG 29K jets take off and land on the two sea-going aircraft carriers of the Navy — the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

Earlier this week, the Navy landed the LCA (Navy), the indigenous technology demonstrator fighter, on the deck of the INS Vikrant.

The landing was part of the development of a twin-engine deck-based fighter jet for the Navy. The LCA Navy is a single-engine jet and the under-development twin-engine variant is the one slated to be inducted.

At the Aero India 2023, the Navy helicopter, the ALH, will be part of the flying display while the maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the Boeing P8I will participate in the static display. In keeping with the emphasis on self-reliance, a customised graphic, compiled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), for use as a reference document for undertaking repairs of engines of MiG 29K aircraft, would be presented to the Indian Navy Chief.

The Navy is also conducting a seminar on the topic “Aero armament sustenance”. This will look at the way forward for sustenance of missiles held with the armed forces.

Data analysis

The health usage and monitoring system will use AI to reduce the time needed for data analysis, resulting in faster turnaround of aircraft and having better projection for preventive maintenance.

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, February 12

Changing faces won’t change the ground situation, said Ladakh leaders as the Centre replaced the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) for the cold desert region on Sunday.

Brigadier BD Mishra (retd) was Governor of Arunachal Pradesh before his appointment as the L-G of Ladakh amid an intensifying agitation by Ladakh people, demanding statehood and special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Want democracy

We want democracy in Ladakh and the federal structure strengthened. Changing faces will not change anything on the ground. Sajjad Hussain Kargili, Leader, Kargil Democratic Alliance

Sajjad Hussain Kargili, a senior leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), said, “We are not against any individual but have been opposing the Centre’s policy on Ladakh. We want democracy in Ladakh to be restored and the federal structure be strengthened. Only changing the faces will not change anything on the ground.”

Former L-G Radha Krishna Mathur, a former defence secretary and ex-Chief Information Commissioner, quietly left his office in Leh on Saturday without revealing the reasons for the sudden decision. His resignation was accepted by the President on Sunday. It is not clear whether Mathur was asked to resign or he chose to quit as Ladakh people have put up a strong resistance against the continuing L-G rule. He was appointed as the first L-G of Ladakh on October 25, 2019. Mathur has spent more time in Delhi than in Leh, alleged political leaders in Ladakh.

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are at the forefront of the agitation, have called for a public meeting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 15 in support of their four major demands which include statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, two Lok Sabha seats and job reservation.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs held unsuccessful talks with the protesting bodies until August. On January 3, the MHA set up a high-powered committee, headed by Union MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai, including nine representatives of the LAB and the KDA, for talks but the two bodies rejected it, saying their agenda and representatives had been not included.

Education reformist Sonam Wangchuk is also expected to join the protest in Delhi.

Demand restoration of statehood

• Leaders are demanding statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, 2 Lok Sabha seats, job reservation.
• The Centre set up a panel for talks but Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance rejected it, saying their demands were not included.

Bangalore: Swedish defence major SAAB on Saturday announced it is setting up a manufacturing facility in India for Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifles that will support the production of the man-portable multi-role weapon system for the Indian armed forces.
SAAB will also be partnering with Indian sub-suppliers and the systems manufactured in the facility will fully meet the requirements of ‘Make in India’, Chairman and Managing Director, SAAB India Technologies, Mats Palmberg said.
“We are fully committed to enabling the Indian government’s ‘Atmanirbhar’ approach to defence capability. To that end, SAAB is setting up a manufacturing facility for Carl-Gustaf in India, further strengthening production in the country,” he said.
The facility will support the production of Carl-Gustaf M4 for the Indian armed forces as well as components for users of the system around the world, Palmberg added.
Carl-Gustaf M4 is a man-portable multi-role weapon system that provides high tactical flexibility through its wide range of ammunition types, a company statement said. “It is extremely light-weight (less than seven kilograms), and has improved ergonomics which reduces action time,” it said.
The new M4 meets the needs of modern conflict environments while offering compatibility with future innovations. The Carl-Gustaf weapon system has been in service with the Indian Army since 1976, the statement said.
Through its wide variety of ammunition, Carl-Gustaf has established itself as the main shoulder-launched weapon in the Indian armed forces, the company said.
Meanwhile, SAAB said it will exhibit a range of products and solutions for a fast changing defence and security environment at Aero India 2023, the five-day aerospace and defence exhibition, starting here on February 13.
In addition, the company will engage with Indian industry to further its plans for building a strong defence industrial base in India, making products for India and the rest of the world, it said.
“At Aero India 2023, we will showcase our latest technologies which are changing defence and security planning, deployment and future force readiness”, Palmberg added.

BrahMos supersonic cruise missile launcher manufactured Godrej Precision Engineering Division
Bangalore: Godrej Aerospace, a Godrej and Boyce business unit, has bagged an order to build turbo engines in partnership with the Gas Turbine Research Engine Centre at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) lab.
The company has an order for eight modules of six engines and the plan is to finish the first round of development by early 2024, said Maneck Eddie Behramkamdin, AVP and Business Head, Godrej Aerospace. He said that the remaining modules would be delivered in a 27–30 month time frame.
Godrej Aerospace to set up ₹250-crore facility near Mumbai
The company will also spend ₹100 crore on R&D in the next two years
“The development engine, a Kaveri derivative, will be used to power one of the aircraft. While aircraft manufacturing is not new to India, modules of engines of this class are being manufactured indigenously for the first time by an Indian private company,” he noted.
Revenue Growth
The company has grown at CAGR of 20–22 per cent over the last two to three years, which is expected to continue, it said.
It expects to close the year with revenues of Rs 800-850 crore, with aerospace and defence contributing Rs 650 crore and the remaining coming from its space segment. “Aerospace accounts for 50–55 per cent of the total revenues, and it is a rapidly growing industry. Next year we plan to increase it by about 20–25 per cent, of which 30–40 per cent would come from the commercial side and the balance from the defence side,” he said.
Further, going forward, the focus would be on both space and aero engines, which it believes are the future. Additionally, it will continue to focus on defence systems.
Aero-India 2023
This year the company would have three kiosks at the Aero Show.
“We will focus on defence systems, largely missile systems, actuators, and LRUs. Besides, there will be a full display of engines and engine components. Basically, the three things that we would communicate at the Aero Show are – what we are doing, what the future holds, and how we plan to develop the infrastructure.”

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has released a notification for a partnership with Indian industries in developing and manufacturing Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s first fifth Generation fighter.
The partnership (Technology cum Investment) is being conducted under the Strategic Partnership (SP) model.
The industrial partners are supposed to bring not only investment but also advanced manufacturing technologies for the production of AMCA.

The industrial partnership will boost the development and production of the AMCA, the ADA hoped in the notification.
AMCA is India’s first fifth-generation fighter jet. The jet will be a 25-tonne twin-engine fighter with a maximum payload of 6.5 tonnes.
The ADA Director, AK Ghosh, in an interview at DefExpo 2022, stated that the preliminary design process and some validation tests of AMCA have already been completed.
Ghosh, in the interview, further stated that the Critical design review will be completed in the next few months. He also said that the rollout of the prototype of the fighter is expected after 3 years from the day the project’s approval is granted by the government.
It will take another year for the fighter to make its first flight, which puts the timeline of the first flight in the 2026-27 timeframe.
IAF is hoping to buy at least 120 of these fighters by 2035.

PTI

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, February 11

Even as the locals in Reasi are ecstatic over the discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium, officials and experts believe that the discovery is in its initial stage and will take years for the actual mining process to take place. Lithium is used in the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar panels. Since the Geological Survey of India (GSI) announced the presence of lithium reserves in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district, local residents have been thronging the area.

Rajinder Singh, Naib Sarpanch of the area, said the GSI had been carrying out tests in the area for past two years and left a few months ago. “The discovery will not only provide more employment opportunities, but also bring the area on the international map, thus boosting the tourism sector,” he said.

Best quality

Against the normal grade of 220 parts per million, Reasi’s lithium is of 500 ppm-plus grading. With 5.9 million tonnes, India will surpass China. —Amit Sharma, J&K mining secretary

initial Estimates

The GSI’s study found 5.9 million tonnes of lithium. These are initial estimates. The process will take at least five years before actual mining starts. —Prof Pankaj Srivastava, University of Jammu

Opportunities

The discovery will not only provide more employment opportunities, but also bring the area on international map, thus boosting the tourism sector. —Rajinder Singh, Naib sarpanch, Salal village

Professor Pankaj Srivastava, Department of Geology, University of Jammu, said the GSI’s study had found the inferred resource to be around 5.9 million tonnes. “These are initial estimates. Many assessments and samplings are required. The process will take at least five years before actual mining starts,” he said.

The exploration of mineral deposits is divided into four stages — reconnaissance (G4), preliminary exploration (G3), general exploration (G2) and detailed exploration (G1). Scientists are at the G3 stage in Reasi.

District Mining Officer Shafiq Ahmed Local said over 60 houses in the area would have to be rehabilitated once mining starts.

J&K Mining Secretary Amit Sharma said lithium was not earlier available in India. “We were dependent for its 100% import. The G3 (advanced) study shows the presence of best quality lithium in abundant quantity in the foothills of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Salal village.”

He said that against the normal grade of 220 parts per million (PPM), the lithium in Reasi is of 500 ppm-plus grading. With a stockpile of 5.9 million tonnes, India will surpass China in availability, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Babila Rakwal said, “A lot of work needs to be done before the lithium blocks are auctioned. At present, a survey is being conducted by the GSI and the Department of Geology and Mining of the UT,” said Rakwal.

Meanwhile, Aditya Khajuria, member of the Climate Front Jammu, said, “We are witnessing frequent landslides in different parts of J&K, mainly due to widening of the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Mining in Reasi should not result in another environmental hazard.”

Lithium to give investment a fillip: Gadkari

Buoyed by the lithium discovery, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Kanpur, Lucknow, Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut would become manufacturing hub of e-vehicles and lithium batteries. He was speaking at Global Investors Summit in Lucknow. TNS

Employment gains were driven primarily by people aged between 25 to 54 years

Ottawa, February 11

Canada’s employment increased by 150,000 in January and the unemployment rate held steady at 5 per cent, Statistics Canada said.

Employment gains were driven primarily by people aged between 25 to 54 years, split evenly between women and men in this group, the national statistical agency said on Friday, adding that employment also increased among people aged 55 years and above, while it was little changed among youth aged between 15 to 24 years.There were gains across several industries, led by wholesale and retail trade, health care and social assistance and educational services. At the same time, employment declined in transportation and warehousing, the agency said.

According to the agency, total hours worked rose 0.8 per cent in January and were up 5.6 per cent on a year-over-year basis. The proportion of employees absent due to illness or disability was 7.1 per cent during the reference week.

This was below the record-high 10 per cent observed in January 2022 and on par with a typical January, Xinhua news agency reported.

The unemployment rate in January was just shy of the record-low 4.9 per cent observed in June and July 2022. The total number of unemployed people stood at 1 million, similar to the level observed since the summer of 2022, the agency added.

The majority, or 63.9 per cent of unemployed people in January, had been unemployed for a relatively short amount of time, between one and 13 weeks. Long-term unemployment, the proportion of the unemployed who had been out of work continuously unemployed for 27 weeks or more, was 15.8 per cent, down from 19.9 per cent in January 2022, Statistics Canada said.

PTI

London, February 10

The Indian High Commission here on Friday appealed for students to contact the mission for help and counselling amid fears that over 50 of them may have become victims of modern slavery while working at care homes in North Wales.

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), a UK government intelligence and investigative agency for labour exploitation, reported earlier this week that it had succeeded in getting a court order against five individuals for labour abuse.

The GLAA said it has identified “more than 50 Indian students as being potential victims of modern slavery and labour abuse over the last 14 months” in relation to the case.

“We were concerned to read this news. Indian students who have suffered this, please contact us at pol3.london@mea.gov.in, and we will provide help/counselling. We assure you of confidentiality in our response,” the High Commission tweeted.

Five people — Mathew Issac, 32, Jinu Cherian, 30, Eldhose Cherian, 25, Eldhose Kuriachan, 25, and Jacob Liju, 47 — are suspected of recruiting and exploiting vulnerable Indian students working in care homes across North Wales and have been handed a Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order (STRO).

All five, originally from Kerala, were arrested by GLAA between December 2021 and May 2022 and while investigations remain ongoing, there have been no criminal charges brought against them at this stage.

They are said to have links to care homes in Abergele, Pwllheli, Llandudno, and Colwyn Bay across the region, either by working there themselves or having a direct family link to someone who works in them.

GLAA said Issac and his wife Jinu Cherian also supplied workers through Alexa Care Solutions, a recruitment agency registered in May 2021.

Reports to the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline three months later claimed that Indian workers employed by Alexa Care were not being paid correctly or were having their wages withheld.

Significant concerns were raised at the same time about the workers’ appearance and that they always appeared to be hungry, the agency revealed.

“We are all aware that staffing levels have been a cause of concern in the care sector for some time, and have not been helped by the COVID pandemic,” said GLAA Senior Investigating Officer Martin Plimmer.

“Unfortunately, where labour shortages exist, there is an increased risk of opportunists using the situation for their own financial gain, usually at the expense of workers that they are exploiting.

“Tackling the exploitation of workers in care homes is one of the GLAA’s top priorities, and this order is crucial in restricting the activities of those we suspect would otherwise commit slavery or trafficking offences,” he said.

The STRO comes with a series of stringent conditions on the accused, including preventing them from arranging work, transport or travel for anyone and allowing the GLAA access, at any reasonable time, to where they are living to establish and confirm that the order is being complied with.

Breaching the order is a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

“Through our investigations, we have concluded that such an order is proportionate to protect further workers from being potentially exploited and abused,” added Plimmer.

The GLAA said it had worked with Care Inspectorate Wales and other relevant local authorities over the course of the investigation.

Under UK and international law, modern slavery is seen as a serious crime where victims are exploited, controlled or held captive, and threatened or punished to stop them from escaping or reporting the crime.

According to British police, modern slavery includes human trafficking when victims are taken between countries or around a country so they can be exploited.