This is the 50th contract under ‘SPRINT’, which aims at the development of 75 indigenous technologies by the industry for the Navy
Immediate Support Vessel (ISV), a light and armed patrol boat of the Indian Navy. File image for representation.
The Indian Navy has signed an agreement with Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd for armed autonomous boat swarms under ‘SPRINT’, an initiative to promote development of niche defence technologies by domestic companies.
This is the 50th contract under ‘SPRINT’, which aims at the development of 75 indigenous technologies by the industry for the Navy, officials said. The contract was signed on Wednesday.
“We are keeping the pressure on to sign the 100th contract by January end. Our aim is to induct 75 new technologies by August 15, 2023 as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” a Navy official said.
Sagar Defence Engineering has the know-how to create the nation’s first armed autonomous unmanned boat with swarming capabilities, the company said in a statement.
“The agreement refers to an Indian Navy project of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT initiative, and the Indian Navy expects to place an order for 12 systems after the construction of the weaponised autonomous unmanned boat,” it stated.
The platform will be able to conduct a range of navy and security tasks including high-speed interdiction; surveillance; constabulary operations; Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR); and low-intensity maritime operations.
‘SPRINT’ stands for Supporting Pole-Vaulting In R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence (IdeX), Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC). It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last July.

by Dr. S Samuel C Rajiv
November 2022 saw the visit of the French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu as well as the US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to India. Lecornu was in New Delhi for the Fourth India–France Defence Dialogue, where both countries decided to enhance military industrial cooperation with a focus on Make In India (MII). Apart from their interactions in New Delhi, Lecornu and Del Toro also visited Kochi, the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command, where the indigenously constructed aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is also based. The visits of the French and the American delegations brought into focus their parallel efforts to secure the contract for equipping India’s indigenous aircraft carrier with a fighter wing.
The Indian Navy’s sole operational aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, currently operates MiG-29K fighters. The choice of the Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter (MRCBF) program to equip the INS Vikrant is between the twin-engined US Boeing F/18 E/F Super Hornet and the French Rafale Marine (M). The single-engine TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was found unsuitable for aircraft carrier operations.1 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a Request for Information (RFI) for MRCBFs procurement in January 2017 for 57 fighters, which was subsequently reduced to 26 fighters to be procured via the government-to-government (G2G) route. These include eight twin-seater trainer variants and 18 single-seater variants.
Aircrafts In Contention
Both the aircrafts in contention, the Rafale and the Super Hornet, did demonstration ski-jumps at the Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa, Goa in January and June 2022 respectively. Boeing insists that the Super Hornet is fully compliant with the requirements of India’s aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant and notes that the two-seater F/18 can also be used for land-based missions as well as a trainer aircraft.
The US aerospace major also highlights the fact that the aircraft is inter-operable with the Indian Navy’s Boeing P-81 reconnaissance aircraft. Boeing notes that the P8I is operated by three out of the four Quad countries (US, Australia and India). Two out of the four Quad countries also operate the F/18 aircraft (US and Australia).
Boeing further reiterates that the same family of engines powers the F/18 and the TEJAS. While the General Electric (GE) F-414 powers the F/18, the US$ 716 million contract to supply 99 GE F-404 engines to power the TEJAS MK-I A fighter aircraft was signed in August 2021. The MoD had earlier in February 2021 placed an order with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 83 TEJAS MK-1A jets worth Rs 48,000 crore.
Boeing further reiterates that over 800 Super Hornets and its variants have been delivered worldwide and the massive scale will enable competitive incorporation of newly developed technology. The US aerospace major’s ‘By India-For India’ sustainment program is also expected to ensure a higher availability of aircraft for operational deployment.
As for the other competitor, Rafale Marine, India has procured 36 Rafale aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the contract for which was signed in 2016. While the first aircraft was received in October 2019, all 36 were inducted by December 2022. Apart from France and India, Egypt, Qatar and Greece also operate the cutting-edge French fighter aircraft while the UAE signed a deal to acquire 80 Rafales in December 2021 and Indonesia signed a deal in February 2022 to acquire 42 Rafales.
The MRCBF options are slated to be an interim solution, before the Twin-Engined Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) project comes to fruition. The project was approved in 2020, with the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) expected to be completed by mid-2023. The aircraft will be powered by the GE F414 engines—the same engines that power the F/18s, and is expected to be inducted by 2031–32.3
Both Dassault and Boeing are also competing for the multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) program of the IAF, RFI for which was issued in 2018.
French Arms Exports To India
The Rafale is the latest in a series of fighter aircraft of French origin that have been operated by the IAF. French fighter aircraft in India’s inventory date back to 1953, when the IAF acquired the Ouragans (Toofani), becoming Dassault Aviation’s first export customer. Subsequently, the IAF also procured the Jaguars (beginning from 1978) and the Mirage 2000, from 1982 onwards. India currently has more than 100 Jaguars and more than 50 Mirage 2000s (single and dual-seat versions). The Mirages were upgraded with new radars, mission computers and electronic warfare (EW) suites (from Thales) in 2011.
Prior to the 2016 Rafale G2G deal, the 2005 Scorpene deal for six submarines was another major acquisition from France. The first submarine, INS Kalvari was launched in 2015 and commissioned in 2017 while the sixth INS Vagsheer, was launched in 2022. The Scorpene and the Rafale deals accounted for India being the second biggest purchaser of French arms during 2010–20, after Saudi Arabia. While Saudi Arabia imported over Euros 9 billion from France, India imported arms worth Euros 7.2 billion.4 Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia and India, made up the top five importers of French arms during 2010–20. Aircraft were the major category of French arms exports during 2010–20, accounting for a quarter of all its arms exports.
The Strengthened India–US Defence Relationship
Even as India’s arms imports from France registered a massive jump in 2010–20, and irrespective of India’s interim naval fighter choice, the India–US defence and strategic partnership has been significantly strengthened in recent times. India was designated as a Major Defence Partner in 2016. While US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to India from 1950 to 2021 amounted to US$ 13.2 billion, US$ 4.7 billion (or 28 per cent) were during the period 2017–21.6 The authorised value of US defence articles and services through Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) to India has been over US$ 18 billion in the period 2010–21.7
Some of the key equipment that have been procured include transport aircrafts (Lockheed Martin C-130J; 12 inducted), multi-mission helicopters (Boeing CH-47F I Chinook; 15 inducted), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (Boeing P8-I; 11 inducted; 1 more ordered), and attack helicopters (Boeing AH-64E Apache; 22 inducted in IAF; six more ordered for Indian Army in 2020), ASW helicopters (Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R; 24 helicopters worth US$ 2.6 bn to be inducted by 2025), heavy transport aircraft (Boeing C-17A Globemaster III; 11 inducted) and UAVs (General Atomics MQ-9 Sea Guardian; two leased).
India–US joint ventures like the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), established in 2016, has supplied over 150 Apache fuselages to Boeing’s global clientele. At the India–US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in April 2022, both sides also pledged to ‘promote the means to encourage reciprocal participation of Indian and US vendors in each other’s defence supply chains’.
Going Forward
If India opts for the Rafale Marine, as noted in this 9 December 2022 report, it will highlight the continued lack of success of US fighter aircraft manufacturers to become a part of India’s inventory, despite long-standing and robust efforts. It will also signify an increasing share of European manufacturers in the Indian military aerospace market. This is in the light of the 2016 Rs 60,000 crore Rafale deal and the 2022 Rs 22,000 crore deal for 56 C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus, 40 of which will be manufactured at Vadodara by Tata Advanced Defence Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space. While the C-295 is a replacement for the IAF’s HS-748 transport planes, it is also being seen as a possible replacement for the 100-odd AN-32s in the IAF fleet.
Even as the robust India–US defence and military partnership can be expected to absorb the near-term setback that could possibly flow out of India’s interim choice for naval fighter aircraft, US aircraft engine manufacturers like GE will continue to be an integral part of indigenous fighter aircraft programs like the TEJAS MK 1 and MK-2A.
Dr S. Samuel C. Rajiv is Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7

India can be among the countries that can have a role in diplomacy to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict even though New Delhi and Washington may not see eye to eye on policy issues, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

Dialogue and diplomacy

We do believe that countries like India may be in a position to help bring about dialogue and diplomacy that could one day put an end to this war. — Ned Price, State Dept Spokesman

Moscow views observations approvingly

• Moscow viewed the observations approvingly with its state media prominently running Price’s comments
• Turkey has been trying to become a self-appointed mediator
• It is unpalatable for both Moscow and New Delhi due to Ankara’s NATO ties
• India is better positioned to act as a mediator to end the war as it is not a bloc member

“We do believe that countries like India, countries that have a relationship with Russia and with Ukraine, may be in a position to help bring about dialogue and diplomacy that could one day put an end to this war,” Price said on Friday at a briefing for foreign correspondents.

Moscow also viewed the observations approvingly with its state media prominently running Price’s comments. Turkey has for long been trying to become a self-appointed mediator, but such a development is unpalatable for both Moscow and New Delhi due to Ankara’s NATO ties as well as involvement with Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

Speaking of the possible diplomatic role for India in helping end the Ukraine war, Price did not see it as a near-term possibility. “I put this in the conditional because there is one country that, of course, has demonstrated no willingness to put an end to this war, to end the brutal aggression, and that, of course, is Russia,” he said.en in the context of recent discussions, we took note of the Kremlin’s statement that it is willing to engage in dialogue but only if the new territorial realities are recognised. That is as clear a sign as any that Moscow has no genuine appetite to engage in dialogue and diplomacy that will lead to just and durable peace,” he said.

“We have been in regular, close contact with India regarding what we can do to hold Russia accountable and to impose additional costs on Russia for its war. We may not always share precisely the same policy approaches, but we both share a commitment to upholding a rules-based international order that respects territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he said while downplaying differences between the two countries.

India is better positioned to act as a mediator as it is not a bloc member. Last week in Austria, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dismissed suggestions that India was an ally of Russia. However, India is a member of several plurilateral groupings with Russia and the US. India is part of the SCO, RIC and BRICS, which also has Russia. It is a member of the Quad with the US, Australia and Japan as well as of I2U2, with the US, Israel and the UAE.

Islamabad, January 8

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and ex-information minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa along with some key generals played an active role in prime minister Imran Khan’s ouster last year.

Khan, 70, was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan. The US has denied the allegations.

In an interview to BBC’s HardTalk on Friday, Chaudhry also disagreed with host Stephen Sackur’s statement that the military establishment helped PTI assume power.

“It took 22 years for the PTI to come to power and I don’t think any military or any institution can support you for that long,” the Express Tribune newspaper reported, quoting excerpts from the interview.https://3084f7f0ec22b3ff41b3388d62c4f995.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

“We came into power, but yes, we were ousted by a conspiracy in which some of the army generals were involved and the establishment actually played a very active role in the ouster of Imran Khan,” the former minister said.

He alleged that “the last army chief was [also] actively involved in sending our government home and unfortunately this is what the fact is”.

Gen Bajwa, 61, retired on November 29 after serving two consecutive three-year terms as Pakistan’s Army chief.

Bajwa was appointed as the army chief in 2016 and his three-year term was extended in 2019 by the then-premier Khan, who has turned out to be a top critic of the Army. 

The powerful Army, which has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.

When asked about Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum’s comment that Khan asked the military to play an “unconstitutional role” during the vote of no-confidence, Chaudhry said the party’s view was “totally different”

“We never said that. We only said that let’s not let a stable government go like this,” he claimed.

“The previous army chief was not talking the truth when he said we asked [for their] help. We had only asked for their neutrality in the army,” he elaborated.

The PTI leader said his party is prepared to put their partisan differences aside to pull together for the benefit of the nation.

He noted that Pakistan was pushed into “political chaos” when Khan was “removed from the office unconstitutionally”.

“Now people are standing on one side and the present ruling elite, that we call the imported government, is standing on the other side and that’s the primary problem in Pakistan,” he said.

The PTI leader said the economic crisis was because of political uncertainty and that the “imported government has miserably failed to create certainty about their policies”.

“They have no plan, they have no economic plan, they have no administrative plan. The economy is going down. Terrorism is back in Pakistan,” he said.

When asked about Khan’s failure to present evidence regarding his “foreign conspiracy” claims, Chaudhry said the PTI presented the cypher and the party also wrote to President Arif Alvi for a judicial inquiry.

The BSF has deployed drone-mounted ground penetrating radars for the first time to detect underground tunnels used by terrorists to infiltrate from Pakistan into India through Jammu region, officials said on Sunday. – File photo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

The BSF has deployed drone-mounted ground penetrating radars for the first time to detect underground tunnels used by terrorists to infiltrate from Pakistan into India through Jammu region, officials said on Sunday.

The officials said the indigenous technical gadget had been pressed into action at the International Border (IB) along areas of Jammu as part of the below-the-earth tunnel detection exercise carried out by the force.

The aim is to ensure no terrorist intrudes. In the past, tunnels have also been used to smuggle narcotics, arms and ammunition.

The BSF has unearthed at least five tunnels in the about 192 km of the Jammu front (of the international border) in the last three years. According to official data, two such cross-border tunnels were detected in 2020 and 2021 each, while one was found last year and all of them were detected in Indreshwar Nagar sector of Jammu.

PUNJAB EXPRESS BUREAU Chandigarh, January 7 “If you wish to give up any[1]thing, give up ‘giving up’ That’s the message I wish to give everyone and that’s the reason, I run every day.” This was the key take away from the highly in[1]spiring address by Major D P Singh, the Kargil War Survivor and India’s first blade runner as he spoke as the chief guest at the in[1]augural ceremony of the new Academic Session of PGIMER, attended by key functionaries, heads of the departments and newly joined residents keeping in sync with COVID ap[1]propriate behaviour here at Bhargava Auditorium, PGIMER on Saturday. “Losing a part of the body does not lead to dis[1]ability. Losing the will to fight our odds, does. Odds are in the head and not in the heart. Celebrate odds and be the winner,” stated Major D P Singh while he narrated his journey from being declared Dead” in an Army Hospital in July 1999 during the Kargil war to 14 years hence, returning as India’s first Blade runner, showing the world how the invincible spirit in a true warrior can make a handi[1]cap into a handy- capable person. Motivating the newly inducted doctors in an ex[1]tremely impassioned tone, Major D P Singh delved deep into the essential qualities of being suc[1]cessful as he highlighted, “Always, remember three important letters ‘ASK’ to be successful in life, which stands for attitude, skill, and knowledge. He further shared that ‘attitude’ is the most important aspect in life and that if one focuses on their goals with the right attitude, the other two fac[1]tors will automatically fall into its place. The humility personified Major D P Singh gave a very valuable life lesson to the new resident doctors as he aptly concluded,”Failure is important in one’s life as it teaches one to absorb shock and learn to adapt to difficult situations. So, don’t be scared of failures, lead the change and not wait for others to begin.” Earlier, Prof Vivek Lal, Director PGIMER while welcoming the Chief Guest recounted the deeds of valour of the bravehe[1]art as he said, “Major D.P.Singh’s journey from soldier during the Kargil War to marathon runner who overcame all odds – even cheated death – is stuff for celluloid.” The Director PGIMER urged the residents “to emulate Major D P Singh’s example of exemplary cour[1]age, unwavering commit[1]ment and ‘never say die’ attitude in the face of even worst of the circumstances.

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, January 7

The Armed Forces Tribunal has ruled that there is no obligation on the part of the Army to keep an officer in service for any specified period even if he was, on his part, required to serve the organisation for the stipulated period after undergoing training at government expense.

A short service commission officer (SSCO) from the Army Aviation Corps, who underwent flying training after being commissioned, was required to serve up to 14 years, but was discharged after 10 years of service.

In his petition, he had contended that as per the policy in vogue, if he was not approved for grant of permanent commission on rendering 10 years of service, he could not be released before completing the mandatory 14 years’ service as SSCO. However, he was neither approved for permanent commission nor was his term extended by four years. He also challenged the proceedings of the selection board.

The Tribunal observed that though the policy makes it clear that the obligation imposed upon SSCOs who successfully complete flying training is that they are liable to work for a period of 14 years even if not granted permanent commission on completing 10 years’ service they cannot seek prior discharge or pre-mature release.

“It only imposes a liability on the officer who has completed the training. This cannot be construed or interpreted as consequential liability imposed by this policy on the Army also to keep an officer for a period of 14 years,” the Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Lt Gen PM Hariz, ruled.

The Bench said that if the officer’s interpretation is accepted, there would be a situation which would create administrative and other obligations as a person not found qualified or meritorious enough for grant of permanent commission or extension of service for various reasons will be required to continue with all the disqualifications, which would render him unsuitable to continue in service.

“This could never be the intention or the mandate of the policy and therefore there cannot be any policy which would mandate an organisation to keep in service an employee who is found unfit to discharge his duties,” the Bench ruled.

The interpretation that an officer cannot be discharged or released by the organisation before the completion of his obligatory service is wholly misconceived and cannot be accepted, the Bench added.

“On the contrary, the policy only contemplated that having undergone training, an officer cannot seek pre-mature discharge but once his case is referred to the selection board as per policy, the mandate of the policy is that he can be discharged having found to be unsuitable for grant of permanent commission or extension in service,” the Bench said.

The Tribunal also did not find any fault in the proceedings of No.5 Selection Board which had considered the petitioner’s case for grant of permanent commission or extension in service.

Our Correspondent

Chandigarh/Fazilka, January 7

In a major breakthrough against trans-border narcotic smuggling networks, Punjab Police in a joint operation with Central Agencies and Border Security Force (BSF) have arrested an Army personnel and his aide after recovering 29 packets of heroin, weighing 31.02kg, from their possession, said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The 26-years-old Army personnel, posted as sepoy in Pathankot, was arrested along with his aide Paramjeet Singh alias Pamma of Mahalam village in Fazilka. Apart from recovering heroin, the police have also recovered the Hyundai Verna car (UP 80 CD 0023) and two mobile phones from their possession. 

In a well-coordinated operation with Central Agencies and BSF, DGP Gaurav Yadav said, Fazilka Police led by SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu launched a cordon and search operation in the area of Sadar Fazilka. “On checking of the Verna car, one of the occupants showed an Army ID card, and when police insisted for checking the vehicle they managed to flee in the car,” he said, adding that the police teams immediately strengthened all the naka points and managed to trace them at Gaaganke-Shamsabad road Nakabandi.

He said that on checking the vehicle, the Police teams have recovered 29 packets of heroin from the car.

The DGP reiterated that Punjab Police is committed to root out drug menace from the state as per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

DIG Ferozepur range Ranjit Singh Dhillon said that during preliminary investigation it has come to fore that both the accused persons were escaping the border district after retrieving consignment of drugs pushed by Pakistan-based smugglers through border fencing with the help of a pipe. Further investigations are on, he said.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered under Sections 21-C, 23 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Sadar Fazilka.

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, January 7

A Sikh woman from Ontario has designed what she calls the first safety certified multisport helmet specifically for kids like hers wearing turbans.

When Tina Singh’s three boys started riding bikes, they needed helmets and it was a task for her to find one in the market to accommodate her sons’ turbans.

She said her kids have long hair, nothing fits them properly as they wear turbans, reports CBC Toronto.

She worked for over two years and made a helmet that was safe for her kids. She said it’s in production and certified for use with bicycles, inline skates, kick scooters and skateboarding for kids over five. “This is a big learning curve for me, it’s not something I’ve ever done before,” she said.View this post on Instagram

What makes her model unique is that it has a domed portion on top to accommodate a child’s hair, while still fitting the way a helmet should: two finger spaces above the eyebrow, creating a “v” shape around the ear and one finger space between the chinstrap and the ear, reports cbc.ca/news.

The helmet also received a passing grade from the international testing company SGS this December.

While Singh’s helmets are for children, the issue of whether to exempt turban-wearing Sikh motorcyclists from wearing helmets has made headlines in recent years.

In 2018, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government joined Alberta, BC, and Manitoba in allowing Sikhs to ride motorcycles without helmets after calls by Sikh motorcycling groups and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.

The previous provincial government, under Premier Kathleen Wynne, refused those calls, saying the move would pose a road safety risk

In a 2008 court case, a judge ruled against a human rights challenge to Ontario’s law after a Sikh motorcyclist refused to pay a fine for not wearing a helmet over his turban, saying it was against his religion to do so.

The exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2023’ involving the Indian Air Force and Japan Air Self Defence Force will be held at Japan’s Hyakuri air base

PTI

New Delhi, January 7

India and Japan will hold their first bilateral air exercise from January 12 to 26, in reflection of the growing defence ties amid increasing concerns over China’s military muscle flexing in the Indo-Pacific region.

The exercise ‘Veer Guardian-2023’ involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) will be held at Japan’s Hyakuri air base.

The IAF said on Saturday that its deployment at the exercise will include four Su-30 MKI jets, two C-17 aircraft and one IL-78 plane.

The JASDF will be participating with four F-2 and four F-15 aircraft, it said.

“To promote Air Defence cooperation between the countries, India and Japan are all set to hold the joint air exercise, ‘Veer Guardian-2023’,” the IAF said in a statement.

India and Japan agreed to step up bilateral defence cooperation and engage in more military exercises, including holding of the first joint fighter jet drills, during the second ‘2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial’ dialogue in Tokyo in September.

The IAF said the upcoming exercise will be another step in deepening strategic ties and closer defence cooperation between the two countries.

“The inaugural exercise will include the conduct of various aerial combat drills between the two air forces. They will undertake multi-domain air combat missions in a complex environment and will exchange best practices,” the IAF said.

It said experts from both sides will also hold discussions to share their expertise on varied operational aspects.

“Exercise ‘Veer Guardian’ will fortify the long standing bond of friendship and enhance the avenues of defence cooperation between the two air forces,” it said.