Defence

1st Nov 2023, Delhi: The Indian Navy’s Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft bid farewell after 46 years of glorious service to the nation. The decommissioning ceremony was held on 31 Oct 23 at INS Hansa, Dabolim. The Chief of the Naval Staff, dignitaries, and veteran officers and sailors of the IL-38 squadron graced the event with families, reminiscing about the yeoman service. INAS 315 was commissioned on 01 Oct 1977 with the induction of IL-38 aircraft heralding a modern era of airborne Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare in the Navy. With its unique capabilities, striking prowess and extended reach covering the vast Indian Ocean region, the IL-38 SD has over the years proven itself to be a formidable force multiplier. The mighty ‘Winged Stallion” that adorns the squadron crest has been living up to the squadron motto of ‘Victory is my Profession’, keeping a sharp vigil over and beneath the seas, in its relentless pursuit to secure nation’s maritime boundaries. The dedicated men and women manning and maintaining these mighty aircraft ensured persistent mission readiness and efficient exploitation of the aircraft and mission systems. In her last legs, the aircraft enabled ‘Aatmanirbhar’ capability enhancement by successfully integrating indigenous Sahayak Air Droppable Containers (which provide critical logistics support to units deployed at sea) and a trial platform for torpedoes. The aircraft was also featured in the 2023 Republic Day Flypast at New Delhi. “While flying will come to an end, two of these aircraft will remain stationed permanently at the National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lothal, Gujarat and at Nipani in Karnataka – inspiring the future generations”. Speaking on the occasion Adm R Hari Kumar CNS conveyed his felicitations “to ‘Team 315’-the present and the past; to your predecessors, guides and mentors- and not to forget, to those who are not amongst us today”. Appreciating the strength, focus, energy, and the hardwork of the crew which overcame the numerous constraints,so that the stallions could dominate the skies the CNS stated “And yet, you prevailed; the aircraft performed; the squadron peaked; and the Navy pivoted to an era of normalising sustained LRMR operations across our primary areas of interest”. The De-induction ceremony of IL-38 SD marks the end of a glorious era that heralded path-breaking capabilities in Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare operations. The operational role of IL-38 SD in a constantly evolving and dynamic IOR as ‘Eyes in the Sky’ and its contribution during various mission-critical deployments would remain forever etched in the history of Indian Naval Aviation.

Paris, 12th Oct. 2023: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Safran Engine Division’s R&D Centre at Gennevilliers near Paris, France during the second and final leg of his two-nation tour. During his visit to the Centre, he witnessed the latest developments in aero-engine technology. Olivier Andries, Global CEO Safran welcomed the Def Min to the facility and, along with his team, gave a detailed briefing to him. Safran expressed interest in being a part of the Indian growth story by working with its counterparts on mutually agreed joint projects. He also met with the CEOs of the top French defence companies with a focus on their plans for collaboration with India. Eric Trappier, CEO Dassault, Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO Naval Group, Guillaume Faury, CEO Airbus and Olivier Andries, CEO Safran Group were present during the interaction. Rajnath Singh highlighted the advantages of co-development and co-production in India, including possibilities of exports to third countries. He underlined the inherent advantages of Indian market such as a large, skilled HR base, world class infrastructure and a strong legal architecture. Later in the day, The Def Min also holded the 5th Annual Defence Dialogue with the French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu. The Def Min reached Paris late on October 10 and interacted with the Indian community. While addressing the sizeable Indian community at the India House, he highlighted the various achievements of India in the defence sector such as increased defence exports, increasing indigenous production of defence equipment, concerted efforts on co-development and co-production in India and an enhanced outreach in the region. The Raksha Mantri spoke about the tremendous progress achieved in India in the last nine years, an assessment which was heartily supported by the Indian community.

New Delhi, 4th Oct 2023: Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt said that the LCA Tejas symbolizes India’s journey towards self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing. This programme has been a shining example of commitment to reduce country’s dependency on foreign aircrafts, and it serves as a beacon of hope for a self-reliant India. He was speaking at the handing over ceremony of LCA Tejas Twin Seater to the Indian Air Force in Banglore on 04 October, 2023. RRM further said that the LCA Tejas program has been an inspiring saga of relentless dedication and innovation. The inception of the LCA Tejas aircraft was rooted in the dream of equipping our Indian Air Force with a world-class indigenous fighter aircraft. It was a dream that many believed was too ambitious at the beginning of the programme, but the men and women at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO Labs, CEMILAC, DGAQA, PSUs, IAF and countless other institutions and individuals who contributed to this programme proved that nothing is impossible when the country’s interest comes first and all institutions come together for completion of this important cause. Underlinig the significance of LCA Tejas program , RRM said that the country gained the much-required knowledge of building a cutting-edge fighter aircraft and also developed & nurtured aerospace ecosystem. The development of LCA Tejas has spurred the growth of a robust defence and aerospace industry in India. It has created opportunities for countless small and medium-sized enterprises, research institutions, and skilled workers who have contributed to various aspects of this project. The HAL’s first Series Production twin seater of LCA Tejas is decked with state-of-the-art technology, agility, and versatility, It will provide suitable training to the Pilots of IAF. The IAF has already placed an order for 83 LCAs with HAL. The Chief of Air staff, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari , CMD, HAL Shri. Ananthakrishnanji, Director General of ADA Dr Girish S Deodhare , Chief Executive of CEMILAC Shri APVS Prasad , Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) – Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit were present on the occasion.

New Delhi, 25th Sept. 2023: Bharat Drone Shakti 2023, a first-of-its-kind drone exhibition cum display was inaugurated by RM Rajnath Singh at Air Force Station, Hindan in Ghaziabad. It has been jointly organised by Indian Air Force (IAF) and Drone Federation of India (DFI). The two-day event, which is being held on September 25 & 26, 2023, features over 75 drone start-ups from across the country. The drones featured during the event can be employed for a variety of military and civil applications. By showcasing their capabilities through a series of aerial & statics demonstrations, the IAF and DFI seek to bolster the Government’s initiative to make India a major drone hub by 2030. The inauguration of Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 was followed by the formal induction of the first C-295 MW transport aircraft into the IAF. The ceremony consisted of a ‘Sarv Dharm Puja’ and a brief on the capabilities of the aircraft. This medium lift tactical aircraft, which is capable of taking off and landing from unprepared landing grounds, will replace the HS-748 Avro aircraft. The RM exuded confidence that the induction of C-295 will bolster medium lift tactical capability of the IAF. He termed the defence and aerospace sectors as the two important pillars for making India self-reliant in the coming years. While the first 16 of the 56 contracted aircraft will be delivered to the IAF in a ‘fly-away’ condition, the remaining 40 would be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited at their facility in Vadodara. The first IAF squadron to be equipped with the aircraft, 11 Squadron (The Rhinos), is also based at Vadodara. During the event, the RM  & the dignitaries were also briefed on the latest in-house innovations of the IAF at an exhibition which featured projects such as a Hybrid Drone Detection System, Al Engine for fault diagnosis, a Fly-By-Wire Tester, Stabilized Power Supply Trolleys, QR Code based Tool Crib management system and also modern teaching aids. Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Road, Transport & Highways General (Dr) VK Singh (Retd), Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, senior officers of the three services, Defence Attaches & officials from friendly foreign countries as well as representatives of the Indian industry attended the event.

Bengaluru, 1st Sept.,2023:Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s leading aerospace and defence company, have inked an MoU for co-operation in addressing India’s requirements in the domain of Short Range Air Defence Systems. The MoU was signed by K V Suresh Kumar, Director (Marketing), BEL, and Avi Elisha, VP and General Manager, Missile Systems Division, IAI, in the presence of Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, CMD, BEL, in Bengaluru. The partnership marks yet another significant step towards cementing the synergy between the two companies which have a long history of association. BEL and IAI are engaged in several joint development / production / product support programmes for the Indian Defence forces. The MoU aims at leveraging IAI and BEL’s capabilities, and is in sync with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ policies of the Government of India.Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, CMD, BEL, said: “BEL considers IAI, Israel, as a key strategic partner. This MoU is envisaged to boost the co-operation between the two companies in the field of Short Range Air Defence Systems. It will empower the Indian industry to make significant contributions towards equipping our forces with state-of-the-art Short Range Air Defence Systems.” Boaz Levy, IAI’s President and CEO, said,“BEL and IAI have a successful partnership in the field of Air Defence in India. Together, we are providing the Indian Armed Forces with high-end Air Defence capabilities that meet their high-end operational requirements on one hand and ‘Make in India’ requirements on the other. Hence,it is only natural that we expand this cooperation to the Short Range Air Defence domain.”

Dhaka, 28th August 2023: India and Bangladesh held the fifth Annual Defence Dialogue on 28 August 2023 in Dhaka. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, who is on a two day visit to Bangladesh on 27-28 August 2023, co-chaired the meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division. The Annual Defence Dialogue between India and Bangladesh is the highest institutionalized interactive mechanism between both the countries. In the dialogue, both the countries highlighted its significance in chartering the future course of the relations between the two Armed Forces. During the meeting, the ongoing defence cooperation activities between the two countries were reviewed and both sides expressed satisfaction at the increasing defence cooperation engagements. The talks covered the existing bilateral exercises and both sides agreed to increase the complexity of these exercises. Giridhar Aramane and Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman acknowledged the fruitful dialogue and stressed that both countries look forward to continued engagement based on the common understanding reached at the fifth Annual Defence Dialogue. The Armed Forces of both countries continue to seek bilateral cooperation in multiple fields and the increased engagements are a positive sign for the future of the relations of both countries.

New Delhi, 29.08.2023: Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Kenya Aden Bare Duale arrived in New Delhi on August 28, 2023 on a three-day visit to India. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh hold talks with his Kenyan counterpart on 29th August. The visiting dignitary is expected to visit Indian shipyards and defence industries in Goa and Bengaluru during his stay. This is the maiden visit of Cabinet Secretary Duale to India and the highest level stand-alone political visit from Kenya since the new government assumed office in September 2022. The visit is indicative of the importance India attaches to its relations with African nations and the growing cooperation between India and Kenya, in particular. It is expected to open new avenues for further strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.