Defence
Defence
Transport Aircraft for IAF to be made in India by Airbus Defence & TATA consortium
Vadodra; 27th October 2022: In a major boost to ‘Make in India’ and domestic aviation manufacturing, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a transport aircraft manufacturing project for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Vadodara, Gujarat on October 30, 2022. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel are among those who will attend the function. It may be recalled that the Cabinet Committee on Security had, on September 08, 2021, approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. On September 24, 2021, Ministry of Defence signed a contract with M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A. for acquisition of the aircraft with associated equipment. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on October 27, 2022, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar said, as part of the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition and 40 will be manufactured in India by the Indian Aircraft Contractor, TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) led by TASL. This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well. Delivery schedule The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. The first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026. Aircraft capability C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF. It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features. The aircraft will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the IAF. Aatmanirbharta The project offers a unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter into technology intensive and highly competitive aviation industry. It will augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and expected increase in exports. Also, 96% of the total man hour work per aircraft that Airbus employs at its manufacturing facility at Spain will be undertaken in India by the TATA Consortium. Manufacturing of over 13,400 Detail Parts, 4,600 sub-assemblies and all the seven Major Component Assemblies will be undertaken in India, along with tools, jigs and testers. Various systems such as engines, landing gear, avionics, EW suite etc. will be provided by Airbus Defence & Space and integrated on the aircraft by the TATA Consortium. The aircraft will be tested as an integrated system by the TATA Consortium. The aircraft will be flight tested and delivered through a Delivery Centre at the TATA Consortium facility. All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite of Indian DPSUs – Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited. After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, M/s Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India. Employment Generation The TATA Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states. This will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country and is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector of India. Nearly 240 engineers will be trained at Airbus facility in Spain.
Defence
Indian Navy & DFI to promote indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of drones for naval platforms
New Delhi, October 26, 2022: The Technology Development & Acceleration Cell of the Naval Innovation Indigenisation Organisation (“NIIO”) under the Indian Navy and Drone Federation of India (“DFI”) have come together to collaboratively work towards promoting indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of drone, counter-drone, and associated technologies for the Indian Navy. As a part of this collaboration, TDAC and DFI will increase the Navy-Industry-Academia synergy, source technology development challenges towards component indigenisation. A special maritime drone testing site shall also be earmarked for the Indian drone industry to facilitate faster development and testing of drones especially in maritime environments thus enabling development for a host of applications. Additionally, programs on sensitisation and skill development shall also be undertaken as a part of this collaboration. “TDAC has been working towards accelerating the development of indigenous technologies to be utilised by the Indian Navy. Our collaboration with the Drone Federation of India will help us in developing a deeper industry connection as well as help us create a stronger roadmap for induction of drone platforms in the Indian Navy in a time-bound manner.” said Cmde A P Golaya, VSM, OiC TDAC, Indian Navy. “It is a proud moment for the Indian drone industry to have established a partnership with the Indian Navy to build and test superior drone platforms. The maritime testing site being developed under this initiative will accelerate the development of versatile and reliable drone platforms for advanced maritime use cases like maritime patrol, drone landings on moving ships, ship to ship deliveries, ship to shore deliveries, etc.” said Smit Shah, President, Drone Federation of India.
Defence, Top Stories
‘Path to Pride’: biggest-ever DefExpo, exclusively for Indian companies, opens in Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar, 18th October 2022: India’s biggest-ever defence exhibition ‘DefExpo 2022’ opens up in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The 12th edition of the event has been organised on the theme ‘Path to Pride’ from October 18-22, 2022. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will grace the inaugural ceremony on October 19.Addressing the curtain raiser press conference in Gandhinagar on October 17, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh said, DefExpo 2022 will showcase the growing prowess of the domestic defence industry, which is one of the major drivers of the nation’s resolve to achieve ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ as envisioned by the Prime Minister. The biennial exhibition has been organised to support, showcase and forge partnerships for the Indian aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors with Indian as well as global customers to achieve the overall objective of catering to domestic requirements while fulfilling the needs of friendly foreign countries. Shri Rajnath Singh termed DefExpo 2022, exclusively for Indian companies, as a humble tribute of an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, who was the pillar of the Swadeshi movement. “DefExpo 2022 during ‘Amrit Kaal’ reflects India’s resolve to be among the leading nations in the defence & aerospace sectors in the next 25 years. Under the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the defence sector has made giant strides on ‘Path to Pride‘ with passion and dedication to achieve the goal of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. We are swiftly moving towards becoming the pioneers in design, development and manufacturing at a global level. We are witnessing a transformational journey from being the largest defence importer to a net exporter. This DefExpo will further accelerate the pace of this journey,” he added. The Raksha Mantri described ‘Path to Pride’ as not just a theme of DefExpo 2022, but a ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision of a ‘New India’. He called it a continuous process in which all the stakeholders – public and private sectors, MSMEs, academia, start-ups and Research & Development establishments – work together with the aim to provide innovative ideas and state-of-the-art products to the world. Record registration Organised in the largest-ever total area of over one lakh sqm (previous edition being 76,000 sqm) and with record registration of 1,340 companies, DefExpo 2022 is set to be the biggest defence exhibition till date. For the first time, the event has been organised in a four-venue format. The inaugural ceremony and seminars will be held at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre; Exhibition at Helipad Exhibition Centre; Live demonstrations at Sabarmati River Front and ship visits for public at Porbandar. The first three days (October 18 to 20) will be business days, while the last two days (October 21 & 22) have been reserved for public. DefExpo for Indian companies DefExpo 2022 will be the first-ever edition exclusively for Indian companies. Indian companies, Indian subsidiaries of Foreign OEMs, Division of company registered in India, Exhibitor having Joint Venture with an Indian company will be considered as Indian participants. The DefExpo 2022 will also mark the celebration of one year of the formation of the seven new defence companies, carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board. All these companies will participate in DefExpo for the first time. 451 partnerships in terms of MoUs, Transfer of Technology agreements and product launches, almost double than the last edition, are expected during the Bandhan ceremony on October 20. The India Pavilion – a marque pavilion of Department of Defence Production – will showcase the maturity of indigenous defence products, start-ups and latest technology, including Artificial Intelligence in defence, while presenting India’s vision for 2047. In addition, there will be an exclusive Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) Pavilion to showcase the prowess of the country’s start-ups carrying out R&D and innovation in futuristic technologies. For the first time, States/Union Territories (UTs) have been invited to set up pavilions at the event. The Raksha Mantri emphasised that with this new initiative, States/UTs will get an opportunity to participate in nation building by attracting investment and bolstering their potential of indigenous aerospace & defence manufacturing. International participation Seventy five (75) countries will be participating in DefExpo 2022. The Raksha Mantri will host the second India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) on October 18, while the Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) conclave will take place on October 19. More than 53 African countries have been invited for IADD and 44 for IOR+ conclave. Several Defence Ministers from Africa and the IOR+ region have confirmed their participation. “IADD and IOR+ Conclave will be two very important events for promoting peace, security, prosperity & defence cooperation throughout the region and establishing new defence and industrial partnerships,” Shri Rajnath Singh said. Major attractions Live demonstrations showcasing the equipment and skill set of the Armed Forces, DPSUs and Industry will be held on all five days at Sabarmati River Front through active participation and synchronised efforts at all levels. The demonstrations include Sarang Acrobatic display, search & rescue, combat free fall and paratrooper activities. Ship visits have been organised for public by Indian Navy and Indian Coast at Porbandar. Another highlight of the event will be the biggest-ever drone-show by IIT Delhi start-up M/s Botlabs, which is an iDEX winner. Around 1,600 drones will light up the sky during the show on October 19, which will be a public event. For the first time, ‘Invest for Defence’, the first ever marquee event of Ministry of Defence, targeted to promote investment in the defence sector in the country both by the Indian industry as well Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers, will be held. It will be inaugurated by the Raksha Mantri on October 20. Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the event will be an important platform for eminent industrialists as they can contribute to the Government’s efforts towards development of the defence industrial ecosystem in the country and become a part of the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ resolve. He added that the event will promote the
Defence, Top Stories
Defence Secretary conducts bilateral meetings ahead of DefExpo 2022
GandhiNagar, 17th October 2022: Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar conducted a series of bilateral meetings with visiting dignitaries from friendly foreign countries prior to DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He held a bilateral meeting with Mr Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, State Minister for Defence, Sri Lanka. They discussed a host of ongoing and future defence cooperation issues. The Defence Secretary also met Mr Devendre Gopaul, Permanent Secretary, Mauritius. A number of key bilateral, defence and maritime security issues were deliberated during the meeting. Another bilateral meeting with the United Arab Emirates delegation led by Mr Matar Salem Ali Marran Aldhaheri, Defence Secretary, UAE was held. They reviewed the existing defence cooperation mechanisms and explored the possibilities of furthering defence industrial cooperation between India and UAE. Dr Ajay Kumar later met a Brazilian delegation led by Rear Admiral Vagner Belarmino De Oliveira, Director, Department of Defence Products. They discussed areas of potential defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The delegations are in Gandhinagar to participate in DefExpo 2022 which will be held between October 18-22, 2022.
Defence
BEL to showcase its capabilities at Defexpo 2022
Bengaluru, October 16, 2022: At Defexpo 2022 to be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, BEL will showcase state-of-the-art products and systems spanning every domain of its business.The products and systems to be on display during Defexpo 2022 have been clustered as ‘Air Defence & Surveillance’, ‘C4I Systems’, ‘Artificial Intelligence-based Products’, ‘Non-Defence & Diversification Products’, ‘Radar Systems’, ‘Communication Systems’, ‘Airborne Products & Systems’, ‘Homeland Security and Cyber Security’, ‘Futuristic Technologies’, ‘Missile Systems’, ‘EO & Laser-based Products’, ‘Outdoor Display Products’ and Indian pavilion. In addition, BEL will also showcase its R&D capabilities by launching/demonstrating some of its new products / technologies. BEL’s display in the area of ’Air Defence & Surveillance” will include Hexacopter, Tethered UAV, Robotic Surveillance and D4 Anti-drone Systems. The display in the area of ’C4I Systems will include C4I technologies, Combat Management Systems and Navigational Consoles. Also on show will be the complete range of products and systems for ‘Non-Defence & Diversification’. BEL will showcase its ‘Radar Systems’ including Battle Field Short Range Active Electronically Scanned Array (BFSR-AESA) Radar, Air Defence Fire Control Radar, Mountain Fire Control Radar, Weapon Locating Radar, etc. BEL’s display in the area of ‘Communication Systems’ will include High Capacity Radio Relay, Manpack High Frequency Software Defined Radio (SDR), Point to Multi Point Radio, SDR Hand Held Naval version, and a whole lot of other products. Other ‘Futuristic Technologies’ on display include Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast System, Position Indicator – G3I, Hand-Held Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, Extended C-Band Block Up-Converter, Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (15 types within one enclosure), etc. The highlight of BEL’s outdoor display will be Hexacopter, Tethered UAV, Swarm of UAVs, Robotic Surveillance Platform, HLS CIBMS, BFSR AESA, FMCW based DDR, Hydrogen Based scooter and Ultra Light Weight Enclosure with Platform. The entire set of state-of-art equipment on offer will be a force multiplier for any Defence force and civilian requirements.
Defence
IAI to Showcase Integrated Air-Defense and Ground-Combat Solutions at DefExpo 2022
Delhi, 10th Oct 2022: IAI INDIA PVT LTD, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., will showcase its advanced technologies, industry-leading air-defense systems and ground-combat solutions at DefExpo 2022, which will be taking place in Gujarat on 18th-22nd October. IAI INDIA PVT LTDis leading a strategic transformation to provide fast direct access to IAI’s superior solutionsin full support of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision of a self-reliant country. Boaz Levy, IAI President and CEO: “IAI is proud and excited to be exhibiting at this year’s DefExpo, emphasizing our commitment to the local Indian defense ecosystem. We have been innovating and delivering state-of-the-art technologies thathave expanded our partnerships and collaborationwith India’s industry-leading companiesin both the public and private sectors. For the last three decades, we have been jointly developing tailor-made, cutting-edge solutions to meet India’s unique challenges. As a trusted partner in India, IAI’s elite technological solutions are deployed throughout the Indian defense forces. As we celebrate thirty years of friendship with India, we are re-pledging our commitment to India’s self-reliance campaign and seek opportunities to further advance the ‘Make in India’ vision. We look forward to meeting our friends and partners while exhibiting our cutting-edge technologies to the Indian, Asian, and global markets during this prestigious defense exhibition.” IAI INDIA PVT LTDwill be showcasing a wide array of aerial systems, including its Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) strategic Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Heron TP, and its most advanced UAS to date, the Heron MK II. In addition, IAI will exhibit its unique Vertical Take-Off and Landing capabilities with the WanderB VTOL, developed by IAI’sBlueBird Aero Systems subsidiary, alongside IAI’s advanced tactical loitering-munition designed for both ground and naval units, the Mini Harpy. IAI’s long-range artillery weapons systems, the LORAprecision strike surface-to-surface missile, will also show IAI’s strike capabilities. IAI’s Zibar family of all-terrain tactical utility vehicles will be shown alongside IAI’s cutting-edge future armored fighting vehicle – the Carmel. IAI will also exhibit its TERRA radar and M19 and MOSPsensor payloads, among other advanced systems. IAI is excited to highlight its technologies and deep-rooted partnerships with India’s defense ecosystem.
Defence, Recent News
Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retd) appointed as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
New Delhi,28th Sept.2022: The Government has appointed Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who shall also function as Secretary to Government of India, Department of Military Affairs with effect from the date of his assumption of charge and until further orders. In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan had held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-East India. Born on 18th May 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. In the rank of Maj General, the officer had commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramula sector in the Northern Command. Later as Lt General, he commanded a corps in the North East and subsequently went to become the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command from September 2019 and held the charge until his retirement from the service in May 2021. In addition to these command appointments, the officer also tenanted important staff appointments including the charge of Director General of Military Operations. Earlier, the officer had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola. The officer superannuated from the Indian Army on 31 May 2021. Even after his retirement from the Army, he continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters. For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
Defence
Indian Navy’s P8i aircraft Participates in Exercise Kakadu
New Delhi, 28th Sept 2022: A P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the Indian Navy participated in the Multinational Maritime Exercise Kakadu 2022 hosted by Royal Australian Navy in Darwin from 12 to 25 Sep 22, along with INS Satpura. The exercise had the participation of 34 aircraft from over 20 nations. The maiden participation of the P8I provided an enhanced exposure to the aircrew, augmenting the understanding of the varied nuances of collaborative Anti-Submarine and Anti-Surface Warfare operations in a complex multi-threat scenario. The seamless operations conducted by P8I in consonance with the exercise theme ‘Partnership, Leadership, Friendship’ along with USN and RAAF P8s enabled refining joint SOPs and enhance interoperability and reaffirm Indian Navy’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.