Construction of Air Defence Ship

(Source: Indian Press Information Bureau; issued May 11, 2005)

The Government has approved the indigenous construction of an Air Defence Ship of approximately 37,500 metric tones displacement at Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Kochi for the Indian Navy in January 2003 at an estimated cost of Rs. 2880 crores.

The concept design defining the overall ship dimensions, evolution of hull form, general arrangement drawings, structure, stability, weight and space analysis and hydro-dynamic model tests have been completed. The contracts for outsourcing activities related to Propulsion System Integration and Detailed Engineering and Documentation have been signed. The contract for procurement of steel from SAIL has also been signed.

The construction of the aircraft carrier is likely to be completed by 2011 – 2012. India would be one of the few countries in the world who have the capability to manufacture an aircraft carrier. There is a requirement of three aircraft carriers so that two aircraft carriers are operationally available at all times. Presently, only one aircraft carrier INS Virat is in operation with the Navy.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee in separate written replies to Shri Janardhana Poojary, Smt N P Durga, Shri Rama Muni Reddy Sirigireddy and Shri V Narayanasamy in Rajya Sabha today.


Orders for LCA by Air Force

No orders have been placed for procurement of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas for the Air Force since the project is in development phase. Air Force has, however, indicated their interest in procuring 20 LCAs in the initial operation clearance configuration.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee in a written reply to Shri Pramod Mahajan in Rajya Sabha today.


Expertise to Conduct Rescue Operations for Submarine Crew

Out of its existing fleet of submarines, India has limited rescue capability wherein eight personnel at a time can be rescued from a distressed submarine. India and the United States (US) have agreed for utilizing the US Navy’s Global Submarine Rescue Flyaway Kit to facilitate rescue of crew members from disabled submarine. A total amount of US$ 734,443 has been paid to USA for initial certification of submarines and to cater for minor structural modifications.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee in a written reply to Shri Janardhana Poojary in Rajya Sabha today.

-ends-

New Delhi, May 12, IRNA
India-Missile
India Thursday test fired its most sophisticated surface-to-surface medium range missile, 'Prithvi' from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from Balasore in Orissa, defense officials told Press Trust of India.

Scientists of India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and army personnel, who conducted the test, described it as a user's trial.

Mounted on a mobile tatra transporter erector launcher, the indigenously developed missile with a range of 150 to 250 km was fired at 1304 IST (Indian Standard Time), the sources said.

'Prithvi, 'Agni', and other smaller missiles like 'Nag' are parts of an Integrated Missile Development Program launched in the time of the late prime minister Indira Gandhi.

India test fired 'Pinaka', the multi barrel rocket system last month.

Indian Navy is also set to induct the latest Indo-Russian scramjet based 'BrahMos' missile.

http://globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/india/2005/india-050512-irna01.htm

New Delhi, May 12 -- For the first time, India today said it was in a position to export missiles, reports Press Trust of India. "India is in a position to export certain categories of missiles," Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in a written reply in Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the Indian parliament.

However, he said it may not be in national interest to disclose details of queries for missiles from countries.

Mukherjee's comments come in the wake of reports that a number of countries had evinced interest in missile purchase from India.

The Government has earlier made it clear that it will not violate the provisions of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Several countries have evinced keen interest in the ship-to-ship version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, having a range of 300 km.

The missile, an Indo-Russian joint venture has passed trials.

Under the country's Integrated Missile Program, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) produces the short range surface-to-surface 'Prithvi' missile with a range of 150 to 250 kms, Agni I with a range of 700 kms, and Agni II with an intermediate range of upto 2,500 kms.

DRDO is also producing surface-to-air and ship-to-ship missiles.

http://globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/india/2005/india-050512-irna02.htm

May 14, 2005: Can India ever fight a war against fellow nuke armed neighbor and rival Pakistan without provoking a nuclear holocaust? The Indian Army (IA) thinks it has an answer to this question. Until now the India's doctrine for war against Pakistan consisted of combat divisions advancing across the Rajasthan desert border into Pakistan, eventually cutting off Pakistan's population centers in the north from the only port and economic lifeline of Karachi.

After both countries went nuclear in 1998, the Indian Army war plans went unchanged. This began to change after the 2002 Indian army build up in response to an attack on India's parliament by Pakistani terrorists. Dubbed operation Parakram (valor), the 2002 operation resulted in some lessons learned for the IA. They include:

Slow deployment: Virtually every single field formation of the IA was moved to the border with Pakistan, many traveling over 1500 kilometers or more. Many key formations took over 20 days to mobilize, giving Pakistan had a chance to prepare itself.

Forward Logistics improvement: While the army's capital equipment purchases were stalled during the 1990s, the numerous exercises it conducted paid off in terms of conducting a smooth forward deployment. This showed that both Pakistan and the US underestimated the mobility of Indian strike formations

No surprise: IA has 13 Corps. Of these three are classified as strike corps while the rest are "holding" (defensive) corps. During Parakram, whenever strike corps elements were moved, it was easily tracked and the element of surprise was lost as to where a potential Indian offensive might come from.

Scalability issues: The old IA doctrine envisaged an all or nothing approach to war with Pakistan. There was no scope for a scaled response to provocations.

Political weakness: Because of the lengthy mobilization duration, there was enough time for the international community, led by America, to exert pressure on Indian political leadership to call off the dogs.

The Emperor has no clothes: The 2002 crisis showed for the first time the enormity of the military imbalance between India and Pakistan. Pakistani generals have always figured that they had a period of "conventional pause" in the event of an Indian attack. This refers to a time window where they believed they can hold the lines while they could implore the international community to intervene. Even Pakistani military analysts noted that this option was essentially nonexistent in 2002.

These factors and other led to the evolution of the new IA doctrine, unofficially dubbed "Cold Start." This doctrine forsakes an all out drive to dismember Pakistan in favor of short high-intensity thrusts and withdrawals that result in a visible blow to the enemy while not causing him to fear for his existence. This is to be achieved using Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) comprising the Air Force, Special Forces and the Navy (if necessary). The key to success here is the ability to strike quickly and pull back before the enemy can realize what happened.

This sounds good on paper, but can the Indian Army implement Cold Start today? It appears that the IA has years to go and many internal issues to sort out before this becomes a realistic option. For example, Cold Start revolves around IBGs which bring up the question of Joint Operations with the Air Force and potentially the Navy. Given the Cold Start is an Army doctrine, it will take a lot of bureaucratic turf fighting to make it happen with the other services. There is also the question of equipment. A key component of Cold Start is the need for massive and directed firepower. The Indian Army's artillery modernization program is however stuck in the mire of political scandals and appears headed nowhere.

On the positive side, in the last few years, the IA has made strides in its Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) as well as Electronic Warfare by purchasing many, less expensive, Indian made systems. There have been some advancements in terms of putting India's space technology to army use. The IA also recently created a new operational "Southwestern command" which conveniently sits across the border from Pakistan's most vulnerable area and is headquartered in Jaipur, 262 kilometers southwest of New Delhi. The IA's two recent exercises Divya Astra (in 2004) and Vajra Shakti (last week) allowed it to put its theories on firepower use and joint operations into practice. The IA has also gone all out to equip its Special Forces with the most modern gear and is expanding those units as well.

At the end of the day, with Cold Start , the IA has clearly seized the initiative from its Pakistani counterpart. Given the unpredictability built into the doctrine, the Pakistan army may now be forced to stretch its available resources into a forward deployed stance where they are less useful for offensive actions. It also gives the Indian political leadership to construct calibrated responses to Pakistani provocations in terms of terrorist attacks on Indian soil. Any international intervention would be faced with an Indian fait-accompli and would therefore turn to pressuring Pakistan not to use nukes.

The Indian army has made its move. Now it's time for Pakistan. -- Kaushik Kapisthalam

quote:

Any international intervention would be faced with an Indian fait-accompli and would therefore turn to pressuring Pakistan not to use nukes.

Basically, this is what it all comes down to...and it seems pretty thin to me.

If I were in Indian, I'd pray for peace. Muslims have proven time and again that they are not afraid to die for Allah...and taking a billion Hindus with them is just icing on the cake.

One Year of UPA Government: Major Decisions and Initiatives - Defence

(Source: India Press Information Bureau; issued May 15, 2005)

The UPA Government completes one year on May 21, 2005. During this period, the Government has taken several important initiatives. Some of these are being brought out in the series ‘Major Decisions and Initiatives’.


--Confidence Building Measures
The Government decided to reduce troops in Jammu & Kashmir as a confidence building measure following improvement in the overall security situation in the State.
Opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Bus service and the joint declaration by India and Pakistan during the recent visit of Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf where some other steps were also initiated in this direction.


--Department Of Ex-Servicemen Welfare Created
As per the commitment made in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP), a new Department for welfare of ex-servicemen has been created in the Ministry of Defence with a view to give more attention to the problems of ex-servicemen.


--Increase in Defence Allocation
Keeping in view the increased need for modernisation of armed forces, the allocation for Ministry of Defence in the Budget Estimates 2005-06 was increased to an all time high of Rs. 83,000 crore. The allocation for Capital expenditure is Rs. 34,375.14 crore.
The proposed capital outlay for 2005-06 also includes Rs.1,364 crore for married accommodation project. The capital outlay for Research & Development has also been considerably increased from Rs 1,657.78 crore to Rs 2,541.86 crore. The Budget allocation for the financial year 2005-06 provides for Rs 7,166 crore for new acquisitions for the Armed Forces.
This is substantially higher than the allocation for the last financial year, which was only Rs.1000 crore.


--AV Singh Committee Report
The government has issued orders to implement the phase 1 of the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee recommendations involving the restructuring of the officers’ cadre, reduction in qualifying service for promotion in non-select ranks and a package of peel off measures to mitigate stagnation.
This will help in achieving optimum combat effectiveness by bringing down the age profile of battalion / brigade commanders and to make the three services more effective in fulfilling individual career aspirations of the officers.


--AERO INDIA 2005
The Fifth International Aerospace Exhibition, ‘Aero India 2005’ was held at Bangalore in February 2005. The significant feature of Aero India 2005 was the increase in the Indian participation from 74 companies to about 140 companies this time. Besides, Indian exhibitors, exhibitors from 30 countries including USA, Russia, UK, France, Israel, Italy, Germany, Poland, participated in the show.
More than 350 leading companies showcased their aircraft and aerospace products/equipment through air display, static display and exhibition, attracting a large turn out of professionals and businessmen across the world. This biennial exposition has gained the status of a major Aerospace event in this part of the world.


--Relief Operations
A massive relief and rescue operation was carried out jointly by Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard for Tsunami affected people. A number of aircraft, helicopters and sea vessels were pressed into service. Tonnes of relief material including food, clothing, medicines, tentage and drinking water was airlifted to the affected areas. The rescue and relief operations of this magnitude were never carried out by the Armed Forces in the past.
The Navy extended help to the Tsunami affected people of Maldives, Indonesia and Sri Lanka also. The Army and Air Force also carried out a massive relief and rescue operations during the heavy snow avalanche in J&K during the last winter.


--GoM On One-Rank One Pension Issue
As per its commitment made in NCMP, the Government has constituted a Group of Ministers to go into the issue of one rank - one pension scheme for retired servicemen.


--Induction of Sukhoi Aircraft
The first indigenously built Sukhoi MK-I was inducted into the Air Force in March. 2005. The aircraft assembled at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Ozhar near Nashik rolled out in November 2004. It was the first of the 140 aircraft proposed to be built in India under Russian license.
SU-30 aircraft is a twin engine, twin seater, multi-role fighter that can simultaneously be operated as an intercepter, bomber and trainer. It is capable of attaining a maximum speed of two Mach with a maximum climb rate of 270 metres per second.


--Arjun Battle Tanks Inducted
The first batch of five indigenously-manufactured Main Battle Tanks Arjun rolled out of the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi, Tamil Nadu on August 7, 2004. The superior armour defeating capability of the indigenously developed Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot ammunition and 120 mm calibre rifled gun give MBT Arjun an edge over contemporary world tanks.
A computer-controlled integrated fire control system incorporating day-***-night stabilised sighting system guarantees a very high first round hit probability and reduced reaction time to bring effective fire on targets. All round protection from anti-tank ammunition is achieved by the newly developed Kanchan armour to a degree much higher than available in present generation tanks.
The Arjun will be the main stay of the Indian Army.


--Air Defence Ship Project
The construction of the country’s first aircraft carrier known as Air Defence Ship formally started with the steel cutting ceremony at Kochi Shipyard on April 11, 2005. This is developed jointly by DRDO and SAIL. It has the speed of more than 28 knots, is 252 mtr long, displacing over 37,500 tons water, capable of operating a formidable array of 20 modern fighter aircraft and 10 helicopters of different types.
The ship is expected to enter service in 2012.


--Creation of Army New Command
The Indian Army announced the creation of its new command known as South Western Command with its Headquarters at Jaipur, which formally came into being on April 18, 2005. Lt. Gen K Nagraj became its first GOC-in-C.


--Brahmos
Brahmos, a Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile, developed by Defence Research Development Organisation was successfully flight tested for the tenth time on April 15, 2005. The highlight of this test carried out in combat mode with a number of naval vessels participating, was that Brahmos with its warhead fired from a naval ship impacted on the target ship accurately, destroying it completely.


--Agni – II
The third flight test of Agni-II Missile was carried out successfully on August 29, 2004. The launch of Agni-II from its rail mobile launcher met all the mission objectives including achieving the high accuracy in guiding the payload to the designated target at 1,200 km range.


--Prithvi – III
Prithvi-III, a modified version of surface-to-surface missile was successfully test fired on October 27, 2004 from Interim Test Range, Balasore. It has a range of 300 km. The launch achieved perfect trajectory, as per design projections. The test achieved all operational parameters to the required perfection.


--IAF Records Lowest Accident Rate
The Indian Air Force (IAF) recorded the lowest accident rate last year as compared to other Air Forces of the world during the last 35 years. The accident record was .075 per every 10,000 hours of flying.


--IAF Helicopter Sets New World Record
An IAF Cheetal Helicopter set a new world record on November 2, 2004 by landing at a Density Altitude of 25,150 ft at Saserkangri near Leh.


--First Woman Air Marshal
Signifying the increasing role of women in the Air Force, Padmavathy Bandopadhyay became the first lady Air Marshal in the history of the Indian Air Force in October 2004.


--Coast Guard Base at Jakhau
A new Coast Guard station at Jakhau (Gujarat) was commissioned on February 22, 2005. This station will provide the much needed assistance to Indian fishermen operating in the vicinity of maritime boundary with Pakistan. Two Hovercrafts have been based at Jakhau for operation in shallow water and creeks. The station is also capable of providing turn-around facility for Interceptor Boats of the Indian Coast Guard while on patrol in the area. On similar lines, nine more operational stations are on the anvil for activation shortly in a planned manner. These are Beypore, Pondicherry, Pipavav, Karwar, Vadinar, Ratnagiri, Kakinada, Gopalpur and Kamorta.


--Joint Exercises
With a view to enhance the international image of Indian Air Force and its increased role as a force multiplier, the Air Force carried out Joint Exercises with the Air Forces of South Africa and Singapore. It also participated in the multi-lateral exercise COPE THUNDER in Alaska in USA. A joint aerobatic display with the French Air Force was also held at Hindon airbase. The 10-day long joint Indo-UK Command Post Planning Exercise Emerald Mercury was held in March 2005 in Hyderabad. About 58 Indian and 48 British military officers took part in this exercise which was the first of its kind between the two countries. This was essentially an exercise in planning an UN mandated joint indo-UK task force to be deployed for peace support operations to provide humanitarian relief in a strife torn country.


--International Cooperation
India and Russia have reaffirmed their willingness to further strengthen their existing military and strategic partnership. This was decided in the fourth meeting of the Indo – Russian Inter Governmental Commission (IRIGC) on Military Technical Cooperation which concluded in New Delhi on December 2, 2004 with the signing of a protocol of IRIGC by the Defence Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, and the Russian Defence Minister, Mr Sergei Ivanov.
It has also been decided to give further boost to military-to-military cooperation between both the countries by organising more joint exercises.
Both the countries have also decided to expedite the discussion on the proposals of joint development of a fifth generation aircraft; development of a multi-role transport aircraft and to increase the authorised capital of Joint Venture of Brahmos Aerospace.
It has also been decided to explore the possibilities of providing maintenance, service and overhauling facilities for equipment of Russian origin, in India and nearby countries.


--Kelkar Committee Report
The Kelkar Committee set up by the Government to examine and recommend changes in the acquisition procedures and enabling a greater participation of private sector in defence production submitted the first part of its report on April 5, 2005 to the Defence Minister. The Committee was headed by Dr. Vijay L Kelkar. The thrust of Part I of the Report of the Committee is “Towards strengthening self-reliance in Defence Preparedness”.
This Report takes into account increased capabilities of Indian Industry and growing globalisation of the Defence industry. The Committee has adopted a long-term approach to prepare a policy regime that would encourage India’s best firms to enter into the field of defence production.
To promote innovation, efficiency and cost cutting, the Committee has adopted a strategic perspective in formulating proposals towards acquisition policy reforms.

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, May 17, IRNA
India-Missile
India would test-fire its 3,000 kms longest range Surface to Surface missile Agni III by the year end and has started induction of the short and intermediate range Agni I and Agni II versions in the newly raised strategic command, country's top defence scientist Dr M. Natrajan today told Press Trust of India.

"Development of Agni III missile is on schedule and it would fly by the year end," Natrajan said in a presentation made at the Defence Research and Development Organization Technology Day awards function here in the presence of the country's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

His remarks assume significance as DRDO has put off tests of the wholly solid Agni III Missiles twice. Former Defence Minister George Fernandes had announced that the missile, which can give India the capability of developing intercontinental range ballistic missile, would be test fired in 2003 year end.

The missile was later scheduled to be tested in mid-2004, but the trials were put off with defence scientists saying some snags had been noticed in propulsion systems and that these were being rectified.

The country's scientific adviser on defence also announced "nine successful test firings have been undertaken of the Surface to Air Akash missile and fourth generation fire and forget Nag anti-tank missiles," he said declaring that Nag was now ready for user trials.

However, DRDO officials did not throw light on the recent claims by country's top Missile scientist Dr Prahlada of the organization developing a hypersonic missile development capability.

http://globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/india/2005/india-050517-irna02.htm

One Year of UPA Government: Major Policy Initiatives and Decisions - Ministry of Space

(Source: Indian Press Information Bureau; issued May 19, 2005)

Major Policy Initiatives and Decisions: Bullet Points

--Indian Remote Sensing Satellite CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT successfully launched by PSLV –C6 from Sriharikota.

--A state-of-the-art Second Launch Pad (SLP) established at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota.

--First educational satellite ‘EDUSAT’ launched in September 2004 by indigenous Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

--The airdrop test of the instrumented Space-capsule Recovery Equipment (SRE) successfully conducted on August 2004 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC).

--The first cluster of three satellite based Village Resource Centres (VRC) inaugurated and would provide information related to land records, natural resources, interactive farmers’ advisory etc.

--A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the French Space agency, CNES, for the development and launch of an atmospheric satelliteMegh-Tropiques

--A project to design and launch a satellite, ASTROSAT approved.

--The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) with the participation of Indian Industry, successfully developed Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) to be deployed in various parts of the country.

India, Pakistan Consider Ending Conflict on World's Highest Battlefield

India and Pakistan start high-level peace talks Thursday aimed at resolving a two-decade military standoff on a glacier high in the Himalayan Mountains.

India and Pakistan have been fighting over the uninhabited Siachen Glacier for more than 20 years.

At six-thousand meters above sea level, the glacier is considered the world's highest battleground.

Military experts say the isolated expanse has little or no strategic value. More soldiers have reportedly died there from the freezing temperatures and altitude sickness than from enemy fire.

Similar talks held last year failed to effect any meaningful change. Retired Pakistani General Talat Masood says that neither side trusted the other then to honor an agreement.

But he says there is a good chance this week's talks in Islamabad could end the conflict.

"I think they realize the folly of staying at such heights, and they are willing to come down."

The two countries reiterated their positions before starting the negotiations. Pakistan wants both sides to pull their troops off the glacier. India says its army will stay in place, but would agree to avoid aggressive maneuvers and freeze troop levels.

Mr. Masood says the conflict on the glacier has become a symbolic test of wills for the two armies. The countries together spend an estimated 500-million dollars a year trying to protect their claim to the disputed territory.

But Indo-Pakistani relations have improved recently following a series of so-called confidence building measures.

A tentative cease-fire agreement in divided Kashmir signed in 2003 has largely held firm. In April, the two governments opened a new bus route linking the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir.

Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, who recently traveled to New Delhi to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, says he believes the peace process is now irreversible.

Mr. Masood says an agreement on the Siachen Glacier would be a major breakthrough, helping erase decades of accumulated mistrust between the two sides.

"I think once this confrontation is reduced or eliminated, it will definitely help the overall peace process. I am certain about that."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/pakistan...-050525-3c7db746.htm

NAVAL AVIATION: India’s Carrier Force



May 26, 2005: India’s carrier force is one of only six in service (the others being the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Russia). This is a powerful force that has served since 1961, when India purchased an incomplete British Glory-class light carrier.

This became the Vikrant, which displaced 15,700 tons, and the first air wing she had in 1961 consisted of Hawker Seahawks and Alize anti-submarine aircraft. The Hawker Sea Hawk was a solid subsonic fighter and attack plane with four 20mm cannon and a top speed of 964 kilometers per hour. It could carry 2000 pounds of bombs and rockets, and had a range of 772 kilometers.

Vikrant served in the 1965 and 1971 wars, earning a solid record of combat performance. Vikrant was the prime target of the Pakistani Navy in those wars. In 1982, she was converted into a carrier for India’s Sea Harriers, which gave India a proven system that could operate on this carrier (the United Kingdom had used the Sea Harrier on the slightly smaller Invincible-class carriers to win the Falkands War). In the end, Vikrant carried six Sea Harriers and nine Sea Kings. She was retired in 1997.

India’s need for a replacement led to another discussion with the United Kingdom, which was retiring the light carrier Hermes. At 23,000 tons, she was turned over to India in 1986 after serving in the 1982 Falklands War. Viraat carries 30 Sea Harriers and six Sea Kings, and is still in service despite the fact she was laid down during World War II. She will soon be retired as India’s new generation of carriers come on line.

The Indians had been considered a potential means of resurrecting the Russian Yak-141 Freestyle VSTOL fighter. This is a faster plane than the Harrier (top speed of 1800 kilometers per hour to the Harrier’s 1176 kilometers per hour – almost 50 percent faster), and a comparable combat radius (690 kilometers to the Sea Harrier’s 750). However, something better was available due to the fall of the Soviet Union. The Russian navy was rapidly downsized, and this left the carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" on the market. After over a decade of negotiations that began in 1994, India finalized the deal in 2004.

When modified, the Admiral Gorshkov will reportedly be named INS Vikramaditya, and her air group will not be the Yak-38 Forgers used on her near-sisters Kiev, Minsk, and Novorossik. Instead, she will bring India back to the age of operating fixed-wing aircraft, using the MiG-29K. The 38,000-ton carrier will be modified with a ski-jump bow to enable these planes to take off. The MiG-29K has six hardpoints for a wide variety of weapons, including the AA-12/R-77 Adder and the AA-11/R-73 Archer air-to-air missiles. It has a top speed of 2,500 kilometers an hour and a combat radius of 1250 kilometers for an air-to-air mission (almost twice the range of the Harrier or Freestyle).

In addition to air-to-air systems, it can also carry anti-ship missiles and a variety of ordnance for use on ground targets. The Vikramaditya will also carry ten Helix helicopters, a mix of airborne early-warning and anti-submarine helicopters.

India’s also taking another step in enhancing her naval aviation capability by building what is called an Air Defense Ship, the keel of which was laid down earlier this year. This ship is slightly smaller than the Vikramaditya, displacing 33,000 tons. Like the Vikramaditya, she will carry a mix of MiG-29Ks and helicopters, although there is a chance that India’s LCA will also serve aboard this ship.

India’s naval aviation has become one of the better naval air arms in the world, having fought in two wars. It also has quantity. This is a carrier air arm that will be a force to be reckoned with in any fights. – Harold C. Hutchison (hchutch@ix.netcom.com)

http://www.strategypage.com//fyeo/howtomakewar/default.asp?target=HTNAVAI.HTM

Mexico is not a possiblity and India and China hate each other far far more than they hate the United States.

Karwar, India (SPX) Jun 07, 2005
The SiteDefense Minister Pranab Mukherjee opened the first phase of India's giant western naval base INS Kadamba in Karwar, Karnataka state, on May 31, saying it would protect the country's Arabian Sea maritime routes. Kadamba will become India's third operational naval base after Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.
Also taking part in the commissioning were six frontline Indian naval ships, including frigates and destroyers. They were detached from the flotilla of 12 vessels that are presently taking part in routine exercises in the Arabian Sea.

The Kadamba base is being built in the southern state as part of India's ambitious RUP 350 billion (USD $8.13 billion) "Project Seabird," which will include the naval base plus an air force station, a naval armament depot, and missile silos when it is completed in the next five years. Mr. Mukherjee admitted that the project had to overcome many impediments since it was sanctioned by the government in 1985 (it was originally slated for completion in 1995).

Sandwiched between the craggy hills of the Western Ghats in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west, Karwar is an excellent naval location. Encompassing over 11,200 acres of land along a 26-km stretch of sea front, Kadamba is the first base to be exclusively controlled by India's Navy.

It will enable the Navy to decongest Mumbai and manoeuvre its fleet without worrying about the movement of merchant vessels, and it will be the first base/port in India to have a shiplift facility. The depth and width of the base's approach channel means that all of India's naval platforms will be able to sail into its harbour.

Commodore K.P. Ramachandran, INS Kadamba's first Commanding Officer (CO) said that 11 ships could be berthed at Kadamba once the first phase of construction was complete, with the figure going up to 22 after the second phase of construction was completed around 2007.

The Kiev-class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov is also scheduled to berth in Kadamba with its MiG-29K wing after it is refurbished, renamed the Vikramaaditya, and handed over to the Indian Navy around 2008.

The harbour is designed to ultimately berth 42 ships when finally complete, including submarines if need be.

At commissioning INS Kadamba has a strength of 50 officers and 250 sailors, a number that will go up as facilities are upgraded. The base will initially be under the command of the Commanding Officer, INS Kadamba, but will in the near future be headed by a Flag Officer Commanding (Karwar), who in turn will be tasked by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.

According to defense experts, the naval base at Karwar will play a major role in securing the seas not only for India but also for countries like Japan, which rely heavily on shipping for imports and exports through maritime routes in the Arabian Sea.

In Pakistan, meanwhile, the new deep-water port of Gwadar is in use by Pakistan as well as China, which also relies heavily on shipping for imports and exports through maritime routes in the Arabian Sea.

(Sorry, no link, I found this in another site's forum)

India's defense minister says increased links with Central Asia could play a crucial role in India's economy and security in the years ahead. Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a foreign-policy gathering in Washington that Pakistan is the key to expanding trade in the region and that relations between the neighbors, while improving, remained complicated. He spoke ahead of meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Washington, 28 June 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee says one of India's main strategic challenges is restoring traditional trade and cultural ties with Central Asia.

Mukherjee said in a speech last night in Washington that the region poses security concerns to India. He described it as a battleground between extremism and moderation in Islam, with fundamentalist groups trying to destabilize secular governments in the region.

The defense minister said India -- a huge democracy with the world's second-largest Muslim population -- could have a moderating influence on Central Asia.

"By nature, India is not inclined to export ideologies, even ideologies it believes in and follows. India would rather promote democracy in the region by precept and example. Freer traffic between India and Central Asia would be a factor in favor of moderation and democracy there," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee spoke to a gathering of foreign policy experts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an independent policy institute. His speech touched on India's strategic goals, including lessening its energy dependence on foreign sources, but Pakistan figured as the key issue. The two countries continue to have sharp differences over the divided territory of Kashmir. On the positive side, they continue to observe the November 2003 cease-fire agreement, and people-to-people exchanges have recently intensified.

Mukherjee also said Indian surveillance shows a reduction in infiltration by Pakistani militants across the border into Indian-controlled Kashmir. But he said it is too early to say the peace process is entrenched.

"The infrastructure for terrorism in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled territory remains. We do not hear of operations like the ones being conducted by Pakistan, in cooperation with the U.S., against the war on terrorism at its western frontiers, towards its eastern borders with India," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee, who has held high-level government development posts, said there will only be a vested interest in peace in India and Pakistan when the countries resume bilateral trade and transit.

He said India is also eager to expand ties to Afghanistan, which it has given hundreds of millions of dollars in reconstruction aid since the fall of the Taliban regime. "India could do much more, if normal relations and trade and transit through Pakistan could flourish," Mukherjee said. "We are concerned about signs of the resurgence of the Taliban, and the growth in drug cultivation in, and trafficking from, Afghanistan."

The defense minister spoke before the start of two days of meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The U.S. and Indian militaries have considerably expanded cooperation since the 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. They have engaged in numerous joint military exercises. The United States is also involved in discussions about the possible sale of weapons systems to India.

Rumsfeld yesterday described the military relationship as "excellent." "We have advanced continuously in the relationship in terms of meetings and exercises and various other aspects of it, and I feel very good about it and very positive about it," he added.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns held high-level talks in India last week that focused on building a strategic partnership in areas such as civilian nuclear energy, advanced weaponry, and missile defense.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to visit Washington on 18 July to discuss the issues further with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. http://www.rferl.org

I really wish pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war because it would have been killing two birds with one stone and plus it would have destroyed afganistan and that **** hole is filled with nothing but drugs and terroists so I say ****ing kill those sons a *****es

quote:

Originally posted by AirRifles:
I really wish pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war because it would have been killing two birds with one stone and plus it would have destroyed afganistan and that **** hole is filled with nothing but drugs and terroists so I say ****ing kill those sons a *****es

We should encourage these *******s to kill each other it would really save us a lot of TROUBLE

quote:

Originally posted by AirRifles:
I really wish pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war because it would have been killing two birds with one stone and plus it would have destroyed afganistan and that **** hole is filled with nothing but drugs and terroists so I say ****ing kill those sons a *****es

Talk about kick ***

US-Indian agreement on nuclear energy cooperation hailed by UN atomic watchdog

July 2005 – The United Nations agency entrusted with preventing the spread of nuclear weapons today welcomed an agreement between the United States and India to embark on full civil nuclear energy cooperation and to work to enhance nuclear non-proliferation and security.

"Out of the box thinking and active participation by all members of the international community are important if we are to advance nuclear arms control, non-proliferation, safety and security, and tackle new threats such as illicit trafficking in sensitive nuclear technology and the risks of nuclear terrorism," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei said in a statement.

Mr. ElBaradei said India's intention to identify and place all its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards and sign and adhere to an Additional Protocol allowing enhanced inspection of civilian nuclear facilities is a welcome development.

"I have always advocated concrete and practical steps towards the universal application of IAEA safeguards," he added, urging all countries using nuclear energy to apply the highest safety standards possible.

"Making advanced civil nuclear technology available to all countries will contribute to the enhancement of nuclear safety and security," he said.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/un/un-050720-unnews02.htm

looks like they are planning to buy F-18s?



Boeing in talks with India to supply F-18s

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0507230097ju...oll=chi-business-hed
http://today.reuters.com/business/NewsArticle.aspx?type...BOEINGFIGHTER-DC.XML

Those that cannot access the Tribune link w/o a subscription...

quote:

Boeing shows fighter to India

Tribune staff, wire reports
Published July 23, 2005


Boeing Co. has joined the race to supply fighter jets to the Indian Air Force, a senior company official said Friday, weeks after the U.S. and India signed a strategic defense pact. Responding to a request from the Indian government, Chicago-based Boeing presented its latest multipurpose jet, the F/A-18 Super Hornet, to defense officials in India this week. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to provide India with a premier aircraft that will help guarantee the security of India and its people," said Chris Chadwick, Boeing vice president for F/A-18 programs. The Indian Air Force has said it will buy 126 new jet fighters to modernize its fleet. Lockheed Martin Corp. and French aircraft-maker Dassault Aviation are also in the race.

India will not compromise on strategic needs of the country

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, July 29, IRNA
India-Security
Rejecting Opposition criticism and allaying fears by Left party allies on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that his Government will never compromise on the country's fundamental and strategic needs, reports Press Trust of India.

Making a statement in Parliament on his recent official visit to the US, Singh brushed aside opposition apprehensions on the joint statement issued in Washington after his talks with American President George W. Bush.

"There is nothing in this joint statement that amounts to limiting or inhibiting our strategic nuclear weapons programme over which we will retain unrestricted, complete and autonomous control," he stressed.

Observing that the basis for the understanding was a clear recognition that India is a responsible nuclear power, he made it clear that Government will not allow any fissile material shortages or any other material limitations on the country's strategic programmes in order to meet current or future requirements.

"I would like to make it clear that our commitments would be conditional upon, and reciprocal to, the US fulfilling its side of this understanding," he said.

The Prime Minister who made identical statements in both the Upper House and Lower House of the Indian Parliament said the joint statement referred to "our identifying, and separating civilian and military nuclear facilities in a phased manner and taking a decision to place voluntarily civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards".

Asserting that India will never accept discrimination, he said "reciprocity" was key to the implementation of all the steps enumerated in the joint statement. Contending that India expected a close co-relation between the actions to be taken by it and US, Singh said "Indian actions will be contigent at every stage on actions taken by the other said (the US).

"Before voluntarily placing our civilian facilities under IAEA safeguard, we will ensure that all restrictions on India have been lifted. Our autonomy of decision-making will not be circumscribed in any manner", he asserted.

"Our strategic policies and assets are a source of national security and will continue to be so", he said and assured the House that the government "will not allow any fissile material shortages or any other material limitations on our strategic programmes in order to meet current or future requirements."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/india/20...ia-050729-irna01.htm