Soldier On
The Defence Ministry has reportedly given the final clearance for the much awaited M777 howitzer guns deal. The deal for the purchase of 145 US Ultra-Light Howitzers from BAE Systems will cost around Rs 5,000 crore subject to clearance from the Finance Ministry and Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). That the deal is the first … Read more
As part of the ongoing Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise, ‘Yudh Abhyas 2016’ is set to be conducted in Uttarakhand from September 14 to 27, a military official said on Monday. The exercise in Chaubattia was being conducted by the headquarter Central Command. “It is a series of one of the longest-running … Read more
The Indian Army is set to have back-to-back war games with the US and Russia, signifying yet another evidence of its acceptability as a partner to international military powers. While the two-week mock drill with the US Army, named Exercise Yudh Abhyas, is set to commence at Chaubatia military station in Ranikhet on September 14, … Read more
India and Russia are back at the table to discuss advancing their defence co-operation. The two countries are trying to breathe life into some of the stalled defence projects like joint development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and Kamov Ka-226T light utility helicopters at the two-day 16th India-Russia Military Technical Cooperation Working Group (MTC-WG) meeting. … Read more
The Indian Army is attempting to develop an indigenous software for what is called a simulated command post exercises (CPX), on the likes of the US Army. Sources at the Army headquarters said that the computer-driven CPX involving the participation by command, staff, and communication personnel will be a high point of the upcoming India-US … Read more
The US is likely to make a positive decision on India’s request for state-of-the-art unarmed Guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean. The move comes after India was designated a major defence partner of the US in June. Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack … Read more
On Wednesday, wrapping up his three-day visit to the US, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar flew from Washington to Philadelphia to visit Boeing’s rotorcraft facility, where India’s Chinook helicopters will be built, starting next year. Business Standard visited the Philadelphia unit ahead of that visit. Parrikar was taken to a former locomotive manufacturing plant, which Boeing … Read more
Few purchases are more demonstrative of the changing nature of US-India ties than the deal that will result in the gradual makeover of the Indian military’s helicopter fleet from a largely Russian line-up to a mostly American one. From choppy to chipper could well be the title of this saga, as India’s defense minister Manohar … Read more
The United States and India signed an agreement on Monday governing the use of each other’s land, air and naval bases for repair and resupply, a step toward building defense ties as they seek to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China. The signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), which has been … Read more
Any residual doubts about the intensity of the strategic engagement between India and the United States should dissipate with the meeting next week in Washington DC between the American Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and his Indian counterpart Manohar Parikkar, their third pow-wow in nine months. The meeting will be book-ended by the US-India Strategic and … Read more
Ships and aircraft of the US and India will soon be able to use other bases for refueling, refurbishment and replenishment. A long-pending agreement for this is set to be signed when Defence Ministry Manohar Parrikar visits USA on August 29 “The draft agreement has been accepted by both sides,” said a senior Defence Ministry … Read more
Lockheed Martin (LM) plans to manufacture ‘F-16’ fighter jets in India. The American defence major has confirmed that it recently offered to move its lone production line of the latest version of F-16, named ‘Block-70’, to India from Texas. Speaking at a media conference in New Delhi, Head (F-16 Business Development) of LM Randall L … Read more
The Indian Navy has initiated the first steps towards acquiring the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for carriers as well as the long-range Predator B Guardian surveillance drone by sending Letters of Request (LoRs) to the Pentagon under government-to-government deals. According to defence magazine India Strategic the LoRs, requesting price and availability for 22 Guardians … Read more
Indian Navy warship INS Satpura is at the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as part of world’s largest multilateral naval exercise (Ex) RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) involving 27 nations. This is only the second time that Indian Navy is physically present in the biennial exercise held in Western Pacific Ocean that … Read more
The concept of warfare has been undergoing perpetual transformation since the end of the Cold War. Connectivity in a borderless world brimming with transnational challenges has precipitated changes occurring at a breathtaking pace. In twenty first century, maritime domain has emerged as the principal arena of contest and cooperation between states. In strategic defence documents … Read more
What is Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) ? Established in April, 1987 . It is a voluntary association with 34 countries (Now 35 including India) & 4 ‘unilateral adherents’ that follows its rules : Israel, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia. The group aims to slow the missile & unmanned technology delivery that could be used for Chemical, … Read more
With The Coveted MTCR Membership In The Bag: PM Modi Scoops Billions In Investment Washington: The visit also yielded a bonanza of big-ticket investments from Amazon and Star. The two countries finalised a deal that allows their militaries to help each other with crucial supplies, and Washington formally recognized India as a ‘major defence partner’. … Read more
The Exercise Red Flag ‘battle‘ has begun in the Joint Pacific Range Complex over Alaska. Some of Indian Air Force’s best fighter pilots are squaring off with pilots from the US Air Force and other top guns from Japan, South Korea and Germany to test their capabilities in a dynamic warfare environment. Led by Group … Read more
India and US agreed “in principal” to a logistics exchange agreement to enable both militaries to use each others assets and bases for repair and repleshment of supplies. Here are 10 things you should know about this agreement. 1. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)– LEMOA is a tweaked version of Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) … Read more