Well before the government came out with enhanced FDI policy of 49 percent limit for multinational companies in defence sector, some of the leading Indian private defence players had formed alliances with the foreign partners to take part in India’s US$ 4 billion artillery modernization program. The foreign partners would have preferred to directly sell their guns to India, but considering the new offset laws under which there is compulsion to source 30 to 50… Read More »Private industry in defence

Military transport aircraft are vital workhorses for modern armies but everything about the acquisition of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft by India through the US Foreign Military Supplies route was tinged with hurry. The Indian Air Force selected the aircraft in June 2009. In February 2011 the IAF and Boeing agreed to terms for the sale of ten aircraft with option to buy six more later. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the… Read More »Transport aircraft

The process for the finalization of the contract for the acquisition of 126 combat aircraft under the MMRCA (Medium, Multirole Combat Aircraft) tender by sealing the deal with Dassault Aviation whose Rafale fighter had emerged a winner by overtaking the five other rivals seems to be acquiring “some speed” . As it is, for more than two years now, the finalization of the deal has been affected from one uncertainty to another over the issues… Read More »Kaveri engine

The extraordinary combat duty performed by the American Predators and the Reapers in the Af-Pak arena have fascinated the Indian armed forces, who therefore have projected to the MoD combat role and requirements for them in the future. The three services have conveyed to the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence the requirement of unmanned combat aerial vehicle and its future employment strategy on the borders. Though the Indian DRDO inspired by the Predators… Read More »UCAVs in battlefield

Camouflage is a mind game that makes you believe that you are not seeing something that is there before your eyes. The modern-day stealth technology is an exercise in visual deception that has evolved considerably since the first hunter found a way to get close enough to his prey to hurl his spear to be able to ensure that he and his cave mates will have dinner on the table. Camouflage techniques have played a… Read More »Modern camouflage

The choppers are proving to be handy in the battlefield to perform a wide range of missions from supplying logistics to carrying out combat missions even in most difficult terrain without a proper air strip or complete runway as the heli-borne platforms are fast becoming a necessity than casual machine. Since the helicopters can land and take off virtually from any location, commanders are placing increasing demand for such multi utility and attack choppers which… Read More »Combat helicopters

As for the strategist the question would be: Can India hit China where it hurts? The answer to that would be a confident ‘Yes’. With a range of ”more than” 5,000 km, India has the measure of most of China with its intermediate range ballistic missile the Agni-V and does not, per se, need an inter-continental ballistic missile to ensure deterrence vis-a-vis the Chinese. The only reason why India would need an ICBM to deal… Read More »Missile system

In the context of an extremely disturbing security environment posing a serious threat to the territorial integrity of the country especially from countries possessing nuclear strike capability, the need for India to develop and put in place a robust and versatile missile capability for a “deep and massive” strike has become all the more pronounced. In particular, the possibility of India being forced to fight a war on more than one front, highlights the need… Read More »ICBM capability

India and Russia are all set to develop a new generation fighter plane which is known as PAK-FA, a fifth generation aircraft based on T-50 prototype model that can challenge even most advanced fighters in the world, perhaps, performing better in some segments than the F-22 Raptor. Russia and India are jointly developing two versions of the combat aircraft – a two-seater version to meet the requirements of India’s air superiority policy of Indian Air… Read More »FGFA project

The air-to-air missile is the final act in an air dominance/air superiority pageant in modern warfare. Almost simultaneously with the very successful joint venture project with the Russians of the Brahmos cruise missile that fulfils the wish list of all the three Indian military Services, Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratories are working to bring to fruition another joint venture with Russia for a long range air-to-air missile generically described as an ‘AWACS killer’. An… Read More »Missile war