Broadsword

Antony gets a week to eat crow!

2012-02-03T12:43:00.002+05:30

Just back from the Supreme Court. In 40 minutes of riveting legal drama in a courtroom packed to the rafters, Mr Justice Lodha and Mr Justice Gokhale demonstrated why India's higher judiciary is such a powerful force in this country.Unmoved by a forceful performance from the government's legal stars --- Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati and Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman, who argued in

Supreme Court to hear Army Chief’s petition today: A look at the possible outcomes

2012-02-03T08:06:00.007+05:30

A quick look ahead at the action in the Supreme Court this morning. The fighters... their cornermen... and the possible outcomes todayBy Ajai ShuklaNew DelhiVijay Kumar Singh vs Union of India: Writ petition No. 126/2012Filed by the army chief, General VK Singh, the writ petitions that his date of birth be recognised as 10th May 1951, in consonance with the records of the army’s Adjutant General’

Cassidian signals it could contest the MMRCA decision

2012-02-01T12:22:00.004+05:30

It seems the MMRCA contract was just too big, and the investment made by Eurofighter GmbH just too large, for them to go down without a fight. It seems clear from the statement (posted below) issued last evening by Cassidian, the defence & aerospace arm of EADS, that they will question the IAF calculations that conclude that Rafale's was the cheaper bid. Read between the lines...India's Decision

Indian Air Force may get 126 Rafale fighter planes

2012-02-01T07:04:00.004+05:30

While final negotiations between Dassault and the MoD are still to take place, it appears that the size of mega deal could be above Rs 75,000 croreby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 1st Feb 12The Rafale fighter aircraft built by France’s Dassault Aviation has emerged the lowest bidder in the contest to sell the Indian Air Force (IAF) 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft. According to sources in

RAFALE WINS MMRCA CONTRACT...

2012-01-31T17:15:00.004+05:30

SOURCES IN THE MoD INDICATE THAT RAFALE HAS WON THE MMRCA CONTRACT. THE FRENCH FIGHTER HAS EMERGED SOME $5 MILLION PER AIRCRAFT CHEAPER THAN THE EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

INS Tarangini gets a sister sailship: the INS Sudarshini

2012-01-27T20:35:00.010+05:30

The INS Sudarshini, the navy's second training sailship for cadets, awakens memories... of the time I spent on the INS Tarangini in 2004 during its trip around the globe. Posted are 3 photos of that trip on the Tarangini (above). Three photos of the Sudarshini are pasted below thoseThe Indian Navy's press release on the commissioning of INS Sudarshini is pasted below:INS SUDARSHINI JOINS SOUTHERN

US Air Force strongly backs the F-35

2012-01-25T18:46:00.003+05:30

(Photo courtesy global-military.com)With the F-35 under fire over time and cost overruns, the USAF has come out strongly behind the fighter, praising it as "multi-role capable, able to fight air-to-air and air-to-ground."Detractors of the F-35, posting on Broadsword, have consistently --- and erroneously --- termed it solely a ground strike aircraft, with limited capability in air-to-air combat.

Performance, not age

2012-01-24T07:22:00.006+05:30

In selecting senior Indian commanders, age is everything. Gen Hasnain, the highly effective commander of 15 Corps (pictured talking to locals in Kashmir) is blocked by his age from becoming army commanderby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 24th Jan 12The public battle over the army chief's age bears a larger lesson for the government: the undesirability of letting a date of birth determine which

Samtel poised to take off with air force fighter fleet

2012-01-23T07:56:00.011+05:30

The old Su-30MKI front cockpit (left) with Thales MFDs. At right is the same cockpit with Samtel MFDsby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 23rd Jan 12After bagging a Euro 1.47 billion (Rs 9,600 crore) contract for upgrading the Indian Air Force’s fleet of 51 Mirage-2000 fighters, French defence electronics giant, Thales, is now an 800-pound gorilla on the Indian defence scene. And its Indian partner,

Coast Guard gets first Inshore Patrol Vessel built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd

2012-01-20T19:10:00.004+05:30

Hindustan Shipyard, which could become the MoD's central yard for manufacturing nuclear submarines, has delivered its first vessel to the Indian Coast Guard. Press release pasted below.1ST INSHORE PATROL VESSEL COMMISSIONED INTO COAST GUARDNew Delhi: Pausa 30, 1933January 20, 2012 The Indian Coast Guard Ship Rani Abbakka, the 1st of a series of five Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) built at M

Army chief’s crosshairs on Attorney General

2012-01-20T09:34:00.004+05:30

Attorney General, Goolam Vahanvati, who has followed a long tradition of compliant AGs, by providing the MoD with a legal opinion that justifies turning down the army chief's petition for reconciling his birth date.by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 20th Jan 12Squarely in the crosshairs of the army chief, General VK Singh, is Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati. Already under fire in the 2G spectrum

Broadsword quiz: a comparative evaluation of these two photos

2012-01-19T17:38:00.004+05:30

I have already figured out that these are tanks on a train. The best answers will have to go well beyond that! Let's have some identification, evaluation and analysis here...

Army chief moves Supreme Court against defence ministry

2012-01-17T07:35:00.004+05:30

Gen VK Singh (centre) with senior army brass at the recently concluded Exercise Sudarshan Shakti in Rajasthan. Who will succeed him as army chief is now an open question (photo courtesy Livefist blog)by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 17th Jan 12Army Chief, General Vijay Kumar Singh, is now on a full-blown confrontation course with the government. He has filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court

All the Chief's Men: Quotas rule promotions in a “Mandalised” army

2012-01-14T09:07:00.004+05:30

These NDA cadets are all equal when they start. But not so when they become officers in various arms. Skewed promotion policies will give many of them an unfair edge over the othersby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 14th Jan 12A recent letter, boldly written by a serving lieutenant colonel to the army chief, General V K Singh says: “PROFESSIONAL DISCRIMINATION is upgrading (sic) into SOCIAL

Gen VK Singh: Army able to launch faster response against Pak

2012-01-13T07:39:00.004+05:30

At a press conference in New Delhi today, army chief Gen VK Singh, all but admitted the existence of the "Cold Start" doctrineBy Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 13th Jan 12Army chief, General VK Singh, strongly defended the Indian Army’s performance over this last year, brushing off questions about his date of birth. Asserting that the standoff with the defence ministry (MoD) “has not impacted my

Chinese tank units training in snow conditions in Xinjiang

2012-01-10T16:36:00.007+05:30

The press caption that accompanied these photographs in People's Daily is as follows:-It is right time to conduct training when the Tianshan Mountains is covered by accumulated snow. Recently, an armored regiment under the Xinjiang Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) took its troops to the snowy Tianshan Mountains to practice maneuvering, coordination,

Who after Hu... and Wen?

2012-01-09T16:45:00.005+05:30

China's political newbies, like Bo Xilai (pictured here with family), are transforming China's political style. Bo has lobbied openly, causing five PSC members to visit Chongqing By Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 10th Jan 12 The day after the successful launch of the Defence R&D

Agni-4 surprise launch a success, next missile in Dec

2011-11-15T19:29:00.008+05:30

by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 16th Nov 11The Defence R&D Organisation’s surprise test of a new Agni-4 missile, which the MoD says was launched flawlessly from the Odisha coast today, establishes India as a builder of cutting edge intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs). While the Agni-4 was fired out to just 3,000 kilometres this morning, the DRDO claims it can comfortably deliver a

Video of the Agni IV launch this morning

2011-11-15T13:04:00.002+05:30

2011-11-15T13:01:00.003+05:30

The DRDO has announced the successful launch this morning of the Agni IV missile, which has a range of 3,500 km. The DRDO says the test met all the mission parameters, and was fired out to a range of 3,000 km.

Pakistan: containment or engagement?

2011-11-15T12:27:00.003+05:30

by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 15th Nov 11Is Pakistan already a basket case, a country captured by militarized radicals and a radicalized military, and bent on self-destructive confrontation with India? Is North Korea-style containment the only answer to Pakistan’s propensity for the export of terrorism and nuclear proliferation? Or might engagement yet catalyze the resurgence of a decency that

It's the Gripen NG test aircraft...

2011-11-14T19:11:00.002+05:30

That's right, folks! It's the Gripen NG test aircraft. The only existing one.... Do you all want to know about this visit?

Here's why there is no Arjun report so far....

2011-11-12T11:32:00.003+05:30

The Arjun report will come up just as soon as I'm back... along with the report from this visit.

Tanks!

2011-11-05T12:28:00.003+05:30

Just back from a two-day visit to the Combat Vehicles R&D Establishment and to the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Chennai... got a full update on all the armoured vehicles programmes.

End this MMRCA hara-kiri

2011-11-01T06:36:00.006+05:30

The J-20 fighter prototype, a 5th generation combat aircraft built by China's Chengdu Aircraft Industry, made its first flight on 11th Jan 2011. This necessitates a re-evaluation of the IAF's procurement of 4th generation medium fighters, which is close to being finalisedby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard1st Nov 11Knife-edge tension is guaranteed as senior executives from Eurofighter GmbH and

Broadsword interview: Ashok Nayak, CMD, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd

2011-10-31T05:23:00.008+05:30

Nayak says: "It will be very difficult for an outsider to manage HAL"by Ajai ShuklaHAL BangaloreBusiness Standard, 31st Oct 11After 38 years with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the aerospace giant’s chairman and managing director, Ashok Nayak, will step down on October 31. There has been controversy on his successor, with the Air Force proposing an air marshal, a sidelined HAL director going to court

BAE Systems careful in expanding HAL role in Hawk

2011-10-28T22:09:00.004+05:30

The Eurofighter undergoing final assembly at Warton, Lancashire. BAE Systems is dispensing with the capability to build Hawks at Brough, but says it will retain that capability at Warton (pictured here) and Samlesbury. BAE sees this capability as vital for competing in the T-X contract, the supply of trainers to the USAFby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 29th Oct 11Public sector aeronautical giant

Update: The search for a crashed IAF Mig-29 and missing pilot

2011-10-28T07:19:00.004+05:30

The IAF press release that I have posted below conveys an idea of the difficulties that are being encountered in locating the MiG-29 that crashed in the remote Lahaul valley while on a night training sortie on 19th October. The pilot of the aircraft is still missing.MISSING MIG-29 CRASH SITE LOCATED: IAF’S SEARCH OPERATIONS CONTINUENew Delhi: October 27th , 2011On 25 Oct 2011, the Task Force

The Indian Navy's second Project 28 corvette, INS Kadmatt, launched in Kolkata

2011-10-25T19:13:00.008+05:30

The MoD press release on the launch of the second anti-submarine corvette, INS Kadmatt, which is being build under Project 28, is pasted below in fullGRSE LAUNCHES SECOND ANTI SUBMARINE WARFARE CORVETTE FOR INDIAN NAVYKolkata: October 25, 2011The Indian Navy’s modernization quest under ‘Project-28’, to stealthily hunt and destroy lurking enemy submarines, got further bolstered with the launch of

21 more Hawks for IAF's Surya Kiran aerobatics display team

2011-10-25T06:10:00.004+05:30

Procurement of Hawk trainers has begun for the Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team, one of only three in the world that fly nine-aircraft aerobatics. An additional 21 Hawks will be contracted with BAE Systems, besides the 123 Hawks that India has already bought.by Ajai ShuklaHAL, Bangalore25th Oct 11The Indian Air Force’s vaunted aerobatics display team, the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team

Managing Pakistan

2011-10-19T05:35:00.005+05:30

In the Pakistan of today, India has no good options. All it can do is to keep a dialogue going while keeping its powder dryby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 18th Oct 11It should be no surprise that the American discourse on post-2014 AfPak is shifting as it becomes evident that the troop thin-out will leave behind an Afghanistan in turmoil if not outright civil war. In recognition of the

New warship projects stalled by MoD’s JV freeze

2011-10-17T21:31:00.007+05:30

The new modular yard being constructed at Mazagon Dock, Mumbai. Built in partnership with Fincantieri, its completion next year will mark MDL's transition from old-style construction methodsBy Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 18th Oct 11Planning has stalled for building new indigenous warships for the Indian Navy. This after Defence Minister AK Antony, rattled by protests from private shipbuilders,

Myanmar largest Indian aid recipient after Afghanistan

2011-10-14T19:45:00.004+05:30

Myanmar's president Thein Sein, on a groundbreaking visit to India, inspects an honour guard at Rashtrapati Bhavan (India's presidential palace) on Fridayby Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 15th Oct 11China’s smaller neighbours have long been wary of the imposing proximity of the Middle Kingdom. In 1946, when Vietnamese resistance leaders considered Chinese help in throwing off the French colonial

Agni-5 missile to fly half-way to Antarctica

2011-10-06T18:13:00.004+05:30

The Agni-2 roaring off the launch pad at Wheeler Island last week. This same test range will witness a full-range test of the Agni-5 in December, which will see the missile flying 5000 kilometres to a designated target halfway to Antarctica.by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 7th Oct 11After three successful ballistic missile tests during the last fortnight, the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) is

Cooperation as well as friction at the Russia-India defence meeting

2011-10-05T11:12:00.006+05:30

Apex Russia-India defence meetings are increasingly characterized by frank speaking. The press release pasted below tells the story in typically understated style.INDIA AND RUSSIA TO STEP UP DEFENCE TIESDISTINCT PROGRESS IN INDIA-RUSSIA DEFENCE COOPERATION IN LAST ONE YEAR -ANTONYNew Delhi: Asvina 13, 1933Tuesday, Oct 05, 2011In a spirit of a cooperation and understanding, India and Russia held

Antony arrives in Moscow for apex defence meet

2011-10-04T14:23:00.007+05:30

One of the more interesting MoD press releases, describing Defence Minister AK Antony's visit to pay homage at Victory Park, the Russian memorial to soldiers killed in The Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. Enjoy!Ministry of Defence press release: 4th Oct 11Review of the entire spectrum of defence cooperation and exchange of views on regional and global security situation will take place at the

Down to the last friend

2011-10-04T07:07:00.007+05:30

With Pakistan-US ties in trouble, Islamabad is banking heavily on Beijing. But how substantive is the "all weather friendship"? The "jointly developed" JF-17 Thunder fighter undergoing flight control testing.by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 4th Oct 11The long relationship of convenience between Washington and Islamabad is deeply troubled again but far from ended. On the eve of his retirement,

After Shourya and Prithvi II, successful launch of Agni-II from Wheeler Island

2011-09-30T11:52:00.004+05:30

An action sequence from Wheeler's Island of this morning's test launch of the Agni-II missile by the army's Strategic Forces Command. The DRDO's press release is pasted below (verbatim! the english is not mine)Agni II LaunchedDRDO Develop Agni II, the pride of India strategic arsenal was once again launched successfully today i.e 30.09.11 at 9:30 hrs from the wheeler Island off the coast of

India’s P8I Poseidon maritime aircraft flies

2011-09-30T09:14:00.010+05:30

The P8I Poseidon's first flight at the Boeing facility near Seattle. The Indian Navy team that attended, belowBy Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 30th Sept 11The Indian Navy, which aims to be the premier blue water navy in the Indian Ocean region, needs to keep a year-round watch over some two million square kilometres of open sea, its Exclusive Economic Zone. In war, the area becomes even larger.

Pipavav warship joint venture put on hold

2011-09-27T12:56:00.005+05:30

The dry dock in Pipavav Shipyard. Nikhil Gandhi, Pipavav chief, regrets that the MoD has cancelled MDL's JV with Pipavav. Says Gandhi: "We have invested a billion dollars in building the required infrastructure and not waited for orders first to build capacity.”by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 27th Sept 11The ministry of defence (MoD) on Monday sent a clear signal that private Indian defence

On the heels of Saturday's Shourya missile test, India tests the Prithvi P-II missile

2011-09-26T15:26:00.008+05:30

As the DRDO works on a new generation of solid-fuel short-range ballistic missiles, the liquid-fuel Prithvi P-II seems slated to remain in service for a longish while, serving as the backbone of India's tactical missile arsenal.The DRDO press release, describing Monday's Prithvi missile test, is pasted below:ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT TEST OF PRITHVI (P-II)DRDO developed surface to surface

US-Pak crisis follows Rabbani killing

2011-09-26T11:34:00.005+05:30

Pakistani army chief, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, in the days when Washington still believed that Pakistan could be salvaged. That is changing rapidly. Over the last week, the US has bluntly warned Kayani: clean up your act, or we will do it for you.by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard26th Sept 11An emergency meeting of Pakistan's top military commanders on Sunday highlights the gathering storm in

DRDO announces successful test of Shourya missile in canister mode

2011-09-25T13:15:00.016+05:30

Earlier Broadsword reporting on the Shourya/Shaurya:DRDO chief, Dr VK Saraswat, to Broadsword: “We have designed the Shaurya so that it can be launched from under water as easily as from land. The gas-filled canister that houses the missile fits easily into a submarine."Former DRDO chief controller, Dr Prahlada, to Broadsword: “The Shaurya was developed from ground up as a submarine-capable

Business Standard debate: Age row: Is the army chief right?

2011-09-22T00:44:00.004+05:30

The argument against:Maj Gen Nilendra Kumar (Retd) Former Judge Advocate General of the Indian ArmyThe last few months have seen Army Chief V K Singh’s name in the media in a controversy relating to his age. The general is an outstanding soldier who is a renowned strategist and a brilliant practitioner of military craft. I have known him well for over four decades. I, however, differ with him and

North-east India - an emerging gateway

2011-09-20T12:38:00.003+05:30

If India is to capitalise on improved Indo-Bangla relationship and the potential to physically connect with mainland Asean, New Delhi must reshape relations with its north-eastAjai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 20th Sept 11Since Independence, India has treated its north-eastern states as unproductive black holes into which New Delhi pours vast amounts of treasure and obtains resentful ingratitude in

Army chief readies for legal battle with MoD

2011-09-19T07:38:00.005+05:30

Indian army chief, Gen VK Singh, taking over from his predecessor, Gen Deepak Kapoor. The controversy over Singh's birth date was further vexed by Kapoor, who put overt pressure on Singh to accept a birth date of 1950By Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 19th Sept 11The growing tension between the army and the defence ministry (MoD) over when the army chief, General VK Singh, will retire could be

India signs defence R&D agreement with UK

2011-09-16T20:48:00.002+05:30

Dr VK Saraswat, the head of DRDO, exchanging a letter of arrangement (LoA) with Sir Mark Welland, who heads the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)The MoD's press release is as follows:-INDIA, UK INCH TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE DEFENCE R&DNew Delhi: Bhadrapada 25, 1933Friday, Sep 16, 2011India and United Kingdom entered into a letter of arrangement today to pursue collaborative

Antony faces trouble for statement on army chief's age

2011-09-16T05:51:00.010+05:30

A copy of the Military Secretary's Branch letter that confirms that all General VK Singh's senior promotions (from brigadier to major general to lieutenant general) were on the basis of a date of birth of 10th May 1951. The army chief has been told by the defence ministry that his official date of birth is 10th May 1950, and that he must retire in May 2012 on reaching the age of 62Ajai

US declares Indian Mujahideen a Foreign Terrorist Organisation

2011-09-15T22:46:00.003+05:30

A US State Department press release, designating the Indian Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, is pasted belowTerrorist Designations of the Indian MujahideenToday, the Secretary of State designated the Indian Mujahideen (IM) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under section 1

Thanks to Shiv Aroor for the new look Broadsword!

2011-09-15T22:07:00.002+05:30

All you folks who like the new look on this blog... join me in thanking my friend and colleague, Shiv Aroor, who has generously given of his time in working at this new look. And, of course, in providing the Twitter and Facebook links that he believes will be useful.I, of course, am too much of a techno-cretin to even understand what all of this means. But, hey, thanks a million Shiv! We're all

Defence ministry flouts norms for BEL

2011-09-12T10:28:00.004+05:30

The Samyukta electronic warfare (EW) system, built by DRDO, with important contributions from the Indian private sector. The MoD is now trying to shut out the latter on grounds of securityBy Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 12th Sept 11Tomorrow, Defence Minister AK Antony is poised to violate the MoD’s own procurement rules by awarding Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) a Rs 1800-2000 crore contract

Broadsword compliments: best 2011 amateur photo of a Eurofighter Typhoon

2011-09-09T15:22:00.010+05:30

Note: a photo from Aero India 2011 won the third prize... but this one is a deserving winnerThis is the amateur photo of the year of a Eurofighter Typhoon, selected by a panel of judges. The press release from Eurofighter says:"The eventual winner was Ian Ramsbottom, whose stunning shot of a 17 Sqn Typhoon in the Mach Loop in Wales, UK, left the judges with little to disagree on. In second place

India's fifth C-130J delivered. Might this aircraft be used someday for taking out Pakistan's nukes?

2011-09-08T21:17:00.007+05:30

Lockheed Martin's press release is pasted below for those interested...India - Just One More to goMARIETTA, Ga. , Sept. 08, 2011 – The fifth of six C-130J Super Hercules on order for the Indian Air Force has departed the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta. This aircraft, like its predecessors, was delivered well ahead of schedule and is now en route to Air Force Station Hindan in India. India

With HAL overloaded, IAF turns to private sector

2011-09-08T08:29:00.004+05:30

IAF procurement head to Business Standard: "$50 billion could be spent on new aircraft between 2007-2011."By Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 8th Sept 11The new IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, has reached out to India’s fledgling private aerospace industry. Worried by the growing inability of public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to keep the IAF fleet flying, Browne has promised

Nobody’s baby: the offset orphan

2011-09-05T22:05:00.003+05:30

Target India!By Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 6th Sept 11As this newspaper reported last week, the ministry of defence (MoD) is backtracking from its defence offsets programme. Its resolve to jumpstart indigenous defence production through offsets has been broken by a cartel of foreign arms merchants. The vendors’ specious argument, which the MoD has inexplicably swallowed, is that Indian defence

The British “surge” to India: London reaches out to New Delhi

2011-09-04T18:17:00.004+05:30

By Ajai ShuklaDefence & Security of India (DSI) magazine, August 2011 India’s defence relationship with the United Kingdom has been a roller coaster ride. While all

Indian industry wary of new defence offset policy

2011-09-02T08:37:00.005+05:30

A C-17 Globemaster III at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, California. The offsets that have been offered in connection with India's $4.1 billion buy of 10 Globemasters does little for Indian defence industry. by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 2nd Sept 11 The ministry of defence (MoD) is finalising a revised defence offsets policy. Business Standard has learned that the new policy will dilute

MoD flouts offset rules; favours foreign vendors

2011-09-01T07:08:00.005+05:30

The first P8 Neptune LRMR aircraft built by Boeing for the US Navy. The offsets for India's $2.1 billion purchase of 8 Neptune aircraft does not bear scrutiny by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 1st Sept 11 Whistleblowers in the defence ministry (MoD) have briefed Business Standard about the ministry’s flagrant violation of rules in almost every recent offset contract. Some of these striking

Defence Minister Antony says Arjun Mk II will cost Rs 37 crore (US $8 million) per tank

2011-08-29T20:48:00.004+05:30

The Arjun Mark II, an upgraded version of the Mark I pictured here, will roll out by 2015, says Antony Answering a question in parliament today, Defence Minister AK Antony put the price of the Arjun Mk II at Rs 37 crore per tank. The Arjun Mk I had been produced by Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi for about Rs 16-18 crore per tank. The official release about Antony's answer in parliament today to

New Delhi could have anti-missile shield by 2014

2011-08-29T09:03:00.006+05:30

The Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) interceptor, which can intercept an incoming ballistic missile at altitudes greater than 80 kilometers above the earth. This is likely to be tested shortly Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard29th Aug 11 According to a new Pentagon report on China’s military, Beijing has paid India a sort of compliment. The People’s Liberation Army now targets India with its best and

IAF "Siachen Pioneers" squadron rescues American climber from 23,000 feet on Saser Kangri II

2011-08-27T16:07:00.015+05:30

“WE DO THE DIFFICULT AS A ROUTINE, THE IMPOSSIBLE (MAY) TAKE A BIT LONGER” The IAF press release describing the rescue is pasted below RESCUE OF AMERICAN NATIONAL BY THE INDIAN AIR FORCE New Delhi – 27th August 2011 In a span of less than four days yet another daring rescue mission was successfully undertaken by pilots of Leh based Helicopter Unit, when they evacuated one

"Know your battleship" quiz: who can identify all the sensors and weapons on INS Satpura?

2011-08-27T11:04:00.009+05:30

On the right is the Satpura at its launch in Mumbai last week. You are invited to identify its weapons and sensors fit... in the photos numbered from 1 to 6 below. Best answers win. (Left) Photo No 1... and so on

Mahindra anti-mine vehicles for Naxal ops

2011-08-26T08:50:00.005+05:30

Brig Khutab Hai, MD & CEO Defence Land Systems India, hands over the key to the first MPV-I to Jharkhand Additional DG Police, BB Pradhan by Ajai ShuklaPalwal, HaryanaBusiness Standard, 26th Aug 11 For a decade, hapless jawans travelling across the Naxal belt in shoddy mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) built by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) rested their hopes for survival on a single

New strike corps for China border

2011-08-24T08:52:00.004+05:30

Tibet's Chumbi valley, as seen from Nathu La in Sikkim. India's new strike corps would respond to Chinese aggression with an attack into territorial salients like the Chumbi valley by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 24th Aug 11 In 2009, New Delhi acted decisively in sanctioning two new army divisions, about 35,000 troops, to strengthen Indian defences in Arunachal, which China claims as a part of

Building a submarine fleet

2011-08-23T18:28:00.005+05:30

A view of the East Yard (the green-roofed building on the waterfront, where MDL is building six Scorpene submarines under Project 75. by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 23rd Aug 11 The Indian Navy has acted decisively over the years to create the capability and infrastructure needed for building surface battleships, but it has dithered in setting up an industry that could build

Mazagon sees opening in submersible drift

2011-08-23T07:23:00.006+05:30

MDL chief proposes building 3-6 more Scorpenes while the MoD decides on Project 75I Ajai ShuklaMazagon Dock, Mumbai23rd Aug 11 With India's submarine acquisition programme tangled in a decade-old logjam, defence shipyard Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) has staked claim for Project 75I, a line of six advanced submarines for the Indian Navy. MDL is already building Project 75, for six Scorpene submarines,

Warship Identification Quiz... what are these fancy decoration pieces?

2011-08-22T08:14:00.005+05:30

I encountered these smartly turned out vessels near where the Satpura was berthed. Which vessels are they? Best answer wins...