DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: IAF In Mountain Strike Corps To Counter Chinese Might

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: IAF In Mountain Strike Corps To Counter Chinese Might

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Rahul Datta ~ The Pioneer
(NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - December 1, 2012: Keeping China’s growing military prowess in mind, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will now be part of India’s proposed mountain strike corps that will be based in Uttarakhand and the North-East.

This move came about after the Government turned down the Army’s Rs 60,000-crore proposal seven months back on the grounds that it was too Army-specific and that the three Services should jointly put up the proposal.

The new proposal sent to the Defence Ministry by Chairman Chief of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne 10 days back projects requirements for combat helicopters, radars, anti-aircraft and anti-missile guns and electronic surveillance equipment.

This is besides the Army’s projection of recruiting nearly 40,000 to 60,000 jawans and officers trained in mountain warfare apart from acquisition of artillery guns, howitzers and long and short range infantry weapons including rifles.

Incidentally, the earlier proposal was drafted by the Army alone after the Government gave an approval in principle more than a year back. However, the Finance Ministry later sent back the proposal to the Defence Ministry and asked it to come up with a joint proposal by the three Services, sources said here on Wednesday.

Explaining the rationale behind the objection on the Army’s proposal, sources said given the magnitude of the project with huge expenditure involved, the Government wanted to avoid a scenario where the IAF and the Navy also put forward their requirements at a later stage. Against this backdrop, the Government asked the Chairman Chief of Staff Committee to draw a joint proposal about the strategy to meet the challenge of China’s growing military prowess and listing their requirements in a synergised manner for the strike corps, officials said.

The new proposal reinforces the need for setting up the corps at the earliest with air elements including combat helicopters to provide cover to advancing troops from enemy and destroy its fortified positions and gun locations.  Moreover, the new plan also gives details of the deployment of frontline IAF fighter jets in forward bases in the North-East and Uttarakhand and requirements to upgrade these bases to aid the proposed corps, sources said.

The Army has already started raising the second mountain division (one division has 10,000 men). The first division was raised a year back for Arunachal Pradesh and these two divisions will form part of the strike corps. The raising of a strike corps is the brainchild of former Army Chief VK Singh. The objective was to launch a counter-offensive in Tibet if China carries out a Kargil-type  adventure.

Moreover, rapid modernisation of China’s armed forces and its vastly superior infrastructure in Tibet and other areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) opposite Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh regions was another reason for this strike corps as China has carried out offensive exercises in Tibet Autonomous Region in the past few years.
Besides these factors, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also expressed reservations about the corps saying such a move may send wrong signals to Beijing and escalate tension in the region.

The PMO felt that China in the last few years has not increased its troop strength along the LAC and any accretions by India will prove counter-productive as both the countries are holding regular dialogue to resolve the vexed boundary dispute. However, the defence establishment maintained that China has improved its military infrastructure backed by excellent sensors and radars and therefore, did not need to have troops on the ground to guard its territory. Enjoying this advantage over India, China has not increased its troop strength in the last few years.

India lacks infrastructure including roads, rail and airfields and has to maintain its presence in the Ladakh region and Arunachal Pradesh throughout the year. While China has built more than a 10,000-km long rail network and airports in the Tibet region and can rush troops and maintain logistical support in case of an eventuality, India is way behind and troops have to be physically present there.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Rahul Datta ~ The Pioneer
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: India, Singapore Armed Forces Joint Military Excercise In Central India

DTN News: India, Singapore Armed Forces Joint Military Excercise In Central India Source: DTN News (NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - March 28, 2010: The Singapore Armed Forces and Indian Army participated in a bilateral armour exercise in central India Saturday morning. Codenamed "Bold Kurukshetra", the exercise was witnessed by Minister of State for Defence, Koo Tsai Kee. MINDEF said Associate Prof Koo observed a live—firing exercise between the two armed forces, who interact regularly through policy dialogues, visits and courses. This is the sixth collaboration in the month—long exercise. MINDEF said the visit also underscores the warm defence relations between the two countries. "The SAF and the Indian Army have been working together on bilateral army exercises since April 2005," Assoc Prof Koo said. "We appreciate the opportunity to train and exercise with the Indian Armed Forces. The successful conclusion of Exercise Bold Kurushektra 2010 demonstrates the capabilities and professionalism of both armies.

DTN News: India Scrambles Security For Republic Day

DTN News: India Scrambles Security For Republic Day *Source: DTN News / By Pratap Chakravarty (AFP) (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - January 25, 2010: New Delhi faces a virtual security lockdown for a grand annual parade on Tuesday as India celebrates Republic Day amid warnings that Islamic militants could be plotting an attack.Security personnel with a sniffer dog inspect railway tracks near a railway station ahead of India's Republic Day celebrations on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Siliguri January 23, 2010. India will celebrate its Republic Day on Tuesday. South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak will be the guest of honour at the celebrations in the Indian capital, where officials are vowing a show of strength in the face of threats. "We are making elaborate arrangements to provide comprehensive ground-to-air security," city police department spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP. "We promise a safe Republic Day," he said, adding his 71,000-member police force will be on the streets in the city alongside the heavily-armed paramilitary troopers who have already taken up positions at intersections, malls and on the underground rail network.Captured ammunitions are displayed at Kreeri police station, some 36 kilometers (22 miles) north of Srinagar, India, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010. According to news reports, Jammu and Kashmir state police claimed recovery of arms and ammunition from a suspected militant hideout Sunday. The preparations took on new urgency after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned last week that Islamist South Asian militant groups could try to trigger a war between Pakistan and India through a "provocative act". India on Friday also stepped up airport security and alerted its embassies in neighbouring countries of possible passenger plane hijacking attempts by Islamic militants, following Western intelligence tip-offs. The Indian military said it aimed to thwart possible airborne attacks at the parade where President Lee will be accompanied by his Indian counterpart Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and scores of Western diplomats.Indian Naval War Ships show the Close Range Anti Aircraft firing, lead by the ship INS Jalashwa, during a demonstration, around 45 nautical miles away from Chennai at an undisclosed place in Bay of Bengal, India, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010. The Indian Navy organized a program called 'A day at Sea' to showcase their sea craft skills. "Anti-aircraft guns, snipers and mobile hit squads will be deployed while a squadron of fighter jets and helicopters will be on standby," a military officer involved in the preparations told AFP. City traffic police chief Satyendra Garg said sweeping restrictions would be imposed on motorists and on public transport including New Delhi's metro service, which daily carries more than 800,000 people. Insurgency-wracked Indian Kashmir is also a focus of high security as troops comb the Himalayan state for Islamic militants seeking to disrupt the annual celebrations, which are staged is every part of India. The United News of India news agency said authorities feared attacks by suicide bombers in the run-up to Republic Day in Kashmir, where tens of thousands of people have died in anti-Indian unrest since 1989. India's restive northeast too braced for trouble as regional militant groups -- with demands ranging from autonomy to outright secession -- threatened to strike on Tuesday. "We are on full alert and shall see to it that we are able to foil any attack attempts by militants," said Shankar Baruah, police chief of Assam, the largest of the seven insurgency-wracked states. Republic Day marks the date in 1950 when India's new republican constitution came into effect. India gained independence from Britain in 1947, but went through a transitional phase when it was still classed as a dominion. India also uses the occasion to showcase its latest military hardware acquired as part of a massive modernisation drive costing tens of billions of dollars.

DTN News: U.S., India Wrap Up "Yudh Abhyas 09" Joint Military Drills

DTN News: U.S., India Wrap Up "Yudh Abhyas 09" Joint Military Drills *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) CAMP BUNDELA, India, - October 29, 2009: U.S. and Indian forces wrapped up their largest joint military exercise to date, practicing a set of maneuvers simulating environments in Iraq and Afghanistan.Indian Army soldiers rappel down a MI-17 helicopter during "Yudh Abhyas 09", a joint Indo-U.S. training exercise in Babina, in Uttar Pradesh state, October 26, 2009. The eighteen-day joint exercise started in Babina October 12. More than 200 troops from the U.S. 2nd Battalion, 14th Calvary Squadron brought 17 Stryker combat vehicles from Hawaii to practice maneuvers with their counterparts in the Indian armed forces.U.S. Army soldiers fire "Javelin" - a close combat/anti-armour weapon system - during "Yudh Abhyas 09", a joint Indo-U.S. training exercise in Babina, in Uttar Pradesh state, October 26, 2009. The eighteen-day joint exercise started in Babina October 12. It was the largest deployment of U.S. Strykers to a theater outside of war. Indian soldiers were familiarized with the vehicle but were restricted from driving or using sensitive communications equipment.An Indian Army Dhruv helicopter carries the "injured" as U.S. soldiers take their positions during "Yudh Abhyas 09", a joint Indo-U.S. training exercise in Babina, in Uttar Pradesh state, October 26, 2009. The eighteen-day joint exercise started in Babina October 12. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, the commander of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific, and Indian generals traveled to Camp Bundela in India to demonstrate the firepower of the Indian T-90 battle tank and the U.S. Javelin tank killer, the U.S. Department of Defense said. A U.S. Army soldier sits atop a Stryker, an eight-wheeled armoured combat vehicle, during "Yudh Abhyas 09", a joint Indo-U.S. training exercise in Babina, in Uttar Pradesh state, October 26, 2009. The eighteen-day joint exercise started in Babina October 12. Training focused on joint exercises in environments and situations that resemble the types of operations experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mixon said the ability of the Indian military was impressive, noting the exchange of information flowed in both directions. "The Indian army is a professional military force," he said. "I would be comfortable going with the Indian army anywhere, any time."

DTN News: US And Indian Troops To Begin Training Together For War

DTN News: US And Indian Troops To Begin Training Together For War *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - August 26, 2009: Since 2004, American GIs and Indian jawans have trained together to combat terrorists and insurgents. Now, the two armies are about to begin training to fight a war together. Underlining the growing military-to-military relationship, a US Army battalion group of several hundred soldiers and some 50 frontline Stryker armoured vehicles, will travel to India in October and train with Indian strike formation units at the Babina Field Firing Ranges near Jhansi. This exercise, named Yudh Abhyas 2009, will include live firing by heavy combat vehicles. It will be the first time mechanised units of an Indian strike corps, which bases its power on T-72 and T-90 tanks, BMP-II infantry combat vehicles, missiles and 155-mm medium artillery guns, will train or share expertise with any foreign army. The Indian units taking part will be selected from the Jhansi-headquartered 31 Armoured Division. The annual Yudh Abhyas exercises (which US soldiers are told is pronounced as “You da Boss”) kicked off in March 2004, when 60 Indian jawans and 55 US soldiers from Alaska jointly raided mock insurgent hideouts in the jungles of Mizoram. Since then, Yudh Abhyas has expanded each year in size, scope and complexity. Last November, in Yudh Abhyas 08, an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft had flown a company (120 soldiers) of Indian jawans to Hawaii for training in counter-insurgency with US soldiers of the US Pacific Command. Their simulated operations were controlled by India’s 49 Infantry Brigade, which set up a command post in Hawaii as part of the exercise. But Yudh Abhyas 2009 will impart a different trajectory to the military-to-military relationship. This is no longer about raids on insurgent hideouts or terrorist camps; strike corps training is for fighting a full-scale war together. This year, American and Indian mechanised forces will synchronise operations, planning, manoeuvring and firing together to capture a simulated objective. Senior Indian Army officers have confirmed to Business Standard that the US Army Stryker vehicles and crews will be transported to India by sea. They will come from the US Pacific Command, or US PACOM, which is headquartered in Hawaii and which oversees US military interests from the US west coast to the western border of India. Starting from Pakistan, and extending across West Asia, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) is responsible for American military interests. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are under the jurisdiction of CENTCOM. Approached for their comments on Yudh Abhyas 09, the Hawaii-based USPACOM has not responded. But speaking off the record, senior US Army officers have expressed satisfaction at what they term a “quantum jump” in the US-India military relationship. One US officer notes, “Singapore armoured units have come earlier to Babina to fire their tanks since they don’t have the space to practise in Singapore. Similarly, Singapore air force fighter aircraft fire in Pokhran and artillery units fire near Nashik. But this is not just about firing. Yudh Abhyas 09 will see the two armies practising how to fight a full-scale war together. And the engagement will only grow closer.”

DTN News: India Buys 6-12 C-130J-30 Hercules For Special Forces

DTN News: India Buys 6-12 C-130J-30 Hercules For Special Forces *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - August 9, 2009: India Defence quoted Air Chief S.P. Tyagi saying that “the IAF is planning to buy C-130J planes” for its special forces and Border Security Forces.U.S Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules is seen during its exhibition flight at the 48th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget airport , north of Paris. Wednesday June 17, 2009. With Airbus' new A400M airlifter bogged down in delivery delays, Lockheed-Martin and Boeing are hoping their proven C-130J and C-17 models will lure European air force buyers in urgent need of a new transport. * Reports indicate that the IAF is particularly attracted to the C-130J’s ability to land and take off even in improvised or short airfields, and without lights. Those characteristics have served the Hercules well in other anti-terrorism scenarios like Operation Yonatan in Entebbe, and are now more routine maneuvers thanks to the C-130J Hercules’ modern avionics and increased engine power. DID has also noted the ‘J’ model’s good performance in “hot and high” conditions, which can reduce the useful load of older Hercules or similar transport aircraft by 50-60%. The new planes will be bracketed by India’s larger Ilyushin IL-76 jet transports on the high end, and on the lower end by twin-engine Antonov AN-32 turboprops. India’s interest in the Hercules is quite specific to the Special Forces at the moment; but the plane’s capacity for additional specialty operations like aerial refueling both enhances those operations, and gives the IAF a number of additional employment options. The AN-32s are currently undergoing mid-life refurbishment, and a joint project with Russia’s Irkut looks set to develop a Hercules competitor in time for the AN-32’s replacement cycle. Nevertheless, this deal is still a major inroad into the Indian market for Lockheed Martin – one that could develop further on a number of fronts. The contract is proceeding, and recently added advanced surveillance systems for the aircraft.

DTN News: India Clears Anti-Tank Nag Missile For Production

DTN News: India Clears Anti-Tank Nag Missile For Production *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - July 9, 2009: Two decades after the homegrown Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) was conceived, it has been cleared for production. The ATGM was indigenously designed and developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation [DRDO]. The Nag (Cobra) is a third generation, all weather, top-attack, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile. It is one of five missile systems developed by the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). Design work on the missile started in 1988 and the first tests were carried out in November 1990. The missile uses a tandem HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) warhead to penetrate ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) or composite (Chobham type) armour that is found in the latest tanks. The system is expected to supercede Indian production of the Soviet origin 9K113 Konkours (NATO: AT-5 Spandrel) and Euromissile Milan M2 anti-tank missiles. Technical Characteristics ~ As originally conceived, the Nag would have been available with three different types of guidance, These included a wire guided version, an infra-red version and a millimetric wave (mmW) version. The cumbersome nature of a wire guidance system had led to plans for this being dropped. Currently, guidance is based on an imaging infra-red (IIR) passive seeker that ensures a high-hit accuracy in both top- and front-attack modes. The mmW seeker, on the other hand, is intended to operate as an optional system that can replace the IIR passive seeker as a module. Also incorporated into the guidance system, is a CCD camera. The missile has a weight of 42 kg and can engage targets at ranges up to 6 km. The Nag is claimed to be first anti-tank missile which has a complete fiberglass structure. The Nag will be produced in two main versions. The land version has been tested from a tracked vehicle known as NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier). The carrier is a stretched BMP-2 with an additional pair of road wheels and is manufactured by the Ordnance Factory, Medak. It carries four missiles in a ready-to-fire mode on the turret and more missiles can be reloaded without exposing the crew on the battlefield. With the IR version of the missile, targets are acquired using a thermal sight, and are then assigned to the nose-mounted IIR seeker. Missile guidance is initially by area correlation around the target, then by centroid tracking. Terminal homing is by area correlation around the centroid. Nag is also configured to be used on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). Eight missiles are carried in two quadruple launchers. Launchers mounted on either side are linked to a nose-mounted stabilized thermal sight and a laser range-finder package. The 4-kilometer-range missile will be produced at state-owned Bharat Dynamics, which will make about 200 missiles in the first year and double that number in following years. The Indian defense forces require about 4,000 ATGMs. The production of the Nag missile was ordered early this month after successful heat trials in the Rajasthan desert, said a senior Indian Army official. The winter trials of the missile were concluded last December. All the user tests of the Nag missile have been completed and the Army has given its approval, said a senior DRDO scientist. The latest trials of the Nag missile were conducted using an advanced imaging infrared seeker head, one of the Army's essential requirements, the Army official added. The Nag will replace the existing Russian Konkours and European missile Milan, both of which are manufactured under license by Bharat. The Army urgently needs the more advanced Nag to improve kill probability as the missile uses a high explosive warhead to penetrate the armor found in modern tanks, the official said. The Nag missile will be made in land and helicopter versions, where it will be fitted on the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter, although the current order is only for the land variant. The Nag is a third-generation, all-weather, top-attack, fire-and-forget missile, one of five missile systems developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. Design work started in 1988 and the first tests were carried out in November 1990. The DRDO scientist said focus will now shift to the helicopter version, which will have an extended range of seven kilometers. The air version will be completed in two years, added the scientist. The land version also eventually will have a range of seven kilometers.

Elite Indian Troops Practice Strategic Operations

Elite Indian Troops Practice Strategic Operations

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - May 5, 2009: Even as Pakistan's Army battles Taliban fighters near the capital Islamabad, India's elite land forces, capable of hitting deep inside enemy territory, have begun exercises in Punjab along the Pakistani border. The Ambala-based Kharga Corps, a rapid-action force of 15,000, is equipped to operate behind enemy lines and to carry out a proactive strategic role. "The exercise is being conducted as a two-sided exercise to practice the elite Kharga Corps in their operational tasks," the Defence Ministry said in a May 4 statement. "The Army aims to validate its doctrine of proactive strategy through the exercises." A senior Defence Ministry official said the weeklong exercise began May 3 at Barnala along the Indo-Pakistan border. "A large number of tanks, infantry combat vehicles, artillery guns and specialist vehicles continued these maneuvers by day and night under near warlike conditions," according to the ministry's statement. "A parachute drop by airborne troops and other heliborne operations was also undertaken to supplement the offensive by the mechanized forces." Indian defense forces have been preparing for operations behind enemy lines and incorporated a new military doctrine to this effect in 2004. The Army has 5,000 elite soldiers, trained at unknown locations by Israeli troops, who can swiftly enter enemy territory and even operate behind enemy lines, Indian Army sources said. New Delhi has complained several times at international forums that Muslim terrorists from various groups are being trained deep inside Pakistan. Immediately after the Nov. 26 Mumbai terror attacks, it was debated in the media whether India should attack terrorist bases operating inside Pakistan.

Defense Focus: Age Of Wars Indian Forces

Defense Focus: Age Of Wars Indian Forces

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINTON - April 29, 2009: India has poor special forces, but its enormous manpower gives it a powerful advantage in maintaining security and fighting guerrilla conflicts. A newly raised soldier of Indian Army Jammu Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment (JKLIR) shouts during a passing out parade on the outskirts of Srinagar, India, Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Four hundred and fourteen recruits from Jammu and Kashmir state were formally inducted into JKLIR after training. This model flies in the face of the fashionable and currently widely accepted theories of military force deployment and weapons procurement spearheaded by the United States and followed by almost of all of the major industrialized democracies.

Indeed, French President Nicolas Sarkozy embarked on an ambitious program last year to drastically cut the size and manpower numbers of the French armed forces while pouring far more investment into high-tech weapons, space-based command and communications and long-distance force-projection capabilities instead. It always sounds so attractive, and it was the mantra that Donald Rumsfeld followed during his six years as defense secretary of the United States. But it didn't work well at all for the United States and its armed forces. The U.S. military had to pour a disproportionate percentage of its combat forces into a long and exhausting guerrilla conflict against Baathist and other Sunni Muslim guerrillas operating among a minority of only around 30 percent or less of the total population of Iraq, an average-sized country that is only as large as California and with a population half the size. But in fighting counterinsurgency wars and in struggling to prevent the erosion of the state to entropy or chaos -- generating forces of fourth-generation war -- the most important goal for armies to achieve is the protection of the population from being terrorized and coerced by the ruthless guerrilla forces seeking to co-opt them. U.S. Gen. David Petraeus has applied that principle with brilliant success in central Iraq over the past two years after about four years of continual failure before him. Petraeus was able to pull off his achievement despite a strict limitation on the number of troops he was able to concentrate on the ground. And the super-expensive high-tech weaponry that Rumsfeld loved proved to be totally irrelevant to his achievement. Petraeus was able to pull off his success by co-opting and paying local Iraqi tribal leaders who had been disgusted by the out-of-control violence and cruelty of al-Qaida and other insurgent forces. The Indian army continues to fight guerrilla and terrorist challenges on a number of fronts, and it has achieved considerable success against them using two low-tech and very old-fashioned and unfashionable forces. It has not sought to bribe or politically co-opt its enemies as the British Empire did for centuries around the world with mixed but generally positive results and as Petraeus more recently did in Iraq. The Indians have relied on strong passive border defenses to keep mujahedin Islamist guerrillas from wreaking havoc in Muslim-majority Jammu & Kashmir or across their eastern border from Bangladesh. But above all else, they have trusted in having large numbers of relatively low-trained and lightly equipped combat soldiers who can flood areas threatened by guerrillas for long periods at a time.

India Puts Army And Navy On Alert To Prevent Tamil Tigers From Entering

India Puts Army And Navy On Alert To Prevent Tamil Tigers From Entering

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - April 29, 2009: India has put its army and navy on high alert along its southern coast to prevent fleeing Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels from entering the country, said the private Indo-Asian News Service on Wednesday. Sri Lankan government soldiers stand behind a display of weapons they say were captured from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) near the town of Kilinochchi located near the 'No Fire Zone' in northern Sri Lanka April 24, 2009. Government soldiers and the LTTE rebels continue to fight the apparent endgame of Asia's longest-running war despite calls to protect an estimated 50,000 civilians still trapped in an area controlled by the LTTE. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said operations to finish Asia's longest-running war would not let up, adding troops were moving toward the rebel pocket where the LTTE's leader, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, is believed to be hiding. The news service quoted a top commander of the Indian army, Vice Chief Lt. Gen. Noble Thamburaj, as saying that the southern command of the Indian armed forces has put its personnel on high alert to prevent fleeing Tamil Tiger cadres from entering the country. "The Coast Guard and the Indian Navy form the first tier (of defense). We have some troops deployed to ensure LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) don't enter (India)," the news service quoted Thamburaj as saying. The Sri Lankan government forces are in the final stage of routing out the 26-year-old rebellion of LTTE in the northern part of the island nation.

Pakistan Would Have Attacked India In 1998: Gohar Ayub Khan

Pakistan Would Have Attacked India In 1998: Gohar Ayub Khan

Published by: Noor Khan Published: Sat, 18 Apr 2009

(NSI News Source Info) Islamabad- April 19, 2009: Pakistan would have launched a full-fledged air attack had India attempted to prevent its 1998 nuclear tests, maverick politician and former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan says in a new book. In the book titled "Testing Times as Foreign Minister", Khan claims that in the event of an attack by India on the nuclear test site at Chagai in Balochistan, the Pakistan Air Force would have launched attacks on pre-designated targets in India, The News reported Saturday. Pakistan had conducted its nuclear tests May 28, 1998 in retaliation to those India conducted on the 11th and 13th of the same month.

The son of former Pakistani military dictator Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Gohar Ayub Khan had created a stir in 2005 by claiming his father had bought India's war plans for the 1965 conflict from an Indian brigadier for Rs.20,000.

The new book says that since Pakistan became a nuclear weapons state, the chances of a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan seemed to be a very remote possibility. However, a localised conflict, which is maintained within a certain threshold and does not lead to an open war, could not be ruled out in future.

In such a conflict, tactical nuclear weapons could be used on an army formation that had entered Pakistan was poised to cut some vital areas, Khan writes. He also reveals he was refused permission for the Pakistan Air Force to "buzz" New Delhi in retaliation for the Indian Air Force's MiG-25 spy planes breaking the sound barrier over Islamabad while flying at a height of 72,000 feet.

"We were busy in a parliamentary party meeting in the National Assembly presided over by the prime minister when a messenger informed me that Air Chief Marshal Farooq Feroze wanted to speak to me. I went to the green line telephone (phone which scrambles conversations). He informed me that his fighters were ready to take off and enter India from three directions in retaliation to the IAF MIG-25Rs flight over Islamabad breaking the sound barrier at 72,000 ft a few days ago," Khan writes.

"He wanted the prime minister's approval. Which areas of India will you fly over, I asked and found that there was no population in their flight path. I suggested we must fly over Delhi. Get me the permission, said the air marshal.

"I went back to the committee room and informed the prime minister about the air marshal's suggested flight path and my suggestions that we fly over Delhi. No need to do either, said the prime minister. I went back and informed the air marshal to stand down," Khan writes.

He also laments that the Pakistan Air Force, citing high maintenance costs and non-availability of spares, had phased out its F-104 Starfighters, the only aircraft capable of taking on the MiG-25s. "India had four MIG-25Rs for high altitude reconnaissance. These aircraft could climb up to 81,000 ft. Pakistan had no fighter interceptor to climb to such height nor any ground-to-air anti-aircraft missiles to shoot such a plane down. These MIG-25Rs had a free run over Pakistan's vital installations.

"The PAF had the F-104 Starfighter which were designed to intercept high-flying (MiG-25s). They could go up to a height of 81,000 ft. These fighters had been phased out some years ago. The PAF knew that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had the MIG-25Rs and as such should have maintained some F-104 Starfighters to be used as interceptors.

"The high-cost to maintain them should have been overruled as some could have been cannibalised for parts. In any case, spare parts for the F-104 were easily available from some friendly countries," Khan writes.

U.S., Indian Air Forces Discuss Partnership Efforts

U.S., Indian Air Forces Discuss Partnership Efforts

(NSI News Source Info) HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii - April 9, 2009: Senior air force officials from India and the United States met here March 25 through 29 to discuss operational concepts and to chart the way ahead for future training exchanges and exercises.

This year's executive steering group meeting focused on the review and assessment of joint and combined training events.

Lt. Gen. Chip Utterback leads a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial for Air Marshal Dinesh Chandra Kumaria and others March 26 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. General Utterback is the 13th Air Force commander. Air Marshal Kumaria is the director of general operations for the Indian air force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Vanessa Perez)

The group was was co-chaired by Lt. Gen. Chip Utterback, the 13th Air Force commander, and Indian air force Air Marshal Dinesh Chandra Kumaria, director of general operations for the Indian air force.

"Our militaries continue to have a supportive working relationship that is vital to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region," General Utterback said. "I look forward to continuing the cooperative efforts we have developed over the years."

India and the United States share three executive steering groups to foster ties between their armies, air forces and navies.

During the four-day meeting, U.S. Air Force representatives briefed India military officials on security exercises, flight safety, medical logistics, the function of an air and space operations center, E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system subject matter expert exchanges, and on the capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III.

Additionally, Indian air force officials discussed their involvement with the Joint Prisoners of War-Missing in Action Accounting Command in recovering six downed U.S. bombers from World War II.

This year's meeting also allowed both air forces to work out a precise schedule for joint exercises, training and visits for the next two years.

"We have seen very tangible benefits from our exchanges," Air Marshal Kumaria said. "The progress, year after year, in the content and the comprehensiveness, has continued to increase."

American Airmen made time to show their Indian guests around the Hawaiian Islands as they toured the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and attended a luau.

"General Utterback and his team made us feel very welcome and at home during our time here in Hawaii," the air marshal said.

Thirteenth AF is responsible for command, control and execution of air, space, and information operations capabilities across the full range of military operations in the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility, excluding the Korean theater of operations.

Indian Hand Seen In Attack On Lanka’s Team

Indian Hand Seen In Attack On Lanka’s Team

(NSI News Source Info) LAHORE - March 25, 2009: The rocket-launchers and explosives used in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team are in the use of Indian forces, Dawn has learnt. According to a forensic report, four rocket-launchers and nine explosives seized from the scene are factory-made and used by Indian forces. A rocket launcher used by a gunman in an attack is seen in Lahore.—AP Forty grenades, 10 sub-machine guns (SMGs), five pistols, 577 live rounds of SMGs and 160 bullets of pistols were also found there. The terrorists had fired 312 bullets, two rockets and detonated two bombs. ‘No suicide jacket was found at the scene, suggesting that they were not on a suicide mission. The SMGs used in the attack are of Russian, German and Chinese made,’ an investigator told Dawn on Monday. Six policemen and a Pakistan Cricket Board van driver lost their lives when a group of a dozen terrorists ambushed Sri Lankan cricketers’ convoy near the Liberty roundabout in Lahore on March 3. Six of the Sri Lankan players suffered injuries. Although none of the 12 terrorists involved in the gory act has been arrested so far, investigators have come up with a claim based on ‘positive leads’ that none of the militant organisations in the country had the capacity to carry out the attack without the help of a state agency. ‘The ammunition and communication network is the base of our claim that a state agency is also involved,’ said the investigator. He said that law-enforcement agencies had taken over 100 suspects into custody, but yet to arrest any of the terrorists. ’Unfortunately all terrorists (involved in the attack) managed to flee to the tribal belt (probably Waziristan) owing to ‘belated’ response by police to go after them soon after the attack,’ he said. Investigators are now convinced that the mastermind of the attack had four objectives: (1) To sour Pakistan’s relations with Sri Lanka, (2) to stop foreign teams from coming to Pakistan, (3) to destabilise Pakistan and (4) to tell it (Pakistan) that its state agency is more capable than its (ISI) in carrying out such attacks even in the midst of huge security presence. Investigators however clarify that the attackers did not want to hijack the cricketers’ bus as they wanted to meet the above objectives ‘Hijacking often takes place when culprits want to secure the release of someone,’ they said. A four-member police team, headed by Punjab’s Additional Inspector-General of Police (Investigation) Salahuddin Khan Niazi, and another joint investigation team comprising officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB), have been investigating the matter.

India: Government Procurement Procedure Has Too Much Red Tape And Old Rusty, Caused Neglect To Armed Forces

India: Government Procurement Procedure Has Too Much Red Tape And Old Rusty, Caused Neglect To Armed Forces

(NSI News Source Info) February 19, 2009: India is increasing its defense budget by 24 percent, to $29 billion, in the next year. Last year's terrorist attack in Mumbai, and increasing civil disorder in neighboring Pakistan, put the spotlight on the sorry state of readiness among the million troops in the Indian armed forces. Turns out that there were lots of problems with training, equipment availability, and readiness in general.For a long time, the Indian Self Defense Forces have been running around in WW2 era Jeeps made with surplus or auctioned off tooling. The pressure to keep up with the Joneses has the military in the final approval stages for a new vehicle called the Mahindra Axe. The rugged compact military transit is powered by two different engine options - a 2.7L diesel from Ssangyong, and a 4.2L unit you may have seen under the hood of your local Chevy Trailblazer. Rumor has it they're developing a home grown engine option as well as a civilian version. Maybe that name is having an effect on us, but we wonder we can get ours with the Gulf Oil Livery.

India had not been spending enough money on any of this. Training, especially with ships, armored vehicles and aircraft is expensive. Fuel and spare parts are consumed in large quantities when you train, and India had been skimping here. Readiness also means spending a lot of money on spare parts, and upgrades to high tech gear. Again, there was much penny-pinching here, and, as a result, a lot of the expensive weapons were not ready for action. India also has a problem with many of its older, Soviet (Cold War) era systems. Russia's doctrine back then was to make inexpensive, impressive looking weapons that were designed to be used in combat, but not for a long time. These systems were not built, as Western ones were, to handle lots of training time when there wasn't a war going on. But India has decided that the Western approach is superior, so now they have to upgrade or replace the old Soviet gear, and pay what it takes to train their tank, ship and aircraft crews to be more effective. More must be spent on keeping the high-tech gear ready to go on a moment's notice. A one year boost of 24 percent is a start, but will take another few years like that to get the armed forces where they want to be in terms of capabilities.

AW-Tata JV To Assemble AW119 Helicopter In India / AgustaWestland And Tata Sons Sign MoU For AW119 Helicopter Final Assembly In India

AW-Tata JV To Assemble AW119 Helicopter In India / AgustaWestland And Tata Sons Sign MoU For AW119 Helicopter Final Assembly In India

(NSI News Source Info) February 13, 2009: AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Tata Sons are pleased to announce the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the formation of an Indian joint venture company which will establish a final assembly line for the AW119 helicopter in India. The agreement was signed at the Aero India air show today by Mr. Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland and Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons. The agreement was signed at the Aero India air show today by Mr. Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland and Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons. The joint venture company will be responsible for AW119 final assembly, completion and delivery to customers worldwide while AgustaWestland will retain responsibility for worldwide marketing and sales.

The joint venture company will be responsible for AW119 final assembly, completion and delivery to customers worldwide while AgustaWestland will retain responsibility for worldwide marketing and sales. The first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered from the new facility in 2011 with production forecast to rise to 30 aircraft per year to meet worldwide demand.

Mr. Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland speaking after the signing ceremony said "We are proud to have achieved this important agreement with such an important and strong industrial partner in India. Establishing an AW119 final assembly line in India will allow us to meet the growing demand in the world market for a modern single engine helicopter and to further expand our presence in India where we see strong future business opportunities."

The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala (Agusta A119 Koala prior to the Agusta-Westland merger) is an eight-seat utility helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine and produced for the civil market. It is intended to appeal to operators for whom the lower running costs of a single-engine aircraft outweigh the redundancy of a twin.

He added, "AgustaWestland is also committed to offering the best and most cost effective solution for the Indian Armed Forces' Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter requirement. We will also work together with other partners in India to best serve the needs of the Indian market."

It is envisaged that the joint venture company would be a supplier for the current Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) programme of the Indian Armed Forces, for which AgustaWestland has already proposed the AW119 to be manufactured in India. Additionally, AgustaWestland and Tata companies plan to explore additional commercial opportunities in India for AgustaWestland helicopters and the subsequent industrial co-operation.

Tata is a rapidly growing business group based in India with significant international operations. Revenues in 2007-08 are estimated at $62.5 billion (around Rs251,543 crore), of which 61 per cent is from business outside India. The group employs around 350,000 people worldwide. The Tata name has been respected in India for 140 years for its adherence to strong values and business ethics. The business operations of the Tata group currently encompass seven business sectors: communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals.

DTN News: Indian Commandos in Action

DTN News: Indian Commandos in Action

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - October 14, 2008: The Para Commandos are a special forces unit of the Indian Army. Formed in 1966, the Para Commandos are the largest and most important part of the Special Forces of India. They form the highly-trained Corps of the Indian Army and, generally, all the Indian Special Forces (SF) personnel are selected from it. Army Maj. Tom Seagrist, 1st Special Forces Group stationed at Fort Lewis, observes Indian army Lt. Gen. S.S. Soin as he fires an M-4 on Range 43 Aug. 8. Members of the Indian army are visiting military installations throughout the United States for two weeks to compare numerous weapons systems. Sniper on your six.....watch out! Really well camouflaged, this sniper patiently awaits for his target to pop up. Posing for the camera is this section of Para Commandos, armed with everything from pistols to sub-machine guns to assault rifles and even the 84mm Carl Gustav anti-tank launcher! A convoy of Para Commandos drive home, after undergoing a war game in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Para commandos train in all climates that India offers - from the deserts of Rajasthan to the forests of North East to the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas, India's Para Commandos can be everywhere and anywhere.

DTN News: India HAL To fly Into Latin America Market With Cheetah

DTN News: India HAL To fly Into Latin America Market With Cheetah

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - July 26, 2008: After tasting success with its Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv’ helicopters, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is poised to make further inroads into the Latin American market with its light helicopter Cheetah. According to highly placed sources in the ministry of defence (MoD), “Surinam and Colombia have expressed interest in the ‘Cheetah’ helicopters.” These countries have seen the performance of these helicopters and a team will probably travel there for the display, sources said. The Cheetah is a multi-functional, simple, light-weight helicopters which has specially been designed for operations over long distances. The five-setter Cheetah, can be used for observation, surveillance, logistic support, earth research and rescue operations. “The Cheetah has been manufactured by the HAL for both military and civil purposes and is the version of the SA 315 Lama under licence of Turbomeca in France,” explained officials. “The queries that we have received for the Latin American countries are for the civilian usage,” said sources. These machines have the ability over the latest technologies like a hydraulic servo control, ultra sensitive constant speed indicator and a automatic start system so that the machine can be started in a very short time. Presently, the MoD is working on a plan to acquire 400 light helicopters for the armed forces to replace its ageing Cheetah and Chetak fleet, which the Army and Air Force have been using for more than three decades. India is expected to buy half of the helicopters from a yet-to-be decided foreign vendor and the state-run HAL will be asked to design and build the remaining. Also, for the India Navy’s rotary UAVs, an agreement has already been reached with IAI of Israel for joint development, under which the conversion of the Cheetah helicopter will be done with introduction of automated controls. “The choice of Cheetah was obvious as we have them in large numbers, all the three services use them and they are time-tested. While the contract has yet not been signed, we have started work on collection of aerodynamic data on Cheetah helicopter so that necessary flight control systems can be developed,” said officials of HAL. To start with, two Cheetah helicopters will be converted—one in India and another in Israel. Subsequently, HAL will produce fresh Cheetah helicopters with the automatic control system in place.