10 C 17 DEALS ARE FINALISED FOR INDIAN AIR FORCE

	New Delhi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to place orders for 10 Boeing C 17 Globemaster-III strategic airlifters within this month.
	Discussions between the Indian Air Force and the US Air Force (USAF), as well as the Indian Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence concluded here March 15, with Boeing accepting the detailed terms for 30 per cent mandatory offsets. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which is the final authority for major defence and other acquisitions, is likely to approve the deal at its next meeting as the funds for the purchase of C 17s have been approved for the current financial year.   Dr Vivek Lall, Boeing’s outgoing Vice President in India for Defence, Space and Security, confirmed the agreement on offsets but declined to give any financial details. Sources in Washington however told India Strategicthat the deal is for US $ 4.1 billion, as indicated by the US Administration on the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to India in November last. It may be noted that IAF’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, told India Strategic that IAF would be going in for six more C 17s. There could however be further orders as IAF’s fleet of Soviet vintage heavy strategic lift IL 76 aircraft is already 26 years old. These aircraft are under modernization and would serve the IAF for about 10-15 more years. By that time, the new generation C 17s would be well assimilated operationally in the IAF. India has about 20 IL 76 aircraft, and IAF may eventually go in for a total of about 25 C 17s.

NEW FACE OF ULFA NOT CLEAR IT PRO OR AGAINST INDIA

 

different incidents reported since January 5, from the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Dhemaji, the United Liberation Front of Asom is reported to have mowed down in cold blood about 60 poor workers from Bihar who had gone to Assam to earn their living as milk vendors, workers in brick kilns etc. These workers — all Hindi speakers — were allegedly separated from Assamese-speaking workers living in the same area and were shot dead at point blank range with hand-held weapons. 

This is not the first time that ULFA had indulged in such brutal tactics to intimidate people from other parts of India living in Assam and force them to leave. It had done so in 2000 and 2003 mowing down about 150 Hindi-speaking poor workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The leaders of ULFA are all Hindus, but speak the Assamese language. It often tends to be forgotten that in the 1980s they started their movement mainly to drive out millions of illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh. As they became dependent on the intelligence agencies of Bangladesh and Pakistan for money, training, arms and sanctuaries, these agencies intelligently manipulated them to give up their campaign against illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh and turn it instead against Hindus from other parts of India, who had settled down in Assam in order to earn their living.

 Many of ULFA’s Hindu leaders, who enjoy the hospitality of Bangladeshi intelligence in Bangladeshi territory, have now become Hindu mercenaries, who are letting themselves be used by the intelligence agencies of two countries, who are India’s ill-wishers –Bangladesh and Pakistan — in order to fulfill their agenda of making Hindus kill Hindus for no other reason than that they speak different languages and come from different parts of India.

The extent to which they have come under the influence of Bangladeshi intelligence would be evident from the fact that while they target Hindus from other parts of India, force them to pay taxes and kill them, they never target Bengali-speaking Muslims from Bangladesh. In an editorial on November 9, 2006, The Sentinel, a daily newspaper published from Guwahati, commented on the targeting of Hindi-speaking civilians from other parts of India living and working in Assam: ‘Striking terror in the hearts of Hindi-speaking people of Asom is precisely what the jihadi elements of Bangladesh and the ISI (Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence) want for two reasons. In the first place, their identification with India is stronger than many others disillusioned by the Centre’s neglect of Asom.

‘Secondly, the Hindi-speaking people control the economy of Asom both as businessmen and as skilled manual workers. The forces inimical to the state want the economic vaccum that has stoked the illegal influx from Bangladesh to be intensified. However, none of this is unexpected. For over two decades, The Sentinel has constantly harped on the fact that it does not take long for a silent, unarmed invasion (My comment: Of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh) to turn into a violent armed invasion. We are beginning to see this happening. Over the years, the Asom government and the Centre chose to pay no attention. They are now about to reap as they have sown.’

Many non-governmental organisations have refrained from condemning ULFA’s targeted killings of innocent civilians. Instead, the focus of their campaign has been against the security forces. After the two explosions in Guwahati on November 5, 2006, these NGOs remained conspicuously silent on the brutal killing of the civilians, but instead blamed the government and the security forces for calling off the cessation of operations against ULFA on September 23, 2006. ‘The cessation had been announced on August 13, 2006, to facilitate peace talks with ULFA. Since there were indications that ULFA was exploiting this cessation to step up its fund collection drive through extortions and other activities and did not respond seriously to the government’s offer of peace talks, the cessation was called off. Some of these NGOs had organised a public meeting at Jorhat on November 7, 2006, under the auspices of the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Asom. At this meeting, there was hardly any criticism of the brutal murder of civilians by ULFA on November 5. Instead, allegations were made that the security forces were committing atrocities against the civilians. Some of the points made by the Hindi-speaking residents of Assam in their letters to the local newspapers are disturbing.

‘One such letter published by the Assam Tribune on November 7, 2006, said: “Some people (in the PCG) even acted as coordinators in the ULFA diktat that all ‘Indians’ living in Asom must pay tax, an euphemism for extortion. But the same ULFA never utters a word about the millions of Bangladeshis illegally living in Asom in fear of displeasing their foreign masters. In other words, ‘Indians’ living in Asom must pay ‘tax’ or face bullets, but Bangladeshis can stay without any such fear.’

Since ULFA resumed its acts of terrorism in September last year after the collapse of the peace talks, it stepped up its use of Improvised Explosive Devices. The media in other parts of India failed to highlight the fact that many of these IEDs were planted in areas where Hindi-speaking people live in order to create panic among them. The December 2006 issue of Swadhinata (Freedom), an electronic newsletter of ULFA, had alleged that ‘outsiders’ had set up ‘mini Bihars’, ‘mini Rajasthans’ and ‘mini Bengals’ in different districts of Assam, and called for their ouster.

The present campaign against poor migrants from Bihar has come in the wake of this. The lack of a will — in Guwahati as well as in New Delhi — to act firmly against ULFA and its sponsors in Bangladesh is creating an extremely dangerous situation in Assam. It is now in hand of asom people to disarm ULFA by withdrawing their support from them.

INDIA STANDS WITH IRAN IF IT'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSE

United Nations, March 23 (IANS) Expressing support for Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy 'consistent with their international obligations', India has called for intensification of efforts to address the Iranian nuclear issue through peaceful dialogue.

'As a country abiding by all its obligations of international treaties and having strong credentials of non-proliferation, India has taken a consistent stand on the Iran nuclear issue,' India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri told the UN Security Council Tuesday.

Like all States, 'Iran is entitled to the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and should at the same time restore international confidence to the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear activities,' he said.

'To that end, we support intensification of efforts to address the Iranian nuclear issue by peaceful means, through dialogue and negotiation,' Puri said at a briefing on Iran Sanctions Committee.

India also believed that the International Atomic Energy Agency has a central role in resolution of technical issues concerning Iranian nuclear programme.

Calling upon all sides to fully implement the Security Council resolutions, Puri said there should be no violation of the mandated measures.

'At the same time, all efforts should be made to ensure that legitimate trade and economic activities of Iranian entities and those of other countries should not suffer,' he said promising to contribute towards the Sanctions committee's work in that direction as one of its members.

Noting that Iran is part of what has been defined as India's 'proximate neighbourhood', Puri said, 'Iran, located at the crossroads of the Indian sub-continent, Central Asia and Middle East, is an important country and has a role to play in regional issues.'

India and Russia in a joint statement supported the Iranian nuclear research for use in peaceful energy purposes.

“India and Russia reiterated that all possible efforts should be made to address the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations and agreed that Iran has the right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its international obligations. The sides call on Iran to comply with the provisions of the respective UN Security Council resolutions and extend full cooperation with the IAEA”, the joint statement said.

As US gathers support to impose fresh sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, India on Saturday made clear its opposition to such a step, saying it would not solve the problem.

At the same time, India wants Iran to work with UN nuclear watchdog IAEA to convince the world that it is not seeking nuclear weapons as claimed by it.

"We are not sure sanctions are an answer. We don't think sanctions will solve the problem," sources said while articulating India's position on the moves by the US to garner support for fresh UN sanctions against Iran.

The US is currently holding talks with other permanent members of the UN Security Council for support on a resolution to impose fourth round of sanctions on Iran.

India opposes sanctions as it feels that these only impact common people.

Noting that Iran has been saying that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, the sources said many countries across the world, however, are not convinced by it.

"The best way to reassure the world is to work with IAEA," they said.

India has always maintained that the controversy over Iran's nuclear programme should be addressed within the forum of IAEA rather than the UNSC.

About the perception that IAEA has lately hardened its stance vis-a-vis Iran's nuclear programme, the sources said exasperation may be setting in as the UN atomic watchdog has been involved in the matter for long and got no assurance.

CHINESE SPIES ARRESTED NEAR NEPAL BORDER

According to the intelligence agencies, the Chinese agents however managed to sneak into India through the Indo-Nepal border and are in the age group of 18 to 35 years. As per intelligence agencies, these agents are staying in different Tibetan monasteries and are jointly carrying out their mission while the female agent is working independently. These agents have been sent to spy on Dalai Lama and his aides, it is believed.

Intelligence agencies deployed on the Indo-Nepal border are interrogating them through translators. During interrogation it was learnt that they had arrived by a vehicle till the border, parked the vehicle there and then entered Indian territory on foot.

SSB Commandant Devanand said that prima facie it seemed that they had come here as spies. He said that three other Chinese were held recently while taking pictures and sent to Delhi after interrogation.

Ever since the Maoist government took over in Nepal, the movement of Chinese nationals on the Indo-Nepal porous border has increased considerably. This has been a matter of concern for many intelligence agencies deployed on the Indo-Nepal border. The Indian intelligence agencies are also worried over the opening of Chinese language learning centres for Nepalese citizens on the Indo-Nepal border.

Indian intelligence agencies are on high alert after receiving inputs about infiltration of six Chinese intelligence agents into India illegally through the Indo-Nepal border.

As per security agencies deployed on the UP-Nepal border, the Chinese agents disguised as Buddhist monks entered India and have taken shelter in different Tibetan monasteries of Shravasti. These agents, according to the intelligence, include a woman and are connected with Kubum Boddh monastery governed by Eastern Tibet. Their infiltration has increased the threat to the lives of Tibetan religious head Dalai Lama and his close aides.

The Chinese agents disguised as monks sought special permission from Indian Embassy in Nepal to visit India in the month of December, sources said. The Indian Embassy on enquiry found their connection with Chinese intelligence agencies and their application was rejected.

Paramilitary personnel of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) arrested three suspected Chinese spies, including a woman who were spotted taking photographs of their camps on Rupaidiha checkpost of the Indo-Nepal border.

SSB jawans held three Chinese nationals, Mipix Utidong, Hanksang and Chainlong, all residents of Shanghai, on Monday night. The Chinese nationals were spotted taking photographs of the SSB camp, Indo-Nepal gate and activities of the SSB. Kakkar added that they did not possess passports and visas and entered Indian territory illegally.

He said that three other Chinese were held recently while taking pictures and sent to Delhi after interrogation.

The Chinese agents disguised as monks sought special permission from Indian Embassy in Nepal to visit India in the month of December, sources said. The Indian Embassy on enquiry found their connection with Chinese intelligence agencies and their application was rejected.The Uttar Pradesh police rubbished the Chinese foreign ministry's claim that the three spies arrested from from Rupaideeha in Bahraich were tourists who had crossed into India by mistake.

"The three Chinese nationals were arrested because they were clicking photos of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) camps which are prohibited areas. The SSB also seized an Indian PAN card from them," Brij Lal , the state's additional director general of police, said on Thursday. " They are remanded in judicial custody for 14 days and we are appointing a translator to help the investigators." China on Thursday urged India to " properly handle" the issue. Hong Lei, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing, said the Chinese embassy in India was getting in touch with the Indian police for further information.


Hong termed as "groundless" reports that the three Chinese citizens were spies or had engaged in money-laundering. But Lal said the Indian PAN card in their possession had " created doubts" about their antecedents. The external affairs ministry has sought a report from the Union home ministry on the issue.

"As the incident is under the jurisdiction of the home ministry and related bodies, it is being handled by them. We have sought a report from those concerned ministries and organs such as immigration departments to ascertain the facts," a senior external affairs ministry source said in Delhi. It is understood that the external affairs ministry will deport the Chinese nationals if advised by the home ministry.

The Chinese spokesperson referred to the apprehended Chinese nationals as tourists who were on holiday on the Nepal- India border and mistakenly crossed over to India. But Lal said the Chinese have been booked under the Passport Act not only because their activities were mysterious but also because they failed to show any passport or visa.

Those arrested - a woman and two men, who claimed to be engineers engaged in installation of mobile phone towers in Nepal on behalf of Chinese cell phone giant Huawei. They were identified as Yu Uyang, Che Rang and Li Soto.

"They were staying in a hotel in Nepalganj area of Banke district of Nepal and entered Rupaideeha. They can move freely in Nepal but it is illegal for them to enter India. It is also illegal for to click photos of prohibited areas," Sanjay Kakkar, Bahraich superintendent of police, said.

"They left their car in Nepalganj in Banke district of Nepal and entered Rupaideeha," he added. The Bahraich police on Thursday moved an application before chief judicial magistrate M. P. Dwivedi for the police remand of the arrested Chinese nationals. The case has been posted for hearing on Saturday.

DRDO'S LASER WEPONS FOR INDIAN DEFENCES

The state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled its futuristic technology plans which involve high-powered lasers for combating incoming missiles as well as other areas of homeland security.

The DRDO’s Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) has indicated that it has been developing Directed Energy Weapons (DEWS) for the Indian Armed Forces and that it will be a crucial exercise along with space security, cyber-security and hypersonic vehicles.” LASTEC has the mandate to develop DEWs for armed forces,” said DRDO’s chief controller (electronics & computer sciences) R Sreehari Rao.

XDRDO’s LASTEC is building up these technologies to compliment the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces to modernise themselves and achieve their future technology roadmap. The idea is to develop laser-based weapons, deployed on airborne as well as seaborne platforms, which can intercept missiles soon after they are launched towards India in the boost phase itself.

Elaborating on the potential of DEWS, LASTEC indicated that while conventional weapons use kinetic or chemical energy of missiles or other projectiles to destroy targets, DEWs decimate them by bombarding with subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves at the speed of sound. The collateral damage is also reduced with this method.

These futuristic technologies will also be incorporated in the Ballistic Missile Defence system being pursued by India. While all these laser-based technologies will take time to develop and be deployed, the DRDO along with LASTEC has mapped out the future course of action in these areas.

Scientists at the DRDO’s LASTEC have already completed work on a hand-held version of the laser dazzler with a range of up to 50 meters and a 25 kilowatt laser system capable of destroying enemy missiles is estimated to be completed in five years time. However, given the poor performance of the DRDO in developing crucial equipment in time, it remains to be seen if the DRDO can actually deliver. The process will involve sourcing the raw materials for high-powered lasers, manufacturing the parts and perfecting radar tracking that will allow continuous focusing on a missile cone besides other critical factors.

For starters, LASTEC is ready with hand-held laser dazzlers to disorient adversaries without collateral damage with a 50-metre range. As for the DRDO LASTEC’s future “laser” agenda, it is developing crowd-control dazzlers mounted on vehicles to dispel rioting mobs with 250-metre range. This will take two more years.

Other crucial ventures include Laser-based ordnance disposal system, which can be used to neutralise IEDs and other explosives from a distance. The trials are expected in 18 months time. Besides that, there are air defence dazzlers to take on enemy aircraft and helicopters with 10 kilometres range and will be ready in 2 years.

Finally, there is a 25-kilowatt laser systems to destroy missiles during their terminal phase with 5 to 7 kilometres range and a 100-kilowatt solid-state laser systems, which will be mounted on aircraft and ships to destroy missiles in their boost phase itself. These two systems will take five years and ten years respectively to be ready.

LASTEC scientists are also working on a vehicle-mounted “gas dynamic laser-based DEW system” under Project Aditya but it will just be a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. The future will be solid-state lasers which are more efficient, smaller and lighter.

Indian, Singapore navy to engage in five-day naval exercise in South China Sea

The five-day joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Singapore Navy will start tomorrow in the South China Sea. Five Indian navy ships, under the command of Rear Admiral Harish Chandra Singh Bisht, arrived in Singapore today for the drill that aims to strengthen bilateral maritime security relations.

The joint exercises, held on alternate year in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, has built up understanding and knowledge between Indian and Singapore navies, Rear Admiral Joseph Leong, Fleet Commander of the Republic of Singapore Navy told PTI at a reception hosted on board INS Jyoti.

He cited benefits of the joint exercise and cooperation developed by the Indian and Singapore navies in tackling major challenges and especially the piracy in the Gulf of Aden. "We understand each other and have a high level contact in managing maritime security," said Rear Admiral Leong.

Rear Admiral Bisht said the annual exercises, held since 1994, were important to sharpen the skill of naval forces. INS Delhi, INS Ranvijay, INS Ranveer, INS Jyoti and INS Kirch manned by 1,400 naval personnel are participating in the exercise. Singapore will have four naval ships including a submarine.

INS Ranvijay, the most powerful Indian naval ship, will carry out anti-submarine and anti-missile exercises. But this time, the exercises would be a "mock warfare" though in the past live firing were tried out.

INDIA'S FIRST FOREIGN AIR BASE AT TAGIKISTAN'S AYANI FUNCTIONING WELL

Conceived in 2002 under the NDA regime, the Ayni air base allows India rapid response to any emerging threat from the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan arc including a terrorist hijacking like the IC-814. It also gives New Delhi a limited yet significant capability to inject special forces into a hostile theatre as and when the situation demands.


Officially, the defence ministry and IAF strongly deny the move to establish an Indian military base at Ayni. But there is also a quiet sense of satisfaction at the unfolding of the Ayni plan, first conceived in 2002, which will see India break out of its self-imposed strategic constraint that rarely extended beyond its immediate neighbourhood.

Sources say the defence ministry has sought the Cabinet Committee on Security's formal approval to begin operations at the Ayni airbase, renovated and upgraded with India's help at a cost of almost Rs 100 crore.

With the help of engineers from Army and Border Roads Organisation, India has extended and relaid the runway at the airbase, around 15 km from Tajik capital Dushanbe. It has also constructed three aircraft hangars and an air-control tower besides implementing perimeter fencing around the base.

This was done under a three-way agreement among India, Tajikistan and Russia. It has gained momentum since the Ayni airbase — lying largely unused since the mid-1980s — has now become 'fully-ready' for operations after four years of hard work.


India, on its part, wants "military presence" in the area to keep tabs on "any anti-Indian activity" in the terrorism-infested Pakistan-Afghanistan region.

India's first ever air base in Central Asia at Ayni in Tajikistan is now ready and the Defence Ministry has sought a mandate from the Cabinet Committee on Security to begin operations.

The other aspect is India’s role in the energy security calculus in the region with prospects of Central Asian natural gas reaching the subcontinent and negotiations with energy-rich countries like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Energy security is now a major concern with the Strategic Policy Group under Cabinet Secretary discussing the issue with the service chiefs, Home, Defence and Foreign Secretaries on February 7.
NEW DELHI: Quietly, very quietly, India is preparing to deploy at least one squadron of Mi-17 helicopters at the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan. This will be its 'first real military outpost' on foreign shores and give New Delhi 'strategic reach' in energy-rich Central Asia.

The 'immediate' plan may well be to deploy Mi-17 helicopters, as well as some Kiran trainer aircraft to train Tajik pilots, at the airbase before the end of this year. But sources confirmed that this was just the prelude to 'a larger strategic imprint' in the region, which India sees as crucial to its growing energy needs. The 'eventual aim' is to station even MiG-29 fighter jets at the airbase.

"It may be just a military outpost at the moment but will develop into a full-fledged base in the future," said a source. This will also give India the option to even rapidly 'insert' its special forces into nearby areas if its interests are threatened, as they were during the hijack of IC-814 to Kandahar in December 1999.

India's first ever air base in Central Asia at Ayni in Tajikistan is now ready and the Defence Ministry has sought a mandate from the Cabinet Committee on Security to begin operations.

India refurbished the Ayni air base, 10 km north-east of Dushanbe, at the cost of over Rs 80 crore under a trilateral defence agreement with Tajikistan and Russia. With its runway extended, perimeter fencing secured and aircraft hangars built, the Ayni airbase is ready after a delay of nearly two years. Lying dilapidated since 1985, this airbase was used by the former Soviet Union during its Afghan campaign.

Official sources have told The Sunday Express that the Chiefs of Staff Committee has already put its stamp of approval on operating the base. However, Defence Minister A K Antony has asked the CCS for a formal mandate on force levels before the Indian Air Force moves its platforms to Ayni.

Under the trilateral agreement, India, Russia and Tajikistan will have command and control of the air base by rotation and a contingent of Defence Services personnel is already in Ayni after military contractors completed construction last December.

Ayni’s use is limited by the fact that India has no direct access to Tajikistan with part of Kashmir and Northern Areas being controlled by Pakistan. Under the circumstances, the Indian team will have to work with the Russians, who already have a motorised division stationed in Tajikistan, for all logistical help and support.




India has plans to put a squadron of Mi-17 V1 helicopters at Ayni with logistical support coming from Russia in the landlocked Tajikistan. While Russia is operating fighters from this base, New Delhi does not want to commit fixed-wing platforms for Ayni. The Indian Air Force has already given flying training to Tajikistan air force personnel under the agreement.




India refurbished the Ayni air base, 10 km north-east of Dushanbe, at the cost of over Rs 80 crore under a trilateral defence agreement with Tajikistan and Russia. With its runway extended, perimeter fencing secured and aircraft hangars built, the Ayni airbase is ready after a delay of nearly two years. Lying dilapidated since 1985, this airbase was used by the former Soviet Union during its Afghan campaign.



Official sources have told The Sunday Express that the Chiefs of Staff Committee has already put its stamp of approval on operating the base. However, Defence Minister A K Antony has asked the CCS for a formal mandate on force levels before the Indian Air Force moves its platforms to Ayni.

INDIAN LISTENING POST AT SEYCHELLIS A STRATEGIC POINT AGAINST CHINESE NAY

India has activated its first listening post on foreign soil that will keep an eye on ship movements in the Indian Ocean. A key monitoring station in northern Madagascar, complete with radars and surveillance gear to intercept maritime communication, was quietly made operational earlier this month as part of Indian Navy’s strategy to protect the country’s sea lanes of commerce.

The monitoring station, under construction since last year when India took on a lease from Antananarivo, will link up with similar naval facilities in Kochi and Mumbai to gather intelligence on foreign navies operating in the region. “A naval asset with limited anchoring facilities has been activated. It will facilitate possible manoeuvres by the navy in the region,” a ministry official said.

While the station will also monitor piracy and terrorist activities, its primary aim is to counter the growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean Region. The station is India’s first in southern Indian Ocean that is gaining importance due to increasing oil traffic across the Cape of Good Hope and the Mozambique Channel route preferred by super tankers.

The US already has a permanent military base with aerial assets and monitoring facilities in Diego Garcia, 1,400 nautical miles north-east of the Madagascar facility.

India is looking at developing another monitoring facility at an atoll it has leased from Mauritius in the near future. While the ministry remains silent, sources say some forward movement has recently been made on the project.

“With berthing rights in Oman and monitoring stations in Madagascar, Mauritius, Kochi and Mumbai, the navy will effectively box in the region to protect sea lanes right from Mozambique and the Cape of Good Hope to the Gulf of Oman,” an official said.

The navy has already made its presence felt along the African coast with regular warships deployments to monitor piracy and terrorist movements. India also inked an agreement with Mozambique last year to mount periodical maritime patrolling off its vast coast. In 2003, the Indian navy provided seaward protection for the African Union summit at Mozambique.

INDIAN NAVY TO AQUIRE THREE MORE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS BEFORE 2017

The Indian Navy has been acquiring sea-based assets for littoral warfare, including purchase of landing platform docks and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, and plans to acquire at least three aircraft carriers in the next five to seven years, in addition to other assets.

An Indian Defence Ministry news release said quoting Defence Minister A.K. Antony who asked the Navy to increase Navy-to-Navy contact with the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. This move comes five years after the service incorporated preparation for littoral warfare as part of the Navy’s long term doctrine.

Addressing top Indian military commanders at a meeting in Delhi on Oct. 27, Antony said, "The complex maritime security environment in our region requires the Navy to maintain a state of perpetual readiness operationally. You must factor in the need to be ready at all times prominently, while planning for the future. At the same time, we need to maintain, and even increase, the momentum of our Navy-to-Navy contact with the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. Such contacts strengthen professional ties and mutual trust, and streamline interoperability issues." Antony said New Delhi is committed to the continued deployment of ships and aircraft to improve surveillance off the coast of Maldives and Seychelles to ensure maritime security from piracy.

Antony said, "We also need to engage like-minded African states in the Western Indian Ocean Region, such as Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya, to enhance our strengths and contribute to peace and stability, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also in the entire Indian Ocean Region".

The Indian Navy has been acquiring sea-based assets for littoral warfare, including purchase of landing platform docks and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, and plans to acquire at least three aircraft carriers in the next five to seven years, in addition to other assets.An Indian Defence Ministry news release said quoting Defence Minister A.K. Antony who asked the Navy to increase Navy-to-Navy contact with the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. This move comes five years after the service incorporated preparation for littoral warfare as part of the Navy’s long term doctrine.

INDIA US RELATION URGES FEAR IN CHINESE DEFENCE

the US Navy and Indian forces held their annual bilateral amphibious training exercise in late September, it got little attention from the international media. It was, after all, a relatively small, joint tabletop exercise between the two nations.

But the interesting thing about Exercise Habu Nag was not in the manoeuvres that were being executed, nor their size. It was all about the location—in the waters off Japan’s Okinawa, just as Sino-Japanese tensions were rising over a maritime territorial dispute.

Indeed, it’s fitting that the issue of China again loomed so large over the exercises, because it has been Chinese criticism that in the past couple of years has deterred India from engaging fully with the United States in this way.

Habu Nag is only one of the 35 joint exercises conducted by the Indian and the US armed forces over the past five years. But it marked a noticeable shift even from last year, when the Indian Ministry of Defence refused to grant permission for similar participation by an Indian contingent in an exercise with the United States.

India’s hesitation in 2009 partly stemmed from Beijing’s very vocal protest in 2007 after the US, Indian, Australian, Japanese and Singaporean navies staged the unprecedented Malabar Exercise in the Bay of Bengal, manoeuvres that China saw as part of an attempt at encirclement.

But with India deciding this year to set such concerns aside, Habu Nag saw a week’s worth of training that involved the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). As part of the exercise, officers from the Indian Army’s lone amphibious brigade and Indian Navy embarked on the ship to observe the US Marine Corps in action, with a view to enhancing bilateral interoperability, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response between US and Indian officers.

‘A key aspect is that the US has Marines embedded with Navy staff, doing jobs for the Navy that are Marine Corps oriented and vice versa,’ Lt Col Evan Holt, a US Marine liaison officer who worked with the Indian officers, was quoted as saying. ‘We want to demonstrate how two different services with two different goals mesh their operations and personnel to complete those goals.’

Cmdr Gagan Kaushal, of the Indian Navy, noted for his part that the exercise gave India the chance to see for itself up close how the US military works.

INDIA IS THE LARGEST FIGHTER JET BUYER IN WORLD

The United States and Russia are by far the largest suppliers of combat aircraft accounting for two-thirds of all combat aircraft delivered in the period 2005-2009 while India is the largest buyers, according to a report released Wednesday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

"India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel are by far the largest recipients of combat aircraft. Together, these three countries accounted for almost one-third of all imports of combat aircraft between 2005 and 2009," the report said.

India purchased 115, the largest buyer in the world during the period.

Between 2005 and 2009, the United States sold 341 fighter jets, up from 286 planes sold during the previous five-year period, while Russia sold 219 planes, down from 331, according to the report.

During the five years, a total of 50 countries bought 995 warplanes.

"While combat aircraft are often presented as one of the most important weapons needed for defense, these same aircraft give countries possessing them the potential to easily and with little warning strike deep into neighboring countries," said Siemon Wezeman, Senior Fellow with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Program and author of the study in a statement issued by SIPRI.

Wezeman pointed out that acquisitions of combat aircraft thus clearly can have a major destabilizing effect on regions.

Another dimension to be aware of is that seven of the eight states with nuclear weapons include combat aircraft among the systems for delivering these weapons, something not often discussed when exporting countries present sales of combat aircraft as major business opportunities, Wezeman noted in the statement.

The report pointed out that combat aircraft are expensive weapons which cost dozens of million dollars. Thus it leads to production of these weapons for substantial income and employment. However, the acquisition and use of these weapons place a heavy burden on military budgets and the decision to acquire them will shape the direction of defense policy for years.

SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. It provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.