JAPANESE DEFENCE MINISTER IN INDIA TO BOOST IT'S DEFENCE SECTOR WITH INDIA

In an endeavor to boost defence cooperation between the two nations,General Yoshifumi Hibako, Chief of Staff, Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces, is currently on a four-day visit of India.

India and Japan share a global vision of peace and stability. A road map for developing cooperation in the defence and security was agreed to in the form of joint statement during the then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Japan in 2006.

A 'Defence Policy Dialogue' has been established between the two countries and military to military Talks have also been institutionalized. Both the nations are committed to build on their strategic convergences and strengthen defence cooperation in mutually identified fields.

During his four days visit ending on February 16, General Hibako is scheduled to interact with senior officials of Indian armed forces and Ministry of Defence and discuss issues to enhance military cooperation.

This visit will further cement the historic ties between India and Japan, especially the military to military contacts, which are based on mutual trust and understanding.

Japanese Army Chief in India to boost defence ties

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Indian Navy to issue Rs 50,000 crore (US$ 11 billion) submarine tender this year



NEW DELHI: The Navy will issue a global tender for procuring six next generation submarines worth over Rs 50,000 crore by the end of this year.

"The government has cleared Project-75 India which is the next lot of six submarines... At the moment we are going with the Request for Information (RFI) process, I hope within this year we would be able to push off the tender," Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told reporters on the sidelines of a submarine seminar.

Project-75 India is a follow on of the Scorpene submarine project, six of which are being built by the Mazgaon Dockyards Limited (MDL) under a Rs 20,000 crore deal with French company DCNS.

With a depleted submarine strength, the Navy is planning to induct over 12 submarines in the next 10-12 years. The plans have also suffered a setback in view of the delays in the construction of the Scorpenes in Mumbai.

Talking about the capabilities of future submarines, the Navy chief said, "It will be a different boat in the sense that we are revising its Qualitative Requirements. Along with better sensors it will also have better hiding capability, improved detection range and combat management system."

He said the Navy would go for the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems for the submarines, which would enhance their capability of remaining submerged in water for a longer time period.

On the weapon systems to be put on the next line of under water vessels, Verma said Navy was planning to use a mix of indigenous torpedoes along with the missiles which are being deployed on the Scorpene submarines.

To a question on safety of Indian fishermen being targeted by the Sri Lankan Navy, he said, "The issue was highlighted during the visit of the Sri Lankan President also. The joint working group on fisheries is supposed to address these issues and that is the way to resolve it."

He denied knowledge of any apprehensions expressed by China on India's forthcoming exercises with the navies of the US and Japan. "You have to bear in mind that it is not the first time these exercises are happening. I am not aware of any such apprehension," he said.

On the annual exercise TROPEX, the Admiral said that besides elements from army and air force, the navy would also include its amphibious elements for the first time in the exercise.

"TROPEX in terms of involved expenses and platforms is the largest exercise we have. This time we have huge amphibious elements including the participation from army and the air force," he said.

Indian Navy inducted its first amphibious warship INS Jalashwa from US in 2007.

INDIA SE3EKS NOD FROM CHINE FOR UN PERMANENT SEAT

 India is cranking up the pressure on China to come out in unequivocal support of its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

The move comes about even as a friendly American lawmaker moved a Bill in the United States Congress to ask President Barack Obama to actively work towards helping New Delhi's ambition come to fruition.

"We believe that India is a deserving candidate for permanent membership of the Security Council," Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao told Chinese state television recently. "We would like to see greater understanding from China for India's case."

Last month, India began a two-year term on the Security Council as Asia's representative for the rotating seat, with the support of 187 of the 192 members of the world body. The broad support in some ways wiped out the humiliation of 1996, when India contested against Japan for the post, and lost badly.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and foreign minister S.M. Krishna are working for the current Security Council perch to be converted into a permanent one by the time India has to surrender the seat.

Towards that end, India is not only pushing its own case but also coordinating closely with Japan, Germany and Brazil for an expanded council.

Earlier this month, the G-4, as they are known, called for "earliest expansion" of the Security Council in both its permanent and non-permanent categories.

Also, US congressman Alcee Hastings introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives voicing support for the Indian bid.

Thus far, China is the only permanent member of the Security Council that has not come out in clear terms to endorse India's aspirations. New Delhi has raised the issue at every high-powered meeting between the two nations.

China, responding to the G-4 statement, said that "forcing premature plans... (would) undermine the unity of UN member states" since there were sharp differences over major issues.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu has said Beijing stood for "extensive and democratic consultations" before moving on the issue, indicating that it is in no hurry.

Analysts said Chinese reluctance to voice firm support for the Indian bid stems from two reasons.

One is an obvious reluctance to share power and the spotlight with another Asian force. But beyond that, Beijing is also distrustful of the developing US-India alliance.

Last November, in a speech to the Indian Parliament, Obama endorsed India's aspirations to be included as a permanent member.

The US not only welcomes India as a rising global power, it fervently supports it, he said.

But, he said, with increased power came responsibilities, one of which was to advance human rights and preserve peace and security. India, he said, had sometimes shied away from these issues. The price of freedom is standing up for the freedom of others, Obama said.

Analysts noted that New Delhi has been quietly realigning some of its public postures to hew closer to the US line.

This week, for instance, it used unusually blunt language as it took on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's handling of the political crisis in his country.

"India deplores the use of force which is totally unacceptable and must not be resorted to," the Indian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday night. "It is earnestly hoped calm is restored at the earliest without any further violence."

That follows a comment from Dr Singh to television editors last week that "India welcomes the dawn of democracy anywhere in the world" although, he added, it will not seek to impose its views on others.
Rao said she is hopeful that when the moment arrives, China will not stand in India's way.

"I doubt very much if China would oppose that when it comes to that," she said in a speech in New York last week. "But, as of now, China is not expressing itself openly in favour of India's candidature."

INDIA AND IRAN EXTENDED BILATERAL TIES

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has stressed the significance of expanding bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic and India.


"Officials and politicians of the two countries should increase and expand ties and meetings," Salehi said in a meeting with India's National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon in Tehran on Tuesday.

He also pointed out that Iran and India have historical and cultural commonalities, adding that New Delhi plays an important role in the region and the world, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran and New Delhi can raise cooperation in economic, trade, technology, and other sectors given Iran's rich energy resources and India's technological achievements.

The Indian national security advisor, for his part, said that the two nations should strengthen their relations in new fields.

Menon also met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday.

The Islamic Republic is India's second-largest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia, with New Delhi importing 12 million barrels of Iranian crude on a monthly basis.

Trade volume between Iran and India reached almost $13 billion in 2007 after business between the two countries jumped by 80 percent.

PHASE ONE PRODUCTION OF MBT ARJUN MARK 2 COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY

The phase one production of Arjun Mark-II will be completed by July 2011 and phase two production with 93 new improvements will be completed by June 2012, said P Sivakumar, Director of Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, a wing of the DRDO.

In Phase-I, 45 tanks will roll out with 56 upgrades, including the missile firing capability and the enhanced night vision, and in Phase-II, the remaining 79 tanks, with all the 93 improvements, will come off the assembly line. “By 2013-14, the first batch of 30 tanks will reach the ground,” Sivakumar told Express.

Addressing a seminar at Anna University, Sivakumar also mentioned the need for defence establishments to reduce the weight of combat vehicles like tanks. “Material sciences and nanotechnology play a significant role in this change. At present Arjun tanks weigh 60 tonnes. But there may be a demand to reduce the weight to 50 tonnes to improve mobility. This can be achieved to some extent by applying nanotechnology in reducing the thickness of armors while retaining their strength,” he said.

The DRDO research and innovation center at IIT-Madras Research Park will try to work and address such needs by collaborating with educational institutions, Sivakumar said.

“The center will become operational by July and we look to pool in resources from students of IIT-M and Anna University to conduct futuristic research at this centre, different from projects going on in the regular DRDO labs,” he said.

The focus of this research centre, according to Sivakumar, will be on developing the suspension technology. “India is a leader in hydropneumatic suspension technology and we are looking to broaden the scope further through this centre,” he said.

INS VIKRAMADITHYA BEGINS IT'S MOORING TEST

 

The Russian built Indian Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya has begun mooring trials on March 1 in Russia. The order to start testing was signed by Sevmash Director General Nikolai Sevmash Kalistratov. Sevmash, the agency which is involved in transformation of the carrier says that this is a serious step in the modernization of the ship, particularly marked in the master schedule building.

Outfitting work entered its final stage. The ship has been gradually populated with the equipment, machinery, pipes, cables, and now all this must be checked in different modes. Tests will be conducted on special programs and techniques.
As per sevmash, the most difficult and important test will be the main power plant. The second major task will be to check electronic armament complexes, including complexes of Indian origin and aviation facilities ships. Mooring tests will be important for testing training systems and equipment. The factory sea trials has been planned to begin in late 2011.
 

PRICE TALK FOR 126 MULTIROLE AIRCRAFTS STARTS THIS MONTH

India will this month begin the price negotiation for the $10.4-billion contract for 126 combat planes for its air force to conclude the deal by July this year, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik said here Thursday.

"The cost negotiation for MMRCA will begin by the end of this month. I expect the contract to be signed before I retire from service in July this year," Naik, who interacted with the capital's women journalists, said.

India is buying 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for which it issued tender in August 2007. The six contenders for the contract, described in defence circles as 'mother of all deals', are American majors Boeing and Lockheed Martin , Russian United Aircraft Corporation , French Dassault, European consortium EADS-Cassidian and Swedish Saab.

Boeing's F/A-18, Lockheed Martin's F-16, United Aircraft Corporation's MiG-35, Dassault's Rafale, EADS-Cassidian's Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab's Gripen are the fighter aircraft in the fray.

The chosen combat jet will be the mainstay of IAF's fighter aircraft fleet for the next 40 years. The new MMRCA will replace the IAF's existing fleet of MiG variants.