Indian Defense
China Eyes Technological Edge Over Rivals
There are several military and civil aviation programs of the Chinese in which Airbus to Boeing and companies like Rockwell, Honeywell, Safran, Eaton Aerospace, Saint-Gobain-Sully, Liebherr are there, the sole aim being self-sufficiency in defence to face any eventuality and not be dependent on foreign powers for military hardware
The first part of this article is about the ‘visa humiliation’ of India, inflicted by the Communist Party of China (CPC). The second part addresses the CPC’s ways to strengthen air power, which stands perilously close to the aerial terrain of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Hence, New Delhi may like to change the threat alert to real-time ‘war of attrition’.
The one-point agenda of the humiliation inflicted by the Chinese and belittling of India shouldn’t be accepted by a 21st century sovereign country. Yet, as Indian diplomacy groans in agony under the weight of the uncivil and aggressive CPC-owned state, and as New Delhi’s mandarins hope for a favourable response for the issuance of visa to Indians — which stands suspended since November 2020 on the pretext of Covid-19 restrictions — one must ‘appreciate’ how well India treats the CPC.
The Chinese are being allowed to enter India on a visa made available by the Ministry of External Affairs, without mutual reciprocity. The Chinese enter and exit India with ease, thereby allowing themselves the leisure and pleasure to do what they feel like in the Indian hinterland. From economics to commerce, finance to banking and border intrusion to cyber fraud, the CPC leaders must be laughing at India’s plight, taking full advantage of the favour being granted through unrestricted movement of Chinese nationals across India.
In the process, the CPC dictators become a hero in the eyes of their oppressed and suppressed people, and despite being a democracy, the Indian government faces criticism from citizens enjoying fundamental rights for not being able to get the mutual benefits which the Chinese are enjoying on the Indian soil at the expense of the Indian state.
The so-called ‘free citizens of the CPC state visit India for everything. And the actual ‘free’ Indians, under laws administered by the Government of India, are shackled by a foreign government that restricts their international movement. Isn’t the scenario abominable as the Chinese pop up in every nook and corner of India?
Now, on to China’s foray into the foreign military arena! The IAF, on the eve of its 89th anniversary, notes the devious ploy of the CPC, to implement its plan into reality, through all or any means — fair or foul — by enhancing its capability and slicing the cake to spoil the rival’s plan of consumption.
So, ‘read’ the Chinese through their own 4th century BC soldier-scholar Sun Tzu’s The art of war: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of hundred battles.” India followed, and victory was theirs in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Nevertheless, ‘if you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat’.
It happened in September 1965 during the India-Pakistan war. The victory in the Punjab sector didn’t replicate in other combat zones where India faulted; only to be mutually restored in the post-war Tashkent meet in 1966. And finally, ‘If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle’. It occurred spectacularly, when the 20th century successors of Sun Tzu, the CPC-controlled People’s Liberation Army (PLA), attacked India unprovoked in 1962 (to save its dictator Mao Zedong from the famine that killed 50 million Chinese). Indeed, Mao gave a body blow to the political leadership of New Delhi. Indian polity then knew neither the enemy nor its own self in 1962.
So, today the ‘768 combat-capable’ IAF aircraft face China’s ‘2,367 combat-capable’ fleet (Military Balance-2021). How did it happen? It started with cold, calculated means three decades ago with emphatic emphasis on import substitution and home-made military aviation to avoid possible interruption of combat aircraft flow, following unanticipated and unexpected change in the supplier country’s political weather vane.
Starting with the Soviet aircraft import in the 1950s, the CPC Air Force today poses a challenge to all with deep inroads into Western technology to enhance its aviation capacity building. Thus, came in 2009 the Chinese XAC Y-20 Kunpeng medium transport/multi-role aircraft, designed reportedly with Antonov inputs. However, ‘recent image showed the design conforming more to Boeing C-17’. In July 2009, a former Boeing employee was convicted of selling C-17 technical details to China (Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft).
SAC Y-9 is another China-made special mission aircraft, supplied to Pakistan as Karakoram Eagle (KE-03). A reported similar role to the US Lockheed EP-3, expectedly its ‘systems were copied from an EP-3, which made emergency landing in China 2001’.
Contextually, one is constrained to draw the attention of the IAF to media reports of August 9, 2012: ‘Defence glare on Chinese spares’. “The Defence Ministry is investigating reports that faulty Chinese spares were used in the US-origin military hardware sold to India; the then Defence Minister AK Antony told Parliament’. He ‘listed some equipment among the contracts signed in the last five years (2005-10)’, the total value of which was more than $10 billion. Antony further said the Defence Ministry got intelligence reports in November 2011 about a ‘probable compromise’ of computers of the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
That the CPC could drag anyone to any extent to achieve the ‘numero uno’ status, stands vindicated by numerous credible reports on its mischief which the developed Western world miserably failed to read over the years. Thus, it is the US-led West which surrendered their technological advantage to the CPC through joint venture and collaboration, and sheepishly succumbed to Beijing’s demands, however harsh these were.
A few more instances will suffice. On May 28, 2013 came the news of Polish maker Aero AT being bought over by China’s Jiangsu Lantian (Blue Sky) Aerospace Industrial Park ‘to produce light plane for Chinese market’. In February 2002 came the US-China joint venture in the form of Shanghai Sikorsky Aircraft Company, with US technology access to China. There are several military and civil aviation programs of the Chinese in which Airbus to Boeing and companies like Rockwell, Honeywell, Safran, Eaton Aerospace, Saint-Gobain-Sully, Liebherr (both French and German) are there with long-term development leading to home product program of the CPC, the sole aim being self-sufficiency in defence to face any eventuality and not be dependent on foreign powers for military hardware.
Ironically, however, after a three-decade honeymoon with the CPC-led China, cracks are visible. The US today is desperately trying to curb the CPC by clubbing other countries through Quad and AUKUS. Is it too late in the day? Or is it going to be one of those still-born tech programs? Only time can tell. Nevertheless, it’s also time for New Delhi and the defence forces to take note as the IAF completes 89 years. The flight to the destination (IAF’s centenary celebrations) is fraught with unanticipated, unexpected and severe air turbulence.
Indian Defense
INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
Indian Defense
After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
Indian Defense
Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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