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First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Signals India’s Focus On Naval Power: What Does It Mean? Japanese Media

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First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Signals India’s Focus On Naval Power: What Does It Mean? Japanese Media

The maiden sea trials of India’s first indigenously-designed and built aircraft carrier were held recently. This will go a long way in boosting the indigenization of the Indian defence forces, especially its naval arm. As of now, India is one of the world’s biggest importers of military hardware.

The carrier is named after the INS Vikrant, which played a major role in India’s decisive victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which also led to the creation of Bangladesh. The INS Vikrant had been acquired from the UK in 1961 and was decommissioned in 1997 after an illustrious career.

When completed, the IAC-1 (Indigenous Aircraft Carrier) (INS Vikrant) is expected to weigh around 40,000 tons. It will carry Russian-made MiG-29K fighter aircraft and Kamov-31 Air Early Warning Helicopters. Over 76 per cent of the materials utilized on board the ship are indigenous, however, which is a big leg-up for India’s defence manufacturing sector.

The INS Vikrant is 262m long and has over 2,300 compartments. It can accommodate a crew of around 1700. The construction of this ship began way back in 2006, at the Kochi Shipyard in southern India. It is expected to be commissioned in 2022, in time for the celebration of India’s 75 years of independence.

How Is This A Game Changer?

First, New Delhi’s options on land are limited, with China to the north and Pakistan to the west. Moreover, India is at a further disadvantage on land with the recent takeover of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan (in close cahoots with Pakistan).

Hence, it is the naval realm that offers India the best opportunity to spread its influence, as it has in the past, when Indian culture and customs circulated to places far and wide over the seas.

India also has a huge coastline which runs about 7,516.6kms. It also includes the strategically important Andaman and Nicobar islands as well as the Lakshadweep islands. It is very important to strengthen monitoring of the maritime routes as, for example in the case of the Mumbai terror attacks on November 2008, the attackers had come by sea.

Second, with China’s maritime power projection capabilities growing quickly, it is imperative for India to keep pace. China already has two functional aircraft carriers and is planning more. It has already made its belligerent intentions quite clear in the East and South China Sea regions, with its naval ships and maritime militia harassing Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries.

An aircraft carrier is critical for India’s power projection capability and this task will be performed with élan by the INS Vikrant. At the same time, the Chinese PLA Navy has already become the biggest navy in the world in terms of absolute numbers. Hence, it is all the more important for India not only to ramp up the indigenization process but also the numbers of maritime vessels.

Third, the Indian Navy has significant experience in the naval realm as its trains with navies from across the world. India, Japan, Australia and the United States are part of the Quad, and they are also part of the Malabar naval exercises.

In addition, India’s experience includes disaster relief, such as its collaboration with Australia, the U.S. and Japan in providing rescue and relief efforts in the wake of the disastrous Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.

Fourth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after coming to power, outlined India’s maritime interests in the form of a policy known as SAGAR-“Security and Growth for All in the Region”, which envisages cooperation with different maritime powers in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, New Delhi has an active “Act-East Policy”, which aims at reinvigorating India’s historical ties with Southeast and East Asia.

New Delhi also has a big Diaspora in the Middle East region. Hence it is all the more important for it to have a strong naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Challenges

Of course, there are many challenges as well in the process of developing an indigenous capability for the manufacturing of aircraft carriers and other weapon systems.

First, there is the issue of weapon systems. Ideally, indigenous aircraft carriers should be paired with indigenous weapon systems. Although this is a work-in-progress, New Delhi would still need to acquire weapon systems for this ship from other countries. Then, there is the issue of training. A majority of Indian defence personnel have been trained on foreign-weapons platforms.

Second, there have been cost overruns due to the delays in the construction of this warship. In addition, construction of the indigenous aircraft carrier is only the beginning. Maintenance and upkeep, including the availability of spare parts, must be considered as well.

Third, the issue of technology transfer is important here. India needs to collaborate with the countries which have provided parts for the INS Vikrant and others which sail in the Indo-Pacific region. This includes countries such as Russia, which will provide weapons platforms for the INS Vikrant, and also nations like the U.S., France and U.K., which operate aircraft carriers in the region.

There is no doubt that this kind of indigenous capability is very important for the Atmanirbhar Bharat and the “Made-in-India campaigns” of the Modi government, which aim to promote self-reliance. The aircraft carrier will also bring India into a select group of countries which have the potential to build their own aircraft carriers.

It will also help in increasing the interoperability between Indian, Japanese and other friendly forces. As of now, India still uses a lot of weapons of Russian origin, which can be an issue during joint exercises.

Besides, the indigenous construction of the INS Vikrant is also providing employment to a huge number of Indian firms and to Indians directly. There is no doubt that India’s first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier will be a game-changer in the Indo-Pacific region. At the moment Japan operates helicopter destroyers, and these are also likely to be upgraded to aircraft carriers in the future. In the years ahead the INS Vikrant will bring India and Japan closer in the naval realm. as well.

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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’

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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’


NEW DELHI: India tested its nuclear capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), designed to have a strike range of 3,500 km, for the second time in six days on Friday. The missile test, as the one conducted on January 19, was undertaken from an undersea platform in the shape of a submersible pontoon off the coast of Andhra Pradesh according to a report by Rajat Pandit of TOI.

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.





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After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%

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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.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the upgrade. The upgrade is part of India’s efforts to improve the capabilities of its primary fighter aircraft, it refers to as the “Super Sukhoi”.

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.





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Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace

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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).

While there is no official confirmation because of the sensitivities involved, documents suggest that the order for the same has already been placed the report further added.
There are nine countries, in turn, which have shown interest in the indigenously-developed Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km. They are Kenya, Philippines, Indonesia, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam and Algeria reported TOI.

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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