Indian Defense
‘Patrol Blocking In Depsang By Both Sides Will Take Time To Resolve’
India making alternate access to crucial Sub-Sector North, which consists of Depsang plains and Daulat Beg Oldie
At Depsang plains in Eastern Ladakh, Chinese troops have been blocking Indian patrols for sometime and deliberately giving a face-off, so the Indian Army started doing it too, a senior defence official said. Resolving the issue would take time, he noted.
“Since 2013, our capacity grew, number of troops increased and so our patrols increased. As our presence and capacity increased, it [face-off] was bound to happen,” two officials said.
India was making an alternate access to the crucial Sub-Sector North (SSN), which consisted of the Depsang plains and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO). The alternate access was there across Saser La, an ancient trade route. Currently, the airfield at DBO was accessible by the 255-km-long Darbuk-Shyok-DBO (DSDBO) road.
The route already existed and except for the Sasar La pass, which was not much, it needed to be widened and blacktopped, one of the officials said, adding, “It will take time as the area is glaciated.”
The Patrolling Points (PP) in the Depsang area, PPS 10, 11, 11A, 12 and 13, were located on the Limit of Patrolling, which lay before the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Due to the blocking of the patrols by the PLA (People’s Liberation Army), Indian troops have not been able to reach up to the PPs in the area. “We last accessed our PP in Depsang in January/February 2020,” the first official said.
Last few years, India had increased its overall troop presence and after the stand-off last May, the Army had re-tasked several formations from the Pakistan front towards the China front. As part of this, key elements of the Army’s 1 Strike Corps facing Pakistan have been reoriented and brought under the Northern Command.
Exchange of Maps
In 2002, India and China exchanged maps of the LAC in the middle and western sectors. While the middle sector happened smoothly, in the western sector, the Chinese saw the map of the Depsang bulge and said, “we are expanding our claim lines”, and the exchange failed, the official stated.
While Demchok was one of the two mutually agreed disputed areas in Eastern Ladakh, Depsang was one of the eight friction points in the area. In Demchok, where there were claims in the Charding La area, China had set up tents on this side of Charding nala. “The presence remains and we want them to go back behind the Charding nala for which we have been negotiating,” the official said.
There have been several face-offs in the Depsang area in the past too. In April 2013, the PLA tried to cross the Y-junction and later disengaged. In 2015, it made a bunker in the area, which the Indian Army destroyed. “Since 2013, we have been doing banner drills when patrols come face to face,” the first official noted.
The banner drill agreed by both sides as part of boundary protocols as a way to resolve face-offs involved both sides waving banners at each other and asserting their claim when patrols came face to face and then returned.
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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