Indian Defense
Rajnath Singh Reiterates India’s Commitment To Freedom of Navigation, Overflight And Unimpeded Lawful Commerce In International Waters
Jakarta: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reiterated India’s commitment to freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in international waters in accordance with international laws, including United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
In his address at the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Jakarta on Thursday, Rajnath Singh affirmed ASEAN’s centrality and appreciated its role in promoting dialogue and consensus in the region, Ministry of Defence said in a press release.
He called for regional security initiatives that are consultative and development-oriented to reflect the larger consensus among various stakeholders. Rajnath Singh committed towards nurturing practical, forward-looking and result-oriented cooperation with ADMM-Plus for enhancing maritime security in the region.
Recognising that terrorism is a serious threat to international peace and security, including in the ASEAN region, India proposed to co-chair the EWG on Counter-Terrorism. This proposal was endorsed by ADMM-Plus as terrorism remains a serious concern to countries in the region.
He reiterated India’s commitment to work with ASEAN and Plus nations to ensure peace, prosperity and security, which is an apt theme for this year’s ADMM Plus. In his address, he cited Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote on peace “there is no way to peace, peace is the only way”.
He stressed that conflicts result in the loss of human lives and the destruction of livelihoods and disturb stability at regional and global levels. Rajnath Singh said that conflicts also have an adverse implication for food security, energy security, according to Ministry of Defence press release.
He emphasised the role of dialogue and diplomacy in enduring peace and ensuring global stability. He reiterated India’s message to the world that “this is not an era of war”, and spoke about the imperative to give up the “us versus them” mindset.
During his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand in 2022, PM Narendra Modi said, “Today’s era is not an era of war.” PM Modi’s statement has been endorsed by several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron.
In his address at the ADMM-Plus in Jakarta, Rajnath Singh appreciated ASEAN Member States’ enthusiastic participation in India-ASEAN activities, particularly the Initiative for Women in UN Peacekeeping Operations and Initiative for Marine Plastic Pollution Response.
He also praised ASEAN Member States’ for their active participation in the maiden ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise held in May this year and in the Expert Working Group (EWG) on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) activities, of which India and Indonesia are co-chairs in the current 2020-2023 cycle.
In a post on X, Rajnath Singh stated, “Attended the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Jakarta and shared my thoughts on need for deepening collaboration among ASEAN and Plus countries for peace, prosperity & security in the region. We are committed towards nurturing practical, forward-looking and result-oriented cooperation with ADMM-Plus for enhancing maritime security in the ASEAN region.”
Upon his arrival at the meeting venue, Singh was welcomed by the Indonesian Defence Minister and the Chair of ADMM Plus, Prabowo Subianto. According to the release by the Defence Ministry, the ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN.
Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to bolster cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. Indonesia is hosting the meeting as it is the chair of ADMM-Plus.
On the sidelines of the ADMM-Plus, Rajnath Singh will hold bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of the participating nations and discuss defence cooperation matters to further strengthen mutually-beneficial engagements, according to Ministry of Defence earlier press release.
The ADMM-Plus is a platform for the ASEAN member states -Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam- and its eight Dialogue Partners -India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand- to strengthen security and defence cooperation, according to Ministry of Defence earlier press release.
India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992. Furthermore, the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Vietnam’s Hanoi on October 12, 2010.Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus Ministers meetings have been held annually to bolster cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries.
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.
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.
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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