Indian Defense
Sri Lanka’s New Road Map On India Stresses On Trade, Defence And Religious Exchanges
Sri Lanka wants to expand its market share in India, which includes setting up business councils in Mumbai and Chennai
The Sri Lankan high commission in India has come out with a 27 page “integrated country strategy” or a road map that aims to strengthen ties with India on several areas like trade, defence, connectivity, and people to people with a mandate of two years.
The document highlighted that “being both essentially multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural countries, Sri Lanka and India have much in common. The sharing of their similar experiences is an ongoing process.”
The document has been prepared by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner-designate Milinda Moragoda, Chargé d’ Affaires Niluka Kadurugamuwa, with Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions–in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai working together. The roadmap has been envisaged for the next two years.
When it comes to trading, one of the main aims of Sri Lanka is to increase exports from the country and expand Sri Lanka’s market share in India, which includes setting up business councils in Mumbai and Chennai, recognition of Sri Lankan food testing laboratories by India.
The document previewed with WION contains two parts. Part I, which is the strategic framework, outlines seven Goals, and several objectives under each Goal. In Part II, the Goals and Objectives are further described and justified, and key tasks to achieve their implementation have also been proposed.
When it comes to defence and Indian ocean security, facilitate Sri Lanka’s participation in four bilateral and multilateral military exercises per year, visits of top Sri Lankan defence leadership like Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Army, Commander of the Navy, Commander of the Air Force and Director General Coast Guard one per year and “full utilization of the relevant berths offered by the Ministry of Defence of India to Sri Lanka”.
Aim also is to establish the Office of the Defence Advisor, in the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi. India in 2019 announced a $50 million special Line of Credit for counter-terrorism activities which is still to be utilized by Sri Lanka, the document pointed out.
On the connectivity front, the document aims to facilitate an increase in air, sea, electrical grid and digital connectivity between Sri Lanka and India. Sri Lankan missions have been asked, under the document to identify new air destinations for Sri Lankan airlines flights, Operationalize already identified destinations such as Ahmedabad and pursue the resumption/ establishment of passenger ferry services between Sri Lanka and India.
Interestingly, a special focus is on religious exchanges, with the promotion of Buddhist and Hindu exchanges. One of the key tasks for implementation is the ceremonial handing over of the sacred stone from the Sita Amman temple in Sri Lanka to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The document says, “Buddhism has been the lynchpin of the age-old relations between the two countries. Therefore, promoting Buddhist ties with India is of paramount importance.”
The emphasis in the document is on religious tourism with “Buddhist circuit, the Ramayana, the Murugan and the Shiva Shakthi trails as well as the Vailankanni trail” that could be “utilised to foster exchanges at the level of religious leaders and scholars”. Key tasks listed in the cornerstone documents include visits by Sri Lankan President, PM, Foreign minister to India and vice versa as well. Exchanges also at the level of speakers. The country also aims to establish Consulate General in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, expected to be functional from 2022 which coincides with the centenary of the first visit of Gurudeva Rabindranath Tagore to Sri Lanka.
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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