Thursday, 02 September 2010
Written by Editor
New Delhi – India’s prestigious medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal, worth almost $11 billion, is making a slow progress since the contenders are yet to be shortlisted. At present, the Offset Technical Committee has the process of evaluating the offset proposals of the six contenders.
The Indian Defence Ministry will take the decision to shortlist the contenders only when the Offset Technical Committee’s report and the report on the field trials have been completed and submitted. Once the contenders receive the evaluation of the Offset technical Committee, the contenders for the MMRCA will give fresh offset proposals. After that, fresh recommendations will be sent to the Defence Ministry. Once the Cabinet Committee on Security gives the nod, negotiations between governments will begin.
Sources said that the six contenders are presently being invited to furnish their offset plans and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will meet different contenders to discuss flight evaluation reports once the field trials are complete.
Thursday, 02 September 2010
Written by Editor
By Ajai Shukla   Images of China's new Jin-class SSBN. The Pentagon says there are significant problems with its Julang-2 missiles(This is the concluding article of a four-part series on India's critical, yet significantly delayed, submarine programme)by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 2nd Sept 10 An increasingly apparent reason for the Ministry of Defence’s slow decision-making on a second submarine production line for the Indian Navy is: the deep divisions within the navy over India’s submarine force. A debate rages between the submarine arm and the surface navy — particularly the dominant aviation wing — on whether the future lies in submarines or aircraft carriers.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Written by Editor
By Ajai Shukla  The first Scorpene hull being built at Mazagon Dock. The MoD says, two hulls are already fabricated and a third is nearing completion. The yard will complete all six hulls by 2012(This is the second article of a four-part series on India's critical, yet significantly delayed, submarine programme)by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 31st Aug 10 With public sector shipyard Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL), Mumbai, years behind schedule in building six conventional Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is handing Mazagon Dock another lucrative order to build three more submarines. Although private sector shipbuilders — especially L&T and Pipavav Shipyard Ltd (PSL) — argue that Mazagon Dock already has more than it can handle, MoD insists the public sector shipyard can execute this order.
Monday, 30 August 2010
Written by Editor
By Ajai Shukla  Scorpene submarine hull sections being readied at Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai. The Scorpene programme (Project 75) is currently running 30-months late(This is the first article of a four-part series on India's critical, yet significantly delayed, submarine programme)by Ajai ShuklaBusiness Standard, 30th Aug 10 A far-reaching decision by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will jolt private Indian shipbuilders that are eager to participate in India’s submarine building programme. Top sources in the ministry have told Business Standard that its apex Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has decided to exclude Indian private shipyards from the construction of six submarines for the Indian Navy under Project 75I. Instead, the first two submarines will be built at a foreign shipyard.
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Written by Editor
NEW DELHI: Cashing in on the recent launch of nuclear negotiations, India and Japan on Saturday will hold their strategic dialogue that will also flesh out the agenda for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Tokyo in October.
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada touches down on Saturday morning on a day-long visit.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Okada will hold delegation-level talks on a wide range of bilateral issues, including ways to scale up economic ties and the UN reforms.
The two sides will review the progress in the two rounds of negotiations for a bilateral civil nuclear pact to iron out differences.
There is a strong anti-nuclear domestic constituency in Japan that has been critical of starting nuclear negotiations with a country outside the fold of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The mayor of Nagasaki, one of the two Japanese cities hit by atom bombs to extract Japan's surrender during World War II, made a declaration Aug 9 which calls for the abolition of all nuclear weapons in the world.
Tuesday, 08 June 2010
Written by Blood Wizard
 [Aviation Week/Neelam Mathews] European missile manufacturer MBDA says it will transfer all the “sensitive” technology India requires to produce the Maitri short-range, surface-to-air-missile, such as the seeker and thrust vector control system. India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will be prime on the project, with Bharat Dynamics Ltd. as the production partner. The choice of radar will be an Indian one. This is the first co-development by MBDA outside of its core partner countries. “Ours is an open strategic partnership, which is not the case [with] others,” says Loic Piedevache, head of MBDA in India, perhaps referring to the agreement by India and Israel for a longer-range version of the extended-range Barak ship defense system for the Indian Air Force.
Tuesday, 09 March 2010
Written by Blood Wizard
[ANI] The French Army band performed here on Saturday, as India invited military bands and cultural troupes of armies from around the world to strengthen ties and promote peace through music. The itinerary included performances by world-class musicians of The Royal EME (UK), The French Army, The Sri Lankan Army, The Bangladesh Army and The Nepalese Army apart from bands of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Written by Blood Wizard
[Aviation Week]
Thales has been chosen by Russian Aircraft Corporation, MiG (RSK-MiG), to provide the IFF1 Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and Cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM) as part of the retrofit for the Indian air force’s {ln:mikoyan-gurevich-mig-29 'MiG-29} fighter aircraft. The approximately $900 million retrofit project — delayed by two years — was awarded to Russia for 65 MiG-29s to receive a 15-year life extension by 2013. The upgrade included advanced avionics and a new weapon control system.
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Monday, 15 February 2010
Written by Blood Wizard
[Radio Liberty] The French daily “Le Monde” broke the news on February 9: Paris had “agreed in principle” to negotiate the sale of one or more Mistral-class ships to Russia. If the sale goes through, it will be the first deal of its kind between a member of NATO and Russia.
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Monday, 05 April 2010
Written by Blood Wizard
 [Indian Express Limited] India last week finalised a $2.2 billion deal with France to upgrade its fleet of {ln:dassault-mirage-2000-vajra 'Mirage 2000} fighters, even as reports from Paris say the country has suspended the sale of electronics and missiles for Pakistan’s JF 17 fighters, supposedly under “Indian pressure”. While the IAF deal for upgradation of 51 fighters had been hanging fire for the past two years, sources said the Price Negotiation Committee last week finalised the cost. The deal is likely to be signed shortly.
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