Navy promised long-term funding
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 21
India today said it had not received any proposal from Pakistan on President Pervez Musharraf’s offer of free movement across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and any action could be initiated only when it received a formal proposal.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders’ conference here Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “We have not received any official proposal from Islamabad to this effect,” adding that only when an offer at an official level is received would “we initiate any action”.

Later addressing the media on the deliberations that took place during the conference, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen J.J. Singh, said the Army had given its recommendations to the government and would initiate action only after a go-ahead from the Centre.

On the recent agreement with France on the building of six Scorpene submarines under technology transfer, Mr Mukherjee said this would give a strategic boost to the country by reopening underwater vessel manufacturing capability within the country.

He said for effective maritime defence India would require a credible naval force structured around aircraft carriers with a balanced mix of ships, submarines and aircraft to influence the battle on land.

He said the induction of the state of the art submarines would provide the Navy sea-denial capability.

Referring to the long gestation period that naval projects take, the minister said the government would ensure that the Navy was provided with a long-term funding support from the Defence Ministry for a sustained growth.

Underlining the need for building international maritime cooperation in the present security scenario, Mr Mukherjee said: “I am aware that the Navy is actively involved in strengthening relations with major maritime nations in general and Indian Ocean Rim nations in particular through maritime diplomacy”.

Sailing in tandem: India-Russia exercises
G. Narasimha Rao

The common naval focus at INDRA 05 is on maritime threats and terrorism

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

BLUE POWER: From the India-Russia joint naval exercises off Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

ON BOARD INS MUMBAI: The Indian and Russian navies are working together to develop their ability to counter maritime threats, notably those linked to terrorism. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Vice-Admiral Sureesh Mehta, told reporters on board this, the Western Naval Command’s flagship, ahead of the joint India-Russia naval exercises, christened INDRA 05, that the main focus of the exercise was on anti-terrorist operations. The exercise, which started on Monday, will end on Wednesday.

He said: “Compared to the last exercise held in 2003, the scope has been enlarged and the stress is more on [the] tactical part rather than [on] using more weapons… Procedure is more important. More complicated exercises have been included.”

The Vice-Admiral said India can look forward to joint exercises with more countries. It has already conducted exercises with the navies of the U.S., the U.K., France and Malaysia.

The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy, Sergey Viktorovich Avramenko, felt that such an exercise should be conducted annually: but it was for the Defence Ministers of both countries to decide. He said the Russian Navy was happy with the experience it gained from the exercise. It had been able to work well with the Indian Navy. “The exercise could be for a longer duration. We would love to do longer exercises,” he said, and thanked the Eastern Naval Command for organising the programme.

The Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Fleet, Sanjeev Bhasin, said the Russian Navy had been offered the digital communication technology that would help the two navies to communicate better.

“We did not have problems with the U.S. and U.K…. navies during exercises since English is the language of communication, but there was a communication problem with the Russians. “

Joint exercises in Visakhapatnam
Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: : The three-day joint exercises by the Indian and Russian navies, `INDRA,’ commenced on Monday.

The Defence Ministers of India and Russia, Pranab Mukherjee and Sergei Ivanov, scheduled to be present the inaugural ceremony, could not reach the city as the airport is still water-logged, due to the heavy rains on Friday and Saturday. Russian and Indian ships set sail out of the harbour here today morning.

The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet, Sergey Vickorovich Avramenko, embarked on Varyag, a battle cruiser.

Russia threatens to retain Brahmos source code
URL: http://www.india-defence.com/reports/630
Date: 16/10/2005
Source: Bulbul Singh for BATTLESPACE. UPDATE Vol.7 ISSUE 40

Russia has threatened that it will not give away the source code which will enable the supersonic Cruise missile BrahMos to be mounted on foreign made platforms, including the recently contracted French Scorpene or the Multirole Medium Range Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA)which India is buying from the global market.

Sources in the Indian defense ministry say, Moscow has made it known to the Indian defense planners that there is no guarantee that it will allow India to mount the BrahMos cruise missile on third country platforms until the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)dispute is settled.

Sources in the Indian defense ministry however say it is part of Moscow’s pressure in the run up to the MMRCA procurement program of the Indian government.

India is on a global hunt for a contract worth $5bn for the procurement of 126 MMRCA for the Indian Air Force into which Russia has also fielded its MiG 29 SMT aircraft. The other contenders are Dassault of France with the Mirage 2000-5; Saab of Sweden with the Gripen; Lockheed Martin of United States with the F-16 and Boeing of United States with the F-18.

An executive of the Rosoboronoexport of Russia based in New Delhi however said, Russia is perturbed over the delay in the settlement of the IPR issue adding that it is not possible for Russia to contribute hi-tech technologies to India without much return.

The BrahMos anti-ship supersonic cruise missile is a joint development effort of India and Russia in which India’s defense research agency, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)is contracted with NPOM of the Russian Federation.

The BrahMos, which is being introduced into the Indian Navy, is a 300 kilometers range supersonic anti ship cruise missile and the land and sea versions of the Cruise missiles are also being tested. The missile is one of the most potent precision guided weapons developed for the Indian armed forces in recent.

However Russia now insists that the BrahMos export, and other technological aspects including the source code, should be linked to the solving of the IPR issue which has held back further research and development between India and Russia. In fact there has been no signing of any defense contract between India and Russia since the United Progressive Alliance government came to power in May 2004.

Russia has held back the lease of a nuclear submarine, the TU-22 Backfire bomber capable of delivery nuclear weapons, and various other weapons and equipment under negotiations between India and Russia for several years.

The sticky parts of the IPR issue are the supply of spares from Russia for even erstwhile USSR-made weaponry currently with the Indian defense forces. The other issue is the up-grading of the Russian made systems by a third country. India is contemplating the upgrade of a large chunk of its USSR weapons and equipment with Western technology, a move that is not to the liking of the Russians. It is estimated that the upgrade market alone of aging USSR weapons with the Indian defense forces is around $10 to $15bn.

“The threat of Russia now allowing mounting of the BrahMos cruise missile on a third country platform is only an arms twisting policy to which Moscow often resorts,” said an Indian Army official.

However an Indian Air Force official admitted that the acquisition of BrahMos could be linked to the sale of the MIG 29SMT by the Russians.

The Mirage 2000-5 of France is the most favored aircraft within the Indian Air Force for the MMRCA. The procurement of MMRCA will however be a political decision.

SA Naval officers complete course
Staff Reporter

High Commissioner stresses need for strengthening bilateral ties High Commissioner stresses need for strengthening bilateral ties

VISAKHAPATNAM: The successful completion of 37-week basic submarine course by 11 South African Naval officers at INS Satavahana is a new milestone in the bilateral ties of the two countries.

Ceremonial welcome

South African High Commissioner in New Delhi Francis Moloi, who was chief guest at the function held at INS Satavahana on Tuesday, recalled the historic bonds between India and his country and underlined the need for strengthening bilateral ties further.

Earlier, a ceremonial welcome was accorded to the high-level delegation which arrived under the leadership of Moloi by INS Satavahana Commanding Officer T.S. Ramanujam.

The valedictory to mark the passing out of the South African officers from the submarine course marked the start of yet another chapter in the bilateral ties between India and South Africa. This was the first course conducted by the Indian Navy to the South African Naval officers.

Mr. Moloi termed it (training programme) a significant step towards reinforcing the bilateral cooperation and friendship between India and South Africa.

Key role

He said that submarines had played a key role in the world wars and Falkland and Gulf wars and they continued to be the crucial element of all navies in defending the interest of their countries.

“Submarines are silent, stealthy and complex underwater platforms which act as a deterrent force. They are also used as instruments of diplomacy,” he said and added that the underwater warfare through submarines had undergone significant changes due to advancement in technology and underwater weaponry system.

Certificates presented

Later, he presented certificates to the officers who got qualified in the basic submarine course.

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command S.C.S. Bangara said that South Africa and India had friendly tie-up as per the memorandum of understanding on defence equipment and broader defence cooperation.

Chief Director of Maritime Strategy Rear Admiral R.A.S. Hauter spoke.

India, France ink deal to manufacture Scorpene subs
NEW DELHI, OCT 6 (PTI)
Giving a major push to submarine building capability, India and France today signed a Rs 15,400 crore(3.5 billion US dollar) deal to manufacture six advanced stealth characterstics Scorpene submarines at the Mazagoan Docks in Mumbai.

Scorpene, billed as the world’s most silent underwater killer machine, would be manufactured under full-technology transfer by the state-owned Mazagoan Docks and delivered between 2012 and 2017. The agreement was signed by French Ambassador Dominique Girard and S Banerjee, Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence.

As part of the deal, the submarines will be armed with EADS SM39 Exocet sub-harpoon anti-ship missiles. The other powerful weapons payload on the subs include Black Shark and other advanced torpedoes.

With the capability to strike targets underwater, on surface and on land, the Scorpene has a radical new design with reduced sound emissions which enables the submarines to strike at long-distances without detection. The Scorpene is based on designs of the French nuclear submarines.

The agreement gives India the option of incorporating the Advanced Air Propulsion technology for even lesser sound emissions, on the delivery of the third of the six submarines, Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash told newsmen after signing the deal in South Block.

Stating that India had got a “fair deal”, Defence ministry officials said for the first time offset as well as integrity clause had been built into the agreement.

For the first time, an integrity pact seeking to ensure avoidance of all forms of corruption and free, fair and transparent dealings in negotiations leading to the agreement and during its duration was also signed. The agreement was signed by Thomas Mathew, Joint Secretary (Aquisitions) and Pierre Legros, Chairman of French makers, Armaris.

Briefing newsmen on the deal, Prakash said the agreement would ensure that Indian submarine-building lines, which were lying idle for the past 11 years would be revived. He said the Navy was going ahead with plans to equip itself with 24 submarines in 30 years.

He said even after the induction of the French submarines, the Navy would still be in shortfall. “We propose to press the government for more subs.”

Defence Ministry officials said after the delivery of the first two submarines, Mazagoan Docks would be at full liberty to change the shape of the vessels to provide, if need arose, for installation of more lethal weapons, including missiles.

Prakash said India had kept open the option of building more submarines after the expiry of the present contract but added a new agreement would have to be entered into with the French company.

Another contract signed between Armaris and Mazagoan Docks provides for the presence of a team of French technical advisers during the construction of the first two submarines.

Trishul SAM successfully test fired in Chandipur
URL: http://www.india-defence.com/reports/499
Date: 5/10/2005
Agency: Press Trust of India

India’s most sophisticated short range surface-to-air missile ‘Trishul’ was today successfully test fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from here.

Defence sources said the missile was launched from a mobile launcher at 3.15 p.m. and it hit a target attached to a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA). The PTA had been flown earlier at 2.47 p.m.

Indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), ‘Trishul’ has a triple battlefield role for the army, air force and navy, the sources said.

The solid fuel propelled missile has a range of nine km and can be fitted with fragmented warhead, they said.

‘Trishul’, which formed part of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), was about three metres in length and 200 cm in diameter and flew at supersonic speed.

Modifications had been made for the naval version of ‘Trishul’ by making it a command to line-of-sight guidance missile. It has been fitted with a sensitive radar altimetre and height lock-loop control on board for the purpose, the sources said.