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Scrambling for a two-front war: What the IAF won’t tell you ( Source- Russia & India Report / Author- Rakesh Krishnan Simha)

Sukhoi SU-30 MKI ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Chanakya  The Great) Source- Russia & India Report Author- Rakesh Krishnan Simha How many fighter squadrons does the Indian Air Force need to fight a war, and more importantly, win it? A senior IAF commander says the current fleet strength of 33 squadrons – approximately 600 aircraft – is not enough to fight a two-front war. The “sanctioned strength” is quoted at 42 squadrons and anything below this will impact national security. Where did this number come from? In the 1950s, the defence brass had recommended 64 fighter squadrons for the IAF. That was revised to 42 in the 1960s. There is nothing magical about this number and only those who fail to recognise that the nature of air combat has changed will cling to it. Back in the 1960s; when the supersonic era was in its infancy; jet fighters were smaller, accident prone, required longer maintenance hours and had low endurance. For instance, it was said about the MiG

India and the US Sign $3 Billion Deal for New Attack Helicopters ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Franz Stefan-Gady)

Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- United States Army) Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz Stefan-Gady This week, Indian and U.S. official signed contracts for the procurement of 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters in a deal estimated to be worth $3 billion the Business Standard reports. The spokesperson of the Indian Defense Ministry, Sitanshu Kar, tweeted from his account this Monday: “Contracts for purchase of 15 #Chinook and 22 #Apache Helicopters signed.” India’s Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS), a government body headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and responsible for military procurements, approved the purchase in the previous week, after more than ten (some sources say 13) American price validity extensions, which stipulate that the American defense contractor Boeing would sell the military hardware at the price agreed upon in 2013. Final approval of the purchase h

Is India's Main Battle Tank Finally Doomed? ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Franz Stefan-Gady)

Arjun MBT ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Anirvan Shukla) Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz Stefan-Gady Last week, the Indian Army released a global request for information (RFI) inviting responses by 31 July to develop a multi-purpose Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) in order to replace older license-built Soviet-era main-battle tanks (MBTs). “The Indian Army is planning to design and develop a new generation, state-of-the-art combat vehicle platform for populating its armored fighting vehicle fleet in the coming decade. This vehicle, which will be called the future ready combat vehicle (FRCV), will form the base platform for the main battle tank which is planned to replace the existing T-72 tanks in the Armored Corps,” the RFI reads. The Indian military envisions the FRCV system as a platform for as many as 11 different tracked vehicles, including light tracked, wheeled, bridge layer and trawl tanks, self-propelled howitzers (SPH), air defense guns, art

Restraint No More: India Reassess Its Hard Power ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Harsh V. Pant)

Image credits- Forces India Source- The Diplomat Author- Harsh V. Pant On June 4, tribal guerrillas, using rocket-propelled grenades and detonating improvised explosive devices, killed 20 soldiers and injured several others, in an ambush when a military convoy was traveling to the state capital Imphal from the town of Motul in Manipur. This was one of the most serious attacks on Indian security forces in Manipur for some time. India has struggled to contain the unrest in Manipur despite granting its security forces sweeping shoot-to-kill powers in so-called “disturbed areas” under the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). India’s response to these attacks came five days later—on June 9—when the Indian army attacked rebel camps inside Myanmar early Tuesday morning, destroying two camps and killing up to 15 rebels. Underlining India’s resolve to preempt terror threats, undeterred by borders, Para Commandos of the Indian Army carried out surgical operati

US, India Look to 'Open up' Defense Relationship ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Franz-Stefan Gady)

Image credits- Flickr / MEA Official gallery Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz- Stefan Gady Today, while on a two-day visit to India, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced that New Delhi and Washington agreed on two small technology co-development projects at a total cost of $1 million, to be split evenly by the two countries over a two year period. The two projects, led by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization and the Pentagon research labs, will focus on the joint development of a next generation solar generator and a new protective chemical-bio suit, the Wall Street Journal reports. “We have big ambitions. Some of the projects that we’re launching just now are in part intended to blaze a trail for things to come,” Carter told reporters while in New Delhi. However, he also cautioned: “There is a legacy, and historical burden, of bureaucracy in both countries, and it is a constant exercise in stripping that away. It’s just the burden

Indian Navy- A force in transformation

INS Visakhapatnam ( Image credits- Internet Image) As India launches it's newest Destroyer, the stealthy INS Visakhapatnam, it is time to reflect on the quiet transformation that is taking place for the Indian navy.Indian Navy is in the process of inducting several ships that is highly capable that will see the Indian navy transforming itself to a young and a highly capable force having the capability to project force far away from it's shores achieving a truly blue water capability. OVERVIEW The legacy of the Indian navy dates back to the British raj when as part of the Royal Navy, the Indian navy played a crucial role during the second world war. Soon after the independence, the Royal Indian Navy was partitioned into two parts and assets divided between India and Pakistan. Those were transformative years for the navy. After India became a republic, the navy came to be known as the Indian Navy, dropping the Royal prefix. At this time, the ships of the Indian Navy

India's Next Warships and Submarines Will Have to be Built at Home ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Ankit Panda)

INS Kolkata ( Image credits- Indian Navy) Source- The Diplomat Author- Ankit Panda India’s Defense Ministry has decided that its orders for future ships, including submarines, will be exclusively available for domestic shipyards, according to a Defense News report. The Indian Navy could potentially have in excess of $50 billion in contracts over the next 10 years for new ships and submarines. India’s navy is embarking on a major indigenous modernization effort. As The Diplomat reported recently, the Indian government cleared plans for an $8 billion indigenous development program for important naval assets. This included six nuclear-powered submarines and seven stealth frigates. In fall 2014, India’s Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved a $12 billion project for six conventional submarines. According to the Defense News report, this project will still allow the participation of foreign vendors “in the design phase.” The submarines will have to be built in Ind

China Beware: Here Comes India’s Most Powerful Destroyer ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Franz Stefan-Gady)

INS Visakhapatnam ( Image credits- Getty Image)  Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz- Stefan Gady Yesterday, the Indian Navy, in the presence of Admiral RK Dhowan, India’s current chief of naval  staff, launched its latest stealth guided missile destroyer with a ceremony held at Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL), Mumbai. The 7,300 ton Visakhapatnam is the first of four planned Visakhapatnam-class (Project 15B) vessels, based on the older Kolkata-class destroyers design (Project 15A), to enter Indian service. The other three vessels will be launched at an interval of three years at a total cost of INR 293.40 billion ($4.89 billion). According to Indian naval officials, the 164 m-long Visakhapatnam will be commissioned in July 2018.  The Kolkata-class destroyer INS Kolkata (Project 15A) was commissioned in August 2014, with the two remaining vessels of the class to be commissioned by 2016. According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly: Vishakhapatnam‘s key differences from th

Watch Out, China: India Is Launching New Stealth Destroyer ( Source- The National Interest / Author- Zachary Keck)

INS Visakhapatnam ( Source- Internet Image) Source- The National Interest Author- Zakhary Keck India will launch the lead vessel of its new class of super advanced, stealth destroyers on Saturday, according to numerous local media reports. This week a number of Indian publications reported that the Indian Navy plans to launch the INS Visakhapatnam in Mumbai this weekend. The ship will be the first of four Visakhapatnam-class stealth destroyers that India is building as part of Project 15B. These vessels will serve as the follow-ons to the three Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers. As India’s largest destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam and its sister ships will be a boon to India’s naval power projection capabilities. “At 7,300 tonnes, Visakhapatnam will be the largest destroyer commissioned in the country and will be equipped with the Israeli Multi Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) which will provide targeting information to 32 Barak 8 long-ra