Aim to make India an indigenous ship building hub: Defence Minister

Stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Mormugao commissioned

The warship, packed with state-of-theart weapons & sensors, will enhance country’s maritime capabilities & secure national interests, says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao (D67), second warship of the P15B class of stealth guided-missile destroyers, was commissioned in the august presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

The event marked the formal induction of the second of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.

“Shining example of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence”

Defence Minister described INS Mormugao as one of the most powerful indigenously-built warships which will significantly enhance the country’s maritime capabilities and secure national interests. “INS Mormugao is one of the world’s most technologically-advanced missile carriers. With over 75% indigenous content, it is a testimony to India’s excellence in design and development of warships and a shining example of our growing indigenous defence production capabilities. The warship will meet the present and future needs of our country as well as of our friendly countries across the globe,” he said.

“Navy securing maritime interests & contributing to socio-economic progress”

The minister commended the Indian Navy and MDL for the commissioning of INS Mormugao, describing it as the result of the hard work, dedication and aspirations of the engineers, technicians, designers and scientists. It is a matter of great pride for India, he said. The Raksha Mantri extended congratulations to the Indian Navy on behalf of the entire nation for not only safeguarding maritime interests, but also contributing significantly to the socio-economic progress.

He described safeguarding India’s interests in the Indian Ocean Region as the prime responsibility of the Navy. “Our growing economy is directly connected to the increasing trade, most of which is through sea routes. Our interest is directly linked to the Indian Ocean. Being an important country in this region, the role of Indian Navy becomes more important in its security. It is heartening to see that they are discharging their duties successfully,” he said.

“Armed Forces - backbone of India’s unprecedented growth”

Rajnath Singh lauded the Armed Forces for protecting the borders and coasts with unmatched courage and dedication, terming them as the backbone of India’s unprecedented growth. “India is touching newer heights of success every day. We are now among the top five economies of the world. According to a report by investment firm Morgan Stanley, we will be among the top three economies in the next five years. India’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been appreciated by the world. Our G-20 presidency is another landmark achievement. This has been successful due to the aspirations, hard work and determination of every Indian. But, the most important reason behind our success is our secure borders and coasts. It is due to the readiness and promptness of our Armed Forces that we have a fool-proof security apparatus,” he said.

“Bolstering security apparatus is our top priority”

The minister reiterated the Government’s resolve to prepare the nation to deal with any situation arising due to the rapidly changing global scenario. He said, it is the Government’s top priority to continue strengthening the security infrastructure by equipping the military with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons/equipment.

“Economic, political and trade relations between countries are constantly evolving. The Covid-19 pandemic, situation in the middle east, Afghanistan and now Ukraine. It directly or indirectly impacts every country in one way or another. In this era of globalisation, almost all nations are dependent on each other in the field of trade. Hence, rule-based freedom of navigation, security of sea lanes etc. have become more important than ever for stability and economic progress of the world,” he stated.

“Aim to make India an indigenous shipbuilding hub”

Rajnath Singh also praised MDL for growing in stature by continuously building new ships with state-of-the-art technologies. He urged them and other shipbuilding companies to enhance their capabilities by taking advantage of the Government’s initiatives and move forward towards making India an indigenous shipbuilding hub.

“Countries around the world are today moving towards modernising and strengthening their military power due to the global security scenario. The demand for military equipment is continuously increasing. We have introduced a number of policies which will help our public or private sector companies to become world class players. You all must take advantage of these policies and strive to cater to the needs of our Navy & Coast Guard, while meeting international requirements. We will extend all possible support to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’,” he said.

“INS Mormugao - India’s giant leap in warship building capabilities”

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the commissioning of INS Mormugao is indicative of the large strides India has taken in warship design and building capability over the last decade. He added that the warship is a true illustration of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiative and it reinforces the Navy’s commitment to supporting India’s transformation into a global shipbuilding hub. The warship, with her multidimensional combat capability, will form part of the Western Fleet - the sword arm of the Indian Navy, he said.

Touching the Skies with an ‘Eye on Future’

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force

While talking about the integration of all elements of national security apparatus, the Air Chief Marshal (ACM) VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force, recently said about an ‘All of the Nation’ approach, we cannot be restricted to only joint operations of the armed forces. “The legacy mindset that the aerospace domain only becomes relevant when conventional war breaks out has been proven wrong. We have seen this in the Balakot and post Balakot periods and the increased air activity along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Aerospace power is scalable, and very amenable for signalling. There is adequate scope of employment below the threshold of conventional war. Thus, appropriate resident expertise on aerospace matters needs to be incorporated in decision-making and support bodies when considering response options in both continental and maritime domains,” said the CAS. Speaking to Aeromag on the occasion of the 90th IAF Day, CAS talks about how the force counters Chinese actions in the South East coast, the Agniveer scheme and revamped training programme of IAF, latest updates of indigenisation and the modern challenges in aerial warfare.

Glimpse of the Air Force Day Parade 2022, in Chandigarh on 08 October.

Taking stock of the geopolitical fallout of the political instability and social turmoil in Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean region, given China’s strong intent and motivation to interfere, do we have to shift our focus now to our South East Coast from the eastern and western border contingencies?

Whilst it is clear that China has the desire, and increasingly, the capability to interfere in affairs in the IOR, so far, it has not had the necessary staying power for military interference. When we talk of the defence forces shifting focus, we must keep this in mind. The disagreement on boundary issues is along the northern borders and not the maritime domain. Neither is there a permanent and contiguous Chinese military presence close to the SE Coast. However, with an eye on the future, the IAF has improved its capabilities in this region with fighter deployments and joint exercises with the Navy.

You have spoken of an ‘All of Nation Approach,’ integration of all elements of national security apparatus. What would be your priorities in promoting synergy and streamlining joint operations among the three services?

When we talk of the ‘All of the Nation’ approach, we cannot restrict ourselves to only joint operations of the armed forces. What I referred to was the incorporation of all relevant departments of the government into evolving a cohesive national response. To a great extent, we have seen this evolve through some empowered multi-ministerial coordination bodies. The legacy mindset that the aerospace domain only becomes relevant when conventional war breaks out has been proven wrong. We have seen this in the Balakot and post Balakot periods and the increased air activity along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Aerospace power is scalable, and very amenable for signalling. There is adequate scope of employment below the threshold of conventional war. Thus, appropriate resident expertise on aerospace matters needs to be incorporated in decision-making and support bodies when considering response options in both continental and maritime domains.

Are you overwhelmed by the onrush of responses to the Agnipath Scheme? In the changing dynamics of air warfare, how do you address the need for technology intensive training in the overall framework of short-term Agnipath service?

The Indian Air Force has been a popular choice for the youth. The excellent response to the 1st batch of Agniveer is an affirmation of the trust that youth places in the IAF and its ability to transform their life for the better. Yes, we are happy with the response to the Agnipath Scheme.

Air Force is a technology-intensive force. To achieve the requirements of welltrained Agniveers for technology intensive Air Force, we have undertaken to revamp the entire pattern of training. The new pattern of training is a combination of structured and on-the-job training with a short initial training period followed by work experience. Depending upon the demonstrated proficiency, each Agniveer Vayu will undergo further two sets of upskilling modules. We expect that by progressively exposing our Agniveers to more complex jobs along with upskilling modules, the requirements of IAF will be met.

During the structured on-the-job training the focus will be on learning appropriate skills along with foundational knowledge. Modern learning tools and simulators will be used extensively.

The most intricate tasks of repairing complex technical items will remain restricted to the experienced technician. The Agniveer that are retained in the Indian Air Force after their initial four years will be imparted additional training for this purpose.

On the side-effects of the RussianUkraine conflict, does it in any way affect our defence products delivery schedules from Russia or the Western countries? What are our alternatives?

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has not affected the defence product delivery schedules from western countries. The conflict has thus far has had a limited effect in terms of delivery schedules from Russia and Ukraine. However, there has been no effect on our Op capability.

Minor delays in the supply of spares and repairs pertaining to equipment of Russian / Ukrainian origin are being closely monitored. However, it does not have any immediate impact on our readiness. Indigenisation efforts are also being expedited in tandem as a fallback in the longer term. For instance, complex rotables have been identified for ROH

Indigenisation under the Make-II scheme. For transparency and visibility to Indian development partners, all indigenisation requirements are posted on the IAF website and Srijan defence portal.

Could you share with us your vision on the new domains of warfare for the air warriors on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the IAF?

The defence services the world over have been structured, manned, equipped, and trained for the conduct of warfare as we have known it in the classical sense. However with time and technological advancement, there has been a growing dependence on networking. Simultaneously, there has been a huge rise in the cost of war, as destructive power of weapons has increased manifold. Furthermore, kinetic action is a clear crossing of the tolerance threshold in most cases, and is easily attributable with attendant consequences of a response. So, in this backdrop, the cyber domain has emerged as a key domain of warfare. A successful cyber-attack can cause prohibitive, but usually, non-lethal losses, cause a huge loss of functionality or even capability, and serve as a good coercive factor. More importantly, it is difficult to attribute such attacks, and this is what makes them so attractive in No War No Peace situations. Our adversaries have invested a lot in creation of such capabilities. The best defence against such capabilities is a disciplined cadre of air warriors. This is something we lay great stress on, with a zero tolerance policy. The IAF was the first among the services to implement a pan-India service-specific network, and Network Centric Operations have only grown since then. Cyber defence measures, awareness, procedures, and training are areas of focus. Our systems and procedures are robust, but also subject to constant review and upgrade.

In the same manner, the domain of space is now inextricably linked with nearly all aspects of our operations today. From communications to sensors of all kinds, the dependence on our space assets, and hence their criticality is extremely high. We have a tri-services agency that has been established to focus exclusively on this domain. Nevertheless, as the lead aerospace agency, the IAF has adopted a policy of boosting expertise in this critical domain. We have always maintained that space was but an extension of the air medium. Even today, there are extant technologies that allow for a direct interaction between air and space platforms. But emerging technologies and platforms will erase the difference between the two and permit seamless transits between air and space.

It is imperative that we understand these, adopt a future-oriented outlook and develop such capabilities as well. ‘Near Space’ as the intervening region between air and space will be a crowded area in times to come. And with the ability to dominate it will come a far greater ability to influence and support space operations. In fact, the domain of air will be critical to controlling the domain of space. Together with other government agencies a composite effort to develop capabilities to safeguard our interests has been put in place. The IAF will be in the vanguard of this process. Air warriors today need to understand this, train, plan and execute so that they may master it tomorrow.

On the threshold of the tenth decade of the IAF, could you spell out 10 unique highlights, updates to look forward to for the Indian Air Force visa-vis the force optimization drive and indigenisation of defence production?

The indigenous LCA (Tejas) programme has now matured. 16 IOC version aircraft and 14 FOC version aircraft are with the IAF. Delivery of the recently contracted 83 aircraft will commence by January 2024 and these will be used to resurrect some of the number-plated Squadrons. The major improvements include incorporation of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles and mid-air refuelling capabilities. IAF is also tirelessly working to enhance the operational capability of the LCA by installing newer systems and integrating additional weapons.

The two Squadrons of the Rafale are operational at their respective bases. Now we have shifted focus on the MRFA programme and extensive discussions

The President of India , Droupadi Murmu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari watching Air Display organized to commemorate Air Force Day 2022, in Chandigarh on 08 October.

are ongoing within the prospective participants. The entire case is being realigned to ensure continued relevance of the platform and its capabilities hold us in good stead for at least the next four decades.

The indigenous development of LCA Mk 2 and AMCA is being progressed through DRDO and detailed deliberations are underway. Suffice to say that both the programmes have gained sufficient momentum and as soon as certain technical details are straightened out, both these projects will be launched in the near future.

The IAF transport fleet is well rounded and the C-295 aircraft with a major Makein-India component will allow the IAF to replace its ageing Avro aircraft. On the rotary wing front, the IAF has managed to do rather well. Deliveries of attack and heavy lift helicopter for 22 Apache AH64E and 15 Chinook CH-47 have been completed with the formation of two units for each type. The Russian Mi-17 V5 programme has also been completed with 130 plus helicopters having been delivered. The IAF has also acquired a large number of the indigenous ALH (Dhruv) helicopters. We also plan to acquire the Indian MultiRole Helicopter currently being designed and developed by HAL. Upgrade of the Mi-17 legacy helicopters is also in progress.

Recently, the IAF has inducted the Light Combat Helicopter in the Limited Series Production version. Upon successful induction, further procurement of this versatile platform will be initiated. The IAF plans to acquire 55 more LCH in the near future. Capability enhancement of the helicopter fleet is an ongoing process with IAF. Induction of new missiles, EW systems, systems to allow operations in a degraded visual environment, combat SAR capability and networked operations are either ongoing or in the pipeline.

Since their induction, the existing three Phalcon-based IL-76 AWACS aircraft have been fully operationalised, networked and integrated. In addition, all three Embraer E145 platforms with the indigenous AEW&C development by DRDO have been delivered and operationalised. Additionally, the next generation AEW&C based on the A-321 will be developed by DRDO. IAF is also procuring Medium Power Radar (Arudhra), High Power Radar, Ashwini Radar and Mountain Radar for ensuring a gap free AD Coverage of its airspace.

To augment its mid-air refuelling capability, the IAF is progressing the case for procurement of six FRAs. To make the project economical, we may also go in for pre-owned FRAs as long as they meet the operational requirements. As this process will take some time, a case for leasing one FRA to augment our training requirements has also been initiated.

Special focus is being given to enhancing our UAS capabilities across the spectrum. The IAF has been designated as the lead service to progress the procurement of MALE UAVs for all three services.

The long-pending requirement of upgrading the existing fleets of Heron UAV is now being re-aligned to Make-inIndia provisions. Technical discussions are on-going with the OEM and a prospective Indian agency to find a common path ahead.The advent of small, mini and micro UAVs has opened up a new challenge and to counter such threats, we have taken multiple approaches. All the Counter UAS systems are designed and developed in India, with hand-holding and guidance from the IAF. These systems are gradually being inducted. The IAF has an additional requirement of 106 BTAs (Basic Trainer Aircraft). Towards this, HTT-40 from HAL will be inducted soon.

The IAF had opted for the indigenous Akash SAM systems, eight squadrons of which have been inducted into service, with seven more in the process of induction. In addition, DRDO’s project to develop and deliver the MR-SAM is progressing satisfactorily with the induction of three Sqns having been completed. The IAF has also operationalised the S-400 system and the rest are being delivered as per schedule. 

Navy Day Celebrated; Operational Demonstration at Vizag

India celebrates Navy Day on December 04, to acknowledge the role of the Indian Navy and commemorate its achievements in ‘Operation Trident’ during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

This year, for the first time, Navy Day Celebrations are being conducted outside the National Capital.This year, as India ushers in the ‘Amrit Kaal’ with the commencement of the celebrations of 75 years of her independence, the Indian Navy demonstrated India’s combat prowess and capability through an ‘Operational Demonstration’ on Navy Day.

The President of India and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Droupadi Murmu witnessed the Operational Demonstration at Vishakapatnam. Several dignitaries from the Central and State Governments also attended the event, which was hosted by Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff.

The Operational Demonstration showcased the capabilities of Indian Naval ships, submarines, aircraft, helicopters and Special Forces from the Eastern, Western and Southern Naval Command. The event concluded with Beating Retreat, a sunset ceremony and illumination by ships at anchorage. During the event, a book on Naval history titled ‘A Decade of Transformation - Signaling Power and Partnerships’ was released and unveiled.

The Navy Day 2022 also marked a special day for the Indian Navy as the new President’s Standard, a new Indian Navy Crest and the CNS Standard were unveiled on the occasion. The new President’s Standard was displayed for the first time during the naval Guard of Honour inspected by the President on her arrival at Visakhapatnam.

The event was also witnessed by Biswabhusan Harichandan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State for Defence, and a host of dignitaries from the Armed Forces and the State Government, as well as citizens of Visakhapatnam City.

Navy Day celebrations are aimed at fostering greater outreach, renewing maritime consciousness amongst our citizens and highlights the Navy’s contributions towards national security. More than three lakh citizens of Visakhapatnam witnessed the Op Demo on the RK Beach. 

India’s Time-Tested Vietnam Ties Poised to Leap Further

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Vietnam President Nguyen Xuân Phúc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh.

India and Vietnam have had harmonious relations over the last five decades with mutual trust, respect and benefits. Since Vietnam’s anti-colonial struggle, the South East Asian nation has held a problem-free and convenient relationship with India. The South China Sea disputes have been a thorn in the foot for many countries sharing maritime borders with China, which includes Vietnam. India too has its differences and border issues with China. India and Vietnam both can mutually benefit each other in the arena of Blue Economy and ocean security. With India having signed its latest pact with the South East Asian nation in July during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit there, the bilateral relationships received a new outlook in terms of defence and maritime cooperation. Stronger IndoVietnam will take a further step towards the realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SAGAR (Security and Growth all in the region) initiative and India’s Look and Act East Policies.

With a strong bilateral relationship that spans over five decades, India and Vietnam geographically lie at the heart of the emerging Indo-Pacific paradigm. Moreover, India finds Vietnam at the forefront of its geostrategic calculation for its interests in the South China Sea. Both countries play a major role in this strategic space which is becoming a core theatre for competition for power and influence amongst the major powers. India’s goals and wider perspective of other partners in the region to check China’s influence in the South China Sea has always aligned with Vietnam’s position and approach to regional security.

Vietnam has been an important partner in India’s Look and Act East policies, with the specific objective of economic integration and political cooperation with Southeast Asia and East Asia, and the Indo-Pacific vision. Both countries share a rich history of civilizational and cultural linkages spanning over 2,000 years. India and Vietnam continue to have most trustworthy relations in contemporary times with broader convergence of interests and common concerns. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Defence Policy Dialogues, military to military exchanges, high level visits, capacity building and training programs, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises.

While defence cooperation has been one of the most significant pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership initiated by the two countries in 2016, the relationship between the two countries was established much earlier. India had stood by Vietnam in opposing US intervention in that country at the cost of embittering Indo-US relations. India and Vietnam agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership in line with India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN’s Outlook on Indo-Pacific to achieve shared security, prosperity and growth for all in the region.

India and Vietnam had fought wars with China and both have border problems with that country. The looming Chinese threat and Vietnam’s reformed attitude and foreign policy orientation will only provide the much needed impetus to Vietnam to look at potential like-minded players in the Indo-Pacific like India. Hence the China factor weighs heavily in the respective strategic calculus of both countries. As China aggressively continues to encroach in the territories of the two countries, it is natural for both India and Vietnam to improve their bilateral ties in all sectors, especially defence.

Growing Defence Ties

Vietnam has always been a critical partner for India in its Southeast Asian diplomacy, both under its Look East policy and now in the era of the Act East policy. India was the only country to have supported Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia in 1978.

After a gap of more than one and a half decade, an Indian Prime Minister visited Vietnam in 2016 signalling India was no longer hesitant to expand its presence in China’s periphery. Since then, India and Vietnam shared a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership.

India and Vietnam share their common stand on the importance of upholding maritime security in the South China Sea and resolving disputes as per international laws, including and mainly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). India’s maritime defence ties with Vietnam serve its policy of ‘maritime multilateralism’ for overcoming transnational challenges and promoting economic activities in the South China Sea.

Vietnam is pushing for modernising its armed forces and had shown interest in India’s Akash surface-to-air systems and Dhruv advanced light helicopters and Brahmos missiles. India is interested in developing defence capabilities of its South-East Asian partners sufficiently to maintain peace in the strategic region. India also participated in the PASSEX Exercise with the Vietnam People’s Navy.

Joint Vision Statement 2030

On June 8, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang in Hanoi. ‘Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030’ was signed to enhance defence cooperation MoU to simplify procedures for mutually beneficial logistic support also inked. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional & global issues were held between the two sides.

A Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Logistics Support was also inked in the presence of both the ministers. In the times of increasing cooperative engagements between the defence forces of the two countries, it was a major step towards simplifying procedures for mutually beneficial logistic support and was the first such major agreement which Vietnam has signed with any country. Both ministers also agreed for early finalisation of $US 500 million Defence Line of Credit extended to Vietnam.

Another push to further boost the defence ties and defence industry collaboration has been for India’s drive of establishing its place as a potential exporter in the defence sector globally. Implementation of the projects signed between two countries shall add substantially to Vietnam’s Defence capabilities and further Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.

The Way Forward

India aims to play an anchor for peace, prosperity and stability in Asia and Africa. Hence, deepening ties with Vietnam will only strengthen this narrative in the South East Asian region. Through ‘Act East’ Policy, India looks to expand engagement that is mutually positive and ensures inclusive growth for all in the region. So, the strategic partnership under the broad India-Vietnam cooperation framework will be critical in realising ‘Act East Policy’.

India and Vietnam both can mutually benefit each other in the arena of Blue Economy and ocean security. Stronger Indo-Vietnam will take a further step towards the realisation of Prime Narendra Modi’s SAGAR (Security and Growth all in the region) initiative and India’s Look and Act East Policies.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with the Defence Minister of Vietnam General, Phan Van Giang, in Siem Reap, Cambodia on November 22, 2022.