US-India Defence Relationship transforming to a collaborative one: Rajnath Singh
Amitabh Bhatt is the New CEO(BC) at HAL
A
mitabh Bhatt has taken over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HAL’s Bangalore Complex. Earlier, he was heading the LUH project in HAL as Executive Director. Bhatt is a Post Graduate in Management and earlier served in SKF India Limited for 15 years before joining HAL. With his 32 years of professional experience, he spear-headed marketing, planning and projects. He led the team as Chief of Projects(LUH), played a key role in setting-up an integrated new Helicopter Factory, a 3000 Cr greenfield project. He is a Director on Board of HAL’s Joint Venture, ‘Indo Russian Helicopters Limited’, formed to build Kamov KA-226T Helicopters for Defence Services. During his stint at Helicopter Division, helicopters were delivered to ONGC, Geological Survey of India and Government of Jharkhand and exported to Nepal, Surinam, Mauritius and Ecuador.
D
efence minister Rajnath Singh, sought to synchronise the export capability of US defense sector with the everexpanding opportunities in the defence manufacturing sector available in India to take the relationship between the two countries towards a collaborative approach from traditional ‘Buyer-Seller’. Speaking at a seminar organized during ongoing DefExpo2020 in Lucknow by the US-India business Council (USIBC), Rajnath Singh referred to several key agreements signed in 2 + 2 Dialogue during his recent trip to USA and said “Indo-US relationship will move towards collaboration approach from traditional ‘Buyer-Seller’. I am confident that this relationship will be more dynamic and vibrant in future”. He added “the U.S. is one of the largest defense exporters for India and the world. At the same time, the defence manufacturing sector in India is growing
at rapid pace. In such a situation, our collaboration can prove to be the biggest collaboration of this century”. While assuring the businesses that the reforms that have been made, would continue, he urged the business community to take maximum advantage of them and invest in India. He appreciated the role played by the USIBC in improving trade relationship between the two countries. While appreciating the support extended by the UP state government in organizing DefExpo at such a huge scale, he hoped that the investment opportunities would increase in the state with the establishment of defence corridor in Uttar Pradesh. He said that, the Prime Minister’s aim of taking Indian economy to 5 $ trillion required focussed approach and that Uttar Pradesh being the largest state of the country had a major role to play, in terms of its economic contribution.
Jamuna Progresses joint Hydrographic Operations off Sri Lanka
I
ndian Navy’s Sandhayak class Hydrographic Survey Ship, INS Jamuna (J16), commanded by Captain HA Hardas, arrived in Colombo, to carry out Joint Hydrographic Survey off the South West Coast of Sri Lanka. The Commanding Officer called on Rear Admiral Sisira Jayakody, Chief Hydrographer of Sri Lanka Navy
30
and Rear Admiral SA Weerasinghe, Commander Western Naval Area. Over the two months deployment period, the ship will carry out detailed hydrographic surveys and several shorebased survey activities. Sri Lanka Navy personnel will embark the ship during the conduct of the Joint Survey. Additionally Sri Lanka Navy personnel will also be
provided ‘hands on’ survey training during every operational turn around in port. As a precursor to the survey operations at sea, several shore-based survey activities were progressed during the ship’s stay in Colombo harbour including familiarization visit of Sri Lankan personnel onboard, briefing on capabilities of the ship , and a Harbour Training Program for the SLN sailors.
