How to transform India from world's largest defence importer to major exporter

The government's recent decision to deregulate manufacture of a number of items used by the defence forces will result in new players and SMEs entering the sector. Easy entry will result in an increase in the number of manufactures, with the benefit of competition that will improve both quality and cost-effectiveness. This will also encourage them to seek export markets for their products. Socio-economic growth and a credible defence capability achieved through self-reliance are fundamental for a nation to secure a globally res…

US Ambassador to India Richard Rahul Verma has recently stated that the US-Pakistan relationship is “complex”, while US relations with India are more broad-based. In saying so, Verma will be acutely aware that the US - Pakistan relationship is already on the trajectory towards becoming far more complex with Pakistan being inexorably subsumed by China, the CIA-ISI relationship notwithstanding. With China gearing up to establish an oceanic front in the Gwadar-Omari-Karachi region, a future US - China Cold War-like situation may be ine…

10 major deals pending - A. K. Antony's overcautious approach

With nearly ten major defence deals kept pending for one reason or other, and the defence minister AK Antony more worried about his clean image, the nation's defence preparedness is being called into question. The cancellation of Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal with Anglo Italian company Agusta Westland, on suspicion of a Rs 300 crore bribe being paid to middlemen, has set alarm bells ringing in the defence establishment. With nearly ten major defence deals kept…

'India have Paid over 1 Lakh Cr Rs for Defence Acquisition in last 5 years

India has directly paid over Rs one lakh crore to foreign firms for acquisition of equipment for the armed forces during the last five years, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said today. The government, he said, constantly reviews the security scenario and accordingly decides to induct appropriate defence equipment. This is a continuous process undertaken through procurement from various indigenous as well as foreign vendors to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness, he said, adding that procurement from indigenous vendo…

FDI IN DEFENCE WON’T EXPOSE INDIA TO EXTERNAL THREATS: AIR CHIEF MARSHAL (RTD.) S. KRISHNASWAMY

There is a dire need for extensive collaboration and to infuse funding into the defence and aerospace manufacturing sector in India, said experts at the Defence and Aerospace Technologies Conference 2014. Questions pop up faster than answers when it comes to manufacturing in defence and aerospace in India. However, one theme that brought together all the participants at International Conference and Exhibition on Defence and Aerospace Technologies which concluded in Hyderabad, India yesterday was: “We mean business”.

FDI to our defence: Dependence on imports can be cut by allowing foreign companies to produce weapons in India

The chorus for increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector is growing louder by the day. The parliamentary standing committee on defence has also now urged the government to raise the limit to mitigate the "steadily expanding deficiency in defence modernisation". Yet, there is a danger that the issue will be relegated to the back burner as in the past. The recurring and dominant theme of those who oppose the increase is that the defence sector must be the monopoly of the defence public sector undert…

Arms dealers are setting up shop in Australia. There's still time to reject these merchants of death

Northrop Grunman, a leading US defence contracting firm, will launch a major Australian expansion next month. We’re a bigger market for arms than you might think It’s a good time to be in the weapons business. Three of the leading US defence contractors, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, are all making unprecedented profits.  In December, Northrop will host an event at the Australian War Memorial to mark the company’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. It be launched by Federal Def…

INDO DEFENCE 2014 Kicks-off at Jakarta International Expo

INDO DEFENCE 2014, Indonesia's international defence expo & forum, kicked-off today at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran, showcasing the latest technologies from the aerospace, naval, land defence and security industries. Hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, the 6th bi-annual exhibition runs from 5 - 8 November, and is anticipating a record-breaking 18,000 political and military officials, international delegates, industry professionals and trade visitors. As Indonesia's official tri-serv…

Could a Superpower Clash in the Arctic Trigger a Global Security Crisis "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later"?

DefenseNews: Has the fragile peace between NATO allies suddenly veered toward outright confrontation in one of the planet’s most strategic regions? This chilling question now haunts defence forums and strategic thinkers worldwide after Denmark issued a stark warning to the United States: any invasion of Greenland would be met with immediate force, “shoot first and ask questions later.”  The statement, rooted in a Cold War directive, signals a dramatic escalation in one of the most geopolitically sensitive theatres on Earth and raises urgent qu…

Battle heats up for a share of the defence pie

With access to foreign investment becoming easier, a host of Indian companies vie for a share of the $100-billion budget for equipment. W hen it comes to high-mobility, multi-purpose personnel carriers like the Humvee, which is the transport backbone of the US Army, India lags far behind.   But in three years from now, the world's third-largest armed force could have its own Humvee-like light combat vehicle - produced indigenously.  With the opening up of defence production to private sector, with 49 per cent foreig…

What is Modi’s military vision?

Recently I had written in these pages on the importance of Narendra Modi’s strategic vision. That was dominated by the theme of foreign policy. But what about Modi’s military vision? This question is relevant as the accident involving a submarine has led to the unprecedented resignation of the chief of the naval staff who had 15 months of his services left. In fact, over the last six months there have been two submarine accidents that cost nine lives, with one submarine getting co…

Overhauling India's Defence Policy

There is a new government in power and there are expectations that it will be able to give India’s moribund defence policy a new direction. These hopes have been heightened by some of the right noises the prime minister and defence minister have been making since assuming office. The focus on defence in this year’s budget is a welcome change from the perfunctory increases in the allocations over the last several years. It underscores that this government remains committed to military modernisation which was losing traction under A K A…

India's $4 bn howitzer gun buying spree

India has begun the process of acquiring howitzer guns of various types. The contracts would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars each and their combined value is likely to be well over a billion dollars. India has begun the process of acquiring howitzer guns of various types. The contracts would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars each and their combined value is likely to be well over a billion dollars. India has set aside $4 billion for its artillery projects, neglected for decades largely due to political controversies a…

MODI Effect : Indian Co's bet on Defence sector; pour in billions to manufacture Guns, Ships & Tanks

NEW DELHI: Some of India's biggest companies are pouring billions of dollars into manufacturing guns, ships and tanks for the country's military, buoyed by the new government's commitment to upgrade its armed forces using domestic factories. India, the world's largest arms importer, will spend $250 billion in the next decade on kit, analysts estimate, to upgrade its Soviet-era military and narrow the gap with China, which spends $120 billion a year on defence. Unde…

US striving to become India's 'first choice' in Defence Solutions: Senior Pentagon official

WASHINGTON: The US is striving to become India's "first choice" in defence solutions, a top Pentagon official has said, noting that America's defence sales to the country has grown "exponentially" over the last 10 years, from nil to over USD 20 billion this year. "Promoting acquisition and sustainment initiatives with key international partners like India remains a top priority of mine," Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M Lord said on Tuesday. " US Defence sale…