President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie onboard the Indian Navy's INS Vaghsheer, highlighting the nation's naval capabilities and commitment to maritime security.
'There's an urgent requirement, particularly for the Indian Ocean region, as China's naval presence grows, and with Pakistan also acquiring more submarines.'
INS Vaghsheer is a silent predator on the prowl...
The Indian Navy has commissioned three new warships, INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer, marking a significant step in India's defense self-reliance and indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. These state-of-the-art vessels are designed and built entirely in India, showcasing the country's growing expertise in defense production. The commissioning of these warships strengthens India's position as a global leader in defense and augments its maritime strength.
China has delivered a second advanced submarine to Pakistan, part of a larger deal to bolster the South Asian nation's naval capabilities in the Indian Ocean. The move underscores China's growing influence in the region and its strategic partnership with Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron have called for enhancing trade and investment ties between their countries and committed to further deepening their engagement in the Indo-Pacific. They discussed a full spectrum of bilateral relations, including key global and regional issues, and stressed the urgent need for reform in the United Nations Security Council. The leaders also underscored their commitment to ensuring the global AI sector can drive positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha on Monday said that "as on date, the DRDO is working on 55 mission mode projects out of which 23 projects are delayed".
Building 6 conventional submarines is one of the Indian Navy's most important weapon construction programmes.
Naval Group's announcement comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris where he is scheduled meet recently re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron.
The status of the current submarine force level is alarming and we need to address the threat perceptions expeditiously. Critical decisions pertaining to national security cannot be delayed any further due to the rapidly changing maritime threat perceptions and growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region, asserts Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the major defence equipment that were imported included helicopters, aircraft radars, rockets, guns, assault rifles, missiles and ammunition.
DRDO's Air Independent Propulsion system will allow Indian Navy submarines to operate for up to two weeks without having to surface to recharge its batteries.
With the Indian Navy's requirement of conventional submarines standing at 24, there is critical need to expedite the planned acquisition of six more conventional submarines.
The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai on Wednesday launched INS Vagsheer, the last of the six submarines under Project 75.
This is the fourth of the six submarines the Indian Navy is to induct under the Kalvari-class submarine Project-75.
The 66-metre-long INS Kalvari is part of an over $3.5 billion contract signed by the defence ministry with French firm DCNS in October 2005 to jointly develop six submarines.
Unlike conventional subs that must surface every 48 to 72 hours, these subs can stay submerged for up to 14 days.
AIP or Air Independent Propulsion system allows the vessel to stay underwater for a longer duration.
Even as Chinese troops continue squatting on territory that we claim as our own -- this was the lowest allocation for defence in percentage terms since the 1950s, reveals Ajai Shukla.
'The F-21's capabilities far exceed all other torpedoes currently in service.'
Pakistan will acquire at least eight modified diesel-electric attack submarines from China by 2028 in a nearly $5 billion (Rs 33,479 crore) agreement, said to be the biggest arms export deal for the Communist giant.
The warships will be armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles which can reach targets 295 km away.
India was continuously keeping an eye on the movement of the Pakistani military but after Indian Air Force hit the Jaish terrorist factory in Balakot, one of the most advanced Pakistani Agosta-class submarines - PNS Saad - vanished from the Pakistani waters, a senior government source said.
India has the ability in all respects to be a great power and address our security challenges in the best national interests, says Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The 'request for proposal' for the indigenous construction of the six submarines will be issued soon, they added.
An agreement was reached in Islamabad during a meeting between Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Xu Ziqin, President of state-owned China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company Limited -- the trade arm of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
But private Indian defence firms prefer to do business with the West. Indian CEOs say they encounter difficulties in obtaining full and timely payment from Russian partners.
Hydrography (underwater geography) prevents the Indian Navy for opting for an all-conventional, or all-nuclear submarine fleet.
The navy finds itself fighting for relevance, with navy planners lamenting that its share of the budget has dropped dramatically.
There is concern about the poor state of readiness of the navy's 140 warships which face severe shortages in sonar equipment, helicopters and torpedoes.
There were 35 defects that still remained to be resolved. Of these, 29 could not have been resolved during the monsoon since they required testing in absolutely calm seas. Nor is the Khanderi being commissioned with a full complement of its primary weapon, the torpedo.
The first of six French-designed Scorpene submarines which are being manufactured in Mumbai, was launched into the water on Monday, initiating the process for extensive sea trials.
Russia -- already India's biggest arms supplier from 2014-18, accounting for 58 per cent of India's defence imports -- eyes more, reports Ajai Shukla.
'It was deliberate,' the Russians allege.
"A mere 5-6 per cent of defence budget for R&D is inadequate to meet the aspirations of India's defence needs especially when China spends about 20 per cent of their defence budget for R&D," said the DRDO chief.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar immediately ordered the navy chief to personally inquire into what this meant for India's maritime security.
Defence projects worth a whopping Rs 80,000 crore were on Saturday cleared by the government which decided that six submarines will be made indigenously and over 8,000 Israeli anti-tank guided missiles and 12 upgraded Dornier surveillance aircraft will be purchased.
There could be significant announcements about India's purchase of Kamov-226T helicopters, S-400 air defence missile systems, and the long-delayed contract for joint development of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft.
Will private firms really boost Make in India in the defence sector? Ajai Shukla seeks answers.
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