Army Training Women Officers for Combat Support Role at OTA Chennai

Defence forces are finally opening combat roles for women officers. While three women cadets of the Indian Air Force train to become fighter pilots, the Army is also gearing up to accommodate women as combatant members.

A group of women cadets are undergoing training at Officers Training Academy (OTA) - Chennai in combat support which majorly includes combat engineers and air defence. Senior Army officers say depending on the response and feedback from the training and experience, further decision will be taken on their induction in combat roles.

The Army is also considering permanent commission for women officers in a few additional combat support, said Army PRO Colonel Rohan.

The Indian Army is currently considering offering permanent commission to women officers in a few additional combat support and technical arms and services, said Colonel Anand.

"Based on the experience gained and feedback from the environment, on the current employment of women officers in various arms and services, their enhanced employment will be considered at an appropriate time," the officer added.

Even though the first batch is being trained at OTA Chennai, but as and when the number of women cadets increase, there are chances of them being admitted to other training academies too. The women cadets are also given basic training of handling weapons.

As of January 2016, the Indian Army has 1,470 women officers. Every year, nearly 100 women officers are being commissioned into the Army.

When asked whether the proposal to induct women officers was because of shortage of officers in Army, Colonel Anand replied in the negative. "No, I don't think so. It is mainly done on gender equality."

In March 2016, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the Lok Sabha that the "Army (excluding Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service), as on July 1, 2015, against the authorized strength of 49,631 officers, held strength of officers is 40,525 with shortage of 9,106".

After President Pranab Mukherjee in his joint address to Parliament on the first day of the 2016 Budget session said women officers will be inducted in fighter streams in armed forces, the proposal has been moving in a positive direction.

The Army is moving step by step keeping in view all the practical issues before inducting them for combat roles and training in combat support is the first step in this regard.

Till now, women officers are restricted to the engineering, medical and education corps. They are primarily commissioned as Short Service Officers.

While the IAF will commission its first women fighter pilot on June 18, 2016, the Army it will take some time.

According to senior officers it is because in the IAF there is human-to-machine contact but in Army it is human-to-human contact.

While the defence forces opened their door to women officers only in 1992, there is still some way to go before they see combat.

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PM Modi in Iran: Why Chabahar port is important for India

The signing of agreement on development of Chabahar port is high on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda as he looks to

strengthen trade, investment and energy ties with Iran during his two-day visit. PM Modi is expected to sign commercial

contract for Chabahar Phase-1. Here's why this strategic port is important for India

1. Chabahar port will help India bypass Pakistan
Chabahar is a port in south east Iran that will enable India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked

Afghanistan with which New Delhi has close security ties and economic interests.

2. The port will cut transport costs/time for Indian goods by a third.

3. Iran plans to turn the Chabahar port into a transit hub for immediate access to markets in the northern part of the Indian

Ocean and in Central Asia.

4. India is one of a handful of countries that continued trade links with Iran despite it being isolated by Western countries

against its disputed nuclear programme. New Delhi is Tehran's second-biggest oil client after Beijing.

5.Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on Iran's southern coast, is of great strategic utility for

India.

6. It will set up India's road access to four cities in Afghanistan
From Chabahar, the existing Iranian road network can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan, about 883 kms from the port. The

Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to

four major cities in Afghanistan -- Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.

7. The port project will be the first overseas venture for an Indian state-owned port. India and Iran had in 2003 agreed to

develop Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran's border with Pakistan.

8. The project moved slowly because of western sanctions against Iran. The sanctions were lifted in January and since then,

India has been pushing for conclusion of an agreement.

9. About a fifth of the oil consumed worldwide each day passes through the Strait, a shipping choke point that separates the

Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.

10. Indian investment in phase-1 will be in excess of $200 million, including $150 million line of credit from Exim Bank, an

agreement for which would also be signed during the visit.

ISRO successfully test launches India's first-ever indigenous space shuttle

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully test launched the first 'Made in India' space shuttle — called the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) — early on Monday morning from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The test launch is considered a significant step in India's space endeavour. It's especially important because in 2011, the U.S.'s Nasa abandoned its resuable space shuttle project.

The test launch of the 6.5 metre long and 1.75 ton reusable launch vehicle ( RLV-TD ) occurred at 7 am on Monday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

"Mission accomplished successfully," ISRO said after the launch.

.@ISRO launches #India's first indigenous space shuttle, the RLV-TD from Sriharikota in AP. Here's a sneak peek:https://t.co/PQc1mNtjZj

— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) May 23, 2016

The RLV-TD is described as "a very preliminary step" in the development of a reusable rocket, the final version of which is expected to take 10-15 years.

The government has invested Rs 95 crores in the RLV-TD project.

ISRO chairman Kiran Kumar explained that the experimental RLV it is essentially an attempt by India to bring down the cost of making infrastructure for space.

"The RLV is a mechanism for us to bring down the cost of launch. We intend to go through a series of technology demonstration exercises, the first one of which we call HEX-01, that is a hypersonic experiment. It is called a winged body," Kumar said.
"Therefore, we are designing for the first time a winged body, which will come back from space. It will be carried up on a solid rocket motor. In addition, this is the first of a series of experiments and we still have a long way to go till we reach the actual RLV, which will give us a tremendous capacity in terms of launching at a very low cost," he added.

US House approves move to bolster defence ties with India

The US House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan legislative move to bolster defence ties with India and bring it at part with other Nato allies in terms of sale of defence equipment and technology transfer.

"It seeks to promote greater defence trade and encourage additional military cooperation between the United States and India," Congressman George Holding said on the floor of the House in favour of the amendment in this regard in the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2017.

The amendment (Enhancing Defence and Security Co-operation with India) was sponsored by Holding and Ami Bera (House India Caucus Chairs) and Chair and Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce and Elliot Engel, respectively.

"I believe that by requiring our government to take actions such as strengthening Defence Technology and Trade Initiative and encouraging combined military planning with India, we can make certain that the US-India defence relationship endures," Holding said.

"Mr Chairman, given the dynamic nature of the Indo-Pacific region and its importance to our own national security and future economic growth, now is the time to build on recent successes and propel the US-India strategic partnership forward," Holding said.

For the US, it encourages the executive branch to designate an official to focus on US-India defence cooperation, facilitate the transfer of defence technology, maintain a special office in the Pentagon dedicated exclusively to the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).

It urges the US government to enhance India's military capabilities in the context of combined military planning, and promote co-production/co-development opportunities.

For India, it encourages the government to authorise combined military planning with the US for missions of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness.

Senators Mark Warner and John Cornyn, the Senate India Caucus Chairs, introduced a similar bill earlier this week in the Senate.

Senator Marco Rubio, the former Republican presidential candidate, became its co-sponsor this week.
It is only when it is passed by the Senate and the House as part of the NDAA-2017, it will head to the White House for US President Barack Obama to be signed into law.

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Indian Air Force To Spend Rs 8,000 Crore On Modernisation Of Airfields

The Indian Air Force is prioritising modernisation of airfields, advance landing grounds and other infrastructure at a cost of nearly Rs 8,000 crore under its Eastern Command, IAF officials said.

"The Eastern Air Command of the IAF is giving priority to ongoing modernisation of airfields, Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) and other associated infrastructure worth nearly Rs 8,000 crore under it area of responsibility," IAF Spokesperson Amit Mahajan said at a conference in Shillong on Thursday.

This is in addition to Rs 1,100 crore set aside annually for other public fund expenditure, he said.

The discussion came about at a three-day conference of Senior Accounts Officers (SAOs) of all airbases under Eastern Air Command.

Chaired by EAC Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, the conference laid emphasis on the protocol for procurement process, audit and use of non-public funds for welfare-related activities of air warriors, Mahajan said.

Principal Integrated Financial Advisor Rasika Choube, Air Vice Marshal Manavendra Singh who is a senior officer in charge of administration, was also present at the meeting.

Source >> http://www.defencenews.in/article/Indian-Air-Force-To-Spend-Rs-8,000-Crore-On-Modernisation-Of-Airfields-5273

India Should Build Its Own Space Station

India should actively get into building its own space station in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as its next space frontier since the time is opportune for this, a retired space scientist has said.

According to M.Y.S. Prasad, who retired as director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), India should have long-term strategic goals that will have a cascading technological benefit across several areas.

"It is time to look 10-15 years ahead rather than planning for incremental growth activities. Building our own space station will be beneficial on many counts and would also generate around 15,000 high-skilled jobs," the distinguished scientist, a 2014 recipient of the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, told IANS.

Simply put, a space station is a manned satellite in a Low Earth Orbit.

"The future of International Space Station (ISS) is not known post 2025. Then there will only be the Chinese space station in the orbit," Prasad said.

Ruling out the possibility of developed countries coming together again to put up a space station, Prasad said it is an opportune time for India to do that and start planning for it.

"The decision to have a space station will have a positive effect on other connected projects. The plan to have a space station will result in accelerated development of reusable rockets, in-orbit docking systems, manned mission and others," Prasad said.

He said the technology development needed for manned missions to Low Earth Orbit and space stations in Low Earth Orbit will enhance the knowledge and competence of the country's space agency -- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) -- and the industrial capacity of the country.

The research and development (R&D) activities in these areas need the evolution of re-entry technologies, life support systems, safe recovery systems, more reliable launch and spacecraft systems, long-term platforms operating in space for specialised experiments and others, Prasad remarked.

He said India should get into the development of a rocket that can carry 7.5 tonnes into a Geo-stationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) and 10 tonnes into Low Earth Orbit.

"Such a rocket will cater to India's needs of launching heavier satellites as well as the space station," Prasad said.

The setting up of a space station will result in the development of orbit-docking technology which countries like the US, Russia and China now possess.

"There can be a possibility of India-China cooperation in the space station sector like the US and Russia joining hands," Prasad said.

According to him, a firm step towards such a long-term goal will be to commit steady budgetary support for the space sector.

Apart from technological development, space stations will enable long-duration manned space missions.

On the strategic side also, space stations will be of immense use.

"Further, instead of launching remote sensing satellites at regular intervals, the space station can act as one," Prasad said.

Agreeing that India should look far as regards space sector goals, former ISRO chairman U.R. Rao told IANS: "Today manned mission is not for prestige. It has become important."

Space agency officials told IANS that the sector got the budgetary support it needed from successive governments.

Earlier India did not look at manned mission and other projects as the cost-benefit ratio was not in favour and hence the focus was on launching communication and remote sensing satellites.

However, former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan offered an alternative instead of India building its own space station.

"India could look at conducting tests at the International Space Station rather than building its own," Radhakrishnan told IANS.

According to him, it is certainly in India's plans to have an Indian presence in the solar system.

"Developing the necessary technology, building and maintaining the space station involve huge financial outlay. Human flight is what ISRO should look at," Radhakrishnan said.

According to Prasad, investment in space technologies cannot be looked in the short-term perspective of cost-benefit ratio.

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Thales' boost for Make in India with thermal imagers for tanks

Boosting the Make in India initiative, French aerospace and defence major Thales has signed a new contract to provide thermal imaging cameras for the Indian Army's T-90 main battle tank (MBT), it was announced here on Thursday.

As part of the contract, Thales will be effecting a transfer of production to integrate 260 compact thermal imaging (TI) Catherine cameras into the TI Sights that will be installed on the T-90s, a company statement said.

"The Catherine thermal imager is already in service with the Indian Army and this new order consolidates Thales leadership in optronic technologies in India," the statement said, adding that the transfer of production element "contributes" to the government's Make in India policy.

"The Catherine family is the most complete range of cameras available on the world market for target acquisition and weapon engagements by land vehicles. Thermal imagers allow gunners, commanders and land recce observers to see by night and by day in adverse conditions. More than 7,000 Catherine cameras are in service on board 30 types of fighting vehicles globally," the statement said.

Indian Naval Ships Sail for Operational Deployment to South China Sea

INS Kirch 

Guided Missile Corvette, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE)

On May 18, four ships of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet set out for a two and a half month long operational deployment to the South China Sea and North Western Pacific, according to a recent press statement by the Indian Ministry of Defense.

“In a demonstration of its operational reach and commitment to India’s ‘Act East’ policy, the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, under the command of Rear Admiral SV Bhokare, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, sailed out today,” the press release states.

The small naval force that left the Indian shores today consists of the 6,200-ton Shivalik-class guided-missile stealth frigates Satpura and Sahyadri armed, among other things, with Brahmos supersonic anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles; the 27,550-ton Deepak-class fleet tanker Shakti, one of the largest surface warships in the Indian Navy; and the 1,350-ton Kora-class guided missile corvette Kirch, armed with sub- and super-sonic anti-air and anti-ship missiles.

The dispatch of the fleet has the dual purpose of strengthening military diplomatic ties and enhancing inter-operability with other navies. The Indian warships are slated to make port calls at Cam Rahn Bay in Vietnam, Subic Bay in the Philippines, Sasebo in Japan, Busan in South Korea, Vladivostok in Russia, and Port Klang in Malaysia.

“The visits to each port will last four days and are aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing inter-operability between the navies. During the stay in harbor, various activities such as official calls and professional interaction between naval personnel of both the nations have been planned,” the defense ministry notes.

The fleet will also conduct passing exercises (PASSEX) with other navies to practice cooperation and “showing the flag” in a region “of vital strategic importance to India,” according to the defense ministry. The fleet’s operational deployment will culminate in its participation in Exercise Malabar, a naval exercise held with the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), to take place off Okinawa in Japan in the second half of June.

As I reported previously, Japan’s participation is not new—the JMSDF have joined in 2007, 2009, and 2014 respectively—but this year will be the first time that Japan is not a foreign invitee but rather a permanent member of the annual naval exercise.

The ships of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, the largest out of a total of three fleets, are distributed among bases on the Indian east coast including Kolkata, Paradip, and Chennai, as well as on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The total strength of the fleet is around 60 vessels. The Eastern Naval Command is headquartered at Visakhapatnam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

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