Defense

The DPIIT would soon approach the Union Cabinet to seek approval for relaxing norms to allow up to 74 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in defence manufacturing under the automatic route, with a view to attract overseas players in the sector, sources said. They said the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has discussed the matter with the defence ministry.

The RQ-11 Raven is a lightweight, low-altitude, remote-controlled, man-portable UAV that can perform intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations. The UAV captures and transfers medium-resolution imagery to a ground control unit through a digital data link.

In a challenge to China’s forays in South America, India is exploring the sale of various military platforms to the region. Diplomatic sources in the Indian missions in the region have confirmed to the Financial Express Online “Post COVID-19, there are opportunities to export defence equipment in the South American Region. Several private players and DPSUs are showing interest in the region. ”

Three terrorists have been gunned down in an encounter with security forces at Rebban in Sopore on Sunday, police said.
As per the police, incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site and search operation underway.
“Two more unidentified terrorists killed in Sopore encounter. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered; search operation underway,” Kashmir Zone Police said.

Interestingly, PLR systems, now run by Col Ajay Soni, already manufactures number of small arms like the Tavor series, the mainstay of the special forces, in India along with others like the Galil sniper rifle, Uzi Pro submachine gun, Masada pistol and the Negev Light Machine Gun (LMG) with indigenous content ranging from 40-60 per cent.

Amid the ongoing dispute with China over boundary issue, the Indian Army is going to place another order of 72,000 Sig 716 assault rifles from the United States.
The order for the second batch of the assault rifles would be coming after the first lot of 72,000 rifles, has already been delivered to the Army for use by troops in Northern Command and other operational areas.

ET NOW spoke to the management of Bharat Dynamics, India’s only missile manufacturing company, that makes the surface to air missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, torpedoes and underwater weapons among systems, to understand the defence manufacturing opportunity for the country and plans to make India’s defence sector Atmanirbhar (self-reliant).

The Indian Air Force has acquired the capability to fly its MiG-29 fighters at night from its Leh base in the future, at a time when India and China are taking steps towards disengagement at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Sources in the IAF said the process of night-flying, which has already begun, would be a “game-changer” because training by night will strengthen its capability to conduct full-spectrum operations at the Line of Actual Control on short notice, given Leh’s proximity to the LAC.

“We’re happy to have completed delivery of the 22 AH 64-E Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters to India,” the company said on Friday. The five helicopters have been delivered in one consignment to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Hindon air base, near the national capital Delhi. Earlier in March, Boeing handed over the last five of 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters it had contracted to sell India.

Six strategic bridges in Jammu & Kashmir have been developed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in a record time. These new bridges are in sensitive border areas close to the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.