Defense

The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to be in India for the annual summit in September/October this year and among various issues related to Indo-Pacific, maritime security, the purchase of the US-2i from Japan too will be discussed by the two sides. Sources have confirmed that the deal is back on the table, especially after the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Abe.

The vehicles were made available to all the members who had applied. Eleven MPs were allotted vehicles from Vehicle Sub Depot Meerut, 15 from Ordnance Depot Avadi, three from Central Ordnance Depot Chheoki, two from Central Ordnance Depot Mumbai, two from Central Armoured Fighting Vehicle Depot Kirkee, and one MP each was allotted vehicles from 224 ABOD Jodhpur, Northern Command Vehicle Depot Udhampur and Vehicle Depot Panagarh,” the MoD said.

The Narendra Modi government on Monday asked seven shipyards to submit proposals for the construction of six missile warships and other smaller vessels worth 150 billion rupees ($2.2 billion), the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The tender includes eight fast patrol vessels, 12 hovercrafts and eight missile-cum-ammunition barges.

The EOIs to Global Yards were expected to be sent early this month and a final request for proposals (RFPs) or tenders are expected by the end of this year for the project that has been named P 75I. Officials said Spain’s request could be considered positively as it is in Indian interest to broad base the selection as much as possible.

The fighters will be flown by Indian pilots in France for 1,500 hours as part of the testing process. The first batch of four combat jets is expected to be ferried to India by May next year and will form the first squadron of Rafale fighters that will be deployed at the Ambala airbase that is positioned for action along the Western border with Pakistan. The 17 Squadron is expected to be the first to receive the jets.

The organisation was assisted by multiple agencies including Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR) and the Indian Navy’s Weapon and Electronics System Engineering Establishment (WESEE).

The objective of issuing the RFP’s is to encourage participation by a larger number of Indian shipyards. Further, in a move to encourage smaller shipyards, participation in the projects with the anticipated annual outflow of less than Rs 75 crore has been restricted to the shipyards having an average annual turnover less than Rs 500 crore.

Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent comprises of 120 air-warriors and four Sukhoi 30 MKI along with an IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft, French Air Force units will comprise the likes of Rafale, Alpha Jet, Mirage 2000, C135, E3F, C130, and Casa. The IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30 MKI will take on the Rafale multirole jets of the French Air Force.

Sources said that NSCN(I-M) insurgents used these camps for temporary stay during transit. It is to be noted that sustained operations are being conducted by security forces against the insurgent groups active in the region in order to wipe them out from the region.