Defense

The Tatmadaw is increasingly turning to India for training and weapons because it suspects foul play by China in the peace process. Rebel groups like the United Wa State Army, the Kokang Army and the Kachin Independence Army enjoy Chinese backing, leading the Tatmadaw to believe Beijing is playing a double game.

In address to top commanders, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat highlighted the changing threats India faces and his vision to counter them.

India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties between their respective armed forces. As per the understanding, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces will receive training and undertake firing exercises along with the Indian Armed Forces.

“India and Sri Lanka agreed to increase cooperation in security and defence spheres in several areas, including regional security, curbing drug smuggling and human trafficking and training of members of the security forces,” a statement from the presidential media unit said.

“In 1994, there was a unanimous resolution in Parliament saying that Jammu and Kashmir, inclusive of parts which are occupied by Pakistan, is an integral part of India. We have to look at ways in which integration of Jammu and Kashmir happens effectively and for that discussions are welcome.”

IA officers said the new MBTs would be imported in kit form from Russian tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) for assembly by India’s state-owned Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi, southeastern India, and are expected to eventually equip 10 armoured regiments.

“I think weaponised drones are on the table, I think the original purchase was for surveillance but those are platforms known as the Predator. The Sea Guardian is basically an unarmed Predator that is kitted out for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and things like that…I think the idea of armed drones has been basically approved in principal on the US side so it’s certainly something which is on the table,” Vikram J Singh, Senior Advisor for Défense and Aerospace at the USISPF said.

It added that the collaboration would leverage Thales’s more than 100 years of experience in the design, development and manufacture of the world’s leading defence systems.

Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor Assistant Chief of IAF, Operations, making the first official statement on the matter said, “There is no doubt that two aircraft went down in the aerial engagement on February 27, one was the Bison (MiG 21) of the IAF and the other was a F-16 of PAF, conclusively identified by its electronic signature and radio transcripts.”

BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture of Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence Research and Development Organization. The company is producing the world’s fastest cruise missile BrahMos, named after Brahmaputra and Moscow rivers.