Defense

On the eve of the 13th edition of Aero-India 2021, defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the second production line for the Light Combat Aircraft `Tejas.’ The aircraft are going to be manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

This is the largest ever Defence contract for indigenous manufacture till date. This significant step provides great impetus to indigenous fighter aircraft capability of the nation. A stellar display of Tejas platform was made today in Aero India 2021 in the presence of large number of international and national participants.

The Coast Guard, despite restrictions imposed by Covid-19 pandemic, maintained strict vigil in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by daily deploying about 50 ships and 12 aircraft. Deterrent patrols both at sea and air have enabled seizure of contraband worth Rs. 1,500 crore, including 24 kg of gold and narcotics on the east coast, apart from seizing more than 10 foreign fishing boats and arresting 80 persons operating in Indian EEZ during 2020.

A more potent version of the indigenous Tejas multi-role combat jet featuring a much powerful engine, greater load-carrying capability and next-generation electronic warfare system is expected to be rolled out next year and its first high-speed trials will start in 2023, according to Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd R Madhavan.

The high-altitude, twin-engine aircraft, capable of playing multiple roles from signal intelligence to cross-border surveillance, is currently in the final stages of testing in Germany. It is likely to arrive in India in the next three months for further integration.

India and the US are all set to kick off a major combat exercise in Rajasthan next week, in the first such bilateral wargame after the Biden administration took charge in Washington and reiterated India’s role as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific as well as the need to strengthen the “Quad”.

In a view to elevate modern technical support to paramilitary forces engaged in maintaining law and order situation; train and equip them with advanced options, CSIR has demonstrated its three innovative variants ‘Compact, Medium, Heavy’ category of Mob Control Vehicles (MCVs) to a team of MHA recommended members under leadership of IG (RAF), CRPF.

The Indian Navy has commissioned a Rs 52-crore automatic storage retrieval system for efficient handling of aircraft spares as part of a modernization drive. The Navy said that eight of the 17 storehouses in the state have been modernised and that the remaining will be completed by July.

The Army would be using the land acquired to construct buildings for its units deployed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The Army has two of its companies looking after Arunachal Pradesh including the Dimapur-based 3 Corps and Tezpur-based 4 Corps.

In a bid to make flying training more affordable in India, the government has decided Indian Oil Corp (IOC) will produce AvGas under the “atmanirbhar Bharat abhiyan.” Aviation Gas (AvGas) is currently imported for trainer aircraft and increases the operating costs for flying training organisations (FTO) and loss of foreign exchange. This, in turn, leads to higher charges for wannabe pilots.