Feb 08 Military Defence

The Hindu, 1 February 2008 ISRO chief: India-U.S. space cooperation slow Washington: Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G. Madhavan Nair has voiced concern over the 'slow' growth of Indo-U.S. space cooperation and wants the two countries to take a leap, by having more space commerce also. "There are pluses and minuses. But we have to be patient... we have to convince," he said, adding "the process is rather slow and I wish it was faster." The Hindu, 2 February 2008 Pakistan test-fires Ghauri ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf reiterated on Friday that his country was capable of thwarting all threats to its sovereignty and nuclear capability, even as the Pakistan Army Strategic Force Command (ASFC) conducted a training launch of an intermediate ballistic missile. The military said the launch of the nuclear-capable Ghauri, also known as Hatf 5, exactly a week after the test-launch of the medium-range Shaheen 1, was successful. The Ghauri has a range of 1,300 km The Hindu, 2 February 2008 India, Pakistan to exchange defence analysts NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry-backed Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) will sign a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan's Institute for Strategic Studies next week. The MoU will allow exchange of analysts between New Delhi and Islamabad and pave the way for possible joint research projects, IDSA director Narendra Sisodia told The Hindu on Friday The Asian Age, 3 February 2008 Nasa, Isro in space pact Washington, Feb. 2: India and the US plan to cooperate in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, including in the area of human space flights, under a new agreement between their space agencies. A framework agreement establishing the terms for future cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) was signed on Friday at the Kennedy Space Centre by Isro chairman G. Madhavan Nair and Nasa administrator Michael Griffin The Hindu, 4 February 2008 United States delay hits Tejas flight test BANGALORE: The Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA) bid to identify a global aerospace firm that could help it hasten the flight test programme of the light combat aircraft Tejas appears to have hit a hurdle. The U.S. Department of State is yet to permit American companies seeking to tie up with the ADA, to share what is perceived as sensitive defence technologies with India. The Hindu, 6 February 2008 Iran regrets India's launch of Israeli satellite NEW DELHI: Accusing the U.S. of trying to drive a wedge between Iran and countries

friendly to it, Tehran said New Delhi should have considered the launch of an Israeli spy satellite from a political standpoint and not take into account only commercial interests The Hindu, 6 February 2008 Fencing on Indo-Bangla border in full swing in Assam SONAHAT BORDER POST (ASSAM): Construction of a 76-km barbed wire fence on the border with Bangladesh in Dhubri district of Assam is in full swing. The fence, located 150 yards from the zero line, will replace the one erected in 1988. The Home Ministry sanctioned the fencing in June 2006 in the third phase of the Indo-Bangladesh Border Roads and Fence project launched in 1986 to prevent illegal immigration The Hindu, 7 February 2008 HSL likely to become part of Defence Ministry VISAKHAPATNAM: The Group of Ministers chaired by Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee has reportedly taken a decision to recommend to the Union Cabinet to bring cash-starved Hindustan Shipyard Limited under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence The Hindu, 7 February 2008 Panel set to submit report on DRDO BANGALORE: The P. Rama Rao Committee, tasked with audit and recommending changes for improvement of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has just completed its deliberations. This is the first external review of the 50year-old organisation, which has an annual budget in excess of Rs. 5,000 crore. Its recommendations could have a bearing on the working livelihood of 29,000 employees including 7,500 engineers and 11,500 scientists and technical staff The Hindu, 9 February 2008 Tejas flight, with drop tanks, successful BANGALORE: An important step towards the initial operational clearance (IOC) of Indias light combat aircraft Tejas was taken here on Thursday, when PV1 (prototype vehicle one) undertook its first successful flight powered by fuel from two drop tanks. Drop tanks not only increase an aircrafts endurance but also allow the pilot to jettison them, if need be, once their purpose is served The Hindu, 11 February 2008 Tejas flight, with drop tanks, successful BANGALORE: An important step towards the initial operational clearance (IOC) of India's light combat aircraft Tejas was taken here recently, when PV1 (prototype vehicle one) undertook its first successful flight powered by fuel from two drop tanks. Drop tanks not only increase an aircraft's endurance but also allow the pilot to jettison them, if need be, once their purpose is served. The Hindu, 13 February 2008 Revised defence purchase policy by April NEW DELHI: The government is all set to revise its defence procurement policy, a top

Ministry of Defence official confirmed here on Tuesday. "We would have a new policy ready by April this year," Defence Production Secretary Pradeep Kumar said The Asian Age, 13 February 2008 Opinion: G. Bharath & Harsh V. Pant The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indias central military research and development facility, has announced the scrapping of its strategic Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). The nation was informed that the IGMDP has been closed since most of the missiles under this project have been almost completed and inducted into the armed forces. It was further added that unlike the situation post-Pokharan, when doors to technology transfers were closed on India, new doors of frontline armament technology transfer are now open The Hindu, 14 February 2008 Pakistan tests nuclear missile Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday test-fired the short-range, nuclear-capable Ghaznavi ballistic missile which can target northern and western Indian cities as the government vowed to "retain a strong conventional and unconventional deterrence". A strategic missile group of the Pakistan Army conducted a successful training launch of the Ghaznavi or Hatf-III missile with a range of 290 km at the end of an annual field training exercise. The location of the firing was not disclosed by the military The Asian Age, 15 February 2008 Armed forces need 12,000 officers: Raju Bangalore, Feb. 14: Revealing that the three wings of the armed forces together face a shortage of about 12,000 officers, Union minister of state for defence, Pallam Raju said the situation can change if state governments cooperate in the setting up of sainik schools The Hindu, 16 February 2008 Editorial: Building on a solid foundation In initialling an agreement on cooperation in setting up additional nuclear power plants, India and Russia got around a glitch that had affected the long-standing relationship. The two countries can now start drafting commercial contracts, and perhaps even undertake some preparatory work, for constructing two additional reactors at Koodankulam. However, India may not be able to take further steps to operationalise the deal before it concludes negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group The Hindu, 16 February 2008 Opinion: Upswing in Russia-India military ties (Viktor Komardin) Russia has submitted a project on the joint development and production of the Kaveri aircraft engine to India and is waiting to be invited for talks. Within the framework of the GLONASS agreement, the two sides have had consultations and began working on proposals for its implementation. This is regarding the present and the future, but it would also be appropriate to recall the past

The Hindu, 16 February 2008 Opinion: Upswing in Russia-India military ties (Viktor Komardin) Russia has submitted a project on the joint development and production of the Kaveri aircraft engine to India and is waiting to be invited for talks. Within the framework of the GLONASS agreement, the two sides have had consultations and began working on proposals for its implementation. This is regarding the present and the future, but it would also be appropriate to recall the past The Times of India, 16 February 2008 India to test ballistic missile from underwater launcher BALASORE: After successfully test-firing anti-ballistic missiles and the land version of the Agni series, Indian defence scientists are preparing to launch a ballistic missile from under water. The ballistic missile (SLBM) K-15 is to be test-fired from an underwater launcher, a replica of a submarine, next week Hindustan Times, 17 February 2008 Arms makers eye Indian market Shortly after inaugurating the fifth international land and naval systems exhibition, DefExpo 2008, Defence Minister AK Antony took a whirlwind tour of the arms fair on Saturday. Lusting for opportunities in the defence sector, global biggies have bombarded the bustling Indian arms bazaar with newest weapon systems and technologies. DefExpo 2008 was teeming with such motley weapons as Israeli heli-borne-guided missiles, Rafaels unmanned protector boats, Italian Oto Melara lightweight rapid-fire naval guns, Saabs missiles for precision strikes and Russian air defence missile systems The Times of India, 17 February 2008 Israel flaunts wares at defence expo From miniature UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), sophisticated radars, sniper rifles and command and control systems to a bewildering array of missiles and anti-missile defence systems, all are on offer to the Indian armed forces. "The Indo-Israeli defence relationship is a miracle of match-making between a mouse and an elephant, with great mutual advantages and opportunities to both," said Major-General (retd) Yosi BenHaman, director of SIBAT, the Israeli government's defence export and cooperation agency The Asian Age, 18 February 2008 7 IIT-K graduates develop UAV New Delhi, Feb. 17: Seven bright youngsters, all graduates from IIT Kanpur, have developed two models of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) after several years of painstaking research and design. The UAV, developed by the IIT graduates, is on show at the Defexpo 08 event in the capital, and caught the eye of Army Chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor when he visited the exhibition on Sunday The Asian Age, 18 February 2008 Brahmos can be fitted to Scorpene New Delhi, Feb. 17: The Scorpene submarine could be fitted with the underwater version

of the BrahMos cruise missiles, which could enhance Indian Navys strategic firepower capability, French Company DCNS announced on Sunday. "If India wants, BrahMos cruise missiles can be fitted on the Scorpene being built under technology transfer at Mazagon docks," DCNS project director Xavier Marchal told newspersons at the ongoing CII sponsored Defence-Expo The Hindu, 19 February 2008 Sagarika to be tested soon off Orissa NEW DELHI: India is all set to improve its capability to respond to a nuclear attack with the first-ever test of Sagarika, an under-sea missile and the second test of a 3,000-km variant of the surface-to-surface Agni missile, a senior defence scientist said here on Monday The Asian Age, 19 February 2008 DRDO to test undersea missile New Delhi, Feb. 18: India is ready to test-fire its first-ever undersea ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, a senior official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said on Monday. The official, Dr Prahlada, who is the chief controller (services interaction) of the DRDO said that the missile, the K-15, could be test-fired soon from a pontoon immersed in the sea The Times of India, 19 February 2008 Latest Kalashnikovs to be made in India NEW DELHI: With the 61st anniversary of the famed Kalashnikov AK-47 series around the corner, the Russian manufacturer of the world's best-known assault rifle announced that the latest AK-100 series will be manufactured in India. The company hopes to sell the gun to various police and paramilitary forces in the country as well as the army. It will not be exported The Hindu, 20 February 2008 HAL to bid for Army helicopters BANGALORE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has asked the Defence Ministry to consider its Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) for use by the Army and the Air Force. The two wings are planning to acquire modern helicopters that can perform at high altitude The Hindu, 21 February 2008 Lakshya successfully flight-tested Balasore: India's indigenously developed pilotless target aircraft Lakshya was successfully flight-tested from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur on Wednesday The Asian Age, 21 February 2008 Russia may scrap Gorshkov deal Moscow, Feb. 19: Russia may scrap the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft career deal with India and transfer the vessel currently undergoing refit at northern shipyard to its Navy. The 45,000 tonne displacement carrier was to delivered by August this year as per a $1.5

billion contract signed in 2004 but Russia stunned India in November last by demanding $1.2 billion more for refitting and other works The Hindu, 23 February 2008 Focus on defence funds utilisation NEW DELHI: Ever since the Kargil war, the government has been pumping money into the purchase of advanced weapon and surveillance platforms. The outlay for the defence sector, particularly on the capital account, has been growing year after year. And the coming budget will prove to be no different with Defence Minister A.K. Antony having gone on record saying that his Ministry has sought more money The Hindu, 24 February 2008 Modernisation of armed forces is vital: Antony BIDAR: Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Saturday said the modernisation of the armed forces was one of the principal things to be achieved. The country, by virtue of its strategic location, rapid economic growth and technological capabilities, had a pressing need to safeguard its assets and interests The Hindu, 25 February 2008 Bangladesh Army chiefs India visit to boost ties DHAKA: The India-Bangladesh relations, which have improved since the militarybacked caretaker government took charge in Dhaka in January 2007, are expected to see a more positive change following Bangladesh Army chief Gen. Moeen U Ahmeds visit to New Delhi The Hindu, 26 February 2008 Dhaka to honour Indian Army martyrs NEW DELHI: Dhaka has for the first time agreed to honour the memory of Indian Army soldiers who were martyred in the war for liberation of Bangladesh. This was decided during a meeting here on Monday between the Chief of the Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor, and his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart, General Moeen U. Ahmed, highly placed sources said The Hindu, 27 February 2008 Sagarika missile test-fired successfully CHENNAI: India on Tuesday proved that it had the capability to launch missiles from underwater by test-firing successfully the Sagarika missile from a pontoon off the coast of Visakhapatnam. The pontoon simulated the conditions of a submarine