News Report: India Floats Biggest Tender for Procurement of 234 Naval Helicopters

In a procurement that could be one of the biggest additions to India’s naval warfare capabilities in recent times, the Indian Navy intends to purchase at least 123 naval multi role helicopters (NMRH) with anti-submarine capabilities and light utility twin engine helicopters for offshore and shore based operations.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Hard pressed by operational inadequacies, the Indian Navy has made public its intentions to procure at least 234 aerial vehicles to serve in warships. A request for information (RFI) has been sought from six global manufacturers for an estimated deal of over $5 billion.

The Indian Navy has said 123 naval multi-role helicopters should have anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The requirement has been outlined keeping in mind the growing presence of foreign submarines in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy has also floated tentative requirements for light utility twin engine helicopters weighing about 4.5 tons to be used in both shore-based and offshore operations.

The procurement would be executed under the newly approved strategic partnership (SP) model that seeks to identify an Indian private firm as a strategic partner who would tie up with a shortlisted foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) to manufacture military platforms. The main criteria for the selection of OEMs would be the compatibility of their products with the Services Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs), and their commitment to provide technology and other assistance to enable their Indian partners to produce in India with maximum localization.

News Story: Indian Navy launches hunt to acquire 110 helicopters in $5B deal

Kamov Ka-226T (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has begun its process of acquiring 110 light utility helicopters after rejecting Russia's Kamov Ka-226T, which are being built for the Air Force and Army, according to a Ministry of Defence official. 

"The Kamov 226T does not have blade folding and cannot be fitted inside a ship's hangar. Moreover, it is not suitable to carry the torpedoes, which is the mandatory requirement," said an Indian Navy official. 

The light utility helicopters, or LUH, will be procured under the strategic partnership policy India's government approved last month, under which a private-sector defence company will be selected as a strategic partner, which, in turn, will tie up with an overseas original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, shortlisted by the MoD. 

In the next two months, an expression of interest will be given to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. The domestic companies will partner with overseas OEMs to compete for the contract worth $5 billion. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Army hunts for new carbines

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Army has issued a global request for information procure 200,000 5.56mm close-quarter battle carbines at a cost of about $400 million under the Buy & Make India category. The total order is estimated to increase to 500,000 if the requirement of the domestic paramilitary forces is also taken into account.

Efforts to acquire the CQB carbines since 2008 have not yielded any result, and the carbines developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organization, or DRDO, and the Ordnance Factory Board, or OFB, have not been accepted by the Indian Army, according to a senior Indian Ministry of Defence. 

The formal tender — expected to be issued in the next six months — will seek a transfer of technology for the carbines to be license produced in India under a partnership with domestic defense companies. 

Several overseas equipment manufacturers — including Beretta of Italy, FN FAL of Belgium, Heckler & Koch of Germany, Colt's Manufacturing Company of the United States, and Sig Sauer of Switzerland — are likely to tie up with Indian defense companies such as private sector firms Mahindra Defence, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge and Reliance Defence.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Indian Experts Say Russian Defense Firms Have Advantage in Make in India Scheme

The Narendra Modi government’s decision to take the strategic partnership policy route with foreign companies to promote Make in India initiative in defense manufacturing will be to the advantage of Russian companies which already have solid ties in the sector, said experts.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Unveiling the policy, India’s Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds the finance portfolio, categorically said the policy is aimed at “encouraging Make in India in relation to defense manufacturing.” The policy will allow Indian private sector companies to form joint ventures with global defense firms.

“The capacity building of the private sector in defense manufacturing will begin now,” PTI quoted Jaitley as saying after the Cabinet meeting.

Experts agreed the new policy will be contrary to the government’s attempts to build a military-industrial complex to boost job creation and spur innovation.

News Story: Indian army gets first artillery guns from U.S.

NEW DELHI, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Indian Army Thursday received two new artillery gun systems from the United States, local media reports said.

The M-777 ultra-light howitzers arrived in India as part of 145-gun order sealed in a government-to-government deal with the United States for 700 million U.S. dollars.

"The air portable 155 mm, 39-calibre gun will have a maximum range of 30 km and will be used to shore up defenses in high-altitude areas," a report in New Delhi based English news channel NDTV said.

"In all, the military will import 25 M-777s directly from BAE systems, the manufacturer of the guns. The rest will be assembled in India in collaboration with Mahindra Defence Systems," the report added.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: India seeks homemade electronic warfare suites for Russian helos

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Air Force is turning to domestic companies to build electronic warfare suites for its fleet of Russian Mi-17V-5 helicopters.

"We will submit a new proposal in the next three months to Ministry of Defence to seek project approval to source around 200 EW suites [that] cost around $100 million from domestic companies" a senior Air Force official said.

"Supply of complete set of EW suites appears to be beyond the capability of any single [Indian] company," said retired Air Force air marshal and defense analyst Daljit Singh.

However, the domestic companies will need to tie up with overseas original equipment manufacturers to build EW suites, said a senior MoD official, adding that the "MoD is hopeful that the domestic companies will be able to supply the suites for the [Russian] helicopters." 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India Signs $737M Ultralight Howitzer Contract

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has signed a much awaited $737 million contract for the procurement of 145 M777A2 LW155 ultralight howitzers. 

The deal was inked Wednesday with the original equipment manufacturer, the US subsidiary of BAE Systems. 

A formal Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement will be signed with the US government on Thursday, according a top Ministry of Defence (MoD) official.

BAE Systems executives here were unavailable for comment.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India Clears Ultralight Howitzers Purchase With US

BAE Systems M777 ultralight weight howitzer

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — In a surprise move, India’s prime minister has cleared the long-pending purchase of 145 M777 ultralight howitzers through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route to bolster a greater defense partnership with new US leadership, according to a top Ministry of Defense (MoD) official. 

“Finally the contract will be signed at $737 million within the next two months, and the deliveries are expected to start in mid-2017,” according to the official, who described the decision as "indeed an unexpected move." 

“India is certainly looking forward for a much greater defense partnership under the leadership with newly elected US President Donald Trump," the official added. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India's Defense Acquisition Council Clears Ultralight Howitzers Purchase From US

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's Defence Acquisition Council, headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has cleared the purchase from the US of 145 M777 ultralight howitzers through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. 

A senior Ministry of Defense (MoD) official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that following intense negotiations with the US subsidiary of BAE Systems, a price has been settled on and offset problems related to the acquisition of the howitzers have been resolved. 

The BAE subsidiary, which is the original equipment manufacturer, has agreed to all MoD conditions without increasing the price, the MoD official said, adding that now the case will be put up before the Cabinet Committee on Security for final clearance, followed by the official awarding of the contract. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: ‘Make in India’ boost: Mahindra to make parts for Airbus Helicopters AS565 MBe Panther rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Group are proposing the Panther for India’s Naval Utility Helicopter programme

The United Kingdom, July 12, 2016 - Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to make airframe parts for the AS565 MBe Panther. These parts will be produced at the Mahindra facility in Bengaluru. They will be shipped directly to the Airbus Helicopter production line in Marignane, France where they will be integrated with the rest of the airframe assembly and will form a critical part of the Panthers sold worldwide.

The contract positions Mahindra Aerostructures as the first Indian company to receive a direct manufacturing contract from Airbus Helicopters as a Tier 1 supplier. Mahindra Aerostructures will gradually emerge as the global single source supplier to Airbus Helicopters for these parts. This work package is the first amongst a series of work packages which would embed Mahindra Group firmly in the Airbus Helicopters’ global supply chain and bind the two companies in a long-term ‘Make in India’ partnership.

Industry: Boeing, Mahindra Defence Systems Open C-17 Training Center for Indian Air Force

Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster

First training services contract awarded by India to Boeing; center incorporates advanced simulation, courseware and computer-based training

NEW DELHI, July 8, 2016 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Mahindra Defence Systems today formally opened a center in Gurgaon to provide C-17 training services to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Once fully operational, the new center will be capable of conducting local and multi-site simulations for added realism and more robust training.

“The center, in partnership with Mahindra Defense, is another example of the steps we are taking to contribute to the building of a holistic aerospace ecosystem in support of Make in India,” said Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India. “This demonstrates our commitment to provide reliable support and services for our customers throughout the lifecycle of a product.”

“We are delighted to partner with Boeing in this venture,” said S. P. Shukla, group president, Aerospace & Defence Sector, and chairman, Mahindra Defence Systems. “We have credible expertise in this specialized area of operations and training and we believe this joint endeavor will help deliver the objectives of the government of India and the Indian Air Force of building capabilities indigenously.”

News Story: India Clears Ultra Light Howitzers Buy from US

BAE Systems M777 Howitzer

Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI –  India cleared the purchase of 145 Ultra Light Howitzers at a cost of around $750 million from US, as well as bulk production of home-grown 18 Dhanush artillery guns and several other defense deals.

Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, who chaired the June 25 Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), reviewed multiple defense proposals, including new defense schemes valued at $4.1 billion, a Ministry of Defense (MoD) official said.

Earlier this month, US issued a letter of acceptance, and today DAC reviewed the terms and conditions and approved the program. MoD will soon send India's response and the process for the payment of the first installment will begin.

BAE Systems of the US will also discharge offsets valued at $200 million, taken up independently.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Excludes Foreign Vendors From Its Air-Defense Upgrade

A S-125 Pechora air defense system in a parade in
Azerbaijan 2013 (Image: Wiki Commons)

Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to modernize its aging Russian Pechora air defense systems by using only domestic defense companies in accordance with the "Make in India" policy.

Last month, IAF issued a $272 million tender to digitize 16 Pechora systems, and the request for proposals was sent to domestic companies Tata Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited, Offset India Solutions, Mahindra Defence Systems, state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited, and Bharat Dynamics Limited.

Currently Indian defense companies do not have the capability to digitize Pechora systems on their own and so they forge technical partnerships with overseas defense companies, according to a senior IAF official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"The original equipment manufacturer of Pechora systems is Russia's Almaz-Antey, and all Russian defense companies only prefer to work with only state-owned defense companies," he said.

The Pechora upgrade program includes the refurbishment of its missile-guidance radar and the integration of its radar with an Integrated Area Command and Control System (IACCS). The upgrade will provide a fresh lease of life for ten years, the IAF official added.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India Allows Private Companies to Build Rockets

Image: Wiki Commons

Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — For the first time India has broken the monopoly of state enterprise Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and will permit private defense companies to manufacture rockets for helicopters.

"Indian Air Force (IAF) wishes to buy 200,000 70mm rockets for its helicopters and the Ministry of Defense (MoD), under its new 'Make in India' policy, is now allowing private defense companies to meet the armament and weaponry requirements of the defense forces," said an MoD defense production official who requested anonymity.

"The rockets are proposed to be developed and manufactured by the Indian industry and the project would be based on proven or matured technologies where fundamental research is not required," he said.

Currently three Indian defense forces procure rockets from OFB and imports from overseas.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Mahindra, BAE To Produce Howitzers for Indian Army

M777 howitzer

By Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — BAE Systems UK has teamed up with India's Mahindra Group to produce 145 light howitzer guns being bought by the Indian Army on a government-to-government basis.

In 2015, the Indian government cleared a pending proposal to buy 145 of the M777A2 LW155 howitzers from the US subsidiary of BAE Systems for $700 million, but only after BAE committed to set up assembly, integration and test (AIT) facilities in India to boost domestic industry.

Though the proposal to buy the 145 howitzers has been pending since 2008, the government agreed to give the go-ahead to produce the guns in the Make in India category.

"BAE Systems looks forward to working with Mahindra in the coming weeks to finalize details of this AIT facility and to negotiate the terms of its contractual arrangement," a company press release said Wednesday.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Vehicle Program Hits Hurdle Over Company Selections

By Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's $11 billion Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) program faces hurdles after private domestic companies objected to the Defence Ministry's nomination of state-owned Ordnance Factory Board as one of the program's Development Agencies (DA).

The other DA's will be selected from among more than half a dozen competing private companies, and the MoD has extended the date of filing their bids to Feb. 16.

Under the Make India category, two DA's would be selected and the government would fund up to 80 percent of the prototypes. After trials, one of the DA's would be asked to produce the FICV.

When asked if the private companies endorse the nomination of OFB, Rajinder Bhatia, CEO of Bharat Forge, one of the competitors, said, "No comment. We hope this one-time exception and nomination would be discontinued as promised by the MoD."

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Dassault Expects Rafale Contract With India Within Month

By Pierre Tran and Vivek Raghuvanshi

PARIS AND NEW DELHI — Dassault Aviation expects India to sign a contract for Rafale fighter jets in a month’s time, following Monday’s signing of an intergovernmental, with France opening the door to the sale of 36 Rafale fighters, the aircraft builder said.

France saw the signing as a big step forward but the financial negotiations remain to be closed, said President François Hollande, Reuters reported.

“During French President François Hollande's visit to India, French and Indian government authorities signed an intergovernmental agreement paving the way for the conclusion of a contract for the sale of 36 Rafale fighters to India,” Dassault said in a statement. “Dassault Aviation is very pleased with this progress, and is actively supporting French authorities in their efforts to finalize a complete agreement within the next four weeks.”

Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the intergovernmental agreement with his Indian counterpart, reported daily Le Figaro, owned by the Dassault family.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Barriers Impede Revival of Indian Vehicle Project

By Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's attempt to revive its homemade Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) project, worth more than $10 billion, is unlikely to succeed because the defense industry views the selection criteria as  subjective and rules covering intellectual property rights will raise objections from overseas partners, analysts said.

Though the FICV is restricted to domestic companies, analysts said collaboration with overseas companies will be needed in several areas.

The Defence Ministry last month floated fresh expressions of interest for the second time in five years,  inviting private and state-owned domestic companies, two of which will be chosen as development agencies (DA) to develop and build the FICV in the "Make in India" category, in which the government funds 80 percent of the cost of the prototype.

After trials of the prototype, one of the DAs would be shortlisted and asked to produce the FICV to replace more than 2,600 Russian-made BMP infantry combat vehicles, for an estimated cost of over $10 billion.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: Airbus Helicopters teams up with India’s Mahindra Group

- Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Group subsidiary, Mahindra Defence, form a partnership to respond to India’s military helicopter tenders.

- A joint venture company will be set up in the coming months, aiming to become the first private Indian helicopter manufacturer under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Airbus Helicopters is joining hands with Mahindra Group subsidiary, Mahindra Defence, to produce helicopters in India in order to meet the country’s military requirements.

The strengths of both the companies will ensure a strong partnership to present the best rotorcraft solutions for India’s needs and strengthen indigenous industrial capabilities. The teaming represents a significant step forward in the country’s ‘Make in India’ ambition.

India: Defence Minister Arrives in South Korea

Defence Minister Arrives in South Korea 

The Defence Minister of India (RM) Shri Manohar Parrikar arrived in Seoul today on his first official visit to South Korea. The Minister is accompanied by the Defence Secretary and senior Indian military and civilian officials from the Ministry of Defence and an Indian Defence industry delegation. 

During this three-day visit to RoK, RM will co-chair the India-RoK Defence Ministerial meeting with his Korean counterpart Gen. Han Min-Koo on 17 April. They will hold extensive discussions on the entire gamut of the bilateral defence relationship and regional and global issues of mutual interest, and will in particular identify ways to upgrade the Defence relationship.