News Story: How 'Make in India' could impede India’s global hunt for anti-ship missiles

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has launched first-ever global hunt for anti-ship missiles with a budget of $1 billion. But a requirement for those missiles, to be built by domestic companies, could be difficult to meet.

The medium-range anti-ship missiles must be capable of engaging fast-maneuvering targets within India’s exclusive economic zone in all weather conditions, and have land-attack capability.

A formal tender will be issued by mid-2018, and India hopes to negotiate a quick delivery of the product.

India’s Ministry of Defence wants the production license rights after it receives a transfer of technology for the medium-range anti-ship missiles.

Although no domestic company in India has ever manufactured an anti-ship missile, the MoD will award the contract to a local business as part of the Make in India policy; a foreign vendor will then have to tie up with the domestic company and bid for the tender, an MoD official explained.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

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 Report: India Launches Two Naval Patrol Vessels Built by Private Indian Defense Company

For the first time, the Indian Navy has launched two naval offshore patrol vessels (NOPVs) built by a private Indian defense company. The NOPVs were built by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited at its Pipavav shipyard in the western state of Gujarat.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The two NOPVs are part of five ships under the P-21 project being constructed for the Indian Navy by RDEL at a cost worth $375 million. The two ships will be known as Shachi and Shruti in the Indian Navy.

"The launch is a significant and milestone event as these two NOPVs are the first warships to be launched by a private sector shipyard in India," Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command said.

News Story: Indian Navy formally launches submarine acquisition program

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has issued a request for information for six air-independent propulsion-enabled submarines under Project 75I, a program worth more than $12 billion. However, analysts say the process will take time since the purchase would take place under the new Strategic Parters policy.

The RFI was issued to six foreign shipyards, including Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France, Navantia of Spain, Saab of Sweden, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan and ThyssenKrupp of Germany, eliciting a response on AIP-enabled submarine capabilities.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a surprise addition, according to an Indian Ministry of Defence official, because Japanese submarines can be expensive.

Once the overseas shipyards respond to the RFI, a formal request for proposal will be issued. Based on the RFP responses, the MoD will shortlist the shipyards, which could take a minimum of two years, the MoD official said.

A strategic partner will be selected from domestic shipyards, and the companies will join to compete for the project under the Strategic Partners policy

“As per the policy document, the overseas shipyards would be shortlisted based on range, depth and scope of technology transfer offered in identified areas, extent of indigenous content proposed [and] extent of ecosystem of Indian vendors/manufacturers,” said Jayant Damodar Patil, the head of Larsen & Toubro’s defense and aerospace division.

”MoD would short list three to four overseas shipyards from amongst the six based on the above criterion,” Patil added.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Russia, Germany in Race for Indian Navy's $7.8 Billion Submarine Tender

INS Kalvari first of the P-75 Submarines built by MDL

India’s Ministry of Defense has asked six foreign shipbuilders to respond to the Indian Navy’s long-delayed Project 75 India (P-75I) program, which is worth over $7.8 billion.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The request for information (RFI) has been sent to six selected overseas naval shipbuilders asking for details about locally building six diesel-electric submarines under newly-formulated strategic partnership model under which India’s private defense shipbuilder will collaborate with a foreign manufacturer.

Official sources told Sputnik that Indian Navy had issued RFI on July 19 to Russia’s Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau, France’s Naval Group, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Spain’s Navantia, and Sweden’s Saab.

Companies will have to respond to the Indian Navy’s request by September 15 this year with operational details of their respective submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems and anti-surface, anti-submarine and land-attack capabilities.

News Report: French, Indian Companies Form Joint Venture to Develop Military Sensors

France's Thales Group and India's Reliance Defence and Engineering announced their intent to form a joint venture company to integrate and maintain radar and electronic warfare sensors in India.

Reliance Defence will be a majority shareholder with 51% of the new company's shares while Thales will hold 49% of shares in the joint venture. "The joint venture will develop… activity in the Special Economic Zone of Mihan-Nagpur together with an Indian supply chain for the manufacturing of microwave technologies and high-performance airborne electronics," Reliance Defence said in a statement.

"We are delighted to seal this strategic collaboration with Reliance Defence Limited. This joint venture resonates with our strategy to strengthen our industrial footprint in the country by building collaborations with the Indian industry. It reaffirms our commitment to India, and our active contribution to "Make in India"," Patrice Caine, Chairman and CEO, Thales, said.

News Report: India’s Reliance Defense, Serbia’s Yugoimport Team Up to Win $3B Ammo Contract

Aiming to win a contract from the country’s armed forces worth $3 billion, India’s Reliance Defence Ammunition has entered into a strategic partnership with Yugoimport of Serbia for manufacturing ammunition in India.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Both companies will produce ammunition on Indian soil, which will include production through transfer of technology by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Indian government awards ammunition contracts with preference to local manufacturers or products made in India by foreign manufacturers.

"Two companies will work together in the field of ammunition, amongst others, with projected minimum requirement of $3 billion over next 10 years from Indian armed forces," the companies said in a joint statement. "In addition, there is a large requirement which is currently being met through imports and there is a potential for greater indigenization."

Last year, the Indian government cleared the private sector to produce ammunition as part of the "Make in India" program.

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 Story: Dassault, Indian partner breaking ground on facility

by Richard Tomkins

Dassault Aviation and Indian partner Reliance Defense & Aerospace plan to break ground next month on a joint venture facility for Rafale jet fighter components.

The investment of Dassault-Reliance Aerospace Limited is part of Dassault's obligations on Make in India commitments under the Rafale fighter jet deal.

The overall deal, worth $8.8 billion, was reached last September for India's purchase of more than 30 of the jet fighters.

"The JV will be used for creating infrastructure at the Mihan (Nagpur) facility, with a ground-breaking ceremony planned for the end of July, India's Economic Times quoted Rajesh K Dhingra, president, Reliance Defense & Aerospace.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

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 Navy to buy vessels from private shipyards in policy change

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — In a departure from an earlier policy of awarding big-ticket defense programs to state-owned companies on a nomination basis, the Indian Ministry of Defence has decided to source four landing platform docks from private defense companies.

"MoD will shortly invite revised commercial bids for purchase of four LPD vessels costing around $3 billion from two shortlisted private defense companies because the price validity has expired [last month] and government-owned companies have been dropped from the program," according to a senior MoD official.

Under the 2013 tender, only two LPDs were to be built by a domestic private sector company and the remaining two vessels on nomination basis by state-owned company Hindustan Shipyard Limited.

Only domestic defense companies Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited, or RDEL — formerly known as Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering — could clear the financial and technical compliance completed last year.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India Revises Terms for Naval Transport Dock, Calls Fresh Bids

The Indian government has asked two of its domestic manufacturers to provide fresh commercial bids for manufacturing 20,000-ton landing platform docks (LPD) by the end of this month.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The government planned earlier to give the contract to both private and government-owned shipbuilders. Now, sources said, it was decided to give the entire four LPD contract to private players upon acceptance of their revised bids under the reworked plan.

The Indian Navy has planned four 20,000 ton LPD for induction in the next decade. India's private manufacturers Reliance Defense and Engineering Limited (RDEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have cleared the financial and technical tests and have submitted commercial bids to the Indian defense ministry. L&T has a tie-up with Navantia of Spain and RDEL with DCNS of France.

The Navy's proposed LPD ships will have the capacity to carry six main battle tanks, 20 infantry combat vehicles and 40 heavy trucks. Each ship is expected to carry 1,430 personnel, 470 sailors and 900 troops. The Navy expects to close the $2.6 billion LPD contract by the end of this year.

News Report: Indian Navy Expects $2.6 Bln Deal for Amphibious Transport Dock by Year End

The Indian Navy has set its target to finalize a $2.6 billion contract for Landing Platform Docks with private Indian shipbuilders by the end of this year.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – “If all goes well, then the Navy is expected to close the LPD contract by end of this year,” Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, Indian Navy, said in New Delhi.

Indian Navy has planned four 20,000 ton LPD for induction in the next decade. India’s private manufacturers Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have cleared the financial and technical tests and have submitted commercial bids to the Indian defense ministry. L&T has a tie-up with Navantia of Spain and RDEL with DCNS of France.

Earlier, the government had planned to give the contract to private as well government-owned shipbuilders but reworked it and decided to give all four shipbuilding contract to private players as the public sector shipbuilder had too many orders.

News Story: Goa Shipyard nominated to build two stealth frigates for the Indian navy

Talwar class Frigate (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI - India's private shipyards are unhappy with a Ministry of Defense decision to nominate state-owned shipyard Goa Shipyard to build two  Russian Krivak-class stealth frigates over two private sector competitors, Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Defence and Engineering. 

During  a meeting with Russian defense officials last week, MoD has cleared a $4.48 billion program to acquire four Krivak-class stealth frigates under which two will be built by Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation and the remaining two by Goa Shipyard, a senior MoD official said. 

“A formal contract is expected to be awarded within the next four months”, the official said, adding that USC will deliver the frigates in the next four years but Goa Shipyard will take eight years to deliver. 

“The private-sector shipyards have already brought it to the notice to MoD informally their unhappiness on giving GSL the contract to build the two Krivak class frigates on nomination basis,” an executive of the industry lobby group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said, requesting anonymity to speak candidly. 

"They (private shipyards) want greater orders to push the private sector," the FICCI executive noted. 

Anil Jai Singh, retired Indian Navy Commodore and defense analyst, said, "This decision (to nominate GSL for two Krivak class frigates) has indeed surprised me." 

GSL is a very capable yard but has never built anything of the size and sophistication of the Krivaks, Singh said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Navy seeks to replace Israeli Barak-1 air defense system

Barak-1 SAM (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's Navy has launched a new program to buy short-range surface-to-air missile systems from overseas to replace its aging Israeli Barak-1 air defense systems. 

India has made a global request for information to purchase 10 SRSAM systems and 600 missiles at a cost of about $1.5 billion.

Once responses are received in the next two months, the Navy will issue a tender under the Make in India policy's global purchasing category after six months to acquire the SRSAM systems. Under the program, overseas defense companies would need to forge partnerships with domestic companies to carry out 30 percent offsets obligations and include indigenous technology in the SRSAM systems.

An Indian Navy official said the proposed SRSAM system should be capable of vertically launching Mach 3-class active seeker missiles that can provide 360-degree defense coverage to meet all naval air defense applications including the need to carry out multiple simultaneous engagements.

Each SRSAM system will have a command and control system, a fire control system, a command link radar and one launcher to carry between eight and 16 missiles depending upon the size of the warship. The system's is expected to be inducted within the next five years.

According to an Indian Navy official, the foreign companies expected to make a bid are European-wide MBDA; Thales of France; Saab of Sweden; KBP Tula of Russia; Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel; Raytheon of the United States; and Doosan Group and Samsung of South Korea. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Indian Manufacturers Join Race to Cooperate With Foreign Defense Companies

SAAB Gripen Fighter Aircraft

The Indian government’s inviting proposals for single-engine fighter jets with a focus on pushing defense manufacturing in the country opens a potential business opportunity for local firms to partner with foreign defense manufacturers.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' push is beginning to yield results with many Indian conglomerates exploring the possibilities of joint venture with major defense manufacturers from abroad. The latest Indian firm to join the race is industrialist Gautam Adani-led Adani Group, which reportedly is in talks with Sweden's Saab AB for a partnership.

The Swedish firm makes Gripen fighter jets, which reportedly is in the race for India's next multi-billion fighter jet order. The other is Lockheed Martin Corp. of the US, which makes the F-16 jets. Saab has promised to build the fighter jets locally if it wins the order. The Swedish firm participated at the Aero India 2017 air show in Bengaluru.

Nerws Report: US Navy Selects Indian Shipyard to Repair Its Vessels Operating in Indian Ocean

US is concerned about India’s unwillingness to implement Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), military bases sharing agreement, which was signed in August 2016. Meanwhile, US has started tying up with Indian shipyard for repairing and alternation services for hundreds of naval vessels.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Furthering progress on key military bases sharing agreement, US Navy has chosen Indian company for repair and alteration services for warships of the largest forward-deployed Seventh Fleet operating in the region. "Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RInfra) controlled Reliance Defense and Engineering Limited (RDEL) has signed the Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with U.S. Navy. Earlier in January 2017, the Reliance Shipyard was qualified by U.S. Navy as an approved contractor to perform complex repair and alternation services for the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet vessels operating in the region," reads a statement send by Reliance Defense and Engineering on Monday.

News Report: In a Bid for Defense Exports, India is Giving Contracts to the Private Sector

The Indian government has started allocating big military orders to private firms in order to boost defense manufacturing. The Indian government seeks greater private sector participation to achieve military exports worth $2 bln by 2019.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The Indian government has signed a sizable contract with Reliance Defense and Engineering Ltd (RDEL) a company promoted by Reliance Infrastructure, in a major boost for private defense manufacturing. The company claimed that it has signed a contract with India’s Ministry of Defense for the design and construction of fourteen (14) Fast Patrol Vessels (‘FPVs’) for the Indian Coast Guard; the value of the deal is $137.68 million. Reliance Defense and Engineering emerged as the winner through a competitive bidding process undertaken by the Defense Ministry. Almost all the private sector and public sector shipyards: L&T, Cochin Shipyard Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd had participated.

News Story: More Rafales for India Still Likely

by Neelam Mathews and Chris Pocock

Contrary to some previous indications, India is considering an additional 36 Dassault Rafales, a senior Ministry of Defence official said. The contract is likely to be signed in 2019 with deliveries to start by 2022, when the existing $8.8 billion order for 36 Rafales is completed, AIN has learned from sources close to the long-running procurement process. The two orders would add five squadrons of new fourth-generation fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

What seems to have been disjointed planning for future fighters in India is now becoming clearer. India has recently been exploring again the local production of a foreign fighter with OEMs under its “Make in India” policy, this time a single-engine design. But that does not preclude buying more twin-engine Rafales, nor their production in India, it seems. Late last year, Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier told the French newspaper Sud Ouest that “we have the will and the strategy to establish ourselves in India.” There is a 50-percent offset stipulation in the first contract for 36 Rafales, that Dassault will partly fulfill by establishing a parts production and support facility with its local partner, the Reliance Group. “This would be [further] developed if other contracts were signed,” Trappier said. In the protracted and eventually abandoned negotiations for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement, only 18 Rafales would have been produced in France, with the other 108 assembled in India.

The Indian Navy is also likely to view with favor the carrier-capable Rafale-M on grounds of commonality, having recently rejected the naval version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) because of excess weight and other factors.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: India Allows Private Sector to Manufacture Ammo

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has decided to reduce ammunition imports and instead procure all ammunition requirements from domestic sources. 

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) under its Make In India initiative is now encouraging the private sector to manufacture ammunition. Previously, only state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) was permitted to produce ammunition and India’s private sector was only allowed to manufacture parts of ammunition such as the shell or fuse. 

A senior Indian Army official said of the new opportunity for the private sector: “It clearly shows that the Army’s requirements are not being totally met by the OFB and import is not an option anymore.” 

Under the new policy, the MoD is willing to provide long-term commitments and firm orders of multiple types of ammunition to private players, but only at competitive prices. 

“The Indian industry was denied participation in the manufacture of ammunition, as no industrial license was issued for filling process. Thus the monopoly stayed with OFB, whose lack of capacity restricted the demand of the services, gradually leading to deficiencies over the years. It was not that the industry does not have the capability to manufacture with transfer of technology, but they have not taken any concrete action to acquire technology in this regard till now,” a senior MoD official said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews