The Indian Air Force base at Tezpur in northern Assam, which also has the headquarters of the Army’s Four Corps responsible for protecting India’s border with China in Arunachal Pradesh, is becoming a major hub for Sukhoi fighter planes.
Renovation of the Tezpur IAF base has been already completed, and the first batch of Sukhoi fighters will arrive on June 15, when the Air Force formally declares the base reopened. This incidentally will be the first squadron of Su-30MKI fighters to move so close to the Chinese border, which is hardly about 150 kms from Tezpur.
Tezpur, which was till 2007 the most important training base for young officers of MiG21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, had assumed prominence during the Chinese aggression of 1962, when the Chinese had advanced towards the town after taking control of Tawang and Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh.
Friday, May 29, 2009
IAF inducts Israeli AWACS spy planes
The Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems, commonly known as AWACS -- the Phalcon Israeli radar system -- has been formally inducted into the Indian air force on Thursday. The move represents a quantum jump for the Indian air power and allows India to look deep inside Pakistan and China.
The system can simultaneously track nearly 250 flying objects within a radius of 800 km and also has a 'look-down' capability. India is one of the few countries that has this facility.
But now, the IAF is planning to replace the Russian IL-76 aircraft with some other "modern aircraft" as the platform for the system in future.
India is the first country in South Asia to own an AWACS, popularly called 'an eye in the sky'.
"The first three AWACS will be based on the Russian IL-76s but they are older aircraft and they will be replaced with modern aircraft, which have same endurance as the IL-76," an IAF source said.
Officials, however, said the process to look out for new platforms for AWACS will begin only after the remaining two systems are inducted in the IAF. The second of the AWACS is expected to be in India by early 2010 and the last one by the end of next year.
The aircraft being looked as a replacement for the IL-76 include Embraer and Gulfstream 550, which can carry out flying missions of over nine hours at a stretch.
On operations by AWACS, the source said, "all the equipment for the system to work will take another two to three months to arrive. So, it will take three months before they start operational flying."
The aircraft will be deployed in Agra with IAF's 50 Squadron under Allahabad-based Central Air Command but will be assigned tasks directly by the Air Headquarters.
The system can simultaneously track nearly 250 flying objects within a radius of 800 km and also has a 'look-down' capability. India is one of the few countries that has this facility.
But now, the IAF is planning to replace the Russian IL-76 aircraft with some other "modern aircraft" as the platform for the system in future.
India is the first country in South Asia to own an AWACS, popularly called 'an eye in the sky'.
"The first three AWACS will be based on the Russian IL-76s but they are older aircraft and they will be replaced with modern aircraft, which have same endurance as the IL-76," an IAF source said.
Officials, however, said the process to look out for new platforms for AWACS will begin only after the remaining two systems are inducted in the IAF. The second of the AWACS is expected to be in India by early 2010 and the last one by the end of next year.
The aircraft being looked as a replacement for the IL-76 include Embraer and Gulfstream 550, which can carry out flying missions of over nine hours at a stretch.
On operations by AWACS, the source said, "all the equipment for the system to work will take another two to three months to arrive. So, it will take three months before they start operational flying."
The aircraft will be deployed in Agra with IAF's 50 Squadron under Allahabad-based Central Air Command but will be assigned tasks directly by the Air Headquarters.
First tender out for attack helicopters, US giants can now bid too
The new UPA government has issued its first defence tender to procure attack helicopters for the IAF. The tender, estimated at $600 million, was issued to five vendors on Monday, hours after A K Antony assumed charge as Defence Minister for the second consecutive term.
The IAF is looking for 22 twin-engine attack helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-origin Mi-35s. The Request for Proposals (RFP) have been sent to five vendors — Italian AgustaWestland, US companies Boeing and Bell, the Russian Khazan and the European consortium Eurocopter.
While the tenders were first issued in May 2008, the procurement process had been cancelled earlier this year after the two US companies opted out as they did not get adequate time to seek permission from Washington to take part in the contract.
This time around, sources said, the contract has been modified to include the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route of purchase so that both Bell and Boeing can participate. This has been done by doing away with the clause which stipulated that only the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) can take part in the tender.
The IAF is looking for 22 twin-engine attack helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Russian-origin Mi-35s. The Request for Proposals (RFP) have been sent to five vendors — Italian AgustaWestland, US companies Boeing and Bell, the Russian Khazan and the European consortium Eurocopter.
While the tenders were first issued in May 2008, the procurement process had been cancelled earlier this year after the two US companies opted out as they did not get adequate time to seek permission from Washington to take part in the contract.
This time around, sources said, the contract has been modified to include the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route of purchase so that both Bell and Boeing can participate. This has been done by doing away with the clause which stipulated that only the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) can take part in the tender.
Indian Navy thwarts piracy attempt
An Indian Naval Ship, which is currently in the Gulf of Aden for anti piracy surveillance and patrol operations foiled a daring piracy attempt on Liberian registered merchant vessel MV Maud on 28 May 09. The Indian warship had earlier commenced an eastbound escort of merchant vessels including MV Maud AM 27 May 09.
At about 1250 h on 28 May 09, MV Maud with an Indian Master and nine Indian crew, reported a skiff manned by eight armed personnel approaching her at high speed. The position of the incident was approximately 225 nm east of Aden.
The Indian warship immediately responded to the distress call and advised the vessel to increase speed and carry out evasive manoeuvres to avoid getting boarded. Simultaneously, the warship launched her helicopter with Marine Commandoes embarked and started closing the distressed vessel at best speed. The helicopter saw two personnel on a ladder attempting to board the vessel from the bow. The visibility being low, it was possible that the pirates may not have sighted the warship and the helicopter. The helicopter had to, therefore, resort to firing warning shots to deter the pirates from boarding the ship. The pirates were then observed to disengage from the merchant ship and two pirates who were in the process of climbing the merchant vessel fell into the water. A boarding party from the warship, thereafter, boarded the skiff and confiscated various weapons as well as equipment used by the pirates.
Since, further piracy attacks were possible due to the low visibility prevailing in the area, the warship proceeded with full dispatch to continue with her escort mission, as warships from other countries had arrived on the scene for any follow up action. The three merchant ships are presently being escorted safely through the Gulf of Aden.
The Indian warship effectively averted the piracy attempt just in time by prompt and timely action. This has been much appreciated by the owners, crew and officers of the merchant vessel. From available records, it is appreciated that this may be the first instance of a piracy attempt being thwarted when the pirates were actually in the process of boarding a merchant ship.
At about 1250 h on 28 May 09, MV Maud with an Indian Master and nine Indian crew, reported a skiff manned by eight armed personnel approaching her at high speed. The position of the incident was approximately 225 nm east of Aden.
The Indian warship immediately responded to the distress call and advised the vessel to increase speed and carry out evasive manoeuvres to avoid getting boarded. Simultaneously, the warship launched her helicopter with Marine Commandoes embarked and started closing the distressed vessel at best speed. The helicopter saw two personnel on a ladder attempting to board the vessel from the bow. The visibility being low, it was possible that the pirates may not have sighted the warship and the helicopter. The helicopter had to, therefore, resort to firing warning shots to deter the pirates from boarding the ship. The pirates were then observed to disengage from the merchant ship and two pirates who were in the process of climbing the merchant vessel fell into the water. A boarding party from the warship, thereafter, boarded the skiff and confiscated various weapons as well as equipment used by the pirates.
Since, further piracy attacks were possible due to the low visibility prevailing in the area, the warship proceeded with full dispatch to continue with her escort mission, as warships from other countries had arrived on the scene for any follow up action. The three merchant ships are presently being escorted safely through the Gulf of Aden.
The Indian warship effectively averted the piracy attempt just in time by prompt and timely action. This has been much appreciated by the owners, crew and officers of the merchant vessel. From available records, it is appreciated that this may be the first instance of a piracy attempt being thwarted when the pirates were actually in the process of boarding a merchant ship.
Navy war games with French, British in Atlantic next month
May 29: In tune with its ambitions of being a blue water force, four warships of the Navy will for the first time sail to the Atlantic, where they would hold war games with the French, British, Russian and Germans vessels and practice anti-submarine warfare.
During the four-month deployment, the four warships -- INS Beas, INS Delhi, INS Brahmaputra and INS Aditya -- would sail through the Arabian and Mediterranean seas all the way up to the north Russian port of St Petersburg and conduct passage exercises with most Gulf countries along the way, Naval sources said today.
While INS Delhi is a guided missile destroyer, Brahmaputra and Beas are guided missile frigates, and Aditya is a fleet replenishment tanker that carries supplies for warships, enabling them to stay away from port for long, thus enhancing their maritime warfare capabilities.
All the four ships are already on their voyage, setting sail from Mumbai on different dates. While INS Beas had sailed out on April 27 and carried out some anti-piracy operations in the Gulf, the other three warships left Mumbai on May 13, sources said.
They would join the British Royal Navy in the annual Konkan series of exercises off Portsmouth in the south-west of United Kingdom between June 20 and 25 and later the Varuna series with the French Navy off Brest in Northwest France from June 30 to July 4.
During the four-month deployment, the four warships -- INS Beas, INS Delhi, INS Brahmaputra and INS Aditya -- would sail through the Arabian and Mediterranean seas all the way up to the north Russian port of St Petersburg and conduct passage exercises with most Gulf countries along the way, Naval sources said today.
While INS Delhi is a guided missile destroyer, Brahmaputra and Beas are guided missile frigates, and Aditya is a fleet replenishment tanker that carries supplies for warships, enabling them to stay away from port for long, thus enhancing their maritime warfare capabilities.
All the four ships are already on their voyage, setting sail from Mumbai on different dates. While INS Beas had sailed out on April 27 and carried out some anti-piracy operations in the Gulf, the other three warships left Mumbai on May 13, sources said.
They would join the British Royal Navy in the annual Konkan series of exercises off Portsmouth in the south-west of United Kingdom between June 20 and 25 and later the Varuna series with the French Navy off Brest in Northwest France from June 30 to July 4.
Indian growth unexpectedly strong
India's economy grew 5.8% in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year, which was better than had been expected.
The official gross domestic product figure was down from 8.6% annual growth seen in the first quarter of 2008.
Although growth has slowed from last year, the economy is still expanding faster than most other countries.
It grew 6.7% in the full financial year, which was down from a rate of 9% in the year to the end of March 2008.
'Growth bottomed out'
"The GDP growth number justifies the claim that India is dealing with the global crisis from a position of strength," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at Bank of Baroda in Mumbai.
"This means that growth has bottomed out, or at least the deceleration has stopped."
The figures are good news for the newly-elected Congress-led government, which has made reviving growth its top priority.
Among the sectors showing an improvement was farm output, which grew at an annualised rate of 2.7% in the first three months of 2009 having contracted 0.8% in the previous quarter.
Construction grew 6.8% in the period compared with 4.2% in the previous quarter.
But the manufacturing sector contracted an annual 1.4%, having grown 0.9% in the previous three months.
The official gross domestic product figure was down from 8.6% annual growth seen in the first quarter of 2008.
Although growth has slowed from last year, the economy is still expanding faster than most other countries.
It grew 6.7% in the full financial year, which was down from a rate of 9% in the year to the end of March 2008.
'Growth bottomed out'
"The GDP growth number justifies the claim that India is dealing with the global crisis from a position of strength," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at Bank of Baroda in Mumbai.
"This means that growth has bottomed out, or at least the deceleration has stopped."
The figures are good news for the newly-elected Congress-led government, which has made reviving growth its top priority.
Among the sectors showing an improvement was farm output, which grew at an annualised rate of 2.7% in the first three months of 2009 having contracted 0.8% in the previous quarter.
Construction grew 6.8% in the period compared with 4.2% in the previous quarter.
But the manufacturing sector contracted an annual 1.4%, having grown 0.9% in the previous three months.
India targets defence industry
On the outskirts of Delhi, construction is in full swing at the Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) manufacturing plant.
The tall glass and steel structure will soon produce armoured vehicles for the country's defence forces, making it India's first private sector plant dedicated to making military vehicles.
MDS, a division of tractor and utility firm Mahindra & Mahindra, is one of a number of local and foreign firms that hope to benefit as India takes steps to develop its fledgling defence industry.
Currently the bulk of Indian military hardware is sourced from overseas and a handful of state firms, but by 2020 the Ministry of Defence hopes to acquire 70% of defence equipment from indigenous sources.
The drive comes as India is increasing its defence budget to modernise its armed forces. Defence spending totalled $19bn (£10.6bn) in the last financial year and is expected to exceed $30bn by 2012.
Attracting investors
India began opening up its defence industry in 2001 when the government first allowed private sector participation and some foreign investment.
India's defence minister MM Pallam Raju
Indian companies really have to pull their socks up
MM Pallam Raju, India's defence minister
But private firms largely stayed away, with the exception of a few companies like L&T, Kirloskar and MDS.
In October, laws came into effect which will make it easier for Indian and foreign companies to invest in the country's defence industry
The 2008 Defence Procurement Act aims to make the industry more transparent and means companies will no longer need a license from the government to manufacture defence-related goods.
Overseas interest
Overseas companies are keen to invest in the sector even though current rules state they cannot take more than a 26% stake in an Indian defence firm.
India has an army of 1.1 million, a navy of 47,000 and the world's fourth largest air force of 120,000.
BAE Systems, the UK's largest defence firm, has applied to India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board for permission to set up a joint venture with MDS to produce vehicles and artillery equipment.
MDS would have a controlling 51% stake, with BAE holding the remainder.
Brigadier Khutub Hai, of the Mahindra group that controls MDS, says that the joint venture would allow it to bid for major multi-billion dollar defence projects, which would then be built in Mahindra facilities in India.
The plant currently being built by the firm could also become part of BAE's global supply chain, he adds.
Buyer to maker
India's Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju says that India is in the process of switching from being almost exclusively a buyer of military equipment to becoming a manufacturer in its own right.
He adds that Indian defence firms should benefit from a new "offset" policy that requires foreign suppliers of defence equipment to source components and other goods from Indian companies.
However, he said that the 26% ceiling on foreign direct investment will likely remain in place.
"Indian companies really have to pull their socks up, pick up on their capabilities and get their partnerships together," he said.
New business
InfoTech Enterprises, which provides engineering design, is another company that hopes to benefit as India opens up its defence industry.
About 97% of the firm's revenues come from orders from big aerospace firms like Boeing, Dassault, Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier.
BVR Mohan Reddy of Infotech Enterprises
Infotech hopes the new law will bring in more business from overseas clients
Existing clients have promised the firm more work once they start to fulfil the offset policy requirements and must source more components in India, says BVR Mohan Reddy, chairman and managing director of InfoTech.
The company, which has nearly 8000 employees, is opening two more facilities outside Delhi as they expect their business to boom.
With the modernisation of India's armed forces expected to present defence companies with opportunities exceeding $100bn in the coming decades, it's clear that Indian firms are preparing to claim their fair share.
The tall glass and steel structure will soon produce armoured vehicles for the country's defence forces, making it India's first private sector plant dedicated to making military vehicles.
MDS, a division of tractor and utility firm Mahindra & Mahindra, is one of a number of local and foreign firms that hope to benefit as India takes steps to develop its fledgling defence industry.
Currently the bulk of Indian military hardware is sourced from overseas and a handful of state firms, but by 2020 the Ministry of Defence hopes to acquire 70% of defence equipment from indigenous sources.
The drive comes as India is increasing its defence budget to modernise its armed forces. Defence spending totalled $19bn (£10.6bn) in the last financial year and is expected to exceed $30bn by 2012.
Attracting investors
India began opening up its defence industry in 2001 when the government first allowed private sector participation and some foreign investment.
India's defence minister MM Pallam Raju
Indian companies really have to pull their socks up
MM Pallam Raju, India's defence minister
But private firms largely stayed away, with the exception of a few companies like L&T, Kirloskar and MDS.
In October, laws came into effect which will make it easier for Indian and foreign companies to invest in the country's defence industry
The 2008 Defence Procurement Act aims to make the industry more transparent and means companies will no longer need a license from the government to manufacture defence-related goods.
Overseas interest
Overseas companies are keen to invest in the sector even though current rules state they cannot take more than a 26% stake in an Indian defence firm.
India has an army of 1.1 million, a navy of 47,000 and the world's fourth largest air force of 120,000.
BAE Systems, the UK's largest defence firm, has applied to India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board for permission to set up a joint venture with MDS to produce vehicles and artillery equipment.
MDS would have a controlling 51% stake, with BAE holding the remainder.
Brigadier Khutub Hai, of the Mahindra group that controls MDS, says that the joint venture would allow it to bid for major multi-billion dollar defence projects, which would then be built in Mahindra facilities in India.
The plant currently being built by the firm could also become part of BAE's global supply chain, he adds.
Buyer to maker
India's Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju says that India is in the process of switching from being almost exclusively a buyer of military equipment to becoming a manufacturer in its own right.
He adds that Indian defence firms should benefit from a new "offset" policy that requires foreign suppliers of defence equipment to source components and other goods from Indian companies.
However, he said that the 26% ceiling on foreign direct investment will likely remain in place.
"Indian companies really have to pull their socks up, pick up on their capabilities and get their partnerships together," he said.
New business
InfoTech Enterprises, which provides engineering design, is another company that hopes to benefit as India opens up its defence industry.
About 97% of the firm's revenues come from orders from big aerospace firms like Boeing, Dassault, Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier.
BVR Mohan Reddy of Infotech Enterprises
Infotech hopes the new law will bring in more business from overseas clients
Existing clients have promised the firm more work once they start to fulfil the offset policy requirements and must source more components in India, says BVR Mohan Reddy, chairman and managing director of InfoTech.
The company, which has nearly 8000 employees, is opening two more facilities outside Delhi as they expect their business to boom.
With the modernisation of India's armed forces expected to present defence companies with opportunities exceeding $100bn in the coming decades, it's clear that Indian firms are preparing to claim their fair share.
India targets defence industry
On the outskirts of Delhi, construction is in full swing at the Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) manufacturing plant.
The tall glass and steel structure will soon produce armoured vehicles for the country's defence forces, making it India's first private sector plant dedicated to making military vehicles.
MDS, a division of tractor and utility firm Mahindra & Mahindra, is one of a number of local and foreign firms that hope to benefit as India takes steps to develop its fledgling defence industry.
Currently the bulk of Indian military hardware is sourced from overseas and a handful of state firms, but by 2020 the Ministry of Defence hopes to acquire 70% of defence equipment from indigenous sources.
The drive comes as India is increasing its defence budget to modernise its armed forces. Defence spending totalled $19bn (£10.6bn) in the last financial year and is expected to exceed $30bn by 2012.
Attracting investors
India began opening up its defence industry in 2001 when the government first allowed private sector participation and some foreign investment.
India's defence minister MM Pallam Raju
Indian companies really have to pull their socks up
MM Pallam Raju, India's defence minister
But private firms largely stayed away, with the exception of a few companies like L&T, Kirloskar and MDS.
In October, laws came into effect which will make it easier for Indian and foreign companies to invest in the country's defence industry
The 2008 Defence Procurement Act aims to make the industry more transparent and means companies will no longer need a license from the government to manufacture defence-related goods.
Overseas interest
Overseas companies are keen to invest in the sector even though current rules state they cannot take more than a 26% stake in an Indian defence firm.
India has an army of 1.1 million, a navy of 47,000 and the world's fourth largest air force of 120,000.
BAE Systems, the UK's largest defence firm, has applied to India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board for permission to set up a joint venture with MDS to produce vehicles and artillery equipment.
MDS would have a controlling 51% stake, with BAE holding the remainder.
Brigadier Khutub Hai, of the Mahindra group that controls MDS, says that the joint venture would allow it to bid for major multi-billion dollar defence projects, which would then be built in Mahindra facilities in India.
The plant currently being built by the firm could also become part of BAE's global supply chain, he adds.
Buyer to maker
India's Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju says that India is in the process of switching from being almost exclusively a buyer of military equipment to becoming a manufacturer in its own right.
He adds that Indian defence firms should benefit from a new "offset" policy that requires foreign suppliers of defence equipment to source components and other goods from Indian companies.
However, he said that the 26% ceiling on foreign direct investment will likely remain in place.
"Indian companies really have to pull their socks up, pick up on their capabilities and get their partnerships together," he said.
New business
InfoTech Enterprises, which provides engineering design, is another company that hopes to benefit as India opens up its defence industry.
About 97% of the firm's revenues come from orders from big aerospace firms like Boeing, Dassault, Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier.
BVR Mohan Reddy of Infotech Enterprises
Infotech hopes the new law will bring in more business from overseas clients
Existing clients have promised the firm more work once they start to fulfil the offset policy requirements and must source more components in India, says BVR Mohan Reddy, chairman and managing director of InfoTech.
The company, which has nearly 8000 employees, is opening two more facilities outside Delhi as they expect their business to boom.
With the modernisation of India's armed forces expected to present defence companies with opportunities exceeding $100bn in the coming decades, it's clear that Indian firms are preparing to claim their fair share.
The tall glass and steel structure will soon produce armoured vehicles for the country's defence forces, making it India's first private sector plant dedicated to making military vehicles.
MDS, a division of tractor and utility firm Mahindra & Mahindra, is one of a number of local and foreign firms that hope to benefit as India takes steps to develop its fledgling defence industry.
Currently the bulk of Indian military hardware is sourced from overseas and a handful of state firms, but by 2020 the Ministry of Defence hopes to acquire 70% of defence equipment from indigenous sources.
The drive comes as India is increasing its defence budget to modernise its armed forces. Defence spending totalled $19bn (£10.6bn) in the last financial year and is expected to exceed $30bn by 2012.
Attracting investors
India began opening up its defence industry in 2001 when the government first allowed private sector participation and some foreign investment.
India's defence minister MM Pallam Raju
Indian companies really have to pull their socks up
MM Pallam Raju, India's defence minister
But private firms largely stayed away, with the exception of a few companies like L&T, Kirloskar and MDS.
In October, laws came into effect which will make it easier for Indian and foreign companies to invest in the country's defence industry
The 2008 Defence Procurement Act aims to make the industry more transparent and means companies will no longer need a license from the government to manufacture defence-related goods.
Overseas interest
Overseas companies are keen to invest in the sector even though current rules state they cannot take more than a 26% stake in an Indian defence firm.
India has an army of 1.1 million, a navy of 47,000 and the world's fourth largest air force of 120,000.
BAE Systems, the UK's largest defence firm, has applied to India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board for permission to set up a joint venture with MDS to produce vehicles and artillery equipment.
MDS would have a controlling 51% stake, with BAE holding the remainder.
Brigadier Khutub Hai, of the Mahindra group that controls MDS, says that the joint venture would allow it to bid for major multi-billion dollar defence projects, which would then be built in Mahindra facilities in India.
The plant currently being built by the firm could also become part of BAE's global supply chain, he adds.
Buyer to maker
India's Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju says that India is in the process of switching from being almost exclusively a buyer of military equipment to becoming a manufacturer in its own right.
He adds that Indian defence firms should benefit from a new "offset" policy that requires foreign suppliers of defence equipment to source components and other goods from Indian companies.
However, he said that the 26% ceiling on foreign direct investment will likely remain in place.
"Indian companies really have to pull their socks up, pick up on their capabilities and get their partnerships together," he said.
New business
InfoTech Enterprises, which provides engineering design, is another company that hopes to benefit as India opens up its defence industry.
About 97% of the firm's revenues come from orders from big aerospace firms like Boeing, Dassault, Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier.
BVR Mohan Reddy of Infotech Enterprises
Infotech hopes the new law will bring in more business from overseas clients
Existing clients have promised the firm more work once they start to fulfil the offset policy requirements and must source more components in India, says BVR Mohan Reddy, chairman and managing director of InfoTech.
The company, which has nearly 8000 employees, is opening two more facilities outside Delhi as they expect their business to boom.
With the modernisation of India's armed forces expected to present defence companies with opportunities exceeding $100bn in the coming decades, it's clear that Indian firms are preparing to claim their fair share.
Indian air force gets Awacs plane
India has officially taken delivery of an Awacs early-warning surveillance aircraft, part of a $1bn (£600m) defence deal with Israel.
The plane, Russian-made but packed with Israeli radar, is expected to reinforce India's maritime security following the attacks on Mumbai last year.
Only a few non-Nato countries have Awacs and critics say it is a bad omen for the arms race in South Asia.
India has ordered another two AWACS as it upgrades its military capabilities.
The Ilyushin-76 - which arrived in India on Monday - gives India the capability to track hundreds of aircraft and potential threats at sea and on the ground, at considerable distances.
Air dominance
India is the first country in South Asia to own an Awacs (Airborne Warning and Control System) plane, popularly nicknamed the "eye in the sky". The second and third aircraft are expected to be handed over next year.
AK Antony walks in front of the Awacs plane
AK Antony (left) is concerned about the plane's late delivery
Analysts say the purchase, part of a 2004 deal involving India, Israel and Russia, is part of India's efforts to achieve air dominance over its rival, Pakistan. Russia and Israel are India's two largest military suppliers.
India's defence procurement is expected to rise to about $100bn over the next ten years.
Delhi recently signed contracts with Israel for medium range surface-to-air missiles, and with Russia for the design and development of fighter aircraft.
Other foreign defence companies, including those from the Americas, Europe and Asia, are also lining up to do business with India.
Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, who attended the Awacs handing-over ceremony at Jamnagar air base, complained about the late delivery of defence equipment ordered by India from a number of countries.
He pointed out that the Awacs should have been delivered 18 months ago.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Hot Neetu Chandra : lesbian act
Hi,
Recently, Neetu Chandra sent onlookers into quite a tizzy as she got touchy-feely with model Krishikha Gupta by the poolside of a hotel in Mumbai. Well, the sultry actress was only shooting for a men’s magazine. But when it’s about two women getting up, close and personal in public, can the moral brigade really be far behind?
Sunday, May 17, 2009
India election paves way for economic reform
MUMBAI, India – India Inc. breathed a huge sigh of relief Sunday, a day after the ruling Congress Party won one of the most definitive electoral victories in nearly two decades of fractious coalition politics.
Congress' victory — and the near-collapse of India's once-powerful communist parties — means key reforms in insurance, pension funds, banking and retail are now likely to get enacted.
But that doesn't translate into a mandate for sweeping pro-market liberalization, analysts say.
The global financial crisis has tempered India's appetite for deeper foreign investment and looser regulation. Moreover, Congress, which oversaw an unprecedented four-year boom, has cast itself as the party of "inclusive growth," a policy approach aimed at helping India's vast underclass while also pushing free-market reforms. It is unlikely to roll back costly social welfare programs that helped the party win the election — but also added to the nation's burgeoning fiscal deficit.
With the Congress-led coalition capturing 262 seats in India's 543-seat Parliament, Congress officials were in talks Sunday to finalize their political alliance — seeking the 10 additional spots needed to nudge them over the halfway mark in Parliament.
The party's strong showing put to rest pre-election fears of an unwieldy coalition.
Nandan Nilekani, co-chairman of Infosys, one of India's largest information technology companies, called the result "very positive for India's economic policy and reform."
"This is a very wise signal from the voters that they want a government which is stable," he said in an interview Sunday.
"Any reform in India will be a combination of reform that leads to economic growth and reform that helps create a safety net for poor people. The Congress will try to find the golden mean between economic growth and redistribution," he added.
Jubilation reigned on the pages of India's major business papers Sunday, with predictions of a bright future of rising stock markets, surging foreign investment, rebounding growth and fast-tracked economic reform.
Industry groups and business leaders quickly trotted out lists of hoped-for policy changes, urging the government to make good on its electoral mandate through tax reform and greater investment in technology and infrastructure.
They are likely to get some of what they want, but not all of it.
As Finance Minister in the early 1990s, Manmohan Singh started the country on its path to greater economic openness, shifting away from decades of socialist-style policies.
But over the past five years, many additional market reforms that Congress backed were blocked by the communists, which saw its seats more than halved in the monthlong election.
Now, India will likely open its insurance, retail and banking sectors to greater foreign investment. The nation's pension regulator could also get proper legal standing, which would encourage greater investment. And some steps might be taken to loosen hidebound labor laws, like allowing contract labor.
Amit Mitra, secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a business group, said pension and insurance reform would bring India much-needed long-term investment.
"A huge amount of equity will come in," he said. "This is a very lucrative market relative to other markets in the world today."
He said scuttled initiatives to open the defense sector to private investment and give research scientists intellectual property rights could also re-emerge.
The Congress Party, however, is keenly aware that a third of India's 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty and more than 90 percent work in the informal, unorganized sector.
In his last term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh oversaw a costly initiative to guarantee employment to the poor in rural India and alleviate farmer debt. But those programs have added to the nation's already onerous fiscal deficit and antagonized factory owners who say workers have grown lazy on government aid.
India's total deficit this fiscal year could hit 11.4 percent of GDP, up from 5.7 percent last year, according to ratings agency Standard & Poor's, which has threatened to downgrade India's country rating to junk.
Some analysts say such social spending could grow.
"Government spending on employment, health and education programs will remain high and in some cases intensified. Moreover, there is a significant segment of the party that is suspicious of sweeping pro-market reforms and as a result economic liberalization will be selective and gradual," Eurasia Group analyst Seema Desai said in a Sunday e-mail.
Indeed, the global financial crisis has already led India to reconsider the timing and nature of some financial market liberalization.
Today, the very policies that industrialists decried as hampering growth during the boom — restrictions on foreign investment, state ownership, and tight regulation — are now praised by many for insulating India from the worst of the global financial meltdown.
"For the last 18 years, there have been certain reforms welcomed by most reasonable people in the system. And there are certain regulatory reforms that have been suspect," said Saumitra Chaudhuri, a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council.
Going forward, the government may dilute its ownership in banks, refineries and fertilizer companies but outright privatization is unlikely. Financial market oversight is also unlikely to be loosened, Chaudhuri said.
"There are no buyers for that," he said. "We have been quite cautious."
Swine flu hits India
India and Turkey have recorded their first cases of swine flu, giving further evidence that the disease is spreading.
In both countries the H1N1 virus was detected following the screening of passengers arriving at airports.
Meanwhile, health officials in Japan have identified the first domestic case of the disease in a 17-year-old student in the western port city of Kobe.
Two others are thought to be infected. None had been overseas recently.
Some 39 countries have reported 8,453 cases of the virus, a rise of nearly 1,000 in 24 hours.
At least 72 people have died of the virus, the World Health Organization says.
In the past week the number of people infected by the virus has risen sharply with the US, followed by Mexico, where the epidemic began, recording the highest number of cases.
In both countries the H1N1 virus was detected following the screening of passengers arriving at airports.
Meanwhile, health officials in Japan have identified the first domestic case of the disease in a 17-year-old student in the western port city of Kobe.
Two others are thought to be infected. None had been overseas recently.
Some 39 countries have reported 8,453 cases of the virus, a rise of nearly 1,000 in 24 hours.
At least 72 people have died of the virus, the World Health Organization says.
In the past week the number of people infected by the virus has risen sharply with the US, followed by Mexico, where the epidemic began, recording the highest number of cases.
Playboy : 2 Girls 1 Sub
Playboy salutes lunchtime! In tough economic times, a great fast-food sandwich is a smart way to stretch your paycheck. But can these bargain bites satisfy your hunger? We asked model Kari Nautique and Playboy Playmate Hiromi Oshima to put one sub to the test. Did they like it? You decide.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Results day in India : BJP Concedes Defeate
Leaders of India's main opposition BJP have admitted defeat in the general election as counting trends show the ruling Congress alliance well ahead.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said: "We accept this verdict." The Third Front has also conceded the election.
Official results will flood in soon but the trends reported by state TV showed Congress ahead in 246 seats, the BJP in 159 and the Third Front in 60.
Congress supporters have already begun celebrating in Delhi.
Rajnath Singh, president of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, told reporters it had not expected this kind of result. "We will sit together later today, once all the results are out, and analyse what happened," he said.
Mr Jaitley said: "Something certainly did go wrong... Our performance was not up to expectation."
Prakash Karat, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the key mover in the Third Front, accepted Congress had won.
"The CPM and the Left parties have suffered a major setback," he said.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Delhi says that a small crowd has already gathered outside Congress headquarters to celebrate, banging drums and chanting slogans.
'Safe majority'
Counting began at 0800 local time (0230 GMT) and with electronic voting machines being used the first trends were quickly available.
INDIAN ELECTION AT A GLANCE
Eligible voters: 714 million
Polling centres: 828,804
Voting days: 16, 23, 30 April; 7, 13 May
Vote counting: 16 May
Elections battleground map
State television Doordarshan said that at 1330 local time across all 543 seats, the Congress alliance was ahead in 246, the BJP coalition in 159 and the Third Front in 60 with others at 78.
Congress appears to be doing far better than had been expected, confounding predictions particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
Congress alliance spokesman Kapil Sibal told Reuters news agency: "Together with our alliance partners, we will have a safe majority."
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said: "We accept this verdict." The Third Front has also conceded the election.
Official results will flood in soon but the trends reported by state TV showed Congress ahead in 246 seats, the BJP in 159 and the Third Front in 60.
Congress supporters have already begun celebrating in Delhi.
Rajnath Singh, president of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, told reporters it had not expected this kind of result. "We will sit together later today, once all the results are out, and analyse what happened," he said.
Mr Jaitley said: "Something certainly did go wrong... Our performance was not up to expectation."
Prakash Karat, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the key mover in the Third Front, accepted Congress had won.
"The CPM and the Left parties have suffered a major setback," he said.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Delhi says that a small crowd has already gathered outside Congress headquarters to celebrate, banging drums and chanting slogans.
'Safe majority'
Counting began at 0800 local time (0230 GMT) and with electronic voting machines being used the first trends were quickly available.
INDIAN ELECTION AT A GLANCE
Eligible voters: 714 million
Polling centres: 828,804
Voting days: 16, 23, 30 April; 7, 13 May
Vote counting: 16 May
Elections battleground map
State television Doordarshan said that at 1330 local time across all 543 seats, the Congress alliance was ahead in 246, the BJP coalition in 159 and the Third Front in 60 with others at 78.
Congress appears to be doing far better than had been expected, confounding predictions particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
Congress alliance spokesman Kapil Sibal told Reuters news agency: "Together with our alliance partners, we will have a safe majority."
Friday, May 15, 2009
Elections 09
A policewoman guards a locked room, with EVMs inside, in Jaipur
Finally The Day of Countdown
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