Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta Spells Out Vision 2022

[keeninterest]

wow, thats seriously one of the best news i have heard.

cheers!

[LCA]

Indian submarine spooked Chinese warship: Report

Indian submarine spooked Chinese warship: Report

New Delhi: An Indian Kilo class submarine spooked Chinese warships that were sent to patrol pirate infested waters in the Gulf of Aden and the two navies engaged in an hour long game of 'hide and seek' in international waters last month, Chinese media reports have said.

In the first such incident involving Indian and Chinese warships that has come to light, media reports from China said that its warships 'forced' the Indian submarine to surface after over an hour of manoeuvres during which anti submarine choppers were scrambled from the Chinese destroyers.

While sources in the Indian Navy have acknowledged that track was being kept of the Chinese warships that transited from the Malacca Straits to Somalia waters, they denied that the India sub was forced to surface during the 'encounter'.

"It is a routine procedure. We do keep track of warships transiting near Indian waters through all means possible. However, the reports of the Indian submarine having surfaced are incorrect,"a senior Navy Officer said.


China had for the first time sent two destroyers to Somalia last month to patrol the waters, its first deployment to far away waters. India already has a warship in the area and has been patrolling the region for more than three months.

Chinese media reports said that the incident took place on January 15 in the waters near the Bab Al-Mandab Strait that separates Yemen and Djibouti. They said that the Chinese warships picked up the Indian submarine on sonar and after 'rounds of manoeuvring during which both sides tried to test for weaknesses in the other's sonar system' the Indian submarine was forced to surface.

[LCA]

Poor chinese first time they came to play (Hide and Seek),got busted.

[macintosh]

India rubbishes reports of Navy submarine 'forced' to surface

New Delhi, Feb 04: India today rubbished reports that China's warships on anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden caught an Indian Navy submarine snooping on it in the international waters.

Vehemently denying that two Chinese Destroyers had "forced" an Indian submarine to surface, Navy officials here said the vessel "was not Indian" at all.

"None of our submarines surfaced in the Gulf of Aden region as reported in a section of the Chinese media," a Navy official said here.

Chinese newspapers and websites had reported a couple of days ago that their warships sent to fight piracy in waters off Somalia were stalked by an Indian attack submarine and the two sides became locked in a tense stand-off for at least half-an-hour.

They also claimed that after rounds of manoeuvring during which both sides tried to test for weaknesses in other's sonar system, the two Chinese warships managed to force the Indian submarine to surface.

Indian Navy, however, said there was no such face-off with the Chinese Navy vessels. "This seems to be a psychological warfare indulged in by the Chinese Navy," an official said. Asked if the Navy had any submarine currently deployed in the region, officials said they were operating submarines in a range of theatres and that deployment patterns could not be discussed.

Asked if India had tracked the Chinese warships while they sailed to the Gulf of Aden recently, the officials said they had the capability to do so and varied means were available at their disposal to do so.

"We can track it with maritime reconnaissance efforts, surface vessels and submarines. Our vessels are already operating all over the international waters and we also have a warship deployed in the Gulf of Aden," the official said.

India already has a warship deployed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations since November and they have already engaged the sea brigands on several occasions, deflecting their attack on several merchant vessels in the region and even neutralising a 'mother ship' of the pirates. Chinese media had reported the "stand-off" between their warships and Indian submarine took place on January 15 in the waters near Bab Al-Mandab Strait, which separates Yemen and Djibouti, at the western end of the Gulf of Aden.

It said the Destroyers had picked up an unidentified submarine on their sonar and soon identified it as a 70-m-long vessel armed with 20 torpedoes. However, the Chinese Navy had not named any specific submarine class, but provided a file photo of a Kilo-class submarine "which fit the description." The report also claimed the Chinese warships sent an anti-submarine helicopter to help track the submarine, which tried to jam the Chinese warships' sonar system.

But the destroyers eventually "cornered" the submarine and "forced" it to surface. At one point, the report claimed, the Chinese commander even ordered the helicopter to have its anti-submarine torpedoes ready.

[LCA]

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia may build more Krivak class frigates for India

Russia may build more Krivak class frigates for India

MOSCOW, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and India are negotiating a new contract on the delivery of additional Project 11356 frigates for the Indian navy, the head of Russia's arms exporter said on Wednesday.

The talks are being held despite disruptions in the construction of the ships.

Russia is building three Project 11356 Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates for the Indian navy at the Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad under a $1.6 billion contract signed in July, 2006.

"The contract deadlines are very tough and there were indeed some disruptions in the construction," Rosoboronexport's general director Anatoly Isaikin said in an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

"It took some time to deal with the problems. After additional work and testing were carried out, there were no complaints with regard to the frigate. Moreover, talks are being held for an additional order of this type of combat vessel," Isaikin said.

The official said most of the problems were related to advanced weaponry and electronics installed on the frigates to meet the requirements of the Indian navy.

A delegation of Indian military officials, led by India's deputy chief of the naval staff, Vice Adm. Raman P Suthan, visited the Yantar shipyard in October last year and said it was satisfied with the pace and the quality of the construction.

Russia previously built three Krivak-class frigates - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar - for India, and delivered them all in late 2004.

The final vessel of the current batch is due to be delivered to India by 2011-12. All of the frigates will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile systems and not the Club-N/3M54TE missile system, which was installed on previous frigates.

The Krivak-class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 metric tons and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

"In terms of firepower it [the Krivak IV class frigate] has no rivals in the world in its class," Isaikin said.

[nitesh]

The Hindu Business Line : Govt reassessing Navy's needs, says Minister
Govt reassessing Navy's needs, says Minister

MUMBAI: The Government was reassessing the needs of the Indian Navy and would boost its capabilities in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai, a Union minister said here on Friday.

“Naval needs are being reassessed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai,'' Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said here. The Mumbai terror attack perpetrators had entered the metropolis through the sea route, demonstratin g loopholes in the country's coastal security.

Earlier, the Minister kickstarted the Rs 826-crore Mazgaon Dock Modernisation Programme, scheduled to be completed by 2011. **The modernisation project is being funded by the Indian Navy,'' he said, adding that the shipyard would be building submari nes, frigates and destroyers.

The process for utilisation of defence funds were being simplified, he said, adding that “funds given for defence projects should be spent on time''. – PTI

[nitesh]

DNA: Mumbai: Stealth ship is ready for trial

Stealth ship is ready for trial

Mumbai: Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL) is all set to hand over the first of the three new-generation Shivalik-classstealth ships for trials to the Indian Navy. The frigate is expected to be commissioned in the navy by April or May, MDL officials said on Friday.

The move is significant as these ships are among the 12 being constructed under Project17 (P17), the Indian government's indigenous programme to build new stealthy multi-role surface ships. Design changes and procurement delays had been plaguing the construction of these ships, which began almost five years ago.

While Shivalik was launched in 2003, Satpura and Sahyadri, the two other frigates, were launched in 2004 and 2005. The P17 is an enlarged and modified version of the Talwar (Krivak III) class frigate.

"The Shivalik-class ships have many more signature reducing features than other Indian Navy ships,'' said an MDL official.

The stealth frigate is designed to avoid enemy radars and works on principles of reducing the ship's signature. The ship is fitted with a mix of Indian, Russian and western weaponry systems along with both air defence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The frigate also carries two advanced helicopters. The total length of the ship is 142.5 metres, while its breadth is 16.90 metres. The total displacement of the ship is 4,900 tonnes. It is powered by gas and diesel turbines.

These warships are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.

[A-D]

Originally Posted by nitesh

DNA: Mumbai: Stealth ship is ready for trial

Stealth ship is ready for trial

Mumbai: Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL) is all set to hand over the first of the three new-generation Shivalik-classstealth ships for trials to the Indian Navy. The frigate is expected to be commissioned in the navy by April or May, MDL officials said on Friday.

The move is significant as these ships are among the 12 being constructed under Project17 (P17), the Indian government's indigenous programme to build new stealthy multi-role surface ships. Design changes and procurement delays had been plaguing the construction of these ships, which began almost five years ago.

While Shivalik was launched in 2003, Satpura and Sahyadri, the two other frigates, were launched in 2004 and 2005. The P17 is an enlarged and modified version of the Talwar (Krivak III) class frigate.

"The Shivalik-class ships have many more signature reducing features than other Indian Navy ships,'' said an MDL official.

The stealth frigate is designed to avoid enemy radars and works on principles of reducing the ship's signature. The ship is fitted with a mix of Indian, Russian and western weaponry systems along with both air defence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The frigate also carries two advanced helicopters. The total length of the ship is 142.5 metres, while its breadth is 16.90 metres. The total displacement of the ship is 4,900 tonnes. It is powered by gas and diesel turbines.

These warships are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.

nitesh sir can you provide us some more specifications on weapons systems .

[nitesh]

A-D check the PM

[nitesh]

Asia Times Online :: Central Asian News and current affairs, Russia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan

Russia anchors ties with India
By Roger McDermott

Russia, using all means at its disposal, wants to urgently convince the world community that it has re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with, demanding increased recognition and power in the world.

Ostensibly conducting joint naval exercises with India to help combat terrorism and piracy, Moscow also had a sub-agenda in its planning. In fact the "sub-agenda factor" is becoming an ever-present variable in appreciating Russia's foreign policy conduct.

The Indra 2009 exercise, held for the fourth time since 2003, allowed both countries to jointly practice the protection of shipping and combating piracy at sea and terrorism, while strengthening interoperability and focusing on their communications, joint maneuvering and artillery and rocket firing.

Russia's contribution to the naval exercises, held off the coast of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, was comparatively small, officially only consisting of five ships drawn from the Northern and Pacific fleets. These were: the Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great), the flagship of the Northern Fleet and a nuclear-powered battle cruiser; the Admiral Vinogradov, an anti-submarine warfare ship tasked with escorting merchant ships at the Horn of Africa; the Fotiy Krylov, a rescue tugboat; and the tankers Pechenga and Boris Butoma.

Russia's Naval Main Staff did not confirm the participation of two large landing ships from the Black Sea Fleet, the Azov and the Yamal, which left Sevastopol on January 16, stating instead that there were "reinforced sub-units of naval infantry on board all the Russian ships". India contributed two destroyers, including the INS Delhi, and a small number of other vessels.

The Russian naval grouping rendezvoused off the Gao coast, commencing the first stage of the joint naval exercises on January 26, spending two days in the port of Marmagao before the final stage of Indra 2009 off the coast of Somalia.

On January 31, Russian Defense Ministry's Zvezda TV reported that the Pyotr Velikiy had left the Indian port of Marmagao in the state of Goa, having completed its two-day visit, especially highlighting that this marked the first visit to India by a ship from Russia's Northern Fleet.

For two days in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast, the Petr Velikiy practiced "coordination of maneuvers and conducted communications drills" with the Indian destroyer Delhi. The Pyotr Velikiy is equipped with Granit anti-ship missiles, a 130mm automatic cannon, Kashtan, Kinzhal and S-300 air defense systems, helicopters and machine guns, though its participation in the exercises was more likely calculated to send a political message internationally that Russia has restored its great power status. After Indra 2009, the Pyotr Velikiy will make stopovers in Indonesia and China.

India's interests in Russia
Russia's ambassador to India, Vyacheslav Trubnikov, witnessed the exercises, which he claimed had involved "several difficult maneuvers", including a rehearsal to destroy aircraft carriers for the benefit of the Indian navy. Trubnikov noted the long-standing defense cooperation between the two countries, and that India's armed forces had been equipped in large quantities by both the Soviet and Russian defense industries.

Since 2004, India has sought to procure an aircraft carrier from Russia, which has experienced rising costs and numerous delays. The Admiral Gorshkov, renamed Vikramaditya, is due to replace India's INS Viraat carrier, which is 50 years old though still in service. Originally ordered for US$750 million and scheduled for delivery in 2008, the actual price of the carrier has been estimated at $1.2 billion and has caused disputes over the final price: Russia reportedly now hopes to receive $4 billion.

Russia and India agreed in February 2008 to raise costs for the aircraft carrier, currently docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, by an additional $800 million. This covers an overhaul of the ship and equipping it with modern weaponry, including MiG-29K Fulcrum aircraft and Ka-27 Helix-A and Ka-31 Helix-B anti-submarine helicopters. Delivery of the aircraft carrier is now rescheduled for 2012.

Sending the Pyotr Velikiy not only signaled a departure from the pattern of previous exercises with India's navy, it pointedly drew attention to Russia's largest destroyer while serving as a gesture of Moscow's commitment to strengthen India maritime security capabilities.

Previous Indra exercises were conducted in the Bay of Bengal, off Visakhapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh, India's eastern naval command headquarters and a submarine base for its Eastern Naval fleet. These exercises took on new significance in light of the increased threats to maritime security from piracy and in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008.

Yet, although the planning for the exercises may have been adjusted to take into account these developments, the underlying symbolic significance in dispatching the Pyotr Velikiy to India fits a wider pattern of using the navy to support the image of a resurgent Russia.

This also coincides with the planned relocation of the naval headquarters from Moscow to St Petersburg, at an estimated cost of $1 billion, which has already commenced and is scheduled for completion later this year. Given Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's links with St Petersburg, taking every opportunity to appear at sea, it is highly likely that he played a major part in the decision to move the headquarters back to what was once home to Russia's imperial navy.

Russia's navy and the ambitions of the political elite
The navy is assuming greater strategic importance as Russia seeks to maximize its resurgence as a great power. President Dmitry Medvedev, visiting the Nakhimov Naval Academy in St Petersburg on January 27, reassured the cadets that despite Russia's financial downturn, its plans to reform and modernize the navy will go ahead.

Aware of the promise made last July to introduce new aircraft carriers and Borey-class submarines, Medvedev said Russia had turned away from the difficult times in the 1990s when the government failed to adequately invest in the navy and would honor the commitment to modernize; even if it means over a longer period than originally planned. He appeared to single out the navy as being a crucial part of plans to reform the country's armed forces, asserting forcibly, "Without a proper navy, Russia does not have a future as a state."

These plans are encountering delays caused partly by Russia's economic troubles and also the lack of highly skilled workers in its defense industry capable of designing new weapons systems. The introduction of the new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile has recently been delayed due to failures in its testing program.

Raising the flag abroad
In the meantime, appearances by the Russian navy in the Caribbean and South America, as well as joint naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea with Turkey and these latest exercises with India, all serve as cheaper interim mechanisms to promote Russia's great power status. This is coupled with negotiations involving undisclosed countries to secure foreign bases for Russia's navy. Colonel-General Anatoliy Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the General Staff, confirmed that talks are ongoing, but would not identify the states concerned.

However, the Naval Main Staff seem less discreet, suggesting that future naval bases would be located on the island of Socotra, Yemen, and in the ports of Tartus, Syria and Tripoli, Libya. "The political decision on the given issue has been made. It is difficult to say now how much time we will need to create bases for our navy in these countries, but it will undoubtedly be done in a few years," a source in the Main Staff explained.

To achieve this, the Russian navy would have to repair, modernize or rebuild piers and design and build essential shore infrastructure with repair facilities. Yemen's President Ali Abdallah Salih suggested locating a naval base there to Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov, during the latter's visit in October 2008. As alluring as this may prove to the Russian political elites, its military value is more open to question. Such foreign bases may be about convincing themselves and a domestic audience of Russia's naval capabilities while reflecting its position in the world.
Thus, under the guise of promoting greater inoperability and the coordination of its navy with those of other states to facilitate an international response to piracy and counter-terrorism, Russia is actually advancing its image as a resurgent great power that will once again make its presence felt around the world.

While a gap exists between these political aspirations for its navy and its actual capabilities, the likelihood is that the pattern of cost-effective temporary deployments and joint exercises will be followed meticulously. In the longer term, Medvedev will face more serious challenges in implementing the type of ambitious modernization of the navy that he has touted.

Roger N McDermott is an honorary senior fellow, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Kent at Canterbury (UK) specializing in defense and security issues in Russia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

(Copyright 2009 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

[nitesh]

Asia Times Online :: Central Asian News and current affairs, Russia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan

Russia anchors ties with India
By Roger McDermott

Russia, using all means at its disposal, wants to urgently convince the world community that it has re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with, demanding increased recognition and power in the world.

Ostensibly conducting joint naval exercises with India to help combat terrorism and piracy, Moscow also had a sub-agenda in its planning. In fact the "sub-agenda factor" is becoming an ever-present variable in appreciating Russia's foreign policy conduct.

The Indra 2009 exercise, held for the fourth time since 2003, allowed both countries to jointly practice the protection of shipping and combating piracy at sea and terrorism, while strengthening interoperability and focusing on their communications, joint maneuvering and artillery and rocket firing.

Russia's contribution to the naval exercises, held off the coast of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, was comparatively small, officially only consisting of five ships drawn from the Northern and Pacific fleets. These were: the Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great), the flagship of the Northern Fleet and a nuclear-powered battle cruiser; the Admiral Vinogradov, an anti-submarine warfare ship tasked with escorting merchant ships at the Horn of Africa; the Fotiy Krylov, a rescue tugboat; and the tankers Pechenga and Boris Butoma.

Russia's Naval Main Staff did not confirm the participation of two large landing ships from the Black Sea Fleet, the Azov and the Yamal, which left Sevastopol on January 16, stating instead that there were "reinforced sub-units of naval infantry on board all the Russian ships". India contributed two destroyers, including the INS Delhi, and a small number of other vessels.

The Russian naval grouping rendezvoused off the Gao coast, commencing the first stage of the joint naval exercises on January 26, spending two days in the port of Marmagao before the final stage of Indra 2009 off the coast of Somalia.

On January 31, Russian Defense Ministry's Zvezda TV reported that the Pyotr Velikiy had left the Indian port of Marmagao in the state of Goa, having completed its two-day visit, especially highlighting that this marked the first visit to India by a ship from Russia's Northern Fleet.

For two days in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast, the Petr Velikiy practiced "coordination of maneuvers and conducted communications drills" with the Indian destroyer Delhi. The Pyotr Velikiy is equipped with Granit anti-ship missiles, a 130mm automatic cannon, Kashtan, Kinzhal and S-300 air defense systems, helicopters and machine guns, though its participation in the exercises was more likely calculated to send a political message internationally that Russia has restored its great power status. After Indra 2009, the Pyotr Velikiy will make stopovers in Indonesia and China.

India's interests in Russia
Russia's ambassador to India, Vyacheslav Trubnikov, witnessed the exercises, which he claimed had involved "several difficult maneuvers", including a rehearsal to destroy aircraft carriers for the benefit of the Indian navy. Trubnikov noted the long-standing defense cooperation between the two countries, and that India's armed forces had been equipped in large quantities by both the Soviet and Russian defense industries.

Since 2004, India has sought to procure an aircraft carrier from Russia, which has experienced rising costs and numerous delays. The Admiral Gorshkov, renamed Vikramaditya, is due to replace India's INS Viraat carrier, which is 50 years old though still in service. Originally ordered for US$750 million and scheduled for delivery in 2008, the actual price of the carrier has been estimated at $1.2 billion and has caused disputes over the final price: Russia reportedly now hopes to receive $4 billion.

Russia and India agreed in February 2008 to raise costs for the aircraft carrier, currently docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, by an additional $800 million. This covers an overhaul of the ship and equipping it with modern weaponry, including MiG-29K Fulcrum aircraft and Ka-27 Helix-A and Ka-31 Helix-B anti-submarine helicopters. Delivery of the aircraft carrier is now rescheduled for 2012.

Sending the Pyotr Velikiy not only signaled a departure from the pattern of previous exercises with India's navy, it pointedly drew attention to Russia's largest destroyer while serving as a gesture of Moscow's commitment to strengthen India maritime security capabilities.

Previous Indra exercises were conducted in the Bay of Bengal, off Visakhapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh, India's eastern naval command headquarters and a submarine base for its Eastern Naval fleet. These exercises took on new significance in light of the increased threats to maritime security from piracy and in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008.

Yet, although the planning for the exercises may have been adjusted to take into account these developments, the underlying symbolic significance in dispatching the Pyotr Velikiy to India fits a wider pattern of using the navy to support the image of a resurgent Russia.

This also coincides with the planned relocation of the naval headquarters from Moscow to St Petersburg, at an estimated cost of $1 billion, which has already commenced and is scheduled for completion later this year. Given Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's links with St Petersburg, taking every opportunity to appear at sea, it is highly likely that he played a major part in the decision to move the headquarters back to what was once home to Russia's imperial navy.

Russia's navy and the ambitions of the political elite
The navy is assuming greater strategic importance as Russia seeks to maximize its resurgence as a great power. President Dmitry Medvedev, visiting the Nakhimov Naval Academy in St Petersburg on January 27, reassured the cadets that despite Russia's financial downturn, its plans to reform and modernize the navy will go ahead.

Aware of the promise made last July to introduce new aircraft carriers and Borey-class submarines, Medvedev said Russia had turned away from the difficult times in the 1990s when the government failed to adequately invest in the navy and would honor the commitment to modernize; even if it means over a longer period than originally planned. He appeared to single out the navy as being a crucial part of plans to reform the country's armed forces, asserting forcibly, "Without a proper navy, Russia does not have a future as a state."

These plans are encountering delays caused partly by Russia's economic troubles and also the lack of highly skilled workers in its defense industry capable of designing new weapons systems. The introduction of the new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile has recently been delayed due to failures in its testing program.

Raising the flag abroad
In the meantime, appearances by the Russian navy in the Caribbean and South America, as well as joint naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea with Turkey and these latest exercises with India, all serve as cheaper interim mechanisms to promote Russia's great power status. This is coupled with negotiations involving undisclosed countries to secure foreign bases for Russia's navy. Colonel-General Anatoliy Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the General Staff, confirmed that talks are ongoing, but would not identify the states concerned.

However, the Naval Main Staff seem less discreet, suggesting that future naval bases would be located on the island of Socotra, Yemen, and in the ports of Tartus, Syria and Tripoli, Libya. "The political decision on the given issue has been made. It is difficult to say now how much time we will need to create bases for our navy in these countries, but it will undoubtedly be done in a few years," a source in the Main Staff explained.

To achieve this, the Russian navy would have to repair, modernize or rebuild piers and design and build essential shore infrastructure with repair facilities. Yemen's President Ali Abdallah Salih suggested locating a naval base there to Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov, during the latter's visit in October 2008. As alluring as this may prove to the Russian political elites, its military value is more open to question. Such foreign bases may be about convincing themselves and a domestic audience of Russia's naval capabilities while reflecting its position in the world.
Thus, under the guise of promoting greater inoperability and the coordination of its navy with those of other states to facilitate an international response to piracy and counter-terrorism, Russia is actually advancing its image as a resurgent great power that will once again make its presence felt around the world.

While a gap exists between these political aspirations for its navy and its actual capabilities, the likelihood is that the pattern of cost-effective temporary deployments and joint exercises will be followed meticulously. In the longer term, Medvedev will face more serious challenges in implementing the type of ambitious modernization of the navy that he has touted.

Roger N McDermott is an honorary senior fellow, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Kent at Canterbury (UK) specializing in defense and security issues in Russia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

(Copyright 2009 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

[nitesh]

PIB Press Release

Amphibious Landing Exercise off Gujarat Coast
18:18 IST

The Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force today jointly conducted the largest ever Amphibious Exercise codenamed "EXERCISE TROPEX-2009" at Madhavpur beach, Gujarat. The amphibious landing, the most complex of all military manoeuvres involving coordination and synergy from conceptualization to planning and final execution, was ably demonstrated on the shores of Madhavpur. The element of Coast Guard was also a part of this short, swift and intense conflict.

The pre-assault operations of planning, mobilization and embarkation having been achieved at Karwar, the Amphibious Task Force sailed from Karwar on February 05, 2009 and landed on the shores of Madhavpur today using the newly inducted Landing Platform Dock (LPD) INS Jalashwa, several Landing Ship Tank Large {LST(L)}, fleet ships with their integral helicopters, shore-based aircraft and submarines from the Indian Navy and Hovercraft of the Coast Guard. This is the first time the Joint Doctrine on Amphibious Warfare of the Indian Armed Forces which was formulated last year was put into practice with its full scope. As a precursor to the present operation, a tri-service landing operation, 'TRIVENI' was conducted at Lakshadweep Islands in early January this year.

Air support is critical to any amphibious operations since mortars and artilliary are not available abinitio on landing. HQ Southern Western Air Command deployed its Jaguars which carry a large array of weapons, flying at 200 feet pulled up and carried out rocket attacks with pin-point accuracy on simulated enemy targets. MiG 29 aircraft with its state of the art radar and ultra modern missiles carried out Combat Air Patrol over Madhopur to out-manoeuvre incoming enemy aircraft.

Tanks, Armoured Personnel Carriers and Infantry troops of 91 Infantry Brigade of the Sudarshan Chakra Corps were carried in both stand-off and hard beaching modes. Use of deployment of troops exploiting third dimension, i.e. airborne and heliborne formed an integral part of the exercise. AN-32 aircraft paradropped Para troopers from the skies followed by slithering operations by MI-8 helicopters to deploy troops at the assault area. Troops in waves emerged from the sea and carried out effective assaults on the beach of Madhavpur. The defensive layout depicting the enemy were from the Golden Katar Division of the Indian Army.

The exercise exhibited high level of coordination and synergy between the Armed Forces to carry out such swift and intense conflict during military operations. It also provided tremendous training value through the testing of human and material endurance, execution of organizational and logistics plans and finally delivering the punch in a mock battle.

The exercise was witnessed by Air Marshal KD Singh, AOC in C, South Western Air Command, Vice Admiral JS Bedi, FOC in C, Western Naval Command and Lieutenant General Pradeep Khanna, GOC in C, Southern Command and other senior military officers from the three services.

******************

Samir/AKR

[nitesh]

INDRA 2009: Russia, India Conclude Maritime Military Exercise Off Somali Coast

Press Trust of India reports that India and Russia have concluded a major military, counter piracy naval exercise off the Somali coast in the Arabian Sea. Indian and Russian navies hold biennial naval war-games.

-- RIA Novosti confirms that the exercise focused specifically on counter piracy operations.

-- "The second stage of the INDRA-2009 exercise was held off the Somali coast and was primarily dedicated to anti-piracy operations, The Russian and Indian warships that took part in the exercise practiced escorting commercial ships in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden,"" Russian Naval Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky was quoted as saying.

-- Admiral Vysotsky added that the warships made extensive use of deck-based aircraft to locate and monitor the movements of small boats that could have presented potential threats to merchant vessels. While Indian navy's 'INS Tabar' stealth frigate took part in the drill, the Russian side was represented by Pacific Fleet's Udaloy class destroyer 'Admiral Vinogradov', the Northern Fleet's nuclear-powered 'Pyotr Veliky' missile cruiser, 'Admiral Levchenko' destroyer and several support ships.

-- The first stage of INDRA-2009 was limited to PASSEX type exercise in practicing combat interoperability and communications drills with the involvement of Russian 'Pyotr Veliky' missile cruiser and the guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi as "Admiral Vinogradov" also known as submarine killer could not turn up due to 'technical problems'
INDRA 2009: Russia, India Conclude Maritime Military Exercise Off Somali Coast | India Defence

[nitesh]

First indigenous aircraft carrier to be built soon-Goa-Cities-The Times of India

First indigenous aircraft carrier to be built soon
13 Feb 2009, 0415 hrs IST, TNN


PANAJI: The keel for India's first indigenous aircraft carrier also known as the air defence ship (ADS) will be laid shortly at Cochin shipyard, Kerala, said admiral Sureesh Mehta, chief of naval staff.

Speaking at a ceremony in Goa on Thursday, where the Indian Navy took into possession Mhadei', a sail-powered yacht that will be used for solo circumnavigation, Mehta said that the ADS should accommodate 20-odd aircraft.

The original plan for the carrier, is to have the light combat aircraft (LCA) and the advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv in its fleet of assorted aircraft besides MiG 29 K and Ka-31. The ADS will be launched by October 2010, as per the phase I contract signed by its manufacturer Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) with the defence ministry.

While the vessel is scheduled to be launched by 2010, design work on the project is in progress and the fabrication of hull blocks has already started, reports stated.

Mehta on Thursday said that the ADS would cost India around Rs 2,000 crore. The navy chief further said that India's biggest military aircraft deal with the United States, for a maritime surveillance aircraft would see the acquisition of eight P-81 long-range reconnaissance aircraft for the Indian Navy.

The contract was signed on January 1 in New Delhi. It has been reported that India will receive the first P-81 in 2013 while the remaining seven will be procured in a phased manner over the next three or four years. The contract includes lifetime maintenance support and an option for the acquisition of up to eight additional P-81 aircraft.

The deal comes less than a year after India and US-based Lockheed Martin signed an agreement worth 962 million dollars for the purchase of six C-130 Hercules transport planes for the Indian army. Last year, India also signed a 1.5-billion euro (US $ 2.2 billion) deal with France's Dassault to upgrade 51 Mirage 2000 fighter jets, which the Indian air force bought in 1985.

Mehta also outlined the Indian Navy's plans for expansion and said that the goals for 2022 would be to have a fleet of 160 ships and over 300 aircraft.

[nitesh]

RIA Novosti - World - Russia delivers 4 MiG-29 fighters to India

Russia delivers 4 MiG-29 fighters to India

BANGALORE (India), February 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has delivered the first four MiG-29 Fulcrum-D naval fighters to India and will supply the remaining 12 aircraft by the end of 2009, the head of Russia's MiG aircraft maker said on Thursday.

Russia and India signed a contract on January 20, 2004, stipulating the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29K and four two-seat MiG-29KUB to New Delhi as part of a $750 million deal to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian Navy.

"The first four aircraft have been inspected by Indian technical experts and the [Indian] pilots are taking a five-month flight training course," Mikhail Pogosyan said at a news conference on the sidelines of the Aero India 2009 show in the southern city of Bangalore.

Pogosyan also said the remaining fighters would be delivered to India by the yearend, as stipulated by the contract.

The aircraft will be later deployed on board the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, which is due to enter service in the Indian navy in 2012 as the INS Vikramaditya.