The Swedish BAE Systems has submitted a response to the Indian Army’s Request for Information (RFI) for towed 155mm howitzers, following previous tenders which were cancelled due to the inability of other potential suppliers to meet the tender conditions. The BAE Systems will be fielding its FH-77B-05 towed howitzer for this competition. The new RFI was issued by Indian Ministry of Defence in July 2010 for 200 units. The other likely contenders in the fray are the French Nexter CEASAR, and the Israeli Soltam Atmos 2052.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), part of the Indian Ministry of Defence, has decided to exclude private participation in the construction of submarines. The initial plan of the Project 75I involved all the six submarines to be built in India. Three submarines were to be made by Mazagon Dock Limited, one by Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Indian private sector shipyards Larsen & Toubro and Pipavav were to compete for building two submarines. But, as of now, it has been reported that the two submarines that were to be built under the Project-75I by private shipbuilders will now be built at international shipyards.
The Indian Ministry of Defence will be announcing the new Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) and Defence Production Policy by early September this year. The Defence Production Policy is being introduced for the first time and its main aim is to increase indigenous capabilities to manufacture the requirement of defence equipment by the Indian Armed Forces. As for the DPP-2010, it will be an improved version of DPP-2009 and will facilitate greater involvement of the private sector in defence production.
The final certification process for India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), has begun ahead of its crucial initial operational clearance (IOC). The certification mainly ensures that the user, the Indian Air Force, will be handed over a safe, mature and reliable aircraft with specified performance.
The Indian-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace Ltd. plans to produce engines for Brahmos missiles at the Brahmos plant in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1998, BrahMos Aerospace, a joint Indian-Russian venture, produces and markets BrahMos supersonic missiles. Having a speed of 2.8 mach and a range of 290 km, BrahMos is considered to be fastest and quicker than any other missile in the world.
India’s indigenously produced Agni-V nuclear-capable missile is been reported to be ready for fire testing, though the date for the test-firing has not been decided upon. Developed by Defence Research and Development Organization, Agni-V is India’s only inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) and will be the first canistered road-mobile ballistic missile, with a range of over 5,000-km, in the country’s military arsenal.
BrahMos Aerospace, an Indo-Russian joint venture is almost ready with an air-to-land supersonic missile. All the modifications relating to the missile have been completed and BrahMos Aerospace is in the process of readying with the missile. The missile which is planned to be fitted on Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft "very precisely" attacks the target and is heavier in weight as compared to previously developed missiles.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India have reported that 75 per cent submarines in the IN fleet have already completed three fourths of their estimated operational life. Also, as per the reports, only 7 out of 16 submarines in Indian Navy are operational and 9 submarines are under refit/repair as of October 2009. Two of the submarines, INS (Indian Naval Ship) Vela and INS Vagli, are due to be decommissioned this year and next year.
