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<ul><li>The <keyword id="158152" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Light-Combat-Helicopter" source="Orion">Light Combat Helicopter</keyword> is developed by <keyword id="139970" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="hindustan-aeronautics-ltd" source="Orion">Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd</keyword> (HAL).</li><li>LCH features armoured-protection systems, night attack capability, 20mm gun, 70mm rocket and missiles.</li><li>It has a top speed of 268kmph and a maximum range of 550km.</li></ul>The Defence Minister of India, <keyword id="6355121" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rajnath-singh" source="Orion">Rajnath Singh</keyword>, inducted an indigenously- developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) into <keyword id="15141" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-air-force" source="Orion">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF). The induction occurred in the presence of the Defence Minister and Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari during the induction Ceremony of Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) in Jodhpur. This light combat helicopter has been developed to boost the Indian Air Force's combat prowess as the helicopter is capable of firing a range of missiles and other weapons. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Key features of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)" comment="subhead" text="Key features of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)">Key features of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)</cmsannotation> The Light Combat Helicopter has been developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). It has been primarily designed for deployment in the high-altitude region. It shares similar traits with the advanced light helicopter Dhruv. It has a number of stealth features, including armoured-protection systems, night attack capability and crash-worthy landing gear. The LCH can be deployed in high-altitude areas and all-weather combat conditions, thanks to requisite agility, manoeuvrability, and extended range. Besides this, the helicopter can also be deployed in high-altitude bunker busting operations, urban environments, counter-insurgency, and combat capabilities to support ground forces. <div type="image" title="Light Combat Helicopter" msid="94613876" hostid="261" sizebytes="51422"></div> Other than these, several key aviation technologies are used in this helicopter, like glass cockpit, crashworthy bottom structure, anti-resonance isolation system, integrated architecture and display system, IR suppressor, helmet-mounted display system and more. Coming to weapon capabilities, it has a 20mm gun, 70mm rocket and missiles. The helicopter can fire air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. This Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) weighs 5,800 Kg, has a range of 550km and has a maximum speed of 268kmph. It is powered by a SHAKTI engine that produces a power of 1032kW. In March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a Cabinet Committee on Security, which approved the procurement of 15 indigenously developed Limited Series Production (LSP) LCH at the cost of ₹3,887 crores. According to the defence ministry, ten helicopters will be introduced, five for Indian Air Force (IAF) and five for the Indian Army. The helicopter has been tested under stringent operating conditions, such as in the desert and cold Siachen regions. Back in February 2020, the helicopter was declared ready for production. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/ins-vikrant-pm-modi-unveils-indias-first-indigenous-aircraft-carrier/slidelist/93944069.cms">PM Modi unveils India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier- INS Vikrant</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/meet-the-former-lieutenant-general-anil-chauhan-the-next-chief-of-defence-staff/slidelist/94530802.cms">Meet the former Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan — the next Chief of Defence Staff</a>

Here’s everything you need to know about the made-in-India lightweight combat helicopter

<ul><li>It is unlikely that the budget allocation to the Armed Forces will increase dramatically this year, according to Sameer Patil, an expert in international security.</li><li>The lion's share of the budget will go towards the Army, leaving the Navy and the Air Force strapped for cash.</li><li>Patil told Business Insider that the Navy and the Air Force are forced to rely on imports since domestic products are usually inferior in quality or do not meet their requirements even though they don't have enough resources to pay for projects that are already underway.</li></ul>Budget allocation for India's Armed Forces always falls short of requirements. Even though the budget increases every year, most of it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-india-needs-more-defence-budget/articleshow/70082260.cms">goes toward revenue expenditure</a> to pay salaries and pensions. Even within the entire allocation, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-versus-military-spending-on-other-countries/articleshow/73182937.cms">the lion's share goes towards the Army</a> rather than the Navy or the Air Force, which are more technology-intensive. "The government will try and maintain the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-defence-expenditure-in-2020/articleshow/72822974.cms">incremental growth</a> which they do every year but it will not be sufficient to meet the requirements of the armed forces — particularly for the Navy and the Airforce, where they're finding it difficult as it is even to make payments for the equipment that they have already started purchasing," said Sameer Patil, a fellow in international security studies at Gateway House — a think-tank based in Mumbai told Business Insider. 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="af5_edited" msid="73771070" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indian Air Force imported Apache helicopters from the US&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>







 The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-budget-allocation-for-defence-has-remained-fairly-static-for-the-past-five-years/articleshow/73153930.cms">shrinking allocation of resources</a> means that a lot of the proposals that have already been cleared by the defence acquisition council are now being strapped. For instance, the Indian Navy was supposed to get four landing platform dock-type ship built in India. So far, it only has one -- the INS Jalashva, which it bought from the US. At the end of the day, they are left with no option but to import weapons and equipment. The domestic defence industry is either still developing products which are already available off-the-shelf abroad or producing products of inferior quality. The question of research and development It's not that domestic firms don't wish to invest in research and development (R&amp;D) but they lack incentives. Last year, the government allocated some funds to the Technology Development Fund. However, the money is insufficient to cover even a single project, according to Patil. In addition to scarce resources, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) discourages private participation. "If the DRDO finds out that the private sector is engaging in any R&amp;D work, they will come and say that we will do the R&amp;D — because we have the experience and the necessary facilities, and we'll give you the final product," explained Patil. The government can't say no Once the DRDO steps in, the government isn't in a position to say no. For example, the Naval Light Combat Aircraft developed by the DRDO and <keyword id="86569" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Limited">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</keyword> (HAL) were rejected by the Navy four years ago. The Navy explained that they did not need the new choppers because they had already purchased Apache and Chinook from the US. Nonetheless, HAL is still pursuing the project. 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="af2_edited" msid="73770980" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;Two officers and five other IAF personnel were killed when an indigenous Dhruv advanced light helicopter crashed in a field near Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh in 2014&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>







 "Which is why the armed forces are saying that they would prefer imports rather than rely on the DRDO. Because sometimes it's of inferior quality and sometimes it doesn't meet the requirements of the armed forces," said Patil. He feels that the private sector is more efficient and currently in the process of absorbing the requisite skills through joint ventures with American aerospace companies — like the Tatas with Lockheed Martin. However, they are not immediately expected to do so. Although defence indigenisation holds a lot of potential, it will take at least a decade or two to show results. 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="af3_edited" msid="73771105" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The indigenous Tejas aircraft took 30 years to develop&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>







 See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-versus-military-spending-on-other-countries/articleshow/73182937.cms">Here's how the budget allocation for Armed Forces in India stacks up on the global scale</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-budget-allocation-for-defence-has-remained-fairly-static-for-the-past-five-years/articleshow/73153930.cms">Budget 2020: Five charts that explain what you can expect from India's defence expenditure this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-defence-expenditure-in-2020/articleshow/72822974.cms">India's ready to spend on defence — just not on modernisation</a>

The budget is unlikely to give more money for equipment, but the Armed Forces still want expensive imports over domestic products

<ul><li>During US President Donald Trump's two-day visit to India a defense deal worth $930 million deal for six new Boeing AH-64 Apache choppers was sealed.</li><li>The new Apache choppers will be inducted into the Indian Army.</li><li>Here's how they measure up against India's own indigenous Light Combat Helicopter being developed by HAL for the Armed Forces.</li></ul>The Boeing AH-64 Apache choppers are some of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-9-best-military-attack-helicopters-in-the-world-2018?IR=T">most advanced in the world</a> and now they will be a part of the Indian Army’s fleet. A $930 million deal was struck between India and the US during President Donald Trump’s 2-day visit to the country. The Apache helicopters will boost the Indian Army’s capabilities of conducting cross-border strikes and provide air support for troops on the ground. It comes armed with an arsenal of weapons like Hellfire Missiles, 70mm rockets and a 30mm automatic cannon. This is a first for the Army that is in dire need of an up-to-date attack helicopter after over a decade of delays with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Light Combat Helicopters (LCH). The LCH, like the AH-64 Apache helicopter, is a multi-role combat helicopter. Derived from the existing HAL Dhruv, the LCH was supposed to have gained initial operating capability (IOC) in December 2010. Ten years down the line, the first chopper is yet to join the Indian Army’s fleet. Here’s how the two stack up against each other:

Here's how the Boeing AH-64 Apache Helicopter stacks up against India's indigenous HAL Light Combat Helicopter

An attack helicopter (AH) is a rotary wing platform with the primary role of engaging targets on the ground such as armored infantry or moving armored vehicles. There heavy armament can include weapons such as auto canons, heavy machine guns, unguided rockets, and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM's) like Hellfire and air to air missiles. Apart from the US and Russia, no other country is known for its large inventory of attack helicopters. 
 
 <keyword id="43853" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-military">Indian military</keyword> is having around 390 helicopters with it but only 30 out of them are attack helicopters and rest are the utility and transport helicopters. The reason behind this can be understood by the fact that the <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) maintains a fleet of around 250 ground attack aircrafts which more or less serves the same basic purpose of giving close air support to the ground troops. Traditionally India is not known for the love of attack helicopters. Even back in those days, India was using Mil MI-4 and Bell 47G-2 which were utility helicopters for troop movement and rescue operations. 
 
 
The Need 
 
 As of now, Indian Air Force deploys around 20 Mil Mi-35, 7 HAL Rudra and 3 HAL Light combat Helicopters (prototypes). It was the Kargil war of 1999 which fueled the need for helicopters that can operate at such high-altitude conditions with ease. Restricted maneuverability of Mil Mi-35 with high payloads led India to the develop the HAL Light Combat Helicopter and HAL Rudra for multi-role high-altitude combat operations and this can be used by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army's <keyword id="812305" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aviation-Corps">Aviation Corps</keyword>. On 26 May 2009, the <keyword id="2910012" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Ministry-of-Defense">Indian Ministry of Defense</keyword> invited bids for 22 combat helicopters and 15 heavy-lift helicopters in a deal worth US$2 billion. In 2011, the American AH 64-D Apache Block3 had emerged as the winner ahead of the Russian Mi-28N defense deal for 22 Attack Helicopter and CH47-F Chinook won it for the heavy lift category. IAF is planning to deploy indigenously developed HAL Light Combat Helicopter for its combat operations along with the AH64-D Apache, however the HAL-LCA is in the nascent stage of development and the AH64-D's are yet to be delivered. 
 <keyword id="1376569" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="The-Boeing">The Boeing</keyword> AH-64 Apache is considered as the best attack helicopter which creates havoc in the battlefield. The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin turbo shaft attack helicopter with a powerful anti-armour weapon system. The Apache is equipped with state of the art electronic technology and fire control systems. The Apache can be loaded with 16 AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles, 76 70mm folding-fin aerial rockets or a combination of both – in addition to 1,200 30mm rounds for its M230 automatic cannon. There can be the use of fixed and rotary wing aircraft in operations against insurgents and this weapon system can be a force multiplier with the IAF in these special missions. Some experts are however opposing the requirement for the attack helicopters quoting that India has thousands of miles of mountainous borders to defend and attack helicopters are bound to be under-utilized in the mountains with their full payload. Another concern is that the heavy firing of the daytime at low levels can bring down any attack helicopter even with the best armour plantings. With their height ceilings and limited weapon systems, attack helicopters can perform their best in the plains but it is the mountains where it has to face the severest test as a credible force multiplier. Lessons from Vietnam remind that more than 5000 helicopters were lost against a not so powerful enemy. However, technology and weaponry has moved far ahead since then. 
 
The indigenous development 
 
Whatever the debate is, Indian military knows the best. After the Kargil war, India is engaged in developing a rotary weapons platform and has successfully produced the HAL Rudra, which is an armed version of HAL Dhruv. Rudra is equipped with Forward Looking Infra Red and Thermal Imaging Sights Interface, a 20 mm turret gun, 70 mm rocket pods, ATGM's and Air-to-Air Missiles. Total 27 are there, 20 with army aviation corps and 7 with IAF. 
 
In 2006, HAL announced its plan to design and build LCH. The Indian Air Force is to acquire 65 LCHs and Indian Army is to acquire 114 LCHs. It surpasses the Boeing AH 64-D Apache in terms of range(700kms) and service ceiling(6500mts), however when it comes to the terms of weapon system, it is more like the Eurocopter Tiger and AW 129 Mangusta. Given its service ceilings and range it is well suited for the mountainous terrains with the prospects of further developments. India will go for the full scale production of the HAL LCH's only after 2016 and the prototypes are being tested now. These improvements in the Indian defense manufacturing sector not only fits the “Make in India” program but also takes us a step closer towards the self-sufficiency in defense procurements. 
 
Image credits: Indiatimes (Representation Image)

Dusk and Dawn of the Indian Attack Helicopters

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's and India's navies have both received new aircraft carriers in recent weeks.</li><li>The Chinese carrier Fujian and the Indian flattop Vikrant are both domestically designed and built.</li></ul>On June 17, China officially launched its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-navy-growth-and-search-for-overseas-bases-worries-us-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newest and most advanced aircraft carrier</a>, Fujian.Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier and the first to be totally designed and built domestically. It symbolizes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-pentagon-maps-show-chinas-increasing-military-power-and-reach-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Chinese military's rapid expansion</a> and is seen as a potential rival to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-us-navy-aircraft-carriers-supercarriers-to-ford-class-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the US Navy's nuclear-powered supercarriers</a>.But China isn't the only Asian country getting a new carrier this year. In the final days of July, India's navy <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1845871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took delivery</a> of its new carrier, Vikrant.Vikrant is also domestically designed and built, and its arrival is a major milestone for India, which is Asia's second largest military power and shares a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amid-border-dispute-tensions-how-china-and-india-militaries-compare-2020-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long and contentious border</a> with China.In addition to their many improvements over their predecessors, both carriers are important firsts for their countries. It will be years before either is fully operational, but here's how the two flattops stack up.<h2>Fujian</h2><div type="image" title="China aircraft carrier Fujian" height="1338" width="2000" msid="93284323" hostid="261"></div>A Type 003-class carrier, Fujian is about 1,035 feet long and displaces about 80,000 tons fully loaded. This makes it slightly larger than its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-chinas-aircraft-carriers-compare-to-us-navy-flattops-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">predecessors</a>, the Type 001 Liaoning and Type 002 Shandong, which were about 1,000 feet long and displaced 60,000 to 70,000 tons.Liaoning is a Soviet-designed Kuznetsov-class carrier that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-chinese-navy-went-rogue-to-get-first-aircraft-carrier-2021-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China bought in 1998</a> and modified extensively before commissioning it into service in 2012. Shandong was based on Liaoning and entered service in 2019.All three of China's carriers use conventional engines <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-chinas-aircraft-carriers-compare-to-us-navy-flattops-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rather than nuclear reactors</a>, limiting the power they can generate and the time they can spend at sea.Among Fujian's upgrades is a command island that is <a href="https://twitter.com/louischeung_hk/status/1537402220303376388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1537402220303376388%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Fchina-launches-the-fujian-its-most-capable-aircraft-carrier-yet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slimmer and more refined</a> than those of its predecessors, freeing up space on the flight deck.The most striking change, however, is the replacement of the short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) system, and the ski-jump ramp it requires, used on both Liaoning and Shandong.Fujian has a completely flat deck and three catapults, reflecting China's effort to adopt the catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system used on US aircraft carriers.<div type="image" title="China aircraft carrier type 001a" height="844" width="1500" msid="93284324" hostid="261"></div>STOBAR allows jets to take off on shorter decks but limits how much fuel and weaponry they can carry when taking off. This is especially problematic for China, as the only fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft it has in service, the J-15, is already the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-chinas-j-15s-stack-up-against-us-fa-18s-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heaviest carrier-based fighter in service</a>.A CATOBAR system can launch jets with bigger payloads and more fuel. It can also launch larger aircraft, like those suited for airborne early warning and control.Parts of Fujian's flight deck were covered during the launch ceremony, obscuring its catapults, but they are believed to use an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) that can launch aircraft more efficiently and more frequently than steam-powered catapults.Until Fujian, the only carriers with EMALS were those of the US Navy's nuclear-powered <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-new-carrier-ford-ready-to-deploy-after-shock-trials-2022-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford-class</a>. Chinese sailors' unfamiliarity with the CATOBAR system and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-admiral-navy-too-much-new-tech-aircraft-carrier-ford-2021-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenges the US Navy has had with EMALS</a> suggest it will be some time before Fujian <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-new-aircraft-carrier-fujian-still-needs-long-testing-period-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reaches its full potential</a>.The exact size and makeup of the Fujian's air wing is still not known, but it is expected to be larger than the roughly 36 aircraft carried by both Liaoning and Shandong and to include J-15 fighters and Z-18 helicopters.In the future, Fujian's air wing may comprise <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/our-best-look-yet-at-chinas-j-35-carrier-capable-stealth-fighter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J-35 stealth fighters</a> (a naval version of the <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/the-fc-31-chinas-other-stealth-fighter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FC-31</a>), <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38680/this-is-our-best-look-yet-at-chinas-z-20f-seahawk-clone-toting-air-to-ground-missiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Z-20F</a> helicopters, and, thanks to EMALS, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/09/13/chinas-new-carrier-plane-is-more-than-a-hawkeye-clone/?sh=4164fbd517a5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KJ-600 airborne early-warning</a> aircraft and even <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/07/23/stealth-uavs-could-arm-chinas-type-076-assault-carrier/?sh=23b76c6e6f3d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carrier-based drones</a>.<h2>Vikrant</h2><div type="image" title="India aircraft carrier Vikrant" height="1100" width="1466" msid="93284325" hostid="261"></div>Vikrant was officially launched in 2013 and is expected to be commissioned on August 15, but it won't be India's first or only carrier.India had former British carriers in service from 1961 to 1997 and from 1987 to 2016, and <a href="https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ins-vikramaditya-aircraft-carrier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Vikramaditya</a>, a modified Kiev-class carrier purchased from Russia and commissioned in 2013, is the Indian navy's current flagship.At 860 feet long and with a full displacement of about 45,000 tons, Vikrant is the biggest warship India has ever constructed. It was designed and built by India's largest shipbuilder, Cochin Shipyard Limited, and 76% of its components were developed domestically, according to India's Defense Ministry.Vikrant is crewed by about 160 officers and 1,400 sailors and is powered by four gas turbines capable of generating 88 megawatts of power and of pushing it to a top speed of 28 knots. It can carry about 30 jets and helicopters, and like INS Vikramaditya, it uses a STOBAR system with a ski-jump ramp.<div type="image" title="India aircraft carrier Vikrant" height="742" width="990" msid="93284326" hostid="261"></div>Vikrant's initial air wing is expected to be made up of MiG-29Ks, the carrier version of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/combat-jets-russia-and-ukraine-are-using-in-ukraine-war-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Russian-made MiG-29</a>. The jet has served on INS Vikramaditya but its <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/12/28/the-indian-navys-mig-29s-keep-crashing-will-new-delhi-seek-a-replacement-fighter/?sh=510ac55c1b8c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor track record</a> has led India to seek 26 new carrier-based fighters — the finalists are Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation's Rafale-M.The F/A-18 has been the backbone of US Navy carrier aviation for decades, and Boeing has <a href="https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/07/f-a-18-super-hornet-completes-operational-demo-in-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demonstrated</a> its ability to operate on STOBAR decks in India. The Rafale-M has operated on the French aircraft carrier <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-frances-charles-de-gaulle-aircraft-carrier-is-no-joke-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles de Gaulle</a>, which uses catapults, and has been demonstrated <a href="https://www.spsnavalforces.com/features/?id=195&amp;h=Rafale-maritime-fighter-displays-ski-jump-capability" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on an Indian STOBAR system</a>. (India's air force already operates the Rafale.)India's <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/better-than-rafale-super-hornet-meet-indias-indigenous-tedbf-fighters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HAL twin-engine fighter</a> has also been proposed as an indigenous aircraft for Vikrant. The new carrier's air wing is likely to be rounded out by a mix of <a href="http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/kamov_ka31.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KA-31</a>, <a href="https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/MH-60R-Seahawk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MH-60R</a>, and <a href="http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/dhruv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HAL Dhruv</a> helicopters.INS Vikrant is expected to play a major part in boosting the Indian Navy's capabilities in the face of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-himalayan-clash-india-prepares-navy-to-take-on-china-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rising Chinese threat in the waters around India</a>.

Asia's 2 biggest militaries are both getting new aircraft carriers. Here's how China's and India's latest flattops stack up.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two fighter jets landed on and took off from India's new aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, this month.</li><li>The jets that landed on Vikrant may not be the jets that India uses on its carriers in the future.</li></ul>On February 6, the Indian Navy <a href="https://indiannavy.nic.in/content/maiden-landing-lca-navy-and-mig-29k-fighter-aircraft-onboard-ins-vikrant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that fixed-wing aircraft had successfully landed on and taken off from India's first domestically built aircraft carrier, <a href="https://www.naval-technology.com/features/ins-vikrant-a-profile-of-indias-newest-aircraft-carrier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Vikrant</a>.The jets involved were the naval variant of the Indian-made <a href="https://www.hotcars.com/underrated-hal-tejas-elevates-indian-air-force/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tejas</a> fighter, referred to as "LCA Navy" for "Light Combat Aircraft Navy" in the <a href="https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/1622585639664484352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a>, followed by a Russian-designed <a href="https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/1622594390945587201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1622594390945587201%7Ctwgr%5Ef439a694d93f6794ba5cd34d33c25d14cb5d70bf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aviacionline.com%2F2023%2F02%2Fnaval-tejas-and-mig-29k-tested-aboard-ins-vikrant-indias-new-aircraft-carrier%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MiG-29K</a>. Each jet landed using the carrier's arresting cable and then launched from the carrier's ski-jump ramp.The operations were the latest milestone in New Delhi's "Atmanirbhar Bharat," or "self-reliant India," initiative, which is meant to increase domestic production of military hardware.Adm. R. Hari Kumar, India's Chief of Naval Staff, said in a statement that the operations marked "a momentous step forward towards the realization of our collective vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat" and heralded the integration of the MiG-29K into the carrier's inventory.Vikrant's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-new-chinese-and-indian-aircraft-carriers-compare-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduction</a> and its first jet operations come at an important time for the Indian Navy, which is seeking to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-himalayan-clash-india-prepares-navy-to-take-on-china-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase its strength</a> to counter the growing threat from China.<h2>Indian carriers</h2><div type="image" title="India navy aircraft carrier INS Vikrant Tejas fighter jet" height="559" width="840" msid="98192314" hostid="261"></div>Though Vikrant is India's first domestically built carrier, it is actually <a href="https://pib.gov.in/FeaturesDeatils.aspx?NoteId=151135&amp;ModuleId%20=%202" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the fourth</a> to enter service with the Indian Navy. The first two, INS Vikrant (namesake of the current Vikrant) and INS Viraat, were both former British carriers in service with India from 1961 to 1997 and 1987 to 2017, respectively.The third carrier, <a href="https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ins-vikramaditya-aircraft-carrier/#:~:text=The%20ship%20also%20employs%20six,to%2045%20days%20at%20sea." target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Vikramaditya</a>, is a modified Kiev-class carrier India <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/india-wont-even-think-about-buying-russian-aircraft-carrier-again-196265" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purchased</a> from Russia in 2004. Commissioned in 2013, Vikramaditya brought with it the <a href="https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/mig-29k-carrier-based-multirole-fighter-aircraft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MiG-29K</a>, the carrier version of the famed MiG-29 fighter jet. The Indian Navy previously used the venerable <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/bae_sea_harrier.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sea Harrier</a>.At about 930 feet long, Vikramaditya displaces about 44,000 tons and can carry 36 aircraft, mainly MiG-29Ks and a combination of <a href="http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/kamov_ka31.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ka-31</a>, <a href="https://weaponsystems.net/system/1288-Kamov%20Ka-27PL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ka-28</a>, and <a href="http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/dhruv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HAL Dhruv</a> helicopters. It has a crew of 1,600, a top speed of 28 knots, and a range of about 7,000 nautical miles.Vikrant, meanwhile, measures about 860 feet in length, displaces around 43,000 tons, and can carry 30 aircraft. It has a crew of 1,500, a top speed of 28 knots, and a range of 7,500 nautical miles.<div type="image" title="India navy aircraft carrier INS Vikrant MiG-29K fighter jet" height="559" width="840" msid="98192315" hostid="261"></div>Both carriers use a short takeoff but arrested recovery, or STOBAR, system that launches aircraft off a ski-jump ramp rather than from deck-mounted catapults.INS Vikrant is expected to be ready for operations by the end of this year and INS Vikramaditya is expected to return this spring after an extensive 15-month refit. The newer carrier <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/aircraft-carrier-ins-vikramaditya-is-back-on-high-seas-101676775908275.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will reportedly</a> be based on India's East Coast and the older carrier on the West Coast.India's carriers have been extremely valuable for projecting power in the Indian Ocean, where New Delhi has long regarded itself as the most influential actor.Vikrant aided the annexation of Goa from Portugal in 1961 by deterring foreign intervention and was vital to the naval blockade of Bangladesh (then called East Pakistan) during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Viraat supported India's peacekeeping efforts in Sri Lanka and <a href="https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/041219/operation-talwar-how-the-navy-silently-contributed-to-kargil-win.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened to blockade</a> Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil War.<div type="image" title="INS Vikramaditya" height="826" width="1240" msid="98192319" hostid="261"></div>In recent years, Indian concerns have focused on China's increasing presence and activity in the Indian Ocean. China has deployed surface ships to conduct anti-piracy <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-navy-growth-and-search-for-overseas-bases-worries-us-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrols off the Horn of Africa</a> since 2008, and a Chinese submarine visit to Sri Lanka in 2014 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-border-clashes-could-cause-more-indian-ocean-activity-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised alarm in India</a>.Since then, Beijing has set up <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-chinese-troops-coexist-and-cooperate-in-djibouti-general-says-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a naval base in Djibouti</a> and pursued port projects — which are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-worried-about-chinese-activity-near-maritime-chokepoints-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seen as avenues to advance</a> Chinese economic, diplomatic, and potentially military influence — around the region, including a 99-year lease in Hambantota, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indias-concern-with-beijing-expansion-grows-with-sri-lanka-port-deal-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strategically located port</a> in southern Sri Lanka where India has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-military-survey-ship-docks-sri-lanka-port-2022-08-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longstanding concern</a> about Chinese military activity. A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-military-survey-ship-docks-sri-lanka-port-2022-08-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">port call</a> in Hambantota last year by a Chinese tracking vessel raised alarm in India about spying missions off its coasts.By adding carriers — Indian officials are already <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-navy-plans-for-another-vikrant-size-carrier-before-vikramaditya-retires/article66529445.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considering</a> buying another Vikrant-size carrier — India's navy can keep them at sea off of both its coasts and around the region in order to monitor activity and potential threats from China's navy, the largest in the world.More carriers would also help India maintain its naval advantage over its longtime rival, Pakistan.<h2>Indian jets</h2><div type="image" title="India navy aircraft carrier INS Vikrant Tejas fighter jet" height="364" width="840" msid="98192320" hostid="261"></div>Though the Tejas and MiG-29K are the first jets India has operated on Vikrant's deck, they are not jets that India plans to use in the carrier's air wing in the future.In 2016, the Indian Navy <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/navy-rejects-tejas-says-overweight-fighter-does-not-meet-its-requirements/articleshow/55756350.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rejected</a> the naval variant of the Tejas because its single-engine design gives it a low thrust-to-weight ratio, making it unable to launch from a STOBAR carrier with a full load of fuel and weapons. The jet is only being used as a technology demonstrator to inform future operations and development.The MiG-29K, meanwhile, has been <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/land/2017/08/04/indian-navy-wants-russian-mig-29k-jets-to-be-ruggedized/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a headache</a> for India. At least five of the 45 jets it has purchased have <a href="https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/indian-navy-reports-crash-of-fifth-mig-29k-in-four-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crashed</a> in the last four years. A 2016 <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/mig-29k-has-engine-failure-airframe-issues-cag-report-271853" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by the Indian government said 40 of the 65 MiG-29K engines delivered to India had been withdrawn from service or rejected because of defects and deficiencies.<div type="image" title="Indian navy MiG-29 fighter jet aircraft carrier INS Vikrant" height="1331" width="2000" msid="98192322" hostid="261"></div>Like the rest of India's military, the Navy is dependent on Russia for major maintenance and support, including Russian technicians and spare parts, which may soon <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-technology-business-india-europe-8c2974119783b455f68fdcca6a7b474f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">be in much shorter supply</a> given the toll the war in Ukraine <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/07/21/ukraine-russia-arms-business-weapons-exports-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has taken on Russia's defense industry</a>.That reliance is exactly what Atmanirbhar Bharat aims to undo. Although the LCA Navy was rejected, India still has plans for a domestically produced carrier-based fighter. That jet, the Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter, or TEDBF, is <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/twin-engine-carrier-based-fighter-for-navy-could-be-inducted-by-2031-32/article66124792.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in the early stages</a> of development and is intended to replace India's MiG-29Ks around 2031.India is also looking to acquire 26 new carrier-borne aircraft from another country to use until the TEDBF arrives. The search narrowed to two models: the French-made Dassault Rafale M and the US-made Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet.India's air force already operates the Rafale, leading to <a href="https://www.aviacionline.com/2023/01/india-rafale-m-beat-out-super-hornet-as-the-navys-favorite-for-carrier-operations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that the Rafale M will edge out the Super Hornet.

A first-of-its-kind fighter jet landing shows India's big ambitions for its growing aircraft carrier fleet

<ul><li>The DefExpo kicks off tomorrow and it will be teaming with 1,000 companies from 40 countries around the world. </li><li>It will be an opportunity for domestic firms to find international partners to boost their technological capabilities. </li><li>According to Sameer Patil, an international security expert with GatewayHouse, India’s Armed Forces prefer to import equipment because domestic products either don’t meet their requirement or are of inferior quality. </li></ul>As <keyword id="8154465" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="DefExpo-2020">DefExpo 2020</keyword> is all set to kick off tomorrow, the many foreign players who will arrive for it, will bank on Indian love for imported equipment. Despite the push for ‘Make in India’, <keyword id="112134" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Armed-Forces">Indian Armed Forces</keyword> prefer to purchase high-quality products from global majors. “The DefExpo 2020 would provide a unique platform for defence industry OEMs, exhibitors and private industry to display their latest innovations and capabilities,” said defence minister <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh">Rajnath Singh</a>. According to him, over 1,000 companies from 40 different countries are scheduled to be present at the five-day event. However, the theme of the event is ‘Digital Transformation of Defence’ — an area where domestic firms don’t excel. “We have defence industrial capacity but our defence industrial capacity is not geared towards high-tech items but low-tech items, which doesn’t require complex expertise,” Sameer Patil, an international security expert with Mumbai-based think tank Gateway House told Business Insider India. An opportunity for foreign players to bag big deals India’s short-term requirements are mostly off-the-shelf items that foreign defence firms are already producing. The Armed Forces don’t favour picking up these items at home because homegrown products normally don’t live up to the hype. “The armed forces are saying that they would prefer imports rather than rely on the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop the equipment because sometimes it's of inferior quality and sometimes it doesn’t meet the requirements of the Armed Forces,” explained Patil. For instance, the Navy rejected the Naval Light Combat Aircraft — or Tejas — developed by the DRDO and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) because it was ‘overweight’. It’s size made it difficult to operate the aircraft from a carrier. However, the Tejas took nearly four decades to make in India. Regardless of the rejection, HAL is pursuing the project. The government’s military equipment manufacturing arm also saw tough times when the Dhruv helicopter crash instigated return-and-refund requests from Ecuador and the Maldives. The Navy also wanted an upgrade over the Dhruv helicopter. It applied to buy new naval utility helicopters with foldable rotor blades. However, HAL <a href="https://www.defencenews.in/article/MoD-expert-rejects-foreign-helicopter,-HAL-says-Dhruv-is-suitable-808920">argued</a> that its own design was robust enough and that it could develop foldable blades on its own over the next two to three years. An opportunity for domestic firms to tie up with foreign players When HAL first partnered with United Aircraft Corporation to manufacture the Sukhoi Su-57, the government expected a transfer of technology. “But because there was no planning or management culture in defence at that time, no one bothered to absorb those technical skills,” explained Patil. However, history is trying to correct itself. Tata, for example, already has a tie-up with Lockheed Martin to build F-16 wings and the F-21 fighter jet. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Larsen &amp; Toubro (L&amp;T) have also signed a pact to develop and manufacture defence products. “Because the private sector is more efficient, there is an expectation that they will absorb those tech skills. Given a chance, they can come up with indigenous equipment,” said Patil. However, defence indigenisation doesn’t happen overnight. According to Patil, it takes at least two decades to get the ball rolling and see visible results. Its realisation will mean catering to India’s medium and long term requirements for weaponry that isn’t available off the shelf — like robotic technologies. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/news/defexpo-2020-will-have-france-russia-south-korea-israel-us-and-african-countries-wooing-indias-defence-sector-for-partnerships/articleshow/73903166.cms">DefExpo 2020 will have France, Russia, South Korea, Israel, US, and African countries wooing India’s defence sector for partnerships</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-will-be-picking-up-ai-enabled-military-tech-from-south-korea-at-the-defexpo-2020/articleshow/73933364.cms">India will be picking up AI-enabled military tech from South Korea at the DefExpo 2020</a>

DefExpo 2020 will be an opportunity for domestic defence companies to prove their might to woo foreign firms

Since the launch of ‘<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>’ program, considerable thrust has been given to <keyword id="2377476" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="defence-manufacturing">defence manufacturing</keyword>. Transformation from being one of the largest importers of arms into a credible defence equipment manufacturer takes a lot. 
 
Country’s defence spending is expected to go beyond USD 600 billion by 2022 and every private company indulged into defence manufacturing wants a pie of that, especially when USD 150 billion of contracts are there to be awarded within a few years. 
 
Current scenario of Imports: 
 
 
 
 
Some of the Indian Companies in Defence Sector: 
· Mazagon Dock Ltd 
· Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd 
· Mahindra Defence Systems with Bae Systems &amp; Seabird Aviation (Private Player) 
· Rolta ( A Private Player) 
· Tata Advanced Systems with Boeing,Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation &amp; Israeli Aerospace Industries 
· Ashok Leyland ( Private Player) 
· Bharat Dynamics Ltd 
· Bharat Earth Movers Ltd 
· Bharat Electronics Ltd ( BEL) 
· Bharat Forge 
· Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) 
· Garden Reach Shipbuilders &amp; Engineers Ltd 
· Goa Shipyard Ltd 
· HCL with Boeing &amp; Circore Aerospace Inc (Private Player) 
· Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd ( HAL) 
· Reliance Defence 
 
Defence Manufacturing, Exports and its future: 
 
Indian exports are negligible when it comes to the total market share on a global level. India has exported defence equipment to 22 countries over last one year, including UK, US, Israel and Russia. India exported forging equipment, electronic assemblies, flight panel controls to the US. 
 
India exported transmitting tubes to UK and MIG &amp; Sukhoi 30 aircraft spares and services to Russia. India’s major exports included Cheetal helicopters to Afghanistan, Dhruv helicopters and bulletproof jackets to Nepal, Sukhoi avionics and MIG spares to Malaysia, offshore petrol vessels and ammunition to Mauritius and Jaguar aircrafts and spares to Oman. 
 
Indian private players are looking for foreign partners as the foreign direct investment in defence sector is pushed up to 49%. Reliance defence had signed a manufacturing and maintenance deal potentially worth $6 billion with Russia's Almaz-Antey, the maker of an air defence system. Apart from the Akash air defence system, the government had cleared the purchase of five S-400 air defence systems that are estimated to cost about $4.5 billion. 
 
Similarly kalyani group tied up with Rafael of Israel to make Spike Anti-tank missiles for the Indian military. 
 
Indian private players are still far away from accessing the key sensitive technologies related to fighter aircrafts and nuclear submarines however they are approaching fast by the virtue of transfer of technology and domestic manufacturing set-up under the make in India program. What must is to invest heavily in R&amp;D facilities along with the collaboration of key government institutions like DRDO with the private partners. Incoming demands for defence equipment is heavy and it should only be fulfilled by boosting the manufacturing process along with minimum government interference and a feasible policy framework. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

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