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India’s plan to develop its own fighter jet engine, which had hit a hurdle, may come true. 
 A $2-million consultancy agreement has been finalised with leading French defence manufacturer Safran, which will help India in reviving the <keyword id="3903760" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kaveri-project">Kaveri project</keyword> that was stalled in 2014. 
 
The Kaveri project came to a halt after the Kaveri gas turbine engine developed for combat planes and unmanned aircraft was unable to provide the required power thrust. 
 
As per the French company, around 25-30% more work is required for the Kaveri engine to be combat-worthy. 
 
As reported by ET in July, France has offered a 1-billion euro investment to revive the project. Several rounds of discussions have already taken place since January between Safran, which has developed the M88 engines for Rafale, and Indian developers. 
 
Apart from the initial consultancy fees, India may not need to spend on development as the French side has proposed to make the Kaveri flight-worthy within 18 months for integration into the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by 2020.

India will start developing its own fighter jet engine now, thanks to France

India will build the next <keyword id="42406" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="aircraft-carrier">aircraft carrier</keyword> and the <keyword id="104855" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Light-Combat-Aircraft">Light Combat Aircraft</keyword> jet engine with the help of US technology, reported the Economic Times. The decision came after the visit of US <keyword id="193102" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="defence-secretary">Defence Secretary</keyword> <keyword id="1721187" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ash-Carter">Ash Carter</keyword>. As both countries prepare for a September round of dialogue in Washington DC, India is going to send a team to the US to speed up the process on manufacturing the aircraft carrier and the Light Combat Aircraft jet engine. 

	The agenda has been set in the two summits held in September and January, but the key will be checking off the ambitious bucket list of projects.
 This will be the first strategic dialogue to be held in the new 2+2 format, including the foreign and commerce ministers. From the US side, it will be <keyword id="112421" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="John-Kerry">John Kerry</keyword> and <keyword id="946090" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Penny-Pritzker">Penny Pritzker</keyword>, commerce secretary, rather than <keyword id="126957" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Michael-Froman">Michael Froman</keyword> their chief trade negotiator, who is generally believed to take a dim view of India and its trade practices. 

	The US and India are also expected to take forward earlier agreements on smart cities, which is likely to get priority.
 Moreover, India-US relations will be tested this year over climate change as the Paris climate change summit, COP 21 looms. India will be under unprecedented pressure to declare ambitious emission targets. Climate change is a legacy issue for <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword> and he's expected to push hard. 

	India is also scheduled to enter the US' Global Entry program, which is a pre-approval of immigration procedures for travelers to the US. This was agreed during the Indian prime minister’s visit to the US last year. However, the Indian system is yet to collate criminal data records digitally and online, which is a pre-requisite for entering such a programme.
 

	With the NDA government prioritizing "ease of doing business" rules, sources say they are spending a lot of time with investors and private sector to get a better idea of how to simplify processes in India, which are one of the biggest impediments to domestic and foreign business.
 

	But the two countries continue to struggle to find common ground on IPR issues where India is expected to continue to take a diplomatic beating. 
	 
	(Image: Indiatimes)

Boost to Indo-US ties! India to apply US technology to manufacture aircraft carrier

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/StringerA Dassault Rafale combat aircraft performs during the inauguration ceremony of Aero India 2013 at Yelahanka air force station near Bangalore, February 6, 2013.</div></div></div><ul><li>India is phasing out some of its main combat aircraft.</li><li> The country's air force is looking to buy more than 100 new fighters.</li><li>India has been trying to modernize and expand its armed forces for some time, with an eye on countering threats from its neighbors.</li></ul> India is looking to make a multibillion-dollar <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> deal to secure more than 100 fighter aircraft, according to a request for information issued on Friday.According to the <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:61I3ZWXJr8UJ:www.indianairforce.nic.in/sites/default/files/RFI_Fighter_Aircraft.pdf+&amp;cd=1&amp;hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&amp;gl=us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">request</a>, the aircraft are to be day- and night-capable, all-weather multirole combat aircraft that can fulfill air-superiority, air-defense, and air-to-surface roles, as well as carry out reconnaissance and maritime operations.The notice stipulates that 75% of the 110 fighters are to be single-seat aircraft and the rest twin-seaters. India is looking to buy 15% of the aircraft in a fly-away state and to produce the other 85% in India under the Make in India program.The first aircraft would need to arrive within three years of signing the contract, which could be worth up to $15 billion and be the world's largest fighter aircraft deal, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/india-seeks-to-buy-110-locally-manufactured-fighter-aircraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Bloomberg.Vendors have until July 6 to submit responses to the RFI, and the Indian air force wants to issue a formal request for proposals within six to 12 months of getting those responses, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/20-billion-defence-project-india-kicks-off-process-to-procure-110-fighter-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/63646424.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Times of India.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Wikimedia CommonsIndian Air Force MiG-27.</div></div></div>For the past several years, India has been looking to upgrade and modernize its armed forces, partly in response to what it sees as growing risks posed by neighbors Pakistan and China. New Delhi is already looking to increase its maritime capabilities by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-to-buy-submarines-amid-china-naval-activity-in-the-indian-ocean-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquiring more submarines</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-more-us-made-sub-hunting-planes-2018-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced sub-hunting patrol planes</a>.Ten existing squadrons of India's Russia-made MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighters are scheduled for <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/20-billion-defence-project-india-kicks-off-process-to-procure-110-fighter-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/63646424.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">retirement by 2022</a>, and the country's air force and navy need to acquire <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/india-seeks-to-buy-110-locally-manufactured-fighter-aircraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up to 400</a> single- and double-engine aircraft, the government has said.The air force wants to accelerate acquisition in order to build up its fighter squadrons, of which <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/20-billion-defence-project-india-kicks-off-process-to-procure-110-fighter-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/63646424.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it now has 31</a>, each with 18 planes. It sees 42 or more squadrons as necessary to fight a two-front war.India began looking for new fighters in 2007. That search led to the Indian government picking Dassault Aviation to supply <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/india-seeks-to-buy-110-locally-manufactured-fighter-aircraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">126 Rafale jets</a> for $11 billion. But that deal stalled and was cancelled in 2015. The Indian government instead elected to import 36 Rafale jets, which <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/20-billion-defence-project-india-kicks-off-process-to-procure-110-fighter-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/63646424.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will arrive</a> between 2019 and 2022.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomson ReutersPrime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration ceremony for "Make In India" week in Mumbai, February 13, 2016.</div></div></div>The latest request for information is a revision of an earlier request that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the air force to expand in order to include twin-engine aircraft and attracted high-profile weapons manufacturers, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-23/india-is-said-to-mull-expanding-scope-of-fighter-aircraft-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in February.India has had contentious relations with China, particularly along the two countries' shared border.Disputes there have led to conflicts in the past, and in summer 2017 New Delhi and Beijing clashed in a months-long standoff around an area called the Doklam, or Donglang, near China's and India's borders with Bhutan.That showdown eased in late August, but both sides still have military personnel stationed there. In the months since, India has <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2134346/china-boosts-air-defences-western-region-indian-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deployed</a> Su-30 MKI combat aircraft to airbases in the region. In February, China <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/china-shows-air-force-direct-challenge-india-military-power-asia-814896" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent</a> J-10 and J-11 fighters to Tibet, which borders India, after exercises that Chinese commentators <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/china-shows-air-force-direct-challenge-india-military-power-asia-814896" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked</a> to the recent tensions.The aircraft deployed to Tibet were less advanced than the aircraft China has sent on patrols over the South China Sea, indicating China's priorities."Sending these jets to different theatre commands shows that the major focus of China's military is still the east, with the United States being the main rival. The threat from India comes second in China's military priority," Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military expert, <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2134346/china-boosts-air-defences-western-region-indian-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told South China Morning Post</a>. "But of course China made sure the new jets it deployed were better than India's." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-new-mig-35-fighter-jet-airraft-military-defense-jets-2017-6">Watch Russia's newest fighter jet in action - the MiG-35</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

India is beefing up its military as tensions rise with China and Pakistan - and now it wants to buy more than 100 fighter jets

India will finally develop its own stealth combat drones or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=UCAV">UCAV</a>s (unmanned combat aerial vehicles). These drones can fire missiles and head back home. 
 
Sources said the government might approve a Rs 2,650 Crore <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Project+Ghatak">Project Ghatak</a> which has been cleared by the defense ministry. The project is apparently being evaluated by an expert committee set up by the finance ministry. Once approved, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Project+Ghatak">Project Ghatak</a> will be placed before the cabinet committee on security for the final nod. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Project+Ghatak">Project Ghatak</a> is based on the earlier AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme sanctioned in 2009 at a cost of mere Rs 12.50 Crore. The goal there was to carry out a ‘conceptual and feasibility study’. The Minister of State for Defence <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rao+Inderjit+Singh">Rao Inderjit Singh</a> told Parliament earlier this month that the project was successfully completed in April 2013 within the schedule. 
 <keyword id="6355142" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="DRDO">DRDO</keyword> and IAF have now launched <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Project+Ghatak">Project Ghatak</a> to build an aerial vehicle that weighs lesser than a fighter jet. The <keyword id="616608" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="UCAV">UCAV</keyword> will take at least a decade to become fully-operational. 
 
Interestingly, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=UCAV">UCAV</a> is expected to be powered by a ‘52-kilonewton dry variant’ of the indigenously-developed Kaveri aerospace engine, which could not be fitted into the Tejas light combat aircraft. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

India will have its own stealth combat drones…but in a
decade! *Sigh*

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Over the last decade or so, the US military has grown extremely proficient in various types of warfare. From aerial dogfights to close-quarters combat, servicemembers have grown accustomed to the warfare that's more or less depicted in contemporary movies and video games. Sometimes, however, it's a good idea to go back to one's roots and train in weapons that aren't typically found on the modern-day battlefield. One of these had been invented&#xa0;over&#xa0;a century ago, and is still in service today.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Initially <a href="http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=911" target="_blank">developed</a> by the British Army in Bangalore, India shortly before World War I, the bangalore torpedo is an explosive charge packed into one or several connected metal tubes. As a solution for clearing paths through wire obstacles and heavy undergrowth, this unique explosive saw use during both World Wars as a way for infantrymen to clear barbed wire and other metal obstructions.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The 5-feet of tubing provides combat engineers not only a safer distance from its time-fuzed detonation, but also a longer blast radius. Upon detonation, the tube itself fragments and is able to shred bits of wire or booby traps for servicemembers to cross through. This <a href="http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/_pages/research/munitions.shtml" target="_blank">20-meter blast radius</a> also strikes the perfect balance for those who were short on detonation cord and those who needed to get behind cover in a hurry.&#xa0;Although this method of basic breaching hasn't seen much action in combat these days, the US military has been making <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht2_tvELeaM" target="_blank">efforts</a> to implement a more robust action-plan that includes the usage of bangalores for their combat engineers.Footage from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0rxfazM1VA" target="_blank">BBC</a> shows&#xa0;what it looks like in action:<div><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/l46Ccu9zTXQ2Ph4Fq">via GIPHY</a></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-sailors-marines-swim-call-oceans-military-2016-7">This video proves the US Navy and US Marine Corps have the best diving boards and swimming pools</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NidGlrNDE61SKhlt3V3izuh5Qq1I4VY8" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

This unknown explosive has been helping troops for over 100 years

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Russias-SU-35-Mystery-Fighter-No-More-04969/">DID</a></div>After trying to buy the Sukhoi SU-35 fighter jet since the 1990s, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2013/03/25/after-a-decade-long-wait-china-and-russia-ink-super-jet-military-deal/?partner=yahootix">China is finally getting 24 of them</a> along with four submarines from Moscow, Forbes reports.
The Russians finally warmed up to the deal (which was trimmed from an order for 48), marking the first big <keyword id="6359526" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Military">military</keyword> equipment purchase between the two nations in over a decade.
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2013/03/25/after-a-decade-long-wait-china-and-russia-ink-super-jet-military-deal/?partner=yahootix">From Forbes</a>:
The Russians are said to have more confidence that <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> can’t copy their engines, and are also said to need the SU-35 orders because <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword>’s <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> Department is ordering follow-on buys of new upgraded Sukhoi SU-35s instead.
The deals raised concern among some regional defense players — namely India.
The new acquisitions seem to be just the beginning for military cooperation, with plans for even more bullets and bombs down the line. 
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21930280">BBC News reports</a>:
"The Su-35 fighters can effectively reduce pressure on China's air defence before Chinese-made stealth fighters come online," the People's Daily was quoted as saying.
It said the two countries were expected to co-operate further in developing military technology - including for S-400 long-range anti-aircraft missiles, 117S large thrust engines, IL-476 large transport aircraft and IL-78 aerial tankers.
But they aren't just giving weapons to China. It seems, however, that Moscow is playing all sides in arming its neighbors. As UPI reports, there's a huge aerospace exhibition happening in Malaysia this week, with the goal of bringing on more Asian nations as customers, which already account for 43 percent of Russia's military sales.
<a href="http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2013/03/26/Russia-goes-all-out-at-Malaysia-exhibition/UPI-25271364312131/?spt=hs&amp;or=si">From UPI</a>:
Rosoboronexport is featuring an interactive display system at this year's event to show advanced defense products such as the Su-35 multirole fighter, the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft, Mi-28NE combat helicopter, Mi-35M combat transport helicopter, Ka-52 combat reconnaissance-and-attack helicopter, Mi-26T heavy-lift helicopter, Gepard-3.9 frigate, and Project 14310 Mirazh and Project 12200 Sobol patrol boats.
Rosoboronexport is also spotlighting its latest air defense/anti-missile systems. Among them: the Antey-2500, Buk-M2E, Tor-M2E, Igla-S missile systems and Pantsir-S1 gun-missile system.
As correspondents at BBC <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21930280">point out,</a> Russia and China "are trying to counterbalance American military dominance."
The Russian-made jet will join a fleet that includes China's own J-20 stealth fighter, a fifth-generation aircraft that <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/china-denies-stealth-fighter-j-20s-technology-was-stolen-258981">some believe came from technology</a> stolen from a downed U.S. fighter.

Russia Is Selling More And More Weapons To Asia

Pakistan and China’s diplomatic brotherhood is once again in focus. And this time Pakistan has put forward an order of its JF-17 'Thunder' fighter. The lethal fighter jet might give the Indian Air Force (IAF) a bit of nightmare, given India's home-grown light combat aircraft <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Tejas-A-Rs-50000-crore-bird-for-India/articleshow/27650203.cms">Tejas</a> will take another year to become fully combat-ready, confirms a news report by The Economic Times. 
 
Tejas has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Indo-Russian-5th-Generation-Fighter-Aircraft-program-Delays-and-the-possible-outcomes/articleshow/47655536.cms">a much delayed project for IAF</a> since many years. Tejas Mark-II, with a more powerful engine, is likely to need a strong infusion of foreign collaboration if the first prototype has to take to the skies by 2018-19 as per already much-revised deadlines, informs the ET report. 
 
"Tejas Mark-II is still on the drawing board, with only the preliminary design review being completed till now. The critical design review is far off," a source told the ET. 
 
This has become a cause of major concern, since IAF is down to just 35 fighter squadrons, when at least 44 are needed to handle a "collusive threat" from Pakistan and China. Moreover, only half of the fighters in the 35 squadrons are operationally available at any given point of time due to obsolescence, poor serviceability and maintenance. 
 
Even if the ongoing commercial negotiation to directly acquire 36 expensive twin-engine Rafale fighters - IAF is pushing for double that number – has been sealed within a month, it will take well over two years for the deliveries of the French jets to begin. 
 
With older MiG-21s and MiG-27s being progressively retired, the single-engine Tejas is needed fast to make up for the fall in numbers. But it will get the final operational clearance (FOC) only by mid-2016 now, missing the revised December 2015 deadline set for it earlier. The FOC basically implies the jet is now capable of firing guns, rockets, laser-guided bombs and BVR (beyond visual range) missiles as well as undergo mid-air refuelling. 
 
IAF, DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency are now getting set to seek the Cabinet Committee on Security's approval for the initial design and development phase for AMCA. The plan is to conduct the first flight of the twin-engine AMCA, with advanced stealth, super-cruise capability, super-maneuverability and multi-sensor integration, by 2023-2024, as was earlier reported by TOI. 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-indian-pakistani-troops-exchange-gunfire-not-sweets-on-eid-2015-7?IR=T">While Pakistan is almost everyday violating the ceasefire and even the day of Eid</a> marked a violent exchange of bullets, the delay in procurement of high profile fighter jet remaining in question is a serious concern. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

​Pakistan is importing fighter jets while Indian Tejas is still on drawing board

Kochi, Apr 17 () A startup at Maker Village Kochihas developed a drone supported with artificial intelligence(AI) that can help combat COVID-19 by monitoring bodytemperature, supplying essential commodities and sprayingdisinfectants. The unmanned 'Garud' has been designed andengineered by AI Aerial Dynamics at the Maker Village, claimedto be India's largest electronic hardware incubator and ESDMfacility. The integrated solution was developed fullyleveraging globally-benchmarked labs and equipment besidesproduct development software solutions available at MakerVillage. The indigenously-made drone is highly efficientand effective than those currently imported from othercountries, where the applicable payload is lower than that ofGarud and the option for customization is not possible,officials said here on Friday. Garud can monitor roads and bylanes besidesresidential pockets and aerodromes that have been locked downacross the country since March 25 in an effort to check thespread of coronavirus that is posing a global threat to humanlife. Already, Kerala Police are using the drones toensure the efficacy of the shutdown. Also, the aerial vehicle can collect thermal databy using an array of IR sensors and advanced digitaltechnology called EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSMEvolution), thus working as a means to combat the pandemic,according to a statement issued by the Maker Village. The vehicle can collect swabs and samples ofpeople for the virus test. It has the capacity to carry weight up to 60 kg,thus facilitating distribution of even essential commoditiesif there is an exigency. Further, Garud can feature a modern sprayer whichcan be used to shower disinfectants from above. It has also a loudspeaker for public announcements,according to AI Aerial Dynamics founder-CEO Vishnu V Nath. "Besides the AI-supported engine, the fully-automated Garud has a high-resolution camera, a facility tocarry weight, a micro-sprayer and thermal scanner. The visuals it generates can zoom into specifics withcentimeter-level accuracy.The images it captures will besimultaneously saved in the operating unit on the ground,"Nath said. "If the vehicle loses range or exhausts battery(capacity: 150 minutes), it will fly down to the point oftake-off." The UAV uses a hybrid engine for its flight.The 2016-founded Maker Village, which functionsat the Integrated Startup Complex near here, is a jointinitiative of Union Ministry of Electronics and InformationTechnology and the Government of Kerala with IIITM-K inThiruvananthapuram as the nodal agency. IA Aerial Dynamics is also developing drones forthe NPOL lab of DRDO and other defence establishments. The drone is capable of adapting to requirementssince it has been developed indigenously. "Its capability to fly with a load weighing as muchas 60 kg is one instance of how Garud has an edge over itscounterparts in other countries," Nath added. The UAV, with its high payload, unique platformfor integration of sensors and provisions such as sanitizerand pickup mechanism besides the AI engine, makes the solutiona one-of-its kind in combating the pandemic and similarapplications in disaster management. The vehicle was widely used for relief activitiesduring the flood in the year 2019. A state-of-the-art lab in Maker Village enabled IAAerial Dynamics to conceive and engineer the prototype forGarud, Nath said. "That is how we could so quickly launch the productin the market," he pointed out. Maker Village, which is emerging as the largestand the best deep-tech innovation platform in the country, isimplementing various innovation and entrepreneurshipdevelopment programmes with Ministry of Defence, Department ofScience and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Ministryof MSME, apart from the flagship ESDM scheme with UnionMinistry of Electronics and Information Technology, accordingto the statement. TGB BNWELCOME BNWELCOME

Startup in Kerala develops drone with AI to combat COVID-19

The relationship between India and the US went a notch higher and it resulted in some path-breaking results. 
 
The talks between Indian <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=manohar+parrikar&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar</a> and US Defence Secretary <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ashton+carter&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Ashton Carter</a> in Goa last week laid the ground for a path-breaking partnership between the two countries. 
 
Under the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Defence+Technology+and+Trade+Initiative+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Defence Technology and Trade Initiative</a> (DTTI) with the US, India will soon get home the technology for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=fighter+jets&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">fighter jet engines</a> and will also build them within the next one year. 
 
Talks are already underway for setting up state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for fighter jets in India by top US companies, a move that will benefit India both economically and strategically. 
 
A manufacturing facility for the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=F16+jets&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">F-16 aircrafts</a> or the F/A18 super hornet jet fighters is an initiative that was discussed between India and the US under the DTTI, sources revealed. 
 
Both the US fighter jet makers-Lockheed Martin and Boeing-have expressed keen interest to set up manufacturing facilities in line with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">PM Narendra Modi</a> government’s “<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=make+in+india&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Make in India</a>” initiative. 
 
Highly placed sources revealed that a top-level team from Boeing held detailed discussions with senior defence ministry brass on the issue on April 12, the final day of Carter’s visit to India. 
 
The Indian defence establishment, sources said, has been keen to go for the twin-engine F/A 18 super hornets (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=boeing&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Boeing</a>) over the F-16 single engine jets by Lockheed Martin after the indigenously developed Tejas light combat aircraft. 
 
“We have decided to take forward discussions under DTTI more aggressively on key areas such as Jet Engine technology. We will also continue our very useful and productive discussions on cooperation in the framework of the Joint Working Group on aircraft carriers,” Parrikar told a media gathering. 
 “Both of us noted the strong complementarities between DTTI and the <keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword> initiative….I hope to work together with Secretary Carter over the coming weeks and months to facilitate synergies between Indian and US companies in high technology areas, and in particular to promote participation of Indian companies in global supply chains,” Parrikar said. 
 
For India, having a manufacturing facility for fighter jets means creation of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=skilled+jobs&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">skilled jobs</a> besides creating an ecosystem for components, sub-systems and spare supplies. 
 
“What will add to India’s strategic advantage would be that once you have manufacturing line in India, the same can be used for exporting to third countries,” said a senior bureaucrat. 
 
“With the aim of encouraging greater participation of US defence industry in the Make-In-India program of the government of India, Raksha Mantri Parrikar informed Secretary Carter about the recently announced Defence Procurement Policy and other reforms in the Indian defence sector. Both sides agreed to encourage their respective defence industries to develop new partnerships in the pursuit of a range of cutting-edge projects. In support of Make in India, the United States shared two proposals to bolster India's suite of fighter aircraft for consideration of the Government of India,” the joint Indo-US statement said. 
 
​(Anupama Airy is the Founder and Editor of EnergyInfraPost.com and DefenceAviationPost.com. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:anupama.airy@gmail.com" target="_blank">anupama.airy@gmail.com</a>​, Twitter handle: @anupamaairy) 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Sign of warming India-US ties? India to soon manufacture F-16 fighter jets

NEW DELHI: When the <keyword id="6376012" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tejas">Tejas</keyword> light combat aircraft tears into the sky over Bangalore on Friday, its sonic boom will finally herald a major milestone in the long, tortuous developmental saga of the homegrown supersonic fighter. 
 Having clocked almost 2,420 flight tests since its prototype first flew in January 2011, the lightweight multirole Tejas fighter will finally zoom past the initial operational clearance (<keyword id="6354733" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IOC">IOC</keyword>) mark on Friday. For long wary of <keyword id="508910" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="The-Fighter">the fighter</keyword> being prematurely thrust down its throat, even the IAF will clap this time. 
 "This Tejas Mark-I is much better than a MiG-21 'Bison' on several counts, including weapon-carrying capability and range. But the fighter's full capabilities will emerge only in the Tejas Mark-II version, with a more powerful engine, radar and weapons, which is slated to be ready by December 2018," said a top <keyword id="194542" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IAF-officer">IAF officer</keyword>. 
 But that is in the future. Friday will mark the actual IOC - which basically signifies the fighter is fully airworthy in different conditions, from extremely low temperatures of high-altitude areas to the searing heat of deserts - of the Tejas Mark-I. It will not be the specious one that the combine of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), <keyword id="139969" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aeronautical-Development-Agency">Aeronautical Development Agency</keyword> (ADA) and <keyword id="139970" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Ltd">Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd</keyword> (HAL) passed off as IOC-I in January 2011. 
 
 
 
The Tejas Mark-I fighter, however, will be ready to go to battle only in 2015 once it gets the final operational clearance (FOC), after integration of all weapons and other systems to ensure it can fi re 23mm guns, rockets and BVR (beyond visual range) missiles as well as undergo air-to-air refuelling. As of now, the Tejas can let loose only close-range R-73 air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground laser and unguided bombs. 
 It's a no-brainer that India needs to have its own <keyword id="6500558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indigenous">indigenous</keyword> fighter in an era where the supremacy of airpower in shaping modern-day battles is unquestioned, and foreign imports can be choked in times of emergencies. 
 But the way the LCA project has meandered over the years, since it was fi rst approved in August 1983 at a paltry cost of Rs 560 crore to replace the ageing MiG-21s, has tested everyone's patience. So much so that TOI in April 2003, just before then PM <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> named it "Tejas", had suggested it be christened "Jet-Ayu" - 'Ayu' being the Hindi word for age, and 'Jatayu', the bird king who fought Ravana in vain to prevent him from abducting Sita. 
 
Down to just 34 fighter squadrons, IAF is of course still fl ying the obsolete MiG-21s. Due to the huge delay in the LCA project, it still has around 250 MiG-21s in its combat fleet, having further staggered their already long-delayed retirement by at least another five years. Not only has the LCA been in the making for 30 years, with deadlines being missed time and again, its overall developmental cost has also zoomed up to Rs 17,269 crore. This includes the Kaveri aero engine, sanctioned in 1989 at a cost of Rs 2,839 crore, which flopped miserably. 
 Consequently, while the first lot of Tejas will be powered by the American <keyword id="45528" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="GE">GE</keyword>-404 engines, the Mark-II ones will have the more powerful GE F-414 engines. Over and above the developmental cost, each Tejas will cost around Rs 210-250 crore. So, the induction of 160 Tejas - 120 for IAF, 40 for Navy - will cost another Rs 35,000 crore. 
 
However, defence scientists pooh-pooh all this talk of high costs. 
 "A fourth-generation-plus fighter, Tejas will still be among the cheapest fighters in its class in the world. It's not easy to develop a digital fl y-by-wire supersonic fighter from scratch, especially when India faced international sanctions for several years after the Pokhran-II nuclear tests," said a <keyword id="9662" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Scientist">scientist</keyword>. 
 Though late in coming, the Tejas is certainly critical for the IAF to meet its lightweight fighter requirements. While the heavyweight fighter category is taken care of by the Sukhoi-30MKIs, the medium range is to be met by the proposed almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multirole combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 <keyword id="6381048" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rafale">Rafale</keyword> fighters. 
 "The MMRCA and Tejas squadrons are very critical for us to maintain our deterrence capability. Otherwise, our force levels will go down rapidly," says <keyword id="483998" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IAF-Chief-Air-Chief-Marshal">IAF chief Air Chief Marshal</keyword> NAK Browne.

Tejas: A Rs 50,000 crore bird for India

Guess who has applauded PM Modi’s ‘<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>’ initiative now? It is British <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6430216" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="David-Cameron">David Cameron</keyword>. According to a recent Economic Times report, the man has not only praised India's initiative to become a global manufacturing hub, but has also offered technological assistance to achieve its targets, including in developing its "own world class fighter aircraft" that is "better than Rafale." 
 In the financial daily, Cameron was quoted saying, "The British offer of <keyword id="6624488" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eurofighter-Typhoon">Eurofighter Typhoon</keyword> to India is still on table." He further added that "It will come along with technological and engineering assistance for India to develop its own world class fighter aircraft. It will be a better deal than Rafale." 
 
Cameron made this offer while commenting on India’s recent decision to buy Rafale fighters from France over the Eurofighter Typhoon of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). 
 
For those unaware, PM Modi Modi had agreed to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft off the shelf during his 3-day official visit to France. ET reports that this was part of a $24 billion defence deal for 126 aircraft aiming to replace outdated Russian-built MiG aircraft with modern Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). 
 
This deal, however, is under cloud as France is reportedly hesitant to share the technology to build the remaining lot of Rafale in India.

Know what Cameron is helping Modi with

Foreign fighter jet makers see a multi-billion dollar opportunity in India's decision to scale back purchases of high-end aircraft from France, which may free up cash in the world's largest arms importer to buy a new fleet of mid-range planes.

	 
	<keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> announced last week that India would buy 36 French Rafale jets for an estimated $4.3 billion, in effect ending talks on a larger deal for 126 planes that would have sucked up some $20 billion and locked rivals out of the market for a generation.<o:p></o:p>

	<keyword id="23050" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sweden">Sweden</keyword>'s <keyword id="6424383" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Saab">Saab</keyword> and U.S. <keyword id="112859" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lockheed-Martin">Lockheed Martin</keyword> are set to re-pitch their Gripen and F-16 planes, eliminated in the Rafale tender, as the kind of lighter, single-engine aircraft that <keyword id="6366153" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Defence-Minister">Defence Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6363133" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Manohar-Parrikar">Manohar Parrikar</keyword> said on Monday the <keyword id="6354954" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Air-Force">air force</keyword> needed to rebuild its fleet.<o:p></o:p>

	"We are here and we are ready," said a source close to Saab. Saab was proposing to establish "fully-fledged production" of the Gripen in India alongside a local partner.<o:p></o:p>

	Lockheed Martin may also tout its F-16, one of the most widely used fighter planes in the world, as a replacement for Russian-made MiGs that are a mainstay in India's fleet, industry sources said. Lockheed Martin declined to comment.<o:p></o:p>

	"The light combat aircraft opportunity is going to be there in the near future because the MiGs have to be replaced really fast," said Delhi-based defence commentator and analyst Neelam Mathews.<o:p></o:p>

	Russia, traditionally India's largest arms supplier, is hopeful it can sell more of its Sukhoi Su-30s, a plane partly assembled in India, to tide over the air force while it waits two years to receive the first Rafales.<o:p></o:p>

	Foreign manufacturers have also welcomed India's decision to negotiate directly with the French government for further Rafales.<o:p></o:p>

	"What is positive about the announced Rafale deal is that purchase is supposed to be based on a government-to-government agreement. We have been asking the Indian side for a long time to get back to this practice instead of tenders," said one Russian diplomat.<o:p></o:p>

	Moscow wants to speed up the conclusion of talks with India for the joint manufacture of a new generation stealth fighter jet, the diplomat said.<o:p></o:p>

	TWO-FRONT CHALLENGE<o:p></o:p>

	India needs to replenish an air force fleet that has fallen to 34 operational squadrons, down from 39 earlier this decade and below the government-approved strength of 42 considered necessary to face a two-front challenge from Pakistan and China.<o:p></o:p>

	Parrikar said on Monday that India needed 100 new light combat aircraft within five years to replace the MiG-21s, and that the heavier and pricier Rafale was not the plane to do it.<o:p></o:p>

	His preference would be for the indigenously-made Tejas to fill the void. But Parrikar himself has admitted the jet, in development for three decades, has limitations while the latest version still awaits final clearance.<o:p></o:p>

	Either way, air force officials and industry sources say India is unlikely to buy anything like the 126 planes agreed in the original deal with France after all-in costs doubled to an estimated $20 billion.<o:p></o:p>

	Parrikar said he had not decided how many more Rafales he might buy. Manufacturer <keyword id="6407804" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Dassault">Dassault</keyword> Aviation could also pitch its single-engine Mirage if India opts for something cheaper.<o:p></o:p>

	Foreign planemakers may need to join forces with an Indian state-run or private partner to win orders, especially if Modi is to realise his goal of developing a military industrial base.<o:p></o:p>

	Under the original deal with Dassault, 108 of the jets were to be produced at a state-run <keyword id="86569" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Limited">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</keyword> (HAL) plant. But the two sides could not agree terms.<o:p></o:p>

	Such disagreements could open up opportunities for nascent private players to partner foreign manufacturers and build locally, experts said.<o:p></o:p>

	"This could be Rafale, or any other aircraft as long as the government is able to address the core issues of tech transfer, joint production and design collaboration," said M. Matheswaran, a former Air Marshal and adviser to Hindustan Aeronautics.<o:p></o:p>

After Rafale, could US' Lockheed Martin and Sweden's Saab be India-bound with new, revised jet-deals?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11893746" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indian-air-force" source="Orion">Indian air force</keyword> is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.</li><li><keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has focused on archrival <keyword id="11893449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword> for decades, but it is now contending with a much larger foe: <keyword id="11892748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword>.</li></ul>Earlier this month, at the end of India's annual Independence Day parade in New Delhi, the Indian Air Force showed off its aircraft inventory in multiple flyovers of the Rajpath, a ceremonial boulevard in the capital.The flyovers included transport aircraft, helicopter gunships, fighters, and fighter-bombers. It was the latest show of force for a military branch that, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-himalayan-clash-india-prepares-navy-to-take-on-china-2021-6" target="_top">like its naval counterpart</a>, is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.Focused for decades on the threat from archrival Pakistan, India is now preparing its air force to fight another much larger foe: China.With roughly 2,000 combat aircraft from its air force and navy, China has the largest aviation force in Asia and the third largest in the world. Worse for India, China's increasingly close relationship with Pakistan is <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/the-china-pakistan-partnership-continues-to-deepen/" target="_top">resulting in closer military cooperation</a>, including joint development of fighter jets.Faced with the potential for an air war against two enemies, the IAF is increasing its size and capabilities.<h2>A significant inventory</h2><div type="image" title="Indian MiG-29 fighter jet" height="1116" width="2000" msid="85853169" hostid="261"></div>With well over 1,000 aircraft itself, the IAF is by no means small. Since India's independence, it has mostly fielded Russian aircraft made entirely in Russia or licensed for local production.Even today, the biggest fleets in the IAF inventory are those of the <keyword id="12004876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mig-21" source="Orion">MiG-21</keyword>, MiG-29, and the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/su-30mki-multirole-fighter-aircraft-india/" target="_top">Su-30MKI</a> - a version of Russia's Su-30 made specifically for and by India. (India signed a contract for the Su-30MKI in the 1990s and has built more than 200 of them domestically since the mid-2000s.)The service also has some European models, such as SEPECAT Jaguars and Mirage 2000s, which are the IAF's <a href="https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0912kargil/" target="_top">primary strike platforms</a>. But those aircraft, which were acquired in the 1980s, are showing signs of age, and the IAF plans to retire them by 2030.India's MiG-21s, first introduced in the 1960s, are also expected to be retired by 2030 - even the modernized MiG-21 Bison models. The jet has <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/11-down-in-5-yrs-3-in-2021-but-many-in-iaf-still-swear-by-mig-21s-despite-its-safety-record/663813/" target="_top">a poor safety record</a>; as of 2013, more than 480 of India's MiG-21s had been involved in accidents that had caused over 200 deaths.<h2>Threats on two fronts</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI" height="800" width="1200" msid="85853174" hostid="261"></div>The Su-30MKI purchase was more than just a general upgrade. It came after the Pakistan Air Force in 1982 accepted the first of 28 US-made F-16s, which seriously increased the PAF's capabilities a decade after it <a href="http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/1971-air-war-battle-for-air-supremacy/" target="_top">last fought</a> the IAF.The US <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistan%E2%80%99s-long-controversial-love-affair-f-16-fighting-falcon-47682" target="_top">paused</a> F-16 deliveries in 1990 because of Pakistan's nuclear program, but they resumed in 2005, and the PAF now has some 75 F-16s. Their use is <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/how-americas-experience-with-pakistan-can-help-it-deal-with-turkey/" target="_top">conditional and closely monitored</a> by the US, but Pakistan would likely have no qualms about using them in an all-out war.In 2019, a <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26836/we-cut-through-the-conflicting-claims-and-misinformation-surrounding-indias-strikes-on-pakistan" target="_top">series of skirmishes</a> between India and Pakistan included airstrikes on each other's territory and resulted in one MiG-21 Bison being shot down by PAF fighters, possibly by an F-16. It was the first time since 1971 that air attacks had been conducted across the Line of Control.During the Cold War, China sold Pakistan its J-6 and J-7 fighters, which were Chinese copies of Russia's MiG-19 and MiG-21. The PAF has also benefitted from Pakistan's closer ties with China in recent years.<div type="image" title="India Kashmir MiG-21 Bison crash" height="998" width="1400" msid="85853179" hostid="261"></div>Their air forces <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">re</a><a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">gularly</a> conduct joint <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1211811.shtml" target="_top">exercises</a>, and they have even jointly developed a fourth-generation multirole combat aircraft, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fc1xiaolongjf17thund/" target="_top">JF-17</a>, of which Pakistan has over 100.China and Pakistan are now <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-pakistan-upgrading-fighter-aircraft-used-against-indian-air-force-report/story-BS87X5ux3Xaj8QqS6jtssN.html" target="_top">planning</a> upgrades to Pakistan's JF-17 fleet, and China has <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chinese-pla-tries-to-psyche-indian-army-by-supplying-armed-drones-to-pak/story-tySb4UnKimFUYIxJdP3xGL.html" target="_top">announced</a> the sale of 50 <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/wing-loong-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-uav/" target="_top">Wing Loong II combat drones</a> to Pakistan. Pakistan may also <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/is-the-chinese-jh-7-an-answer-to-the-pakistan-air-forces-deep-strike-needs/" target="_top">acquire</a> Chinese strike aircraft.China's own air force also poses a threat to the IAF. Particularly worrying for India are the <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j10.htm" target="_top">J-10</a> and <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j11.htm" target="_top">J-11</a> fighters and the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/08/17/chinese-stealth-fighters-head-west-to-confront-india/?sh=5f36556a1b85" target="_top">J-20</a> stealth fighter.The aerial threat from China was abundantly clear after last year's deadly standoff along its disputed border with India.India has a longer history of air operations in the area, but China is <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41065/tracking-chinas-sudden-airpower-expansion-along-its-western-border" target="_top">rapidly building and expanding</a> air bases and defenses along its western borders.<h2>A major modernization</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet" height="1333" width="2000" msid="85853182" hostid="261"></div>Appreciating the threats, the IAF has committed to modernization.In 2016, India signed a contract with French firm Dassault Aviation four 36 Rafale multirole fighters. Twenty-six of them have been <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-has-received-26-rafale-aircraft-till-date-govt/article35585665.ece" target="_top">delivered</a> so far, and some have <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/indian-air-force-deploys-first-rafales-in-east-to-counter-china-121072900013_1.html" target="_top">already been deployed</a> to counter possible Chinese aggression.The IAF has also purchased 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters and 22 AH-64 Apache gunships, both of which have also been <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/iaf-deploys-apache-attack-helicopters-and-chinooks-in-ladakh-increases-combat-air-patrols/445072/" target="_top">deployed</a> to the border region.India has developed its own lightweight <keyword id="12004878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fighter-jet" source="Orion">fighter jet</keyword>, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/tejas/" target="_top">HAL Tejas</a>, and has about 20 in service. The original order for 40 fighters was supplemented by <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rs-48000-crore-landmark-deal-india-clears-purchase-of-83-tejas-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/80251469.cms" target="_top">an additional order</a> of 83 improved Tejas Mark 1A variants, with a second production line <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/govt-clears-rs-48000-cr-deal-for-83-tejas-mk-1a-all-you-want-to-know-about-the-aircraft/584743/" target="_top">built</a> to speed up production.To meet its needs in the near-term, India is <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/after-tejas-india-moves-ahead-to-procure-more-mig-29s-sukhois/articleshow/80320199.cms" target="_top">buying</a> another 21 MiG-29s and 12 Su-30MKIs. It is also <a href="https://tass.com/defense/1316503" target="_top">upgrading</a> its MiG-29 fleet and modifying its Su-30MKIs to be able to fire Brahmos cruise missiles.<div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet" height="1326" width="2000" msid="85853185" hostid="261"></div>The IAF is also seeking 114 medium multirole combat aircraft.The US-made F/A-18E/F and F-15, the French-built Rafale, the European-made Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russia's MiG-35 and Su-35 - all twin-engine jets - are in the running, as are the single-engine Swedish-built JAS 39 Gripen and US-built F-21, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lockheed-martin-unveils-f21-fighter-jet-to-compete-for-india-contract-2019-2" target="_top">version of the F-16</a> designed specifically for India.India also has a number of high-profile domestic projects in development. It plans to fly a prototype from its own <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/indias-5th-gen-aircraft-iaf-to-model-its-amca-on-us-f-35s-instead-of-j-20-or-su-57-jets-experts/" target="_top">fifth-generation stealth fighter program</a> by 2025 and recently <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/hal-announces-unmanned-fighter-jet-207899" target="_top">unveiled</a> an unmanned fighter jet program.India has relied on foreign suppliers for much of its military hardware - especially <a href="https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/07/21/russia-sees-india-as-prospective-buyer-for-checkmate-jet-but-will-iaf-want-it.html" target="_top">Russia</a>, with which it has a longstanding but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-s400-purchase-risks-us-sanctions-amid-competition-with-china-2021-5" target="_top">increasingly fraught</a> relationship - but many of the new acquisition efforts will require some degree of local production as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" program aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing.Amid ongoing tensions with China and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china-pakistan-india-jockey-position-afghanistans-new-great-game-2021-08-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed uncertainty</a> about the future in Afghanistan, India's efforts to expand and modernize its air force show how serious it is about countering the threat from its two most contentious neighbors.

You Searched For "India combat engines" and got 13 results

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You Searched For "India combat engines" and got 13 results

India will start developing its own fighter jet engine now, thanks to France

BI India Bureau

Boost to Indo-US ties! India to apply US technology to manufacture aircraft carrier

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India is beefing up its military as tensions rise with China and Pakistan - and now it wants to buy more than 100 fighter jets

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India will have its own stealth combat drones…but in a decade! Sigh

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