The <keyword id="6355100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Navy">Indian Navy</keyword> has conducted exercises with Russia and 'Quad' countries - an informal security forum comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia - in a message to China on getting a wider footprint in the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific region is seen from the west coast of India to the US. The Indian Navy carried out a three-day bilateral maritime exercise with Japan in the north Arabian Sea from September 26, 2020 to September 28, 2020. It was the fourth edition of India-Japan Maritime bilateral exercise JIMEX, which is conducted biennially. The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in October 2018 off Visakhapatnam in India. Naval cooperation between India and Japan has increased in scope and complexity over the years. Advanced level of operations and exercises took place during three days. It is indicative of the continued upswing in Indo-Japanese defence relations and continued efforts by both governments to work closely for a more secure, open and inclusive global commons, in accordance with international regulations. The helicopter carrier of Japan JS Kaga took part in the recent exercise. The Kaga and its sister ship the Izumo are being converted into aircraft carriers that will carry US-built maritime planes, the F35-B. India, Japan, China and South Korea are the countries now involved in what is seen in strategic circles as the Asian carrier race. The Australian Navy and Indian Navy carried out passage exercise in the East Indian Ocean Region from September 23 to September 24. The exercise involved participation of HMAS Hobart from the Australian side and Indian naval ships Sahyadri and Karmuk. In addition, an Indian maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters from both sides carried out coordinated exercise. The exercise, aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other, involved advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and cross deck flying operations. To boost mutual confidence and cooperation, a bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Russian Navy took place in the Bay of Bengal on between September 4 and September 5. "The exercise was aimed at imbibing best practices between the two navies," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal told IANS. He also said that the exercise helped to further boost mutual confidence and cooperation between the two Navies and would reinforce the longstanding bond of friendship between the two countries. The exercise is known as 'Indra Navy' and is the 11th edition. It is a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Russian Navy. Indian Navy units undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with units of US Navy - Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as they transited through Indian Ocean Region on July 20. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/lakshmi-vilas-bank-down-5-as-concerns-over-clix-capital-merger-deepen/articleshow/78399789.cms">Lakshmi Vilas Bank is down nearly 5% as concerns over Clix Capital merger deepen</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/airtel-launches-new-cybersecurity-product-with-cisco-radware-vmware-and-forcepoint-for-enterprises-it-took-100-crore-and-over-a-year-to-set-up/articleshow/78403006.cms">Airtel launches new cybersecurity product with CISCO, Radware, VMware, and Forcepoint for enterprises — it took ₹100 crore and over a year to set up</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/babri-masjid-demolition-case-cbi-special-court-acquits-all-accused-judge-says-demolition-was-not-pre-planned/articleshow/78401534.cms">Babri Masjid demolition case: CBI Special Court acquits all accused, judge says ‘demolition was not pre-planned’</a>

Indian Navy takes to seas with Russia and QUAD countries

India will be the most consequential partner for the US in the <keyword id="1551039" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indo-Pacific">Indo-Pacific</keyword> this century, <keyword id="209172" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-defence-secretary">US Defence Secretary</keyword> <keyword id="4786381" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mark-esper">Mark Esper</keyword> said Tuesday ahead of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the two countries next week. Esper on Tuesday told a Washington audience that he and the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would be travelling to New Delhi next week for the 2+2 Ministerial with their respective Indian counterparts Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister <keyword id="491850" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="S-Jaishankar">S Jaishankar</keyword>. The exact dates of the ministerial have not been officially announced yet. "Secretary Pompeo and I will be there next week. It's our second 2+2 with the Indians, the third ever for the United States and India. And it's very important. India will well be the most consequential partner for us, I think, in the Indo Pacific for sure in this century," Esper said in response to a question during a webinar organized by The Atlantic Council think-tank. To another query, he said, "India is the world's largest democracy, a very capable country, very talented people. And they face of every day with the Chinese aggression in the Himalayas specifically along that Line of Actual Control." "So, like so many other countries in that region, I've spoken with them (Indians). I've travelled from Mongolia all the way down south to New Zealand and Australia, from as far as Thailand to Palau in the Pacific island countries. They'll recognize what China is doing," he said, adding that in some cases, it's very overt, and in many more cases it's very opaque, what they're doing. "But they are putting political pressure, diplomatic pressure, and in some cases like India, military pressure on countries to bend to their way. We just can't put up with that. We need all countries to follow those international rules-based order, to follow the norms that have served us so well," Esper said. The issue is not about China's rise, it's all about how they rise, said the Defense Secretary. "That's what we talk about in all these forums. Last week we had a Five Eyes Forum, right, the US, New Zealand, UK, Canada, and UK. Anyways, we have the Five Eyes Forum and we talked about the challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how do we cooperate together, how do we confront these challenges to sovereignty, to the international rules-based order, to freedom of navigation," he said. The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim parts of it. "So, you see a lot more closer collaboration come out, and this will be reflected in our meetings next week in New Delhi as well when we travel there," Esper said, adding that there are a number of things that the US has been discussing with the Indians for some time. "We've made good progress on a number of them, but we'll release information on that when it's appropriate," Esper said. Formed in 2018, the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue meetings reflect the two country's ever increasing convergence on the strategic issues. "Last year, we conducted our first ever tri-service military exercise, Tiger Triumph, with India. And in July, the USS Nimitz conducted a combined exercise with the Indian Navy as it transited the Indian Ocean. We also held our first-ever US-India defense cyber dialogue in September as we expand our collaboration into new domains. Together, these efforts will strengthen what may become one of the most consequential partnerships of the 21st century," Esper said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nokia-is-set-to-build-the-first-4g-network-on-the-moon-for-nasa-it-will-eventually-be-upgraded-to-5g/articleshow/78763251.cms">Nokia is set to build the first 4G network on the Moon for NASA — it will eventually be upgraded to 5G</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/luxury-icons-sabyasachi-and-oberoi-open-up-about-their-perfectionist-quirks-like-checking-the-color-of-egg-yolks-and-slashing-clothes-so-they-cant-hit-the-edit-table/articleshow/78771113.cms">Luxury icons Sabyasachi and Oberoi open up about their 'perfectionist quirks' like checking the color of egg yolks and slashing clothes so they can’t hit the edit table</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/amazon-ai-executive-explains-three-things-every-business-needs-to-address-before-using-machine-learning/articleshow/78769249.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Amazon AI executive explains three things every business needs to address before using machine learning</a>

US Defence Secretary believes India will be the most consequential partner for US in Indo-Pacific this century

India plans to ink a major defence deal with the US to procure 30 <keyword id="10903374" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="armed-drones-worth">armed drones worth</keyword> $3 billion (approximately ₹22,000 crore) to enhance <keyword id="834532" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="military-capabilities">military capabilities</keyword>, sources said. As per plans, India will be acquiring 30 MQ-9 Reaper -- 10 each for the three services. The procurement is being done as India is facing war-like situation on two fronts -- Pakistan and China. The approval to take these armed drones could be finalised during Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting lead by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. To further cement the deal, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to visit India later this month. India is becoming a strategic defence partner for the US, especially countering Chinese influence in the <keyword id="12350" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Ocean">Indian Ocean</keyword>. These MQ-9B Predator drones are manufactured by San Diego-based <keyword id="834093" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="General-Atomics">General Atomics</keyword>. The MQ-9B has an endurance of 48 hours and a range of over 6,000 nautical miles. It carries maximum payload of 2-tonne. It comes with nine hard-points, capable of carrying sensors and laser-guided bombs besides air-to-ground missiles. <keyword id="1799114" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="last-year">Last year</keyword>, the <keyword id="6355100" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Navy">Indian Navy</keyword> took on lease two Sea Guardian drones to enhance surveillance over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The two non-weaponised MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones were leased for one year with an option of extending the period by another year. Last month, <keyword id="78682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-army-chief">Indian Army Chief</keyword>, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, highlighted the role of drones in military warfare. Speaking during an webinar organised by Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) about multi-domain operations and the future of warfare, the <keyword id="6354416" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army">Indian Army</keyword> Chief had said that everyone has seen how the very imaginative and offensive use of drones in Idlib and then in Armenia-Azerbaijan, challenged the traditional prima donnas: the tanks, the artillery and the dug-in infantry. He also talks about a showcase of swarm drone offensive striking multiple targets during the Army Day Parade in January that sent a strong message to India's adversaries. Naravane said that the swarm drone demonstration was a message to India's adversaries that "the Indian Army is steadily inducting niche capabilities to enhance our combat proficiencies in Multi-Domain Operations". He said that swarm drones can overwhelm and effectively suppress an enemy's Air Defence Capability, creating windows of opportunities for strike elements. "It is also no longer necessary to score a physical hit to destroy a target. "Offensive capabilities in the digital domain can effectively neutralise satellites and networks, denying them at critical juncture to decisively alter the course of the conflict," he had stated. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/checkout-review-of-oppo-fitness-band-related-to-design-performance-price-and-battery-life/articleshow/81423414.cms">Oppo Band Style review – getting the basics right with a twist of flair</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/narendra-modi-joe-biden-yoshihide-suga-and-scott-morrison-are-set-to-meet-for-the-first-ever-quad-leaders-summit-on-march-12/articleshow/81424117.cms">The first-ever leaders summit of the QUAD may be another signal that it's ready for something more formal</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-share-allotment-status-of-mtar-technologies-ipo/articleshow/81424102.cms">MTAR Technologies IPO: Here is how to check share allotment status</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/tcs-cfo-explains-how-the-role-of-a-finance-head-has-been-changed-by-the-pandemic/articleshow/81423884.cms">EXCLUSIVE: TCS CFO explains how the role of a finance head has been changed by the pandemic</a>

India plans to buy 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones for $3 billion from US company General Atomics

Logistic supply agreements with various countries have helped the <keyword id="6355100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Navy">Indian Navy</keyword> to enhance its role as the primary responder to any crisis, especially in the <keyword id="150701" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Ocean-Region">Indian Ocean Region</keyword> (IOR). The Indian Navy has reciprocal military logistics agreements with US, France, Australia, South Korea and Singapore. Japan is the sixth country that India signed logistics agreements with earlier this month. "India is now moving ahead to sign similar deals with Russia and United Kingdom," said a senior government official. While India has some notable accomplishments as an overseas responder, the assistance to Maldivian President Gayoom as part of Operation Cactus in 1988 was a key event. Thereafter the 'coming of age' event for the Indian Navy was the post-tsunami response in December 2004, which went on well into 2005.The tsunami was catastrophic for many nations in Asia, particularly in South and South East Asia where India was one of the most severely affected nations."Whilst the Indian nation mobilised all resources at its disposal, including the armed forces, to provide succour to its citizens, it did not forget its neighbours," said the official adding that as a responsible neighbour and collaborator, the government of the day rushed help and supplies to many countries in South and South East Asia; principal being Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. Recognising India's capabilities and resources, the US invited India to be a part of the Tsunami Core Group, the others being Japan and Australia. The group was subsequently expanded to include the UN, EU and Canada. The Tsunami Core Group clearly brought out the capabilities and response mechanisms of nations with similar governance and ability to reach out to others in their hour of need. The original core group would pave the way for the 2007 proposal of Shinzo Abe, then Prime Minister of Japan for initiation of a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or 'Quad'. "We are currently dissecting QUAD 2.0 and how it is an anti-China group, which may be a disservice to the larger aims of this grouping," the official explained. The Tsunami was a trigger for many reforms and change in operational mindset for India. India and its Navy realised the need for large deck amphibious ships; ships that can carry men and material to places that are in need of them and using helicopters on the ships to quickly transfer them ashore, as also more pronounced outreach. India was one of the first responders in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict and directed the Indian Navy to evacuate Indian nationals. Along with Indians, the Navy evacuated Sri Lankans, Nepalese and Lebanese nationals. In 2015, India launched Operation Raahat and ordered the Indian Navy into war-torn Yemen to evacuate Indian nationals. Along with Indians, the Navy rescued more than 1,000 nationals from over 30 nations, including the US and UK, who directed their citizens to seek help from India. The Navy has therefore been doing the heavy-lifting in the Indian Ocean Region to help countries in the region and beyond. "Operational logistics simply put, is ensuring availability of diesel, spares and lubricants for machinery onboard ships and water and food for the crew, towards undertaking uninterrupted operations," the official pointed out. It makes sense to get these operational logistic requirements from close to an area of operation, rather than from India. This is particularly so if naval ships are undertaking an operation say in the Southern Indian Ocean or South East Asia. The logical step, therefore, is to identify nations and their infrastructure that have the capacity to provide services to India to facilitate continued operations. Similarly, nations that have amicable relations with India and enjoy a high level of inter-operability also prefer to have similar agreements with India to suit their needs in the region. Towards this, India has in recent years, concluded Logistic Supply Agreements with many nations across the Indian Ocean, South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. "These provide our nation with the ability to expeditiously respond to an emerging situation in remote and inaccessible parts of the world, using the assets of the Indian Armed Forces," the official added. As the world shifts increasingly towards multi-lateralism, India is negotiating various new agreements and pacts with like-minded nations to meet common threats and challenges. "One must also remember that agreements and pacts are not always a zero-sum game," the official said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/its-not-just-india-chinese-intelligence-has-its-eye-on-more-than-2-4-million-individuals-across-the-us-japan-canada-australia-and-the-uk/articleshow/78101034.cms">It's not just India — Chinese intelligence has its eye on more than 2.4 million individuals across the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the UK</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-tension-will-be-in-focus-as-the-parliaments-monsoon-session-begins-today/articleshow/78098575.cms">India-China border tension will be in focus as the Parliament's Monsoon session begins today</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/all-eyes-on-parliaments-monsoon-session-the-banking-regulation-amendment-bill-2020-may-not-be-on-the-docket-for-long/articleshow/78101791.cms">All eyes on Parliament's Monsoon session — the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2020 may not be on the docket for long</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/hcl-tech-share-price-jumps-after-mid-quarter-guidance-pulling-tcs-infosys-wipro-and-tech-mahindra-in-the-green-along-with-it/articleshow/78103743.cms">HCL Tech's mid-quarter guidance optimism sparks rally in TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra too</a>

India reportedly set to sign Japan-like military pacts with Russia and the UK

<ul><li>The annual <keyword id="2426742" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malabar-exercise">Malabar Exercise</keyword> kicks off today with Australia as a permanent member. </li><li>This is the first time that all four <keyword id="887681" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quad">QUAD</keyword> members — the US, Australia, India and Japan — are participating in the Malabar Exercise together in over a decade. </li><li>The timing of their cooperation is significant with China’s growing assertiveness in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and, of course, Eastern Ladakh.</li></ul>India, the US, Japan, and Australia haven’t had their navies alongside each other for over a decade. Today, they kick off the first phase of the annual Malabar Exercise in the Bay of Bengal. The last time around, in 2007, Singapore was also among their ranks for the first-ever Malabar Exercise conducted outside of the Indian off the Japanese island of Okinawa. The event was a ‘test drive’ for how QUAD could coordinate on the open seas. While the partnership between India and the US remained strong — Australia withdrew in 2008 after a slew of diplomatic protests from China and India’s narrative under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that year to prioritise the India-China relationship. The QUAD was also on a nearly decade-long hiatus. In 2020, that is no longer the case. Japan became a permanent member of the Malabar Exercise in 2015. And this year, Australia also accepted India’s invitation to join in with its Royal Australian Navy (RAN). <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ships participating in the Malabar Exercise </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Royal Australian Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">HMAS Ballarat </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">US Maritime Forces </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">USS John S McCain </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indian Navy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Shakti, Ranvijay, Shivalik, Sindhuraj </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Japan Maritime Self Defence Force </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">JS Onami </td></tr></tbody></table> <div type="image" title="malabar 2017_edited" msid="79018793" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;US and Japanese (R) Navy ships are pictured docked at a harbour during the inauguration of joint naval exercises with India in Chennai on 10 July 2017&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The significance of the Malabar Exercise The coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing conflict along the border with China only served as more incentive for India to make the QUAD work. The members have refrained from referring to China directly and claim the organisation’s goal is to work towards a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’. <div type="image" title="quad malabar." msid="79018706" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sships of the Indian Navy and U.S. Navy sail in formation in the Bay of Bengal during the Malabar Exercise 2017 between India, Japan and the US&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Even at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministerial Summit, the countries were careful not to name China but insist that the QUAD has a positive agenda based on shared interests and democratic values. However, this is the first year that all four member countries of the QUAD, or the Asian NATO, are ‘officially’ participating in the Malabar Exercise. The solidification of the alliance between them is a strong signal to China who has been asserting itself in the straits of Taiwan, South China Sea, Hong Kong and, of course, Eastern Ladakh. On its part, China has made it clear that it's not particularly comfortable with the Malabar Exercise. “We hope relevant countries’ military operations will be conducive to regional peace and stability, instead of the contrary,” said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during the regular press conference in Beijing on Tuesday. The 2020 Malabar Exercise The 2020 Malabar Exercise makes its 24th iteration. Alongside the Indian Navy, the RAN, and Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force (MJSDF), the US will be sending its Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain. “It is fitting to see our Navies operate in a high end, tactically relevant exercise like Malabar. It is another opportunity to further strengthen our combined capabilities and enhance our partnerships," said <a href="https://t.co/YEqTr6tyT0?amp=1">Captain Steven DeMoss</a>, commodore of the US Destroyer Squadron Fifteen in a statement. This year’s exercise at sea includes a variety of high-end tactical training aimed at specific interactions designed to enhance interoperability between the navies of the four counties. The Indian Navy’s participation will be led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan. Along with its ships, India will also be sending its submarine dubbed Sindhuraj and many aircraft, including the advanced jet trainer Hawk, martin patrol aircraft Dornier, and the long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I. Once the first phase of the Malabar Exercise is complete on November 6, the second phase is scheduled for mid-November in the Arabian Sea. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-and-others-to-see-more-freshers-than-lateral-hires-in-the-next-six-months/articleshow/79014794.cms">TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech, and others to see more freshers than lateral hires in the next six months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/prajakta-koli-aka-mostlysane-advice-for-content-creators-on-the-fine-line-between-brand-collaborations-and-staying-honest-on-social-media/articleshow/79013162.cms">Prajakta Koli aka MostlySane’s advice for content creators on the fine line between brand collaborations and staying honest on social media</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/flipkart-acquires-gaming-startup-mech-mocha-as-it-looks-to-tap-the-social-gaming-space-for-more-consumers/articleshow/79014466.cms">Flipkart acquires gaming startup Mech Mocha as it looks to tap the social gaming space for more consumers</a>

Malabar Exercise kicks off today with the QUAD countries reuniting after over a decade

<ul><li>India and Japan have inked a 10-year military pact that will further enhance the cooperation between their armed forces, in what is perceived to be a move to counter Chinese assertion in the Indo-Pacific. </li><li>Experts believe that the new agreement will strengthen the QUAD — the informal alliance between Japan, Russia, India, and Australia. </li><li>The agreement was inked between the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, amidst tensions along India and China’s shared border in Ladakh. </li></ul>As India faces off against China in the far reaches of the Himalayas, there’s another less talked about front where tensions are also brewing between the two countries — the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea. To counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region, India’s and its QUAD partner Japan have inked a 10-year military pact that will allow for the movement of supplies and services between their armed forces. QUAD is an informal alliance between India, Japan, the US, and Australia. It is based on the common interests between them, especially concerning the freedom of navigation. The new agreement will provide some boost to the alliance. They have been meeting almost every month since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe — who is set to leave office next week due to health concerns— inked the deal on September 10. This cooperative framework was first proposed in 2018. “They concurred that the agreement will further enhance the depth of defense cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” said the statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Former diplomat and distinguished fellow with Gateway House, Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, told Business Insider that to further the QUAD’s effectiveness, not only is internal harmony an essential factor — like the new agreement between Japan and India — but also how each of the countries maintain their relations with other nations in the region like South Korea, New Zealand, and ASEAN member states. “Geopolitical dynamics of today tend to accord priority to security over development,” he said. Amid border tensions with China, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/ladakh-will-be-the-front-to-hold-for-india-and-china-for-at-least-a-year-if-not-longer-as-per-experts/articleshow/77779668.cms">experts believe that maritime defence</a> will take centre-stage. The Indian Navy has already <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-claims-chinese-army-tried-to-change-the-status-quo-along-the-lac-in-eastern-ladakh/articleshow/77845766.cms">deployed ships</a> along the Malacca Straits — the primary point for most ships from China that carry goods into the Indian Ocean. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-china-border-tensions-are-a-part-of-mind-games-ahead-of-the-meeting-between-the-two-foreign-ministers-says-former-diplomat/articleshow/78031314.cms">India-China border tensions are a part of "mind games" ahead of the meeting between the two foreign ministers, says former diplomat</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-claims-chinese-army-tried-to-change-the-status-quo-along-the-lac-in-eastern-ladakh/articleshow/77845766.cms">India says the army 'thwarted' China's 'proactive military movement' to change status quo along Ladakh border</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a>

India and Japan sign 10-year military pact to counter China in the Indo-Pacific — strengthening the QUAD

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is building a fleet capable of operations on the high seas.</li><li>Its new missile corvettes are the most heavily armed combatant ships in its fleet.</li></ul>In the last three years, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has commissioned hundreds of new vessels. Most are newer variants of the missile, rocket, and heavy machine-gun-clad speedboats that have long formed the backbone of the IRGCN's fleet, but beginning in 2022, the IRGCN began commissioning new classes of warships capable of operating on the high seas.The vessels, four newly designed missile-armed catamaran corvettes and a container ship converted into an expeditionary sea base, bring new capabilities to the hardline force known for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fdd.org/iranmaritimeaggression/">carrying out dangerous missions</a> like attaching mines to ship hulls and hijacking merchant ships, giving Iran options to keep adversaries with advanced navies and air forces like Saudi Arabia and the US off-balance.The largest ships ever to be commissioned into its service, the vessels enable the IRGCN to operate major surface combatants with long-range anti-ship and anti-air weapons, and also helps the historically littoral force to pursue a new mission only recently given to it: to project power into the high seas via expeditionary operations.With a fourth catamaran missile corvette on the way and another container ship <a target="_blank" href="https://en.mehrnews.com/news/197748/Shahid-Bagheri-UAVs-carrier-to-be-unveiled-in-near-future">being converted into a drone carrier</a>, the IRGCN's future fleet is gaining the larger ships and firepower needed to confront its adversaries beyond the Persian Gulf.<div type="image" title="The Shahid Hassan Bagheri is one of three new missile corvettes that are the most heavily armed warships in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy's fleet." height="1323" width="2000" msid="111485060" hostid="261" sizebytes="135322"></div><h2 id="c274a839-af2a-45a5-8780-d1e46e1883f2">Catamaran missile corvettes</h2>Founded in 1985, the IRGCN is the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary organization that operates as the ideological steward of Iran's revolution separate from the national military and which answers directly to Tehran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Numbering around 25,000 personnel, in 2007, the IRGCN was tasked with the security of the Persian Gulf, while Iran's national navy was given responsibility for the waters of the inland Caspian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and beyond. Responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth that dog-legs into the Persian Gulf, is shared between the two forces.Since its inception, the IRGCN has employed an asymmetric doctrine that utilizes swarm and guerilla tactics with an emphasis on numbers, speed, mobility, and geographical advantages. They are known for provocative tactics that harass and threaten US Navy warships and civilian merchant vessels.Operating in conjunction with Iran's land-based missiles and aircraft, the IRGCN can mount rapid sea assaults that exploit the islands and contours of Iran's coast. They rely extensively on hundreds of smaller vessels, namely fast attack craft (FAC) and fast inshore attack craft (FAIC) like those of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/hudong.htm">Tondar</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/peykaap-pics.htm">Peykaap</a>-classes which are armed with heavy machine guns, rockets, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes to swarm enemy warships that may also be under attack from loitering munitions.On September 5, 2022, the IRGCN diverged from its usual procurement practices when it commissioned the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/december/irans-first-vls-missile-catamaran">Shahid Soleimani</a>, the lead ship of a new class of corvettes named after the leader of the IRGC's elite <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administrations-shifting-explanations-for-soleimani-killing-2020-1">Quds Force</a> who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020. At 213 feet long, 47 feet wide, and displacing an estimated 600 tons, it is one of the largest surface combatants the IRGCN has ever adopted.The class utilizes a unique twin-hulled catamaran design. The design offers increased speed and stability at the expense of volume to carry more fuel or armaments. Though rare for frontline warships, some major navies do possess catamaran corvettes, including China, Russia, Taiwan, and Norway.The IRGCN itself has been operating a single catamaran called the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/harth-55.htm">Shahid Nazeri</a> since 2016. Despite being lightly armed, it has a record of harassing US vessels and civilian ships in the Persian Gulf.But while Shahid Nazeri has few armaments, the Soleimani-class corvettes are the most heavily armed vessels in the IRGCN fleet, with an armament of 28 missiles, four 23mm Gatling guns (two in front of the bridge and two amidships), and one 30mm auto-cannon at the bow. Their formidable missile armaments are designed to threaten ships and aircraft.Twenty-two of the missiles are stored in vertical launch systems (VLS), making the Soleimanis the first vessels in Iranian service with vertical launch capability. Believed to all house surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), they are arranged in two groups of eleven cells (eight small and three large) on the port and starboard sides just behind the bridge.The six large cells are believed to house medium-range SAMs with a range of 92 miles each, while the sixteen small cells are believed to house short-range SAMs. Six box launchers amidships (three on each side) house anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs); likely four long-range ASCMs like the Ghadir or Noor, with ranges of 184 and 74 miles, respectively, and two short-range ASCMs like the Nasr, which has a range of 21 miles.A helicopter deck is located just behind the box launchers and mast. Below it is a hangar reportedly large enough for three IRGCN FIACs; these fast inshore attack boats can be lowered into the water and picked up by an internal crane.Made out of aluminum, Iranian officials have said that the ships have a range of 5,500 nautical miles. They have also said that the catamaran layout provides stability in rough seas and reduces the ships' radar cross-sections, making them harder to detect and track.Three Soleimani-class corvettes, Shahid Soleimani, Shahid Hassan Bagheri, and Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, have been commissioned, while a fourth, Shahid Ra'is-Ali Delvari, is under construction. One month before the Hassan Bagheri and Sayyad Sirazi's commissioning last February, the IRGCN commissioned a new type of catamaran corvette, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hisutton.com/Iran-IRGC-Abu-Mahdi-Class.html">Shahid Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis</a>.At 157 feet long, 39 feet wide, and displacing around 300 tons, it is smaller than the Shahid Soleimani-class and vastly different in appearance; it has no internal hangar capable of holding FAICs, no VLS cells, and the landing deck behind the bridge appears to be too small for helicopters, likely meaning it is intended for drones.Its armament consists of 14 missiles; six ASCMs stored in box launchers at the stern and eight more ASCMs in two quad-tubed launchers on the port and starboard sides. It is also equipped with four 23mm Gatling guns and one 30mm auto-cannon.Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the IRGCN, described the Shahid Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as an "invisible boat" because of its catamaran design, and said it had a range of 2,300 miles.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Iran's IRGC published a video today of launching a ballistic missile from their forward base Shahid Mahdavi (converted container ship). <a href="https://t.co/400Y8DYPlr">pic.twitter.com/400Y8DYPlr</a>— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) <a href="https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1757375497191760242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <h2 id="847ddf3b-1714-41d3-83b8-40af97f05a77">Converted container ships</h2>Though the newest, the catamaran corvettes are not the first sea-faring vessels the IRGCN has operated. The service has unofficially operated the cargo ships <a target="_blank" href="https://news.usni.org/2020/10/26/iranian-spy-ship-commands-strategic-position-on-vital-oil-route">MV Saviz</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/5fb8849c-b5b2-4f6f-908f-2c125159e3ce">MV Behshad</a> which, although officially registered as civilian vessels, are used as forward base and command ships to coordinate support for Houthi rebels in Yemen and to gather intelligence. The IRGC <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-middle-east-e4bde7250333a85445fe9a9f0f1c64a8">smuggles weapons</a> to the Houthis and train them on their use.In 2020, the IRGCN commissioned its first official sea-going vessel, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hisutton.com/Iranian-IRGC-Forward-Base-Shahid-Roudaki.html">Shahid Roudaki</a>. A converted roll-on/roll-off ship, the Shahid Roudaki is capable of carrying FAICs, drones, and military vehicles, and has space for a helicopter on its deck. It is armed with four ASCM box launchers and is believed to play an intelligence-gathering and support role.Roudaki was briefly the largest ship in the IRGCN fleet until March 2023, when the Guard commissioned the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/irgcn-shahd-mahdavi.htm">Shahid Mahdavi</a>, a converted container ship formerly known as Sarvin.At 787 feet long and 105 feet wide, Mahdavi's role is that of an expeditionary sea base and support/mothership. Equipped with a phased array radar and capable of carrying two helicopters, drones, loitering munitions like the Shahed-136, and FAICs, Mahdavi can also be used as a base from which IRGCN special forces can be inserted, and act as an intelligence-gathering vessel.It is often compared to the US Navy's Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile bases, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uss-lewis-puller-tanker-like-warship-floating-navy-seal-base-2024-1">lead ship of which</a> has spent ample time in the Persian Gulf in view of Iranian forces.Iran's navy has a similar vessel, the IRINS Makran, a forward base ship converted from an oil tanker. Commissioned in 2021, it has conducted multiple long-range voyages, including one that saw it circumnavigate the globe.Mahdavi made international headlines in February when it launched two ballistic missiles from shipping containers placed on its deck as part of the Great Prophet 18 military exercise. Fired from the Gulf of Oman, the missiles were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/13/irans-irgc-makes-naval-show-of-force-as-gaza-war-rages">reported</a> to have successfully hit mock targets in a desert in central Iran, demonstrating an at-sea launch capability for Iran's ballistic missiles.The ship again made headlines in May when it sailed into the Southern Hemisphere, proving definitively that the IRGCN's reach <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dopaminedealers/status/1791845756824936655">now extends to the high seas</a>.Mahdavi will eventually be joined by another converted container ship, the Shahid Bagheri. Formerly known as the Perarin, the vessel has been undergoing conversion into a drone carrier for the IRGCN since 2021.Measuring 787 feet long, the ship's width has been increased slightly with the <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1607045992557281282">addition of a cantilever deck</a> on its port side. In 2023, a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hisutton.com/Iran-IRGC-Drone-Carrier-Update-04-2023.html">ski-jump ramp was fitted</a> to the bow at an angle toward the starboard side in line with the cantilever deck, suggesting that wheeled drones will take off and land by avoiding the ship's towering superstructure that houses the bridge.The makeup of Bagheri's future unmanned air wing remains a matter of speculation, and could include Shahed 171 and 191s (which are reverse-engineered Iranian copies of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/1209/Downed-US-drone-How-Iran-caught-the-beast">captured</a> American RQ-170 Sentinel), or Mohajer-6 and Shahed 129 drones, all of which can reportedly be used as reconnaissance and strike platforms.The Bagheri's flight deck measures about 590 feet. The main recovery method for the drones will likely be an arrestor net or cable system of some type, though drones with short takeoff and landing ability may be able to conventionally land in calm seas.Like the Mahdavi, Bagheri could also be used as a launch platform for loitering munitions like one-way attack drones. In addition, Rear Adm. Tangsiri has said that Bagheri will be able to store 30 FAICs below its deck.<div type="image" title="The IRGCN's new warships come with a mandate to expand well beyond the speedboat and fast attack operations that have characterized much of its operations in the Persian Gulf." height="1330" width="2000" msid="111485309" hostid="261" sizebytes="178706"></div><h2 id="0b86703b-52ab-4f58-8648-98f2dde650ab">An expanded mission</h2>Altogether, the ships represent radical upgrades for the IRGCN — upgrades that the force has desperately wanted.Though its asymmetric tactics and assets have successfully <a target="_blank" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/middle-east_iran-shoots-down-us-drone/6170355.html">shot down</a> an American drone, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iranian-ships-tried-seize-oil-tanker-opened-fire-us-navy-2023-7">damaged</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-iran-attack-boats-swarm-oil-tanker-latest-maritime-seizure-2023-5">seized</a> merchant ships, and taken American and British naval personnel prisoners, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/operation-praying-mantis-shows-destruction-of-potential-us-iran-war-2021-4">last major combat engagement the IRGCN fought</a> was a humiliating defeat for Iran, due in large part to hostile missile-equipped surface combatants and airpower.Now sailing with large surface combatants armed with anti-air and anti-ship missiles, as well as new FIACs with better anti-ship and anti-air capabilities, the IRGCN poses a greater threat than it did in the 1980s."They know they are going on missions that require defense against aerial threats as well as surface threats, so they have to be prepared to defend against those threats by themselves," Farzin Nadimi, a senior defense fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy told Insider.But the IRGCN's new ships are not just intended for protecting the Persian Gulf — they are also for helping the IRGCN in its new mission: Projecting its power into the high seas.Previously a mission reserved for Iran's national navy, this expansion of duty was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-53138431">ordered by Ayatollah Khamenei himself in 2020</a>. Though no direct reason has been given for the change, Iranian officials often talk about how the ships will better secure Iran's maritime interests."In general, they have portrayed their new mission as protecting the safety and security of Iran's vital maritime routes," Nadimi said.But it's more likely that the IRGCN needs high-seas capability to better support the IRGC's goal of furthering Iran's strategic interests. Iran is a rival to Israel and Saudi Arabia and arms groups across the region like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen.While Iran's navy is involved in anti-piracy missions and international voyages to show its flag, it is the IRGC that is responsible for supporting Iran's proxy groups abroad. The Guard is also the frontline force for Iran's efforts in Syria.In the event that its allies need supplies, the new catamaran corvettes "would be able to escort Iranian ships, tankers, or cargo ships that carry important cargoes," Nadimi said. The Mahdavi and Bagheri, converted container ships themselves, could even carry the cargo and deliver it directly.And while the MV Saviz and MV Behshad have likely been unofficially aiding the Houthis, the fact that they are not officially Iranian military vessels exposes them to the possibility of being attacked in gray zone operations, as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-state-tv-acknowledges-ship-attacked-in-red-sea-in-hit-attributed-to-israel/">happened to Saviz in 2021</a>, when a suspected Israeli limpet mine attack crippled it, causing it to be towed back to Iran.The IRGCN's new ships, by contrast, are official vessels of the regime. "By law they are sovereign territory of Iran," Nadimi said. "They have the threat of serious escalation behind them if Israel directly attacks them."The ships can also serve Iran's possible tactical goals as well. As a mobile sea-based ballistic missile launch platform with a long range, the Mahdavi poses a particularly potent threat. An IRGCN surface group made up of the Soleimanis, Madhavi, and Bagheri may even be able to pose a threat to US bombers based in Diego Garcia, an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.If tensions in the region continue to escalate into a direct conflict with Israel, these ships could pose a big enough threat that they could become high-priority targets for Israeli submarines operating in the Red and Arabian seas.With Bagheri finishing construction and a fourth Soleimani-class catamaran being built, the IRGCN's fleet is only expected to get larger as it embraces its new high-seas mission."Our oceangoing warships can be present in every location across the world, and when we can fire missiles from them, there is accordingly no safe spot for anyone intending to create insecurity for us," Tangsiri <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2024/02/13/3038628/irgc-warship-fires-long-range-ballistic-missile">said</a> after the successful missile launches from Mahdavi.Benjamin Brimelow is a freelance journalist covering international military and defense issues. He holds a master's degree in Global Affairs with a concentration in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has appeared in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gets powerful ships to confront adversaries well beyond the Persian Gulf 

<ul><li>Experts believe that China wants to fulfil its territorial ambitions without firing a shot — and it’s on a 10-year timeline.</li><li>The time is centred around the 2021 100th anniversary of the CCP and the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049.</li><li>The fear is that if China is unable to meet the deadlines, it may resort to large scale military conflict.</li></ul>Experts believe that we are entering a decade of concern with respect to China. Over the last 20 years, China has built up its military and has been using influence to fulfil its territorial ambitions. Not just when it comes to the India-China border, but also when it comes to Taiwan, Hong Kong and the <keyword id="430735" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-China-Sea">South China Sea</keyword>. “We are entering the decade of concern and in the next 10 years, if the Chinese leaders are unable to acquire the territory that they believe is theirs through non-kinetic means then the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and those using the PLA will try to convince the leadership that its time to use military force,” said James Fanell, the former director of intelligence and information operations of the US Pacific Fleet in the US Navy. China is on a timeline Experts are concerned that since Chinese President Xi Jinping came into power in 2013 — China has been on a timeline. “They’ve [China] told us that their timeline is centred around two centennials — one is in 2021 on the 100th anniversary of CCP and then in 2049, the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China,” Fanell pointed during a webinar with Mumbai-based think tank Gateway House and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftun (KAS). The fear is that if China is not able to “restore its territorial sovereignty,” within the prescribed timeline, military conflict may be on the cards. Without firing a shot Fanell believes that China would prefer to get what it wants without having to fire a shot.“They would prefer to use influence and the art of war without ever actually having to use contact,” he said. “Fundamentally, many of the issues that trouble the QUAD countries — at least two or three of the QUAD countries — are territorial. It’s less about the freedom of navigation than what is happening in the South China Sea, which is about the violations of sovereignty while China insists about its own sovereignty sensitivities and stepping on other people’s toes,” added Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande, former head of naval intelligence in the Indian Navy. The build-up of territorial pressure over the last month Just yesterday, China passed the controversial Hong Kong security law. According to Beijing, it’s necessary to deal with separatism and foreign interference. On the other hand, critics argue that it will outlaw dissent and destroy the autonomy promised when the territory was returned to China in 1997. In Bhutan, China is claiming rights over the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary calling it ‘disputed’ territory. “We’ve also seen over the last six to eight weeks, North Korea is suddenly up again after they were relatively quiet for the last couple of years,” pointed out Fanell. This month, there have been <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-china-defence/chinese-bomber-approaches-taiwan-in-latest-fly-by-near-island-idUSKBN23T19Z">reports</a> of Chinese bombers entering Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. Around the disputed Senkaku Islands, intelligence suggests that there is increased activity, not just at the ports but also of tiny submarines in the waters near the area. Chinese Coast Guard vessels are setting records of duration inside contiguous zones. India has its own experience along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where 20 soldiers were killed after both sides decided to de-escalate tension along the shared border. “They are going to use everything in their, what they call, comprehensive national power — diplomacy, economic, information, military — to get to their objective which is to have territorial integrated sovereignty and inclusion of everything that they believe is their sovereign territory,” said Fanell. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">China wants India to stay in its lane — three reasons why China is puffing its chest, according to a former diplomat</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/the-next-few-days-are-going-to-stormy-for-india-and-china-says-a-former-diplomat-and-retired-lieutenant-general/articleshow/76438507.cms">The next few days are going to be stormy for India and China say a former diplomat and retired lieutenant general</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/four-types-of-chinese-apps-making-big-money-in-india-experts-believe-at-least-three-should-be-done-away-with/articleshow/76681232.cms">Four types of Chinese apps making big money in India — experts believe at least three should be done away with</a>

China may keep pushing into neighbouring territories for the next ten years, experts say based on Beijing's timelines

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5ab4eb3098b3b52c008b45e6-2000/gettyimages-871894546.jpg" border="0" alt="trump xi" data-mce-source="Getty Images / Thomas Peter-Pool" />Getty Images / Thomas Peter-PoolPresident Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China.</div></div></div><ul><li>China and its neighbors have been rapidly enhancing their militaries in recent years.</li><li>Countries in the region, worried about Beijing and uncertain about the US, are also looking to boost cooperation with each other.</li><li>Beijing is in an advantageous position and can wield considerable influence.</li></ul><hr />Military spending has ramped up in Asia, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-weaponizing-capital-us-navy-chief-awake-at-night-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led by China</a>, whose addition of submarines to its fleet has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-submarine-force-worrying-pacific-us-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inspired similar ambitions</a> among its neighbors.Beyond hardware, however, countries in Asia are also reassessing the balance of power in the region, contemplating how to engage China and what role the US - long a guarantor of security and trade in the region - will play in the region <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/us-allies-arent-buying-its-new-strategies-to-confront-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">going forward</a>."Everyone out in Asia is, on one hand, scared of China, and, the other hand, they need China for trade," Mike Fabey, author of the 2017 book "<a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Crashback/Michael-Fabey/9781501112041" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crashback</a>," about tensions between China and the US in the Pacific, told Business Insider. "Also there's a real sense of, 'China's right here. America's on the other side of the world.'"Officials in the region felt the Obama administration "was letting China slide with a few things here and there" to secure cooperation, or at least noninterference, from Beijing on other issues, like the Paris climate accord, Fabey said. "But even with that, there was still definitely a feeling, 'Hey, America's got our back.'"<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a0b001135876eb2018b5d4d-2400/ap17317098283287.jpg" border="0" alt="ASEAN trump" data-mce-source="Andrew Harnik/AP" />Andrew Harnik/APPresident Donald Trump with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the ASEAN-US 40th Anniversary commemorative summit in Manila, November 13, 2017.</div></div></div>The Trump administration has referred to the region as the "Indo-Pacific," in what is likely meant to be a rhetorical <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/07/trump-asia-indo-pacific-244657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swipe</a> at China, though it also <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/new-order-indo-pacific/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">points to</a> the region's maritime dimensions. But, Fabey said, "with the recent administration, there's much more of a feeling now in the Western Pacific, even from folks like Australia, who are really wondering exactly how far America would go now if China were to do anything."That has translated into greater interest in local partnerships."You're starting to see Australia, Japan, and India, for example, there's a new emerging trilateral out there, and that they're counting the US out. The US is involved," Fabey said, but there's now more of a feeling of, "'We're on our own more, at least we should act like we're on our own more, and we'll do it without the US if we have to.'"<h2>'They're very good at playing that card'</h2>First proposed in 2007, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, made up of the US, Japan, Australia, and India, <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2017/11/rise-fall-rebirth-quad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gained new life</a> last year, when officials from those countries <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2017/11/us-japan-india-and-australia-hold-working-level-quadrilateral-meeting-on-regional-cooperation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met to discuss</a> a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and seven core themes, including freedom of navigation, maritime security, and a rules-based order in the region.Some members of the Quad have tread carefully out of concern about China, which <a href="https://amp.afr.com/news/australia-mulls-rival-to-chinas-belt-and-road-with-us-japan-india-20180216-h0w7k5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protested</a> its restoration. India has also expressed <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/beyond-big-game-hunting/article19988330.ece/amp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reticence</a> about the partnership - in part over concerns about its own <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-quad/indian-navy-the-odd-man-out-in-asias-quad-alliance-idUSKBN1DM0UB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">autonomy</a> as well as <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2017/11/rise-fall-rebirth-quad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubts</a> about the other three countries' approaches to China."China likes to play the card, 'Look, you're Asian. We're Asian. Quite honestly, no Western power is going to protect your Asian rights out here ... You can't depend on the West to do that,'" Fabey told Business Insider. "And they're very good at playing that card."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/596e034ea47cb547008b4d38-1000/1000wq95-19.jpg" border="0" alt="US Navy Indian navy sailors" data-mce-source="(US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Preston/Released)" data-mce-caption="Lt. Christopher Ground, damage-control assistant aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83), gives a tour to sailors from the Indian navy aboard the Howard, which is currently deployed in the US 7th Fleet area of operations." />(US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Preston/Released)A US sailor aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard gives a tour to Indian sailors during Malabar 2017.</div></div></div>But cooperation between countries in the region continues, with an eye on securing and enhancing trade and security.Japan has <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/09/japan-takes-the-lead-in-countering-chinas-belt-and-road" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased efforts</a> to counter <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-weaponizing-capital-us-navy-chief-awake-at-night-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China's Belt and Road initiative</a>, ramping up international partnerships and investments - including in Sri Lanka, where a recent Chinese port project has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/indias-concern-with-beijing-expansion-grows-with-sri-lanka-port-deal-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">angered India</a>.Australia has <a href="https://amp.afr.com/news/australia-mulls-rival-to-chinas-belt-and-road-with-us-japan-india-20180216-h0w7k5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">followed suit</a>, talking to the US, India, and Japan about a joint regional infrastructure program <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-beltandroad-quad/australia-u-s-india-and-japan-in-talks-to-establish-belt-and-road-alternative-report-idUSKCN1G20WG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to rival</a> Beijing's outreach.Australia, India, and Japan have been pursuing a trilateral partnership since late 2015, aimed at ensuring "<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/australia-japan-and-india-trilateral-in-delhi-on-december-12/articleshow/61840323.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open and free</a>" movement in the region and advancing their shared interests.The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/malabar-2017-photos-of-us-india-and-japan-war-games-in-indian-ocean-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malabar 2017 exercises</a> last summer, in which India, Japan, and the US took part, emphasized antisubmarine warfare - including submarine-on-submarine exercises. "Nowhere else does the American navy do that," Fabey noted, saying cooperation between US and Indian navies "is unlike any other in the world." (While New Delhi blocked Australia's participation in Malabar 2017, their <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> cooperation has <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2017/11/rise-fall-rebirth-quad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">progressed</a>.)India and Japan did <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-japan-begin-three-day-anti-submarine-drill-amid-concerns-over-china-117102900541_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three days</a> of antisubmarine exercises in the Indian Ocean in October.In March, Vietnam's president visited India, where the leaders of the two countries put out a <a href="http://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/29535/IndiaVietnam+Joint+Statement+during+State+visit+of+President+of+Vietnam+to+India+March+03+2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> pledging to continue defense cooperation. Two days later, US carrier made <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/03/05/a-u-s-aircraft-carrier-arrived-in-vietnam-for-the-first-time-since-the-fall-of-saigon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a port call</a> in Vietnam - the first such visit in four decades and a sign of growing ties between the US and Hanoi (whose acquisition of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-submarine-force-worrying-pacific-us-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submarines has also irked China</a>).Around the same time, India's army chief said that New Delhi was working with Australia, Japan, and the US to guarantee "<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-engaging-with-aus-japan-us-to-ensure-freedom-of-navigation-gen-rawat/articleshow/63191611.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">freedom of navigation</a>" in the region. A few days later, India began its Milan 2018 naval exercises, <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/the-real-significance-of-indias-milan-navy-exercise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underscoring</a> New Delhi's growing engagement with the region.The Milan exercises were first held in 1995 with four countries. This year, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/multi-lateral-naval-exercise-begins-in-andamans/articleshow/63191024.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">16 countries</a> joined the drills, which for <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/the-real-significance-of-indias-milan-navy-exercise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first time</a> included a joint multilateral exercise at sea. The naval portion took place around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-to-buy-submarines-amid-china-naval-activity-in-the-indian-ocean-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strategically located near the Malacca Straits</a>, which connects the Indian and Pacific oceans.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/596e0460c50c2956008b4fb6-1000/1000wq95-7.jpg" border="0" alt="US Navy Indian Ocean Malabar" data-mce-source="(US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Holly L. Herline)" data-mce-caption="US Navy Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, watches ships from the Indian navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the US Navy sail in formation from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as part of the conclusion of Exercise Malabar 2017, July 17, 2017 in the Bay of Bengal." />(US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Holly L. Herline)US Navy Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, observes Indian navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and US Navy ships from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during Malabar 2017 in the Bay of Bengal, July 17, 2017.</div></div></div>That was followed in late March by <a href="http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=104810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the fourth meeting</a> between US Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Indian navy chief Adm. Sunil Lanba, where they "discussed ways to improve interoperability to include additional naval exercises and staff talks."As with the Quad, India, which <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-more-us-made-sub-hunting-planes-2018-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uses Russian-made military hardware</a>, has been reluctant about joint operations. Its reticence about information-sharing has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-quad/indian-navy-the-odd-man-out-in-asias-quad-alliance-idUSKBN1DM0UB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly hindered</a> those exercises and broader interoperability.<h2>'Like their Caribbean'</h2>China has made clear its displeasure with such regional cooperation.When Japan's inclusion in the Malabar exercise was permanent in late 2015, Beijing reacted sharply, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/china-reacts-sharply-to-japans-inclusion-in-malabar-exercises/articleshow/50172813.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> it hoped "the relevant country will not provoke confrontation and heighten tensions in the region."The rivalry between China and India in the Indian Ocean appeared inflamed in February, when both looked <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-maldives-politics/asian-giants-china-and-india-flex-muscles-over-tiny-maldives-idUSKCN1GJ12X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poised to respond</a> in the Maldives, where the government imposed a state of emergency, jailed opponents, and stifled protests. (The state of emergency <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Maldives-lifts-state-of-emergency-defusing-China-India-tensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was lifted</a> this week.) India has long wielded influence in the Maldives, but the government there has courted China, buying into what <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Maldives-faces-Chinese-land-grab-over-unpayable-debts-ex-leader-warns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">critics fear</a> is Beijing's "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-weaponizing-capital-us-navy-chief-awake-at-night-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debt-trap diplomacy</a>."China has also flexed its muscles in the South and East China Seas. In January, a Chinese sub <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/japan-identifies-chinese-submarine-in-east-china-sea-a-type-093-ssn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was detected</a> around the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, which are controlled by Japan but disputed Beijing. It the <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/Submarine-seen-near-territory-was-Chinese-Japan-confirms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first confirmed</a> identification of a Chinese sub that area and drew a Japanese protest. Chinese ships have entered that area <a href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180323_26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on six days</a> this year, most recently on March 23.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5fb08328eecc6c0f8b54d6-1001/chinese submarine in senkaku waters.jpg" border="0" alt="Chinese submarine in Senkaku waters" data-mce-source="Japanese Ministry of Defense" data-mce-caption="A Chinese Shang-class (Type 093) nuclear attack submarine in the contiguous zone of the Senkaku Islands" />Japanese Ministry of DefenseA Chinese Shang-class nuclear attack submarine in the contiguous zone of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.</div></div></div>In recent days, Vietnam, which has sought to mollify Beijing after the US carrier's visit, assented <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43507448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to Chinese pressure</a> to scrap an offshore oil-drilling project - the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-vietnam/vietnam-halts-south-china-sea-oil-drilling-project-under-pressure-from-beijing-idUSKBN1GZ0JN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second time</a> in a year Hanoi has done so. The cancellation is <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43507448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely to be read</a> in Beijing as a sign Vietnam's strategic thinking has not changed, despite US shows of force in the area.Such a victory means Beijing's efforts to assert its claims, and to influence its neighbors, are unlikely to end. Even with regional efforts to counter China, the country's geography, resources, and military put it in a position to wield considerable influence over the region and the trade that passes through it - which makes a continuing US presence all the more important, said Fabey, author of "<a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Crashback/Michael-Fabey/9781501112041" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crashback</a>.""If the US were to pull back from there ... China would take control, and if China wants to do this, they basically would," he told Business Insider. "The South China Sea could be like their Caribbean. How we control the Caribbean, China says it wants to control the South China Sea.""Now as long as everything's equal - that is to say, that China is benefiting from that being free and open - then I guess there's no problem," Fabey said. But that could change, he added, if Beijing decides changing it is in its interests. "China will always do what's best for China." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/market-outlook-equity-us-asia-growth-2018-3">Traders should be focused on the massive growth opportunities in Asia right now, says an HSBC investment chief</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/6QMBGFaT-xjRU7l6Z.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

Countries in Asia are wary of China - and they're 'wondering exactly how far America would go'

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5ad8ad1338e2fc290c8b485c-2400/86150569.jpg" border="0" alt="china navy" data-mce-source="Guang Niu/Getty" data-mce-caption="Chinese navy soldiers guard Great Wall - 218 of Navy Submarine at Qingdao Port on April 22, 2009 in Qingdao of Shandong Province, China. The submrine will attend an international fleet review to be held on April 23 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding" />Guang Niu/GettyChinese navy personnel on a submarine at Qingdao port in Shandong Province, China, April 22, 2009.</div></div></div><ul><li>China is rapidly developing its undersea-warfare capabilities.</li><li>That progress is being facilitated by stolen technology, according to a US admiral.</li></ul><hr />China has made marked advancements in its undersea-warfare capabilities and is using stolen US technology to further that progress, US Adm. Philip Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.Davidson, who was before the committee as the nominee to lead US Pacific Command, told senators in <a href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Davidson_APQs_04-17-18.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">written testimony</a> that while the US has a "significant asymmetric advantage in undersea warfare," the Chinese navy "is making progress" and that Beijing "has identified undersea warfare as a priority, both for increasing their own capabilities as well as challenging ours."Chines has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-submarine-force-worrying-pacific-us-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invested considerable resources</a> in its submarine fleet. Since 2002, it has built 10 nuclear subs: six Shang I- and II-class nuclear-powered attack subs - capable of firing antiship and land-attack missiles - and four Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile subs, according to a 2017 US <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">Defense</keyword> Department assessment.China also maintains a large fleet of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-submarine-force-worrying-pacific-us-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced diesel-electric subs</a>, which are heavily armed and allow Beijing to project power throughout the Pacific and into the Indian Ocean."They maintain investments in undersea warfare as one of their key priorities moving forward," Davidson said when asked by Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal to assess Beijing's progress. Davidson called the US's edge under the Pacific a "perishable advantage," and when Blumenthal asked if China was working to eliminate it, he answered in the affirmative.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a4ba8444aa6b580708b7504-1600/171201-n-ed185-018.jpg" border="0" alt="Los Angelese-class attack submarine Tucson US Navy" data-mce-source="US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian G. Reynolds" data-mce-caption="Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Tucson prepares to moor at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, December 1, 2017." />US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian G. ReynoldsLos Angeles-class attack sub USS Tucson prepares to moor at Yokosuka, Japan, December 1, 2017.</div></div></div>"They have new submarines on both the ballistic-missile side and the attack-submarine side, and they're achieving numbers in the build of those submarines as well," he told the committee. "They're also pursuing other technologies to give them better insights into our operations in the undersea domain."According to Davidson's written testimony, those technologies include "quieter submarines armed with increasingly sophisticated weapons, unmanned underwater vehicles, new sensors, and new fixed-wing and rotary-wing submarine-hunting aircraft."Davidson also told the committee that he believed China was "stealing technology in just about every domain and trying to use it to their advantage.""One of the main concerns that we have is cyber and penetration of dot-com networks, exploiting technology from our defense contractors in some instances," Davidson said when asked what means China was using to steal technology. "And certainly their pursuit in academia is producing some of these understandings for them to exploit."Davidson said he thought there was more to be done across the Defense Department in order thwart such theft, and that the US "should insist on higher standards for the systems that we buy from the commercial" industry.<h2>'There is some opportunity there'</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/596e034ea47cb547008b4d38-1000/1000wq95-19.jpg" border="0" alt="US Navy Indian navy sailors" data-mce-source="(US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Preston/Released)" data-mce-caption="Lt. Christopher Ground, damage-control assistant aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83), gives a tour to sailors from the Indian navy aboard the Howard, which is currently deployed in the US 7th Fleet area of operations." />(US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Preston/Released)Lt. Christopher Ground, damage-control assistant aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard, gives a tour to sailors from the Indian navy.</div></div></div>Other countries along the Pacific rim and in the Indian Ocean <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-growing-submarine-force-worrying-pacific-us-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are looking to bolster their navies</a> - their submarine forces in particular - in response to China's development. Many of those countries, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/asia-worried-about-china-us-pursuing-new-trade-security-ties-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unsure of the US's commitment to providing security</a> in a potential conflict, are also putting more effort into working together through bilateral and trilateral security agreements. Davidson emphasized the need for a "whole of government" approach by the US to deal with China, but also underscored the importance of international partnerships."It's very, very important to have network of allies and partners with us on this journey," he told the committee. "The free and open international order has been dependent on free nations working together in that regard."Asked about the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad - which was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/asia-worried-about-china-us-pursuing-new-trade-security-ties-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first mentioned in 2007</a> as a partnership between the US, Japan, Australia, and India but has been on hold for much of the past decade - Davidson was optimistic."I think there is some opportunity there … absolutely to come together on areas where our interests converge," he told senators. "I've traveled to Japan and Australia quite a bit. I've got good relationships in Australia, absolutely, and I look forward to building those relationships and see where I can find out where these interests converge and what the opportunity might be."Davidson noted that the US-India relationship "is potentially the most historic opportunity we have in the 21st century, and I intend to pursue that quite rigorously." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-3d-printing-submarines-2017-7">The US Navy is now 3D printing submarines</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/awAvCzTy-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

China is boosting its undersea-warfare capabilities - and stealing US technology to do so, a US admiral says

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5e40fcf42149630d8b4fc0-960/p-8poseidongallerylrg07960.jpg" alt="p8 poseidon" data-mce-source="Boeing" data-link="http://www.boeing.com/defense/maritime-surveillance/p-8-poseidon/index.page#/gallery" /><a href="http://www.boeing.com/defense/maritime-surveillance/p-8-poseidon/index.page#/gallery">Boeing</a>A Boeing P-8 Poseidon.</div></div></div><ul><li>India has bought 12 advanced sub-hunting planes to beef up its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.</li><li>India is looking to boost its military in response to a growing Chinese presence in the region, particularly under the waters of the Indian Ocean.</li><li>New Delhi is seeking out billions of dollars in foreign military hardware, including subs, ships, planes, and armored vehicles.</li></ul><hr /> India's navy is considering adding to its fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, as the country shifts its military posture toward its southern approaches out of concern about Chinese naval activity.India's Naval Chief Adm. Sunil Lanba <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2018/01/13/indian-navy-looking-at-more-p-8i-submarine-killers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told India Strategic</a> magazine that aerial-surveillance capability was an important part of navy operations, and the country's <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> Ministry has said the P-8I is able to provide "a punitive response and maintaining a watch over India's immediate and extended areas of interest."New Dehli made its first purchase of the aircraft in 2009, not long after the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, during which attackers <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/27/mumbai.investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived by boat</a>. India bought eight P-8I aircraft at the time, deploying them in 2013. It followed that with a purchase of four more in 2016, buying them at the 2009 price."A number of measures have been taken since '26/11' to strengthen maritime, coastal and offshore security by the concerned agencies in the country," Lanba said, including expanding maritime security forces' capabilities, enhancing surveillance in maritime zones, and streamlining intelligence-sharing.While Lanba did not say how many long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft like the P-8I the Indian navy would ultimately require, his predecessors have said as many as 30.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5e426828eecc110f8b4fb6-1000/617.jpg" alt="India navy Boeing P-8I Neptune anti-submarine maritime aircraft" data-mce-source="Indian navy" data-mce-caption="One of India's P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, dedicated on November 13, 2015." data-link="https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/navy%E2%80%99s-long-range-maritime-patrol-aircraft-boeing-p-8i-dedicated-nation" /><a href="https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/navy%E2%80%99s-long-range-maritime-patrol-aircraft-boeing-p-8i-dedicated-nation">Indian navy</a>One of India's P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, dedicated on November 13, 2015.</div></div></div>The P-8I, which is India's variant of Boeing's P-8 Poseidon aircraft, has some of the most sophisticated <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2018/01/13/indian-navy-looking-at-more-p-8i-submarine-killers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-submarine-warfare technology</a> available, including Raytheon and Telefonics systems that provide 360-degree radar coverage. The plane also has a magnetic anomaly detector, which searches for shifts in the earth's magnetic field created by a submarine's hull.The aircraft can carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles, depth charges, Mk-54 torpedoes, and rockets. The Indian variant <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2018/01/13/indian-navy-looking-at-more-p-8i-submarine-killers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also has</a> specific communications software and Identify Friend or Foe abilities, allowing it to interoperate with Indian naval and air force systems. They can also data-link with Indian submarines to share information about target vessels.<h2>'Our Navy is fully capable and ever ready'</h2>Anti-submarine warfare has become a focal point for the Indian military, and the US and India have <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/1940411/us-and-india-discuss-anti-submarine-warfare-latest-move-keep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">held talks</a> about related technology and tactics. Both countries have become increasingly wary of Chinese naval activity, particularly Chinese submarines, in recent years.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5e433b28eeccbc0c8b4fed-2400/140408-n-vd564-035.jpg" alt="US Navy P-8A Poseidon Indian Ocean" data-mce-source="US Navy/Chief Mass Communication Specialist Keith DeVinney" data-mce-caption="US Navy aircrew members look out the windows of a P-8A Poseidon while flying over the Indian Ocean in support of the international effort to locate Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, April 8, 2014." />US Navy/Chief Mass Communication Specialist Keith DeVinneyUS Navy P-8A Poseidon crew members look out over the Indian Ocean during the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, April 8, 2014.</div></div></div>China has also expanded its infrastructure in the region, including a presence at ports in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-troops-to-overseas-base-operational-security-concerns-for-us-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Djibouti</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-hoping-to-extend-maritime-reach-china-lavishes-aid-on-pakistan-town-2017-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/indias-concern-with-beijing-expansion-grows-with-sri-lanka-port-deal-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sri Lanka</a>.India has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-troops-to-overseas-base-operational-security-concerns-for-us-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tracking Chinese submarines</a> entering the Indian Ocean since 2013, and a 2015 US Defense Department report confirmed that Chinese attack and missile submarines were operating there.In mid-2016, Indian naval officials <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/1940411/us-and-india-discuss-anti-submarine-warfare-latest-move-keep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> they were sighting Chinese subs four times every three months on average."As a professional military force, we constantly evaluate the maritime security environment in our areas of interest. We lay a lot of stress on Maritime Domain Awareness," Landa <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2018/01/13/indian-navy-looking-at-more-p-8i-submarine-killers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> India Strategic when asked about hostile submarines operating in the Indian Ocean."Accordingly, we are fully seized of the presence and likely intentions of all extra-regional forces operating in the Indian Ocean," Landa said. "Our Navy is fully capable and ever ready to meet any challenges that may arise in the maritime domain."<h2>'A tectonic shift'</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/596e3558552be5b3008b509b-872/screen shot 2017-07-18 at 121957 pm.png" alt="Bay of Bengal Indian Ocean Malabar" data-mce-source="Christopher Woody/Google Maps" />Christopher Woody/Google Maps</div></div></div>Some sightings of Chinese subs have taken place around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which sit near the Malacca Strait, through which more than 80% of Chinese fuel supplies pass.New Delhi started deploying P-8I aircraft and spy drones to the islands in early 2016, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/To-fight-Chinas-Andaman-and-Nicobar-forays-India-deploys-submarine-hunters/articleshow/50632020.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with plans</a> to develop enough infrastructure and maintenance capabilities there to support a division-level force of about 15,000 troops, a fighter squadron, and some major warships. Other reports <a href="https://amti.csis.org/indias-undersea-wall-eastern-indian-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggest</a> India is considering installing an "undersea wall" of sensors in the eastern Indian Ocean.Growing activity in the Indian Ocean, as well as the ocean's centrality to global trade and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amid-simmering-tension-with-china-india-is-increasing-naval-strength-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India's own security</a>, have led New Delhi to shift its focus to the country's 4,700-mile southern coastline, where security and energy infrastructure are concentrated."This is a tectonic shift in India's security calculus, that it has to protect its southern flank," Brahma Chellaney, a strategic-studies professor at the Center for Policy Research, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/10/world/asia/india-us-japan-war-games-china.html?smid=tw-nytimesworld&amp;smtyp=cur&amp;_r=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told</a> The New York Times in July 2017, around the time of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/malabar-2017-photos-of-us-india-and-japan-war-games-in-indian-ocean-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malabar 2017 naval exercises</a> between the US, India, and Japan.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5e4cb128eeccbc008b51d8-1000/kalvari3.jpg" alt="India navy Kalvari submarine" data-mce-source="Indian navy" data-mce-caption="India's first-in-class Kalvari submarine during floating at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in October 2015." data-link="https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/scorpene-class-submarine-kalvari-set-afloat-naval-dockyard-mumbai" /><a href="https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/scorpene-class-submarine-kalvari-set-afloat-naval-dockyard-mumbai">Indian navy</a>India's first-in-class Kalvari submarine during floating at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in October 2015.</div></div></div>India <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amid-simmering-tension-with-china-india-is-increasing-naval-strength-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has done</a> naval patrols and anti-submarine warfare exercises with partners in the region - in November, India, the US, Japan, and Australia <a href="http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2121474/us-japan-india-australia-quad-first-step-asian-nato" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the creation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, defense partnership. New Delhi has also looked to expand its military, spending <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amid-simmering-tension-with-china-india-is-increasing-naval-strength-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tens of billions of dollars</a> on foreign fighter jets, armored vehicles, and naval vessels.Subs have become of particular interest for India in light of growing Chinese naval activity in the region, <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2017/12/14/ins-kalvari-commissioned-into-the-indian-navy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to India Strategic.The Kalvari, the first of six diesel-electric attack submarines designed by a French firm and built in India, was commissioned in December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2017/12/14/ins-kalvari-commissioned-into-the-indian-navy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the Kalvari a marquee example of the "Make in India" initiative, which aims to develop India's domestic arms industry through collaboration with foreign firms.India has already contacted foreign shipbuilders about building <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-to-buy-submarines-amid-china-naval-activity-in-the-indian-ocean-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six more nonnuclear subs</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a5e571b28eecc6d0f8b4ffe-1000/insvikramadityainbalticsea.jpg" alt="INS Vikramaditya" data-mce-source="Indian Navy" data-link="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29658019" /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29658019">Indian Navy</a>INS Vikramaditya in the Baltic Sea during sea trials in 2013.</div></div></div>The navy, citing concerns about China, has called for a third nuclear-powered carrier that incorporates US technology and is <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/indian-navy-plans-to-acquire-its-third-aircraft-carrier-for-a-whopping-rs-1-6-lakh-crore-1144836-2018-01-15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing ahead</a> with plans to acquire such a carrier at an expected cost of nearly $25 billion.The plan includes a component of 57 fighter aircraft, for which US F-18s and French Dassault Rafales are being considered. Aircraft acquisitions may push the price higher.The expense of acquiring such a ship has given India's Defense Ministry pause, however, though others have argued that aircraft carriers are the best way to counter threats around the region."As India does not have a policy of overseas basing, a carrier force remains the only suitable alternative for a regional power like India to conduct out-of-area contingencies," retired Indian Vice Adm. Shekhar Sinha <a href="http://www.indiastrategic.in/2016/12/08/relevance-of-aircraft-carriers-for-the-indian-navy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in December 2016.The Indian navy has one operational carrier, INS Vikramaditya, which is a Russian Kiev-class carrier-cruiser <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2016/07/11/russia-offers-india-nuclear-aircraft-carrier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overhauled</a> by Moscow for the Indian navy between 2004 and 2013. The Vikramaditya <a href="https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/about-ins-vikramaditya-newest-largest-ship-indian-navy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">operates</a> Russian-made aircraft, including MiG 29K fighters, which India has asked Russia to "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amid-simmering-tension-with-china-india-is-increasing-naval-strength-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruggedize</a>" for carrier operations. The INS Vikrant, which is India's first domestically built carrier, is under construction.In what appears to a sign of the Indian navy's move toward the US and away from Russia, American naval officials from a joint working group were invited aboard the Vikramaditya in late October to assess ways to transition Indian carriers to US naval operational concepts, <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/us-navy-aircraft-carrier-team-to-check-out-russian-built-ins-vikramaditya-117102900589_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to India's Business Standard. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/darpa-submarine-drones-dash-navy-bluefin-2016-12">The Navy is building an autonomous underwater drone to hunt down enemy submarines</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/nq1AsaNo-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

With an eye on China, India is looking to buy more US-made advanced sub-hunting planes

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/35479333.cms" />We recently got a chance to have a face to face with the person responsible for a rather radical movement in India. <keyword id="190682" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anoop-Prakash">Anoop Prakash</keyword>, MD, <keyword id="6357453" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Harley-Davidson">Harley Davidson</keyword> India tells us the story of Harley Davidson’s Indian chapter and how the road to success here has been so far. 
 
Q. Is India a tough market? How has the journey been so far? 
 
I think India if anything is an exciting and dynamic market. It is always changing and I think the last five years since we have been here, it has just changed tremendously. Just look at the number of not only automotive and motorcycling brands, but also premium non-Indian brands that have come here in the last five years. The preferences and expectations of customers are also changing. In the beginning, five years ago, it was a brand new market — kind of an open market. Today’s consumers have developed high expectations; they have a preference for premier global brands and I think that trend is here to stay. We had two challenges: one was to establish Harley-Davidson as a brand of lifestyle and culture; secondly, we had to establish leisure motorcycling as an activity and a great investment of people’s time and money. I think, (touchwood) it has gone in the right direction. We have captured the imagination of the customers. 
 
Q. How hard was it to build a less expensive Harley for developing markets? 
 I think there were two really fundamental strategies we had when we entered the market. One, we had to deliver the world-class customer experience that every customer expects. That got enabled by hiring great employees and <keyword id="6356318" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Dealer">dealer</keyword>s, delivering all the merchandise and accessories along with the motorcycles, having a full line up of motorcycles etc. The second big challenge was making the lifestyle experience accessible to as many people as we could. Like the young urban riders who were riding their way to life, or the well-off middle class, mid-aged folks who were coming into biking for the first time. Accessibility started with our investment in CKD. In 2011, we set up our plant. We didn’t wait for the market to prove itself. We opened our first dealer in 2010, and started assembling in 2011. And again in 2012, we added three more models in the assembly line up. And then in 2013, we added three more to the assembly line up. 
 
So in 2014, a natural progression was to launch the Street 750. Street 750 and Street 500 came out of a global effort to develop the next-generation motorcycle, the younger urban professionals who wanted a good ride, who are into the leisure motorcycling culture, who appreciated a Harley but didn’t see a bike that was made for them in that stage of life. So now, they have something that has the right styling, the dark custom styling, the very urban edge to the design, and it’s designed for the environment. That is where the Street came from, and to be able to build it in two places, in US and in India, is really a testament to Harley-Davidson becoming more global and being close to where the customers are. You know when you are building it in both Eastern and Western hemispheres, you can serve customers better by being closer to where they are and that also keeps the India price and the US price more or less the same. 
 
Q. Can we expect another not-so-expensive motor bike coming from Harley-Davidson? 
 
We are always thinking about ‘what is next’. We don’t talk much about the future launches or products. We have multiple models within a family of bike. If it takes off in the right direction and the indication is positive, we will hopefully develop a new variant in the Street family. There is a lot of imagination already around what can be done with Street. 
 
Q. How has the feedback been, till now? 
 
The feedback has been phenomenal. The first reviews from customers as well as journalists who have ridden the bike have been really positive. They have told us how fun the motorcycle is and how perfect it is for all travelling conditions. They have also given us some things to work on; we have taken a note of all this and we are working to improve on them. 
 
Q. What kind of market share is Harley looking at now, in India? 
 
We have been the first ones to come out and start manufacturing in India, and obviously the first ones to start assembling. I think when you look at the first-mover advantage that we have, our market share reflects that today. We have a dominant market share in the above 600 cc bikes. 
 
The key thing here however is not that we target market share, we are actually trying to build the experience for the riders and the accessibility. We are hoping that the market continues to grow though. We want more interests to come in and offer more choice for the customers so it’s a better experience for them overall. We have seen the companies that have come over the last year or two, and there are some other companies that are planning to. I guess in the next several years, customers will have lots of choices. 
 
Q. Can we say that Harley-Davidson wants to be the dominant player in India? 
 
I think it is the dominant player and we hope that we continue to lead the market. We enjoy being the leaders of the market because we feel like we deliver a pure and leisure motorcycling experience and it gives other brands an opportunity to pick up in the same direction. 
 
Q. We have heard about the strict procedures Harley-Davidson follows to pick a dealer. Can you in brief tell us how does Harley-Davidson come to a point that yes, this is the right guy for our dealership? 
 
Our dealer network is a critical part of our strategy. As I said, customer experience is the focal point for our company, and we can deliver this experience up to a point. Customers finally interact with the dealers, so that is very important for us to be careful in selecting them. First of all, the dealer must have a great business record (that goes without saying). The business acumen and the ability to succeed in the market should be impeccable. 
 
Two, they have to have the values that are a good match to Harley, as our company is a very transparent. It’s a 110-year-old company built on ethics and values. We have to find partners who appreciate that. Last, but not the least, they really have to understand the brand. Brand has to be something that they just intuitively appreciate and understand because if you don’t understand the brand, you don’t appreciate the lifestyle that we are trying to develop and deliver, there is no way you can translate that into your team. I am really happy to say that a lot of our dealers are riders as well, and that makes a big difference. When you can put yourself in the shoes of the customers, you can really understand what a customer needs. 
 
Q. What’s next for Harley-Davidson in India? Can we see some fine dining restaurants café’s in India? 
 There is no plan for that as such. It was a rumour that started sometime back. Right now the only café in the world is in <keyword id="2390" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Las-Vegas">Las Vegas</keyword> so, I am not sure if India is second on the list but I can tell you that there are a number of ‘larger’ plans for the dealer network. We have just opened a very impressive facility in Navi Mumbai. It has a kiosk facility, it is a 12,000 square feet space where customers and enthusiasts can come in and experience the brand. A similar facility is opening here, in Gurgaon next month and then we will also be targeting a similar facility in Bangalore before the end of the year. 
 
We will also be opening new locations in Gauhati, Surat and Coimbatore. Further investment in our quad-metro markets is happening. We look forward to introduce new products in the market down the road and we will make those announcements in the due course. 
 
Q. How is the riders’ programme going? Something new coming in? 
 
For the Harley owners, yes, of course we have the H.O.G rally that we have been doing. We just did our second national H.O.G rally in Goa. Over 1,200 owners came together from all over the country; it was tremendous. We also have our zonal rides, which are western, southern, northern, eastern hog rallies. We just did the western one and 450 owners came for the weekend. Next up is the northern and southern rallies that are happening around September. So, we have these big rallies coming up; and of course they will continue. They keep getting better and better and they have to keep meeting the customers’ experience and be more interesting for riders keep coming back every year. 
 
Q. Is there any other way that you stay in touch with the Harley Owners? Is there any other programme that is also running? 
 We stay in touch with the Harley owners via many touch points. We offer a lot of benefits to them because again, it’s not just about a bike — it’s a lifestyle to experience. We have large national and zonal rallies, but we also have weekly rallies that are run by the local dealers. Programmes are being offered to our owners that run in every city with our dealership. We have several bike rides/nights and other activities related to bikes, where people come together and spend time together. Beyond that touch point, we are also about to launch an automobile app, which is a smartphone app that is going to allow the riders to connect with each other and us as well, so we can serve them better. We also have our <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> pages and a closed group for Harley owners that give us a lot of connection with the customers. 
 
 
Q. On a personal note, what does Anoop like to ride? Your favourite Indian road stretch to ride on? 
 
The most epic ride I did was across Rajasthan. I went all the way through Jaipur and Jaisalmer. The roads and people of Rajasthan, the overall environment just makes you feel that you are in another world. And then recently, we rode Pune to Goa, which is a great ride because you get to go up the hill (and you get some great views) and then you get down to the beaches. The whole journey can be done in hours and that’s a great ride for one day. I rode a Fat Boy for both occasions and that is my favourite bike.

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