Indian Defence Industry Development

India has ever been keen to attain self-sufficiency and self-reliance in the Defence and Aerospace Sector. Somehow this Objective has remained 'illusive', to say the least, in high-tech and state-of-the-art domains. New Policy of the MOD, India, on Defence Procurement with Offset Policy embedded in it and its regular updating, presents a streak of hope towards attaining the Objective of self-sufficiency and self-reliance, along with ongoing efforts of the DRDO. There are many 'ifs-n-buts' in the Defence Professional Community, and advocacy issues. We need to show far deeper insight into our Defence needs as an Indian Nation.

Under the subject heading 'Indian Defence Industry Development' on our Blog(s), we wish to record important media reports plus our own assessment to help policy makers arrive at 'win-win' decisions without fear or favour. India's Defence should be the concern of all Indians without any 'inclinations'. Our Armed Forces should always get the 'best'. It is they who pay with their lives for any 'compromises' -- their concern always.

The following important developments are reported:

1. High-Tech Companies May Need Govt. Support

2. Fighter Jet Deal Trials Likely to End July

3. US Wants India to Raise FDI Cap in Defence

4. IAF Wants Govt to Allow More FDI in Defence

We need to take decisions on the India's Defence Matters forgetting our 'personal gains', whatsoever.

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: USIBC News and Connected Agencies.

SMEs from US/EU for A & D Manufacturing in India

Small and Medium American and European firms wish to tap the $100-billion Indian defence and commercial aviation markets.

Aerospace manufacturing company Carlton Forge Works (CFW), producer of seamless rolled rings, plans to invest $100-150 million to set up an aerospace centre (forging,tooling and machining)in India in JV with some local partner. The company is, at present, scouting for suitable locations in India, such as Karnataka and Hyderabad, where it can have access to natural gas that is very important to run its business.

The US department of commerce is looking forward to working on defence projects with the Indian government. “It is very important for tier-I and tier-II companies to explore business opportunities in India,” Ms Karen L Zens, Deputy Assistant Secy at the US department of commerce, said during the US Delegation's visit to Bangalore. Karnataka's 1000 Acre A & D Park could offer the opportunity.

Read the full Report on:

Small US, European Firms Eye India’s Defence, Aviation Markets

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
Svipja Technologies
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: The Economic Times.

Belgaum Gets an Aerospace SEZ

A 300-acre Aerospace SEZ (Special Economic Zone) has been launched in Belgaum , North Karnataka on 14 Oct 2009. Senior representatives of aircraft and aircraft-component makers from around the world, including Boeing, EADS, Rolls Royce,Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies and Lockheed Martin attended the launch.

The SEZ has already seen an investment of Rs 150 crore from Quest, and hosts three operations — an engineering services facility, a precision machining facility and a sheet metal facility. The last of these is in a JV with Canada’s Magellan Aerospace.

Three more MoUs were announcedat the launch; one was with with Belgian aerospace company SABCA to manufacture metallic parts and assembly work for the Airbus A350. This deal is expected to be worth $100 million over the next ten years. A second MoU was signed with Magellan to evaluate setting up a dedicated facility to manufacture components and sub-assemblies for aero engines . The third MoU was with Farinia Geie, a French foundry and forgings company to establish an aerospace forging facility.

Pse Click to read the full Report: Belgaum Gets an Aerospace SEZ

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: The Economic Times

Lepakshi Aerospace and Defence Cluster to Come-up in Anantapur, AP

Lepakshi Knowledge Hub, Anantapur, AP, will have the Aerospace and Defence Cluster within it which is a 10,000-acre hub.

It is learnt that an Australian firm has proposed to set up a helicopter unit on a 500-acre site in the cluster that would undertake design to manufacturing and training. At a later date, it may set up an aviation leisure facility. Representatives from the company have recently visited the facility and are expected to shortly sign a MoU.

This input was provided to the The visiting US delegation of the Dept. of Commerce which comprised companies engaged in manufacture of different components in the aerospace segments such as avionics, sensors, aircraft hardware and power distribution systems. Read the full Report:

Lepakshi Aerospace and Defence Cluster to Come-up in Anantapur, AP

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: The Hindu Business Line

Samtel Thales Avionics & Offset Credits

All six aerospace giants competing in New Delhi’s tender for 126 medium multi-role fighters have signed MoUs with Samtel Display Systems for manufacturing cockpit displays in case their fighter is selected. While these are pure “Build to Print” arrangements, purely to meet offset obligations, those foreign vendors, too, would consider designing in India and sourcing globally from here, provided offset benefits were clearly attractive.

“All displays produced in Samtel Thales Avionics are fully eligible for offsets under the Defence Procurement Policy of 2008 (DPP-2008)”, argues Puneet Kaura, executive director, Samtel Display Systems. “It is an Indian company and it value-adds more than 70 per cent to whatever is supplied from Thales, France. But if offset credit is given only for products that are fitted onto Indian weapons platforms, Thales would hesitate to transfer sensitive technologies to a JV in which it holds only 26 per cent.”

Gaining offsets credits would be sufficient incentive for Thales to supply HMDs worldwide from Ghaziabad, rather than from the Thales production unit in France. But, while the MoD has permitted the “banking” of offsets, it is unwilling to clearly state that the entire production of Samtel Thales Avionics is eligible for offset credits. Read full Report on:

Samtel Thales Avionics & Offset Credits

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: The Business Standard.

India's Anti-Aircraft Missile Akash

Akash anti-aircraft missiles are to replace aging Russian SAM-6 Kvadrat air defense missile system. The Akash is part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.

The missile system is for the T-72 main battle tank and has a Hyderabad-developed Rajendra phased-array radar capable of tracking up to 64 aircraft simultaneously over a radius of just under 40 miles. It can shoot down aircraft within 15 miles, according to Indian media reports.

Analysts have said that one Akash missile has an 88 percent probability of kill. But two missiles fired five seconds apart raises this to 98.5 percent. The payload is reportedly around 140 pounds.

The Akash has been developed by the Defense Research and Development Laboratory, which will oversee the weapon system integration and provide support throughout the missile's 20-year lifecycle.

The missile is in the same class as the U.S. Patriot, Israel's Barak and the U.K. SAM system, the article said. It is around 19 feet long, weighs 1,550 pounds and travels at nearly 2,000 feet per second, according to India's Business Line newspaper. Read the full report on:

India's Anti-Aircraft Missile Akash

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: www.bharat-rakshak.com

Indian Defence Industry Development

India has ever been keen to attain self-sufficiency and self-reliance in the Defence and Aerospace Sector. Somehow this Objective has remained 'illusive', to say the least, in high-tech and state-of-the-art domains. New Policy of the MOD, India, on Defence Procurement with Offset Policy embedded in it and its regular updating, presents a streak of hope towards attaining the Objective of self-sufficiency and self-reliance, along with ongoing efforts of the DRDO. There are many 'ifs-n-buts' in the Defence Professional Community, and advocacy issues. We need to show far deeper insight into our Defence needs as an Indian Nation.

Under the subject heading 'Indian Defence Industry Development' on our Blog(s), we wish to record important media reports plus our own assessment to help policy makers arrive at a 'win-win' decisions without fear or favour. India's Defence should be the concern of all Indians without any 'inclinations'. Our Armed Forces should always get the 'best'. It is they who pay with their lives for any 'compromises' -- their concern always.

The following important developments are reported:

1. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) today announced the signing of an agreement creating a joint venture that will manufacture aerospace components for Sikorsky in India, including components for S-92® helicopter cabins. The joint venture agreement builds upon a long-term contract signed in June 2009 for TASL to assemble Sikorsky S-92® helicopter cabins. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), and TASL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. Read full Report:

Sikorsky and Tata Create Joint Venture in India

2. A 1,000-acre Aerospace Park will be developed near the international airport at Devanahalli. Land has been acquired by the State agency Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board. The area will include aviation MRO-related activities and 250 acres of an export-oriented aerospace SEZ. Report:

1,000-acre aerospace zone planned in Bangalore

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: USIBC News