India is all set to purchase 12 Russian-designed Sukhoi-30 MKI  to bolster the Air Force which is short of fighter aircraft. As per reports from TimesNow, a Rs 10,000 crore package, is expected to be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and including the three chiefs.

The Russian designed fighters will include indigenous and also, Israeli systems built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), and the additional Sukhois are needed because the IAF is short of fighters and the strength is down to perhaps 32, instead of the 40 that is required to maintain balance with Pakistan and China.

As of now, the IAF has just two squadrons of the 4.5 generation Rafale and it is still operating its older aircraft, including the upgraded MiG-21 Bison.

The DAC is also looking into buying 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft for the IAF and these have been indigenously developed by HAL as the IAF faces shortages in basic trainers. 

The DAC in the last few years has been very active in its decision process and it could clear about 50 suites of electronic warfare equipment made by Bharat Electronics, valued at about Rs 2,000 crore as India aims towards indigenisation of weapons platforms for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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In two new developments, firstly China has reacted very strongly after India deployed the US-origin M777 Ultra Light Howitzers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) using Chinook heavy-lift helicopters which is force multiplier, and second, India’s Defence Ministry has approved proposals worth Rs 13,165 crore for modernisation of armed forces

After news emerged that China was developing infrastructure at breakneck speed at possible incursion points at the LAC, India has deployed offensive weapons systems to counter China. Reacting to this development Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying accused India of pursuing “forward policy” and said that China “opposes any arms race”.

“The Indian side has long pursued the “forward policy” and illegally crossed the LAC to encroach on China’s territory, which is the root cause of tension in the China-India border situation,” Hua said.

“China opposes any arms race in the disputed border areas for the purpose of competition over control. We have always been firm in safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and security, and committed to peace and stability in the China-India border areas,” she added.

The second development is that the Indian Ministry of Defence has approved proposals including for Advanced Light Helicopters, guided munition and rocket ammunition valued at Rs 13,165 crore on Wednesday (September 29).

“The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for Capital Acquisitions proposals for modernization and operational needs of the Indian Armed Forces amounting to approximately Rs 13,165 cr,” read the official ministry statement.

As China is still not keen in de-escalation at the LAC, India has deployed three regiments (18 guns make an artillery regiment) of M777 howitzers to deter Chinese design after the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army got into a fight at the Galwan Valley in 2020, in which an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers were killed.

Meanwhile, India is also developing its infrastructure near the LAC as the Border Roads Organisation is working to ensure proper road network is available for the army to move quickly to forward areas.

According to Lieutenant General T K Chawla, Director-General Artillery, “training is going on in moving guns from one sector to another with the Chinook helicopters.”

Apart from M777 howitzers, the Indian Army has deployed a large number of older 105mm field guns at the LAC with China.

“The 105mm field guns are still very much robust with very high angle of firing which is so very essential in the mountains. Bulk of the deployment in Eastern Ladakh is largely of this calibre,” Lieutenant General Chawla said. He added that the 105mm field guns would be replaced when new howitzers have been inducted in sufficient numbers.

Under the Make in India initiative, the Indian Army is inducting Dhanush guns built by the Ordnance Factory Board, and Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) which is undergoing trials and as per information released by the MoD, of the Rs 13,165 cr to be spent in modernisation, Rs 11,486 crore (87 per cent) will be from domestic sources. 

For operational preparedness, the DAC has given the approval of procurement of 25 LH Mark III helicopters from HAL under Buy Indian-IDDMA at an approximate cost of Rs 3,850 and procurement of Terminally Guided Munition (TGM) and HEPF/RHE Rocket Ammunition under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category at an approximate cost of Rs 4,962 crore from domestic sources.

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The Infantry of the Indian Army will soon receive its second batch for 72,000 US-built SIG716 G2 assault rifles as the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared the procurement, as reported by Swarajya Magazine.

In February 2019, the army had placed the first order for 72,400 of these rifles “under the fast-track programme” at a cost of around ₹700 crore and from December 2019, the army started receiving the much needed assault rifles.

Sig Sauer Inc, will complete the delivery by the end of this year.

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