II/2016 1610 SPECIAL ISSUE Ratheon II/2016 II/2016 40 “Indian Army in Full 70 The IONS : 92 The Inseparable Readiness” future outlook Twins 1610 SPECIAL ISSUE Cover : US Army soldier at Ranikhet during Air Marshal Brijesh D Jayal urges a Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2014 (photo: Angad Singh) robust defence industry and modern defence management so as to meet Admiral Arun Prakash, addressing the the cherished goal of self reliance, as Indian Ocean Naval Symposium at articulated by Indian policy makers Dhaka, focused on growing importance EDITORIAL PANEL since independence of the country. of the Indian Ocean, its unifying factor, MANAGING EDITOR In his interview, Chief of the Army potential ‘hotspots’, sea power and Vikramjit Singh Chopra Staff General Dalbir Singh, reviews economies and the future outlook for The World of UAVs the Army’s achievements and various IONS. This is an extract from his talk. 96 EDITORIAL ADVISOR initiatives taken for enhancing the Admiral Arun Prakash capability of the Indian Army. As the COAS said during Army Day, “The 78 ‘Submersible EDITORIAL PANEL Indian Army has the capability to Destroyers’ : 110 Pushpindar Singh undertake any action if it is aimed years of Russia’s at protecting the interests of the Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal submarine prowess Dr. Manoj Joshi country”. Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar Compiled from various reports on Lt. Gen. BS Pawar 51 Indian Army Aviation : the global UAV market, this sector is Air Marshal M. Matheswaran Arm of the Future ? estimated as reaching $7 billion in 2015 with steady growth forecast over the Gp Capt JC Malik next years. UAV operations in India Cdr M Nirmal are also reviewed by Sayan Majumdar. Monica Arora Angad Singh In this first part of his comprehensive Singapore Richard Gardner (UK) 144 article on Russia’s submarine Air Show 2016 Reuben Johnson (USA) development and manufacturing Lt Gen BS Pawar, former ADG (Army Bertrand de Boisset (France) capabilities, Vladmir ‘Vovick’ Karnozov Aviation) reviews the last three reviews the pioneering years and Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) decades of the AAC but is concerned initial actions of Russian Navy in 1904. Tamir Eshel (Israel) at its continuing obsolescent fleet. Those valuable lessons have resulted in Inspite of the Government’s decision evolution of some of the most powerful ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER in 2012 giving ownership of new submarines in the world, including the Husnal Kaur attack helicopters to the Army, the Project 955 nuclear power ballistic 22 Apaches ordered are for the Air missile submarines. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Force. The author urges that control Premjit Singh and ownership of tactical/heavy lift Highlights of the biennial event are helicopters be with the Army for it to Role of Aerospace included in this Vayu on-the-spot report, meet its future role. 84 compiled by editors visiting Changi, Power where some 50 (civil aviation) deals were signed even as regional air forces PUBLISHED BY: 56 ‘United Through carried out scintillating aerial displays. Vayu Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. Oceans’ D-43, Sujan Singh Park, 108 Special Section 1610 New Delhi 110 003 India on Defexpo 2016 Tel: +91 11 24617234 Fax: +91 11 24628615 e-mail: [email protected] Also : DPP 2016 : An Appraisal; Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, CAS e-mail: [email protected] ‘Queen of the Battlefield’; Vigilance IAF articulates on role of the Indian Angad Singh of Vayu spent a week over the Seas; ‘Bluebirds’ last flight. at Visakhapatnam to cover the Air Force for enhancing the nation’s Printed at Aegean Offset Printers International Fleet Review 2016 and has strategic presence, as first respondent written this comprehensive report, with in any contingency, during peace or Regular features : exclusive images taken during the event, war. The IAF’s transformation plans aim Commentary, Opinion, Viewpoint, The opinions expressed in the articles published in the Vayu Aerospace and including the grand finale when 75-odd at acquiring multi-spectrum strategic Geopolitics , Aviation & Defence in Defence Review do not necessarily reflect ships in the bay weighed anchor and capability, involving replacement of India, World Aviation & Defence News, the views or policies of The Society for sailed off. He also had an exclusive visit legacy systems, upgradations and Ancient Aviator Anecdotes, Vayu 25 Aerospace Studies. to the air defence cruiser USS Antietam. induction of state-of-the-art equipment. Years Back, Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in C O M M E N T A R Y Indian. In a 1945 essay, he recognised Vietnam’s importance in Defence Budget 2016 controlling China’s entry into the South China Sea and the Indian burgeoning military pension bill created by the ‘One Rank Ocean. This forethought underlines modern-day Indian attempts A One Pension’ (OROP) scheme has caused an unprecedented to develop security relations with Vietnam. India’s building of a cut in the modernisation outlay of the defence ministry, leaving less satellite station in Vietnam to eavesdrop on China is no comfort money available for buying new equipment for the armed forces. to the Chinese. It is the first time that defence pensions have overwhelmed money China, which had built Gwadar Port, was displeased when, allocated to modernise the armed forces, with the ministry seeing an to manage the port, Pakistan picked Singapore’s PSA in 2007 in 8.5% reduction in the capital outlay. It was also the first occasion competition with the Chinese and Dubai bids. Since Pakistan’s that a finance minister did not mention ‘defence allocation’ even own defence is closely tied to Chinese interests, Defence Minister once during his speech. Ahmed Mukhtar went public in a Financial Times report in May The reduced allocation for modernising has also cast a shadow 2011, disclosing that “we have asked our Chinese brothers to please on the growth potential of the fledgling private sector in defence that build a naval base at Gwadar”. relies only on government orders. Uncertainty has also emerged over Transferred to China Overseas Port Holdings Company in several pending acquisitions such as the Rafale jet deal. It is another February 2013, the port remains civilian in nature, for now. But matter that the ministry has also failed to spend funds allocated for regular visits by Chinese vessels to Karachi and Gwadar allow the buying new equipment, over Rs 11,595 crore, or 13.4%, of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) to get acquainted with defence acquisition outlay has been returned this financial year. the local operating environment, in partnership with the PN. The government last year approved the OROP plan, a long- This interoperability and technological synchronisation will be an awaited demand of retired military personnel to equalise pension equaliser for China in a tussle to control the region. In this Indian payments despite the huge fiscal burden. If pensions are included, Ocean chessboard, if China obtains naval facilities at Gwadar, China the increase in defence allocation is over 9%. But if pensions are in one stroke positions itself to defend its own energy supplies excluded, allocation in the overall defence budget has risen barely passing through the Indian Ocean choke points, especially Hormuz. 1.16% from a year ago. This will not even suffice to meet the A bridgehead at Gwadar eases China’s “Malacca Dilemma” through inflationary pressures and the increase in salaries this fiscal. the projected overland supply lines to western China. The recent From Economic Times news of China setting up a naval base in Djibouti, on the African side of the Indian Ocean, is a pointer to China’s future strategy. Pakistan’s enfeebled economy, internal discord and growing Power play in Indian Ocean isolation make it increasingly dependent on China. Pakistan, hile competing claims in the South China Sea grab the therefore, considers a strengthening of China’s position its own. It Wheadlines, the strategic framework being laid out around the is most likely that Pakistan, seeking that elusive sense of equality Indian Ocean by India and China is going unnoticed. Jostling in the with India, would facilitate China’s presence in the region. The two Indian Ocean is more about how China and India place themselves navies are strengthening relations due to the changing international at a strategically advantageous position in the region. China’s environment. China is helping Pakistan modernise and enhance its phenomenal economic miracle necessarily extends its footprint naval capacity. But despite all this modernisation, Pakistan alone into the Indian Ocean, to protect its sea lanes for energy supplies will find it difficult to tackle India’s formidable naval arsenal that and trade. In pursuit of its strategic interests, China finds a ready is to include aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. partner in Pakistan. Their relations, known for their endurance, Hence China. are expanding in scope. Common adversaries, mutual interests As geopolitical alignments are changing, strategic interests are and prudence have cast their relationship into an “iron friendship”. drawing China into the Indian Ocean and India into the South The military component of this relationship has also come to China Sea. This tug of war between the two biggest countries, assume a vital strategic dimension. China now provides half of projected to be the two leading economies of the world by mid- Pakistan’s military hardware and has demonstrated a willingness to century, could potentially be damaging for ASEAN interests. Placed transfer technology to Pakistan. China sees growing cosiness between in the middle of the two, ASEAN has the historic opportunity to be India, the United States and Japan threatening its sea lanes, especially the moderator and to promote the peaceful rise of China and India the energy choke points at the Hormuz and Malacca straits, in the for the larger good of the region and beyond.