SINCE 1964 December 2019-January 2020 Volume 16 No. 6 `100.00 (India-Based Buyer Only) SP’s AN SP GUIDE P UBLICATION Official Media Partner SEE DETAILS ON PAGE 2 WWW.SPSLANDFORCES.COM ROUNDUP THE ONLY MAGAZINE IN ASIA-PACIFIC DEDICATED to LAND FORCES IN THIS ISSUE >> EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW PhotoGRAPh: Indian Army Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat PAGE 4 India Gets it’s First Chief of Defence Staff Biggest reform in higher defence management rolled out with mandate to restructure military commands, bring about jointness among Armed Forces within three years. Vishal Thapar The newly appointed Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane after taking over as the 28th COAS, at the South Block, New Delhi PAGE 6 Fasten All Your Info About the Nation’s Biggest Defence Carnival Now with an App Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches DefExpo 2020 app that holds remarkable features to ‘inform, engage and feedback’. Ayushee Chaudhary Army Chief Calls for PAGE 8 ‘Make in India’: A Catalyst to Strategic Autonomy Current push of the Government towards Increased Use of indigenous defence production is a welcome step towards self-sustainable technological advancements and economic growth and it needs to be taken forward. Offensive Air Power In an exclusive interview to Jayant Baranwal, Editor-in-Chief, SP’s Land Forces, the newly-appointed Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane stresses that India has enough military options against Pakistan and its proxies without breaching the nuclear threshold Lt General Abhay Krishna (Retd) SP’s Land Forces (SP’s): What is the fall- der without breaching the nuclear over- SP’s: Is there room for an enhanced air out of Pulwama incident and subsequent hang. As a result, Pak has ratcheted up element in India’s counter-insurgency PAGE 11 air strikes on Balakot, on the security violence on the line of control (LC) using posture? What are your views on this? Solutions for Night Warfare Capability environment of the sub-continent? ceasefire violations to keep the issue on COAS: The proliferation of terrorism and Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) Chief of the Army Staff (COAS): The simmer. These are being retaliated for the designs of non-state actors along with PAGE 12 major fallout of the Pulwama incident effect. There have been inputs of reacti- their ability to target the soft underbelly of Military Embrace of ‘Make in India’ with and the Balakot air strikes is that the vation of terror camps and launch pads democratic nations have created an asym- Make-II Proxy War design of Pak has received and renewed infiltration attempts. Pak is metry. In such a scenario, it is important Vishal Thapar a severe setback. Both were messages unlikely to shed its proxy war agenda and to review the roles, missions and capabili- to the adversary. Pakistan has realised continues with infiltration of terrorists ties of air power to tackle sub-conventional PLUS that it cannot hold India to a nuclear and carrying out atrocities against inno- threats from insurgents, terrorists and The Future Soldier 14 blackmail and that adequate options cent civilians. We are geared up for these extremists who threaten national security. Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) are available with us to ensure that we challenges and a robust counter insur- The Balakot operation provided an oppor- News in Brief 15 remain steps ahead in the escalation lad- gency/ counter terrorism grid is in place. tunity for subsequent intelligence driven 6/2019 SP’s LAND FORCES 1 SINCE 1964 We (at SP’s) are proud to be the Official Media Partner of: We shall be publishing: Contact us: Email: [email protected]; Defexpo 20 Daily (of Ministry of Defence) - Day 1; [email protected] Defexpo 20 Daily (of Ministry of Defence) - Day 2; Phones : +91 - 11 - 24644693, 24644763, Defexpo 20 Daily (of Ministry of Defence) - Day 3; 24620130, 24658322 Fax : +91 - 11 - 24647093 SP’s Land Forces - Defexpo 20 Special; SP’s Naval Forces - Defexpo 20 Special; Neetu Dhulia (Group Director - Sales & Marketing) SP’s Aviation - Defexpo 20 Special; Mobile: +91 9810700864 SP’s M.A.I. - Defexpo 20 Special Email: [email protected] We shall exclusively distribute across the entire spectrum of Defexpo 20 Rajeev Chugh (Deputy Director - Sales) at all the Ministry of Defence controlled areas Mobile: +91 9312836347 including VIP areas, Conference Halls, Chalets, etc. Email: [email protected] SP's Official Defexpo Home Ad .indd 1 27/12/19 2:34 PM >> EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW The Indian Armed Forces require- ber 31, 2019, upon completion newly-appointed Army Chief is every Army’s ultimate weapon, ment of a common head like the of his three-year tenure gets an General Naravane, gave an thus there is an urgent need to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), for extension as the new rules allow exclusive interview to SP’s upgrade his equipment. Read single point of advice to the gov- the CDS to serve till 65 years of Land Forces, which is our lead about the turns and twists in ernment, improved integration age. The appointment of General story in this issue. this issue on the F-INSAS pro- amongst the three Services and Rawat as the first CDS did not With all signs pointing gramme took when it was sepa- avoiding overlap of infrastructure come as a big surprise as he was towards the government pushing rated from Battlefield Manage- and capital acquisitions which considered to be the front-runner indigenous defence production ment System (BMS) and BMS leads to a more streamlined sys- for the position. for self-reliance and economic was foreclosed in July 2018 due tem of reporting and decision A fortnight ago, on December growth, we have included an to lack of funds. Thus the current making, was pending since long. 16, the Government had cleared analysis by Lt General Abhay focus is on acquisition of person- Over the last few days, two the name of Lt General Manoj Krishna (Retd) on how ‘Make nel weapons and protection. major announcements by the Mukund Naravane as the next in India’ is a catalyst to strate- We wrap up this issue with Government of India dominated Chief of the Army Staff to take gic autonomy. A highly deco- the usual news digest and wish headlines over all other hap- over from General Rawat upon rated soldier, Lt General Abhay all you discerning readers a penings in the defence industry. his retirement. In the course Krishna had commanded the happy new year and Army Day. Since Prime Minister Narendra of his distinguished career, he South Western, the Eastern and Happy reading! EDITORIAL Modi announced on August 15 had commanded the Eastern the Central Commands before that India will have a CDS, spec- Command and the Army Train- retiring from the India Army on ulation was rife as to who will ing Command before his last September 30, 2019. be the first CDS? The appoint- appointment as the Vice Chief of Night vision devices (NVD) ment came on December 30 Army Staff. would be more effective if the when the outgoing Chief of the While covering these appoint- image intensifier and the TI is Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat ments in this issue, SP’s Land combined to bring out the best was announced to be India’s Forces wishes the new CDS design features of both which first Chief of Defence Staff. The and the new COAS a highly is termed ‘Sensor Fusion’. An General, who was going to retire successful tenure. article on the subject is included JAYANT BARANWAL as the Army Chief on Decem- Soon after taking over, the in this issue. The infantry soldier Publisher & Editor-in-Chief PhotoGRAPh: Indian Army punitive operations that exploit the reach, cyber, precision weapon system, EW and flexibility and precision offered by offensive DEWs. The overall focus is to developing a air power. These operations will, however, capable and responsive force empowered to have to be carefully calibrated and executed fulfilling the mandate as laid down by the with restraint. government. SP’s: What is the current status of the SP’s: What is the progress with regard to threat level on the border with Pakistan? the small arms procurement of the Army? COAS: Exact nature of threat level cannot COAS: To ensure the cutting edge of Infan- be disclosed. However, it is suffice to say try, due emphasis has been given to all fac- that on our Western front, we dominate our ets of its capability development. Following adversary completely across all spectrums are the significant milestones achieved in of operations. the recent few years with refer to capability development of Infantry: SP’s: Does the ISIS terror strike in Sri l Assault Rifles. Contract for 72,400 Lanka have implications for India? How Assault Rifles (7.62x51mm) has been do you perceive Sri Lankan claims that the signed with M/s Sig Sauer in February bombers received training in Kashmir? 19. First lot of 10,000 Assault Rifles COAS: The Indian Army is always ready has been received. The rifles are being to respond to any kinds of provocation by inducted for the frontline troops. terrorist and extremist groups. The ISIS l AK-203. The Inter governmental terror strike underlines the fact that path- agreement for production of AK Series ways to radicalisation and indoctrination SP’s Land Forces Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal with Small Arms by joint venture (JV) of do exist, even in the Valley and we are tak- Chief of the Army Staff General M.M. Naravane ROE/ Kalashnikov Concern and OFB ing all possible steps, kinetic and otherwise, was signed in February 19 with Russian to ensure a conducive environment for a tain Strike Corps like any other Corps will Army is looking at enhancing the overall Federation.