Mar 2021 समाचार प से चयत अंश Newspapers Clippings A Daily service to keep DRDO Fraternity abreast with DRDO Technologies, Defence Technologies, Defence Policies, International Relations and Science & Technology खंड : 46 अंक : 46 04 माच 2021 Vol.: 46 Issue : 46 04 March 2021 रा वान पु तकालय Defence Science Library रा वान पु तकालय रा Defenceवैानक स Scienceचनाू एवं Libraryलेखन क Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre रा वैानक सचना एवं लेखन क , ू 110 054 Defence Scientificमेटकॉफ Information हाउस दल &- Documentation Centre Metcalfe House, Delhi - 110 054 मेटकॉफ हाउस, दल - 110 054 Metcalfe House, Delhi- 110 054 CONTENTS S. No. TITLE Page No. DRDO News 1-12 DRDO Technology News 1-12 1. India, Philippines sign key defence pact, set ball rolling for BrahMos missile sale 1 2. BrahMos missiles' supply: India signs key pact with Philippines for sale of 2 'defence equipment' 3. Govt opened up space, atomic energy and DRDO sectors for youth: PM Modi 3 4. Opened up space sector, DRDO to boost research: Modi 4 5. Tejas Jets – US Engine, Israeli Radar & Indian tech make LCA Tejas a deadly 5 Fighter Jet: Analysis 6. India’s Tejas to be flown by Lankan pilots 6 7. As India’s drone industry takes wing, Turkey emerges as a ‘UAV superpower’ 7 8. Amid tensions at LAC, India and China ramp up drone technology to boost 8 operational preparedness 9. Experts slam claim that human activity not behind Chamoli disaster 10 10. Self-reliance in defence, cyber challenges in focus at Combined Commanders’ 11 meet starting today Defence News 13-18 Defence Strategic National/International 13-18 11. CAS visit to Sri Lanka 13 12. भारतीय वायुसेना अ की ीलंका याा 14 13. MDL pays interim dividend of Rs 92.56 crore for FY 2020-21 15 14. एमडीएल ने िव वष 2020-21 के िलए 92.56 करोड़ पये का अंतरम लाभांश िदया 15 15. Setting up theatre commands key agenda for military top brass meet with PM 16 16. Army conducts integrated battle drills with tanks and helicopters 17 17. IAF joins multinational air exercise in UAE 18 Science & Technology News 19-25 18. Heat-free optical switch would enable optical quantum computing chips 19 19. Researchers unveil issues with nuclear theory, observe no magic behavior at 20 N=32 in charge radii of potassium isotopes 20. Researchers realize quantum communications milestone using light 22 COVID-19 Research News 24-25 21. Covid-19: 5 blood proteins predict critical illness and death 24 DRDO News DRDO Technology News Thu, 04 March 2021 India, Philippines sign key defence pact, set ball rolling for BrahMos missile sale The agreement is a framework for procurement of defence equipment by the Philippines from India but is not a contract for Brahmos supersonic missiles By Snehesh Alex Philip New Delhi: India and Philippines have signed a key enabling pact that will pave the way for government-to-government deals on defence equipment including the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile in the future. The ‘Implementing Arrangement’ concerning the procurement of defence material and equipment was signed by the two countries at the Camp Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Tuesday. Indian Ambassador to Philippines, Shambu S. Kumaran, signed the pact on behalf of New Delhi. Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that this does not The deal was signed by the two countries at Camp mean that the much awaited BrahMos deal is Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Tuesday | Facebook happening anytime soon. They explained that the agreement involves the procurement of defence equipment by the Philippines from India. “This is sort of a foundational agreement for government-to-government contracts. This does not mean that a contract for BrahMos is being signed,” a source said. The Straits Times quoted the Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who witnessed the signing ceremony, as saying, “We are buying the BrahMos missiles.” Lorenzana said the agreement served as a guide for the Philippines and India on “policies and procedures in the defence procurement”. It also served as a “legal framework for the procurement under the government-to-government modality,” he added. The Brahmos sale Plans for the possible sale of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines had hit a roadblock in December last year with Manila citing budgetary limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Roman Babushkin, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Russian Embassy in India, had earlier said in December that the Indo-Russian joint venture (JV) firm — BrahMos Aerospace — is looking at exporting the weapons to other countries, starting with the Philippines. 1 ThePrint had then reported that the Russian statement had come as a surprise to the Indian security and defence establishment, because while talks were underway with the Philippines, the modalities were yet to be worked out. BrahMos is the only supersonic cruise missile in the world that flies at three times the speed of sound (2.8 Mach). It is much sought-after because it can be used for both coastal defence and ground attack. India had offered a $100 million line of credit for the purchase of the weapon. While India is working to extend the range of the BrahMos missile, the version that will be exported will come with a “normal range” of 290 km. https://theprint.in/defence/india-philippines-sign-key-defence-pact-set-ball-rolling-for-brahmos-missile- sale/615300/ Thu, 04 March 2021 BrahMos missiles' supply: India signs key pact with Philippines for sale of 'defence equipment' New Delhi: India on Tuesday signed a key pact with the Philippines for the sale of "defence material and equipment", which are likely to include BrahMos cruise missiles. Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who was also present at the pact's signing ceremony in Manila, has reportedly said that his country is buying BrahMos missiles. Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) said on Facebook on Tuesday that Defence Undersecretary Raymundo Elefante and India's Ambassador to the Philippines Shambu S. Kumaran signed an "implementing arrangement" for "procurement of defence material and equipment". The Facebook post said Lorenzana was also present at the signing ceremony. "We are buying the BrahMos missiles," Lorenzana was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. There was no statement from the Indian side. India and Russia have been planning to export the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Philippines and several other countries, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission in India Roman Babushkin had said on November 12 in an online briefing. The BrahMos missile is produced by an Indo-Russian joint venture and it can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or from land platforms. On October 18 last year, a naval version of the BrahMos missile was successfully test-fired from an indigenously-built stealth destroyer of the Indian Navy in the Arabian sea. Days later, the Indian Air Force test-fired an air-launched version of the BrahMos missile from a Sukhoi fighter aircraft in the Bay of Bengal. A number of countries including in the Gulf region have shown interest in procuring the missile. India has already deployed a sizeable number of the original BrahMos missiles and other key assets in several strategic locations along the LAC with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The IAF is also integrating the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets to bolster the overall combat capability of the force. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/brahmos-missiles-supply-india-signs-key-pact-with-philippines- for-sale-of-defence-equipment/articleshow/81316210.cms 2 Thu, 04 March 2021 Govt opened up space, atomic energy and DRDO sectors for youth: PM Modi He further added that in this year's budget, the government has given more focus on the making of institutions and their access Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Central government has opened up several sectors including agriculture, space, atomic energy and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the talented youth of the country, adding that keeping knowledge and research within limits is an injustice to the nation. "It is an injustice to the nation to keep knowledge and research within limits. With this mindset, we are opening up several sectors such as agriculture, space, atomic energy and DRDO for our youth that is full of potential," PM Modi said while speaking at a webinar on the implementation of Union Budget 2021 in the education sector. He further added that in this year's budget, the government has given more focus on the making of institutions and their access. "For the first time in India, we are developing Prime Minister Narendra Modi | Photo: a National Research Foundation, at a cost of Rs 50,000 crore," PTI the Prime Minister said. Talking about the reforms in the technology sector, PM Modi said, "There's a new tradition of Hackathons for start-ups in India. It will strengthen both the youth as well as the industry." "Under National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation, over 3,500 startups have been nurtured," Modi added. Urging institutions to adopt the best practices so as to train the youth with the global skills in sync with global demand, PM Modi said, "The institutions and individuals in the education sector have to work together to bring international campuses to India and adopt the best practices across the globe in collaboration and added that people must map the skillsets in sync with global demand and the youth must be prepared on the same lines." Elaborating on the steps being taken by the Central Government during this year's Budget for the education sector, he said, "For building an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', it is important that the youth have self-confidence.