EDITORIAL BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF ARMING INDIA MARCH 2021 Soaring Capabilities India’s AeroIndia 2021 showcased local aviation sector’s growth through HAL’s projects MARCH 2021 1 BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF ARMING INDIA Sample Market Reports For Commissioning Reports and for Pricing, Contact Us: IndoStrat Enterprises Phone: +91 9871050869 Email: [email protected] EDITORIAL Dear Reader, s we were wrapping up this March 2021 edition for you, there were some incredibly positive Adevelopments on the India-Pakistan border front. The two nations’ armies agreed on main- taining and following the Nov. 2003 ceasefire agreement in toto and that has raised the spirits of the people of the two nations, particularly those living on the borders who faced the brunt of the sniping that the two forces have been at for seven decades now. However, this is a peace that has come at a high cost. Coupled with the withdrawal of the troops at some key locations on the Line of Actual Control between India and China such as the Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley, there are good tidings visible for overall peace in South Asia. These developments must be welcomed by one and all seeking prosperity to the people of the region. These positives are the way forward, provided Pakistan and China are sincere in implementing these peace agreements in letter and spirit. India needs to trust the two neighbours on the West and the North regarding their claims. But it need not be blind faith. India should verify each step down that path and not take the peace claims at face value. This caution has to stem from the experiences of the past and the history of military affairs among the three nuclear-armed nations. As also, for a better future. While this is so on the geopolitics front in India’s neighbourhood, Defence.Capital is happy to share with you that it has tied up with Defence Research and Studies (DRaS), a Kochi-based think-tank of military and strategic affairs experts, on content sharing, and is happy to bring some of the chosen articles and views from DRaS in this edition for your reading pleasure. Since the AeroIndia 2021 show has just got over last month, this edition brings to you through the visual medium on what transpired at the air show. We have good choice of photographs that we have shared to showcase the biennial event in case any of you had missed it. There were several Memoranda of Understanding that were signed at the AeroIndia 2021. Defence.Capital in the past have compiled such MoUs for your benefit. This year too, we have done so. But we shall share the list that we compiled in our later editions. This is something you would look forward to, am sure. After over a year of publication, Defence.Capital is currently carrying out a review of what it has done and if this direction needs to continue or change for the better. That process, we expect to complete in a month or two. We shall keep you updated regarding the changes or continua- tion in our editorial strategy soon, by the middle of this year. Till that time and in the future, we urge you to support Defence.Capital in its endeavours, which is to help you do your business much more profitably. We also request your feedback on the content of this publication and suggestions on how we can improve it to serve you better. Am keenly looking forward to all your letters and emails in this regard. Some of the best ones will be carried in the subsequent editions. We are also looking for testimonials from our es- teemed readers, who are the decision-makers from the Ministry of Defence and the armed forc- es, industry leaders and researchers from think-tanks. Happy reading and thank you for all the support and feedback. NC Bipindra Editor Editor: N. C. Bipindra Creative Editor: Shajan C. Kumar Assistant Editor: Aadithya Contributing Editors: Ayaskant Das, Atul Kumar Administration: Rashmi Sharma Website: https://defence.capital Email: [email protected] Phone: +91 9871050869 Edited, Published & Printed by N. C. Bipindra IndoStrat Enterprises, 67D, 3rd Floor, Pocket A, DDA SFS Flats, Mayur Vihar Phase 3, New Delhi 110096. Views expressed are those of individual writers and do not represent the policy of this publication. MARCH 2021 3 CONTENTS INTERVIEW BEML looking at bagging $114 Impact of Drones in million worth of battlefield changes conventional warfare orders Drones are the latest game-changers or force multi- The state-run company has an orderbook posi- pliers in modern warfare. The last four years saw sev- tion of over $1.63 billion till 2023-24. BEML’s eral countries using drones in their battles; Nigeria Chairman and Managing Director (Additional used drones against Boko Haram, Turkey used them Charge) M. V. Rajasekhar said in this questions in Syrian raids, the UK in Iraq and Syria, and the US and answers during AeroIndia 2021. P9 in Libya. P15 Multirole Helicopters: Romeos in Indian Navy operations Yet again, the Arabian Sea is poised to shrink to a pond, as the MH60R is the best multirole helicopters in the world. Since they come from a family of helicopters with which the Indian Navy has a familiarity of over 50 years, in their operation and maintenance, Indian Navy will hit the deck running too. P19 Deployment of autonomous weapon systems a future challenge Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) are pos- ing another kind of threat to humanity. The level of au- tonomy defines how dangerous the weapon could be for nations. P21 India gets serious about Ordnance Factory corporatisation India is getting serious about corporatising the state- run Ordnance Factories to bring in efficiency and -ac countability in its functioning, apart from financial in- dependence and competitiveness in its operations. P13 4 MARCH 2021 EVENT Visual Impact of AeroIndia 2021 MARCH 2021 5 EVENT 6 MARCH 2021 MARCH 2021 7 EVENT 8 MARCH 2021 INTERVIEW BEML looking at bagging $114 million worth of orders The state-run company has an orderbook position of over $1.63 billion till 2023-24. BEML’s Chairman and Managing Director (Additional Charge) M. V. Rajasekhar said in this questions and answers during AeroIndia 2021. Over the last five and a half decades, BEML has During the recent times, several targets have been been supplying quality products and services to achieved by the company. Some of them are: sectors such as Mining & Construction, Rail & • Designed, developed, and supplied India’s biggest: Metro, Defence & Aerospace. How successful has o Excavator to Coal India. the company been in achieving its missions and o Dump Trucks to Coal India goals? What are the major accomplishments in the o Bulldozer to Nalco recent times? • Indigenously designed, developed, and supplied Metro Ans. We could achieve our short-term goals. However, cars to Kolkata Metro. some of the long-term plans are yet to be achieved and we • Catenary Maintenance Vehicle (CMV) was successfully are on the trajectory for achieving the same. designed & developed, and supplied to Delhi Metro Rail MARCH 2021 9 INTERVIEW Corporation. Ans. Indigenously designed and developed state-of- • Developed and supplied the country’s first unmanned the-art Driverless Metro trains are being manufactured at train operated (driverless) metro rolling stock for supply BEML’s Bangalore Complex. The cars will operate on 25 KV to MRS1 project of Mumbai metro line 2A and line AC traction power and equipped with CCTV surveillance • 1500 HP Engine for Defence Application. and with the provision to carry passenger bicycles in the • BEML received prestigious orders from VSSC, ISRO coaches. for manufacture of 8 types of Light alloy structures for The cars are made up of stainless-steel body with a GSLV. This is first of its kind for BEML to venture into capacity of carrying 2,280 passengers in six cars Metro space domain to manufacture critical launch vehicle trainsets. BEML bagged a total order of 576 cars for structures thereby supporting ISRO for their upcoming MMRDA’s MRS1 project, the largest order ever, amidst stiff launch mission including “Mission Gaganyan”. Required competition in the presence of international players and the facilities including an assembly hangar have been set up supply is scheduled progressively up to January 2024. On at Bangalore Complex. Jan. 29, Chief Minister of Maharashtra unveiled the first • BEML received orders for supply of more than 800 Nos. train on Metro Lines for 7 & 2A designed and supplied by BEML HMV vehicles and 1,512 Nos. Mine Ploughs for BEML Limited. Tank T-90 • Overhauling of two nos. of Armoured Recovery Vehicle What are the capabilities of the newly launched (ARV) has been taken up at KGF Division which is yet Aerospace Assembly Hangar, situated within again first of its kind in BEML. Required facilities have BEML’s Bangalore Complex, and the new Industrial already been established in the division. Design Centre? • So far, more than 8,200 High Mobility Vehicles, 350 Ans. New Aerospace Assembly hangar has been set up Armoured Recovery Vehicles, 3,200 Trailers/Wagons, at Bangalore Complex to take up the manufacture of the six sets (330 nos.) of Pontoon Bridge Systems, seven sets Light Alloy Structures for GSLV Mk III structures. Required of Sarvatra Bridge systems, 18,000 Rail Coaches and 700 infrastructures have been established to meet the stringent EMUs, 1,650 Metro cars, 32,000 Mining & construction quality requirements of ISRO. equipment and 27,000 engines. • Industrial Design Centre o Focus on implementing Industrial Design & Human Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled Factors in all Products. ‘Driverless Metro Car’ manufactured by BEML o Global benchmarking for Industrial Design for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development and Ergonomics and integration with R&D and Authority (MMRDA) recently.