FrontCover.qxd 10/1/2019 12:52 PM Page 1 FrontInsideCover.qxd 10/1/2019 2:10 PM Page 1 1-Contents.qxd 10/1/2019 4:36 PM Page 3 CONTENTS STRONG, STRONGER, 02 STRONGEST Indian Air Force is rapidly A TIMES OF INDIA PRESENTATION progressing towards self-sufficiency. A report l MANAGING EDITOR VISHESH PRAKASH l EDITORIAL COORDINATOR POOJA MADHOK l EDITORIAL TEAM BIJIN JOSE l CHIEF GRAPHIC EDITOR MUKESH ARORA l SPECIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS DINESH VIST, MAHESH BISHT, AJAY AGGARWAL THE FUTURE OF MARKETING DEFENCE PREPAREDNESS 40 INDIAN NAVY l NATIONAL VERTICAL HEAD SHWETA ARORA [email protected] 06 Fast-changing technology and Future proofing is a l PROJECT COORDINATOR emergence of Artificial crucial task for Indian PRACHI BAJAJ [email protected] Intelligence is going to influence Navy and requires the defence preparedness of understanding of l PRODUCTION COORDINATION MUKESH MALIK India in the future disruptive technologies UTTAM ACHARYA Published by: Rajeev Yadav for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., at Times House, 7 B.S.Z. Marg, New Delhi and printed by him at Amar Ujala Publications Ltd., C - 21 & 22, Sector - 59, Noida - 201301, (UP) - India All rights reserved with M/s Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Reproduction, in whole or part, without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Infringement of any of the above conditions can lead to civil and criminal prosecutions. DISCLAIMER: Great care has been taken in the compilation and validation of information, and every effort has been made to ensure AERO ENGINE MARKET that all information is up-to-date at the time of going to press. The publishers are 12 not responsible for errors, if any, and their As India is taking steps towards consequences. modernisation of its armed AIR LAUNCHED 2019 Copyright © Bennett, forces, one gap that has been 34 TORPEDOS Coleman & Co. Ltd acting as a major obstacle in Pictures used in the magazine are for The torpedo is at the cusp representational purposes only. growth, is the inability to design of being deployed from and develop indigenous modern an unmanned aerial aircraft engines vehicle STRATEGIC 23 PARTNERSHIP IN DEFENCE The SP model seeks to energise Indian private sector in defence manufacturing. It is time DEFENCE PRODUCTION now to be well equipped 17 Vibrant defence industry to handle the challenges is a crucial component of that lie ahead effective defence capability, and to achieve national sovereignty and military superiority 2-5_coverstory.qxd 10/1/2019 12:07 PM Page 2 COVER STORY IAF: THE FLIGHT OF VALOUR r [email protected] The Indian Air THE GENESIS Force is among the IAF came into being on October 8, 1938 he Indian Air Force will be and has been achieving newer milestones most powerful celebrating its 87th Air Force Day since. It has an unparalleled legacy. forces in the world, Ton October 8. Ever since its However, it had a modest beginning with inception, the Indian Air Force has been just six officers, five pilots, an equipment with an unmatched constantly reinventing itself. Be it officer, and 19 air soldiers. From a induction of latest arms, technology or meagre strength, today the IAF stands legacy of might and high-tech operations, the Indian Air tall with over 1.40 lakh personnel. courage. As India Force has been chartering newer The Indian Air Force have braved heights. Owing to its foresight and several threats to national security over celebrates 87th Air constant innovations, today, the Indian the years. Also known as the Bharatiya Force Day on Air Force, has become a force to be Vayu Sena, the IAF is vigilant and reckoned with. actively works for the protection of the October 8, here’s a With enhanced capabilities, IAF is a Indian aerospace. It is listed among the peek into its modern air force that can fight in any most powerful air forces in the world. network-centric operations and its In 1985, the IAF had 42 squadrons (each success stories and strategic reach is expanding with each having 18 aircraft) of fighter jet. passing day. Today, the IAF is deploying However, the number of aircraft began future plans the latest technology and advanced air plummeting after 2001-02 as induction combat weaponry. was not proportionate to the rate at 2 | ET Aviation & Defence | October 2019 2-5_coverstory.qxd 10/1/2019 12:07 PM Page 3 experts feel that the private sector Combat Aircraft deal with the French should be incentivised in order to manufacturer Dassault Aviation for 36 assist Defence Public Sector Rafale fighter jets which is touted to Undertakings (DPSU) in equipment be one of the largest defence contracts manufacturing. in history. It is a stellar example of India's foresight with regards to its THE GREAT EVOLUTION enhancement of its Air Force. With time, the Government of India Multiple projects like the Scorpene inducted modern weaponry and (diesel electric attack submarines) aircraft. Sukhoi 30 MKI was inducted have been fast-tracked. In the last few into the Air Force; submarines and years, India has signed defence missile destroyers in the Indian Navy; cooperation agreements and MoUs and howitzers for the Indian Army. with over 20 countries, entered the Gradually, India worked towards Missile Technology Control regime, self-reliance by becoming one of the and strengthened bilateral which older aircraft were retiring. few nations to possess and develop relationships with major suppliers. As of 2019, India has 30 squadrons of advanced weaponry such as Inter- The 1980s, saw India renewing its fighter jets. The indigenous Light Continental Ballistic Missiles, Aircraft efforts to spur its domestic defence Combat Aircraft (LCA) later Carriers and Nuclear Submarines. industry by investing largely into christened as Tejas was in the offing in The Medium Range Multi-Role DRDO and development of native 1985. Ever since, the government has missile systems such as 'Prithvi', been directing efforts to fulfil the IAF 'Akash' and 'Nag'; alongside shortages with the introduction of developing its flagship aeronautical Tejas MK 1A, the Tejas MK2, and the project, the Light Combat Aircraft. In Tejas AMCA. 1998, India entered into an agreement These developments are in the view with Russia to jointly develop a of the fact that the MiGs are likely to supersonic cruise missile system, the retire in next four years. In 1985, the IAF had 42 'BrahMos'. Experts say that the delay is inherent squadrons (each having in the procurement developmental 18 aircraft) of fighter ON THE HOME TURF aircraft. Most defence experts feel jet. As of 2019, India has One of the recent landmark that India should have three lines of 30 squadrons of fighter initiatives, the Defence Procurement production - indigenous line of jets, which is only Procedure 2016 (DPP 2016), was production and for procuring single- expected to increase introduced on March 28, 2016 with engine and twin-engine fighter jets further in the coming substantial amendment to DPP 2013, from abroad. As IAF plans to celebrate to facilitate efficient and expedited decade or so its 87th anniversary, various industry procurement of defence technology October 2019 | ET Aviation & Defence | 3 2-5_coverstory.qxd 10/1/2019 12:07 PM Page 4 and equipment, large incentives to the largely dependent on other nations for its private sector - promising lucidity and defence equipment profile has adopted integrity to the process. It aims to propel the Prime Minister's mantra of the 'Make in India' initiative by nurturing harnessing resources in the home land. growth of the domestic defence industry, Several small and medium-sized and introduces the Buy (Indian-IDDM) enterprises (SMEs) have been actively FUTURE BECKONS: and Buy and Make (Indian) categories of working towards manufacturing and Steps in the right procurement. "We need to focus more on supplying auxiliary equipment, mainly direction indigenisation. Make in India has to focus sub-assemblies, components and even on local manufacturing. Indigenisation is providing system integration. IAF recently inducted eight vital as no one understands our defence "Defence sector has grown over the US-made Apache stealth requirements better than ourselves. The years in the country. As of now we are on attach helicopters. This moment we depend on others, we may the right track of progress. Earlier, except comes as a significant have to make compromises owing to the for the cloth used for the uniforms, development at a time when limitations of the manufacturers. We may everything was imported. And from there India is facing complex get tailor-made products, but it will have we have come to a state of about 70 per security challenges. The induction is considered to some limitations. The defence industry of cent self-sufficiency. Most of the defence be a significant step towards the 80s and 90s were different. After is now indigenous. Now, with the private modernisation of the IAF. 2000, they progressed rapidly. If sector joining in the defence production, initiatives like Make in India were the competition and the pace of India recently finalised a introduced then we would have been development of newer technologies is roadmap to spend USD 130 mightier today. Regardless, it's never too speeding up. Make in India, is an excellent billion in the next 5-7 years late and so far we have been moving in the initiative, yet the local industries need to modernise the armed right direction," said Col Mukesh Rao. better infrastructure and also the forces. The priority is to fast Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi required the facilities," said Lt Col track proposals like procurement of 2,600 launched the Make in India Campaign in Pramod Othayoth. infantry combat vehicles, September 2014, several industries The Make in India initiative has given 1,700 future-ready combat including the defence have come forward these SMEs the momentum to enhance vehicles and facilitating the to embrace it and work towards their efficiency and manufacturing supply of 110 multi-role indigenisation.