Army Commandos Kill 3 Pak Soldiers Across Line of Control

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: Senior officials have confirmed to NDTV that around 10 soldiers of the Army, possibly a Special Forces Unit, crossed the Line of Control in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday night and killed three Pakistani soldiers. The strike follows the killing of four Indian soldiers including a Major by a Border Action Team of the Pakistan Army in Rajouri on Saturday, said sources.

Sources have describe it as a "localised tactical level operation" by a local Army commander deployed in the region.

They do not use "surgical strike" to describe the operation, which targeted a specific Pakistani post.

The operation was "selective targeting", said sources; it was meant to be very limited in scope and meant to achieve a very specific goal.

No Indian soldier in last night's operation was injured.

Details of the operation are still unclear.

Sources have indicated to NDTV that the goal was to send a clear message, that if Pakistani soldiers attack Indian soldiers, there will be a definite response.

On Saturday, Pakistan troops infiltrated almost 400 metres across the Line of Control to target Indian Army soldiers, sources said. The attackers were part of a Pakistan Border Action Team. These groups include special forces of the Pakistan Army and terrorists and are known to intrude into India to target Indian soldiers patrolling along the border.

India creates world record by successfully test firing BrahMos from Su-30 fighter jet

NEW DELHI, Nov 22: The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully testfired for the first time in India from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet on Wednesday.

In fact, India has created a world record as this is the first time that the Indo-Russian missile was test fired from Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet of the IAF.

The BrahMos missile successfully hit a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal.

"The missile was gravity dropped from the Su-30 from fuselage, and the two stage missile's engine fired up and straightway propelled towards the intended target at the sea in Bay of Bengal," said a Ministry of Defence release.

According to BrahMos Aerospace, their missile and the Sukhoi-30MKI together will carry out air combat operations within and beyond visibility range. It will make the IAF capable of attacking targets protected by powerful air defence assets.

This achievement has indeed added more teeth to Indian Air frontier.

"The successful maiden test firing of BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from Su-30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF's air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges," the Defence Ministry said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's office took to Twitter to applaud the IAF.

"India creates a world record and completes Supersonic Cruise Missile Triad by successfully testing #BRAHMOS #ALCM from Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft. Smt @nsitharaman congratulates Team Brahmos & @DRDO_India for this historic achievement (sic)," said Sitharaman's department.

BrahMos, which is one of the heaviest missiles in the world, is already used by the Indian Navy and the Indian Army. This missile, which is reportedly the world's fastest anti-ship cruise missile can be fitted on a mobile autonomous launcher and can also be launched from a submarine at a depth of 40-50 metres.

India, France to Strengthen Bilateral Defence Cooperation As Key Pillar of Strategic Partnership

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: India and France on Fridayy reviewed ongoing initiatives to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation as a key pillar of the strategic partnership.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her French counterpart Florence Parly held extensive talks covering a range of issues, including the regional and international security situation, joint development of defence platforms and expansion of military-to-military ties.

They also decided to expand their military cooperation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region.

A range of measures to expand military to military ties, including enhancing the scope of their joint exercises, in particular the VARUNA naval exercise scheduled in early 2018, were agreed upon.

Both countries will also actively explore additional measures to facilitate operational level interactions between their respective armed forces.

The Ministers reiterated their strong intention to further expand bilateral cooperation on counter- terrorism.

Recognising the growing significance of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and the need for greater maritime domain awareness, India and France will further expand information sharing arrangements building upon the Technical Arrangement on Exchange of White Shipping information signed earlier this year.

The two Ministers also comprehensively reviewed developments in defence equipment and industry cooperation, where France is a major partner. They agreed to strongly support projects for defence manufacturing under the Make in India initiative as well as promote defence technology and R&D cooperation.

Ms Parly described her interaction with Ms Sitharaman as "excellent".

The sources said the French side explored the possibility of a follow on order of additional Rafale fighter jets by India.

India had signed a Rs. 58,000 crore deal with France for supply of 36 Rafale jets last year and the IAF was pitching for procuring another fleet of 36 Rafale jets.

It is Ms Parly's first visit to India as French Defence Minister and her trip is expected to lay the ground for French President Emmanuel Macron's upcoming trip to India.

In their talks, the two ministers also comprehensively reviewed developments in defence equipment and industry cooperation between the two countries.

France is a major partner for India in developing various key military platforms including the Scorpene submarines.

In their talks, the two ministers also comprehensively reviewed developments in defence equipment and industry cooperation between the two countries.

France is a major partner for India in developing various key military platforms including the Scorpene submarines.

India, US decide to step up defence interoperability

MANILA, Oct 26: India and the United States have decided to implement an agreement to improve interoperability between their defence forces, specially their navies, called Helicopter Operations from Ships other Than Aircraft Carriers (HOSTAC).

The decision was announced by the two sides in Clark, Pampanga, The Philippines, where defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman met her American counterpart James Mattis, during their second meeting in a month.

The two Leaders stressed the importance of strengthening maritime security cooperation, and in support of this objective, decided to implement HOSTAC, US defence department said in a statement.

HOSTAC allows multiple navies and coast guards to work with each other, using their platforms, through prior knowledge of their equipment, processes and guidance systems. This is a unique arrangement that the United States has promoted.

“Most of this information is publicly available” and India and the US used to exchange this two months prior to their joint exercises in the past, said an official on background. Now, it will be a rolling arrangement.

“Helicopter operations are critical to advanced maritime operations and they must be synchronised,” Lt Cmdr Bryan Weatherup, aviation operations officer, said while explaining the system at a HOSTAC conference of 11 countries in Singapore in 2016.

“From Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) missions, maritime domain awareness operations, anti-submarine warfare or moving personnel or supplies, aircrews must work closely with other operators and those from various partner forces,” he said, according to a US navy journal.

“The bottom line is that maritime-based aircraft need a place to land at sea,” said Weatherup. “To be successful in both bilateral and multilateral operating environments, we need to conduct effective helicopter operations with our friends and partners.”

Participants at the conference were Great Britain, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.

DRDO, MKU sign agreement for ballistic protection technology

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: DMSRDE (DRDO) one of the premier laboratories of NS&M cluster has successfully designed and developed Bullet Proof Jackets as per GSQR 1438. After the successful ballistic trials, a ToT (Transfer of Technology) Agreement was signed with MKU Ltd. at a ceremony at DRDO Bhavan. The Chairman DRDO and Secretary DDR&D DR. S. Christopher was the Chief Guest and also handed over the ToT documents to MKU Ltd.

MKU is a committed defense manufacturing company, focused on development of ballistic protection and Electro-optics for soldiers and Platforms. MKU is committed to Make in India and towards this end is always on the lookout to bring the best manufacturing technologies into the country.

Dr. Christopher, Chairman DRDO stated that he felt confident that the technology was being given to good hands and MKU would ensure that not only the product quality is maintained over the years but also improvements are made on the product.

He also mentioned that DRDO would support MKU in this process for product improvement by offering their facilities for testing and validation where required. He was hopeful that this association would grow and MKU would become associated with other DRDO labs also.

Speaking on the occasion, MKU Chairman, Mr. Neeraj Gupta stated, “Our association with DRDO dates back to 2001, when we signed the first production agreement for body armour. The agreement was for the period 2001-2008 during which we manufactured and supplied BPJs to the Indian Paramilitary and Police forces through TBRL/ DRDO. We signed a TOT for Cool Vest with Defence Lab Jodhpur in 2016. Today we are receiving the TOT for Bullet Proof Jackets developed by DMSRDE/ DRDO. This is another step forward in this long relationship.”

He added, “MKU would like to combine DRDO technology with its own experience and knowledge to develop products suitable for our defense forces – we plan to combine the cool vest technology with ballistic protection technology to develop comfortable, ergonomic BPJs for forces operating in extremely hot and humid conditions. MKU as a company is focused on R&D as we feel investment in technology is the first step towards achieving excellence.”

MKU will constantly be on the lookout for new emerging technologies and looks upon DRDO for developing technologies and products to meet the emerging requirements of our defense forces – the experience of DRDO would synergize the development.”

India, France to discuss defence cooperation

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: French Defence Minister Florence Parly will undertake her maiden two-day official visit to India from Friday to strengthen all aspects of France’s fast developing defence cooperation with this country, its foremost Asian strategic partner, the French Embassy announced on Thursday.

She will also discuss with Indian leaders the broad contours of the State visit of French President Emmanuel Macron towards the end of the year for a meeting of the International Solar Alliance.

She will hold delegation-level talks with her Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday. Their talks will range from defence operational cooperation, in particular on maritime security, joint exercises of the armed forces, counter-terrorism, to industrial and technological partnership under the Make in India initiative. They will also review progress made in major cooperation projects.

In the afternoon, the minister will travel to Mihan Sez, Nagpur, where she will participate in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL).

On 28 October, Minister Parly will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wide-ranging talks ahead of the State visit of President Macron. She will also meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The French Minister will conclude her India trip in Mumbai, with visits to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and the Western Naval Command. At MDL shipyard, she will visit the yard where Scorpene submarines are being made in India with transfer of technology under the P75 project by MDL, India’s leading public sector shipbuilders, in collaboration with French shipbuilding major, Naval Group (formerly DCNS).

She will also board the INS Kalvari, the first of these six Scorpene submarines to have been delivered to the Indian Navy, an eloquent symbol of the close Indo-French strategic partnership.