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Pakistan, The Siege Within

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Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida reported on a meeting between the civilian govet and the military

The media in Pakistan and outside was abuzz for some 48 hours over a story published by the English newspaper Dawn, regarding a meeting between heads of the civil government and the military.

According to the story, the civilian government confronted the military leadership on the issue of Pakistan’s isolation due to the policy of continued support to terrorists; hence, the need to clean up the house. Furthermore, the scene was described as serious finger pointing of civilian leaders towards generals, including the head of the ISI, Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar, as a result of which it was agreed for the ISI chief to take a trip to all of his provincial directorates and instruct them regarding not obstructing police action against the Jaish or Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Apparently, the Punjab chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif, was very candid and firm. But within 12 hours came the rebuttal from the offices of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, followed by the order placing journalist Cyril Almeida on the exit control list (ECL), a list maintained since General Zia ul Haq’s days for barring certain people from leaving the country.

The story reminds one of another one in which the cat did not teach the lion how to climb up a tree. Indeed, the entire development has done nothing but compromise the position of Nawaz Sharif and strengthen the sense within the armed forces that he is not to be trusted. From now on, the GHQ Rawalpindi would probably keep a more watchful eye on matters of national security, foreign policy and other issues considered strategic by the politically powerful military.

Surely, only Almeida can tell who his source was, but there are three theories doing the rounds in Islamabad. The first one is that the beans were spilt by a small team including the information minister, Pervaiz Rasheed, and the prime minister’s favorite senior bureaucrat reputed to be the de facto premier, Fawad Hassan. This was meant as a counter-coup of sorts against the military to publicly embarrass them and leave them running for cover domestically. Second, the disclosure was a result of a split in the PML-N that wanted to create trouble for Nawaz Sharif. Finally, that it is the ISI itself that briefed the journalist since what was discussed in the meeting and agreed as an agenda point belongs to the realm of the impossible. In this age of technology, what would require General Akhtar to tour the provinces? Or is it even possible for the political government to leash Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, without the active cooperation of the military? Indeed, what was being suggested was passive cooperation that amounts to no cooperation at all.

The civilian government suddenly turning up at the doors of extremist organizations to arrest people will create a ruckus which Islamabad may not be able to control. In fact, those who think some secret cell in the prime minister’s office fed the journalist forget what he wrote in his article two days later: Almeida put the blame of not managing militants in Punjab entirely at the door of the political government which amounts to a brutal analysis of, at best, a stupidly inward-looking administration.

Irrespective of which side Almeida was batting for, the entire episode indicates two crucial facts. First, Raheel Sharif will not get an extension. One of the reasons that such a risky game was played on the first hand is because elements in the military would now like to see Raheel Sharif’s back. He may have struggled hard for extending his stay through ruthless propaganda campaigns but the fact is Pakistan stands now at a critical time when a choice is imperative. As we have seen in the past 12 years, media becomes active around the time of the selection and it is not just the prime minister’s office that plays the game of feeding the media but corps commanders as well, who are interested in the job.

Second, this story of placing Almeida on the ECL is only likely to weaken the prime minister further. The conversation reported by Almeida sounds factual but not its emphasis — that is, the political government, especially Shahbaz Sharif, probably does not have it in him to talk sharply with the DG ISI. If wishes were horses! In fact, such a story is likely to put the government in greater trouble for even imagining it could consider itself politically equal to the armed forces. So, even if the chief will get changed, the newer one would have to wash his hands of such imaginations of the military’s weakness and inform his own constituency — the boys in khaki — that they are still the power to reckon with.

The political government in Islamabad can sense the isolation, but when was the last time that the military cared about what the foreign office bureaucrats said? As for the GHQ, they believe that the world would be a better place if it were not for Indian intervention, and it would turn into a nicer place with China on Pakistan’s side. It is the height of the great game in the Eurasian continent which makes everything fair in love and war. Rawalpindi needs Beijing’s patronage and provides patronage to jihadi groups to fight its battles. The police in Punjab remains a post-colonial structure, politicized and psychologically influenced by military men. In fact, there are many senior police officers in Punjab who are beholden to the Sharif government and the military. With this tension in the background, the situation is not likely to change.

As for Almeida, things are likely to blow over after some tension. The entire world is on his side and continuing to harass him will not prove good for the prime minister. It will at best bring back memories of the incarceration of a prominent journalist, Najam Sethi, in the late 1990s under Nawaz Sharif’s watch. While that old story remains a mystery too, it seems the prime minister hasn’t gotten rid of the habit of owning sins committed by the army — and then getting punished for it.



Travel Curbs Lifted On Pakistani Journalist Cyril Almeida

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Pakistani authorities on Friday lifted the travel curbs imposed on Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida, who had revealed alleged differences between the civilian and military leadership vis-a-vis terrorists.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Friday lifted the travel curbs imposed on a journalist who had revealed alleged differences between the civilian and military leadership vis-a-vis terrorists.

Dawn staff writer Cyril Almeida's name has been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL), the newspaper reported, quoting the Interior Ministry.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan earlier told the All Pakistan Newspapers Society and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors that Almeida's name would be taken off the ECL.

Those on the ECL are not allowed to leave Pakistan. 

The minister, however, said the inquiry ordered into the controversial news story would continue "till its logical conclusion", the Dawn reported.

Almeida's name was added to the ECL on Monday after he wrote a news report which said that the civilian leadership had told the military to act against terrorists or face international isolation. The Prime Minister's Office denied the veracity of the story thrice but Dawn stood by it, saying it was filed only after it "was verified, cross-checked and fact-checked".

In the wake of the travel ban on Almeida, human rights and journalists' organisations rallied in his support. Most TV news channels also attacked the government action against the Dawn journalist.

The alleged advice from the civilian leadership to the Pakistani military was given in the wake of heightened India-Pakistan tensions.


India Wants To Contain Tensions With Pakistan, Focus On Economy

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An Indian army soldier keeps guard from a bunker near the border with Pakistan in Abdullian, southwest of Jammu, September 30, 2016. REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta

by Sanjeev Miglani

NEW DELHI: India wants to limit tensions with Pakistan after what it said was a successful cross-border strike on militants sheltered there, according to two top officials, who sought to allay fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

One of the officials, who are both part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government shaping a new, more robust strategy toward Pakistan, said India remained focused on rapid economic growth, and any conflict would deflect it from that path.

"War is not in India's interest at this point," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because relations with Pakistan remained tense after India announced the Sept. 29 strike on the part of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan.

"We want to build comprehensive national power - economic, military and diplomatic. We need time, but if we stay on this path, the power differential with Pakistan will become so high by 2025 that you don't have to fight a war," the official said.

Modi's government, breaking with a traditional policy of military restraint, said last month it sent special forces across the militarized frontier in Kashmir to kill an unspecified number of militants in retaliation for an attack on an Indian army base.

Pakistan said it had nothing to do with the attack on the base and has denied any Indian strike took place across the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir. It said it would repel any aggressive action from India.

On Friday, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said New Delhi was trying to divert attention from a crackdown on violent protests this summer against Indian rule in its part of Muslim-majority Kashmir.

"Pakistan has already rejected the baseless claims of surgical strikes. As we emphasized earlier, India is desperate to divert the attention of the international community from grave human rights violations," Zakaria told a news briefing.

More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in the worst unrest in the disputed Himalayan region for six years. At least two police officers have died and more than 5,000 security force members have been wounded.

India has not offered any evidence for the cross-border raid in Kashmir, although military officials have said there is footage from helmet-mounted cameras on the raiding party as well as from drones.

U.S. diplomats and an intelligence official in New Delhi and Washington have confirmed there was an Indian action across the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, but details were not available.

Pakistan's military declined to comment for this article.

Soon after the army base attack which killed 19 Indian soldiers, some officials in New Delhi said the government would act with restraint towards Pakistan, with which India has fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir.

The subsequent announcement of a cross-border strike reignited fears of an escalation in tensions between the countries, but the second Indian official said they were overblown.

"There is no concern, the chapter is over," the official said referring to the raid India says it carried out. "The issue is not what India will decide; the issue is whether Pakistan can act on the basis of rationality."

India has long demanded that Pakistan acts against militant groups operating from its soil, including by going after the leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which it holds responsible for the 2008 attack on Mumbai that killed 166 people.

Pakistan denies giving material support to fighters in Kashmir and says India has not provided evidence linking it to militant violence in India. The first Indian official said the government would respond to cross-border terrorism more forcefully than previous Indian administrations, and not be cowed by fear.

"It has been a low-cost option for Pakistan; keep sending these fighters into Kashmir and pin down our army. We are going to raise the costs for them."

India has been on the back foot in Muslim-majority Kashmir for several months after tens of thousands of people staged protests demanding freedom from Indian rule when soldiers killed a popular young militant commander in July.

Insurgents have stepped up attacks in recent weeks, although the level of violence is a fraction of its peak in the 1990s and early 2000s when hundreds of people were killed each year.

The first government official and an army officer in Kashmir said there were an estimated 250 militants inside the Kashmir Valley, the highest number in six years, and that they expected more attacks in the coming weeks.

Reuters was not able to verify the figure, which the official and officer said was based on radio intercepts and intelligence information.

According to the officer, numbers had risen because 72 militants had infiltrated from Pakistan in the first seven months of 2016, compared with 35 for the whole of 2015.

But local Kashmiris, especially in the south where the slain insurgent commander had his base, were also taking up arms in greater numbers, the first government official said.


China To Sign $24 Billion In Loans To Bangladesh, Overtakes PM Modi’s $2 Billion Credit Line

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Xi's trip, the first by a Chinese president in 30 years, is aimed at boosting China's involvement in infrastructure projects at a time when India is pushing investments of its own in Bangladesh, a country New Delhi considers its area of influence.

China is set to sign off on loans worth over $24 billion to Bangladesh during President Xi Jinping’s visit on Friday, Dhaka’s biggest foreign credit line to date that will help it build power plants, a seaport, and railways.

Xi’s trip, the first by a Chinese president in 30 years, is aimed at boosting China’s involvement in infrastructure projects at a time when India is pushing investments of its own in Bangladesh, a country New Delhi considers its area of influence.

Japan, helped by India, has also got involved in Bangladesh, offering finance at low-interest rates to build a port and power complex, sharpening competition for influence in the country of 160 million people located on the Bay of Bengal.

China plans to finance around 25 projects, including a 1,320 megawatt (MW) power plant, and is also keen to build a deep sea port, Bangladesh junior finance minister M.A. Mannan said.

“Xi’s visit will set a new milestone. (A) a record amount of loan agreements will be signed during the visit, roughly $24 billion,” he told Reuters.

Among the proposed projects are highways and information technology development, he said. “Our infrastructure needs are big, so we need huge loans.”

China’s Jiangsu Etern Co Ltd signed a deal worth $1.1 billion to strengthen the power grid network in Bangladesh, the company said on Thursday. Beijing is especially keen to revive a plan to build a deep sea port in Sonadia which has been on hold for years, officials said. Xi is visiting Bangladesh on his way to a BRICS summit of the world’s leading emerging economies in Goa, India.

His trip comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading efforts to boost ties with neighboring countries, from Sri Lanka to Nepal, by offering them a share of India’s fast-growing economy. Last year PM Modi announced a $2 billion credit line during a visit to Dhaka, but China looks set to go well beyond that.

Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia Studies at Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said both India and China supported development in Bangladesh, and that it did not have to be one or the other. “I really don’t think there is a zero sum game going on in Bangladesh between China and India. Bangladesh welcomes both Chinese and Indian investment…” said Zhao.

Bangladesh has backed Xi’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative to boost trade and transport links across Asia and into Europe, seeing it as an opportunity to lift growth. India has reservations about the plan, amid worries that it is an attempt to build a vast zone of Chinese influence.

Beijing had proposed an economic corridor linking Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and northern India, but New Delhi did not seem keen on the idea, Zhao said. “Bangladesh has an enormous need for investment, and I don’t think it’s going to become a site for strategic competition, a game between the great powers or a pawn,” he said.


No Backdoor Diplomacy With India, Composite Dialogue Remains Suspended: Pakistan

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Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz

Pakistan on Friday said there was no “backdoor” diplomacy going on with India and the composite dialogue process between the two countries remains suspended. “There was no backdoor or track-II diplomacy going on between Pakistan and India, as such kind of contacts were established on the desire of two sides,” Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told Express News channel.

India has always blamed Pakistan for militancy without any proof, Aziz claimed.

“India had the habit of blaming Pakistan after every terrorist incident in their country without providing any solid evidence,” he said.

He said the Composite Dialogue Process between the two countries remained suspended.

Aziz said the issue of Kashmir and the continued “human rights violations” there was the focus of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address to the UN General Assembly. Aziz also rejected the notion of Pakistan’s diplomatic isolation and claimed that his country was moving in the right direction, according to the state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan.

He said that with the major “re-alignments” underway at global and geo-strategic levels, Pakistan was moving in the right direction.

“Development of Eurasia by Russia and China, activation of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), the formation of AIB (Asian Investment Bank), etc., indicated major re-alignments,” he said.

Aziz said the cause of concern in the western countries about Pakistan was its growing relations and cooperation with China.

He said Pakistan also enjoyed good bilateral ties with the US, the UK, the European Union, the Middle East and other regions of the world.

Aziz’s remarks come amid a strain in ties following the Uri terror attack in which 19 Indian soldiers were killed and India’s surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29.


Exclusive: Arm-Twisting By China Leads To Cancellation of BRICS Fair Trade Session

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The trade session was scheduled for 10:15 am at Pragiti Maidan, the venue of BRICS trade seminar.
China wants removal of trade barriers between BRICS nations, which hasn't found much support in India.
China is risking the $70 billion trade at a time when its own economy is seeing a slowdown.

China is back to its arm twisting game and this time it started with the BRICS Trade Fair in the national capital. Just a day after the ministerial session of BRICS Trade Fair where China's Vice Minister of Ministry of Commerce was present, China called off its key trade session.

Sources have told India Today that it was a last minute call taken by China officials to cancel 'the country seminar' which was scheduled for 10:15 am at Hall no. 8, Pragiti Maidan, the venue of BRICS trade seminar. It's the first time that any participant country has called off a session which is meant to promote business interests of its own leaders.

"China conveyed to us that it had to pull out its officials for another urgent meeting. Hence, they cancelled the country seminar," claimed a senior organiser at the BRICS Trade Fair. But sources have told India Today that the real reason behind the sudden pullout is Beijing's pressure tactic to show its clout.

FREE TRADE 

"China is pushing for Free Trade Area in the BRICS nation. It wants free access to markets specially in India for its goods but India is not willing to cede the ground. So there is bound to be some tough positioning," revealed an official on the condition of anonymity.

China wants removal of the trade barriers between BRICS nations, which hasn't found much support in India. China cancelling its trade session in Delhi ahead of world leaders meet at BRICS summit in Goa is exposing the under current in India-China relationship. But will China risk the $70 billion trade at a time when its own economy is seeing a slowdown remains to be seen.

The latest dare from the dragon comes after a series of standoffs from China. From blocking India's NSG bid to using its veto power in the UN to prevent Jaish Chief Masood Azhar from being designated as a terrorist, India's patience is surely running out.


Pak Army’s Dilemma: To Rule Or To Rule?

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Vicious Despot - Former Pakistani Despot Zia-Ul-Haq

Why the Pakistan army is central to the governance of Pakistan and why it will continue to be

by Rakesh Krishnan Simha

The last coup, in 1999, by General Pervez Musharraf was presented to the public as necessary to end the corruption of the Nawaz Sharif government.

It is interesting that both India and Pakistan started off with the same set of issues, but where Indians at the very least attempted to overcome them through democratic methods, Pakistanis allowed the army to squirm its way into civilian life – with disastrous consequences for the country. Here are the main reasons why the Pakistan Army continues to be the dominant player in the country.

Complicit Political Leadership

The road to military rule in Pakistan was paved by the political class itself. Unlike in India where Gandhians such as J.B. Kripalani were calling for cutting down military expenditure (“The followers of Gandhi and adherents of universal peace should not increase military expenditure”), the first speech of Liaquat Ali Khan highlighted the importance of a strong army. “The defence of the state is our foremost consideration, it dominates all other governmental activities,” he declared.

These sentiments were widely shared by the Muslim migrants from India who had settled in major cities afterward, and become a strong political voice. Others who supported the strong army were Kashmiris and religious groups.

Thus, during the first 11 years of its independence, and until the first coup, Pakistan spent an average of 60.69 per cent of its national budget on defence. The army had tasted blood and so this state of affairs continued for decades. Ayesha Jalal writes in The Struggle for Pakistan that in 1973 almost 90 per cent of the federal budget went to military ends. By the late 1980s, around 80 per cent of spending either paid off debt or funded the army.

Good Soldier Perception

In the early 1950s when the civilian leadership was unable to end the anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Lahore, it called in the army, which quickly put down the disturbances. However, after restoring normalcy the army requested the government to let the deployment continue for a few more days. Perhaps it was part of the Pakistan Army’s long-term agenda to win the people’s heart and mind. Maybe it was a genuine gesture. At any rate, in that short period the soldiers gave Lahore a facelift, repairing city roads, sprucing up government buildings and removing garbage from the streets.

The upshot: the Pakistani public wondered why this state of civic order couldn’t become permanent. So when the 1958 coup happened, most Pakistanis welcomed it.

Lahore-based analyst Syed Rashid Munir explains this recurring Pakistani symptom in Dawn: “More often than not, the shoddy performance of our politicians and political parties paves way for the security establishment to quietly slip a few measures here and there to suggest what could be done to take care of the situation. Since mending the situation would mean taking tough decisions (which Pakistani politicians loathe with a vengeance), the public automatically assumes that only the military could really clean the country up. In turbulent times, the politicians and the administrators stutter and stumble, and the dominoes fall where they shall.”

Mohajirs: Not Pakistani Enough

It should not be forgotten that it was the Muslims of UP, Bihar, MP and south India (rather than the Punjabi, Sindhi or Pathan Muslims of present day Pakistan) who demanded Pakistan. Since they had betrayed their own country, they naturally became suspect in the land they migrated to.

Shuja Nawaz writes in Crossed Swords: "Pakistan was also handicapped after independence, as the politicians and most of the senior Muslim League leaders holding ministerial positions in the cabinet had no roots among the majority of people, as they were migrants from the Muslim minority provinces of Northern India."

Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister, was the first of the many Mohajirs murdered in Pakistan. Suhrawardy, who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of fellow Bengalis during the Direct Action in Kolkata, was banished to Lebanon. Iskander Mirza, a migrant from UP, and his family were given a few hours by Ayub Khan to leave the country.

The vacuum left by the weak political leadership was soon filled by the army, which was the only institution that was intact, cohesive and powerful. Plus, Punjabi and Pathan soldiers did not want to be ordered round by Muslim refugees from India.

American Factor

The US is often blamed for meddling in Pakistan’s affairs. It is said that no coup can take place and no Prime Minister can take oath in the country without prior clearance from the State Department. What is undoubtedly true is that since the 1950s the Americans have had a keen interest in Pakistani politics.

In 1958 when Pakistan declared it would finally hold its first general elections the following year, the US feared the new administration would shift towards non-alignment. Since India had earlier refused to play ball, the Americans were not prepared to lose another South Asian country. In this backdrop, it encouraged the army to intervene and take indirect control of the civilian administration.

Arvind Goswami writes in "Deceit, Duplicity & Dissimulation of US Foreign Policy Towards India" that US thinking was represented in a New York Times editorial which "deplored the army takeover but at the same time hoped that if the army in due course established a final, honest and democratic government, there was no reason to doubt their sincerity".

After Ayub Khan took over, the US further warmed up to the military. US ambassador to India, Loy Henderson, told the State Department that since India could not be counted as a dependable ally, the US must supply heavy armor and other weapons to Pakistan. He sent a cable: "The value of Pakistan's armed forces was not only as a force to protect Pakistan but also as a force to go elsewhere if needed. It would be much less expensive and more useful for the USA to use the Pakistani army in that part of the world."

Hollow Army

The Pakistani military is a hollow organisation. While the average soldier or junior officer is undoubtedly brave, it is nullified by the extreme corruption of the middle and senior ranks. By the time a Pakistani officer attains the rank of colonel, he's already a very wealthy person because of military perks, free land allotment, and that’s not counting the cash from corruption. Christine Fair writes in “Fighting to the End” that the $30 billion of direct and indirect aid which America has given Pakistan in the past 11 years has done little but enrich the military officers.


Why The World Fears Russia’s S-400 Triumf Missile Defence system That India Is Buying

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The S-400 Russian systems are widely known to be one of the most modern defense systems in the world, that even render the US F-35 fighter jets ‘useless’!

The S-400 system, which is referred to as the 'Growler' by NATO countries, is capable of tracking 300 targets and can shoot down around three dozen of them within a range of up to 400 kms!

Russia has indicated that India may sign a deal for the acquisition of five S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. It comes as no surprise therefore that defense experts are enthused about the deal and the implied boost for India’s defense preparedness. The S-400 Russian systems are widely known to be one of the most modern defense systems in the world, that even render the US F-35 fighter jets ‘useless’! Yes, you read it right! If the multi-billion dollar deal comes through, then the Russia would be giving India such a powerful deterrent that has already rattled the NATO countries.

So, what’s special about the S-400 Triumf, that even the US is wary of it? As said above, Russian experts proclaim that the S-400 system can shoot down fifth-generation fighter jets, like America’s most advanced F-35s! The system has 8 launchers, a control center, a powerful radar and 16 missiles that are available for reload. The system is capable of firing three types of missiles, hence creating a layered defense for any country that owns it.

The S-400 system, which is referred to as the ‘Growler’ by NATO countries, is capable of tracking 300 targets and can shoot down around three dozen of them within a range of up to 400 kms! The tracking range of S-400 actually goes up to 600 kms! According to a blog by Rakesh Krishnan Simha in “Russia & India Report”, the S-400 can hit targets at a whopping speed of 17,000 km an hour. This is faster than any aircraft in the world! Simha goes on to call the S-400 the “daddy” of Iron Domes. America has developed the F-35 fighter jet as a ‘missile killer’. Lockheed Martin has reportedly claimed that the F-35 can ‘jam’ anything that is directed at it. But, with its speed, the S-400 would not be an easy system to shake off for America.

The S-400 is actually an upgraded version of the S-300, had previously only been available to the Russian defense forces. It is said to have 2.5 times faster firing rate than its predecessor. It is manufactured by Almaz-Antey and has been in service in Russia since 2007. The S-400 has also been deployed by Russia to Syria.

Needless to say that with such a big range and speed, the S-400 Triumf would be a very formidable deterrent against any incoming threats from Pakistan. India will get the system for a price of nearly Rs 40,000 crore. According to a TOI report, India plans to deploy three S-400 systems in the west (read Pakistan) and two in the east (read China). The S-400 would help check short and medium range ballistic missile threats. Once India signs the deal, it will become the second purchaser of this system after China, which had struck a deal with Russia for S-400 last year. China will start getting the defense system from 2017 onwards.



Will Block India’s NSG Bid, Masood Azhar Ban Push Until Consensus, Says China

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China said on Friday it will continue to block India’s efforts to ban Pakistan-based militant Masood Azhar and New Delhi’s application to join the influential Nuclear Suppliers Group until a consensus emerged on both issues.

A day before Chinese President Xi Jinping reaches Goa for the 8th BRICS summit, the ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) said there were “differing” views among members of the United Nations Security Council on listing Azhar -- who heads the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad -- as a “terrorist”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet Xi on the sidelines of the summit.

“I have stated China’s position. I would like to reiterate that the UN committee dealing with the listing does it according to provisions of the UN charter. We maintain that this committee should work on true facts and make a decision according to the consensus of its members,” Geng Shuang, MFA spokesperson said at a regular press conference on Friday.

“All parties are divided in listing of the relevant people. And this is why China has put on hold (the banning of Azhar),” Geng said.

“This will give enough time to make the listing decision and also shows the responsible and professional attitude of the Chinese side,” he added.

China extended the “technical hold” or used its UNSC veto against Azhar’s banning earlier this month – the second time after April.

The MFA had earlier said the application member states submitted to the 1267 Committee of UN “must comply” with specific requirements of relevant resolutions of UNSC.

Shuang also said there was no change in Beijing’s opposition to India’s application to join the 48-nation NSG and access sensitive nuclear technology that can resolve the country’s power woes, for one.

“China’s position has not changed regarding the joining of the NSG by India,” Geng said indicating that it would continue to oppose India’s joining till a consensus emerges on allowing countries who have not signed the Non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) into the group.


India’s bid in June was backed by the United States and France but faltered after China, South Africa, New Zealand and Austria opposed the application. Beijing and its allies say only countries that have signed a global arms control pact – the NPT – will be allowed entry. India refuses to sign the pact because it would mean shutting down the country’s nuclear defense program.

China’s opposition was seen in India was seen as support for its ally Pakistan, which applied for an NSG membership soon after New Delhi announced its bid.

Earlier this week, vice-foreign minister Li Baodong had said: “When other countries apply for membership, this group will need to examine the application and it would require the approval or agreement through consensus by all members of the group and then to decide whether the new member will be taken on board.”

“These rules cannot be decided by China alone,” Li added.

Geng said he had to “underscore” that in recent years China and India relations had been making “great headway despite some disputes”.

He said that the “mainstream of bilateral relations has been positive” and “cooperation far outweighs competition”.

“Hope the two countries can continue with dialogue and cooperation to exchange views some disputes, seek solutions and properly manage relevant disputes,” Geng said.

“We are willing to work with India to implement the leaders’ consensus, strengthen communication and cooperation and deepen pragmatic cooperation across the board,” Geng said.


Why GSLV Mark III’s Success Is Really Important

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On 6 October, India’s space scientists succeeded in the launching of GSAT-18 communication satellite from Kourou, French Guiana, located on the north-east of the South American continent. While success stories keep emanating from ISRO, space science enthusiasts have been wondering when India’s space agency will no longer need rockets of the European Space Agency to launch heavy satellites and place them in geostationary orbits. On this occasion, we used the Ariane 5 rocket of the French company Arianespace.

The wait wouldn’t be long, given that our Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle Mark III is slated to debut this December after its engine is tested as fulfilling all the necessary parameters. “The satellite is scheduled to be launched during Fourth Quarter of 2016 by GSLV-Mk III-D1 Launcher from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota,” the relevant page on the ISRO website reads.

All the reports that we have received so far of ISRO’s successful rocket launches using wholly Indian facilities pertained to the less advanced — but commercially a big hit among India’s international customers — PSLV (Polar SLV) with loads much less than that of the GSAT-18, which weighs 3,404 kg. The weight owes to the fact that a satellite of the kind holds Ka and Ku band payloads and a geostationary radiation spectrometer; the idea is “to monitor and study the nature of the charged particles and influence of space radiation on spacecraft and electronic components”, ISRO says. Launched by different rockets, these payloads together make satellites weigh never less than 2,000 kg each. The spectrometer would increase the weight of the satellite further by about 1,400-1,500 kg.

It is a monumental challenge to put a satellite on top of the earth’s equator, making it move with a velocity equal to that of our planet’s rotation. The satellite must move much faster to stay over a fixed spot on earth because the circumference of its orbit is much larger than that of the earth surface.

But lighter rockets are not a mean achievement of ISRO, on the backdrop of an international sanction against supplying the cryogenic engine to India. Undaunted by the sanction, India’s space scientists developed one indigenously (1994-2008), and they have not rested on the laurels ever since.

In fact, foreign technology is no way the key to success in this field. After the project to make the GSLV was conceived in 2000, the development flight of the first rocket that used a Russian cryogenic engine failed on 18 April 2001 because of a flaw in the design of the propulsion system. GSLV Mk 1a and 1b succeeded when the full-size core stage was deployed, putting GSAT 2 & 3 into the intended orbits.

More hits and misses followed. The GSLV that tried to place INSAT 4C into orbit in July 2006 failed when a booster malfunctioned. That was followed by the partial success of GSLV Mk II the next year, which placed INSAT 4CR lower than the orbit intended due an underperforming flight control system; a spacecraft then had to push the satellite higher. Next, in 2010, the GSLV Mk II failed because the upper stage did not work.

The complexity of the process can be appreciated by following the trajectory of the rocket from the stage where the lowest part is ignited first. As the rocket, which is not supposed to rise straight up as it must catch a certain spot in an orbit over the earth’s equator that is constantly rotating, the subsequent stages involve a combination of chemical engineering, mechanics and dynamics. Combustion at the same rate is not advisable for the rocket whose weight is constantly reducing due to the lower parts burning out. That calls for a combination of fuels; the energy from a liquid fuel can be regulated much better than that from a solid fuel. Since the angle of the flight must change gradually to catch up with the intended spot on the designated orbit, it is about mathematics. India is using a solid-liquid-liquid propulsion from the lowest to the uppermost stage. As different fuels will propel the rocket (whose weight is constantly reducing) at different speeds, it means a combination of chemistry (inorganic for solids and organic for liquids), mechanics (physics of machines) and dynamics (mathematics of movements).

When the rocket has lost all its parts but one, it is the stage where maneuvering must be the nimblest. It is that phase where escape velocity must give way to orbital velocity, as the rocket will thereafter not move higher from the earth but start revolving around it. Whatever failures ISRO has seen is, therefore, in the chemistry-physics combo. The composition of the rocket and its thrust are not able to match the mathematical calculation of the ground station.

But every failure also means loss in crores besides leaving our space scientists depressed for a while. The indomitable but wise ISRO scientists therefore took the simulation route. Even without the C-25 cryogenic upper stage, which will not be ready before 2017, ISRO conducted the first test flight of GSLV Mk III on 18 December 2014 following the cold flow test of the C-20 cryogenic engine two months before that.

The upper stage of this rocket was a mere simulator. The model was structurally the same and the trajectory sub-orbital. The frame, heat shield, and parachute system were all basic. This rocket carrying a 3,735 kg load successfully went 126 km up and descended back to the earth’s atmosphere with a velocity of 5,300 m/s, finally slowing down with the opening of its parachute and plunging into the Indian Ocean near the Andamans.

But before the whole rocket is tested, parts thereof must conform to the standards. Hence, 24 January 2010 and 4 September 2011 saw static tests of the solid rocket booster to address the shortcoming of 2006. The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre tested the liquid-motored core stage (known as L110) two months after the first successful static test of the booster. ISRO’s Sriharikota facility is working diligently on the S200 boosters in the meantime.

The toughest challenge of building the upper stage will naturally take the longest time. The CE-20 has a gas generator cycle, a first for India. By 2017, to make sure that our satellites do not fall short of reaching the intended orbit, the SCE-200 liquid-fuel rocket engine may be added. This will enhance the payload carrying capacity to 6 tons at the geosynchronous transfer orbit or last stage of placing the satellite at its fixed position on the orbit vis-à-vis a spot on earth.

Let’s pray for the success of our space scientists. While we never tire advocating the private sector’s entry in every sector, the industry shows no interest in research in this field; it comes forward only at the stage of manufacturing — former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan had said in July this year. That means that the mission must succeed not only because all the transponders would telecommunications services for India, but also because all the money that goes into these missions is taxpayers’ money.


S-400 Delivery Contract Only By Year-End

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Russia plans to sign a delivery contract for the S-400 missile system with India before the end of 2016, the head of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Thursday.

FSMTC Director Alexander Fomin, denied rumors that the contract would be signed at the October 15-16 BRICS summit in Goa, noting that the remaining issues with it "have not yet been fully resolved.""We would like to hope for it before the end of 2016," he told RIA Novosti at the ArmHitec-2016 arms and defense technologies exhibition in Armenia.


Modi, Putin to Lay the Foundation Stone of Third, Fourth Units of Kudankulam NPP

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The dedication of the second unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in India and the announcement of the finalization of the general framework agreement for the 3rd and 4th units are to be held on Saturday.

NEW DELHI — Nuclear co-operation between India and Russia will receive further boost as the formal beginning of civil works for the third and fourth units of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project will occur on Saturday. Sources from government told Sputnik that both countries have finalized the basic framework for fifth and sixth units of the project. Both leaders will also dedicate the second unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project to India.

Sources said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Modi will formally lay the foundation stone for the third and fourth units of the project. The leaders will join the project site through video conferencing between 13.10 pm — 13.15 pm (Indian Standard Time) from Goa's Taj Exotica. Work on the third and fourth units is expected to be completed by year 2022. The third and fourth units will be based on the VVER-Toi design.


Russian, India To Co-Develop Miniature Version of BrahMos Missiles

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India and Russia are likely to sign a formal contract to jointly develop a miniature version of the Brahmos missile that could have multiple capabilities, including agile cross border strikes to destroy infrastructure of terrorists.

An agreement for the new version of the missile will be signed at the bilateral meet with Russia in Goa between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, and it will be the first major up-scaling of the Brahmos joint venture signed in 1998.

The new version of the Brahmos would be a much smaller version of the 300 km range cruise missile, Economic Times reported today.

Besides applications on ground, in submarines as well as an air launched version, a very special version of the new missile has been conceptualized, an official said.

This portable version can be operated by a team of three-man team. Further, a work share agreement on the co-development of a fifth generation fighter aircraft is also finalized, senior officials have confirmed.

Russia and Indian scientists had begun work on compact version of BrahMos missile in 2014. During that time, Head of BrahMos Aerospace Sivathanu Pillai had said that the length of the rocket could be 6 metres, and its diameter 0.5 meters. It can reach speeds of 3.5 times the speed of sound and carry a warhead weighing 200 to 300 kilograms, he added.

“We are faced with a challenge of reducing the rocket’s mass, so that it can be integrated with a variety of platforms, including the equipment of the Indian fifth-generation fighter with it, which is being developed jointly by India and Russia,” Pillai was quoted.


The C in BRICS

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Even on relatively minor issues, like breaking with tradition and finding a non-European to lead the International Monetary Fund, BRICS states were unable to forge a consensus.

This weekend, as BRICS leaders meet in Goa for their eighth summit, India’s foreign policy establishment needs to think hard about just what it hopes for from this most unusual of global alliances. The case for BRICS is a simple one. Born, in 2001, from the imagination of Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill, the acronym reflected his understanding that Brazil, Russia, India and China — to which South Africa was later added — would grow faster than the developed countries.

This, they have done. Brazil, Russia, and India have caught up with the smallest G-7 economy, Italy, while China has become the second-largest economy in the world. Yet, Europe and the United States are over-represented in global institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. BRICS economies played a key role in hauling the world out of the global financial crisis. They also have some solid achievements to their credit, like founding the New Development Bank.

Having said this, it is far from clear the BRICS countries are — or even can — speak with one voice on issues of significance. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s speech to his BRICS counterparts on the need for joint global action against terrorism underlined one issue on which there are real divisions among the ranks: China will not abandon key ally Pakistan, while Russia is profoundly distrustful of the United States’ intentions. There are other, deeper, fissures. Brazil, South Africa and India want expansion of the United Nations Security Council; China does not. China wants an expansion of free trade amongst the BRICS states; the three smaller economies do not. Even on relatively minor issues, like breaking with tradition and finding a non-European to lead the International Monetary Fund, BRICS states were unable to forge a consensus.

Further problems lie ahead, for China’s economic growth will, almost certainly, tend to reduce BRICS to a Beijing-led club. China’s nominal GDP is now larger than that of the other club members combined. The New Development Bank has come into existence precisely because it fits into China’s grand “One Belt, One Road” vision, helping to finance the welter of road and rail links that Beijing hopes will link its industries to markets in Central Asia and beyond. NDB lending will also provide a counterweight to Latin American and African states now pressured by the IMF and World Bank, but it is China that is best positioned to capitalize on that. In Goa, BRICS leaders will talk as equals — but there’s little doubt the grouping can only move forward with China as its engine. Is this something that in fact serves India’s interests, and, if so, what benefits does New Delhi seek to extract in return, is the question.


U.S. instructs Pakistan To Delegitimise All Terrorist Groups

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We want to help Pakistan confront this terrorist threat, but we also want Pakistan also to go after those terrorists who seek and sometimes find safe haven on Pakistan territory," he said.

WASHINGTON: The US today told Pakistan to take action to combat and delegitimise all terrorist groups operating on its soil.

"We continue to urge Pakistan to take action to combat and delegitimise all terrorist groups operating on its soil," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference.

"Obviously Pakistan has suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists and violent extremists. We want to help Pakistan confront this terrorist threat, but we also want Pakistan also to go after those terrorists who seek and sometimes find safe haven on Pakistan territory," he said in response to a question.



Pakistan Army Warns India Against 'Misadventurism', Calls Strikes Hoax

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During a Corps Commanders' Conference presided over by army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, the Pakistan Army rejected the Indian stand "as an attempt to divert attention" from Kashmir.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army today warned India that any "misadventurism" by it will be met with the "most befitting response" and dismissed as a "hoax" India's assertion of surgical strikes across the LoC in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir to destroy terrorist launchpads.

During a Corps Commanders' Conference presided over by army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, the Pakistan Army rejected the Indian stand "as an attempt to divert attention" from Kashmir.

"Rejecting the absurd Indian claims of hoax surgical strikes as an attempt to divert world's attention, away from brutalities being committed by Indian Army against innocent Kashmiris, the forum resolved that any attempt of misadventurism and irresponsible act will be met with the most befitting response," the army said in a statement.

The latest reaction from the Pakistan Army came nearly two weeks after India said it carried out "surgical strikes" across LoC and destroyed terrorist launchpads on September 28.

India also said that it inflicted heavy casualties on terrorists and their supporters.

Tensions have run high between the two countries since the terror attack on an Indian army base in Uri on September 18.

Pakistan has denied any surgical strikes took place but said two of their soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by Indian Army.

During today's meeting, Pakistan Army expressed "complete satisfaction over the operational preparedness of the troops."

Gen Shareef reiterated Pakistan Army's resolve to defend the country against any threat, according to the statement.

The participants resolved to continue sustained and focused combing and intelligence-based operations across the length and breadth of Pakistan to uproot terrorism harmonizing it with the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) to address extremism and other causes of terrorism.

Pakistan Army Expresses Concern Over News Leak About Rift With Government

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"Participants expressed their serious concern over feeding of false and fabricated story of an important security meeting held at the Prime Minister's House and viewed it as breach of national security," according a statement by the army.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army top brass today expressed "serious concern" over a news leak about rift between civilian and military leaderships during a high-level meeting last week on how to deal with militancy, after which the reporter of the story was barred from leaving the country.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif presided over the meeting of Corps Commanders' Conference which was held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

"Participants expressed their serious concern over feeding of false and fabricated story of an important security meeting held at the Prime Minister's House and viewed it as breach of national security," according a statement by the army.

Pakistan's leading newspaper Dawn reported last week that there was a verbal clash between the `civilian government and the military establishment over the military's covert support to militants like the Haqqani network, the LeT and Taliban.

Following the report, journalist Cyril Almeida was put on Exit Control List (ECL), barring him from leaving Pakistan and sparking a massive outrage from journalist associations.

The newspaper has rejected allegations allegations of "vested interest and false reporting". It came out with a scathing editorial, saying Almeida's story on the verbal clash between government and military was "duly verified and correct piece of reporting."

The Prime Minister's Office has repeatedly denied any rift between the two establishments since the story came out on October 6.

The army said the participants in today's meeting held a comprehensive review of internal and external security situation with particular focus on the environment at the Line of Control (LoC) and operational preparedness of the army.


Surgical Strikes May Be Repeated iIf Needed, Army Tells Political Parties

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The Army confirmed to political parties during a briefing to the defence standing committee on Friday that its units crossed the Line of Control over a “wide arc“ and that the surgical strikes could be repeated if the ground situation warranted such a course of action.

Army has formally confirmed to MPs that surgical strikes were carried out.
Army said that surgical strikes could be repeated if situation warranted such a course of action.
The commando action was based on specific inputs that terrorists were present at terror launch pads across LoC.

Army said the militants present in terror launch pads were intent on striking Indian targets in J&K. (PTI photo)Army said the militants present in terror launch pads were intent on striking Indian targets in J&K. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: The Army confirmed to political parties during a briefing to the defence standing committee on Friday that its units crossed the Line of Control over a "wide arc" and that the surgical strikes could be repeated if the ground situation warranted such a course of action.

In the light of the political row over "evidence" for the surgical strikes, it was significant that the events were formally confirmed to the committee- the first time the Army has briefed MPs after the Indian DGMO's initial statement in public and at the all-party meeting.

Army vice-chief Lt Gen Bipin Rawat informed the panel that the commando action was based on specific inputs that terrorists were present at terror launch pads across the LoC and were intent on striking Indian targets in J&K.

The briefing, lasting around 15 minutes, saw Lt Gen Rawat explain that though the Indian DGMO informed his Pakistani counterpart that the surgical strikes were a "one off" action, the future course depended on the security scenario that might unfold if Pakistan did not move to fulfill its promise not to let the territory under its control to be used by terrorists targeting India.

The committee meeting was preceded by some controversy as Congress MPs protested the Army briefing being scheduled and then withdrawn. On Friday morning, the agenda was changed again and Lt Gen Rawat met the MPs.

He gave details of the entire operation, including damages inflicted on the terror camps as well as possible number of terrorists who had gathered across the LoC, emphasizing that all the Indian soldiers involved in the action returned safely.

Lt Gen Rawat said the operation was carried out in self defence as the Army had vital and concrete inputs about the looming infiltration bid by terrorists from different locations and the threat they posed to Indian interests.

The committee members were told that action against terror outfits was being explored since the Pathankot attack at the beginning of the year.The Uri terror strike forced the armed forces to operationalise their plan and attack the terror launch pads.

Without divulging minute details, Lt Gen Rawat is learnt to have told committee members that the surgical strikes inflicted heavy losses on the terror camps as the entire infrastructure was demolished besides loss of lives.

"Vice chief of the Army informed the committee about the entire operation. However, there were no questions asked as most members were satisfied with the presentation," committee chairman B C Khanduri said.

Earlier, the standing committee was to get "briefing by the representatives of the ministry of defence on surgical strikes across the LoC". Later, the agenda was changed to hearing by officials of the defence ministry , the law ministry and the Election Commission "on the status of implementation of E-Postal Ballot System".

"The decision not to brief the committee over surgical strikes under the garb of secrecy only amounts to lack of confidence in Members of Parliament, who are in the committee and who are bound by the oath of secrecy . This position is absolutely unacceptable to us," Congress leaders Ambika Soni and Madhusudhan Mistry had said on Thursday.


India To Garner Support For Anti-Terror Initiative CCIT At BRICS

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by Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury

CCIT was pushed by Narendra Modi in his address at the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2014.

BENAULIM: India will impress upon co-members to support its key anti-terror initiative at UN — Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) — during the eighth edition of the BRICS Summit in Goa on Sunday. CCIT’s adoption will provide the legal framework to fight terrorism globally.

Launched in 1996 by India, CCIT provides a legal framework which would make it binding on all countries to deny funds and safe haven to terror groups.

But the pact has been deadlocked over differences on defining terrorism and terrorists by certain countries including certain western nations. During her address at UNGA last month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had sought support for adoption of CCIT. However, there are some BRICS members too have differences on definition on terrorism.

At a briefing in New Delhi, last week, MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha had said “global regime is already inscribed in the agenda of UN. We have been pressing all our partners in all for and here also we will push this along. The issue which has been the stumbling block is how to define terrorism. There are many countries, in fact, our NSA in the meeting had suggested perhaps we can move on terror cooperation without actually coming to a definition of terrorism because everybody knows. When a terrorist act happens you know exactly what terrorism is. So you don’t have to first start defining it. You take the act as a terrorist act and work backwards. So that is one of the suggestions but I am sure we will push that.”

However, Indian officials claimed there is a growing resonance among UN members on the need for such a legal framework. The initiative has seen "a lot of progress" and there was a wide agreement on most of it, according to the officials familiar with the matter. CCIT was pushed by Narendra Modi in his address at the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2014.

“Terrorism is undoubtedly the single-biggest threat to international peace and security,” a senior official said, adding the convention would give "legal teeth to prosecuting terrorist acts". To forge that last mile of consensus on CCIT, India is considering all options, including "voting" at UN, said another official.


With Rafale Fighter Jets Deal In Bag, IAF Eyes F-16s, SAAB Jets Under Narendra Modi’s Make In India Drive

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by Huma Siddiqui

After concluding a 7.8-billion-euro deal with France’s Dassault Aviation for 36 Rafale fighter jets, the Indian Air Force is looking for the next round of combat aircraft acquisition.

After concluding a 7.8-billion-euro deal with France’s Dassault Aviation for 36 Rafale fighter jets, the Indian Air Force is looking for the next round of combat aircraft acquisition. The Gripen fighter plane manufactured by Sweden’s SAAB and American giant Lockheed Martin’s F-16 are seen to be top contenders for grabbing the lucrative IAF contracts and both firms are open to setting up production lines in India under the Modi government’s Make in India drive, official said.

US firms Boeing and Lockheed have made several presentations to the Indian defence ministry where they discussed manufacturing top-line aircraft with high-end technology in India as well as technology transfer and licensing parameters.

Lockheed, sources said, has offered to move its lone production line of the latest version of fighter aircraft F 16-Block 70 to India from Texas to meet Indian and global requirements, but with a rider that the IAF has to choose the world’s largest-sold fighter aircraft for its fleet.

From India’s perspective, besides the 36 Rafale fighter planes from Dassault, there is an urgent requirement for almost 100-plus aircraft. “The number of squadrons has gone down to 32 from the required 45. In 2007, IAF was looking for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, with a follow-on order, bringing the number to 200. There is still a need for another 100 aircraft with a follow on for another 50 machines to meet the requirements,” said a senior IAF officer.

As far as the IAF is concerned, the F-16, which is presently being operated by the Pakistan Air Force, would be unsuitable from operational, strategic, and technological angles. The F-16 is a 40-year-old air frame, and all the upgrades that are possible are already done. There is no room for any more growth. A 40-year-old design does have its limitations that cannot be overlooked.

Industry sources, however, have pointed out that if the competition is between Lockheed and the Swedish firm, then probably the US giant will have a tough time getting a local partner. “The company does not have a strong partner to work with here locally. However, its partnership with Tata is not exclusive as it is also partnering with Boeing,” said a source.

“The offer we have given to the Indian government is unmatched and from our side unprecedented,” Randall L Howard, F16 business development head at Lockheed had said here. He said the company wants to make F 16-Block 70 “for India, from India and export to the world”. But some analysts have added a cautionary note. Air marshal M Matheswaran (Retd), former deputy chief, integrated defence staff, said: “The F-16 has outlived its time. By proposing this Lockheed Martin is aiming to convert the winding up of the F-16 production line into a cash cow for another three decades.”

Meanwhile, SAAB has offered to provide India’s state-run Aeronautical Development Agency assistance with the light combat aircraft Mk II, which is being developed for the Indian Navy.


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