Indian Defence industry is booming and not denying the fact that our country is the World’s largest importer of arms and ammunition and related defence equipment, we must also regularly see about the interoperability and the operational readiness of the Armed Forces. Spending billions in these deals, India is tightening it’s defence and is safeguarding its territories. Here are some of the most important deals that you must know which might appear in the upcoming defence examinations. Now that corona pandemic is on, some deals have been delayed and some deals have been rejected. However, considering the last year, we have made significant progress in making good ties with world’s most useful countries and are stepping forward for a strategic development. So, from various sources, we have gathered this information to you, in a single article. Have a revision please.
- India proceeds with FSV Indian Navy Agreement with Turkey: In October 2019, India had put the Fleet Vessel Ship (FVS) Agreement on hold. The agreement was signed with Turkey to manufacture 45,000 tonne FSV at Visakhapatnam. According to the 2.3 billion USD agreement, a Turkey company is to build five 45,000 tonnes Fleet Vessel Ship at HSL (Hindustan Shipyard Limited), Visakhapatnam. Turkish shipyards are the major suppliers of Naval Ships to the Pakistan Navy. So far agreements have been signed between the countries with Turkey delivering 30 T-129 helicopters, submarine fleets, etc. to Pakistan. The Turkey President in February 2020 made a comparison of Kashmiri people with that of World War I after India abrogated Article 370. India had also voiced its opinion against actions of Turkey towards Syria.
- India and Israel signed 880 crore Defence deal on March 19, 2020. According to the agreement, India is to procure 16, 479 LMG (Light Machine Guns). The Light Machine Guns are used as squad automatic weapons. The LMG were first used in Second World War. The name of the LMGs India is buying from Israel is called Negev, which is gas operated LMG.
- India’s 40 million USD defence deal with Armenia beats Russia and Poland: On March 1, 2020, India bagged a deal to supply 4 indigenously built radars (capable of locating weapons) to Armenia. The deal was worth 40 million USD. India and Armenia signed deals on DRDO built “Swati” weapon locating radars. Armenia has decided to go with Indian built radars after testing Russian and Poland made systems. The Deal will help India achieve its Rs 35,000 crores of defence exports very soon. It will also help India find new markets to sell its indigenous defence systems.
- India and Russia Defence Deals to cross 16 billion USD after DefExpo 2020: India and Russia have signed 14 MoUs during the DefExpo 2020. It included land, air, naval and other hi-tech civilian products. With the agreements signed the defence trade between the countries is to cross 16 billion USD. The trade of 16 billion USD between the countries includes S400 missiles, Kamov helicopters and Kalashnikov rifles.
- United States of America (USA) has approved Foreign Military Sale to India of 13 MK45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) Naval guns and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.0210 billion. The principal contractor in this India-US defence deal will be BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Minneapolis, Minnesota with gun manufacturing in Louisville, Kentucky. MK-45 Gun System will provide India Navy lethal capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defence missions. It will also enhance its interoperability with US and other nation forces.
- The Indian Air Force inducted 8 Apache AH-64E attack helicopters at Pathankot Air Force station. The Apache AH-64E helicopters are made by US company Boeing and will give major boots to combat capabilities of Indian Air Force. In September 2015, IAF had signed a multi-billion-dollar contract with US government and Boeing Ltd for 22 Apache helicopters. The first 8 helicopters have been delivered on schedule and the last batch is to be delivered by March 2020.
- India has signed Rs.1,500 crore deal to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia for equipping Su-30MKI combat aircraft fleet of the Indian Air Force and for boosting its capabilities in beyond visual range warfare. R-27 air-to-air missiles have been acquired under 10-I projects which mandate all the 3 services (Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force) to maintain critical weapon systems and spares for a specified minimum period called as War Wastage Reserve (WWR). Rs.7,600 crore has been spent by IAF in procuring missiles like Spice-2000, Strum Ataka ATGMs and a large number of spares under emergency procurement route after Pulwama attacks.
- The United States has cleared the sale of the state-of-the-art Guardian 22 unmanned Guardian drones to India. The deal to sell UAV drones to India is estimated to be worth $2 to $3 billion.
- India inks deal for missile defence systems for desi ‘Air Force One’: The two wide-bodied B-777s, with their fully-integrated advanced missile approach warning sensors, defensive electronic warfare systems, infra-red counter-measures, digital radio frequency jammers and other such contraptions under the overall SPS, will be akin to the US President’s iconic Air Force One or the “flying Oval office”.
- India, US sign $3 bn deal for military helicopters: The US President described the deal for 24 MH-60 Sikorsky Romeo multi-role helicopters and six Apache attack choppers as a highlight of the visit and said it would contribute to interoperability. The $2 billion deal for helicopters made by Sikorsky (part of the Lockheed Martin group) for deployment on frontline destroyers and frigates has been a top priority for the Indian Navy. Indian Air Force is already using the Apache helicopters. India will sign a deal for six additional choppers at an estimated $930 million for the Army.
- India will have two to five theatre commands to deal with future security challenges along the frontiers with Pakistan and China, including one for Jammu and Kashmir and a Peninsular Command, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said on Monday. The proposed Peninsula Command will be formed by merging the navy’s western and eastern commands and will spread from the Sir Creek near the Arabian Sea to the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal.
This article was basically good but the only thing I need to highlight is that it lacks some more diffence deals .