Monthly Defence Current Affairs And Updates November 2022 [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Divyanshu Pandey
November 30, 2022
2181

In today’s Monthly Defence Current Affairs for November 2022, we are going to see the latest national and international defence current affairs. These defence current affairs will be very helpful for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article.

Monthly Defence Current Affairs November 2022

India Holds First-Ever Trilateral Navy Exercise With Africa

The first edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT), a joint maritime exercise among the Indian, Mozambique and Tanzanian navies commenced at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on 27 Oct 22. Indian Navy is represented by the guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and MARCOS (Special Forces).
The exercise has three broad objectives: capability development to address common threats through training and sharing of best practices, enhancing interoperability, and strengthening maritime cooperation. The exercise is scheduled over a three-day period from 27 to 29 Oct 22 and includes harbour and sea phases.
As part of the harbour phase, capability building activities such as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure; small arms training; joint diving operations; damage control and fire fighting exercises; and cross deck visits are scheduled. The sea phase includes boat operations, fleet manoeuvres, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure operations, helicopter operations, small arms firing, formation anchoring and EEZ patrols.
These exercises reflect India’s and the Indian Navy’s commitment to enhancing maritime security and cooperation with maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and promoting SAGAR, Safety and Growth for All in the Region.

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Prime Minister Lays Foundation Stone Of C-295 Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility

PM Modi laid the foundation stone of C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility – the country’s first in the private sector – in Vadodara, Gujarat on October 30, 2022. The facility will manufacture C-295 aircraft for the IAF through collaboration b/w Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain.
The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well.
Commenting on the fast-evolving aviation sector of India, Shri Narendra Modi said that we are about to enter among the top three countries in the world with regard to air traffic. UDAN scheme is helping in turning many commuters into air travellers, he said. Highlighting the increased demand for passenger and cargo aircraft, the Prime Minister stated that India will need more than 2000 aircraft in the next 15 years.
In the last eight years, he said, companies from more than 160 countries have invested in India. He further elaborated that such foreign investments are not limited to certain industries but spreads across 61 sectors of the economy and covers 31 states of India. The Prime Minister informed that more than $3 billion has been invested in the aerospace sector alone. He noted that post 2014, investment in this sector grew five times of what was invested during the year 2000 to 2014. Shri Narendra Modi highlighted that in the coming years, the defence and aerospace sectors are going to be the crucial pillars of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign. “We aim to scale our defence manufacturing beyond $25 billion by 2025. Our defence exports will also exceed $5 billion,” he added.

Shri Giridhar Aramane Assumes The Office Of Defence Secretary

Shri Giridhar Aramane, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, assumed the office of Defence Secretary on November 01, 2022. Before taking charge, Shri Aramane laid a wreath at National War Memorial in New Delhi and paid homage to the fallen heroes. He saluted the Bravehearts who sacrificed their lives while protecting the nation.
“We draw inspiration from these Bravehearts and promise to work towards fulfilling their dream of making India a safe & prosperous country,” Shri Aramane said during his visit to the National War Memorial.
In his 32 years of experience in IAS, Shri Aramane has held various important portfolios in the Central Government as well as the Andhra Pradesh government. Prior to his current assignment, Shri Aramane was Secretary, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
Earlier, he was Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. Apart from Cabinet Secretariat, Shri Aramane looked after Exploration Division in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and was Executive Director in-charge of inspections in Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority.
In the Andhra Pradesh Government, Shri Aramane served as Principal Secretary in Urban Development Department; Managing Director of AP State Finance Corporation and Secretary (Finance Department). He also held the post of the Collector & DM of Chittoor and Khammam districts.
Shri Aramane did B Tech in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad and M Tech from IIT, Madras. He is MA (Economics) from Kakatiya University, Warangal.
, Safety and Growth for All in the Region.

ISRO Is Ramping Up Its Efforts To Build Its Own Space Station By 2035

As India eyes setting up its own space station by 2035, the ISRO has proposed to the industry to collaborate with it in developing a reusable rocket capable of carrying heavier payloads into orbit.
Dubbed as the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), ISRO Chairman S Somanath said the space agency was working on the design of the rocket and would like the industry to collaborate with it in the development.
“The intent is to bring industry along in the development process. All the money need not be invested by us. We want the industry to invest to create this rocket for all of us,” Somanath told PTI here. He said the rocket is planned to carry a 10-tonne payload in the Geostationary Transfer Orbit or 20 tonnes to the low earth orbit.
The NGLV is envisioned as a simple, robust machine designed for bulk manufacturing that will make space transportation more cost effective.
Somanath said the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), ISRO’s warhorse rocket, was based on the technology developed in the 1980’s and cannot be used to launch rockets in the future.
ISRO plans to have the design of the NGLV ready within a year and offer it to the industry for production, with the first launch tentatively scheduled for 2030.
The NGLV could be a three-stage rocket powered by green fuel combinations such as methane and liquid oxygen or kerosene and liquid oxygen.
According to a presentation made by Somanath at a conference earlier this month, the NGLV could offer launch costs of USD 1900 per kg of payload in the reusable form and USD 3,000 per kg in the expendable format.

DRDO Conducts Successful Maiden Flight-test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence interceptor

DRDO conducted a successful maiden flight test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence interceptor AD-1 missile with a large kill altitude bracket from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on November 02, 2022. The flight-test was carried out with the participation of all BMD weapon system elements located at different geographical locations.
The AD-1 is a long-range interceptor missile designed for both low exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric interception of long-range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft. It is propelled by a two-stage solid motor and equipped with an indigenously-developed advanced control system, navigation and guidance algorithm to precisely guide the vehicle to the target.
During the flight test, all the sub-systems performed as per expectations and were validated by the data captured by a number of range sensors including Radar, Telemetry and Electro-Optical Tracking stations deployed to capture the flight data.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and other teams associated with suthe ccessful flight trial of AD-1. He termed it as a unique type of interceptor with advanced technologies available with a ry few nations in the world. He exuded confidence that it will further strengthen the country’s BMD capability to the next level.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat congratulated his team on the successful trial, stating that this interceptor will provide great operational flexibility to the users and having capability to engage many different types of targets.

Exercise Bison 2022

Amphibious troops of Indian Army carried out joint training with Australian Defence Forces Contingent during Exercise Bison at Vishakapatnam in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.
As part of its efforts to develop strong economic relationship with India, the Australian Government commissioned the India Economic Strategy to 2035 to define a pathway for Australia to unlock opportunities offered by Indian Economic growth (This paper was released in 2018)
India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was established in 1989 to enable interaction at a government and business level on a range of trade and investment-related issues

Bilateral Trade

India is the 8th largest trade partner of Australia with trade in goods and services at A$ 26.24 billion representing 3% share of the total Australian trade in FY 2019-20, with exports at A$ 7.59 billion and imports at A$ 18.65 billion
India’s main exports to Australia are Refined petroleum, Medicaments (incl. veterinary), Pearls & gems, Jewellery, Made-up textile articles, Women’s clothing , Other textile clothing, Manufactures of base metal
While India’s major imports are Coal, Confidential items of trade, Copper ores & concentrates, Natural gas, Non-ferrous waste & scrap, ferrous waste & scrap and education related services
Education is Australia’s largest service export to India, valued at $6 billion and accounting for around 88 per cent of the total in 2020
India-Australia CEO Forum is a mechanism for business from both nations to engage directly on ways to build the bilateral trade and investment relationship (It was established in 2011 and revitalised in November 2014).
The Forum includes heads of Indian and Australian business from a broad range of sectors
Treasury-NITI Ayog Economic Policy Dialogue
A two–member delegation led by CEO of NITI Aayog, visited Australia in 2019, for first of its kind dialogue
Further, To support more Australian and Indian business partnerships, the Australian Government has launched the Australia India Business Exchange (AIBX) program.
AIBX provides a range of services to support Australian businesses to enter and establish in India, from industry specific insights to guidance on doing business with India and entering India’s online retail market.

Joint Military Training-2022 With Singapore

On 03 November 2022, the 11th edition of the annual Joint Military Training (JMT) between the lAF and the Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF) commenced at Air Force Station, Kalaikunda, W.B.
The two Air Forces have resumed this training after a gap of two years. The bilateral phase of the exercise will be conducted from 09 to 18 November 2022 and will see the two Air Forces engage in advanced air combat simulations.
The RSAF is participating in JMT-2022 with F-16 aircraft, while the IAF would field the Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, MiG-29 and LCA Tejas aircraft. The exercise underscores the strong and longstanding relationship between India and Singapore in the domain of defence cooperation.

MPX with Royal Australian Navy Conclude in the Bay of Bengal

A Maritime Partnership Exercise involving Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Anzac and Indian Navy Ships Jalashwa and Kavaratti along with their embarked helicopters was held in the Bay of Bengal from 02 to 03 Nov 2022. The exercises included tactical manoeuvres, helicopter landings and amphibious operations, which signified the high degree of interoperability between IN and RAN.
RAN ships HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Anzac visited Visakhapatnam from 30 Oct to 01 Nov 2022. This was part of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022 (IPE 22). The Australian Defence Forces were hosted by the Eastern Naval Command. Ships of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet as also personnel from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force participated in various joint activities.
The harbour phase included a wide range of professional interactions including experience sharing, joint planning activities and friendly sports exchanges. The successful completion of the exercise marks another milestone in the growing India-Australia military interactions.

India Eyes New Airstrip at Lakshadweep’s Minicoy Island

The government plans to construct a 2,500-metre-long airstrip on Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep, allowing larger Indian air force and passenger planes to take off. The project is strategic because it will keep a close eye on India’s international borders, as well as strengthen area dominance and tourism.
Minicoy has been the nearest island to Kerala, which is one of the Navy’s largest bases and is strategically located. As a consequence, the airstrip will aide India in observing the shoreline, which is used by both China and Pakistan.
The Lakshadweep airport would indeed be similar to that in Srinagar, which has limited commercial aircraft movement and is operated by the IAF.

Kalyani Strategic Systems Gets Howitzer Export Order Worth USD 155 million

In a major success for Indian firm KalyStrategic Systems Limited on Wednesday announced receiving an order worth USD 155 million for supplying howitzers.
However, the Baba Kalyani-owned company did not disclose the buyer except for clarifying that it was in a non-conflict zone. Kalyani is one of the major investors in the defense sector and has been offering a number of weapon systems to India as well as foreign countries.
The company has been working with DRDO to develop the advanced tower artillery gun system (ATAGS) and has also developed an ultra-light howitzer. The Prime Minister has also urged the defence industry to develop its products for the global market and achieve USD 5 billion targets by 2025.
The defence ministry has set a goal of a turnover of $25 billion (Rs 1.75 lakh crore) in defence manufacturing in the next five years that included an export target of $5 billion (Rs 35,000 crore) worth of military hardware.
In the last few years, the government has taken a series of measures to promote domestic defence production.
Bharat Forge has expertise in design, development, engineering and manufacturing in systems and subsystems space for artillery guns, armoured fighting vehicles, protected vehicles, ammunition, defence electronics and small arms among others.

Malabar EXERCISE BETWEEN NAVIES OF INDIA, JAPAN, US, AUSTRALIA BEGINS

The multilateral exercise, Malabar 2022, between the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia commenced on Wednesday with the opening ceremony hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force onboard JS Hyuga at Yokosuka in Japan.
Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, led the Indian delegation which includes commanding officers and the crew of INS Shivalik and INS Kamorta.
Malabar Exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between the navies of India and the US. Japan joined the Malabar exercise in 2015, making it a trilateral exercise. In 2020, Australia became part of Malabar, making it a quadrilateral naval exercise.
Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar is on an official visit to Japan where he witnessed the International Fleet Review (IFR) conducted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force at Yokosuka on Nov 6 to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of its formation.
During his visit, he also met naval chiefs of the Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and US Navy.
The Malabar series of exercises has seen increasing scope and complexity over the years.
Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta also arrived at Yokosuka, Japan on November 2 to participate in the IFR and Exercise Malabar – 2022.
The presence of these indigenously built ships of the Indian Navy at these multi-national events is an opportunity to showcase the ship-building capabilities of Indian Shipyards during a large international gathering.

7^th Edition of Indo-French Air Exercise Garuda VII Culminates In Jodhpur

The seventh edition of the bilateral air exercise between the IAF and the French Air and Space Force (FASF), ‘Exercise Garuda-VII’ concluded at Air Force Station, Jodhpur on Saturday.
The FASF participated in the exercise with Rafale fighter aircraft and A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, while the IAF contingent comprised Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA ‘Tejas’ and Jaguar fighter aircraft, read the Ministry of Defence press release.
Exercise Garuda-VII provided the two Air Forces with the opportunity for professional interaction and sharing of operational knowledge and experience. With meticulous planning and execution of various phases of the exercise, personnel of the IAF and the FASF were exposed to realistic air combat simulations and the associated Combat Support Operations. This enabled the participating contingents to engage in wide ranging interactions, providing valuable insight into each other’s best practices. The exercise also provided a platform for cultural exchange between the Air Force personnel of both the countries.

Navy Conducts ‘Prasthan’, An Offshore Security Exercise Off Mumbai

Indian Navy on Saturday conducted ‘Prasthan’, a structured exercise to evaluate organisational effectiveness in protecting offshore assets off Mumbai on an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) platform 150 km into the sea.
‘Prasthan’ is conducted twice a year under the aegis of Headquarters, Western Naval Command. It aims to assess various measures and protocols conceived to address security threats and other contingencies that may arise in offshore oil production platforms.
According to the Navy, various crisis situations such as attacks by terrorists, bomb threats, fire, blow out and medical evacuations were simulated during the exercise. Partner agencies such as the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), the police, fisheries and customs activated their emergency procedures to deal with the contingencies.

EXERCISE ‘SEA VIGIL-22’

The third edition of the ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22’ conducted on 15-16 Nov 22. This National Level Coastal Defence Exercise was conceptualised in 2018 to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security since ‘26/11’. Coastal Security being a major sub-set of Coastal Defence construct, the concept of ‘Sea Vigil’ is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across India and assess the overarching Coastal Defence mechanism.
The exercise will be undertaken along the entire 7516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India and will involve all the Coastal States and Union territories along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities. The exercise is being conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and other ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities.
The scale and conceptual expanse of the exercise is unprecedented in terms of the geographical extent, the number of stakeholders involved, the number of units participating and in terms of the objectives to be met. The exercise is a build up towards the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which the Indian Navy conducts every two years. Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum Maritime Security challenges. Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate in Ex Sea Vigil. In addition to the Ministry of Defence, the conduct of this exercise is also being facilitated by the Ministries of Home Affairs, Ports Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Customs, and other agencies of Centre/ State.
While smaller scale exercises are conducted in Coastal States regularly, including combined exercises amongst adjoining states, the conduct of exercise Sea Vigil at the national level is aimed to serve a larger purpose. It provides opportunity, at the apex level, to assess our preparedness in the domain of Maritime Security and Coastal Defence. Exercise Sea Vigil-22 will provide realistic assessment of our strengths and weaknesses and thus will help in further strengthening Maritime and National Security.

DRDO Operationalised First Avalanche Radar In North-East Himalaya

DRDO has successfully installed an Avalanche Radar, which is claimed to be a first of its kind in India. The radar is capable of monitoring critical avalanche prone slopes even during inclement weather.
Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Chandigarh led the research initiative to develop critical technologies for enhancing combat effectiveness and safe movement of troops in all kinds of terrain with a focus on avalanches and landslides.
DGRE also collaborated with 33 Corps of the Indian Army to jointly conduct the installation and launch of the state-of the-art Doppler Avalanche Radar at an altitude of 15000 ft in North Sikkim region. As per the information from DGRE, it involved an Indian Industry partner.

Yudha Abhyas 2022

The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.
Ex Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually b/w India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures b/w the Armies of the two nations.
The schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement. The troops from both nations will work together to achieve common objectives. The joint exercise will also focus on HADR operations. Troops from both nations will practice launching swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity.
US Army soldiers of 2^nd Brigade of the 11^th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise. The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate.
Other Exercises With USA
Ex YUDHABHAYAS,
Ex VAJRA PRAHAR,
SPITTING COBRA,
SANGAM (IN-USN EOD Ex),
RED FLAG,
Ex COPE INDIA

ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting

At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia Samdech Pichey Sena TEA Banh, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 22-23, 2022.
Cambodia, as the chair of ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus (ADMM Plus) meeting is hosting the 9^th annual meeting at Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Raksha Mantri will address the forum on November 23, 2022. He will also call on the Prime Minister of Cambodia.
To commemorate 30 years of India-ASEAN relations, India and Cambodia co-chaired the maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting on November 22, 2022, presided over by Shri Rajnath Singh. Various initiatives to boost India-ASEAN partnership are planned to be announced during the meeting.
India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to further the dialogue and cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. India and ASEAN have elevated their relationship to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in November 2022.

Session of 3^rd “No Money For Terror” Conference

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the first session of the 3rd ‘No Money for Terror’ Ministerial Conference on ‘Global Trends in Terrorist Financing and Terrorism’ theme in New Delhi today. In his opening address, the Union Home Minister said that terrorism is, undoubtedly, the most serious threat to global peace and security, but, the financing of terrorism is more dangerous than terrorism itself, because the ‘Means and Methods’ of terrorism are nurtured from such funding. Furthermore, the financing of terrorism weakens the economy of countries of the world.
Shri Amit Shah said that India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and we believe that no reason can justify an act, such as taking innocent lives. While expressing his sympathy for the victims of terrorist attacks all over the world, he said that we should never compromise with this evil.
Union Home Minister said that India has been a victim of terrorism for several decades, which is sponsored from across the border. He said that Indian security forces and civilians have had to deal with incidents of extremely serious terrorist violence perpetrated in a sustained and coordinated manner.
Shri Shah said that the international community has a collective approach that terrorism must be condemned in all its forms, but, the forms and manifestations of terrorism are continuously evolving due to technological revolution. He said that today, terrorists and terrorist groups understand the nuances of modern weapons & information technology, and the dynamics of the cyber & financial space very well, and use them. He said that this transformation of terrorism from “Dynamite to Metaverse” and “AK-47 to Virtual Assets” is definitely a matter of concern for the countries of the world, and, we all have to work together to formulate a common strategy against it. Shri Shah added that we also recognize that the threat of terrorism cannot and should not be linked to any religion, nationality, or group.
Union Home Minister said that unfortunately, there are countries that seek to undermine, or even hinder, our collective resolve to fight terrorism. He said that we have seen that some countries protect and shelter terrorists, protecting a terrorist is equivalent to promoting terrorism. He said that it will be our collective responsibility that such elements never succeed in their intentions. Shri Shah said that after August, 2021, the situation in South Asian region has changed and the regime change and the growing influence of Al Qaeda & ISIS have emerged as a significant challenge to regional security.
He stated that these new equations have made the problem of terror financing more serious. Shri Shah said that three decades ago, the whole world has had to bear the serious consequences of one such regime change, the result of which we all have seen in the horrific attack of 9/11. He said that in this background, last year’s changes in the South Asian region are a matter of concern for all of us. He added that along with Al Qaeda, organizations in South Asia like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to spread terror.
Union Home Minister said that the problem of financing of terrorism has become widespread. He said that in the last few years, India has succeeded in cracking down on terror financing. India’s strategy against the financing of terrorism is based on these six pillars:
Strengthening the Legislative and Technological Framework
Creation of a Comprehensive Monitoring Framework
Actionable intelligence sharing mechanism and strengthening of the investigation and police operations
Provision for confiscation of property
Prevent misuse of legal entities and new technologies, and,
Establishing international cooperation and coordination

Indian Army Conducts Integrated Fire Power Exercise ‘Shatrunash’ In Thar Desert

South Western Command of the Indian Army conducted the Integrated Fire Power Exercise, ‘Shatrunash’ at MFFR in the Thar desert of Rajasthan on Monday. The exercise witnessed the use of multifarious firing platforms in an integrated manner involving both ground & aerial manoeuvres.
This was affected by exploiting versatile & indigenously manufactured long-range aerial & ground vectors such as Advanced Light Helicopter (Weapon System Integrated), K9 – Vajra, Sharang Arty Guns, Bhishma (T-90 tanks) & Ajeya (T-72 tanks) to operate in a synergised manner based on the intelligence picture provided by well-established Intelligence, Surveillance & Recce (ISR) Architecture.
Lauding the training given to troops, Lieutenant General A S Bhinder, General Officer Commanding In Chief, Sapta Shakti Command appreciated the participation & synergy amongst various combat & combat support arms. He also commended the exploitation of the capability of indigenous platforms inducted as part of the initiative. Furthermore, the General Officer Commanding In Chief reiterated the need to constantly explore new fighting methodology and enhancement of own capability to fight future wars.

IAF Upgrading Radar Coverage Along China Border

India is upgrading its radar coverage along the border with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh as the Indian Air Force is moving ahead with over Rs 10,000 crore plans to further enhance the capability to monitor activities across the Line of Actual Control.
Proposals worth over Rs 10,000 crore are at an advanced stage in the Defence Ministry for the acquisition of high-powered radars and around 20 low-level transportable Ashwini radars under Make in India in defence.
Radar coverage on the western front in Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat sector is relatively easy but from Jammu and Kashmir on the western front up to Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast is very difficult due to the mountainous region and improving radar coverage has become important in view of suspicious activities by the adversary on the eastern front.
The Chinese Air Force had started probing Indian responses to its violations in the Demchok sector in Ladakh by sending its fighter planes beyond the 10-km CBM line.
The Indian Air Force responded in a strong manner by scrambling its fighter jets to the Demchok sector from nearby air bases.
However, the issue was resolved after talks at the division commander-level attended by Indian Air Force representatives and their counterparts from the Chinese Air Force.

INDO-PACIFIC REGIONAL DIALOGUE 2022 (IPRD): 23 TO 25 Nov 22

The IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of Indian Navy and is principal manifestation of Navy’s engagement at the strategic-level. The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organizer of each edition of the event. The IPRD seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on regionally relevant maritime issues.
Being a Track 1.5 event that aims to encourage discussions on public policy, the IPRD endeavors for a balanced representation from government and non-government agencies and institutions. The first two editions of IPRD were held in 2018 and 2019 respectively at New Delhi.
Indian Navy being the lead maritime security agency of the Government, is deeply invested in the actualization of each of the seven spokes or pillars of the IPOI. The 2022 edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD-2022) is appropriately centered upon the IPOI and its operationalization, with particular but not exclusive focus upon the pillars of ‘Maritime Security’.

JOINT EXERCISE GARUDA SHAKTI

As part of military-to-military exchange programs, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops are currently engaged in a bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner.
The exercise which commenced on 21 November 2022 aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The scope of the joint exercise includes orientation to advance special forces skills, sharing of information on weapon, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques & procedures and lessons learnt from various operations undertaken, Special Forces Operations in Jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps and a validation exercise integrating basic and advance special forces skills apart from gaining an insight into the lifestyle and culture of both countries to foster military cooperation.
The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training programme has been worked out. The exercise will culminate in a 48-hour long validation exercise.
The joint exercise will facilitate both armies to know each other better, and share their wide experiences and combat experience on countering terrorist operations, Regional Security Operations & Peace Keeping Operations in an international environment. The exercise is yet another significant milestone in ensuring cordial relations between the two countries and another step forward towards ensuring regional security.

Delivery Of The Second Ship Of Project 15B Y 12705

Y 12705 (Mormugao), the second ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), was delivered to the Indian Navy on 24 Nov 22. The contract for four ships of Project 15B was signed on 28 January 2011.
This Project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in the last decade and the lead ship of the Project – INS Visakhapatnam has already been commissioned into the Indian Navy on 21 Nov 21.
The ship is 163 meters long and 17 meters wide, displaces 7400 tonnes when fully loaded and has a maximum speed of 30 knots. Apart from myriad indigenous equipment in the ‘Float’ and ‘Move’ categories, the destroyer is also installed with the under-mentioned major indigenous weapons. The overall indigenous content of the project is approx. 75%.
- Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (BEL, Bangalore)
- BrahMos Surface-to-Surface Missiles (BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi)
- Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai)
- Anti-Submarine Indigenous Rocket Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai)
- 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (BHEL, Haridwar)

The ship had sailed out for her maiden sea sortie on 19 Dec 21 to coincide with the Goa Liberation Day and the ship has now been delivered. The delivery of Mormugao is an affirmation of the impetus being given by the Government of India and the Indian Navy towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as part of celebration of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The early induction of the destroyer, almost 03 months prior to the contractual date, despite the COVID challenges, is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of large number of stake holders and would enhance the maritime prowess of the country in the Indian Ocean Region.

JOINT HADR EXERCISE SAMANVAY – 2022

Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra.
With an aim to assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets and a ‘Table Top Exercise’.
Along with involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well. Rajnath Singh will be Chief Guest for the Capability Demonstration events planned during the exercise on 29 November 2022.
Samanvay 2022 will promote a synergistic approach towards HADR by various national and regional stakeholders involved in Disaster Management including the Civil Administration, the Armed Forces, NDMA, NIDM, NDRF, DRDO, BRO, IMD, NRS and INCOIS. This multi agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation and their application for successful conduct of HADR. The exercise also aims to provide a unique platform for exchange of domain knowledge, experience and best practices with the participating ASEAN member countries.

IAF Set To Place Rs 1,400 Cr Order For New Age Missiles To Destroy Enemy Radars

In a major push to induct indigenously developed weapon systems, the Indian Air Force has moved a proposal worth over Rs 1,400 crore to the government for acquiring Rudram next-generation anti-radiation missiles (NGARM) to search and destroy enemy radar locations.
The next-generation anti-radiation missiles have already been tested by the Indian Air Force from its Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft fleet and can destroy enemy radar locations during conflicts, they said.
The NGARM can be fired from IAF fighters like the Sukhoi-30 and the Mirage-2000. It is accurate and has been developed with the capability to even track a radar system even if it is not operating.
NGARM is India’s first indigenously developed anti-radiation missile that has a speed of Mach two or twice the speed of sound.

IAF Chief Backs Foreign Collaboration On AMCA Program

IAF Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari in an interview with “BW Business World” has called for foreign collaboration for the development of niche technologies for the Indigenous 5^th Generation AMCA fighter program to avoid delays and slippage in the delivery schedule of the program.
Chaudhari said that delay in a few of the indigenous components could trigger a bigger delay in the program so it’s prudent to have a backup development in place to ensure that the program sticks to its timelines.
Chaudhari indirectly might have flagged IAF’s deep concern over the ability of the nodal design agency ADA and HAL. Boeing and Safran both have offered to collaborate in the past on the AMCA program if India selects their fighter jets under its tender for 114 jets in the MRFA competition.
The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft is an Indian programme to develop a fifth-generation stealth, multirole, air superiority fighter for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy which will also include sixth-generation technologies.
AMCA will be a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft. The AMCA Mark 1 will come equipped with 5.5 generation technologies and Mark 2 will have the incremental 6th generation technology upgrades. The AMCA which is intended to perform a multitude of missions including Air supremacy, Ground-Strike, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Electronic Warfare (EW) missions would be a potent replacement for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI air superiority fighter, which forms the backbone of the IAF fighter fleet.

NCC Celebrated 74^th Anniversary

NCC, the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world raised in 1948, celebrated its 74^th anniversary on November 27, 2022. To mark the occasion, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane laid a wreath and paid homage to the fallen heroes on behalf of the entire NCC fraternity at National War Memorial, New Delhi on November 26, 2022.
Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Secretary said, NCC in the past few years has evolved exponentially, wherein youth in uniform have joined hands in every initiative to contribute to nation building. The NCC Raising Day is also being celebrated in all state capitals, where cadets are participating in march past, cultural activities and social development programmes.
From national-level campaigns like Puneet Sagar Abhiyan, which is the biggest cleanliness drive to be undertaken by any single organisation to initiatives like Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat camps, Swachh Bharat campaign, Har Ghar Tiranga and Ex Yogdan (COVID Relief Campaign), NCC cadets have left a large and lasting footprint in every way. The expansion of NCC has also been undertaken in coastal and border areas of the country by adding over one lakh young cadets to its fold in recent times. This has motivated the youth from these areas to join the Armed forces and contribute to Nation Building.
The NCC has also been a platform for harnessing international relations for over four decades, by sending its cadets as ambassadors of peace and unity as part of Youth Exchange Programmes (YEP) to over 25 nations. The NCC has over the years hosted friendly foreign countries cadets from over 30 Nations under YEP.
The multifaceted activities and varied curriculum of the NCC, provides unique opportunities to the youth for self-development. Many cadets have made the Nation and the organisation proud through their remarkable achievements in the field of sports and adventure.

Launch Of ‘IKSHAK’ 3^rd Ship Of Survey Vessel

‘Ikshak’, the third of the four Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project, being built by GRSE/L&T for Indian Navy was launched on 26 Nov 22 at Kattupalli, Chennai. She made her first contact with water of Bay of Bengal at 1040 hrs at the Launch Ceremony graced by the VAdm MA Hampiholi, FOC in Chief, SNC.
Contract for building four SVL ships was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 30 Oct 18 for a total cost of Rs 2435 Cr.
As per build strategy adopted by GRSE, first ship is being built at GRSE, Kolkata and construction of balance three ships (upto outfitting stage) has been sub-contracted to M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli. The first of class ship ‘Sandhayak’ was launched on 05 Dec 21 at M/s GRSE, Kolkata, by Smt Pushpa Bhatt, wife of Shri Ajay Bhatt, Raksha Rajya Mantri, who was the Chief Guest for Launching Ceremony.
SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class survey ships with new generation hydrographic equipment to collect oceanographic data. The Survey Vessel (Large) ships are 110 m long, 16 m wide with deep displacement of 3400 tons and a complement of 231 personnel.
Despite challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic, L&T and GRSE have made substantial progress and aim to deliver ‘Ikshak’ by Oct 2023. Launch of the third Survey Vessel reinforces our resolve for indigenous shipbuilding as part of our Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India’, and thrust to the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The Survey Vessels Large will have over 80% indigenous content by cost. This will also ensure that large scale defence production are executed by Indian manufacturing units thereby generating employment and capability build up within the country.

Bilateral Training Exercise ‘Austra Hind 22’

A bilateral training exercise between armies of India and Australia kick-started in Rajasthan from Monday, the defence ministry said. The ‘Austra Hind 22’ exercise will be conducted till December 11. The ministry said it will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia.
The Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the Dogra Regiment, it said.
The aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in semi-desert terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate, the ministry said.
This joint exercise will enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting tactical operations at company and platoon level for neutralising hostile threats.
“Training on new generation equipment and specialist weapons, including snipers, surveillance and communication equipment to achieve a high degree of situational awareness apart from casualty management, casualty evacuation and planning logistics at battalion/ company level are also planned,” it added.
During the exercise, participants will engage in a variety of tasks ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, sharing basics of special arms skills and raiding a hostile target.

ICG Plans To Procure Made In India C-295MMMA

ICG will be acquiring six C-295 transport aircraft that are set to assemble in India by the Tata Group in collaboration with Airbus as part of a 56-aircraft contract for the Indian Air Force.
The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), Bengaluru, will be tasked to modify C-295 into a Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) variant for airborne surveillance with C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities for the ICG.
The primary role of C-295 MMMA will be used to keep an eye on India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and to help in Search and Rescue Missions. The MMMA would include Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar to carry out the detection and tracking of air and sea surface targets.
The Indian Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. The Indian Coast Guard was formally established on 1 February 1977 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India.
It is an Armed Force, Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement agency under the Ministry of Defence.
It is headquartered in New Delhi.
The concept of forming ICG came into being after the 1971 war.
The blueprint for a multidimensional Coast Guard was conceived by the visionary Rustamji Committee.
For effective command and control, the Maritime Zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard Regions, namely, North-West, West, East, North-East and Andaman & Nicobar, with the respective Regional Headquarters located at Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Port Blair.

EXERCISE HARIMAU SHAKTI – 2022

India – Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia on 28th November and will culminate on 12th December 22. Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which is being conducted since 2012.
Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution of various operations in jungle terrain. The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
The joint exercise schedule includes the establishment of a joint command post, joint surveillance centre, sharing expertise in employment of aerial assets, technical demonstrations, casualty management & casualty evacuation apart from planning logistics at the Battalion level. Joint field training exercises, joint combat discussions and joint demonstrations will culminate with a two-day validation exercise, where special emphasis will be on enhancing tactical skills and enhancing inter-operability between the forces and to promote Army to Army relations.
“Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI” will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and the Malaysian Army, which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.

First Private Launchpad & Mission Control Center Established In ISRO Campus At SDSC, SHAR

A private launchpad and mission control center is established within the ISRO campus at Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), SHAR, Sriharikota, for the first time. The launchpad is designed and operated by a private company, an Indian space-tech start-up, Agnikul.
The facility was inaugurated on November 25, 2022, by Shri S. Somanath, Chairman, ISRO & Secretary, Department of Space (DOS). Senior ISRO officials including the directors of various ISRO centers also attended the function. On the occasion, Shri.S.Somanath expressed pleasure over the establishment of the first private launch pad in the country and endorsed that, now, India can travel to space from one more space platform.
Establishment of this private launchpad marks a significant step in opening the Indian space sector to private players and affirms the commitment of ISRO/DOS for facilitating the same. The current facility has a launchpad and a mission control center. The latter is about 4 km away from the launchpad. The system compliant to support liquid stage-controlled launches, monitor key flight safety parameters by ISRO’s range operations teams during launches and share the data with ISRO’s Mission Control Center.
Agnikul plans to guide & control their upcoming launches from this facility. In their first launch, a 2-stage launch vehicle, Agnibaanis intended to carry a payload of up to 100 kg to around 700 km altitude.

About Agnikul Cosmos

Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited is a Chennai-based start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras). It was founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM & Prof. SR Chakravarthy (from IIT Madras). Agnikul aims to make space accessible and affordable. It aspires to support the Honourable PM’s vision of enabling building of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It became the first Indian company to sign an agreement with ISRO. The agreement signed in December 2020under the IN-SPACe initiative sanctioned Agnikul the access to ISRO’s expertise and facilities to build Agnibaan vehicles and the Launchpads.

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