India Looking To Develop Anti-Satellite Missile?

Excerpt from Indian daily Pioneer editorial:

The Government’s decision to set up an Integrated Space Cell is a long over-due step in the right direction. India has been consistent in insisting on the use of space only for peaceful purposes. It has remained committed to its policy of non-weaponisation of space. Yet it cannot remain indifferent to the offensive counter-space systems that have emerged in close proximity to our country, namely in China. Space-based offensive and defensive capabilities have now become important, with many countries, particularly China, developing new capacities as far as such weapons are concerned.

Establishment of an Integrated Space Cell is a precursor for the creation of the National Aerospace Command which would track objects in Earth’s orbit that might pose threat to Indian satellites and also keep an eye on the non-scientific and non-civilian activities carried out in the space.

India all set to complete the Nuclear Triad, To test ICBM

India is ready with its submarine-launched ballistic missiles and its final test could take place any day now. The nuclear tipped missiles which were developed under the Sagarika project have been codenamed ‘K-15′. The K-15 has a 700km range same as that of Agni-1 which is already a part of the Indian Army. The K-15s will be deployed on indigenously developed nuclear powered submarines. The integration of the missiles with the submarines would be complete within the next three years.

India has been on a ‘defense equipment shopping spree’ since the Kargil conflict with Pakistan in 1999; India has acquired defense hardware worth $10 billion in the last eight years and will be spending another $25 billion in the next five.

Navy

Apart from the indigenous submarine program India has also given orders for the French made Scorpenes which will be with the Indian Navy by 2012. Add to that a Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, which will come bundled with about 16 MiG-29K fighter jets for a price tag of over $2 billion. India had been waiting for Gorshkov for a very long since it currently has only one carrier, INS Viraat which is expected to be decommissioned in 2012. India has also initiated a $750 million project to manufacture a heavy aircraft carrier at home which will also be ready by 2012.

In the past the Indian Navy had, at most, only one aircraft carrier at its disposal and it was rightly feared that the Navy would lose crucial time in sending the carrier from Arabian Sea to Bay of Bengal (or vice versa) in case of an attack form either Pakistan or China. Now they would have two carriers plus the nuclear powered submarines. In addition the Navy has also inducted the nuclear warhead capable supersonic cruise missile Brahmos.

Air Force

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will the biggest piece of the pie. In what is being called the ‘Mother of all Deals’, the Air Force will be acquiring 126 fighter aircrafts for about $10 billion which will replace its aging fleet of MiG-21s. Some of the contenders for this mega deal are Mirage 2000-5 (France), F-16 and F-18 (USA), Gripen (Sweden) and MiG-29 (Russia). Apart from buying fighter jets from other countries, India has also been developing its own fighter jet called Tejas which is in testing & development stage.

Defense scientists are ready to test India’s first beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra. The scientists hope to integrate the missile with the aircraft soon and conduct tests later this year. The Air Force will be looking to replace the more expensive air-to-air missiles like the French-made Matra Super 530D, Russian-made AA-12 Adder and Israeli-made Python and Derby from its Sukhoi-30MKI and Mirage-2000s.

Army

Army has in its arsenal the mightiest of India’s all missiles, the Agni. The Army having inducted the Prithvi-1 (Range: 150 km), Agni-1 (Range: 700 km) and the Agni-2 (Range: 2,000 km+) is now planning a third test of the Agni-3 missile which has a range of 3,500 km, the test would take place later this year. Indian scientists, in addition to working on increasing Agni-3’s range by another 1,500 kms, is also working on Agni-4 which will have a range of 6,000 kms.

With Agni-4 India would join the club of countries with intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs. It is believed that India was under pressure from the US not to increase the range of its missiles but since the talks of the Indo-US nuclear deal have started Indian government has got a shot in the arm and is looking to take the next step in weapons development.

With India on the fast lane to become an economic super power it also needs to comprehend its economic development with advancements in military capabilities. And with an unstable neighborhood it becomes imperative for India to have a strong response mechanism against any possible future eventualities.

Republic Of India Turns 58; Republic Day Parade Coverage

India celebrates its 59th Republic Day on Saturday. It was on January 26, 1950, that the Constitution of India came into force and the country declared itself a Republic. The date was officially chosen as Republic Day because it was on January 26, 1930, that the Indian National Congress symbolically declared Poorna Swaraj, or complete independence from Britain.

The Parade ceremony commenced with the Prime Minister laying wreath at the Amar jawan Jyoti at India Gate, the war memorial for the Immortal Soldier. After observing a two minute silence the prime Minister & the Chiefs of the three divisions of the the Indian Armed Forces proceeded towards the main parade area where they received the President Pratibha Patil & Chief Guest the French president Nicolas Sarkozy. The dignitaries then proceeded towards the main dais where President Patil unfurled the national flag amidst the tune of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. This was followed by the customary 21 gun salute.

Next, the highest peacetime military honors, The Ashok Chakra, were awarded posthumously to Col Vasant Venugopal (officer of 9 Marathas) – Under his command, the battalion killed nine foreign terrorists in Uri Sector of Jammu and Kashmir on July 31, 2007; Captain R Harshan (2 Paramilitary Special Forces) at 25, he became the youngest Ashok Chakra winner in India’s history – He fought bravely during an operation in Kashmir last year & killed two terrorists before succumbing to his injuries in Kashmir; Naib Subedar Chunni Lal – He faced the enemy bravely & killed three terrorists in the Kupwara sector in June last year.

Following this the Parade began with a fly past by four Mi-7 helicopters which flew in an inverted wineglass formation unfurling the national tricolour as well as those of the three defence services. The parade was led by General Officer Commanding Major-General K J S Oberoi. The Army showcased its impressive armory before the nation. The most attractive ones being the indigenously developed frontline T-90 battle tanks, the Indian version of BrahMos, the nuclear capable short range surface-to-surface missile Dhanush and the nuclear capable IRBM Agni-3 missiles which made its maiden appearance at this year’s Republic Day parade.

The awesome show of the armed services’ armory was followed by marching contingents. The army contingent included personnel drawn from Punjab Regiment, Grenadiers Regiment, Rajputana Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, Assam Regiment, Mahar Regiment, 8-Gorkha Rifles and the Territorial Army. The Camel mounted Band and Contingent of the Border Security Force was the main attraction & drew cheers from the thousands assembled.

This was followed by tableaux from 26 states and Central Ministries and Departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country. They will also showcase country’s progress in different fields. Tableaux of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Railways and the Central Public Works Department focussed on various aspects of the Indian Independence movement. Haryana’s tableau depicted the scene of of thousands of women and children jumping into a well in a bid to save themselves from the Britishers who completely destroyed Rohnat village in Hisar district.

Eighteen of the 22 children selected for the National Bravery Awards 2007 also participated in the parade riding on caparisoned elephants. 4 have got the award posthumously. An ex-servicemen’s contingent and 13 Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra awardees participated in the parade as four teams of the army band provided music for the march.

At the end of the Parade the Jaanbaz, the motorcycle display by the Border Security Force became the center of attraction. It consisted of 170 riders on 34 motorcycles performing Border Man Salute, ladder balancing, parallel bar, human pyramid, Guldasta Safari and Flag March. They performed breathtaking stunts in a synchronised and synergistic display of mind, body and machine coordination.

The grand finale of the parade was spectacular IAF’s flypast led by MI-26 and Advanced Light Helicopters followed by Big Boy Formation comprising an IL-76, two AN-32 and two Dorniers. Following this 5 Jaguars amazed the audience with their awesome Arrow Head Formation. But that was just the start of the fly past, with a thunderous sound came 5 MiG-29 aircrafts. The final jewel in the Republic Day’s parade were the 3 Sukhoi MKI which roared in the sky in the breath taking Trishul formation.

The ceremony culminated with the National Anthem and release of balloons.

Although it has been so many years and the overall pattern & the composition of the parade remains the same year after year still almost everybody wakes up early this day & waits anxiously for the parade to begin. I love watching the Parade because of the discipline with which the soldiers conduct themselves. At the end of the Parade thousands of people ran to their terraces to catch a glimpse of the Air Force’s crown jewels. And this time it was even more special since the Sukhois flew much closer to the ground