'The much-awaited decision could be a welcome change at a time when the Indian armed forces are crying for self-reliance and the defence industry is looking forward to more indigenisation,' notes Nitin A Gokhale.
As part of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) package, the central government had announced on May 16 last year that it would improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies by corporatisation of the OFB.
the defence ministry told Parliament on Monday that foreign procurement in defence has risen to Rs 50,061 crore (Rs 500.61 billion) in 2021-2022 from Rs 37,030 crore (Rs 370.30 billion) in 2017-2018.
Each Bhabha Kavach has four hard armour plates, which protect the wearer from the front, back, and either side. It can protect CAPF personnel from 7.62 mm bullets fired from AK-47 rifles -- the chosen weapon of terrorists from Kashmir to Bastar.
"The Ordnance Factory Board signed an MoU for a joint venture with Russian Rosoboronexport and Splav SPA to manufacture five versions of Smerch rockets based on the transfer of technology from Russia," the defence ministry said in a release
Opposition is expected to raise these issues in the session beginning July 19. It will be the first session of parliament after the outbreak of the devastating second wave of Covid.
A gazette notification said employees involved in the production of defence equipment, services and operation or maintenance of any industrial establishment connected with the military as well as those employed in repair and maintenance of defence products will come under the purview of the ordinance.
AK-203 assault rifles, with an effective range of 300 meters, are lightweight, robust and easy to use modern assault rifles with proven technology.
The Dhanush gun system is based on the designs of the Bofors Howitzer which was inducted in the army in the 1980s and would be the third type of artillery gun to be inducted into the force after the K-9 Vajra and the M-777 ultra-light howitzers.
The ban on import of 101 items is a big step towards an Atma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). This list of negative items contains not only small items but weapon systems of high and critical technology. More such items will be added to this list shortly which will save crores of rupees in imports, the defence minister said.
Will the low cost Israeli Athos gun scuttle India's ATAGS gun?
Prominent in the DRDO's display are several artillery guns, armoured vehicles and tanks that underline a measure of success in developing these key weapons platforms for the army. Here are three systems that are headed for success.
The artillery pounds targets and keeps the enemy's head down, preventing them from firing at attacking troops.
Action has been taken according to a memorandum that requires 'periodic review of performance of government servants'.
The best available recourse to keep the defence sector healthy, is to source most of our requirement within the country so that procurement outlays under both the Revenue and Capital heads flow within the country, recommends says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
Ordnance Factory Board officials say upgrading the 39-calibre FH-77 into the 45-calibre Dhanush has increased the gun's range from 27 to 38 kilometres, using enhanced range ammunition.
The Opposition on its part wants to corner the government by raising issues like alleged shortcomings in the healthcare system during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the distribution of Covid vaccines to states.
"The amended second draft (known as DAP) has since been finalised by the review committee driven by tenets of defence reforms announced as part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' and has been placed in the public domain," the ministry said.
Defence ministry incompetence hobbles development of battle-taxis for the Indian Army.
Singh, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday on a three-day visit to attend a crucial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), pressed for expediting supply of a number of weapons systems, ammunition and spares to India by Russia under contracts which were concluded earlier.
In a written reply to the House, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "As per the Defence Acquisition Council decision of October 2011, Ordnance Factory Board is to manufacture 155mm Howitzers."
The ministry of defence has bought two regiments of the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrelled rocket launcher for Rs 3,230 crore.
Strongly condemning police action against Baba Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, the United States unit of Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party said its chief has joined the yoga guru in India on behalf of overseas Indians.
The defence ministry has lost sight of what it intended to achieve -- which was to nurture private defence firms that would compete on equal terms with the 9 defence PSUs and the 41 Ordnance Factory Board factories.
In a major milestone, India successfully tests new advanced towed artillery gun system.
'After decades, there is movement on multiple fronts in artillery development. Now let us see how quickly we can get these guns into service'
Gautam Gambhir may be a familiar Pakistan nemesis on the field but the aggressive opener threw his weight behind Younis Khan and his men saying it is impossible to believe that they had tanked their matches in the ICC Champions Trophy. Gambhir said it is wrong to blame cricketers of match fixing if they end up on the losing side.
The government has readied a big legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning Monday even as the Opposition is raring to corner the ruling dispensation over a host of issues, including handling of the second wave of COVID-19, rise in fuel prices and farmers' stir.
The military is mobilising to play a central role in holding patients exposed to the coronavirus.
Vinod Nayar has decided to join forces with Vishnu Khandelwal, who filed a complaint against the couple.
Incidents of violence were reported from various parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra.
The political-electoral calculus favours spending thousands of crores on vanity projects like Sardar Patel's statue and the Central Vista over building up our military to handle the confrontations and conflicts that loom large, points out Ajai Shukla.
"Three 155 mm howitzers (Dhanush) have been handed over to the army recently for user's trial," GCF's Joint General Manager and PRO Sanjay Shrivastava told PTI today.
A preliminary inquiry has found that the explosion took place due to faulty ammunition supplied by the Ordnance Factory Board and a further probe into the matter was on, the sources said.
The CAG report noted that availability of 55 per cent types of ammunitions was below minimum inescapable requirement to be maintained for operational preparedness and 40 per cent types of ammunitions were in critical level, having stock of less than 10 days.
'In the case of an India-Pakistan confrontation, the Chinese may undertake more than just posturing, thereby constraining us from deploying adequate forces for decisive results,' warns Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Wednesday expressed concerns over the delays in delivery schedules of 'Tejas' Light Combat Aircraft and intermediate jet trainer 'Sitara', both being developed indigenously, and their impact on operational capability.
Even while rejecting Israel Military Industries' petition, the court has effectively granted foreign vendors the constitutional right to be treated equally with Indian companies.
The 606 positive cases includes 43 foreign nationals, the ministry said. On Tuesday, the number of cases was 519.
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