India's nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-II ballistic missile, with a strike range of 2,000 kms, was on Friday test-fired as part of user trial by the army from the Wheeler Island off Orissa coast.
The surface-to-surface missile, powered by solid propellants, was test-fired from a mobile launcher at 10.10 am from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island), defence officials said.
Still, there remains a worrying shortfall of frigates, which are the navy's workhorses. 'We need to have at least 24 frigates,' says a senior admiral. 'Currently we are 10 short.'
Another proposal of the army and the IAF for the procurement of 55 low level light weight radars was also cleared by the DAC for Rs 419 crore.
This is the third test firing of the missile in the last five days, the sources said.
Kavaratti will be commissioned before end-2019 -- three years later than contracted.
In 2013, India had displayed the Inter Continental Ballistic Missile Agni V during the Republic Day Parade. The chief guest at that time was Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
As a percentage of the military budget, the navy's share has fallen from 19 per cent in 2010-2011 to just 15.5 per cent this year. With the Indian Navy's annual budget declining steadily, security planners are reluctant to green light crucial projects, discovers Ajai Shukla.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is all set to conduct a trial of the new indigenously developed quick reaction, short-range Prahaar missile on Thursday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea.
India on Saturday successfully conducted two rounds of trials of its indigenously developed surface-to-air Akash missile as part of a user trial by the Indian Air Force from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha.
Defence sources said two rounds of 'Pinaka' were test fired between 1215 IST and 1245 IST.
India joins exclusive club of US, Europe, Russia and China.
With the Navy ruling out deploying indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas on its aircraft carriers, Aeronautical Development Agency on Saturday said it was restricted only to Mark I which was a technology demonstrator and pinned hopes on Mark II for use by the Navy.
Replying to a short duration discussion on COVID-19 management in Rajya Sabha, the minister said technology transfer to several companies has started and they will begin production in the coming days to reduce vaccine shortage in the country.
Till now, India has been importing Israeli-made 'Heron' medium and high altitude series of UAVs for the three services, which are using them extensively for surveillance operations in Jammu and Kashmir and certain other strategic areas.
The second SSN that India is negotiating to lease from Russia will only replace the Chakra, when its 10-year lease expires, reports Ajai Shukla.
The LUH will be one of the two helicopters that will meet the army's urgent need for 394 light helicopters.
India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas has successfully completed air-to-air close combat missile firing tests, ahead of its clearance for induction into the Indian Air Force.
Around four lakh people who attended the event were treated to a spectacular flying display of fighter, civilian aircraft and helicopters.
