With the country's armed forces and defence establishments making strides to become network-centric, Antony said cyber attacks would pose a major threat. He said with terrorist and non-state actors clandestinely acquiring sophisticated cyber technology, this threat could be more ominous.
"Indian armed forces' exercise and interaction with foreign forces are for upgrade of skills and providing them a chance to get acquainted with hi-tech weapons," Defence Minister A K Antony said on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders conference in New Delhi.
Russia has proposed a price escalation of $1.2 billion for re-equipping aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Under a contract worth $1.5 billion signed between Russia and India, Moscow was to deliver the carrier along with its compliment of MiG-29K fighters in August 2007, but asked for an increase in cost to almost double, saying the warship needed a lot of additional work and would have to undergo almost a year-long sea trial in Russian waters.
"We have to constantly upgrade our military and economic capabilities," the minister told army commanders while referring to relations with China as he opened the five-day top army commanders bi-annual conference in Delhi. His remarks are significant as the minister has just undertaken a major tour of the Sino-Indian frontier in Arunachal Pradesh.
Defence Minister A K Antony will co-chair the commission meeting with Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to hold talks on a wide-ranging agenda of military technical cooperation, covering key spheres, including timely delivery of contracted military systems, in the light of the reported settlement of the cost-escalation issue and supply of defence systems.
The party high command has set up a high profile three-member panel of Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony, and political adviser to Congress president Ahmed Patel to review the performance of Deshmukh, who has been at the receiving end from his detractors.Speculation is rife for the past some months that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is keen to replace him."The Congress periodically conducts in-house exercises, " Tiwari said.
However, the government would not follow the policy of "hot pursuit" against pirates in the present case, as it had wider implications, Defence Minister A K Antony said after the Defence Accounts Day function in New Delhi.
Defence Minister, along with the Army Chief General Deepak Kumar and Defence Secretary Vijai Singh, is likely to arrive at Tawang where state Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu would receive them. Antony is scheduled to visit some forward areas in the border district before flying by chopper to Tenga, an important Army base in the district. The visit of Antony assumes significance in the light of recent disclosure that China has laid claim for Tawang.
Coinciding with the visit of Defence Minister A K Antony to the US, the Pentagon has announced the sale of Harpoon missiles to India along with associated equipment and services for a total value of about USD 170 million.
However, trials of the missile were awaiting the necessary platform, which will be identified by the Navy soon.
The region already faces a problem from sea pirates and the terror threat had dimensions of bringing in non-State actors as well as agents of transnational crimes, Antony said while inaugurating an 'International Maritime Search and Rescue Conference 2008' in New Delhi. There should be a continuous vigil by the organisations like Coast Guard as well as maritime forces in the region, he said, adding that cooperation with other countries, including China, was vital.
The willingness to collaborate ranges from combat aircraft to early warning systems and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, tactical missiles and military propulsion systems, Defence Minister A K Antony told an international seminar.
India is capable of facing any threat to its security coming from any quarter, Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said in the wake of a warning from a top al-Qaeda commander.
"Defence officials should adopt a humane approach towards the requirements of ex-servicemen to highlight the fact that while the country acknowledges the sacrifices being made by the jawans when they are in active service, it does not forget them after their retirement," Antony advised.
Increase in number of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control is a matter of concern and is constantly being reviewed by the government, Defence Minister A K Antony said.
"I did not know that the Australian police is so stupid and are charging on something so senseless," she said in an emotionally-choked voice.
The terrorists exchanging heavy gunfire with security forces in Bhati Dhar jungles of Poonch are suspected to be from Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, the army said on Wednesday, but did not specify any time frame for flushing them out.
The first Indian military outpost abroad is nearing completion in Tajikistan but some technical problems are hindering its full-fledged functioning, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Monday. "The base in Tajikistan is almost complete. But some technical problems are there," Antony said.
The Congress and the NCP are not comfortable with the name Maha Shiv Aghadi (a grand alliance comprising the Shiv Sena)
The issue came up during talks defence minister A K Antony had with his counterpart Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur. However, the two leaders did not reveal details of their discussions on the issue.
Pakistan's reluctance to authenticate has prevented any move in talks over the issue.
the defence minister on China, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The party will hold the internal elections by October 15.
Antony will take over as Defence minister from Pranab Mukherjee who has been appointed the next External Affairs minister.
The Defence Minister was deliberating on India's friendly and cordial relations with all nations, especially countries in our immediate neighbourhood.
Defence Minister A K Antony fainted during the passing out parade ceremony at the National Defence Academy in Kharag Vasla, Pune on Saturday morning.The minister first fainted at the commencement of the ceremony. A chair was brought for him. Antony then took the salute and addressed the cadets. He fainted a second time when the cadets were marching off. Taken to his car, the defence minister observed the conclusion of the ceremony from his vehicle.
Recently, former Army chief general J J Singh, before laying down office, had suggested that histories of the conflict with China and Indo-Pak wars should be made available to military strategists and other stakeholders to draw the right lessons from them.
A total of 162 soldiers of undivided India have been laid to rest in 17 locations in Germany. Of these, 50 have been commemorated in the Berlin War Cemetery. These soldiers belong to Indian Armoured Corps, Indian Artillery, Infantry, Royal Indian Army Service Corps, Madras Sappers and Miners, Indian Army Remount Corps and Indian Army Ordnance Corps.
The government will approach Swiss firms for providing expertise in setting up a unit for manufacturing sleeping bags and jackets for soldiers deployed in inhospitable terrains.
Infiltration across the border had not declined, but there had been signs of stability in recent days thanks to stern retaliatory action by security forces along the borders, Antony said.
Defence Minister AK antony said infiltration attempts will be stepped up in the run up to the crucial elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Indicating that all 18 crew members in the ill-fated submarine INS Sindhurakshak have died, Defence Minister A K Antony today said treating it as a "special case", compensation would be given to their families.
Under the deal signed in Moscow last month during Indian Defence Minister A K Antony's visit, HAL will supply large components to Russia's Irkut Corporation for assembling the airframes of Su-30MK fighters. The Russian firm is working on Indian, Malaysian and Algerian export orders.
The defence minister remained equally vague on the standing committee asking for immediate withdrawal of army from the internal security duties to let these be handled by the central para military forces. The committee had also sought a fixed time schedule for gradual withdrawal of the army from the counter-insurgency duties in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir during his day-long visit to the Valley.
A change in the mindsets is called for, Antony said, adding country was in the process of accelerating the pace of modernisation of the armed forces by inducting hi-tech weapons systems, he said.
Ruling out joining any military pact or alliance with other countries, Defence Minister A K Antony made it clear that India will not tone down or give up its growing engagements with major powers like the United States, Russia and others as these were aimed at increasing the capabilities of the Indian armed forces. He also said that the country's armament programmes were going at a steady pace.
The delay in the refitting of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and a range of bilateral issues came up for discussion when Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday met Russian vice premier Sergei Ivanov in Moscow.
Terrorists of various outfits, after being imparted training, could use sea routes to enter India, Defence Minister A K Antony said in reply to written questions.
Scheduled to be launched by Defence Minister A K Antony's wife Elizabeth Antony, the carrier will be named after Vikrant, India's first aircraft carrier, Naval Staff vice chief Vice-Admiral R K Dhowan said.
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