According to the annual year-end review the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Armed Forces have been equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, equipment and technologies.
Amidst the emerging global security challenges and almost 30 month long standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Control (LOC), India has taken major strides in the defence sector in 2022.
As the year is coming to an end, this year alone the defence sector has achieved a lot in terms of not only in border infrastructure development, self reliance, but also in development and national security.
According to the annual year end review the Ministry of Defence dropped on Saturday (Dec 17, 2022), the Indian Armed Forces have been equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, equipment and technologies. And these have been manufactured in India by a self reliant industry with a large indigenous content.
Agnipath
Government’s major transformative reform to build a youthful & tech-savvy military ready to meet future challenges was `Agnipath’ which was rolled out this year. Under this scheme the plan is to recruit the youth who will don the uniform for four years to serve the nation and to bring out a transformational shift towards a more tech-savvy military.
The recruitment of the Agniveers, as has been reported in Financial Express Online earlier, entails an attractive monthly package which includes Risk & Hardship allowances which is applicable in the three Services. And upon completion of their engagement period there is a onetime ‘Seva Nidhi’ package to be paid to them.
Since the time this plan has rolled out, the three services have received 54 lakh registrations and this includes the female aspirants too.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), – Indian Army received 37.09 lakh; Navy – 9.55 lakh and Air Force – 7.69 lakh.
Defence Exports
The focus of the MoD has been to increase the country’s defence exports to friendly nations in an effort to achieve the collective goal of global peace and prosperity. In line with `Make in India’ & `Make for the World’ vision many countries have expressed interest in the Indian platforms and this has resulted in record defence exports.
Historic Day: Commissioning of INS Vikrant
In September Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant which was built at Cochin Shipyard. This showcased the Indian shipyard’s capability of indigenous manufacturing and design. The aircraft carrier has 76 percent indigenous content and the 262.5 m long and 61.6 m wide is equipped with state-of-the-art systems and equipment. This has been designed for a crew of 1,600 officers and sailors.
Designed with a high degree of automation for machinery operations, ship survivability and navigation and survivability, it has the capability of operating air wing which consists of 30 aircraft — MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters as well as MH-60R multi-role helicopters, and indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Navy variant. It has a novel aircraft-operation mode — Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery. And for launching an aircraft it is equipped with a ski-jump and for their recovery onboard there is a set of ‘arrester wires’.
LCH ‘Prachand’
This helicopter was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in October in Jodhpur and has been designedand developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This Light Combat Helicopter, as reported earlier is the first indigenous Multi-Role Combat Helicopter and is capable of potent ground attack and aerial combat.
It has formidable night attack capability, modern stealth characteristics, and robust armour protection, guns tailored for close combat, air to air missiles and advanced navigation system. Together all these make the LCH suited for the modern day battlefield.
C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility
First time ever a private sector company is going to manufacture military transport aircraft from the IAF. In October PM Modilaid the foundation stone of C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Under a joint collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain this facility will manufacture C-295 aircraft for IAF at a total cost of Rs 21, 935 crore. This aircraft according to MoD can also be used for civilian purposes too.
As per the contract 40 aircraft are going to be manufactured at this facility and 16 will come straight from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A.
https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/2022-a-year-of-achievement-and-accolades-for-indias-defence-sector/2918114/
