While Pakistani leaders and judiciary are locked in an unending internal battle and the armed forces are engaged in an ongoing treacherous terrorism network Pakistan’s arch rival India has embarked on a huge armament programme that is seen as genuine threats to both Pakistan and its strategic ally China.
According to a latest report New Delhi has planned to spend as much as US$ 200 billion on defence acquisitions over the next 12 years acquiring state-of-the-art war planes, sophisticated helicopters, tanks and nuclear-propelled and nuclear-arm submarine.
An India Strategic defence magazine has reported that nearly half of the Indian defence funding, or $100 billion, will go to the Indian Air Force (IAF) which would need to replace more than half of its combat jet fleet as well as the entire transport aircraft and helicopter fleet.
According to a study the Indian army had the largest requirement of helicopters while the navy needs both combat jets, helicopters, and a fleet of nearly 100 carrier-borne combat jets.
The details of the study is due to be published in March but according to a brief report released in India Strategic’s DefExpo show daily published Monday India’s plans to acquire surveillance aircraft, lesser in capability though the IAF’s Phalcon AWACs and the navy’s P8-I Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) are also being worked out while pilotless intelligence aircraft (drones) generally called UAVs, including those armed, are also on the top of the list of the three arms of the forces.
The briefing noted that India’s “three services as well as the Coast Guards and paramilitary organisations needed satellites and net centricity.”
The report further added that IAF has a plan to build 45 combat squadrons (about 900 aircraft), up from its maximum effective strength of 39.5 squadrons a few years ago. Many of its aircraft have been phased out due to simple ageing.
India also plans to buy the 126 jets, as well as advanced helicopters and other defense equipment, to modernize its mainly Soviet-vintage defense forces. India, which is among the world’s top arms importers, has earmarked 1.42 trillion rupees ($30.5 billion) as capital expenditure on defense for the current fiscal year through March 31.
Meanwhile there are reports that India was also considering to buy Eurofighter “Typhoon” fighter aircraft which is now being on display a defence Expo in India.
Indian Air Force (IAF) officials are gearing to thoroughly examine the capabilities of Eurofighter as part of a plan to acquite medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) programme.
The Eurofighter is expected to undergo trials until March in Jaisalmer and Leh particularly to test Eurofighter’s desert and high altitude performance. According to reports from Indian there is general consent that the performance of the aircraft but Indians were still looking for a special price. Defence experts say that the Eurofighter is competing against Dassault’s Rafale, Saab’s JAS 39 Super Gripen IN, Boeing’s F/A-18E/F-IN Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin’s F-16IL and Russia’s MiG-35.
More Hercules planes for India
Meanwhile the American Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) is also negotiating with the Indian Air Force a deal to sell an additional six Super Hercules C-130J military transport planes.
Lockheed Martin already has an order made in February 2008 for supplying six Super Hercules planes in a deal worth about $1 billion and the first Hercules plane is expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force in the last quarter of 2010.
Lockheed Martin has early this month completed a third phase of trials of its F-16 Falcon fighter plane hoping to win over a $10 billion contract from the Indian Air Force to supply 126 combat jets.
According to latest reports India is to receive from Russia Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier; six (Krivak III) Talwar class Frigates (3 already delivered); 45 MiG-29K & MiG-29 KUB planes for the Indian Navy — 16 + 29; 280 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets; 63 IAF MiG-29 Baaz modernisation planes; six IL-76 (Platform for Phalcon AWACS) (one already delivered); 1,500 tanks T-90 tanks; Nerpa nuclear submarine (to be leased to the Indian Navy this summer); PAK FA T-50 (Fifth Generation fighter aircraft, jointly developed with India); BrahMos cruise missile (joint developed with India) and INS Arihant (nuclear submarine) being developed by India with Russian help.
From the United States the Indian armed forces have made the following deals: six C-130 (FMS) transport aircraft; P8I-8; C-17 (FMS)-10, Naval ship INS Jalashwa; 145 BAe M777 Light Weight Howitzer (FMS) guns.
From Israel India has reached the following defence contracts in recent years: six Phalcon AWACS (1 delivered); Barak missile system; Spyder missile system; Heron UAVs; Ground sensors; Thermal Imaging Devices and Air Defense Missile System (Joint Development).
India reached a deal to receive from Britain
66 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers and Queen Elizabeth class carriers they’re building.
Indian navy will receive six Scorpene submarines from France and two Fleet Tankers (Finmeccanicca) from Italy.(source pakobserver)
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