French Navy Chief to visit India
(Yahoo News, 30 April 2002)

Indian Navy gets AEW capability
(Times of India, 29 April 2002)

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh with Naval commanders at the Naval Commanders' Conference in New Delhi on 19 April 2002. [Image © India Times]

N-sub project is Navy's worst kept secret
(Hindustan Times, 19 April 2002)

In a major shift in India's maritime policy, the government has now decided to lay thrust on joint collaborations with other countries for production of naval vessels and equipment as well as an aggressive promotion of defence exports, Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain said. Secretary Narain said the government had decided to chart out a new policy whereby the country would look forward to collaboration with countries like Russia for production of vessels and weapons, instead of purchasing them from these countries. On the issue of purchase of Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Groshkov, Secretary Narain said technical and price negotiations were almost complete and a decision on this matter was likely to be taken by June. The estimated cost of purchasing the aircraft carrier after completion of the refitting work was over Rs.1000 crore, he said adding deliberations were on whether to opt for the French aircraft Rafael or the MiG-29 aircraft to be used on the aircraft carrier.

If the deal was finalised, Admiral Groshkov would be the second aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy with the third currently being built indigenously. The aircraft carrier, whose keel has already been laid, was expected to be completed after eight years, he added. Efforts were also being made to boost defence exports in the field of warships and equipment to countries like Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka to counter the Chinese influence, he said adding the products would be offered at subsidised rates currently to boost exports. India had also embarked on a major defence modernisation plan, he said adding there had been a 33% increase in the budget earmarked for the purpose from nearly Rs. 12,000 crore last year to Rs. 16,000 crore.

Earlier the indigenously-built missile boat, INS Prabal, with a formidable offensive arsenal of surface-to-surface-missiles, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the grandeur of India's maritime traditions by Secretary Narain. INS Prabal, the first modified 1241 RE Class built with new weapons and sensor fit by the Mazgaon Dock, joined the powerful No.22 Missile Vessel Squadron of the Western Naval Command after its commissioning. The vessel, commanded by Commander Benny Methala Anthony, was commissioned in the naval tradition with the tricolour flag being unfurled aboard the vessel. Construction of Prabal began on 16 February 1998 and was launched on 28 September 2000. The boat is capable of speeds in excess of 35 knots or close to 70 km/h. With 500 kW of power generation capability it can deploy of four gas turbines.

Clarification on delay in development & production of indigenous mines for the Navy
(MoD Press Release, 12 April 2002)

This is with reference to recent media reports on delay in development and production of indigenous mines for the Indian Navy. The reports apparently have presented a one sided version. The clarification by this Ministry is as follows:

Four projects on indigenous development of mines for the Indian Navy were ordered in respect of Swimout Mines, Limpet Mines, Ground Mines and Moored Mines. It is incorrect to say that the project for Swimout mines proved infructuous as the Navy rejected the mines on the ground of failure of the requirement of the staff project. The Swimout mines developed by Naval & Science Technological Laboratory (NSTL) were the prototypes of the Processor Based Ground Mines (PBGM).  It is further clarified that the Navy did not reject the mines because of requirements of range. Unlike torpedoes, mines are stationary weapons and therefore do not involve technical requirement of range.

With regard to Limpet Mines, the media reported that out of 25 mines delivered only three were found to be satisfactory.  It is clarified that out of 25 only five Limpet Mine Maindeka developed in 1995 had failed in various tests and therefore modifications were carried out in electronic and mechanical timers. After necessary modifications, production of Maindeka mines has commenced. The Navy placed two indents for 425 mines in September 1996 and May 1997. Out of 425 mines, 252 have been produced by Ammunition Factory, Kirkee and have been supplied to the Indian Navy. The balance mines will be supplied to Navy by May this year.

Some newspapers have reported that PBGM could achieve only a lethal range of 80 meters against a target of 300 meters. It is clarified that the laying depth of PBGM is from 5 metres to 300 metres. The mine shell has been successfully tested to withstand the pressure up to 300 metres. The NSTL has also indicated this capability to the Navy. It may also be mentioned that the function of the Moored mine is entirely different from the Ground mine and one cannot be substituted by the other. The delay in completion of the project was due to considerable modifications to be incorporated in the design of the mine in accordance with the changing technology and the need to keep pace with it.

Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal is final: Russia
(The Hindu, 04 April 2002)

The defence deal between India and Russia for the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov is final and work is underway to equip the ship to meet the needs of the Indian Navy, a top Russian official said in New Delhi. "The work is on to equip it. It is going on successfully. There is no alarm about the status of the deal," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin said. He said further discussions will be held on the Gorshkov deal when Defence Minister George Fernandes visits Moscow next week. "The Indian media has been misreporting that the deal is not final. There is a misconception that the Gorshkov deal is not concluded. The contract was signed when President (Vladimir) Putin visited India in 2000," Ambassador Kadakin said. He said there was no reason to imply that there had been a failure on the signing of the deal. Ambassador Kadakin said several contracts will be signed in regard to the upgrade work of the aircraft carrier.

This is with reference to recent media reports on procurement of missile by Indian Navy. The reports apparently have presented a one sided version. The clarification by this Ministry is as follows:

It is wrong to say that anti-aircraft Igla missiles were imported even though sufficient Strela anti-aircraft missiles were available with the Navy. Lack of Acoustic Miss Distance Indicator capability of our ships was a hard reality and Igla missiles were procured to augment the last ditch, hard kill terminal defence of ships for engaging the hostile aircraft and anti-ship missiles. Procurement of 100 Igla missiles from Russia had to be resorted to as the Strela missiles held in the Indian Navy's inventory were life expired and no Igla missiles were held with Indian Navy. 50 Igla missiles were received from the Army in June 2000 and the agreement for procurement of Igla missiles from Russia was signed on 02 July 1999. With regard to the import of naval missiles on a single tender basis it is clarified that the missile had already been selected by the Army in accordance with laid down procedures and its suitability into the Navy was subsequently established. Further, due to the post-Pokhran sanctions, it was not feasible to negotiate with other suppliers, and therefore, no alternative source existed.

It is also clarified that contract for only 100 missiles was finalised and not for 104 as mentioned. With reference to the higher price paid by the Navy in comparison to the price paid by the Army, it is clarified that the buyer may have to pay more if there is an urgency should there be no alternative. The price paid in this case is attributable to absence of any alternative in view of the post-Pokhran sanctions and operational necessity of the Kargil operation. It is incorrect to say that while Navy had projected a long-term requirement for 240 anti-aircraft missiles during the 9th Plan even though it had 312 of these missiles still in stock. The existing stock of Strela missiles had life expired over a decade and half ago. It would be incorrect to consider life expired as part of combat stock. The Navy had therefore no portable anti-aircraft missile in its inventory. Besides, one of the over riding considerations in selection of Igla was its superiority in capability, performance, trials conducted at sea and also future in-house production at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It may also be mentioned that no Igla missiles were held with Indian Navy at the commencement of Kargil operations. These missiles were made available to the Navy from the Army only in June 2000.