Sunday, September 11, 2016

7CPC : THE TARGET IS IN SELF DESTRUCT MODE

SOURCE:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Forces-Stall-pay-revision-till-anomalies-removed/articleshow/54273957.cms
         
      http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/armed-forces-reject-pay-panel/293509.html                

                 


Its  time the three chiefs resigned in protest against the step motherly treatment being meted out to the service and ex-servicemen Defense  Minister has NO say. The Finance Minister has deep rooted disliking for the forces.  The PM has NO time.       

                   -Ashok Wadhwa       


                IT IS NOW OR NEVER


The armed forces have upped the ante in their ongoing struggle for resolution of "core anomalies" in their salary packages by asking the Centre to keep in "abeyance" the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) for them.  

In an embarrassment to the Modi government, the armed forces have rejected the salary and emoluments recommended by the Seventh Central Pay Commission, pleading that its implementation be put on hold in view of the “unresolved anomalies” that lowered the status of the forces vis-à-vis their counterparts in the police and the civil administration.


The Ministry of Defence had issued the notification on September 6 after taking into account a letter by the three services chiefs on the issue of pay parity, among other things. This notification was exclusively for the forces.

In the past 24 hours, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force have issued separate letters to inform senior commanders and the troops about the decision of the top brass.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee had met on September 7 to discuss the issue. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is expected to take a decision on the matter on Monday. 

Earlier, the notification for enhanced pay for the forces had been held up as the issues raised by the three services were being studied.

The main “anomaly” is that the formula adopted for determining the basic pay for the armed forces is different from the one for other Central government employees. As a result, in each rank the service officers have been awarded lower pay scales.

In March, the MoD had told an empowered panel that the status, pay and allowances of the armed forces be kept above the other “fighting” arms of the government




          UNBRIDGEABLE MISTRUST  



AN AVERAGE MEMBER OF FAUJI FRATERNITY NO LONGER TRUSTS THE GOVERNANCE OF THOSE IN POWER

IT IS TIME FOR THE POWERS WHO HAPPENS TO BE IN REIN TO PONDER OVER


Kautilya discretely but firmly reminded the king that his safety and security as well as of his empire depend on the trust and sacrifice of his soldiers.
  “The Mauryan soldier does not enrich the Royal treasuries nor fills the Royal granaries. He does not carry out trade and commerce nor produce scholars, litterateurs, artistes, artisans, sculptors, architects, craftsmen, doctors and administrators. He does not build roads and ramparts nor dig wells and reservoirs. He does not do any of this directly.

            “The soldier only and merely ensures that the tax, tribute and revenue collectors travel forth and return safely; that the farmer tills, harvests, stores and markets his produce unafraid of pillage; that the trader, merchant and financier function and travel across the length and breadth of the realm unmolested; that the savant, sculptor, maestro and mentor create works of art, literature, philosophy and astrology in quietitude; that the architect designs and builds his Vaastus without tension; that the tutor and the priest teach and preach in peace; that the rishis meditate in wordless silence; that the doctor invents cures and medicines undisturbed; that the mason and bricklayer work unhindered; that the mother and the wife go about their chores and bring up children in harmony and tranquility; that the cattle graze freely without being lifted or stolen.

            “Pataliputra reposes each night in peaceful comfort, O King, secure in the belief that the distant borders of Magadha are inviolate and the interiors are safe and secure, thanks only to the Mauryan Army standing vigil with naked swords and eyes peeled for action, day and night, in weather fair and foul, all eight praharas (round the clock), quite unmindful of personal discomfort and hardship, all through the year, year after year.
            “While the citizenry of the State contributes to see that the State prospers and flourishes, the soldier guarantees it continues to EXIST as a State! To this man, O Rajadhiraja, you owe a debt: please, therefore, see to it, on your own, that the soldier continuously gets his dues in every form and respect, be they his needs or his wants, for he is not likely to ask for them himself.”
 
            Then Kautilya, known also as Chanakya gave his king this blunt warning: “The day the soldier has to demand his dues will be a sad day for Magadha for then, on that day, you will have lost all moral sanction to be King!”





“In effect, military officers, who were earlier equated a notch above with the IPS,IFS, Indian Forest services & IAS, have been reduced to the level of the paramilitary ( in fact with HOME GUARDS " said another officer.






                         

PM Modi Does Not Want To Associate Himself With Lutyens Delhi who make fun of NaMo

SOURCE:
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2016/09/why-pm-modi-does-not-want-to-associate.html


Why PM Modi Does Not Want To Associate Himself With Lutyens Delhi

Swarajya Staff September 03, 2016, 4:27 pm

Why PM Modi Does Not Want To Associate Himself With Lutyens Delhi


Following Prime Minister Modi’s interview with Rahul Joshi, one can now expect even more op-eds, in the near future, critiquing the Prime Minister from the “Lutyens” group.


Narendra Modi’s victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and his taking over the role of Prime Minister dismayed a small elite group of Indians who have spent more than a decade portraying him in a negative light. This section, often termed as “The Lutyens” group, always presented Modi as an outsider to “national politics” and “Indian Ethos” in their narrative. For long it has been stated that the Prime Minister is not on good terms with “The Lutyens” cluster.
So, unsurprisingly, when Prime Minister Modi sat down with Network 18 Group Editor Rahul Joshi for an expansive interview, his relation with “The Lutyens” group came up:
Question: Mr Prime Minister, it’s being said that Lutyens Delhi did not like you. But have you started liking Delhi?
Narendra Modi: As you know, the position of Prime Minister is such that there’s no question of liking or disliking Lutyens Delhi. But there’s is a need to deliberate on this. In Delhi’s power corridors, there’s an active group of people which is dedicated to only a few. It could be because of their own reasons or personal gains. It’s not a question of Modi. Look back at history. What happened with Sardar Patel? This group presented Sardar Patel as a simple person from a village with a simple intellect.
Look at what happened to Morarji Desai. This same group never talked about his abilities, achievements. It always talked about what he drank. What happened with Deve Gowda? A farmer’s son became the PM, yet they said he only sleeps. And what happened with the supremely talented Ambedkar who they are praising today? They made fun of him. What happened with Chaudhury Charan Singh? They again made fun of him. So I’m not surprised when they make fun of me. These custodians who are dedicated to a select few will never accept anyone who is linked to the roots of this country. So, I too, do not want to waste my time addressing this group. The welfare of the billion people is my biggest task and I will not lose anything if I do not associate myself with Lutyens Delhi. It’s better if I live with the poor people of this country who are like me.
In the aforementioned answer, the Prime Minister openly countered the “Lutyens” narrative with a historical perspective that is in contrast with the usual praises reserved for the Nehru-Gandhi family— he mentioned the other iconic figures of the nation specifically those belonging to the OBC-Dalit groups like Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Chaudhury Charan Singh.
Simultaneously, the Prime Minister expressed his disinterest in cosying up to the said group. Following this interview, one can now expect even more op-eds, in the near future, critiquing the Prime Minister from the “Lutyens” group.

Watch full interview (1:19:55)

PM Modi’s interview to Network 18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbApseW16mY

http://swarajyamag.com/politics/why-pm-modi-does-not-want-to-associate-himself-with-lutyens-delhi

Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations

SOURCE:
http://voiceofdharma.org/books/civilization/



Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations

By David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri)

PO Box 8357, Santa Fe NM 87504-8357




                             Foreword
                             By
             Aidan Rankin, Ph.D.



I first became aware of David Frawley’s work earlier this year when I was at the University bookshop in Bloomsbury, near to my London home. It used to be called Dillon’s and owned by a long-established and worthy firm. Now it is Waterstone’s, a thrusting ‘success story’ of modern entrepreneurship. No longer a traditionally British bookshop, staffed by friendly amateurs, Waterstone’s has all the characteristics of a giant American emporium: glossy, squeaky-clean and staffed by indifferent, overworked students. Like its American counterparts, it is replete with self-help guides for stressed male executives and bitter, miserable career women, both products of a disturbed society. In the basement, a bar serves caffe latte, chocolate muffins and a bewildering variety of fruit juice. Waterstone’s, in other words, is a microcosm of the global monoculture, that spiritual and economic malaise which Frawley so incisively explores. Yet beneath all the gloss, there persist many of the qualities of a fine English bookshop, where rich gems of scholarship of scholarship and wisdom come to unexpected light, just as rich traditions of spiritual insight still withstand the modern Fetich of the market.



                                             Preface

Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations continues the line of thought introduced in my earlier books. Arise Arjuna: Hinduism and the Modern World (1995) articulated the need for Hindus to stand up and project their tradition in order to face the current cultural and religious challenges assaulting them on every side. My subsequent book, Awaken Bharata: A Call for India’s Rebirth (1998), emphasized the need for a new intelligentsia, an ‘intellectual kshatriya’ or intellectual warrior class to handle these challenges in a systematic way.
 
Over time it became clear that such an intellectual movement requires a school of thought, a world-view as its proper foundation. Naturally, an intellectual kshatriya should be trained in a Vedic or dharmic school of thought. Therefore, the present volume arose to articulate the greater Hindu world view—the perspective of the Hindu mind on the current civilizational challenge, which is not only a cultural assault on India but a churning within all cultures throughout the world. Today as a species we stand at a critical juncture, before either a new age of global harmony and world spirituality or a possible global catastrophe from a voracious materialistic civilization out of harmony with nature.
 
 
The wisdom of the Hindu tradition, rooted in universal consciousness, can be a great aid in helping us move in the right direction, but it is seldom brought into the picture even in India. Hinduism is now a global force as the third largest religion in the world, the largest non-biblical belief, and the largest of the pagan, native or indigenous religions. Therefore, a Hindu voice not only on spiritual but also on cultural issues is necessary to provide a balanced view on the global situation today.



Hindu or Indic ideas are now present in most countries in the world today, generally in a dynamic way through Yoga, Vedanta or Vedic sciences like Ayurveda. However, there is little recognition of the overall civilizational perspective behind them. Most of the focus is on a spiritual side of these traditions and the broader civilizational concerns are ignored. While Christian, Islamic and western secular points of view are readily available on most issues, the Hindu view is seldom recognized and does not have corresponding spokespersons or information outlets in the world forum. Hence the need of the present volume to encourage the projection of such a Hindu perspective.


The current clash of civilizations is not merely a commercial or religious encounter. It is an encounter between the schools of thought, the way of thinking that each civilization represents. Each civilization has its own language, logic and history of ideas that shape and mold its perceptions and actions. When civilizations clash it is first at this level of ideas and beliefs. In the present world context, the Hindu or Indian (Bharatiya) idea of civilization and culture is overlooked. If Hindus enter into debate, it is in the context of the western school of thought, which is not sympathetic to or even aware of the logic of Hindu ideas or how the Hindu mind works. Like players in a game that has rules they don’t understand, the Hindu cause seldom comes out well.   

 
Therefore, Hinduism must project its entire dharmic view, its unique vision of the universe, God and humanity, rather than simply respond to side issues framed by the western mind. It must articulate its own critique of civilization, including that of western civilization, which modern Hindu thinkers like Aurobindo or Gandhi so eloquently expressed. There is also an older, comprehensive and well-articulated Indian school of thought through the Vedas, Sutras, Puranas, Tantras and Shastras and a related literature on consciousness and dharma through Buddhist and Jain traditions as well. But these are often out of date and don’t consider the changed circumstances of the world today. Hence my emphasis on the need for a ‘New Indic School of Thought’, specifically on the need for new ‘Vedic schools’, developing and articulating the older dharmic traditions of India to meet the new circumstances today.
 
A new Western dharmic school of thought is also important, taking the insights of the Indic school and applying them in the western context. Ultimately, a new global dharmic school of thought is the goal. Hopefully, the new Indic School of Thought can provide a model and a starting point for it.

While Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations is a sequel my earlier books, it brings in new themes that neither Awaken Bharata or Arise Arjuna addressed. It has a more futuristic vision and a constructive as well as critical side, outlining a Hindu vision for the entire world. It not only seeks to remove obstacles but also sets forth ideas and models for a new creation—a new age of consciousness on Earth initiated by a revival of Vedic wisdom and culture.  

 
Naturally, I was always asked how I, as someone born in the West, was able to take up this cause or write such books. For this reason, I wrote How I Became a Hindu: My Discovery of Vedic Dharma (2000). That recent book is also relevant to the current title. Hinduism and Clash of Civilizations also supplements my books on ancient India like Gods, Sages and Kings, the Myth of the Aryan Invasion, Vedic Aryans and the Origins of Civilization (with N.S. Rajaram), and the recent the Rigveda and the History of India. However, the present volume focuses on the background philosophical and cultural issues behind the historical concerns examined in detail in these other works.
 
Besides history, the book examines Vedic Science, including its relationship with modern science, which I have not addressed significantly in previous titles. It touches the subject Vedanta, which was explored in my book Vedantic Meditation: Lighting the Flame of Awareness. Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations, therefore, has a broad scope and looks to the future as well as to the past, to spiritual as well as cultural issues.

 
The book is divided into three sections. The first surveys the challenges of India and Hinduism today and its scope for the future. The second examines the clash between western intellectual culture and the spiritual and intellectual culture of India. It highlights why an independent Indic School of Thought is required, not just an Indic perspective in the current world dominant western school.
 
The third section suggests principles and main lines for a new Indic/Vedic school of thought. I have separately discussed in Vedanta, Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology in specific books on these topics. The purpose of their discussion here is relative to their place in a new school of thought, not to delineate their approaches in detail.

Some chapters have appeared as articles in various publications in India like the Times of India, Vedanta Kesari, the Advent, the Organizer, Naimisha Journal etc.

I have rewritten these to fit in with the flow of the book and avoid unnecessary repetition. I would like to thank various individuals who have stimulated my thought in the book including Subhash Kak, N.S. Rajaram, Aidan Rankin, Michel Boutet, Ram Swarup, Swami Dayananda, J.C. Kapur, and many young Hindus, both individually and in different groups and organizations.

Jai Durga!
 
Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri)
 
July 2001
 
                            ___________________


 

Hinduism and the Clash of Civilizations

By David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri)

PO Box 8357, Santa Fe NM 87504-8357

_______________

 
Copyright �, Dr. David Frawley 2001
Published by Voice of India
2/18 Ansari Road
Delhi, India 110 002
*

Table of Contents

 
Foreword by Aidan Rankin
Preface
 
Part I � India, Hinduism and the New Century
 
Part II � The Need for a New Indic School of Thought

II.3. The Need for a New Buddhi Shakti (Spiritual Force for the Intellect)

 
Part III � Foundations of a New Indic School

III.6. Vedic Astrology: Space Age Science or Superstition












































 

Friday, September 9, 2016

P L A [AIR FORCE ] : Beijing Develops New Long Range Bomber as Part of 'Transformation' Process

SOURCE:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/china/2016/china-160902-sputnik01.htm?_m=3n%2e002a%2e1808%2eka0ao00b2h%2e1nut


Beijing Develops New Long Range Bomber as Part of 'Transformation' Process

Sputnik

 
 
 02  Sep 2016

Chinese Air Force chief Ma Xiaotian told state media Friday that China is developing a new long-range bomber as part of an initiative to modernize the country's military.

At an Air Force Open Day, Ma told the Global Times that China's capabilities in striking distant targets has increased, and that more development is forthcoming.


"We are now developing a new generation of long-range bomber, and you'll see it in the future," he said, giving no further details.


Ma's announcement comes a year after Beijing revealed a next-generation H-6K strategic bomber. Armed with DH-20 land-attack cruise missiles, the new bomber has the ability to strikes targets as far away from the Chinese mainland as Australia.
The aircraft has flown patrols over the South China Sea, the center of a regional dispute, as well as numerous training missions over the Western Pacific.


China has recently intensified research into new military technology, including anti-satellite missiles, aircraft carriers and submarines, causing some anxiety in Washington and throughout the region, as this indicates a more aggressive approach to the South China Sea issue and other conflicts.
A newly-developed Chinese Y-20 large-transport aircraft was put into service in July. The Chinese Air Force is also developing stealth fighters, a marked change after years of using Russian aircraft duplicates. The Y-20 currently uses a Russian engine.


The US Defense Department, in its annual report on Chinese military issues, said that despite a languid economy, China will likely maintain its current rate of defense spending.


US deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, Abraham M. Denmark, said in a statement, "From 2006 to 2015, China's officially disclosed military budget grew at an average of 9.8 percent per year in inflation-adjusted terms," adding, "The true expenditure, DoD estimates, in terms of total military-related spending for 2015, exceeded $180 billion in 2015."


For its next generation of cruise missiles China is moving to develop advanced automation and artificial intelligence. Wang Changqing, of the China Aerospace and Industry Corporation, told the China Daily newspaper, "We plan to adopt a 'plug and play' approach in the development of new cruise missiles, which will enable our military commanders to tailor-make missiles in accordance with combat conditions."


Ma called the developments a part of the Air Force's "transformation" process, with a focus on quality instead of sheer numbers.

© Sputnik









           Chinese Bomber Aircraft - Hongzhaji

             [ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/aircraft-bomber.htm ]



  
Tu-2
Tu-4
H-5
H-6
H-7
H-8
H-9


Qing-6 Be-6SH-5
JL-600


Bombers are aircraft used to bomb forward areas, strategic rear areas and targets at sea. According to their weights, bomb loads and ranges, they can be divided into light bombers (or short range bombers), medium bombers (or medium range bombers) and heavy bombers (or long range bombers). They can also be divided into strategic bombers and tactical bombers according to their operational missions.

The bombers were first used in the First World War. Most of them were retrofitted from reconnaissance aircraft and could carry a small amount of bomb loads. The bombers were widely used during the World War II. The four-engine heavy bombers also appeared at that time. The high subsonic jet bombers were developed in 1950s and the supersonic medium range strategic bombers in 1960s . During 1970s the USA and the Soviet Union developed strategic bombers with speed higher than Mach number 2. These supersonic strategic bombers could penetrate into enemy's territorial air in supersonic speed at high altitude or in high subsonic speed at very low altitude.
A policy of active defence was adopted by China in its national air defence so that the light bombers and medium bombers have also been developed while the stress of the aircraft development was placed on the fighters.
After 1950s the Chinese aviation industry planned to develop the bombers step by step. Two enterprises for development and production of bombers (also transports and helicopters) and two design institutes for design of land based and water based bombers were respectively established and the corresponding infrastructure was constructed. The H-5 light bomber and the H-6 medium bomber with its derivatives were produced and the water-based SH-5 was developed on our own. Through all these activities a technical team of bomber development was tempered and a moderate production capacity formed. China had then basically the ability to develop light and medium bombers.
When the trial production of H-5 started in the Harbin Aircraft Factory in 1963, the only technical documentation available was the document of old and incomplete design drawings for overhauling 11-28 aircraft provided by the Soviet Union. The factory carried out repeated tests and computations on aircraft strength and aerodynamic performance; test flight was carried out by Air Force aircraft and gained plenty of data. 13,637 pieces of improvement and supplementary drawings, 40% of the total, for the complete aircraft were created; major modifications were carried out on aircraft wing structure, tail section structure, front cover and feeding guide rail; WP5A engine was used instead of WP5; more than 60 types of domestically supplied products like turret etc. were fitted on the aircraft. All these helped improve the workability and tactical performance of this type of aircraft. During the manufacture, all process documents were prepared by the factory and more than ten thousand sets of tools and fixtures were designed and manufactured. After three years hard work, this aircraft was successfully trial produced at last in 1967 and the stable batch production followed soon.
Development of other aircraft such as H-6 was carried out almost at the same time of that of H-5 bomber. That was the first time for China to manufacture medium range jet bomber with 75 tons take-off weight. The Number of parts, the complexity of structure, and the technical difficulty and engineering work of this aircraft all exceeded that of any other previous aircraft. When it was trial produced in 1964, the factory only had the incomplete Soviet Tu-16 aircraft technical documents. Xi'an Aircraft and Engine factories fully relied on their own efforts to make up strength calculation documents and their design documents were more than 15,400 pieces; they successfully modified its fuselage, vertical tail, nose landing gear and fuel drain system and prepared all process sheets by themselves. During installation of assembly jigs, new technology of optical telescope and micrometer rods were first used to overcome matching and coordination difficulty of large aircraft trial production and successfully broke through the thermal and cold manufacturing difficulties of large wing sliding rail, aluminium alloy beam, main landing gear and armor plate etc.. High risk and more difficult test like fuel dump at high altitude was also conducted during trial production.
In the process of aircraft trial production, the Special Commission of the Central Committee issued an order to modify an original type of H-6 for the mission of transporting and delivering atomic bomb, which should be arranged simultaneously with the trial production of H-6 and, materials and equipment needed were to be produced in China as an urgent task. The modified H-6 aircraft successfully fulfilled the mission of delivering atomic bomb test first ever in China on May 14, 1965, which won telegrams from the CCCPC and the State Council. Premier Zhou Enlai met and dined in the Great Hall of the People with the persons and representatives of relevant organizations who had rendered great service, including representatives of the Ministry of Aviation Industry and Xi'an Aircraft Factory.
Successful development of H-5 and H-6 bomber aircraft indicated that in the field of aircraft design and manufacture, China's aviation science and technology had entered into a new stage - a big step towards independent aircraft design and development; Chinese aviation scientific and technical people not only concentrated on learning and simulating but also had capability of understanding, appraising and improving, which was undoubtedly a kind of practical effective exercise for future independent development.
After the decommissioning of Hong Xian-5 bombers (Chinese copy of the famous Soviet IL-28), the only representative of the Air Force bombers remaining was the Xian Hong-6 medium bomber. Aircraft production H-6 terminated on the grounds that they were not able to overcome a modern air defense and is guaranteed to deliver the bomb targets. Some Hong-6 bomber planes were modified in favor of its use as a tanker.
Hong-6 K-6 and M missile modifications are intended to fulfill two main objectives, namely: for nuclear strikes against strategic targets which are within the theater of operations; and for the destruction of the U.S. Navy on the distant approaches to the waters of Taiwan. It is planned that they will strike groups numbering from the squadron to a regiment. Their actions may be provided AWACs aircraft and cover-jammers. Launches of cruise missiles will be conducted out of range of antiaircraft and enemy fighter aircraft.
By the end of 2013, the Air Force consisted of about Hong-6 recent modifications. In parallel with the modernization and development of Hong-6, Chinese experts conduct intensive research and development to create a new generation of strategic bombers H-8 and h-10. According to U.S. sources in the construction of both bombers, there are many elements borrowed from the US aircraft B-2 Spirit and F-117. This is due, in particular, the fact that Chinese designers have copied some of the developments in the field of American stealth technology Stealth, thanks to Chinese intelligence, notably design documentation for the B-2, as well as the study of fragments of the F -117 stealth fighter that Yugoslav air defense downed, which were subsequently transferred to China.

IAF [ HEPTRS ] Ready for Takeoff: India's First Helicopter in Years Performs Test Flight

SOURCE:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/india/2016/india-160906-sputnik02.htm?_m=3n%2e002a%2e1811%2eka0ao00b2h%2e1nye



IAF [ HEPTRS ] Ready for Takeoff: India's First Helicopter in Years Performs Test Flight



 



06  Sep 2016
India urgently needs around 400 light utility helicopters for its armed forces. Russia and India have agreed to manufacture Kamov-226 LUHs in India and a detailed agreement likely to be signed very soon.

In what could provide a major relief to India's armed forces, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has conducted a flawless first technical flight of the much-awaited Indian-built Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) in Bengaluru. The helicopter took off at 12:10 hours and was in the air for 15 minutes at HAL's facilities.

"This is the third indigenous helicopter product from the stables of HAL after ALH and LCH. Apart from the replacement of [India's] ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak [helicopters], LUH is expected to capture a sizeable share of both the domestic and international market," reads a statement released by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The LUH has a maximum All-Up-Weight (AUW) of 6,944 pounds, when fitted with a 750 kW Safran HE Ardiden-1U engine. It has range of 217.48 miles with a seating capacity of six passengers plus two pilots. The Army and Air Force together have committed to purchasing 187 LUHs. India's armed forces can use this helicopter in reconnaissance, transport, cargo load and rescue operations. The helicopter can operate from sea level to the high altitudes of the Himalayas

HAL plans to build the infrastructure for manufacturing the helicopter in phases, and the first helicopters are slated to be built in 2018. A separate manufacturing unit will be set up in Tumakuru; its cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year.

Due to its lack of modern light utility helicopters, India had lost 50 army personnel since 2010. A report presented before the Parliament said, "of the 181 Cheetah/Chetak helicopters held by the Army, 51 were 40 years or older and 78 were between 30-40 years old."

The Indian military is projected to need over 1,000 helicopters of various types within the next 10-15 years.




Further Reading




Kamov Ka-226 Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)

One big project facing problems is the one for 197 light helicopters for over Rs 3,000 crore, with Russian Kamov Ka-226T pitted against Eurocopter AS 550 C3 Fennec after the technical evaluation. Acquisition of these 197 helicopters was to be followed by the indigenous manufacture of 187 similar ones by Hindustan Aeronautics to replace the ageing Cheetah and Chetak fleets of Army and IAF.

The HAL Cheetah helicopter units were used for observation, liaison and SAR duties. Army (and IAF) Cheetahs regularly support Indian Army troops at altitudes in excess of 24,000+ feet. The first Turbomeca TM 333-2B2-powered Cheetah was successfully test flown in January 2003, with a significant number of these helicopters likely to be fitted with this more powerful engine in order to modernise the Army Aviation Corps. Pushpinder Singh Chopra, in a June 2001 AW&ST issue, said a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program would replace the Cheetahs that HAL has built for the Army and Air Force.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) proposed development of a Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) of 3 ton class and Medium Lift Helicopter (MLH) of 10 ton class to complete the full range of helicopters. Both the IAF and the Army have projected a requirement for 187 LOHs, of which most would go to the Army. All these would be delivered during the 11th (2007-2012) and 12th (2012-2017) Defence Plans. As of 2008 the Army would get 133 light utility helicopters and the Air Force would get 64 of them. The Air Force version of the aircraft would be called Light Utility Helicopter while for the Army it would be known as Light Observation Helicopter

                2008 - Light Utility Helicopter

In July 2008, in a major drive to modernise the armed forces and expand its aviation wing, the Defence Ministry issued a request for proposal (RFP) to procure 197 helicopters. From the 197 helicopters — 131 were for the Army Aviation and the rest 66 for the Air Force. Besides, another tender for Naval Utility Helicopters, under which 56 were to be bought.
The armed forces would modernise their helicopter fleet by 2010 by replacing the age-old Cheetah and Chetak, which had been in service for last 40 years. It was expected that the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) would develop the remaining 115 helicopters. The proposed procurement is worth Rs. 3000 crore. HAL would undertake the maintenance of these helicopters on a transfer of technology (ToT) basis. It has assured that it would develop the same type of platforms in five to seven years and would fulfill the rest of the requirements. The trials would end by 2009 and the induction of 197 helicopters would take place by 2010.
Six foreign companies would bid for the helicopter deal. The companies were Bell (US), Eurocopter, Augusta Westland (Italy), Rosobornexport (Russia), MD Helicopters (US) and Sikorsky (US). The total number of helicopters may increase from 312 to 384 units due to a new requirement for a large number of heavy-lift helicopters.
By November 2011 there was a proposal for procurement of 187 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) under design and development project undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
European defence major Eurocopter wrote a letter to Army chief Gen VK Singh in February 2012 expressing "concern" over delays in finalising the deal for procuring 197 light helicopters for the defence forces. "We take this opportunity to express our concern regarding the time frame for the very important programme, for which the RFP was issued in July 2008. "The technical evaluation process has now taken over 38 months and has not yet been concluded due to reasons which are unknown to us," Eurocopter told the Army Chief in the letter.
Rosoboronexport, the sole Russian intermediary for exports and imports of weapons and military equipment, issued a press release 13 February 2012 confirming that the Russian Ka-226T light helicopter would soon defeat its European counterpart the AS550 C3 Fennec, manufactured by Eurocopter, in the tendering process to supply 197 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters for the air force and land forces of the Republic of India. “All the test phases have been completed, and the examination of bidders’ proposals is at the concluding stage,” the company’s press office reported.
The marked advantage of the Russian proposal was its “cumulative” effect: the excellent Ka-226T rotary-wing aircraft is offered as a package with an offset programme that was attractive for the Indian side, this document says. First, under the offset programme Rosoboronexport, together with companies of the Russian Helicopters holding, proposed to set up joint production of sub-systems and components for the Ka-226T, and subsequently to set up assembly of these machines in the Republic of India. Second, it proposed joint development of new modifications of the Ka-226T. And third, this program would enable the two countries – which are strategic partners – to move towards full-scale industrial cooperation in the field of helicopter building.
In January 2014, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a case against a Brigadier working with Army Aviation Corps for allegedly fudging trial flight records of these helicopters.
The ministry of defence on 29 August 2014 cancelled the Rs 6,000 crore / $1-billion tender to buy 197 light utility helicopters in which Airbus Helicopters AS550 was competing with Kamov’s Ka-226T. It was the second time the light helicopter tender was cancelled by India. From the 197 helicopters — 131 were for the Army Aviation and the rest 66 for the Air Force. Besides, another tender for Naval Utility Helicopters, under which 56 were to be bought, too, got cancelled.
The government decided to allow domestic players to manufacture the helicopters. The Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley put the acquisition under the “Buy and Make Indian” category, allowing the Indian industry to make the helicopters under a joint venture with a foreign manufacturer.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on 11 December 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited him to participate in the $3 billion light-utility helicopters project, a signal that he expected India-Russia ties to go beyond ordinary buyer-seller relationships. The project would also be the first big-ticket "Make in India" initiative in the defense sector.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said "There are two contracts - one on the Mi-17, in which they (Indian side) really need, and the second - the Ka-226T is a big contract to build on the territory of India". The Russian Ka-226 was competing with the European AS550 Fennec in the Indian tender for the supply of nearly 200 light multi-purpose helicopters.
The Defense Acquisition Committee (DAC) on May 13, 2015 accepted Russia’s offer to build 200 Ka-226T light-utility helicopters under the Make in India initiative. The cost and other moralities are being worked out. Around 50 Ka-226Ts may be imported off the shelf to address immediate IAF and Army Aviation Corp (AAC) requirements. HAL would likely license produce the aircraft in India with the Gurgaon based SUN Group, which has a tie-up with Russian Helicopters, manufacturing main Ka-226T parts in India, including fuselage, column and main rotor.
New Delhi was ready to co-produce with Russia some 200 Ka-226 helicopters in India, Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov said 01 December 2015. "India is ready for joint cooperation of this modification [Ka-226T] of the helicopter in terms of co-production in India in an amount of at least about 200 units," Manturov told Rossiya-24 TV channel.
India planned to buy Russian light multipurpose helicopter Ka-226T and then will speak about their co-production on the territory of this South Asian country. This is stated in an official statement 04 December 2105 by the Indian Ministry of Defence.
"The Council for Defence Procurement approved the feasibility of the request for the purchase and the subsequent joint production of helicopters Ka-226T for the Army and the Air Force in India," - said the defense establishment. Exactly how many helicopters India can purchase was not specified, but the "possible initial order of approximately 50 machines.... Just in the first stage we can talk about 200 Ka-226T, including purchased ready-made and a joint venture in India".
The proposal on the joint production of Ka-226T was discussed for the first time at the meeting of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to New Delhi in December 2014. Then the sides noted that the joint venture may produce helicopters, including for export to third countries.
Speaking in Moscow 24 December 2015 after talks with President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “We have laid the foundation of the future character of this strategic partnership ... The intergovernmental agreement on manufacturing of Kamov 226 helicopters in India is the first project for a major defense platform under the 'Make-in-India' mission, it is rightly with our most important defense partner.”
Moscow would set up a production line for the light helicopters, which will supply the Indian military and eventually Russia. Out of 200 Kamovs, some 60 will be made in Russia and the remaining will be assembled and manufactured in India under the public private partnership mode. State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is the lead for the Indian side.