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India Today
5 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Post Op Sindoor success, India eyes more Indo-Russian BrahMos missiles: Sources
In a bid to bolster its defence capabilities, India is set to place large-scale orders for the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for both the Navy and the Air Force, top defence sources told India decision comes in the wake of the massive success of India's Operation Sindoor, which saw extensive use of BrahMos missiles to strike key Pakistani terror and military installations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, they BrahMos missiles annihilated terror launch pads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7 and caused heavy damage to Pakistani air bases in the strikes carried out by India in retaliation to military provocation by the country. A high-level defence ministry meeting is expected soon to clear the procurement of a significant number of BrahMos systems, including air-launched and surface-launched versions. The Navy plans to deploy the missiles on its Veer-class warships, while the Air Force will equip its fleet of Su-30 MKI fighter jets with the advanced weapon."India will continue to make sovereign decisions in the interest of national security. No external pressure will influence our defence preparedness," a senior defence official said, indirectly referring to past criticisms from the US regarding India's military trade with Russia."During Operation Sindoor, the world saw the capabilities of our indigenous weapons. Our Air Defence Systems, missiles, and drones have proved the strength of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', especially the BrahMos missiles," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had heaped praise on the supersonic cruise missiles following the heavy damage they caused to the Pakistan terror infrastructure during Operation Sindoor and the subsequent military has maintained that it will not be dictated to by global powers, including recent tariff and sanction threats from former US President Donald Trump over its ties with Moscow. The country continues to buy energy and military hardware from Russia, citing strategic upcoming orders are likely to include upgraded versions of the BrahMos missile, featuring scramjet propulsion technology. This is a step ahead of the current ramjet engines and is expected to significantly boost speed and range. The new BrahMos-II missile, inspired by Russia's Zircon missile, could reach speeds of up to Mach announced in 2008, the BrahMos-II program faced delays due to Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) restrictions that barred Russia from transferring technology to missiles with ranges over 300 km. These restrictions were eased after India joined the MTCR in 2016. Despite that, development has been slow due to high costs and complex engineering renewed focus on the BrahMos program underlines its commitment to strengthening indigenous and joint defence production, while reaffirming its strategic partnership with Russia. The move also signals New Delhi's clear stance on defending its borders without external interference.- EndsMust Watch
News18
30-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Rocket Politics: How India Turned A Geopolitical Roadblock Into NISAR's Launchpad
The story of India's cryogenic journey is not just about science; it's about sovereignty, strategy, and a quiet but decisive political victory in the global space race In the 1990s, the United States blocked India from acquiring cryogenic engine technology, invoking the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The intent was clear: keep India confined to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), away from the coveted Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) that underpins telecommunications, navigation, and high-value military applications. Three decades later, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, a joint India-US mission, is set to fly aboard the GSLV Mk II powered by India's own cryogenic engine. History has a sense of poetic justice, and this upcoming launch epitomises it. Rocket politics begins with a deceptively simple metric: specific impulse (Isp). Isp measures how efficiently a rocket engine uses propellant, expressed in seconds. The higher the Isp, the longer the engine can produce thrust per unit of fuel. Consider two fuels: ISRO's early SLV rockets of the 1970s and 1980s used solid fuels like PBAN and HEF-20 with Isp values around 270 seconds, enough for LEO but far from the 460-second performance of Russian KVD-1 cryogenic engines. Cryogenics, using liquid hydrogen and oxygen at extremely low temperatures, offered that leap. Without it, India's dreams of GEO satellites and deep-space missions were grounded. The 1990s Technology Denial: A Calculated Strike By the late 1980s, India knew cryogenic technology was the gateway to true space autonomy. European and American vendors offered engines, but at prohibitive costs. Russia, emerging from the Soviet collapse, agreed in 1991 to supply KVD-1 engines and transfer the technology to build them domestically. That deal alarmed Washington. Under MTCR pretexts, the US pressured Moscow to cancel the tech transfer, claiming cryogenics could be adapted for ICBMs. The irony? Cryogenic engines are utterly unsuitable for missiles due to their complexity and slow start times. But the move wasn't about missiles; it was about power. The renegotiated 1992 deal gave India a handful of readymade engines but no blueprints, no know-how. It was a strategic chokehold aimed at keeping India dependent and Russia weakened. This process was 'rocket politics" at its most ruthless: deny the technology, control the orbit. The Long Road To Indigenous Cryogenics ISRO responded with a decision that would redefine India's technological destiny: build it ourselves. The first attempt in 2000 failed spectacularly. But unlike many nations that collapsed under denial regimes, India persisted. The CE-7.5 engine, with an Isp of ~454 seconds, emerged after years of trial and error. In 2014, it powered the GSLV Mk II into a successful GEO mission, finally breaking the embargo's intended ceiling. The success of CE-7.5 led to CE-20 on the GSLV Mk III, enabling 4-ton payloads to GTO and supporting missions like Chandrayaan-2 and 3. India had cracked the code. The denial had backfired: instead of dependence, it forged self-reliance. Fast-forward to 2025. NISAR, a US-India collaboration to map Earth's ecosystems and monitor climate change, lifts off atop a GSLV Mk II with an Indian cryogenic heart. The same technology Washington tried to withhold now carries a joint mission between the two nations. But the symbolism goes deeper. NISAR embodies India's transition from a space programme fighting for scraps of denied tech to a partner that commands respect. It's also a subtle message: India doesn't forget the politics behind the science. Today, the 'Vishwa Bandhu" vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – India as a global partner contributing to humanity's collective good – rests firmly on indigenous engines born out of adversity. Cryogenic technology is more than engineering; it's strategic sovereignty. GEO satellites handle secure communications, military data links, and national navigation systems like India's IRNSS. Whoever controls access to GEO controls critical slices of global infrastructure. The US denial of the 1990s was part of a broader Cold War hangover strategy: restrict tech, maintain the hierarchy of space powers. China, learning from India's experience, aggressively developed its own cryogenic Long March engines to avoid similar dependence. Today, South Korea and Japan are doing the same. For India, indigenous cryogenics have unlocked more than orbits; they've unlocked leverage. The GSLV Mk II and Mk III are not just launch vehicles; they are strategic assets. With the NISAR launch, India has signalled it's no longer a junior partner in space; it's a peer. The Lesson: Denial Breeds Determination The NISAR launch isn't just a technological milestone; it's a political arc completed. A denial meant to stifle India's ambitions instead birthed an indigenous capability that no embargo can touch. In the annals of space history, this story will stand alongside Russia's Sputnik and America's Apollo not as a tale of triumph over physics, but of triumph over geopolitics. In a world where technology is increasingly weaponised for control, India's cryogenic journey is a blueprint for self-reliance. It reinforces a simple but profound truth: sovereignty in space is sovereignty on Earth. As the cryogenic roar of the GSLV Mk II fades into the upper atmosphere carrying NISAR, it carries with it three decades of defiance, innovation, and quiet vindication. Rocket politics began with a denial; it ends with an engine built in Bengaluru lifting a joint mission with the very nation that tried to keep it grounded. top videos View all And in that arc lies the true power of Indian science, not just to reach the stars, but to rewrite the politics that guard the gates to them. The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. About the Author Prosenjit Nath The writer is an Indian technocrat, political analyst, and author. tags : ISRO nasa Satellite Launch view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 13:21 IST News opinion Opinion | Rocket Politics: How India Turned A Geopolitical Roadblock Into NISAR's Launchpad Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
21-06-2025
- Business
- First Post
FATF links dual-use equipment seized by India to Pakistan's missile programme
A dual use equipment seized by India from a Pakistan bound merchant vessel in 2020 is linked to Islamabad's National Development Complex that is involved in the country's missile development programme, a new report by the Financial Action Task Force has said. read more India's 2020 seizure of Pakistan-bound dual-use equipment has been linked to Islamabad's missile development programme, according to a new report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The equipment, intercepted from a merchant vessel is associated with Pakistan's National Development Complex, a key entity involved in the country's missile development. FATF, the global financial watchdog, referenced the case in its latest report, which outlines risks and vulnerabilities in the international financial and trade systems. The incident was cited under a section highlighting the misuse of the maritime and shipping sectors to move sensitive goods, including dual-use items that can be repurposed for weapons programmes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In 2020, Indian custom authorities seized an Asian-flagged ship bound for Pakistan. During an investigation, Indian authorities confirmed that documents mis-declared the shipment's dual-use items,' the FATF report said. 'Indian investigators certified the items for shipment to be 'Autoclaves', which are used for sensitive high energy materials and for insulation and chemical coating of missile motors,' the report said. It said these sensitive items are included in dual-use export control lists of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The bill of lading of the seized cargo provided evidence of the 'link between the importer and the National Development Complex, which is involved in the development of long-range ballistic missiles,' it said. The export of equipment such as the autoclaves without formal approval from various authorities is a violation of existing law, the FATF said. Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC) has played a crucial role in the development of Pakistan's missile programme. India had seized the dual-use equipment from merchant vessel Da Cui Yun at Kandla port in Gujarat on February 3, 2020. The Indian customs authorities had stopped the vessel for wrongly declaring an autoclave, which can be used in construction of missiles, as an 'industrial dryer'. The report said that significant vulnerabilities remain across the global financial system in countering the financing of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Despite the grave threat posed by proliferation financing (PF), only 16 per cent of countries assessed by the FATF and its global network have demonstrated high or substantial effectiveness' in a process that evaluates the implementation of targeted financial sanctions under the United Nations Security Council resolutions on proliferation. The report said that unless the public and private sectors urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance WMD proliferation will continue to exploit weaknesses in existing controls. The report provided a detailed analysis of the evolving methods and techniques used to evade PF-related sanctions. 'Illicit actors are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to evade sanctions and circumvent export controls,' it said. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
FATF report links dual-use equipment seized by India in 2020 to Pakistan's defence agency
India confiscated equipment from a ship bound for Pakistan in 2020. The equipment is linked to Pakistan's National Development Complex. This complex is involved in missile development. The Financial Action Task Force report highlighted this seizure. The report also pointed out vulnerabilities in preventing weapons proliferation. The seized items were mis-declared as industrial dryers. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: A dual-use equipment seized by India from a Pakistan-bound merchant vessel in 2020 is linked to Islamabad's National Development Complex that is involved in the country's missile development programme, a new report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has seizure of the dual-use equipment used in developing missiles found mention in the report by the multilateral financial watchdog that highlighted vulnerabilities in the global financial report listed the case under a section on the misuse of the maritime and shipping sectors including to transport a range of commodities, including dual-use equipment."In 2020, Indian custom authorities seized an Asian-flagged ship bound for Pakistan. During an investigation, Indian authorities confirmed that documents mis-declared the shipment's dual-use items," the FATF report said."Indian investigators certified the items for shipment to be 'Autoclaves', which are used for sensitive high energy materials and for insulation and chemical coating of missile motors," the report said these sensitive items are included in dual-use export control lists of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).The bill of lading of the seized cargo provided evidence of the "link between the importer and the National Development Complex, which is involved in the development of long-range ballistic missiles," it export of equipment such as the autoclaves without formal approval from various authorities is a violation of existing law, the FATF National Development Complex (NDC) has played a crucial role in the development of Pakistan's missile had seized the dual-use equipment from merchant vessel Da Cui Yun at Kandla port in Gujarat on February 3, Indian customs authorities had stopped the vessel for wrongly declaring an autoclave, which can be used in construction of missiles, as an "industrial dryer".The report said that significant vulnerabilities remain across the global financial system in countering the financing of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)."Despite the grave threat posed by proliferation financing (PF), only 16 per cent of countries assessed by the FATF and its global network have demonstrated high or substantial effectiveness" in a process that evaluates the implementation of targeted financial sanctions under the United Nations Security Council resolutions on report said that unless the public and private sectors urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance WMD proliferation will continue to exploit weaknesses in existing report provided a detailed analysis of the evolving methods and techniques used to evade PF-related sanctions."Illicit actors are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to evade sanctions and circumvent export controls," it said.
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
FATF cites India's seizure of dual-use tech from Pak-bound ship in new report
New Delhi: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has highlighted India's seizure of dual-use equipment used in developing missiles from a Pakistan-bound merchant vessel in 2020 in a new report flagging vulnerabilities in the global financial system for countering the financing of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The stopping of the Pakistan-bound ship and the seizure of dual-use equipment cited in the FATF report was widely reported by the Indian media, including Hindustan Times, when it happened in February 2020. (PTI File Photo) The report from the multilateral financial watchdog listed the incident involving Pakistan among six case studies in a section covering the misuse of the maritime and shipping sectors, including a vast network of vessels, ports and logistics, by illicit actors to evade sanctions and transport a range of commodities, including dual-use equipment. The stopping of the Pakistan-bound ship and the seizure of dual-use equipment cited in the FATF report was widely reported by the Indian media, including Hindustan Times, when it happened in February 2020. However, some aspects of the incident mentioned in the FATF report - such as the fact that the importer of the cargo was linked to Pakistan's National Development Complex, which is involved in the country's missile development programme - haven't been reported before. The FATF listed the incident as one of 'non-declaration of dual use goods under the prescribed export laws of the exporting country'. Though the FATF didn't name the exporting country, the ship was stopped in Indian waters while on its way from China's Jiangyin port to Pakistan's Karachi port. 'In 2020, Indian custom authorities seized an Asian-flagged ship bound for Pakistan. During an investigation, Indian authorities confirmed that documents mis-declared the shipment's dual-use items,' the FATF report said. 'Indian investigators certified the items for shipment to be 'Autoclaves', which are used for sensitive high energy materials and for insulation and chemical coating of missile motors,' the report said, adding that these sensitive items are included in dual-use export control lists of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), India and other countries. The report said the bill of lading of the seized cargo 'provided evidence of the link between the importer and the National Development Complex, which is involved in the development of long-range ballistic missiles'. The export of equipment such as the autoclaves without formal approval from various authorities is a violation of existing law, the FATF said. The National Development Complex (NDC), also known as the National Defence Complex, is a defence and aerospace agency under Pakistan's defence ministry. It has played a crucial role in the development of Pakistan's missile programme. HT had reported last month that a NDC facility at Attock in Pakistan's Punjab province that builds transporter-erecter-launcher vehicles for missiles was among military installations targeted by Indian drones on May 8 during hostilities between the two countries. HT had reported that the merchant vessel Da Cui Yun, which sails under the flag of Hong Kong, was stopped by India's customs department at Kandla port in Gujarat on February 3, 2020, for wrongly declaring an autoclave, which can be used in construction of missiles, as an 'industrial dryer'. At the time, the vessel was sailing from the Chinese inland port of Jiangyin to Port Qasim in Karachi. Indian authorities intercepted the vessel when it dropped anchor at Kandla following an intelligence tip-off. Experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), including a team of nuclear scientists, examined the cargo and determined that the 18x4-metre autoclave – a pressure chamber for carrying out various industrial and scientific processes - was a dual-use item that could be used for civilian or military purposes. The vessel was allowed to leave Kandla after the autoclave was seized. Reports at the time had suggested that the Da Cui Yun had sailed several times from China to Karachi via Indian ports carrying several cargoes of machinery. The FATF report said despite the 'grave threat posed by proliferation financing', only 16% of countries assessed by the watchdog and its global network have demonstrated high or substantial effectiveness in a process that evaluates the implementation of targeted financial sanctions under the United Nations Security Council resolutions on proliferation. The report said that unless the public and private sectors 'urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance WMD proliferation will continue to exploit weaknesses in existing controls'. The report highlighted the evolving methods and techniques used to evade sanctions related to proliferation financing and national and multilateral regime, and outlined how proliferation networks are sourcing dual-use goods, technologies, and knowledge - often through procurement networks and front companies - and using various financial channels to access the global financial system. The report listed the misuse of the maritime and shipping sectors as one of four main methods used to evade sanctions.
