Latest news with #NetraAEW&C
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Target locked: India's homebuilt weapons outclass Chinese imports
Navbharat Times Chinese systems like the HQ-9 and PL-15 are not as tested or dependable as their Western or Russian counterparts. India defeated Pakistan on the battlefield—but also beat China in a technology war, says John Spencer, a US military expert and chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute. In his detailed analysis on X, Spencer described Operation Sindoor as a strategic and technological milestone, marking the debut of India's sovereign defence arsenal. 'Operation Sindoor pitted India's indigenously developed weapons systems against Chinese-supplied platforms fielded by Pakistan. What unfolded was not just retaliation but the strategic debut of a sovereign arsenal built under the twin doctrines of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat,' Spencer said. Also Read: China's deafening silence on arms sent to Pakistan comes amid desi roar of Indian firepowerIndia, Spencer said, fought as a sovereign power with precise and domestically developed tools. In contrast, Pakistan acted as a proxy, dependent on Chinese systems built primarily for export.'India fought as a sovereign power—wielding precision tools it designed, built and deployed with unmatched battlefield control. Pakistan fought as a proxy force, dependent on Chinese hardware that was built for export, not for excellence. When challenged, these systems failed—exposing the strategic hollowness behind Islamabad's defence posture,' he added. Also Read: AI vs Nukes: How China's new tech could shake up global arms controlIndia's military edge came from a wide range of indigenously developed systems. These included the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, Akash surface-to-air missile system, Akashteer air defence command system, Rudram anti-radiation missile, Netra AEW&C aircraft, and a suite of loitering munitions like SkyStriker and noted, 'India's transformation into a modern defence power began in 2014, when PM Modi launched the 'Make in India' initiative. Within a few years, systems like the BrahMos missile, K9 Vajra howitzer, and AK-203 rifle were being produced inside India—many with technology partnerships but increasing domestic control.'In the air, India's Rafale jets, Su-30MKIs, and Mirage 2000s led the charge, flying under the support of Netra AEW&C and neutralising enemy air defences using Rudram missiles. These jets launched deep strikes with SCALP and Meteor missiles, gaining and retaining airspace control. India's key indigenous systems were critical to battlefield success. BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile: Jointly developed with Russia but largely made in India, this missile flew at Mach 3 and struck hardened enemy bunkers and radar stations with precision. Akash SAM and Akashteer System: All-weather mobile air defence was paired with AI-based command and control, intercepting enemy drones, aircraft and cruise missiles. Rudram Anti-Radiation Missile: India's first of its kind, used to destroy enemy radar installations across the Line of Control. Netra AEW&C System: Built by DRDO, this airborne system provided real-time tracking of enemy aircraft and missiles, vectoring jets to strike deep inside enemy territory. One Pakistani Saab 2000 AEW&C was reportedly neutralised by a long-range Indian missile. Loitering Munitions – SkyStriker and Harop: These kamikaze drones silently hovered before destroying key targets, including mobile radars and convoys. D4S Counter-UAV System: A multi-layer system that used radar, jammers, EO/IR sensors and kinetic action to down dozens of Pakistani drones. India's air forces deployed an impressive fleet. French-built Rafales, Russian-designed Su-30MKIs, and Mirage 2000s executed strikes with SCALP cruise missiles and Meteor air-to-air missiles. Flying under Netra's guidance and supported by Rudram missiles for SEAD missions, these platforms overwhelmed enemy defences. T-72 tanks and M777 howitzers backed ground operations, especially in high-altitude zones. While the M777 came from the US, its integration into Indian doctrine proved vital. Zorawar light tanks, optimised for mountain combat, are in advanced stages of military leaned heavily on Chinese imports, including the HQ-9 and HQ-16 SAM systems, LY-80 and FM-90 air defences, and CH-4 drones. The JF-17 Thunder jets, co-developed by China and Pakistan, struggled to hold their ground.'India didn't just win on the battlefield—it won the technology referendum,' Spencer said. He added that Indian systems intercepted and outperformed the Chinese-built platforms, which were unable to prevent Indian strikes or assert air superiority. Also Read: Lockheed to Boeing: How India's Operation Sindoor may loosen the grip of US defence giants India's push for self-reliance accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. Spencer observed that India imposed phased import bans, gave emergency procurement powers to its armed forces, and significantly increased its domestic defence content—from 30% to 65% by 2025.'The goal was clear: reduce dependence on foreign arms imports and build a world-class domestic defence industry. The policy incentivised joint ventures, opened defence to foreign direct investment up to 74%, and encouraged both public and private sector manufacturers,' he policies bore fruit on the battlefield—and beyond. Defence stocks in India surged post-Operation Sindoor. Paras Defence & Space rose 49% in May, with other companies like MTAR Technologies and Data Patterns seeing strong investor interest. In contrast, Chinese firms such as AVIC, NORINCO, and CETC saw sharp market Sindoor was more than a military operation. It was a statement. As Spencer put it, 'India showcased the strength of self-reliance in modern warfare, affirming that the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' holds true even under the most demanding conditions.'The message was clear: India's future defence lies not in imports, but in innovation. And that future is already in play.
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"We anticipated this...did a counter drone exercise to tackle attacks at Army chief's behest": Top Army Air Defence officer
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): Director General of Army Air Defence Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, on Monday highlighted India's preparedness in modern warfare, particularly in neutralising drones and other advanced technologies during Operation Sindoor. Speaking to ANI, Lt Gen Ivan D'Cunha said that Pakistan's attempt to use drones against India was anticipated by the Indian defence forces, which conducted simulation exercises to prepare for potential drone attacks. Pakistan first sent cheap drones in large numbers to low altitudes to saturate the radar system. Still, the Army had anticipated the drone threat and conducted a simulation exercise on April 26-28 to prepare for potential drone attacks. Speaking about the internal training by the Indian side, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, 'I think that the training that we did, actually we anticipated this and you won't believe that about maybe on the 26th, 27th and 28th, we did a simulation exercise at the behest of our army chief in the border areas, where we simulated drone attacks on the weapon system. It was not from the border, but it was internal, on the border... We started at 5:30 in the morning, maybe on the 26th for the first day, when multiple drones were coming in to train our people...' The operation highlighted India's integrated command structures, enabling seamless coordination between different military branches. The Indian Army adopted a tactical approach by not continuously emitting radar signals, instead switching them intermittently to engage targets within gun range. India utilised advanced surveillance systems, including satellite surveillance and real-time intelligence, to gather critical information on enemy positions and movements. India's electronic warfare assets played a crucial role in neutralising Pakistan's command-and-control structure, which would have likely been used to deploy drones. The Indian Air Force's Netra AEW&C aircraft jammed Pakistani radars, disrupting their ability to track and respond to Indian aircraft, including drones. During Operation Sindoor, India's offensive strikes targeted key Pakistani airbases- Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan with surgical precision. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a statement had said, 'Loitering munitions were used to devastating effect, each finding and destroying high-value targets, including enemy radar and missile systems. Loitering munitions also known as 'suicide drones' or 'kamikaze drones', are weapons systems that can hover or circle a target area, searching for a suitable target before attacking.' All strikes were executed without loss of Indian assets, underscoring the effectiveness of our surveillance, planning, and delivery systems. Modern indigenous technology, from long-range drones to guided munitions, made these strikes highly effective and politically calibrated. Lt Gen also highlighted the significant role of drones in modern warfare, citing recent global conflicts and gave examples of how the Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia-Ukraine, and Israel conflicts have demonstrated the vast potential of drone warfare. Countries like Ukraine and Russia are ramping up drone production, with Ukraine aiming to manufacture millions of drones annually. While speaking with ANI, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, 'So, you know, it's like that the Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijan clash, the Russian-Ukraine clash, and even to some extent, the Israeli current conflict going on, taught us about the huge capability that drones have. And we realised that Pakistan, by its backend support from Turkey and any, maybe our northern adversary as well, had a plethora of drones. And we also knew that to take on an effective air defence integrated system that we have, like the army and the air force are integrated in this case, they would have to saturate us. If you see their concept of employment, they would first send in low-altitude, cheaper drones in large numbers to saturate your radars and force you to open them up. So, I think it's very important that the army looked at not emitting so that we didn't give out our positions...' Notably, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region included the heavy use of missiles, drones, and rocket artillery. As per the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the 44-day war featured a diverse array of legacy and advanced air and missile strike and defence platforms. Drones of Russian, Turkish, Israeli, and indigenous designs performed both reconnaissance missions to support artillery use and strike missions. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loitering munition attacks were able to destroy heavy ground units, including T-72 tanks and advanced S-300 air defences. Azerbaijani drones were the centre of attention in this war. Although Armenia deployed some of their own indigenously produced drones, and later footage showed its side using the more sophisticated Russian-made Orlan-10 UAV, Azerbaijan took control of the skies. Drones also became a central weapon in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the European Council on Foreign Relations, Ukraine aimed to produce one million drones within the year, as early as 2024. In March 2024, that goal was revised to two million, and in October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the country could manufacture up to four million drones annually. Russia was also reported to be matching this pace of production. It is estimated that about 100 different types of drones are in use in Ukraine, ranging from toy-sized systems to larger models with wingspans of almost 20 metres. (ANI)
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
We anticipated this...did a counter drone exercise to tackle attacks at Army chief's behest: Top Army Air Defence officer
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Director General of Army Air Defence Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha , on Monday highlighted India's preparedness in modern warfare, particularly in neutralising drones and other advanced technologies during Operation Sindoor Speaking to ANI, Lt Gen Ivan D'Cunha said that Pakistan's attempt to use drones against India was anticipated by the Indian defence forces, which conducted simulation exercises to prepare for potential drone first sent cheap drones in large numbers to low altitudes to saturate the radar system. Still, the Army had anticipated the drone threat and conducted a simulation exercise on April 26-28 to prepare for potential drone about the internal training by the Indian side, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, "I think that the training that we did, actually we anticipated this and you won't believe that about maybe on the 26th, 27th and 28th, we did a simulation exercise at the behest of our army chief in the border areas, where we simulated drone attacks on the weapon system. It was not from the border, but it was internal, on the border... We started at 5:30 in the morning, maybe on the 26th for the first day, when multiple drones were coming in to train our people..."The operation highlighted India's integrated command structures, enabling seamless coordination between different military Indian Army adopted a tactical approach by not continuously emitting radar signals, instead switching them intermittently to engage targets within gun utilised advanced surveillance systems , including satellite surveillance and real-time intelligence, to gather critical information on enemy positions and electronic warfare assets played a crucial role in neutralising Pakistan's command-and-control structure, which would have likely been used to deploy Indian Air Force's Netra AEW&C aircraft jammed Pakistradars, disrupting their ability to track and respond to Indian aircraft, including Operation Sindoor, India's offensive strikes targeted key Pakistani airbases- Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan with surgical precision. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a statement had said, " Loitering munitions were used to devastating effect, each finding and destroying high-value targets, including enemy radar and missile systems. Loitering munitions also known as "suicide drones" or "kamikaze drones", are weapons systems that can hover or circle a target area, searching for a suitable target before attacking."All strikes were executed without loss of Indian assets, underscoring the effectiveness of our surveillance, planning, and delivery systems. Modern indigenous technology, from long-range drones to guided munitions, made these strikes highly effective and politically Gen also highlighted the significant role of drones in modern warfare, citing recent global conflicts and gave examples of how the Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia-Ukraine, and Israel conflicts have demonstrated the vast potential of drone warfare Countries like Ukraine and Russia are ramping up drone production, with Ukraine aiming to manufacture millions of drones speaking with ANI, Lt Gen D'Cunha said, "So, you know, it's like that the Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijan clash, the Russian-Ukraine clash, and even to some extent, the Israeli current conflict going on, taught us about the huge capability that drones have. And we realised that Pakistan, by its backend support from Turkey and any, maybe our northern adversary as well, had a plethora of drones. And we also knew that to take on an effective air defence integrated system that we have, like the army and the air force are integrated in this case, they would have to saturate us. If you see their concept of employment, they would first send in low-altitude, cheaper drones in large numbers to saturate your radars and force you to open them up. So, I think it's very important that the army looked at not emitting so that we didn't give out our positions..."Notably, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region included the heavy use of missiles, drones, and rocket per the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the 44-day war featured a diverse array of legacy and advanced air and missile strike and defence platforms. Drones of Russian, Turkish, Israeli, and indigenous designs performed both reconnaissance missions to support artillery use and strike missions. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loitering munition attacks were able to destroy heavy ground units, including T-72 tanks and advanced S-300 air drones were the centre of attention in this war. Although Armenia deployed some of their own indigenously produced drones, and later footage showed its side using the more sophisticated Russian-made Orlan-10 UAV, Azerbaijan took control of the also became a central weapon in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the European Council on Foreign Relations, Ukraine aimed to produce one million drones within the year, as early as March 2024, that goal was revised to two million, and in October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the country could manufacture up to four million drones annually. Russia was also reported to be matching this pace of production. It is estimated that about 100 different types of drones are in use in Ukraine, ranging from toy-sized systems to larger models with wingspans of almost 20 metres.
