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India.com
15 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
China's arch enemy to buy India's BrahMos missile, it is..., more than 12 other countries want it, they are...
New Delhi: After the Indian strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the demand for India's BrahMos missile has increased. On one hand, there is a competition to buy it among 15 countries of the world while on the other hand, the missile is being praised a lot in the Chinese media. China's South China Morning Post has called it a 'very dangerous missile'. What does China say about BrahMos missile? According to the South China Morning Post, this missile played a big role in the operation on Pakistan. After this, many enemy countries of America and China have expressed their desire to buy it. India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh recently said that 14-15 countries want to buy BrahMos. The New Indian Express has revealed the names of these countries quoting defense sources. Which countries want to buy BrahMos? The countries that want to buy BrahMos missile include Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Venezuela. Among these, Philippines is the first country to express its desire to buy BrahMos. Philippines had signed a deal of US $ 375 million with India in the year 2022 itself. Vietnam and Indonesia are reportedly negotiating contracts worth US $ 700 million and US $ 450 million respectively. Philippines has enmity with China. At the same time, countries like Brazil and Venezuela have directly opened a front against America. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Oman are engaged in increasing their influence in the Middle East. In the Middle East, Turkey, Iran and Israel are far ahead in terms of weapons. Why is BrahMos special? BrahMos missile is jointly manufactured by Russia and India. It is named after India's Brahmaputra and Russia's Moskva river. The speed of this missile is Mach 3 (3704 km/h). This missile can carry a 3-ton warhead and can be launched from air, land and sea. This missile can fly at low altitudes without being detected by radars. The range of its new version is 450 to 800 km. The cost of this missile is Rs 34 crore. During Operation Sindoor, India destroyed nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan using this missile with amazing accuracy.
India.com
a day ago
- General
- India.com
Indian Navy Bolsters Maritime Presence: INS Sandhayak Concludes Malaysia Visit, INS Nistar Commissioned
Indian Navy's indigenously designed and constructed Survey Vessel (Large), INS Sandhayak, made her maiden port call at Port Klang, Malaysia, for hydrographic cooperation from July 16 to 19. This visit demonstrates India's growing role in regional hydrographic capacity building under the Indian Naval Hydrographic Department (INHD) and National Hydrographic Office framework. INS Sandhayak, the first of the indigenously designed and built Sandhayak Class hydrographic survey ship, was commissioned on February 24. The ship has full-scale coastal and deep-water surveying capacity, as well as oceanographic data collection capabilities. It is also capable of SAR/humanitarian operations, featuring an onboard helicopter and hospital functions. The maiden visit of the ship to Port Klang aims to facilitate technical exchanges and strengthen institutional ties through concerted cooperation, such as the sharing of survey technologies and sustained hydrographic support engagements. The key activities during the visit include in-depth knowledge-exchange sessions, official receptions and events designed to foster international goodwill and elevate awareness of the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision. The visit reaffirms India's commitment to regional maritime cooperation. On Friday, the Indian Navy also commissioned INS Nistar, the country's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Indian Navy for the commissioning of INS Nistar, an indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV). In a social media post on X, the Union Defence Minister wrote, "Congratulations to the Indian Navy and Hindustan Shipyard Limited for the commissioning of INS Nistar, the indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel (DSV)." Highlighting the advanced capabilities of INS Nistar, Singh stated that the vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art systems for conducting Saturation Diving and Salvage Operations. "This induction of the DSV, installed with state-of-the-art Equipment to undertake Saturation Diving and Salvage Operations, as well as serve as the 'Mother Ship' for Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), for rescue and evacuation of personnel from a Submarine in distress, is another milestone in India's journey towards ensuring Maritime Security and Safety in the Indian Ocean Region through Aatmanirbharta," the social media post read.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Rajnath singh, Shah hold strategy meet
New Delhi: Several Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, J P Nadda and Kiren Rijiju, held a strategy session at the defence minister's residence here on Thursday ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session beginning from July 21. With the customary all-party meeting being held on Sunday, the Group of Ministers are believed to have strategised over the government's stand over a host of matters amid the opposition raising heat on issues, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. There was no official comment on the agenda of the meeting, but sources said it was related to the session. Besides Defence Minister Singh, Home Minister Shah, Health Minister Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju, their ministerial colleagues Piyush Goyal and G Kishan Reddy were among those who were part of the strategy session. The Opposition has been pushing for debate in Parliament on issues like SIR and Operation Sindoor. Leading opposition parties such as the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress have alleged that SIR, which is likely to be rolled out in other states, is aimed at benefiting the BJP.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
China must keep India's red lines in mind
Recent developments in India-China relations, including high-level meetings, suggest that ties are on the mend after prolonged estrangement caused by the bloodletting at Galwan in 2020. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the 16th BRICS summit at Kazan on October 23, 2024, gave new direction to ties. The resumption of patrolling and grazing activities in eastern Ladakh at the remaining friction points paved the way for disengagement. During recent visits to China for SCO meetings, both Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have spoken of the need for early de-escalation in the border areas to facilitate normalisation of ties. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this year after a gap of five years has been well-received across India. Yet several key issues remain to be addressed, such as direct flights, stationing of journalists, business visas and the issue of upper riparian river waters data. Initial statements from China after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam had disappointed India. At the SCO defence ministers' forum in June, Rajnath Singh held firm in rejecting any document that failed to condemn cross-border terrorism. In a positive turnaround, the BRICS Joint Declaration issued following the summit meeting in Brazil, attended by PM Modi, specifically condemns the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. It censures terrorism, rejects safe havens and calls out the double standards in countering terrorism. This is the first time that a BRICS statement has specifically condemned any terrorist attack in J&K. This vindicates Modi's proactive stance on combating terrorism as well as the dispatching of all-party delegations to sensitise key nations about Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and Operation Sindoor. It should be recalled that the horrendous 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack had failed to find a place in the then BRIC Countries' Leaders Joint Statement the following year. There was only a generic condemnation of 'terrorism in all its forms and manifestations'. It was in the BRICS Leaders Declaration of September 2017 that mention was made of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad for the first time. This shows that India and China can reach a consensus on terrorism as part of a broader multilateral context. It may instil confidence at the bilateral level. In the past, China has placed technical blocks on listing Pakistan-based terrorists at the UN. However, the forthcoming SCO summit declaration may not reflect the BRICS formula on terrorism, given Pakistan's membership of the grouping. Going by the statements made by the Indian leadership in recent months, it is evident that peace and tranquillity on the border remain integral to the normalisation of ties. It took years to rebuild ties after the border war in 1962. Subsequent developments, unfortunately, belied early hopes of forging a mutually beneficial trade and economic partnership or maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas. Frequent tensions have only served to reinforce negative perceptions of one another. In recent years, the adverse balance of trade with China and the lack of reciprocal market access have shaped public and political opinion in India. Fresh concerns have recently arisen over restrictions placed by China on the export of rare earth magnets for EVs to India, wind turbines and electronics, besides tunnel boring machines and certain high-value fertilisers. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Communist Party of China (CPC) had a jaundiced view of India. Jawaharlal Nehru was maligned as an 'imperial lackey'. China failed to appreciate India's civilisational ethos and the value attached to peace and non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi's pacifist teachings stood in sharp contrast to Mao Zedong's advocacy of class struggle and violent means to bring about change. The CPC's Marxist lens, unfortunately, disregarded the teachings of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, which were part of China's heritage. They provided a better civilisational connect with India. Even today, Chinese assessments betray deep suspicion about India's ties with the US. Beijing views the Quad as an 'exclusive clique' that seeks to contain China. Recently, China convened a trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Bangladesh during the China-South Asia Cooperation Forum in Kunming. China's expanding footprint in South Asia lacks transparency and plays a role in widening the existing fault lines. China's 'all-weather friendship' with Pakistan has soured bilateral ties with India. The strategic cooperation with Pakistan, including in the defence and nuclear fields, is a case in point. As Operation Sindoor unfolded, Chinese analysts undertook misinformation campaigns to question India's military success and cast aspersions on its equipment and tactics. India's non-participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Beijing's three Global Initiatives is for a valid reason. The CPEC, a flagship project of the BRI, traverses Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and violates India's sovereignty. Lack of consultation and transparency in regard to China's growing presence in the region, including the Indian Ocean, is cause enough for misgivings. Equality and mutual respect should form the bedrock of bilateral relations. Respect for core concerns cannot be one-sided. China frequently seeks reaffirmation from India of the One China principle with regard to Taiwan and Tibet. The presence of the Dalai Lama in India and the succession question are viewed by Beijing as sensitive issues. Yet, Beijing has failed to reciprocate on India's core interests, whether on Jammu & Kashmir or its nexus with Pakistan. On the question of equality, it is noteworthy that China considered itself an equal of the US in the 1950s and 1960s at a time when the Chinese economy was but a fraction of what it is today. The moot question is whether China is willing to follow the same logic today in dealing with others, regardless of asymmetries in power. Perceptions matter. They play a major role in India-China relations. The positive signs in India-China relations are encouraging. The deep deficit of trust, however, calls for sustained efforts. The two sides must move forward with realistic expectations. The road ahead is arduous. Yet, forging a stable and cooperative relationship between the two Asian neighbours is a goal worth pursuing. The writer is a former ambassador and director general of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views are personal
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
India to tie up with France for next-gen fighter jet engines?
New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has reportedly proposed development of next-generation fighter jet engines in collaboration with France. The aim of the project is towards self-reliance in design and manufacturing of such technologies in India. All fighter aircraft in India's fleet currently operate with engines of foreign origin. A substantial portion of fighter aircraft costs is attributed to engine procurement and maintenance. Conservative projections indicate India's requirement for more than 250 next-generation engines within the next decade. According to reports, following extensive consultations including stakeholder inputs and assessments by a technical committee of all aspects of fighter jet engine production, the defence ministry has recommended the tie-up with France. The proposal was found to be advantageous for Indian interests. The Rs 61,000 crore initiative aims to jointly create a 120kn fighter jet engine for future platforms, including the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). The project has received substantial support from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who champions indigenous fighter engine development and establishing a domestic manufacturing ecosystem. For this project officials have assessed proposals from both Safran of France and Rolls Royce of the UK, looking closely at technical specifications and financial implications. The French bid, offering complete technology transfer, has been presented in the past as well, with Safran outlining a development schedule aligned with AMCA's timeline. Currently, AMCA will likely utilise US-manufactured GE 414 engines, whilst development of a domestic plant continues. The engine is a very crucial component of fighter aircraft technology, and its manufacturing has been mastered by only a select group of countries globally. Although India attempted indigenous engine development through project Kaveri, it did not achieve the required thrust parameters. A variant of the Kaveri is currently under development for unmanned combat aerial vehicles, the financial daily report said. Meanwhile, India is negotiating with the US regarding technology transfer for the GE414 INS6 engine, intended for the Mk2 variant of light combat aircraft. The ongoing discussions seek more than 80% technology transfer, encompassing hot-end coating technologies, crystal blade manufacturing, and laser drilling capabilities.
