January 2020

After successfully hosting the International Fleet Review (IFR) in Feb 2016, the City of Destiny Visakhapatnam is gearing up to host another International Naval event ‘MILAN’ in March 2020.   With about two months to the mega event, the preparations were reviewed at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) by Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, Chief of Staff ENC on 07 January 2020.  The review meeting saw an overwhelming and positive response from the civil administrators and stakeholder organisations, with participation by Dr G.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC undertook a two day visit to Air Force Stations in Eastern Air Command (EAC). The CAS visited vital air bases and combat units operating at these locations on 08 & 09 Jan 2020.

Escalation of conflict between the US and Iran post assassination of Maj Gen Qassim Suleimani is inevitable. Retaliation from Iran is near certainty, but the question is will Iran confront the US militarily or will Iran employ its irregular assets that are spread across Asia and even Europe? Gen Suleimani was heading the Quds Force that has footprints across Asia and North Africa and had a tactical alliance with Popular Mobilization Force (PMF) of Iraq and Hezbollah of Lebanon.

Despite Pakistan’s economic tatters and a Chinese economic slowdown their militaries are expanding and modernizing, unabated. While our relationship with both our nuclear neighbours is increasingly adversarial, there is an increasing collusivity between them. The latest being that China is going to give 236 of the latest 155mm Howitzers to Pakistan. On the domestic front, societal events and upheavals are forcing our so-called ‘Strategic’ friends and neighbours into a rethink mode to recalibrate their relationships with us.

In a new development, after years of discussion, the Indian defence sector will finally witness the execution of Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) model of Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Indian Army, on December 19, released a Request for Information (RFI) to shortlist Warehousing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management service providers to run Central Ordnance Depot (COD), Kanpur.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, dedicated five Young Scientists Laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the nation. The ceremony was held in Bengaluru.

DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) are located in five cities viz, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Each lab will work on a key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems viz, Artificial intelligence, Quantum technologies, Cognitive technologies, Asymmetric technologies and Smart materials.

In a first  HAL, India's aerospace, and defence company and  Wipro 3D, the metal additive manufacturing (AM) business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), have signed an MOU recently to design, develop, prove out, manufacture and repair of Aerospace Components using Metal Additive Technology.

General Bipin Rawat assumed office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) here today. As the CDS, General Rawat will be the Principal Military Advisor to the Raksha Mantri on all Tri-Services matters. He will also head Department of Military Affairs (DMA). The CDS will have a key role in ensuring optimum utilisation of allocated budget, usher in more synergy in procurement, training & operations of the Services through joint planning and integration.