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India discusses defence manufacturing with DR Congo

The issue figured prominently at the First Secretary-level meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and the DRC held in New Delhi on July 5, 2024….reports Asian Lite News

In another demonstration of India’s growing engagement with African nations, top defence officials have held discussions with their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the co-production and co-development of weapon systems. This is significant given that the Congolese side is looking at modernising their armed forces.
 
The issue figured prominently at the First Secretary-level meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and the DRC held in New Delhi on July 5, 2024.
 
The meeting was aimed at identifying areas for collaboration to fulfil the potential of defence cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry of Defence said. Detailed discussions were held to promote cooperation in training and the defence industry.

The Indian delegation used the opportunity to highlight the significant progress made by its domestic defence industry. “The DRC side shared the need for modernisation of their Armed Forces. They expressed confidence in the capability of the India defence industry and suggested areas of co-production and co-development,” the Ministry of Defence said.
 
The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and included senior officers of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs and the Armed Forces. The Congolese delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary of Defence, Ministry of Defence, DRC Major General Lukuikila Metikwiza Marcel and included senior officers from the Ministry and a representative of the Embassy of DRC in India.

While in New Delhi, the Congolese delegation also called on Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The visit is expected to open up new avenues for defence cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry of Defence said.
 
The meeting came less than three months after the First Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held in New Delhi on April 10, 2024.
 
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations including strengthening of cooperation in trade and economic relations, mining, agriculture, development partnership, defence, science & technology, digital public infrastructure, green energy, culture, and people-to-people ties.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the UN and other multilateral fora, the MEA added.
 
India enjoys cordial and friendly relations with the DRC. India was among the first countries to establish a diplomatic mission in Kinshasa in 1962. The bilateral trade between India and DRC is growing at a healthy rate and has increased from US$ 321 million in 2018-19 to US$ 845 million in 2022-23.  (India News Network)

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‘Nomadic Elephant’: India-Mongolia joint drill begins in Meghalaya

Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted alternatively in Mongolia and India…reports Asian Lite News

The 16th edition of Joint Military Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ between armies of India and Mongolia will be conducted in Meghalaya’s Umroi from July 3-16, the Indian Army stated on Tuesday.

Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) said that the exercise set to be conducted in Meghalaya aims to enhance interoperability between two armies in carrying out semi-conventional operations in semi-urban/mountainous terrain.

“Exercise #NomadicElephant The 16th edition of Joint Military Exercise #NomadicElephant between #IndianArmy & #MongolianArmy will be conducted in Umroi, #Meghalaya from 03 Jul to 16 Jul 2024. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability between both Armies in conducting semi conventional operations in semi urban/ mountainous terrain under the #UN mandate,” Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) posted on X.

Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted alternatively in Mongolia and India. The 15th edition of the Joint Military Exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ was conducted in Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar, according to the Ministry of Defence’s earlier press release. Soldiers of the Mongolian Armed Forces Unit 084 and Indian Army soldiers from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment had participated in the exercise in 2023.

In May this year, the 12th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and Mongolia took place in Ulaanbaatar on May 16-17 and reviewed the progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and identified means to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and State Secretary of Ministry of Defence, Mongolia Brigadier General Gankhuyag Davagdorj.

India’s Ambassador to Mongolia Atul Malhari Gotsurve also attended the meeting. During the JWG, both sides expressed satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries.

“They reviewed the progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and identified means to further enhance cooperation in these areas, articulating steps in this direction,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Moreover, both sides also exchanged views on the current geopolitical situation. Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad highlighted the potential of the capacity and capability of the Indian defence industry and looked forward to a fruitful partnership with the Armed Forces of Mongolia.

The Mongolian side exuded confidence in the capacity and capability of the Indian industry. Both sides also acknowledged the growing ties between the two countries. (ANI)

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Gen. Dwivedi takes charge as Indian Army Chief

General Dwivedi took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Manoj Pande, who superannuated on June 30…reports Asian Lite News

An ace infantry officer with vast experience in operations, General Upendra Dwivedi, took over the command of the Indian Army on Sunday.

The 30th Chief of the Indian Army belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and was Vice Chief of Army Staff from February this year.

He hails from Madhya Pradesh and has studied in Sainik School Rewa (MP). He joined the prestigious National Defence Academy in January 1981 and was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on December 15, 1984, which he later commanded in the Kashmir valley and the deserts of Rajasthan.

From his school days, he was an outstanding sportsman and excelled in both NDA and IMA, where he was awarded the Blue in Physical Training. He continued to excel post commissioning and was awarded the gold medal in the Physical Training Course. General officer has a unique distinction of balanced exposure along Northern, Western and Eastern Theatres, in varied terrain and operational environment including Deserts, High Altitude, Riverine, Built Up area, North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

He commanded his battalion in active counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley and in the Rajasthan Desert. He has been Inspector General Assam Rifles as Major General and Sector commander as Brigadieri. Assam Rifles participated in intense counterterrorism operations and held various other staff command appointments in the North East, where he pioneered the first ever compendium on Indo-Myanmar border management.

Subsequently, he commanded the Rising Star Corps along the Western Front and the prestigious Northern Army from 2022-2024 in an extremely challenging operational environment. During his command, he provided strategic guidance & Operational oversight for planning and execution of sustained operations along the Northern & Western borders, besides orchestrating the dynamic counter terrorism operations in J-K.

He was also involved in modernising and equipping of the largest Command of the Indian Army, where he steered the induction of Indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He synergized with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for convergent nation-building outcomes and infrastructure development.

He has varied staff exposures, which include handling conventional operations of the Armed Brigade in the Punjab Plains, providing logistical support to a Mountain Division in the North East along the Northern Borders and operating a Strike Corps in deserts. At IHQ HQ (Army), he contributed significantly to the Military Secretary’s branch and was instrumental in raising a section in the Military Operations Directorate.

Later, as the DG Infantry, he steered and fast-tracked capital procurement cases of weapons for all three services, leading to significant and visible capability enhancement for our Armed Forces. As Deputy Chief, he gave impetus to automation and the absorption of niche technology in the Indian Army. Being a tech enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for critical & emerging technologies like big data analytics, AI, Quantum and blockchain-based solutions.

The officer’s two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Seychelles, as Military Advisor to the Government of Seychelles. Besides, attending the Staff College, Wellington & Higher Command Course at AWC, Mhow, the officer was conferred ‘Distinguished Fellow’ in the coveted NDC equivalent course at USAWC, Carlisle, USA. Complementing his illustrious military career, are an M.Phil. in Defence & Management Studies, in addition to two Master’s degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from USAWC, USA. He has authored / presented articles in various professional forums/journals.

He is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a homemaker. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an institute for special ability children in Bhopal. The couple are blessed with two daughters who are working with NGOs. (ANI)

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Navy chief begins 5-day visit to Bangladesh

He is also scheduled to address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities…reports Asian Lite News

Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi began his four-day official visit to Bangladesh on Sunday as both countries continue to explore new avenues for cooperation and further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the two navies.

Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan in Dhaka and also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July 4.

According to the Ministry of Defence, during his visit, the Indan Navy chief would also hold bilateral discussions with Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Lt. General Mizanur Rahman Shameem (Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division) and senior leadership of the Bangladesh government.

He is also scheduled to address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities.

“Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through port calls, bilateral naval exercises, along with capacity building, capability enhancement and training initiatives,” stated the Defence Ministry.

On Saturday, Indian Navy Destroyer INS Ranvir arrived in Chattogram for a week-long visit that coincides with the visit of Admiral Tripathi. The Guided Missile Destroyer forms part of the front-line combatant fleet of the Indian Navy on the Eastern Seaboard.

Last week, India and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further consolidate cooperation between the two countries in the field of military education.

The MoU was signed between the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington and the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Dhaka’s Mirpur during the state visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.

Both colleges impart training to officers of tri-services, preparing them for higher staff and command responsibilities.

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Defence India News

In a first, classmates to lead Army and Navy  

A defence official who knows both the officers said that strong friendships among the senior leadership in the military matter a lot in strengthening the working relationship between the forces…reports Asian Lite News

For the first time in Indian military history, two classmates, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, will be service chiefs of Indian Army and Navy.

Hailing from the Sainik School Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and Army Chief Designate Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi were together in the school from class 5th-A in the early 1970s.

The roll numbers of the two officers were also around each other, as Lt Gen Dwivedi’s roll number was 931 and Admiral Tripathi’s was 938.

Their bonding was strong from the initial days in the school and they remained in touch all along, even though they were in different forces.

A defence official who knows both the officers said that strong friendships among the senior leadership in the military matter a lot in strengthening the working relationship between the forces.

“This rare honour of nurturing two prodigious students, who would go on to lead their respective Services 50 years later, goes to Sainik School, Rewa, in Madhya Pradesh,” Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu said in a tweet.

The appointments of the two classmates have also come around the same time, in a gap of around two months.

Admiral took over the command of the Indian Navy on May 1, while Lt Gen Dwivedi would be taking over his new appointment tomorrow.

Lt Gen Dwivedi has had a long tenure as the Northern Army Commander where he has had long exposure to the ongoing operations in the military standoff on the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

Born on July 1, 1964, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi was commissioned into the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984. (ANI)

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With 7 new reactors, India expanding nuclear energy by 70%

Union Minister Jitendra Singhtook stock of the already operational projects and gave directions for upcoming plans….reports Asian Lite News

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday that India’s nuclear power generation capacity is set to increase by around 70 per cent in the next five years with the addition of 7 new reactors.

Jitendra Singh, who also holds Independent charge of the Department of Atomic Energy, convened a high-level meeting to review the 100-day Action Plan of the Department here on Tuesday.

Highlighting India’s progress in nuclear energy and renewable energy, Jitendra Singh said: “Installed capacity of 7.48 GWe will become 13.08 GWe by 2029, which is an over 70 per cent increase with the addition of 7 new reactors.”

He also took stock of the already operational projects and gave directions for upcoming plans.

Jitendra Singh directed the department to integrate and collaborate to harness full potential, by capacity building and sharing of knowledge, resources and expertise.

He also emphasised on indigenous development of technology.

“Indigenous technology development and promoting energy security should be our priority,” Singh said.

He recalled that the government has allowed joint ventures with public sector units, increasing budget through collaboration, use of next generation technologies, and increasing cooperation.

Speaking on the ease of doing research and scaling up activities, he said: “We are giving single-point approval to promote ease of science and promote ease of living for citizens by application of nuclear technology.”

Jitendra Singh said that the department is suitably designing the 220MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) to use a Bharat Small Reactor (BSR) for captive nuclear power generation. He also informed that DAE is working on Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR) 220 MW to use light water-based reactors by replacing Calandria by a pressure vessel.

Jitendra Singh said BHAVINI, a public sector undertaking, is in progress to complete initial fuel loading of Prototype Fast Breeder reactor and its 1st approach to criticality is expected in the coming months.

This is the first fast breeder reactor to produce more fuel than it consumes.

The minister emphasised that along with energy security, health and food security, radiopharmaceuticals & nuclear medicine, agriculture, and food preservation should also be focused.

“Development in radiation technology will lead to economic and societal benefit for common citizens and promote ease of living and promote research in basic, applied and translational sciences using subatomic particles,” he added.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, along with senior officials of the department were present for the review meeting.

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India, US mull co-production of Javelin anti-tank missiles

The discussions on the joint production of the missiles took place recently during a high-level visit from the US to India…reports Asian Lite News

India and the US held discussions on the co-production of American javelin missiles in India to meet the requirements of the Indian military.

The discussions on the joint production of the missiles took place recently during a high-level visit from the US to India, defence sources told ANI.

India and the US have been discussing expanding their cooperation, including joint production of military equipment. Sources said the requirement of the Army for the latest anti-tank guided missiles is quite significant and the force had to acquire a limited number of Israeli Spike ATGMs under emergency procurement to meet its requirements.

The requirement for third-generation ATGMs has been there for a long time and attempts to acquire the weapon systems through a global route have not been successful.

The work of acquiring the ATGMs through the Indigenous route is ongoing, as the Defence Research and Development Organisation is also going to carry out trials of its Man-Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM) soon to meet the requirements of the Army, the defence officials said.

The Indian MPATGM Weapon System has been field evaluated in different flight configurations several times with the objective of proving the technology’s superiority.

The system consists of the MPATGM, Launcher, Target Acquisition System, and Fire Control Unit.

The Indian forces are looking at shoulder-fired missile systems that are less in weight and can be carried in difficult terrain by troops without engaging too many of them to carry it, the sources said.

The sources said the Indian partner for joint production of the missile system would be identified at a later stage, as discussions have just started. The American side had earlier also showcased the capability of the Javelin missiles to the Indian side but the project did not materialise.

Javelin is developed and produced jointly by American defence majors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

The missiles have been sold to various partner countries by the US and have seen action in multiple past and ongoing conflicts. (ANI)

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Tapas drones lead IAF’s push for homegrown UAVs

The Indian Air Force will be the lead agency for the induction and acquisition of the Tapas drones into the defence forces…reports Asian Lite News

In a major boost to enhancing indigenous unmanned surveillance capabilities of defence forces, the Indian Air Force has made a proposal to the central government to buy 10 Tapas drones, officials said on Sunday.

Out of the 10, six Made-in-India drones would be for the Indian Air Force, while the remaining four would be for the Indian Navy, defence officials told ANI.

The Indian Air Force will be the lead agency for the induction and acquisition of the Tapas drones into the defence forces, they said.

The proposal by the IAF is expected to be soon taken up for discussion by the Defence Ministry.

These two forces are only buying the drones at the moment, the officials said.

Tapas drones are medium-altitude long, endurance-category drones that have been developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and have to be manufactured by a consortium of Bharat Electronics Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The drones have not been able to meet the requirements of the defence forces but the limited inductions by the services are going to help them be upgraded and refined in the near future to meet larger requirements, the officials said.

The IAF has a fleet of Israeli-origin Searcher, Heron Mark-1 and Mark-2 drones and is looking to induct the American Predator MQ-9B drones in the future as part of a tri-services acquisition.

The six indigenous Tapas drones would help it improve unmanned surveillance on both the northern and western fronts, they said.

In recent times, the Indian Air Force has emerged as one of the staunchest supporters of Make in India in Defence, with orders for 180 LCA Mark 1A and 156 LCH attack choppers worth around Rs 1.6 lakh crore getting placed or are about to be placed by it.

The Indian Navy intends to use the Tapas for surveillance activities over the maritime zone.

The deliveries would be made faster by the consortium as the first bird would be ready for delivery within 24 months of signing the contract, they said.

DRDO is continuing with the Tapas project to further develop the system. The Tapas drones being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory have not been able to fully meet the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements of flying at 30,000 feet for over 24 hours at a stretch and have been excluded from the category of mission mode projects.

The Tapas drones have been tested by the defence forces and during the trials, they managed to reach 28,000 feet altitude and could fly for over 18 hours. (ANI)

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Around 40 foreign terrorists in Poonch-Rajouri sectors

The foreign terrorists, who are suspected to be former Special Services Group members from the Pakistan Army, have been trying to revive terrorism…reports Asian Lite News

Amid recent attempts by Pakistan-backed terror groups to revive terrorism in areas south of the Pir Panjal ranges in the Jammu sector, it is emerging that there are around 35-40 foreign terrorists active in the area and operating in small teams, with two-three in each one of them.

Sources in the security forces told ANI that the assessment of the number of terrorists is based on the inputs received from the intelligence agencies along with forces operating on the ground.

The foreign terrorists, who are suspected to be former Special Services Group members from the Pakistan Army, have been trying to revive terrorism in the Rajouri, Poonch, and Kathua sectors of the Jammu region for around three years, the sources said.

The most recent attacks have been in Reasi and Kathua, where they attacked Hindu pilgrims and security forces.

The sources said that in the recent security review meetings, it was observed that there was a need to further strengthen the second-tier counter-terrorist grid in areas along the international border to plug infiltration attempts.

The sources further said that the counter-infiltration grid in the hinterland in the south of the Pir Panjal ranges can be brought to similar levels as the multi-tiered counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist grid in the areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kashmir region of Jammu and Kashmir.

The intelligence agencies have also been working towards upgrading the human intelligence and technical intelligence gathering in the area, the sources said.

The Indian Army has also brought in additional troops in the last few months who have been operating in the area, along with a large number of armoured specialist vehicles.

The forces have around 200 armoured vehicles in the area, which were acquired under emergency procurement procedures by the force that they use to move around in their areas of responsibility with Quick-Reaction Teams.

The forces have been given a free hand to operate in the area against terrorist support infrastructure and there is a likelihood of strong action against such elements, the sources said. (ANI)

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US Senate Republicans block Democrats bill to ban bump stocks

Lawmakers in New York pass bills to enforce stringent gun control

The move came days after the court overturned a policy enacted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)…reports Asian Lite News

Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked an attempt by Democrats to pass a bill to ban bump stocks in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling, The Hill reported.

The move came days after the court overturned a policy enacted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2018 after a mass shooting in Las Vegas killed 60 people and wounded hundreds.

The shooter used guns equipped with bump stocks, which allow semiautomatic weapons to fire off hundreds of rounds per minute.

Senator Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, requested that his bill banning bump stocks be brought up for a vote under unanimous consent, a procedure in which a measure passes so long as no lawmaker objects. Senator Pete Ricketts, a Nebraska Republican, blocked the measure by objecting.

Heinrich said Tuesday there’s “no legitimate use for a bump stock. Not for self-defence. Not for law enforcement.”

“Welcome to another day in the Democrat summer of show votes,” Ricketts said Tuesday, likening the move by Democrats to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) decision to hold votes on reproductive rights in recent weeks.

Ricketts also said the Supreme Court ruled correctly last week, as per The Hill.

“This bill may be called the BUMP Act, but it’s not really about bump stocks,” Ricketts said. “This bill is about banning as many firearm accessories as possible and giving ATF broad authority to ban most semiautomatic firearms.”

Heinrich, who rolled out the bill a year ago alongside Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), tore into the idea that bump stocks will once again be available.

“There is no legitimate use for a bump stock. Not for self-defence. Not for law enforcement. Not even in military applications as they are less accurate than a standard fully automatic military platform,” Heinrich said. “What they are tailor-made for is a mass shooting.”

Where the legislative effort goes from here, though, is unclear.

Schumer declined to say whether he would bring it up for a full vote on the floor, saying only that he hoped Republicans would “see the light” and not block Heinrich’s bill.

“Donald Trump is hardly a friend of gun safety, but I’m just shocked that the Supreme Court would be even to the right of him,” Schumer said in floor remarks earlier in the day. “If Republicans get in the way today, if they decide to side with the gun lobby instead of parents and teachers and law enforcement, they are asking for another tragedy to strike sooner or later.” (ANI)

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