Indian Armed Forces

India announced plans Thursday to shift control of a major shipyard to the military to boost naval warship production amid complaints of delays in existing projects. The announcement came two days after the military expressed concern about India's depleted underwater combat capabilities due to delays in constructing tactical submarines for the 134-ship navy. Information Minister Ambika Soni said the cabinet would transfer control of the country's second largest shipyard, Hindustan Shipbuilding Yard, to the military from the shipping industry. "It is going to be transferred to the ministry of defence for meeting national security requirements of building strategic vessels for the Indian navy," Soni ... Read Full Story

A senior defence official here has justified China's sale of warships and submarines to Pakistan on the ground that India was buying similar systems from Russia and the US. He indicated that China was conscious India might be worried about the sales. "The initiative may invite concerns from its neighbouring countries. But the doubts are unnecessary," Online news agency Wednesday quoted Zhai Dequan, deputy director of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, as saying in the official media. The statement came in the midst of efforts by Admiral Noman Bashir, Pakistan's navy chief, to persuade Beijing to sell higher capacity ships as compared ... Read Full Story

President Pratibha Patil will experience her first 'day at sea' when she steps aboard India's lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat Wednesday, an Indian Navy official said. The president, who is also the supreme commander of the country's armed forces and the first woman in the post, will board the vessel around 11 a.m. "The supreme commander will be on board the warship as it is anchored offshore Mumbai. She will be flown to the aircraft carrier," the official said. Patil will be inspecting the warship that in November rejoined service at its parent base in Mumbai after a year-long refurbishment at Visakhapatnam. During her ... Read Full Story

The delay in construction of submarines has raised concerns for the Indian Navy which Tuesday said that its underwater capability would be reduced by 50 percent by 2015. With the construction of French Scorpene submarines at the Mazgaon Shipyard delayed already, the follow-on construction of six indigenous submarine has also suffered. “The matter came up for discussion during the meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) today (Tuesday), which met to decide on the follow on construction of six indigenous submarine,” a defence official said. The Project-75 was conceptualised in 1999 and under this programme Indian Navy had to acquire 12 submarines. India had ... Read Full Story

The delay in construction of submarines has raised concerns for the Indian Navy which Tuesday said that its underwater capability would be reduced by 50 percent by 2015. With the construction of French Scorpene submarines at the Mazgaon Shipyard delayed already, the follow-on construction of six indigenous submarine has also suffered. “The matter came up for discussion during the meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) today (Tuesday), which met to decide on the follow on construction of six indigenous submarine,” a defence official said. Read more Read Full Story