Indian Defence System

India has the third largest military in the world and is the sixth biggest defence spender. India is also one of the largest importers of conventional defence equipment and spends around 30% of its total defense budget on capital acquisitions.

Recent Developments

  • The year 2018 was a landmark year for the country's defence scenario.Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) helped enhance the credibility of India’s nuclear deterrence with most of the indigenously developed missiles and weapon systems tasting success during both experimental and user trials.
  • The DRDO and armed forces conducted tests of 20 missiles, including two newly developed systems and advanced version of Pinaka rocket. The missiles, which were put to tests, are Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-IV, Agni-V, Prithvi-II, Dhanush, BrahMos, Prahar, Astra, Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), Standoff anti-tank (Sant) guided missile, AAD and PDV interceptors, anti-tank guided missile Helina, submarine-launched B-05 and Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM).
  • Induction of submarine launched ballistic missile B-05, maiden trials of new surface-to-air missile, powered by Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) and MPATGM, completion of first deterrence sea patrol by nuclear powered Made-in-India submarine INS Arihant and final pre-induction trial of most potent long range missile Agni-V were some of the significant milestones achieved.
  • A 5,000-km range nuclear capable missile Agni-V was successfully flight tested thrice, giving an edge to Indian defence system.
  • In a first, supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was test fired with life extension technology from Chandipur range and with Gen-Next new homegrown seeker from Pokhran range on May 21 and March 22 respectively.
  • Indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) and Helina were successfully tested at separate firing ranges in Rajasthan between August 16 and 19. The missile, an upgrade of Helina, has a range of 15-20 km and is guided by an Infra-red Imaging Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.
  • In a first-of-its-kind exercise code-named CROSS BOW-18, the Indian Air Force conducted tests of combined guided surface-to-air missiles from the Air Force Station at Suryalanka in Andhra Pradesh from December 5 to 8.Four different classes of missiles - Akash, Spyder, OSA-AK and man-portable infrared homing missile ‘Igla’ were successfully test-launched during day and night in an integrated networked environment.
  • First test of the third generation Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) was conducted from Ahmednagar range in Maharashtra on September 15.
  • Maiden flight of indigenously developed Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) integrated on Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) has been conducted successfully by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on January 31, 2018.
  • The Navy’s third state-of-the-art Scorpene class submarine Karanj (Project 75) was launched by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) - TAPAS BH 201(previously referred as Rustom-II) is being developed with an endurance of 24 hours to carry out the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles for the three Armed Forces.
  • The first-ever all-women crew circumnavigated the globe in an indigenously built 56-foot Indian Navy Sailing Vessel - INSV Tarini.

Some of the New Developments Include

Brahmos Missile

  • In July 2018, India successfully test fired surface-to-surface (ssm) version of supersonic BrahMos cruise missile.
  • BrahMos Aerospace, is a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation and NPOM of Russia.
  • The hypersonic version of the BrahMos missile is under development. It can travel at a speed of Mach 5 to Mach 7. It will be the fastest hypersonic missile in the world, when fully developed.

Tejas

  • In December 2018, the government has given nod to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (Hal) to manufacture weaponised version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Air force.
  • The indigenously built Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role fighter which features a tailless, compound delta wing and is designed with “relaxed static stability” for enhanced maneuverability.

Sukhoi SU-30MKI

  • In October 2018, the 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the Indian Air Force at Ojhar in Maharashtra handed over its first indigenously overhauled Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet to the Indian Air Force.
  • Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a multirole combat fighter aircraft jointly developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
  • The Su-30MKI fleet of IAF will be fitted with air-launched version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

Tapas-BH-201

  • Tapas is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
  • It is being developed on the lines of predator drones of the US to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles for the armed forces with an endurance of 24 hours.

INS Karanj

  • Karanj is the third of the six Scorpene-class submarines being built by MDL under the Project 75 programme of Indian Navy.
  • The second, INS Khanderi, is undergoing sea trials. All submarines are due to be inducted gradually into the Indian Navy by 2020.
  • In all, there will be six such submarines being indigenously built. All six were designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, and are being built in Mumbai.

BARAK Missile System

  • Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) and Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) are jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India and M/s Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI).
  • LR-SAM is the Ship Launch Version and Project MR-SAM is the Land Launch Version of Barak-08 Missile system.

AGNI-V missile

  • This surface-to-surface nuclear Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) has a long strike range of 5,000 km.
  • Agni-V is a three-stage solid propellant missile being developed by DRDO.
  • Unlike other missiles of Agni series, Agni-V is the most advanced having new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
  • Currently, five of the missiles – Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III, Agni-IV, Agni-V have been successfully tried & tested, while the sixth missile is still in the development phase.

Varunastra

  • Varunastra is the first indigenous heavy weight ship launched anti-submarine electric torpedo.
  • India is only 8th Country in the world to have its own Indigenous Torpedo program and successful induction of Varunastra and soon followed by Takshak which will be a game-changer in favor of Indian Navy which has been facing Torpedo shortages both for its surface and below surface fleet.

INS Arihant

  • INS Arihant, the indigenously-built nuclear-propelled submarine is capable of firing ballistic missiles and can stay under water for months.
  • INS Arihant will help India complete its nuclear triad. The air and land wing of the triad, with Mirage-2000s and Agni ballistic missile, which are already in place. With Arihant successfully completing its deterrence patrol, India has now completed the triad’s underwater leg.

Defence Departments & their Functions

Department

Functions

Department of Defence

  • Responsible for the Defence Budget, Establishment matters.
  • Defence policy, matters relating to Parliament.
  • Defence co-operation with foreign countries and co-ordination of all defence related activities.

Department of Defence Production

  • Deals with matters pertaining to defence production.
  • Indigenisation of imported stores, equipment and spares.
  • Planning and control of departmental production units of the Ordnance Factory Board and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

Department of Defence Research

  • Its function is to advise the Government on scientific aspects of military equipment and logistics and the formulation of research, design and development plans for equipment required by the Services.

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

  • Deals with all resettlement, welfare and pensionary matters of Ex-Servicemen.

Indian Defence System

The developments in India’s immediate neighbourhood over the past decade have led India to take a close look at her foreign and security policies. There is an urgent need for the rapid modernisation of the Indian armed forces, which is being reflected in some of the key initiatives that have been taken up by the Indian government so far (such as Make in India), so as to address to the complex security challenges that emanate from its hostile neighbourhood.

Issues in India’s Defence Modernisation

  • India faces a whole range of complex challenges in its defence modernization aspirations, which are aimed at containing the threats that it perceives to be having severe implications for its national security.
  • Looking into the current capacities of India’s defence industry, it is not hard to say that many observers remain dismissive of the same and have proposed a number of reforms aimed at bolstering India’s defence production capabilities thereby achieving self-reliance in building such capabilities, and streamlining India’s defence procurement procedures for lesser procedural delays in acquiring advanced weapons system.
  • As India is one of the largest importers of Arms & ammunitions the in the world, its over-dependency over other countries for sophisticated weapons system for the services of the armed forces is likely to negatively affect India’s aspirations of becoming a great power as it is widely believed that great powers are supposed to have great arms industries.
  • The challenges that plagues India’s defence industry today in terms of producing and procuring advanced weapons system to fulfill the requirements of the services of the armed forces are immense, which needs critical examination.

Defence Policy of India

  • India's defence policy is one component of the larger national security system. Defence against external aggression, defeat of armed internal challenges, and maintaining stability in the immediate neighbourhood of South Asia have been India’s defence priorities since Independence.
  • India's defence policy operates on two fronts. One is on the diplomatic and political front – centred on building bridges of peace in our neighbourhood and second is on the military front- which include military capabilities and guidelines for operations.
  • In a significant defence policy reform notified on April 18, 2018, the government has revamped the existing defence planning system by establishing a Defence Planning Committee (DPC) under the chairmanship of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Defence Diplomacy

  • Defence Cooperation has been an important component of India's overall diplomacy. At present, India have defence cooperation agreements of one kind or the other with over 53 countries.
  • With Southeast Asia, India has been enjoying the historical legacy of the strong influence of the Indus civilization and has been strengthening its linkages through strategic engagement, economic liberalization and Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN countries.
  • After 1992, India formulated its defence diplomacy in consonance with the ‘Look East’ policy to safeguard its eastern seaboard and secure its strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region.
  • Indian Armed forces has also been a significant contributor to UN Peacekeeping efforts since independence. In the emerging geopolitical environment, defence cooperation is increasingly becoming a dynamic tool for achieving India's overall diplomatic objectives.
  • Series of Military, Naval and Air Force exercises with developed and under developing countries is also an important step of India to consolidate its position against any future unpredictable threat to its security. Participation in international level joint defence exercises is an indication of the highest level of trust and confidence between the member nations of international organizations.
  • India, as it banks on enlightened diplomacy to attain national objectives, the optimum utilisation of military diplomacy by the nation will surely add to India’s image in the comity of nations and, more importantly, the fulfillment of national aspirations.

Significant Achievements of DRDO

Area

System/Products

Aeronautics

LCA Tejas, Lakshya, Nishant Aerostats Avionics

Army

Agni, Prithvi, Nag, Dhanush, Akash, Trishul, Brahmos

Naval

Hamsa, Nagan, Ushus, Mihir, Torpedoes, Processor based mines, Naval Paints

Electronics

Samyukta,Sangraha, BSFR, 3D CAR, Rajendra C41 Systems,

Armaments and Combat engineering

MBT Arjun, Tank Ex, Bhim, Pinaka,Sarvatra Bridging System

Life Science

Selection, Protection, Nutrition Packages For Soldiers, Bio-waste Management, High altitude Agro-tech Systems

Materials

Composites, Rare Earth Magnets, Special Steels, Nanotubes and Nano composites

Institutions

Department of Defence

  • The Department of Defence deals with the three Services i.e Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. It also deals with Inter-Services Organization.
  • It is headed by Defence Secretary who is assisted by Director General (Acquisition), Additional Secretaries and Joint Secretaries. Defence Secretary is also responsible for coordinating the activities of the other Departments i.e DDP, DESW and DRDO in Ministry of Defence.

DRDO

  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India.
  • It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
  • It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA)

  • IDSA was established as a registered society in New Delhi on November 11, 1965.
  • It is a non-partisan, autonomous body dedicated to objective research and policy relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security.
  • Its mission is to promote national and international security through the generation and dissemination of knowledge on defence and security-related issues.
  • IDSA is funded by the Indian Ministry of Defence. (but, it functions autonomously).

Some important DRDO Labs and Establishments

Name

Location

Area of Research

1. Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL)

Hyderabad

Missiles and Strategic Systems

2. Advanced Centre for Energetic Materials (ACEM)

Nasik

Energetic Materials

3. Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE)

Agra

Parachutes and Aerial Systems

4. Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR)

Bengaluru

Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

5.Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE)

Bengaluru

Avionics

6. Defence Laboratory (DL)

Jodhpur

Camouflaging and Isotopes

7. Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS)

Delhi

Nuclear Medicines

8. Defence Research Laboratory (DRL)

Tezpur

Health and Hygiene

9. SF Complex (SFC)

Jagdalpur

Propellant

10. DRDO Research & Innovation Centre (RIC)

Chennai

Accreditation Projects

Related Content