Sources in the defence and security establishment said a couple of Army units already have these dogs, which they have procured on their own, but a formal decision is now being taken to ensure more units get these canine soldiers in an institutionalised manner.

The sources explained that the canines will be used for urban warfare and help bring down casualties in the fatal funnel, a tactical term that refers to doorways in which soldiers cannot see what’s on the other side and find it difficult to move out of in the case of incoming projectiles such as bullets.

They added that many injuries in military operations occur in the first stages when rooms in buildings are being recced or searches are being carried out in jungles or orchards.

Sources said the Belgian Malinois are being trained to carry out surveillance of rooms through head-mounted cameras and for scouting in the jungles.

The Belgian Malinois

Known for their super agility, sharp mind and spectacular endurance and aggression, the Belgian Malinois dog breed is a favourite of special forces and enforcement agencies across the world.

The specialised breed played a role in the Osama Bin Laden raid of 2011 and chased down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi through a dark and dangerous tunnel in Idlib, Syria, in 2019.

Unlike a German Shepherd, these dogs are ideal for parachuting and fast-roping out of aircraft because of their smaller frame.

In India, the CRPF was the first to introduce them in anti-naxal operations. Other central armed police forces such as the ITBP and the NSG have since added these canines to their ranks. The NSG even showcased its Belgian Malinois at the Republic Day parade Tuesday.

In the Army, certain units procured the Belgian Malinois through their own resources from late 2018 onwards. 

The Army is now planning on formally introducing them, a source said, adding that the Meerut-based Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) has now set up a specialised school of training for urban warfare operations.

Army’s K9s

The Army uses Labradors and German Shepherds in operations and Great Swiss Mountain dogs in snow-bound areas besides Cocker Spaniels in limited numbers.

The canines play a critical role in the operations and many of them have won battle honours, such as commendations from the General Officer Commanding (GOCs) and even the Chief of Army Staff.

For instance, Mansi, a four-year-old Labrador, had become the first K9 selected for a posthumous war honour, after she and her handler Bashir Ahmed War laid down their lives countering an infiltration bid by terrorists in north Kashmir in 2015.

Mansi was honoured with the ‘Mention of Despatches’ certificate, acknowledging her contribution to the Army.

Almost every security camp in operational areas and along the Line of Control (LoC) are home to a number of desi dogs that alert the personnel against possible intrusions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in August last year in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme highlighted the bravery of India’s canine soldiers, mentioning Sophie, a Cocker Spaniel, and Vida, a Labrador, and urging the people of the country to go for a desi pet if they are planning to adopt one.

Modi also mentioned Balram, a dog that detected a large amount of explosives on the Amarnath Yatra route in 2006; Bhawana, who detected an IED but was killed along with her handler when it was triggered while being defused in 2002; and CRPF’s sniffer dog ‘Cracker’, a Belgian Malinois.

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The Negev NG-7 was ordered after numerous setbacks in procurement – including at least one tender cancellation – under the Fast Track Procedure (FTP) initiated in May 2019 under Defence Procurement Procedure-2016 (DPP-2016) to meet the IA’s 11 year-old demand for a new LMG.

The select-fire IWI Negev NG7 light was first introduced in 2012. The general-purpose machine gun has a weight of 17.41 pounds, and is chambered in the 7.62x51mm NATO round. It has two operation modes, including semi-automatic and fully automatic fire, and it is fed by either a 100- or 125-round assault drum magazine. The NG7 (NG stands for Next Generation) is used by the Israel Defense Forces as well as many operators around the world.

SIG Sauer 716 Rifles

The MoD signed a contract, on 12 February 2019, to get 72,400 new assault rifles from US arms-maker SIG Sauer, under the fast-track procurement (FTP) route, in the first such basic infantry weapon procurement after well over a decade. Supplies have begun to replace the indigenous INSAS assault rifles.

Off these rifles, 66,400 are meant for the Army, 4,000 for the IAF and the rest 2,000 for the Navy. The rifles, chambered for the 7.62×51 mm round (bullet), are being used by the US forces as well as several other European countries.

The overall requirement of the armed forces, primarily the 13-lakh strong Army, is for 8.16 lakh new 7.62mm calibre assault rifles. The number for the CQB carbines, in turn, is 4.58 lakh.

The defence ministry had issued the RFPs (request for proposals) for the limited number of assault rifles and carbines, which will equip soldiers deployed along the borders with Pakistan and China, under the FTP route in March 2018.

AK-203 Rifles

The foundation stone for the Ordnance Factory Korwa in Amethi was laid by the prime minister on 3 March 2019. The factory will manufacture AK-203 assault rifles, which is the latest derivative of the legendary AK-47 rifle. India will manufacture 750,000 of these assault rifles. The rifles would replace the existing India-made INSAS assault rifles in the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

After the rifles are supplied to the defence forces, the government, in the next phase, would provide them to paramilitary and the state police forces.

Caracal 816 Carbines

The Indian Army is now waiting for the close-quarter-battle carbines (CQB). UAE based Caracal Company was declared L1 after extensive trials for a $ 553.33 million. The new carbine will replace the 9 mm Sterling carbines which are being gradually phased out.

The CQB carbines for the infantry arm of the Indian army are coming through the Fast Track Procurement (FTP), just like the LMGs. The Indian Army is looking to buy 93,895 CQB carbines.

Caracal Company is NATO compliant and has been supplying these CQB carbines to other armed forces across the globe. The trials for the India market were extensive in nature and had been carried out in India as well the home country of the companies who had bid for this order. The tests were carried out with Indian ammunition in different terrain.

Caracal carbine is based on the AR-15 lightweight semi-automatic rifle. the rifle weighs 3.4 kg, and uses the 5.56 x 45mm NATO cartridge, and has a firing rate of 750-950 rpm. The 5.56 has a much higher bullet velocity and performs as well as the 7.62mm round used in the AK-series of assault rifles. Since it’s much lighter than the 7.62 or the currently-used Sterling 9mm weapons, it will lighten the Indian soldier’s load out.

Sniper Rifles

The Army was planning to buy 5,720 sniper rifles and 10.2-million rounds of ammunition, which would have cost Rs 1,000 crore ($140 million), for its Special Forces and Infantry battalions deployed on Line of Control (LoC).

The new rifle will replace the Indian Army’s ailing Soviet-era Dragunov guns. Army snipers have been using the obsolete Dragunov since it was first inducted in the Indian Army back in 1990. The weapon’s ammunition has become expensive and there have been reliability and ability problems.

But the requirement has been pruned down to 1,800 rifles and 2.7 million rounds.

To meet its urgent requirement, the Indian Army’s Udhampur-based Northern Command has already bought around 30 of two new advanced sniper rifles-Barrett M95 .50 BMG and Beretta Scorpio TGT along with .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition through special powers of the Army Commander.

Size of Small Arms Market in India

The small arms market in India is projected to grow to US$220.21m by 20221. This would be largely driven by procurement of new arms for the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies as well as upgrade of the existing inventory. Growing at a 4% Compounded Annual Growth rate (CAGR), the small arms market is expected to improve further. This is because the current small arms inventory of the armed forces is either getting exhausted or is nearing their useful lives.

The military small arms market, estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.17%, forms a significant portion of the demand.

There is a need for next generation assault rifles, carbines, precision rifles and light machine guns. As part of Future Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS) program, the intent is to equip the armed forces with modern and more efficient weapons. The presence of threats from across the borders also requires upgradation of states’ police force and central law enforcement agencies weaponry, whose market is expected to increase at a CAGR of 4.17% by 2022.

Though multi domain operations may be required to fight wars in the future, the primacy of the soldier on the ground will remain. Therefore, it is essential to equip the soldiers with modern equipment. There is a need to meet the demand indigenously and make the regulatory processes liberal without compromising on the core aspects of security. The government as well as public and private sector industries are taking steps to achieve this objective.

Policy Regulations

Policy-related changes have, off late, been fast tracked and made more inclusive to ease regulatory burden and to promote defence manufacturing and ease of doing business.

The policy changes, especially related to the arms and ammunition segment, have been introduced with the intent to create an indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem while also encouraging foreign investments into the sector.

Relaxations in the defence products list The MoD announced in January 2019 a list of defence products that would require a defence industrial license (IL). All other items, including any parts and components that are not mentioned in the list can be manufactured without the IL. This relaxation would ease stress on Indian companies to manufacture products.

Industrial Licensing Provisions

The MoD has relaxed the validity of ILs from three years to 15 years with a provision to further increase the validity by three years on a case-to-case basis. Also, under the Arms Rules, the validity of licenses granted for arms manufacturing has now been increased to the entire lifetime of the company, subject to conditions like:

•             The licensee should set up a facility for manufacture and/or proof test of arms and ammunition and conducting their trial runs, within a period of seven years from the date of grant of a license.

•             The licensee has also been permitted to have enhanced production capacity up to 15% of the quantity originally approved under the license by giving only a prior intimation to the licensing authority in this regard6.

Export and Import

Appendix 3 of Schedule 2 of Indian Trade Clarification based on Harmonized System of Coding (ITC (HS)) Classification contains the SCOMET List (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies), which covers dual use goods (civil and military applications), services and technology for exports. It also regulates the exports of defence products. This comprehensive list of items are either prohibited or require an authorization for export due to the potential risks they carry when used. The updates, among others, include the addition of a new category, Category 8, which caters to “Special Materials and Related Equipment, Material Processing, Electronics, Computers, Telecommunications, Information Security, Sensors and Lasers, Navigation and Avionics, Marine, Aerospace and Propulsions.”

FDI limits

The government has already permitted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 49% in the defence sector under the automatic route. Foreign investment beyond 49% has been permitted through government approval in cases that result in access to modern technology for the country.

DRDO and OFB

The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) is Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s primary research lab for research and development (R&D) in conventional armaments. ARDE has developed weapons including the 7.62mm Ishapore Self Loading Rifle, Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56x45mm caliber rifles, light machine guns and 40mm under barrel grenade launchers (UBGL) for INSAS and AK-47s. Besides this, it is in the process of developing a multi caliber weapon through which ammunition of various calibers can be fired by changing the barrel  assembly. The laboratory is also developing a corner shot weapon system that will allow its operator to see and attack an armed target without being counter attacked.

The Ordnance Factories’ list of small arms includes revolvers, pistols, sporting rifles, pump action guns, INSAS 5.56x45mm rifles, Ghatak 7.62x39mm rifles and Excalibur 5.56x45mm rifles. OFs also launched 5.56x30mm JVPC Alpha Carbine, 7.61x51mm assault rifle and an 8.64x74mm sniper rifle at the DefExpo 2020.

Private Sector in Small Arms

The private sector is also making efforts to increase indigenization both technologically and economically. Some such entities that are working towards the development of small arms include:

SSS Defence has built sniper platforms  for cartridges of two sizes (7.62 x 51mm and .338 diameters), an assault rifle (7.62 x 39mm caliber) and a close quarter carbine platform. The company’s small arms production facility is expected to be operational soon with a manufacturing capacity of 75,000 per year.

MKU had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a foreign company in April 2018 for strategic co-operation for manufacture of advanced Caracal Assault Rifles (CAR) 817 AR rifles in India. In April 2018, it signed two MoUs with Thales for strategic co-operation in development and production of optronic devices and F90 close quarter battle (CQB) rifles.

Jindal Defence group announced its foray into small arms manufacturing in India via a joint venture (JV) with a Brazilian company, Taurus Armas. The agreement proposes to set up a plant at Hisar (Haryana).

The Adani Group entered the small arms industry with the acquisition of a JV which is between an Indian and an Israeli company and the facility is designed to manufacture weapons including Tavor assault rifles, X-95 assault rifles, Galil sniper rifles and Uzi sub machine guns.

Way Forward

A way forward for the industry includes progression towards having

•             an aggregated standardized demand for specific operational requirements

•             Reduced procurement lead times

•             Signed long-term agreements with company thereby assuring a streamlined order base and infrastructure investment.

While R&D continues to be a primary focus area for any technological development, it is important that all the stakeholders including government, private industry and the academia to work together.

===============

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Handwara Operation

In the Army’s best traditions, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, a decorated commanding officer of a Rashtriya Rifles battalion, along with company commander Maj Anuj Sood, two other soldiers and a policeman laid down their lives in a fierce encounter with terrorists at Chanjimulla area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on 2 May.

Two terrorists were killed in the encounter, one of whom was identified as top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Haidar alias Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. They were part of a large group of Pakistani infiltrators who had sneaked into Kashmir through the Wadarbala-Rajwara forests in Kupwara in April. Col Sharma and his team reached the site after receiving reports that civilians were being held hostage in a house by terrorists. The Army officers were leading a team to rescue civilians who had been taken hostage by the terrorists.

Kishtwar Encounter

In a gunfight in Kishtwar district, on 17 April, two militants were slain. They had killed a Special Police Officer and injured another near Dacchan a week earlier, before decamping with their weapons. The weapons were recovered after the encounter near Sounder village.

In another encounter at Dairoo village in South Kashmir’s Shopian the same day two militans killed. 

Keran Gunfight

The Army suffered its biggest casualties in a day since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammau & Kashmir (J&K), on 5 April. It was foiling an infiltration bid at a high-altitude pass on the Line of Control (LoC) at Shalbatoo, in the Jumgund area of the Keran sector in Kupwara in north Kashmir, in tough terrain and bad weather.

Five members of the elite para unit – 4 Para – and five militants were killed in the fierce hand-to-hand combat and gunfight in the snowbound Ringdori forest area of Keran, 120 km from Srinagar. The unit took part in the 2016 cross-LoC surgical strikes in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The special forces troopers, who had been air dropped near the LoC after information on the infiltrators was received, were found just six feet away from the terrorists, who they eliminated in an intense battle when the search party found them . They had infiltrated across the LoC from Qasim-II post in PoK and were headed to the Gulab Post on the Indian side.

At least three of the five terrorists gunned down on April 5 in the Keran sector belonged to Jammu & Kashmir and had gone across the border to Pakistan for training in 2018. Five AK-47 rifles, grenades, and GPS and wireless sets were recovered from the encounter site.

Kulgam Gunfight

A day earlier, on 4 April, four terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) responsible for killing several civilians were shot dead by security forces in a shootout in Kulgam district of Jammu & Kashmir. Two soldiers of the Indian Army were also injured in the encounter, which took place in Hardmand Guri village of Kulgam. The house in which the terrorists were held up was demolished.

Army’s Response

The army responded to the unprovoked ceasefire violation and the killing of Special Forces commandos, on 10 April, by targeting Pakistani positions across the LoC in the Keran sector with artillery guns and caused severe damage to posts, terror launch pads and an ammunition dump in PoK.

A 48-second video clip released showed heavy and precision artillery blasting some positions, including an ammunition dump that was seen exploding in a huge ball of fire. It was a message to Pakistan that nothing goes unpunished.

The assault on terror launch pads at Dudhnial facing the Keran sector killed eight terrorists and 15 Pakistan Army soldiers. There was an effort to camouflage the extent of the casualties on the Pakistani side.

It was from Dudhnial that the five terrorists neutralised by the Indian Army special forces in the Keran sector on April 5 had been launched.

The Indian Army had no option since credible information suggested that nearly 160 terrorists of mixed tanzeems – LeT, Jaish e Mohammed and HuM – were waiting in the area to infiltrate into Kashmir.

At least one terror launch pad, among other targets, was apparently “completely destroyed” in the firing by the Indian Army, which used 105mm field guns as well as 155mm Bofors howitzers.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, on 19 April, said the Indian Army was carrying out “targeted strikes” on terror launch pads along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir and eliminating the Pakistani infiltrators before they crossed over to the Indian side.

“As you would have gathered from the operations along the LoC in the last two weeks, we are dominating the enemy through targeted intelligence based strikes on their launch pads and eliminating them before they set foot on Indian soil,” Singh said.

Comments

Dispite the coronavirus (Covid-19) panedemic spreading in Pakistan, there has been a spike in incidents across the LoC suggested that the operations to foment trouble in Kashmir – by first radicalising locals in Valley; then getting them to cross over for weapons training with terror groups such as the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed and HM; and then sending them back to wage war in India. There were attempts to smuggle assault rifles across LoC to supply to foreign and local terrorists in the Valley. Other moves which include propping up smaller indigenous armed groups, were linked with retaliation against India for the August 2019 nullification of Article 370.

Pakistan often resorts to ceasefire violations to push militants into the Indian side. Indian troops have also been retaliating to Pakistani actions under its policy of hot pursuit.

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ATHOS is a fully autonomous and manoeuvrable system. It is capable of a range of 40km and utilises a self-propelled capability and automatic laying mode. It is integrated with fully-computerized systems, achieving automatic control, accurate navigation and target acquisition. When deployed in the battlefield, the ATHOS can manoeuvre itself using its own diesel engine and special hydraulic-driven road wheels, which are also ideal for shoot-and scoot positioning. The hydraulic system enables a team of seven crew members or less to easily deploy the ATHOS within minutes.

The ATHOS utilizes inertial navigation and aiming systems -including a GPS and an onboard firing computer as part of its autonomous capabilities. The gun laying is performed using the INS without any external reference point. The laying system can be slaved to the computer to achieve automatic laying.

The ATHOS is designed to operate under harsh environmental conditions, using all qualified 155mm ammunition in use worldwide. To ease the crew’s workload and enhance gun performance, the ATHOS is equipped with an ammunition loader that dramatically reduces the physical effort needed to operate the gun.

Ammunition Loading System

The ATHOS automated ammunition loading system consists of a loading tray, a ramming mechanism and a crane with a projectile carrier. The system supports a range of firing rates:

•             Burst rate 3 rounds in 30 seconds

•             Intense rate 12 rounds in 3 minutes

•             Sustained rate 42 rounds in 60 minutes

Electronic System

The ATHOS electronic system  control, computation, navigation and aiming – includes inertial navigation and aiming systems, an onboard firing computer, a laying system, optical backup sights and other control units.

Carriage Assembly

The carriage is the main support of the weapon, both in action and during transport. The carriage consists of a central structure with a main bearing, trails and road wheels. The carriage carries all the auxiliary propulsion unit components, including the driver’s compartment. The Auxiliary Propulsion Unit (APU) supplies continuous energy to the automotive, hydraulic and electric systems, enabling autonomous system operation and short reaction going into or out of action.

Key Features

•             Fully automatic operation with manual backup

•             Integrated with complete electronic suite from gun level and up

•             Integrated with system command and control at all levels including FDC and FCS

•             Rapid deployment and short response time

•             Long range, with all 155mm/52 calibre ammunition

•             Massive and accurate ?re power

•             Integrated logistic support and all level maintenance program

•             Self manoeuvrable artillery howitzer with automated ammunition loading system

Operational Characteristics

Direct fire

Day        >1.5km

Night     >1 km

Indirect fire

With HE standard ammunition   >30km

With assisted HE

(ERFB-BB) ammunition  >40km

Minimum range                <5km

=================

Elbit Systems – ATHOS 155 mm Autonomous Towed Howitzer System

Trajan 155mm/52 calibre Gun by Nexter

The Larsen and Toubro and France-based defence major Nexter showcased their TRAJAN 152mm/52 caliber cannon artillery system at DefExpo show on 5-9 February.

The L&T-Nexter consortium has been working since 2011 in building the partnership around one of the main Indian artillery programmes.

Trajan had undergone extensive firing and mobility trials by the Army in rigorous climatic conditions.

It is based on the strengths of the TR-F1 towed artillery piece and the main gun fitted to the Caesar self-propelled vehicle platform in service with the modern French Army.

The Trajan is a complete 13-ton combat system that is made air-transportable in the belly of a heavy-lift hauler such as the Airbus A400M “Atlas” and Boeing C-17 “Globemaster III”. When moved by air, the Trajan is transported as a whole unit and is ready-to-deploy as a single piece when landed with only the typical preparation required of the crew. When made ready for transportation by mover vehicle, the wheeled split-trail carried of the weapon can sustain road speeds of up to 80 kmh and off-road speeds reaching 30 kmh. The crew numbers six men and can have the gun system arranged, ready-to-fire in 1.5 minutes.

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The gun has an all electric drive to ensure reliability and minimum maintenance over a long period of time. It has advanced features like high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, automatic command and control system with night capability in direct fire mode. The gun is almost equal in weight to guns in the same category and is designed to provide better accuracy and range. It is capable of firing five successive rounds in short duration. It is compatible with C4I systems like Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) called Shakti for technical fire control, fire planning, deployment management, operational logistics management of the Indian Army.

The development of the complex system has been carried out in a very short time of four years. ATAGS was first publicly showcased at the Republic Day parade on 26 January 2017. In August 2018, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement of 150 ATAGS with an estimated cost of ?3,364.78 crore, however, no order has yet been placed.

Trials

DRDO achieved technological breakthrough by successfully conducting maiden dynamic firing trials of two fully integrated ATAGS. The trials conducted at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE), Chandipur, from 13-20 December 2016, successfully met the mission objectives.

During trials, ATAGS broke the world record for 155 mm gun by firing the round to a maximum distance of 48.074 kilometres with Extended Range Full Bore-Base Bleed (ERFB-BB) ammunition, surpassing the maximum ranges fired by any artillery gun system in this category.

Labs Involved

ARDE, Pune is the nodal lab, which carried out the development work of ATAGS. Sister DRDO labs – Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun; Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahmednagar; Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Bengaluru; Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL), Dehradun and PXE – chipped in with solutions in specific areas. The in house development has led to headway in the advanced technologies, which include higher pressure, higher chamber volume gun barrel, breech mechanism, compact recoil system and an efficient muzzle brake. A very robust yet compact structure, high power compact auxiliary power unit (APU) for achieving higher mobility during cross-country, walking-beam suspension for negotiating highly undulating terrains, SDR-based advanced communication, simultaneous voice and data communication, fire control computer, compact thermal imaging (TI) sight and surveillance system are some of the advanced features of the gun system.

The ATAGS is configured with all electric drives to ensure maintenance free and reliable field operations. The automation ensures five Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI), automatic shell loading and ramming, higher rate of fire, and fast coming into/out of action in the day/night war scenario. It is equipped with Integrated Fire Control system consisting of INS-based Automatic Gun Alignment and Positioning System (AGAPS), Muzzle Velocity Radar (MVR) and Ballistic Computer to carry out online computations. The system comprises a Tactical Computer (TC) that commands and controls a battery of six to eight guns over radio and line and has been configured to be integrated as per ACCCS Shakti network protocol of the Artillery regiment.

Many Firsts

There are many firsts in the design, development and manufacturing of ATAGS. The designers, ie, DRDO went straight for the large calibre length of 52 calibre, much more than the Bofors 155mm/39 calibre. It meant a longer barrel, which had to sustain higher chamber pressure and larger chamber capacity for the first time in an artillery gun.

The ATAGS has enhanced accuracy and consistency. It has proven platform stability in trials. Laying accuracy with servo-based drives has been excellent. The inertial navigation system provides accurate positioning and pointing characteristics. Muzzle Velocity Radar and sensors provide data on barrel wear, temperature online. Real time met data update is available. The fire control computer provides digital fire control computation.

ATAGS provides enhanced performance through INS-based Automatic Gun Alignment and Positioning System, sighting system and superior barrel parameters and safety features.

ATAGS has remarkable deployability and survivability for its class. New materials and recoil management methods have resulted in a lighter gun. High-powered FAT provides higher tactical mobility. Agility is enhanced by a high-power APU, which also enhances shoot-and-scoot capability. Its compactness, backpack system and shape optimisation has given it strategic mobility. Passive protection from countermeasures has been built in.

ATAGS incorporates many of the latest trends. In automation a number of mechanisms – elevation & traverse, ramming, primer feeding, loading tray and breech operating –  along with a unique ammunition table, have all used innovative techniques. This is the only gun with servo-based all electric drives for all upper mechanisms.

To reduce weight and make the gun lighter, the recoil system was optimised during all stages of development – design, manufacturing, firing and post-firing. During the design stage, static and dynamic finite element analysis was done. During manufacturing stage, some components were manufactured with casting, investment casting and near net-shape forging and by using optimised welded joints.

During the firing stage, the design was optimised based on strain gauging and ‘g’ levels measurements. In the post-firing stage, material thickness was reduced at lower stress levels, Titanium alloys were used where possible and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) was used for non-load bearing components.

During all stages, modularity, maintainability and affordability was kept central to the design. A fine balance was achieved in trade-offs between

•             Longer range and deployability.
•             Lethal effect vs precision attack.
•             Automation vs simplicity.
•             Autonomy vs Manual operation.

In all these decisions on trends the overriding factor was the requirement to have indigenous content and have a gun which is fully a “Make in India’ product.

ATAGS – Salient Features

Range   BT>35km. BB>45km
Accuracy & Consistency – 0.6% in Range,
                0.2% in Line
Rate of Fire         Burst of 5rds per min
Direct Fire           2km
Gun Laying          ILNS in loop
Communication       SDR, VDCU, DIS
Automation        All electric
Compactness     Back Pack
Self-propelled mobility  >18km/hr
Technologies incorporated in ATAGS
* All electric drive based Servo-control
* Inertial land navigation system
* Online muzzle velocity update for FCS
* SDR based communications
* Non-moving optics based TI sight
* Autofrettaged gun barrel
* Hydro-pneumatic recoil system
* Hydrostatic transmission for self-prop
* Uses all indigenous ammunition

===============

Artillery Guns From Kalyani Group

Kalyani Group has gone for development of new guns without waiting for MoD orders. After the army launched a programme to procure 145 ultralight howitzers from the international market – a $700 million contract that BAE Systems eventually won with its M777 gun system – the Kalyani Group has unilaterally designed and built two different ultralight howitzers, which it intends to offer the army under the “Make-2” category.” Under this procurement category, companies can offer the MoD defence products they have developed at their own cost.

Of these ultralight howitzers, one is a 155 mm, 39-calibre titanium gun that weighs a mere 4.8 tonnes. Kalyani Group has dubbed it Mountain Artillery Gun – Titanium (MArG-T). Its range matches the BAE Systems M777 gun, with conventional ammunition fired to a range of 25 km. The other gun is a larger, cheaper, all-steel 155 mm, 52 calibre gun that weighs 7.8 tonnes and fires conventional ammunition to a range of 30 km.

Both these guns are truly indigenous, having been designed by Kalyani Goup’s R&D centre in Pune. While Bharat Forge’s metal working skills are acknowledged worldwide, their Pune R&D centre develops the command and control systems, central computers and automation that goes into gun systems.

In December 2018, with the Sino-Indian border roiled by the recent Doklam confrontation, then army chief, General Bipin Rawat, visited Kalyani Group and asked whether they could build a truck-mounted 155 mm, 39 calibre gun that could move around on the narrow roads of northern Sikkim. The gun that Kalyani group developed in response is on display at Defexpo. Based on a 4×4 vehicle produced by Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, the so-called “Go Anywhere Vehicle” offers unparalleled mobility.

The Kalyani Group has a growing relationship with BAE Systems and purchased the British company’s barrel production unit located in the UK. This facility has been physically relocated from the UK to Pune. For any future artillery orders BAE Systems gets from the international market – including a possible follow-on order from India for more M777 ultralight howitzers – it is likely to source barrels from the Kalyani Group.

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Nirmala Sitharaman, herself a former defence minister, allocated to defence Rs 471,378 crore, an increase of Rs 22,558 crore over the current year’s revised estimate of Rs 448,820 crore. This includes the outlay for revenue and capital expenditure, as well as military pensions. It works out to be 15.4 per cent of the country’s entire budget. If pensions are excluded, the defence budget was increased to Rs 3,37,553 crore, up from Rs 3,18,931 crore for the present fiscal ending March 31, 2020. This is a meagre 5.8 per cent hike.

Indian Army, Air Force and Navy which are facing a combined challenge from Pakistan and China, got just Rs 10,300 crore hike in funds to buy new arms and ammunition in the Union budget which could adversely impact their modernisation plans.

The salaries of the three Services and the civilians concerned work out to be Rs 1,34,989 crore, which now form 39.99 per cent of the budget. In other words, salaries and pensions take up more money than what is allocated for modernisation.

The forces have been demanding an increase in funds allocation to buy new weapons.  The Union budget has kept Rs 10,532 crore for defence research &development.

Army

The army has got the largest hike in capital spending, but this 8 per cent rise of Rs 2,669 crore will be insufficient to pay for the artillery guns, tanks and air defence systems the army badly requires.

Indian Army was also forced to cut some expenditures to ensure that it has ammunition for at least 10 days war.

The budget has allocated Rs 32,392 crore to the Indian army for its modernisation plans against Rs 29,666 crore given in the revised budget last year.

Navy

There is disappointment for the navy. Indian Navy has been given just Rs 26,688 crore in 2020-21 budget for modernisation against Rs 26,156 crore in the revised budget last year, despite public statements from senior admirals, including navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh, seeking a larger share of the defence budget.

Without that, the navy says it will be in no position to process important procurements – such as the production of six advanced submarines under Project 75I and the building of a second indigenous aircraft carrier to follow INS Vikrant, which Cochin Shipyard Ltd is likely to deliver next year.

A shortage in funds is forcing Indian Navy to curtail its plan to be a 200 ships fleet by 2027 as per maritime capability perspective plan. It has already cut some of the acquisition including Mine Counter Measure Vessels and P8i maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Air Force

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has again been allocated the lion’s share of the capital budget – Rs 43,282 crore, much of which will go towards instalments on earlier procurements, such as the 36 Rafale fighters that will begin delivery this year. However, this is lower than the IAF’s allocation of Rs 44,869 crore in the current year’s revised estimates.

IAF, which is in the process of buying new Rafale aircraft and also needs more fighter jets to replace its ageing aircraft, has actually seen a slight decrease in its  capital outlay for modernisation.

Capital Expenditure

The capital allocation used for purchase of new weapons, aircraft, warships and other military hardware like guns and new UAVs is Rs 1,13,626 crore. This means modernisation gets an increase of Rs 10,316 crore over this year’s allocation of Rs 1,03,310 crore.

Despite the large number of weapons systems due for procurement, the capital allocation has been raised only marginally in 2020-21. That rise of less than three per cent is insufficient to even cover inflation and forex exchange rate slippages. The military will, therefore, have less buying power next year.

The government has allocated Rs 32,392.38 crore ($4.5 billion) for meeting the Indian Army’s capital expenses, of which Rs 4,000 crore ($560 million) has been earmarked for buying military aviation assets for the land forces.

The Indian Navy has got Rs 26688.28 crore ($3.73 billion) for new purchases, of which it is expected to spend Rs 12,746 crore ($1.78 billion) for building its naval fleet.

The IAF has got lesser capital allocation for the next fiscal at Rs 43,281.91 crore ($6 billion), which is already Rs 1,587.23 crore ($222 million) less than the current fiscal’s revised estimates. A major chunk, Rs 26,909.88 crore (3.76 billion), will go towards aircraft and aeroengine purchases in 2020-21.

Revenue Expenditure

The rest of Rs 209,319 crore (over $29.3 billion) will go towards revenue expenses, which is usually for meeting recurring expenses such as on maintenance of infrastructure, replenishment of existing weapons and equipment, and for capacity building. In the 2020 fiscal, under revised estimates.

Major Purchases

The Indian Army is already in the process of acquiring six Boeing Apache gunships and is negotiating the purchase with the global vendor under a follow-on order for the 22 Apaches bought by the Indian Air Force.

The Modi government had in 2016 ordered 36 Rafale combat jets from France and the deliveries of the aircraft began last October. The budget for the aircraft will go towards committed liabilities such as the Rafale purchase.

Pensions

The budget for pensions has been hiked by Rs 21,742 crore and is now pegged at Rs 1,33,819 crore. This year, a sum of Rs 1,12,077 crore is earmarked for pensions.

Worryingly, the only appreciable rise in spending is in defence pensions, for which the allocation has risen by almost 14 per cent to Rs 133,825 crore for 2020-21. This raise comes on the back of a an even larger 16 per cent raise this year, over the 2018-19 pension allocation.

Since the grant of “one rank, one pension” in 2015-16, the military pension budget has more than doubled from the level of Rs 60,000 crore in 2015-16.

To put this in perspective, India spends more on its defence pensioners than Pakistan’s defence budget (Rs 1 lakh crore this year). India has approximately 26 lakh defence pensioners and each year it adds 55 lakh pensioners to this total. Five-yearly revisions in pension – the One Rank One Pension (OROP) – granted by the government in 2015 – means that the pension burden is only set to increase.

Comments

The MoD is looking at “right-sizing” the forces and also at cutting costs within. The Army has already started the restructuring process.

The defence budget amounts to 15.5 per cent of the government’s total spending of Rs 3,042,230 crore next year. That share of government spending is significantly lower than this year’s share of 16.6 per cent, the 17.4 per cent share in 2018-19 and the 17.7 per cent in 2017-18.

With this, the plans of the armed forces for modernising their weapons and equipment with new acquisitions can take a backseat for the next fiscal at least.

In a tell-tale sign of how this defence budget is perceived, defence minister Rajnath Singh had not a single word to say about the allocation for the armed forces in his eight-paragraph statement on the annual budget itself. The statement came in the form of a text message to the media from the ministry’s official spokesperson.

The three Services have been pressing for higher allocations to carry forward their long-pending modernisation plans and go for big ticket acquisitions in view of fast changing security matrix in the region including China further boosting its military might.

The expectations for higher allocation rose after last year’s Balakot strikes. Military experts said though the allocation was inadequate in view of the demands of the three forces, the outlay was satisfactory considering the state of the country’s economy.

The military was hoping for healthy increase in defence funding as several modernization programmes have to be implemented – ranging from artillery guns and helicopters to fighters and submarines. The armed forces will have to prioritise their purchases given that the available resources are inadequate.

A parliamentary panel has asked the defence ministry to “strongly press” for additional funds from the finance ministry to enable the military to buy new equipment and also pay for weapons and systems it has already contracted to purchase, at a time when the armed forces projected a combined requirement of almost Rs 1 lakh crore more under the capital head for 2019-20.

The Army accounts for a lion’s share of the budget – over 56%. This year’s defence budget saw an increase of Rs 2,500 crore in the Army’s capital budget (when compared to revised estimates of last year’s defence budget). The IAF, in sharp contrast, saw capital budget slashed by Rs 1,200 crore.

For a nation that allocates 15.49 per cent of federal government’s total annual expenditure, India’s bid to strengthen its defence exports is rather an expectation than innovation. It only serves the country well to foresee itself excel in defence exports, especially when our net exports stands at a negative trade balance of $184 billion in 2018-19.

Taking pride in its defence capabilities, India can aspire for a larger role in defence export on the global front. Developing artillery guns, aircraft carriers, light-combat aircraft, submarines and combat helicopters will make India a manufacturing hub in defence on the global scale. The prime minister spoke of expanding the export of defence equipment to Rs 35,000 crore, at Defexpo show in February, mentioning how it had risen from Rs 2,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 17,000 in the last two years.

Boosting the Make in India sentiment for defence equipment not only decreases India’s imports in defence but also pushes its exports – which will help reduce the negative export balance. A call for defence investors is also a plus for India in the current economic outlook. Defence remains a lucrative sector and investor sentiment will be favourable despite dull economic growth that has played a pivotal role in shooing away investors and further adding to the misery of the investment-starved economy. A conducive business environment, efficient supply-chain and logistics supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure is perhaps the package which will put India in a position of advantage. Defence, then, can become a trump card. Expanding its defence exports will be a major plus for India. It will help reduce the net exports negative balance.

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Defence, Aerospace Got Rs 1,800 cr FDI in 5 Years

Defence and aerospace sectors, the corner stones of the government’s ambitious Make in India programme, garnered relatively miniscule foreign direct investment (FDI) in the last five years.

While the country attracted FDI valued around $286 billion in the past five years across sectors, defence and aerospace, which were projected as high potential sectors under ‘Make in India’, could grab only a measly Rs 1,834 crore, according to government data released on 10 February.

The government had also announced two defence corridors – in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. While launching the Tamil Nadu Aerospace and Defence Industrial Policy at the Global Investors Meet in Chennai in January 2019, the then defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said: “…by announcing the corridor, we have invited quite a lot of manufacturers from abroad to come, choose the location where they want to establish their unit and start producing defence equipment”. But the investments are still nothing worth writing home about.

As per the data furnished by 79 companies operating in Defence and Aerospace sector, so far, FDI inflows of over Rs 1,834 crore have been reported after 2014 under both government and automatic route.In May 2001, the defence sector, until then reserved for the public sector, was opened up for 100 per cent Indian private sector participation and foreign direct investment up to 26 per cent.

Further, the government later allowed FDI up to 49 per cent under the automatic route and above 49 per cent through the government route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology or for other reasons to be recorded.

The government had envisaged that by allowing higher FDI in the defence sector, the global companies having high-end technologies can be encouraged to set up their manufacturing base in India in collaboration with Indian companies, thereby, resulting in creation of employment opportunities, saving foreign exchange and increasing indigenisation.

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Government’s Stand

In support of its argument, the government even argued that “troops are not yet mentally schooled to accept women officers in command of units” since they are “predominantly drawn from a rural background”. The statement says it all vis-à-vis Indian society. While modern age has established urban centres that may still follow practices of equality, rural settlements largely continue to exude deeply-rooted patriarchy. Though there have been exceptions to the norm in some states, patriarchy is still conveniently evident in general behaviour and parlance. That perhaps explain the government’s argument.

The rationale presented by the defence ministry to argue is that the military was not just a profession but a “way of life” that required sacrifices and commitment, which women officers would find a challenge “owing to their prolonged absence during pregnancy, motherhood and domestic obligations…” The government went on to argue that soldiers rely heavily on physical prowess in combat and that “inherent physiological differences between men and women” make it a challenge for women to command military units – even non-combat units. The argument against women also cites “minimal facilities for habitat and hygiene” in forward posts. Women, the government goes on to argue “have a negative impact on unit cohesion”.

The only persuasive logic that defence ministry deployed was that changing the terms of women officers’ service from short service commission (SSC) to PC, would militate against the findings of the Ajay Vikram Singh Committee that sought to create a leaner permanent cadre of officers, supplemented by an enhanced SSC cadre, which would serve a few years and then go home without competing for higher ranks. It was calculated that the PC: SSC ratio should be 1:1.1, in order to reduce the army’s worryingly pyramid-like promotion structure. Currently, that ratio is skewed at an unsustainable 3.98:1. The induction of hundreds of women officers from the SSC into the PC cadre will skew the promotion pyramid further.

Supreme Courts Observations

Noting that “the right to equality is a right to rationality”, the Supreme Court paved the way for women in command positions in the Army. The Court observed that an absolute bar on women seeking criteria or command appointments would not comport with the guarantee of equality under Article 14. Implicit in the guarantee of equality is that where the action of the state does differentiate between two classes of persons, it does not differentiate them in an unreasonable or irrational manner. In this sense, even at its bare minimum, the right to equality is a right to rationality.

The bench said that the engagement of women officers in the Army has been an evolutionary process and the Union of India should have acted in accordance with the Delhi High Court judgment when there was no stay on it. There is no reason and justification for the Union of India not to act as per the Delhi High Court verdict. On September 2, 2011, the Supreme Court has clarified this aspect and said there is no stay on the high court verdict. Despite that, scant regard has been paid to the verdict of Delhi High Court and the order of Supreme Court as well.

Background

From 1991 onwards, women officers have received Short Service Commission (SSC) for a service period of 14 years in eight of the 10 services and PC in the Law and Education cadre. In September 2019, the government extended PC to the eight services too but restricted this to only women officers who had been commissioned from 2014 onwards. The order was effective from April 2020. A large number of women officers with SSC from earlier batches continued to serve in the Army beyond their contracted period pending final resolution of a legal case for PC. The Supreme Court has now given finality by granting PC to all women officers, irrespective of year of commission.

In its essence, the court has addressed a petition by a group of 332 women officers challenging the terms and conditions of service imposed arbitrarily by the defence ministry in 2006. In that, the government permitted women to serve for 14 years (as against just five years earlier), but denied them eligibility for PC, which would allow them to continue serving for 20 years, by when they would be eligible for a pension. The SC judgment now allows women officers to opt for PC, whichever stage of service they are at. It also removes the bar the government had imposed on women tenanting command appointments, allowing them to command military units.

Where does the problem lie?

Currently, women are being inducted in the Army through a short-service commission with a service period for up to 14 years. There are 1,653 women officers in the Army, 3.89 per cent of the total number of officers in the Army.

In the Army, first there are Combat Arms: Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Armoured Corps and also Artillery. Women do not get commissioned into these.

This is followed by the Combat Support Arms: Signals, Engineers, Army Air Defence, Aviation and Intelligence. Women are commissioned in all five as these roles involve limited direct combat with the enemy.

Then comes the Services: Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) and the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) who in conventional war serve in administrative support roles. Women are commissioned in all three as well.

There are also two other departments: Army Education Corps (AEC) and the Judge Advocate General’s Branch (JAG); Women are commissioned in both; in fact these are only two departments that, from 1992 onwards, have given PC to women officers.

The Army Medical Corps has been recruiting women since long. Although the channel of recruitment to this cadre has been totally different as compared to other cadres, women are already receiving PC in this cadre and also rise up to the ranks including Lieutenant General.

Earlier women were granted permanent commission in the Army’s medical, legal and educational branches. With Supreme Court’s judgment now they will be given PC in cadres to which they are commissioned.

Further, Government’s argument that only women officers with less than 14 years of service would be considered for PC and that those who had reached 20 years of service would be discharged with pension was dismissed by the Supreme Court. The Court’s verdict opens the door for women joining the ranks of colonel and above in the Army Service Corps, Ordnance, Education Corps, Engineers, Signals, Intelligence and Engineering.

Comments

When we speak of equal opportunities, it is important that our understanding of the same cuts across a wide spectrum. If men can hold commanding positions, so should women. The practice of not allowing women to hold commanding positions in the army has perhaps reached its culmination with Supreme Court directive.

The apex court has done well to dismiss this deeply entrenched misogyny with the observation that this is a stereotypical and constitutionally flawed notion and that assumptions about women in the social context of marriage, family and society are not a constitutionally valid basis for denying equal opportunity to women officers.

Another argument that is made is that grant of PC or command appointments to women officers must be based on military needs and organisational requirements, not social considerations or pressure exerted by some groups. The Army, which is heavily deployed along the borders and in counter-insurgency operations, has a limited number of ‘sheltered’ or peace station postings. With more women PC officers occupying such positions, hard or field postings for male officers will be more prolonged.

The judgment has found merit in the argument that the army’s hierarchy must begin accepting women as equal colleagues. It has noted that, over the last 26 years, women officers of all ages and service profiles have been posted to sensitive places, including tough field areas, and that they have performed excellently for the most part. According to the court, women officers brought laurels to the country and won several gallantry and Sena medals as well as UN Peacekeeping awards for their contribution in armed forces. To cast aspersions on them on the basis of physiological features is wrong as it is based on fallacy, the Court said

This issue more often than not has been highlighted as an issue of equality but is rather an issue of similarity. Although there can be no universal solution to the issue because the fact remains that both male and female are not same or similar biologically. However, in terms of humanity, that is measuring in terms of human attributes, both are equal.

But the ongoing battle was more for PC and command positions, rather than combat roles. However, in support services, where women are already inducted, women may be granted equal training and pay as well as pension for providing the same amount of services with same professional competency as men.

An important functional issue is that of command opportunities. If women officers have to be placed in the same category as male officers with PC, with applicability of similar terms and conditions applicable to the latter, then their career management as PC officers has to be addressed. Thus far, under SSC, women officers were denied the requisite training and opportunity to assume command in the rank of Colonel which is the first “selection grade” rank. Male officers of this rank command units of respective Arms and Services but not all are given such opportunity; it is strictly through a stringent selection by a promotion board based upon confidential reports, record of service and qualifications. They are tested in command capability as Colonels and this makes them eligible for further selection for progression to higher ranks. The Indian Army, which is command oriented, tests its officers in command capability before any selection for promotion.

The Army may begin by assigning them command of peacetime establishments such as supply depots and then graduate to operational units. With regard to combat support arms, an experimental exercise must be done to ascertain command capability of selected women officers in both peace and field conditions under close supervision of senior male officers. These units have more manpower and bear operational risks of a higher order, which involves lives of soldiers. JAG and AEC departments where the criterion of testing is different have no such problems.

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The ground-breaking ceremony began with inter-faith prayers as four religious teachers, representing the four main religions of India, read lines from their sacred texts, wishing prosperity and well being for the building that will come up and people who will work in it.

Christened ‘Thal Sena Bhawan’, the multi-storeyed complex is designed “like a rising sun” and it will be spread over nearly 39 acres, officials said.The Army headquarters is currently housed in the iconic South Block at Raisina Hill in Lutyens’ Delhi.

Approximately 7.5 lakh sqm of the area will be constructed to house the office complex and parking. A total of 6,014 offices will be constructed which will house offices for 1684 officers both military and civilian. 1,300 sub staff will be accommodated in the new building. The new building complex will also have 250 security personnel for whom lodging facility will be there on the campus.

The cost of the project will be in excess of Rs 700 crore. The Defence Ministry in a statement later said the building, expected to be constructed in five years, will house offices, residential complex for security personnel with basic amenities.

The building will comply to ‘prestigious norms’ and have a GRIHA-5 rating. It will have three entry-cum-exit points – NH-44, Parade Road and Link Road.

There is movement of about 3,000-4,000 vehicles every day from various army establishments in the city and this would be not required once the ‘Thal Sena Bhawan’ comes up. There will be parking for 4,000 cars.

The new department of military affairs headed by the chief of defence staff (CDS) will be housed in this new building.

The new complex has been conceptualised as a multi-storey green building, adopting Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) norms.

The need for a centralised office space for army had been felt for many years. There were eight locations where offices are being run. Now it can function under one roof. Presently, the Army Headquarters functioning is spread over several pockets like South Block, Sena Bhawan, hutments area, R K Puram and Shankar Vihar, it said. The office of the army chief is also located in the imposing South Block which is part of the historic Raisina Hill complex built during the colonial era as part of the “new imperial capital” of the British Raj.

At present, the South Block houses the prime minister’s office and ministries of defence and external affairs, while the North Block has offices of the home and finance ministries. The two blocks fall under a very high-security zone. The North Block and South Block, Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) and Parliament House, surrounded by a lush green landscape and imposing fountains, were built during the construction of New Delhi that started in 1912.

Both the blocks, which symbolise the government authority since their inception in Lutyens’ Delhi, are likely to be converted into a museum as part of the government’s Central Vista Redevelopment project, officials in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry had said in January.

The housing ministry is the nodal agency for the ambitious redevelopment project of the Modi government.

The proposed work will generate minimum of 2 lakh hours of skilled and unskilled work. This will generate jobs for youth of the country.

The work for construction of Thal Sena Bhawan has been approved by the Government of India. Accordingly, work for Go Ahead Sanction for Preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Enabling Works for Thal Sena Bhawan at Delhi Cantonment was approved in FY 2019-20.The work was sanctioned to make up the existing deficiency of 44 per cent and also to accommodate the Army HQ in one place.

“The proposed Thal Sena Bhawan will bring all Army HQ offices under one roof thereby improving the working efficiency, while reducing the carbon footprint and logistics requirements. It will also allow more family time for all soldiers tenanting peace posting at Delhi,” Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said.

The army chief and other important directors located in South Block will also have to vacate this building. Therefore, it is important to construct a new army headquarters for the Indian Army. Significantly, the Indian Army has been demanding a new building for many years so that different offices could be brought together in the city.

The prominent offices that will shift to the new complex include the Engineer-in-Chief’s office, Territorial Army, recruitment branch, some offices of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Army Welfare Housing Organisation, medical branch, National Cadet Corps, Remount and Veterinary Corps and the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme.

To be sure, the Sena Bhawan, which is located near South Block, and houses several key offices of the army, will continue to function from its current premises. The new complex will help decongest the crowded Sena Bhawan. The army chief and several other senior officers, who have their offices in the South Block, will continue to work from there until the defence ministry moves out to a new location under the Central Vista redevelopment plan. In that sense, the new complex isnot really the army’s headquarters.

However, both Army Chief and the Chief of Defence Staff are likely to be in the South Block till the time the iconic building houses the Ministry of Defence.

Currently, the Chiefs of the Army and Navy have their offices in the South Block, while the Air Force Chief sits in Vayu Bhawan that houses most of the IAF offices. In comparison, the offices under Army and Navy headquarters are scattered.

In 2015, then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley laid the foundation stone of Nau Sena Bhawan-1, at a site opposite to Sena Bhawan in central Delhi. But in the last four years, there is barely any progress on the project.

However, construction work is going on Nau Sena Bhawan-2, which is within the cantonment area and close to the proposed Army HQ, which is being called Thal Sena Bhawan. The NSB-2 is likely to be finished by 2021 providing an opportunity to the Navy to integrate at least some of its offices under one roof.

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Global Artillery Systems Market is estimated to reach $19.13 billion by 2025; growing at a CAGR of 8.8% from 2017 to 2025. Artillery systems include large military weapons built to fire munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry’s small arms. With improved technology, lighter, more mobile field artillery are developed for battlefield use. The demand for the artillery systems is mainly driven by the expected procurement of key defence spending nations that are presently involved in conflicts, and developing economies involved in territorial disputes as well as countering insurgencies. Additionally, the need to keep a sufficient inventory of second line of fire artillery systems for militaries around the globe and high demand for training systems are likely to have a positive impact on demand of the Artillery Systems. 

Current Scenario: Indian Artillery

The Indian Army’s artillery modernisation plan envisages procuring 2,800 guns by 2027. The plan included procuring 1,580 towed guns, 814 truck-mounted guns, 100 tracked self-propelled guns, 180 wheeled self-propelled guns and 145 ultra-light howitzers.

Indian Army’s artillery modernisation has now turned indigenous with the focus on ‘Make in India’. After buying two artillery gun systems from foreign sources in the last six years, India is now going to buy India-made guns on a large scale to boost Indian industry in the private sector and technology in the public sector.

At a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council in December 2017, the government gave the go-ahead to procure 20 guns each of the 155mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) from the Tata Power SED and Bharat Forge. That would make a regiment each of the two-gun systems.

The November 2016 deal for the M777 is priced at nearly Rs. 5,000 crore and was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security. While the BAE Systems has begun delivery of the M777 guns to the Indian Army, a total of 25 guns would be delivered from the US in a fly-away condition. The rest 120 M777 guns would be assembled, integrated and tested at a facility in India, set up in partnership with the Mahindra Group.

Current Artillery Stock

The howitzers that can be helicopter-lifted were first proposed to be bought from BAE Systems about 10 years ago and the procurement has been made, even as the US arm of the global defence manufacturer was preparing to shut down its production facility for the guns. Both the K9 and the M777 guns have already been inducted into the Indian Army’s Regiment of Artillery in November 2018.

The Regiment of Artillery has hitherto been equipped with Field, Medium, Self-Propelled, Light and Medium Regiments. Field Regiments possess either 105 mm Indian Field/Light Field Gun or 122mm Field Howitzer. The Medium Regiments possess 130 mm Medium Gun, 155 mm Bofors Medium Gun (39 calibre) and a few regiments of 155 mm (45 calibre) Soltam Guns. The Self-Propelled Regiments are equipped with 130 mm ‘Catapult’ and the Light Regiments are equipped with 120 mm Mortars. The 105 mm, 120 mm Mortar, Soltam and the Catapult is made in India, while the 130 mm is being upgraded to a 155 mm (45 calibre) Gun under a ‘Make’ project.

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Adrift for two decades, India’s artillery modernisation plan appears finally falling into place. In 2018, the Indian Army started inducting the M777A2 ultra-light howitzers and the K-9 Vajra tracked self-propelled guns. Both these guns are in the 155 mm/52 calibre class and the Indian Army’s first new artillery inductions since the infamous Bofors deal in 1986.

The Dhanush, an upgrade of the Bofors FH-77B by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), too has provided some cheer. The Army is buying 145 M777s, 100 K-9 Vajras, and has committed an order for 114 Dhanush guns after receiving the first six.

Lesson from Our Military History

In the 1965 war with Pakistan, India had a total of 628 artillery pieces against Pakistan’s 552 tubes. This small numerical advantage was largely neutralised by the fact that a fair amount of Indian artillery was deployed against China. This left Pakistan with a slight overall edge. The major edge that Pakistan had in firepower, however, was caused by the generous American allocation of medium and heavy artillery guns and howitzers. Thus, Pakistan had a total of 174x155mm and 155mm guns/8 inch howitzers to India’s 112 medium and heavy guns (5.5 inch howitzers and one regiment of 7.2 inch howitzers). Of these 112, some 30-40 per cent were deployed against China. As such, Pakistan had a marked preponderance of artillery – especially medium and heavy artillery. This had a major impact on the outcome of the various battles in the 1965 War – especially in the Chhamb, Sialkot and Lahore sectors. Let us analyse this in detail.

Chhamb Sector. Pakistan’s 7th Infantry Division that launched the offensive on Chhamb was allocated two regiments of Patton tanks and the 4 Corps Artillery Brigade, which had three medium regiments, one field regiment and a heavy battery each of 155mm guns and 8 inch gun-howitzers. Pakistan’s 7 Division itself had 2×field regiments. Thus, Pakistan had 20 fire units (11 of them medium and heavy) against just four with India (a lone field regiment and a troop of mediums). The Pakistani medium guns just simply destroyed the sole Indian field regiment and blasted a path for the Pakistani tanks, which almost reached the Akhnur bridge. It was only India’s 1 Corps counter-offensive in Sialkot that forced Pakistan to pull back the formidable 4 Corps Artillery Brigade and one tank regiment out of Chhamb. This recoil forced a halt on the Pakistani advance to Akhnur.

Sialkot Sector. Pakistan’s 6th Armoured Division was located there with 6 armoured regiments. The Indian 1 Armoured Division attacked with 5 tank regiments. Pakistan threw in its tank regiments one by one and suffered heavily. Its 11 Cavalry Regiment was wiped out by our Centurions. In panic, Pakistan withdrew the 4 Corps Artillery Brigade and one regiment from Chhamb. The medium and heavy guns now stopped the Indian advance before Chawinda. In fact, the Pakistani medium guns destroyed more tanks than the Pakistani armoured regiments could. The preponderance of medium guns heavily affected the outcome of the battle. It finally stopped the Indian 1 Corps advance well short of Sialkot.

Lahore Sector. On the first day of the war itself (6 September) an Indian battalion had crossed the Ichhogil Canal. Had India’s 1st Armoured Division been allocated to this sector, as Gen Harbaksh Singh wanted, we could have encircled Lahore. Pakistan’s artillery played a major role in slowing down the Indian advance to a painful slog that just managed to lean on to the Icchogil Canal by the end of the war. Pakistan’s 1 Armoured Division counter-offensive, to get behind our two attacking corps, was trapped in the flooded fields of Asal Uttar and decimated by a combination of tanks and artillery. The value of medium guns was evident.

Indo-Pak War 1971. In the 1971 War, India had a clear edge in Artillery – especially in the East and it proved decisive. Pakistan had misused US aid given for cyclone relief to make concrete bunkers in Bangladesh. To neutralise these, additional medium artillery regiments were allocated to Eastern Command. In addition, 80 close air support (CAS) sorties per day were provided by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and these paved the way for a rapid advance in East Pakistan.

Kargil War 1999. Medium artillery once again proved to be a decisive and war-winning factor. Bofors medium guns and BM-21 Grad rocket regiments were pulled out from the Strike Corps to support our counter-attack in Kargil. 120 guns were deployed to support the attack on Tololing and proved to be the turning point. The norm set in this war was a 100 artillery tubes to support each battalion attack in the mountains. This won the war for us.

Mediumisation of the Artillery

No wonder, after the Kargil War, the Indian Army planned to rapidly rationalise the plethora of guns in its inventory and mediumize the artillery by standardising it around the 155/52mm calibre. Unfortunately, the ghost of Bofors has delayed this very vital artillery modernisation plan by over three decades. It was a disaster of monumental proportions. Only now, after a painful gap of 30 years, we have started inducting the American M-777 ultra light howitzers and the Dhanush locally made 155/45 cal medium guns along with the tracked 155/52 K- 9 Vajra of Korean origin. These have, at long last, started trickling in.

We need to standardize and rationalize the plethora of calibres and guns to the 155/52mm standard calibre. This one major step itself will give us a revolutionary overmatching capability over Pakistan in the West and serve to deter China in the North. This process was sabotaged by the Bofors scandal. This, along with the tragic draw down in our air power and squadron strength, ensured that for three decades India could not react or respond in any meaningful manner to Pakistan’s provocations and proxy war in Kashmir and its hybrid terror war all over Indian cities. We just had to patiently grin and bear it. The clear cut military modernization task for our government is, therefore, apparent and most urgent.

The Artillery Profile

Current Profile. India’s current artillery profile is a bewildering mish mash of various calibres and different artillery guns with the same calibre. Thus, India has:-

•             950 units of 130mm (M-46) Russian medium guns (some being upgraded to 155mm as the Sharang gun).

•             500 units of 122mm (Russian field guns).

•             1800 units of 105mm Indian Field Gun (IFG).

•             800 units of 105mm Indian Guns.

•             80 units of 105mm Abbot self-propelled (SP) guns.

•             110 units of 122mm Gvozdika (SP) guns.

•             410 units of 155mm FH-77 Bofors (now down to half).

•             150 units of 122mm Grad multi-barrel rocket launchers.

Proposed New Induction

The proposed new inductions are-

•             150 x 155mm K-9 Vajra SP tracked guns (of Korean origin).

•             145 x 155mm M777 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH of US origin).

•             150 x 155/52 Advanced Artillery Towed Gun System (ATAGS) of Indian origin.

•             114 x 155/45 calibre Dhanush gun made by OFB.

This would cater for about 500-600 new guns of the 155mm calibre. The need is to induct almost some 3000 guns of the towed, truck mounted and tracked class.

Option Matrix

We need to ensure that we not only mediumise but also indigenise in a manner that gives a major boost to defense production in the private sector. The option matrix so far is:

Public Sector. The Dhanush was developed as a 155/45 cal from the design drawings of the FH-77 Bofors. This gun now developed by the Indian ordinance factories is 25-30 per cent superior in performance to the Bofors. The first six guns were handed over to the Indian Army in April 2019. It has done well in trials and has a range of 40 kms.

Private Sector. In 2013, DRDO started the development of the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS). Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) was the lead design agency in a project ably partnered by the Bharat Forge, Tata Power and OFB. Bharat Forge’s Baba Kalyani had rendered yeoman service in this effort. Kalyani had purchased an entire Austrian 155mm gun factory and shipped it to India. With the companies inherent expertise in metallurgy it has resulted in the development of a radically advanced gun. In firing trials it touched ranges of 48kms and consistently fired beyond 47kms. It has a rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute. Compare this with the American gun of the same class, which has a range of 45 km and a rate of fire of 3 rounds per minute. Thus, India has come up with a world beater design.

Need for Sector Specific QRs. However, our military and civilian bureaucracy is far more concerned with the fine print of the GSQR. This gun, at nearly 20 tons, is said to be some 6 tons overweight. We are completely prepared to overlook the far superior performance parameters and demonstrably superior metallurgy of this gun in our obsession with the weight of this gun. How is the weight such a disqualifying factor? Most bridges in the plains and desert environment are class 70-capable of taking a 70-ton load of a tank transporter with a tank. In the mountains, our bridges can take 45-ton medium tanks. So this furore over 20 tons being a catastrophe is most uncalled for hogwash designed to somehow sabotage our Make in India project. Public sector behemoths are most uncomfortable with competition emerging from the private sector. And, if the 20-ton weight is such a major drawback, please first explain why we can always do away with the platform or try some other ways to bypass bureaucracy. In future, to avoid such bureaucratic bottlenecks, we should go for sector specific QRs. The critical factor is reliable metallurgy. We simply cannot afford to have barrels flowering on the battlefields and that is the key distinguishing parameter of the ATAGS.

Given this analysis, the obvious choice is to induct the ATAGS rapidly in much larger numbers. The defence minister, new chief of defence staff (CDS) and new Army chief must take the key command decision and circumvent the petty bureaucratic hurdles to the large scale induction of the ATAGS – an indigenous Indian gun produced in our private sector. It is the only major Indian success story of the private sector in the entire Make in India initiative. Why our bureaucracy should be so keen to kill it is mystifying.

Export Potential. India has desperately been trying to export its weapon systems to achieve economies of scale . If we wish to sell the ATAGS in the world market, the Indian Army will first have to induct it in large numbers that go beyond tokenism (a la Arjun). Let us reinforce success. Let us give due weightage to performance and reliability factors over staff quibbles. Let us launch a major drive to push this gun in the export market once our own requirements are met – that is the only way our Make in India drive will ever take off. It will generate many new jobs in India. Perfect should not become an enemy of the good.

Precision Guided Munitions. Krasnopol Russian precision Laser-guided shells were extensively used in the 1999 Kargil conflict and were useful against enemy bunkers and mortar positions. However, these had limitations. Hence, in 2019, emergency purchase was made of the M-982 American Excalibur Satellite/ GPS guided PGMs (artillery shells). These have a circular error of probability (CEP) of some 5 meters and have proved particularly effective against terror training camps and command and control targets as also counter-battery tasks. With 50 km plus ranges, these are a formidable weapons against such hybrid war targets.

Multi-barrel Rocket Launchers. India has some 150 units of Russian 122mm Grad MBRLs (range 20 kms), which have more than proved their worth in the 1971 and 1999 Kargil Wars as very effective area neutralization weapons. These are reaching obsolescence and are being replaced by the indigenous 214 mm Pinaka MBRLs, with ranges of 75 kms and plans to increase the range to 120 kms. In the time of extreme poverty of medium artillery, Pinakas were being used to replace medium guns. This is principally incorrect. We have also acquired the formidable Russian BM-30 Smerch MBRLs, which with their range of 70-90 kms and greater throw weight, can put the fear of God in any enemy.

New Mounted Gun. The Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur has developed a new truck-mounted gun system. Its range is 40 km. This gun can fire multiple rounds in a short duration. It was featured in Defense Expo of 2018. It is undergoing a series of tests. It will be manufactured in collaboration with the private sector.

Athos 2052 Howitzer. The Elbit-Bharat Forge bid for the Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System (ATHOS) is a long-range 155mm/52 caliber gun was found significantly lower than that of French Nexter, which offered the Trajan gun jointly with its Indian partner Larsen & Toubro. Elbit-Bharat Forge are said to have pulled their price below even that of the Dhanush 155 mm/42 calibre. While the requirement is for 1,580 towed guns, reports have suggested the possibility of the order being pruned to 400 imported guns.

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