New Delhi, 1st May 2023. Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, AVSM, VM has taken over as the 17th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) on 01 May 2023. The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is the only Joint-services Command in India and serves as a model for the country’s planned theaterisation of Army, Navy, and Air Force capabilities.
Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan is a distinguished alumnus of the National Defence Academy Khadakwasla, having been commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1986. With over 3200 accident-free fighter flying hours on various variants of MIG-21 and Kiran aircraft, he is an accomplished fighter combat leader. The Air Marshal has held various key positions throughout his illustrious career, including CO of a Bison Squadron, the first Commanding Officer of an AWACS Squadron, and Air Officer Commanding at the prestigious AF Station at Jodhpur. Before assuming Command of ANC he was the Senior Air Staff Officer at the IAF Training Command at Bengaluru.
For his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Presidential Awards of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal.
New Delhi. Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), embarked on a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka on 1st May, 2023. During the visit, the CAS is scheduled to meet the Hon’ble President of Sri Lanka, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, the Hon’ble State Minister of Defence, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Commanders of Sri Lanka Air Force, Army & Navy, and the Defence Secretary.
The CAS is visiting Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal SK Pathirana. During the visit the CAS shall also interact with student officers of the National Defence College, Sri Lanka and visit the Sri Lankan Air Force Academy. The visit of the CAS will enhance the existing professional ties and bonds of mutual cooperation between both the Nations.
New Delhi, 25th April, 2023. The sixth edition of Cope India-2023, an Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and United States Air Force (USAF), conducted over the last two weeks at Air Force Stations Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra, culminated on 24 Apr 2023. The exercise involved participation of frontline IAF aircraft like Rafale, Tejas, Su-30MKI, Jaguar, C-17 and C-130. The USAF in turn had fielded the F-15 ‘Strike Eagle’ fighter, C-130, MC-130J, C-17 and the B1B, strategic bomber aircraft. Aircrew from the Japanese Air Self Defence Force also participated as observers. This joint exercise provided valuable opportunity for the participants of all countries to exchange ideas and imbibe best practices through interactions, exchanges & combined missions.
Cultural exchanges were also organised during the exercise to reinforce the bond of friendship and camaraderie. This exercise reaffirms the deep rooted commitment to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the two Air Forces boosting the inter-nation cooperation between the two largest democracies.
New Delhi, 22nd April, 2023. 44 Squadron of the Indian Air Force is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee this year at Chandigarh. The rich and glorious history of the Sqn is a kaleidoscope of military history and military diplomacy of modern-day India and filled with tales of fortitude, courage, daring, devotion and professionalism which encapsulates all that IAF stands for.
The Squadron was raised on 06 Apr 1961 and equipped with the AN-12 aircraft. It operated the AN-12 till 1985. In March 1985, it brought the IL-76 aircraft into India, which was formally inducted into IAF on 16 Jun 1985. The aircraft continues to in service today. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations due in 2021 had to be postponed due to COVID 19 pandemic.
The harbinger of strategic airlift in the IAF, the Squadron has been a part of all major military and HADR initiatives in the recent history of the nation, which not only saw the IAF and the nation evolve from a tactical to a strategic force, but also enhanced the military might of the sister Services. The Squadron provided succor in times of need to the citizens of the country as well as people all around the world, in keeping with the nation’s belief of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
The Squadron has stayed true to its motto of ‘ISHTAM YATNEN SADHYET’ which means ‘ACHIEVE GOALS THROUGH PERSEVERANCE’. In 1985 the Squadron was renamed as the ‘MIGHTY JETS’.
Since its raising, No. 44 Sqn has been at the forefront of the airlift activities undertaken by IAF. The Squadron continues to remain ever ready to undertake any task that is entrusted to it.
New Delhi, 17th April, 2023. The Indian Army has transformed the procedure for recruitment of Agniveers, Junior Commissioned Officers and other categories with the introduction of a Computer Based Online Common Entrance Exam as the first step. The online CEE for eligible registered candidates has commenced at 375 Examination Centers in 176 pan-India locations today and will continue till 26th April, 2023.
The online exam is being conducted with assistance from Education Consultancy Services India Limited, a Mini Ratna Company under the Ministry of Education.
The technological threshold of youth in the nation has improved significantly and with enhanced network connectivity and the proliferation of smartphones, the youth is now empowered to undertake an online exam instead of traveling long distances to appear for physical exams. The changed methodology will ensure an increased focus on the cognitive aspect during selection and prevent chances of malpractice. It will have wider outreach across the country and also reduce the large crowds seen during recruitment rallies to make them more manageable & easier to conduct.
The new recruitment procedure will be carried out in three stages. In stage one, all candidates who have registered and applied online on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in will undergo Online Common Entrance Exam. In stage two, the shortlisted candidates will be called for recruitment rallies from June 2023 onwards in phases at locations decided by respective Army Recruitment Office where they will undergo Physical Fitness Test and Physical Measurement Test. Finally, in Stage three the selected candidates will undergo Medical Test. Thereafter, the final merit list of the successful candidates will be declared.
The modified recruitment system will make the recruitment process more streamlined, transparent and is designed to optimally exploit the latest IT infrastructure available in the nation.
New Delhi, 13th April, 2023. An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent will be departing tomorrow for France, to participate in Exercise Orion at Mont-de-Marsan, an Air Force base of the French Air and Space Force (FASF). The exercise will be conducted from 17 April to 05 May 2023, with the IAF Contingent comprising four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78 aircraft and 165 air warriors. This would be the first overseas exercise for the IAF’s Rafale aircraft.
Besides the IAF and the FASF, Air Forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain and United States of America would also be flying in this multilateral exercise. Participation in this exercise would further enrich the employment philosophy of the India Air Force, by imbibing the best practices from other Air Forces.
Shri Rajnath Singh calls for judicious use of financial resources, advice based on sound economic analysis, internal audit and payment & accounting
“Rule of competitive bidding through open tender must be followed in defence procurement”
The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Rajnath Singh lighting the lamp at the inaugural session of three-day International Conference on Defence Finance & Economics 2023, in New Delhi on April 12, 2023.
New Delhi, 12th April, 2023. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has stressed on the need to devise innovative methods to maximise the value of money spent on the security needs of the country, terming a robust defence finance system as the backbone of a strong military. Inaugurating the three-day International Conference on Defence Finance & Economics in New Delhi on April 12, 2023, Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that a legal and procedural defence-finance framework is an integral part of a mature state system, which ensures prudent management of the defence expenditure.
The Raksha Mantri stated that such a framework, which includes expenditure control as per guidelines, financial advice by professionals, audit, payment authentication mechanism, etc., ensures that the defence spending is well within the allocated budget and the full value of money is realised. He emphasised that while the Armed Forces require a superstructure of defence ecosystem, involving R&D organisations, industries, soldier welfare organisations, etc., they also need a well-funded system with a robust architecture to ensure the optimum and judicious use of financial resources.
Shri Rajnath Singh was of the view that it is difficult to apply the economic concept of full value of money in defence expenditure, as in this sector, there is no visible revenue stream and no easily identifiable beneficiaries. To maximise the value of money spent, he stressed that the rule of competitive bidding through open tender must be followed in defence procurement.
“In the case of procurement of defence platforms/equipment, either under capital or revenue route, the gold standard of Open Tender should be adopted to the extent possible. A competitive bid based procurement process, which is open to all, is the best possible way to realise the full value of the public money being spent. There would be some rare cases when it may not be possible to go for an open tender process. Such instances should come under exceptions and exceptions should not become the rule,” the Raksha Mantri said.
Shri Rajnath Singh underscored the importance of comprehensive Blue Books, codifying the rules and procedures of procurement of defence equipment & systems for a fair and transparent system. He said, with this vision, the Government has formulated Blue books in the form of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 for capital acquisition; Defence Procurement Manual for revenue procurement and Delegation of Financial Powers to Defence Services. “These manuals play a very important role in ensuring that the process of defence procurement is rule-bound and follows the principles of financial propriety. Since these manuals are critical, they need to be carefully crafted by defence finance and procurement experts in consultation with all the stakeholders. This needs to be a continuous exercise, so that these documents are dynamically updated, incorporating new rules and procedures as and when required,” he said.
The Raksha Mantri also emphasised on the role of expert financial advice to the Service personnel in day-to-day financial matters. He said, the system of Integrated Financial Advisor (IFA) has been created to provide financial advice to the Competent Financial Authority (CFA) in order to help them in avoiding the wastage of public money. In this system, the IFA and CFA work as a team towards utilising public money in a prudent manner, he said.
Shri Rajnath Singh batted for a fool-proof system of internal and external audit which would tackle the instances of wastages, pilferage and corruption, if any, even after following the principles of financial prudence and propriety. The role of auditors is that of a watchdog or a sentinel, he said.
The Raksha Mantri also elaborated on the need for a sound system of accounting, passing of bills and payment, salary and pension disbursal, etc., as it frees the Armed Forces personnel to concentrate on their core jobs. He added that the separation of functions of defence finance from the core defence organisations has multiple advantages. “The chances of leakages, corruption, wastages are reduced. A positive public opinion is generated when there is a justified confidence that public money is being spent optimally and prudently. With greater public trust and confidence in the system of defence expenditure, the defence system benefits overall, as the chances of greater funding by legislature increases pari-passu (Latin for equal footing),” he said.
Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that the central idea is that defence establishments like Army, Navy, Air Force, Defence Research organisations etc. require a specialised agency, which is dedicated to defence finance and economics. In India, this work is being done competently by the Defence Accounts Department under the leadership of Financial Advisor (Defence Services), he said.
Before the international delegates, the Raksha Mantri also put forth the idea of shared security. “In the spirit of collective security of the whole world as one family, we are all partners in the path towards a secure and prosperous future for the entire humankind. We have a lot to learn from your experiences in the field of defence finance and economics and we are ready to share our learning with you,” he said.
The Raksha Mantri stated that the full potential of society’s development can be realised only when it is secure from external and internal threats. He described security of the people from external aggression and internal disruptions as the prime function of the state. Security is the bedrock on which the prosperity, arts and culture of any society flourish and prosper, he said.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Shri Vijoy Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Smt Rasika Chaube, Additional CGDAs Shri Praveen Kumar & Shri SG Dastidar and delegates from within in the country & abroad were present on the occasion.
The three-day conference, organised by the Ministry of Defence (Finance), will witness the participation of eminent policy makers, academics and government officials from India and abroad, including from USA, UK, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Kenya. It will provide a platform to them to share their insights and experiences on Defence Finance and Economics in the context of evolving security challenges and policies globally.
The conference aims to foster dialogue and collaboration among the participants and contribute to the country’s defence readiness with optimum financial resources and effective implementation of the Defence Budget. The objective is to disseminate best practices, experiences & expertise of various countries and align processes in the Indian context with international standards. It also hopes to facilitate collaborations with foreign governments, international institutions and global leaders in the domain of Defence Finance and Economics to support the Government’s ongoing efforts on indigenisation and self-reliance in the Defence sector, and to advance transformative reforms.
The topics of discussion will include current challenges and opportunities in the areas of Defence Finance and Economics, such as how to allocate and use resources efficiently & effectively and how to manage logistics in a cost-conscious way. The participants will also deliberate upon different models and practices of finance and economics related to Defence Acquisition around the world as well as the latest developments and innovations in Defence Research and Development.
In addition, the discussions will address best practices on managing human resources in Defence, including issues related to pay, pensions and welfare of Defence Personnel and the role & functions of oversight mechanisms within defence ecosystems.
New Delhi, 10th April, 2023. Exercise Cope India 23, a bilateral Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) is being held at Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda and Agra. The exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and share their best practices.
The first phase of exercise has commenced today. This phase of the exercise will focus on air mobility and will involve transport aircraft and Special Forces assets from both the Air Forces. Both sides will field the C-130J and C-17 aircraft, with the USAF operating an MC-130J, as well. The exercise also includes the presence of Japanese Air Self Defence Force aircrew, who will participate in the capacity of observers.
It is a matter of pride that India’s defence capabilities have expanded immensely to cover all the frontiers of land, air and sea: President Murmu
New Delhi, 8th April, 2023. The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu took a historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on 8th April, 2023. The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for approximately 30 minutes covering Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley with a view of Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station.
The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, Commanding Officer of the 106 Squadron. The aircraft flew at a height of about two kilometers above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kilometers per hour. President Murmu is the third President and second woman President to undertake such a sortie.
Later in the visitor’s book, the President expressed her feelings by writing a brief note in which she said “It was an exhilarating experience for me to fly in the mighty Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. It is a matter of pride that India’s defence capabilities have expanded immensely to cover all the frontiers of land, air and sea. I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team of Air Force Station Tezpur for organising this sortie.”
The President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force (IAF). She expressed satisfaction on the operational preparedness of the IAF.
The President’s sortie in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft is a part of her efforts to engage with the armed forces, as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. In March 2023, the President visited INS Vikrant and interacted with officers and sailors on board of the indigenously built aircraft.
The projects to enhance surveillance, detection, tracking & Electronic Warfare capabilities of Indian Air Force
Ministry of Defence, March 23, Delhi: signed two separate contracts with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), at a total cost of over Rs 3,700 crore, to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force. The first contract, worth over Rs 2,800 crore, pertains to the supply of Medium Power Radars (MPR) ‘Arudhra’ for the Indian Air Force. The second contract, at an overall cost of approx. Rs 950 crore, relates to 129 DR-118 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR). Both projects are under Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured)} category. These essentially embody the spirit of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and will help facilitate the realisation of the country’s journey to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
MPR (Arudhra)
The radar has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL. Its successful trials have already been conducted by the Indian Air Force. It is a 4D multi-function phased array radar with electronic steering in both azimuth and elevation for surveillance, detection and tracking of aerial targets. The system will have target identification based on interrogations from co-located Identification Friend or Foe system.
The project will act as a catalyst for development of manufacturing capability in the industrial ecosystem.
DR-118 RWR
The DR-118 Radar Warning Receiver will considerably enhance the Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities of Su-30 MKI aircraft. Majority of sub-assemblies and parts will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers. The project will boost and encourage active participation of Indian Electronics and associated industries, including MSMEs. It will generate employment of approx. two lakh man-days over a period of three and half years.
The DR-118 RWR is a significant leap forward in developing indigenous EW capabilities and making the country ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
New Delhi, 10th April, 2023. Exercise Cope India 23, a bilateral Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) is being held at Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda and Agra. The exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and share their best practices.
