Indra Receives Contract to Supply Navigational Aids for 37 Indian Military Airfields
Spanish defense systems company, Indra has been awarded a contract for the supply of navigational aids to 37 of Indian military airfields. The contract is part of the ongoing Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) project by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD). The systems will be supplied through the Indian company Tata Power SED which was awarded the INR 1,200 crore (USD 159 million) MAFI contract.
The 37 military airfields belong to the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The modernisation of India's airfields started in 2011 with Indra supplying navigational aids to IAF's 30 airfields under the MAFI Phase-I program. According to Indian MoD, the airfields modernized under MAFI Phase-I have been of immense benefit to both military and civil users.
With the new contract, Indra will deliver an additional 24 instrument landing systems (ILS) and 29 Doppler Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni Range (DVOR) guidance systems during a project period of three years. The company has also supplied navigational aids to most of the country's civil airports, making Indra a major contributor to flight safety for air traffic in India.
Japan Deepens Intelligence Sharing with India, Australia and the UK
Japan seeks to expand cooperation in sharing defense intelligence with partners such as India, Australia and the U.K. broadening the scope of its state secrets law to include exchanges with countries beyond the U.S. The expansion came in last month's revision of standards for the legislation, which already covers Washington, Tokyo's closest ally. The law — enacted in 2014 amid controversy — sets penalties of up to 10 years in prison for leaking secrets deemed to risk causing severe damage to Japan's national security, covering areas such as defense, diplomacy and counterterrorism.
Classifying information from a foreign military as a state secret will facilitate joint exercises and tie-ups for developing equipment. It also becomes easier to share data on Chinese troop movements, an increasingly crucial issue as it has grown harder for Tokyo to track Beijing's activities in the region on its own.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels sailed through waters in the East China Sea around the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by China as the Diaoyu.
The law change is geared toward the U.K., Australia, India and France, with which Japan has signed agreements that obligate both sides to keep classified defense information secret. Reducing the risk of leaks should encourage these countries to share confidential data.
Jul 03, 2020
Defence Ministry Approves Procurement of MiG-29 and Sukhoi Fighter Jets
The Defence Ministry gave its approval to the Indian Air Force to speedily procure 21 MiG-29 fighter jets besides 12 Sukhoi MK1 from Russia – a key development that comes in the middle of an almost two-month long military standoff with China.
The Defence Ministry's Defence Acquisition Council also gave its nod for the upgradation of existing 59 MiG-29 aircrafts.
The DAC also approved acquisitions of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces for an approximate cost of Rs. 38,900 crore.
It also cleared the acquisition of 248 Astra Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missiles for the Indian Air Force and the Navy.