India and US to work on Next gen Raven uav

India and US Under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) have agreed upon to develop next-generation hand-launched remote-controlled mini UAV which will be an advanced variant of “Raven” UAV system is manufactured by a US firm AeroVironment.

India media. have been reporting on possible local production of RQ-11 “Raven” leading to transfer of technology but today’s press release further clarifies that India and US companies will jointly work on new mini UAV which will eventually replace older RQ-11 model widely used in US military and among Nato troops .

India’s National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has developed mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ” Slybird.” and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) too has unveiled the hand-launched fixed-wing mini UAV Imperial Eagle.

It’s still not clear which Indian companies will participate in the development of next-generation handheld mini UAV which will be operated by troops from both countries and other allies.

US to help India design jet engines

Washington has agreed to assist Delhi in sharing, designing and developing jet engines for aircraft—a critical technology that is exclusively owned by a handful of countries—in what is being considered a big step forward in Indo-US defence collaboration.

The assistance comes within months of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) winding up a Russia-backed project to develop Kaveri jet engines after losing more than Rs 2,000 crore and almost three decades.

New Delhi and Washington negotiated the text of the bilateral Defence Framework Agreement for the next 10 years as the existing framework signed in 2005 by then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld expired in 2014. The new pact, however, is yet to be signed.

“We have decided to take our growing defence cooperation to a new level. We have agreed, in principle, to pursue co-development and co-production of specific advanced defence projects. These will help upgrade our domestic defence industry, and expand the manufacturing sector in India,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the joint press conference with US President Barack Obama here on Sunday.

The big takeaway is the collaboration on jet engines, to be used in home-grown aircraft. “India and the US have agreed to explore development of jet engine in the country. It would be broader than the Kaveri programme,” said S Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador to the US.

Originally meant for use in indigenous light combat aircraft, the Kaveri jet engine was being developed with support from Russia. But the engine developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment in Bengaluru could fly only for 73 hours on the IL-76 Flying Test Bed (FTB) in Russia.

Because of the delay, DRDO picked up the US-made GE 404 engine for the Tejas Mk-1 and GE 414 for the Tejas Mk-II aircraft.

India and US allow each other to use military bases

India is to throw open its military,air and naval bases to the US. In return India can use the US military facilities including communication setup. India can also get US to fight alongside it in case of a war. This move was mooted during UPA time and it was shot down by allies then like the Left parties. Defence Minister Antony too had vetoed it saying that it would compromise security of India. These clauses would come under the renewal of Defence pact signed in 2005. Under this pact, US had supplied India around $10 billion worth arms.

US had given draft of the agreements that offer sharing of communication, logistical support and cooperation of basic information. Sharing of communication would give US access to India’s secured communication systems. The advantage the defence ministry argues is that in turn Indian ships can get real time information through US networks which is not possible today. NDA ministry terms these agreements as just making it formal for an arrangement that is operational. It points out that Indian ships in Gulf waters do refuel from US ships in sea and neither countries have objected. Now that US has shifted base to Asia, India is seen as a partner by US.

Modi has told the defence ministry to complete the paperwork before Obama’s visit and get ready to push it through. Critics say that giving US the right to use Indian soil for their military adventures in Asia could take away the non aligned stance policy.

As the new regime in Sri Lanka has not dumped China and restoring all rights to ex-Army Chief Sarath Fonseka who led the army against Tamils and a pro-China man, India feels that it is time that the paranoia towards US be dropped. Left parties that were against the agreement are marginalized. Reactions from China and Russia to this new agreement have to be watched.