ANI has recently reported that India and France are moving closer to a deal worth around €300 million for the procurement of additional SCALP long-range cruise missiles.
Doesn’t the import of SCALP missiles adversely impact the development and induction of the ITCM—Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (Nirbhay)?
Under the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and subsequent Positive Indigenisation Lists (formerly called Negative Import Lists), the Ministry of Defence barred the import of long-range cruise missiles to support the Nirbhay programme.
We appear to be breaking our own Make-in-India rules to acquire weapons from Western nations, increasing our dependency on foreign vendors instead of reducing it.
If Atmanirbharta is a genuine quest, why isn’t the development of the ITCM being prioritised?
The ITCM Mystery
The ITCM has been under development since 2010. It is ironic that in 15 years we have not been able to develop a subsonic cruise missile, and yet we are confident of developing the AMCA, which is not even at the prototype stage, within 10 years.
However, ITCM was last successfully tested on April 18, 2024. During the test, all subsystems performed as per expectations.
The successful flight test also established the reliable performance of the indigenous propulsion system (Manik turbojet) developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru.
Would it not make more sense to use the €300 million earmarked for the SCALP purchase to operationalise the ITCM as soon as possible, at least on the Su-30MKI? One cannot help but wonder if the additional purchase of SCALPs is a quid pro quo for the recent trade deal with the EU.
India, it appears, is bending over backwards to please Western nations despite being shabbily treated by the U.S.
Ignoring Russian Weapons
It appears that the Atmanirbharta paradigm applies only to Russian weapons. The IAF has projected a requirement for 2–3 interim stealth fighters. Russia has offered the Su-57 fighters, but India cannot acquire them because it could negatively impact the AMCA programme. (More likely, it is because we fear U.S. sanctions.)
Logically speaking, if AMCA is delivered as per the projected timeline and turns out to be better than the Su-57, then that would be the end of the Su-57—not just in India, but also in other possible Russian export markets.
With Russian weapons, which tend to be more cost-effective, we look a gift horse in the mouth. Western weapons, however, are treated like thoroughbreds even when they are actually overpriced mules.
Our desire to please the West now goes well beyond acquiring weapon systems that we cannot develop.
Take the case of drones, for example. By any logic, all types of drones should be on the Positive Indigenisation List. Where is the need to import drones? Surely, we have the time, talent, and technical know-how to develop our own.
So how does one explain India’s increasing dependence on U.S. and European companies for drones?
V-BAT Acquisition & Local Production
The recent tie-up between India’s JSW Defence and U.S. defence contractor Shield AI to locally manufacture the V-BAT Unmanned Aerial System in India for use by the Indian Army (IA) deserves scrutiny.
V-BAT is a very capable reconnaissance drone with around 12 hours of endurance. It can operate at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet and has a range of up to 180 km with a line-of-sight data link, which can be extended using SATCOM.
Besides its ability to navigate through GPS-denied environments, the drone stands out for its ability to take off and land vertically. Despite its large size, its VTOL capability allows it to operate from only a 12×12-foot clearing, making it deployable from jungle clearings or narrow Himalayan ridges.
V-BAT uses ducted-fan technology, which facilitates an improved maximum take-off weight to payload weight ratio.
V-BAT’s duct increases thrust by 80%+ at equivalent engine power, enabling take-off and landing with a single powerplant. It can fly for half a day or stop and hover for hours on end.
On the downside, the drone costs approximately $1 million per unit.
The IA has acquired V-BAT drones worth roughly $35 million (approximately ₹295 crore) under the emergency purchase provision. Now, JSW Defence is investing $90 million to set up production in Hyderabad.
To be useful to the IA, the drone would need to operate near the LoC or LAC. However, considering its large size, slow speed (167 km/h), and operating height of 20,000 ft, when operating close to the border the drone would always be vulnerable to adversary AD systems.
Notably, the drone is powered by Shield AI’s licensed Hivemind autonomy software. Hivemind AI allows the V-BAT to operate autonomously using machine vision in GPS-denied environments and during heavy electronic warfare (EW) jamming.
One should not expect Shield AI to part with the software’s source code.
The question here is: is the requirement for V-BAT capability compelling enough for the private-sector JSW to invest $90 million without firm orders? Or is there proverbially more to it than meets the eye?
Drone Racket
Many small Indian private-sector companies are now selling drones to the Indian Armed Forces. You might think the drones they are selling are indigenously developed. Think again!
Most of the drones with fancy Sanskrit names being sold to the Armed Forces (AFs) are not Indian-designed, developed, or manufactured, despite Atmanirbharta claims.
Chennai-based private company TUNGA Aerospace Industries was in the news recently for having tied up with Czech firm U&C UAS to supply drones to India’s armed forces. Disconcertingly, the drones proposed to be sold to the AFs are based on Ukrainian technology.
U&C UAS is marketing modified Ukrainian drones, including platforms derived from the Leleka and Bulava drone families.
Any ToT clause notwithstanding, Indian private-sector joint ventures with foreign OEMs will not lead to Indian-designed, developed, and manufactured products in the future. The JSW–Shield AI joint venture will continue peddling V-BAT upgrades and follow-on variants under Sanskrit names, just as TUNGA Aerospace will continue peddling Ukrainian drones.
No comments:
Post a Comment