LR-SAM operationalised: Indian Navy successfully tests long-delayed air defence missile

By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 30th Dec 15



In a giant capability boost for the Indian
Navy, a naval warship today test-fired a new missile that can shoot down
incoming aerial threats --- such as aircraft and missiles --- whilst they are
still 70 kilometres away.



A defence ministry press release today
stated: �Adding a quantum jump in its air defence capability, INS Kolkata,

International figures say India no longer biggest arms importer; India�s own figures say still Number One

Calculating arms imports is difficult; for example, INS Kochi, an India-built destroyer, has numerous imported systems



By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 29th Dec 15



The authoritative Congressional Research
Service (CRS), which provides data and analysis to the US Congress, finds that
India no longer features in the world�s three biggest arms importers.



A new CRS report, according to

Trade, energy and defence take centrestage in Modi�s talks with Putin

From the joint statement:



Beyond six nuclear power reactors at Kudankulam, Russia welcomed progress in identifying second site in India for additional six nuclear reactors.



Inter-governmental agreement (IGA) for building Kamov-226 helicopters under �Make in India� scheme.



Joint Study Group for studying possibility of hydrocarbon pipeline system connecting Russia and India.

S-400 missiles, Kamov-226 helicopters, Gen-5 fighters on Modi�s agenda in Russia

The Russian S-400 air defence missile that could feature in Modi's agreements with Putin in Russia today



By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 24th Nov 15



Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi
visiting Russia on what much of the world considers Christmas Eve? Because it
will not be Christmas in Russia until January 7, according to the Gregorian
calendar, when Orthodox Christians --- Russia�s

MoD clears Rs 30,000 crore buy of Russian S-400 air defence system

By Ajai
Shukla

Business
Standard, 18th Dec 15



On
Thursday, the defence ministry�s apex procurement body, the Defence Acquisition
Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, cleared the purchase
of the S-400 mobile surface to air missile system (M-SAM), Russia�s latest and
most vaunted air defence system.



A Reuters
report, quoting a source speaking on condition of

Defence equipment parameters should be realistic

By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 11th Dec 15



It has been reported that the secretary to
the Department of Defence Production complained, in a lecture earlier this week
at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, that the military frames such
ambitious specifications for equipment being procured that Indian companies get
left out of the procurement -- because they simply cannot

New missile adds teeth to the navy: a look at the LR-SAM

The air force version of this missile, the MR-SAM, will undergo its first test flight next year



By Ajai
Shukla

Business
Standard, 2nd Dec 2015



A
successful missile test on Thursday, in the Mediterranean Sea off the Israeli
port of Haifa, is potentially a giant capability leap for Indian and Israeli warships.



Developed
jointly by both countries, Israelis refer to the new missile

Book Review: Crouching dragon, kneeling tiger

Title : Why
India is Not a Great Power (Yet)

Author : Bharat Karnad

Publisher : Oxford
University Press, New Delhi

Pages : 552

Price : Rs
875/-



Followers
of this country�s strategic and security policy know well that to read Bharat
Karnad is to imbibe the most hawkish Indian worldview and perspectives outside
the Sangh Parivar. Over the years,