India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

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ramana
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

They need to be careful that there are no leaks to the argon chamber lest they get contaminated welds down the road.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

Keep the chamber over pressurised, problem solved.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Reddy »

ranji wrote:
Hiten wrote:any idea what this yellow thing is? From this month's HAL-Connect

https://imageshack.us/a/img802/9696/i1cb.jpg
It is suit for the new welding chamber for Su-30 MKI engine. You can read the report of the new chamber here http://frontierindia.net/hindustan-aero ... at-koraput

It quotes:

The MCW shop features a Robotic tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding system in argon chamber which is used for welding of complicated assemblies for aero engine in total argon environment to ensure quality and reliability.
It looks like PVC suit. Welding and plastics don't go well together.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kmkraoind »

Palkhi reloaded - Punemirror

Not a defense news, but related to DRDO.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday handed over the newlydesigned rath to the Sant Dyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan, replete with a new motor, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, and a more ergonomic design.

While the tradition of two bulls pulling the rath has not been done away with, the pressure on the bovines will now be substantially reduced.

Dr S Guruprasad, R&D director of DRDO, said, “When the force required by the bulls to pull the rath exceeds a particular limit, the motor will automatically start to reduce pressure.

This is especially good for uphill roads, as that is where bulls suffer the most. On plain ground or downhill roads, the motor will automatically shut down, as force required is not so much.”

The weight of the rath, which was around three tonnes last year, has now been decreased to two tonnes.

Enhancing ergonomy further, the height of the side railing has also been decreased by two feet to facilitate easy access for devotees who want to touch the padukas.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

A sensor to detect gunshot location

Image
A technology that can precisely detect the source location of a random gunshot and direct a drone or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to the spot for capturing live visuals was successfully tested at the Tamil Nadu Police Academy here.

As commandos fired gunshots from different locations near Vandalur, K. Senthil Kumar of the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) and his team of researchers used an advanced acoustic sensor to calculate the coordinates of their location. Besides gunshots, the customised sensor can detect specific sounds, such as the noise of a jeep in a forest.

Police sources say Dr. Kumar, Associate Professor (Avionics Division), Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT, approached the Tamil Nadu police for logistics to test the sensor. Commandos with arms and ammunition were spared for the test. Seconds after they opened fire, the system captured the coordinates of their locations.

“This technology helps to zero in on the exact location from where a gunshot is fired, thereby minimising the response time of law enforcement agencies. Though gunshot detector systems were put to use in some developed countries in recent months, we have introduced certain new components. For instance, this acoustic sensor can be fitted to drones or UAVs developed by us for tracking the movement of vehicles or unauthorised persons in prohibited areas like reserve forest,” Dr. Kumar told The Hindu on Friday.

If a sniper fired a bullet from an unknown location at a VVIP in a crowded place, the acoustic sensors, if installed in the vicinity, could instantly detect the place from where it was fired, he said.

“With the firing impulse, we can develop an algorithm and pinpoint the source location. Multi-sensor approach can direct a drone fitted with cameras to the spot to capture live visuals… This electronic counter-measure technology can be operated in a radius of 3-5 km.”

Scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation met Dr. Kumar recently and held discussions on how drones could be deployed at strategic locations.

The UAVs developed by him were deployed as part of the security measures for the Karthigai Deepam festival and for inspecting some stretches of land in connection with the multi-crore granite scam in Madurai.

“Drones fitted with cameras and acoustic sensors can be deployed along borders, forests and inaccessible terrains to monitor the movement of unauthorised persons... The sensors can also be installed on vehicles, buildings and lampposts. Multi-sensor approach would yield much more effective results,” he said.

Acknowledging that the facility would help the police improve VVIP security and counter-terrorism measures, a senior police officer said three UAVs developed by Dr. Kumar would soon be procured at Rs. 95 lakh.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Katare »

ranji wrote:
Hiten wrote:any idea what this yellow thing is? From this month's HAL-Connect

https://imageshack.us/a/img802/9696/i1cb.jpg
It is suit for the new welding chamber for Su-30 MKI engine. You can read the report of the new chamber here http://frontierindia.net/hindustan-aero ... at-koraput

It quotes:

The MCW shop features a Robotic tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding system in argon chamber which is used for welding of complicated assemblies for aero engine in total argon environment to ensure quality and reliability.
That is just a guess, right?

I have a TIG welding equipment that is used for welding non meg aticsteel equipments at work. Most of the time a lay person can't even tell a difference between a TIG and general weld equipment. The tip of a TIG welder has a circular argon curton around the tungstun tip electrode.

For even better inert atmosphere the room at self is converted into a inert pressurized (barely higher than normal room pessure, most lab and clean rooms are pressurized in this way) room. This room will not require a pressurized suit and anyone who has worked with wlding processes can tell that the suit is not designed for welders.

I suspect that it is designed for some deep water diving or hight altitude sickness tretment
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by vivek_ahuja »

Prototype of the TATA Safari which will replace the Gypsy.

Image


Maybe I am wrong, but hopefully this is only for the staff cars? The safari doesn't really look like its been designed for military use other than the green paint.

I certainly hope it isn't comfort over practicality and ruggedness. :-?

-Vivek
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kshirin »

The long awaited Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap, which will help industry gauge capabilities required and hence plan investments, is out. Some products are ear-marked for indigenous development. There is silence on many more, indicating these will be bought (at enormous cost in a CAD deficit situation) from abroad, while still others will be developed on the basis of technology inflows. Hope this kickstarts indigenous production in a bigger way.

http://i-hls.com/2013/06/iindia-mod-tec ... dmap-tpcr/
http://i-hls.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TPCR13.pdf
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by vivek_ahuja »

pandyan wrote:As a Gypsy replacement, I am sure Safari would be more than capable. It has proven itself as an off-roader.

Is it confirmed that it is going to be Safari? I thought Mahindra was in the picture as well.
I didn't mean its off-road capability. I meant its adaptibilty for mounted weapons (on the roof or otherwise) and soft-roof for rapid off-load.

I thought I saw some news a while back that said the Safari had been selected?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by member_23651 »

I think its a staff car. Wish they should have chosen aria as staff car, would have looked classy. I think for combat use, they have a competition running for eons now under lsv category. Here is Tata's contender:

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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by member_26965 »

Maruti Gypsy's were light and seldom triggered mines.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

'Unprecedented Number Of Our Systems On Threshold Of Operations': DRDO Chief
"I don't think there has been any other period in DRDO when we've had so many products lined up to enter service and prove themselves across different clusters."

The DRDO's new chief Dr Avinash Chander is right. He takes office at a time of perhaps never before activity in the organisation. Products and technologies seeded years ago will achieve maturity under his stewardship, and if everything goes well, most of those will enter operational service. In an exclusive interview to Headlines Today/Livefist, the DRDO chief exudes confidence. Refreshingly, it isn't without caution and much-needed pragmatism.

"DRDO will have to scale itself up in a much much bigger way. That's where we will have a lot of internal re-engineering and a new paradigm of technology development involving academics in a much much bigger way," he tells me. "I see the next three-five years as a major milestone in DRDO. It's the first time a whole series of equipment will be fielded out of DRDO to the customer."

Dr Chander is keenly aware of the mindset battle he has before him. Armed forces have only tentatively begun to come around to indigenous equipment, as opposed to imports. "Aim is that products have to measure up to the user's confidence level, which in turn should result in a change in mindset in the belief in our indigenous capabilities. That's my topmost priority: to build confidence in our indigenous capability," the DRDO chief says. He then lists out the product priorities:

"It starts the LCA, which is our topmost priority. In addition, we'll see the Agni IV and V inducted in the next two years, the first time we will be inducting strategic missiles with such long ranges together. We are also completing the Arjun Mk.2, with about 100 improvements. It has become a real mean fighting machine, ready to go. The user wants everything integrated and the user will be carrying out the trials. Our joint ventures and joint developments on LRSAM, MRSAM will go into production in this period. The SR-SAM project (with MBDA of France) will get sanctioned, and within four years, we will get into the production of that."

The inevitable question on private Indian industry comes up. As the spearhead of the Agni ballistic missile programme, Dr Chander has had a chance to work closely with private companies who build myriad systems on India's strategic weapons. "The DRDO is at a turning point where we have to re-engineer ourselves for the future," he says. "Indian industry is going to have a major role in the indegenisation process. For the first time I'm seeing the visibility of 75% indigenous content for our armed forces. I now feel confident we should be able to achieve that. As more investment comes into industry, programme and technology management skills will be a force multipler for DRDO. I have now a base where we can build much higher."

It's clear that the LCA occupies his mind more than anything else today, and rightly. "If I'm making an LCA, I have to design the computer, the actuators, practically everything in-house. But once this capability comes to industry, 50% of my load gets transferred to industry. I can find a value engineered product coming from industry. Time cycles will come down, quality will go up."

It's what Dr Chander says next that introduces a sense of promise to the new leadership at an organisation that's floated through its history with sometimes ludicrous promises, often failing to deliver, and always with serious consequences to the Indian taxpayer. Under Dr Chander, hopefully, things could begin to change.


Leaning back contemplatively in his chair, Dr Chander says, "Perhaps DRDO has been too optimistic in its time-frames. No aircraft has been developed from scratch to production in less than 18-20 years. It's a universal cycle across the world, including at companies like Boeing and Airbus. But our time-cycles are now coming down. In fact, for AMCA, when we take it up, the time cycle will come down to 12-15 years as against 20-22 years. As we deliver, the confidence of the our system will increase. Then this process of making a prototype, then engineering model, all this will change. Then you will have full trust of the armed forces and political system. If I am asked to make 200 aircraft, and is decided upfront today, you plan the industry and infrastructure growth. HAL is planning LCA production now, 10 or 15 years down the line, because now there is visibility of orders. But we are losing time in the process. If commitments are given right at the beginning, time cycles will come down. With these 8-10 products coming, we should be able to get the trust of our users."

Former President and DRDO chief APJ Abdul Kalam had harped often on a self-reliance index as an indicator of DRDO's success. I ask Dr Chander if he believes in it, and what he plans to achieve on that scale.

He says, "Self-reliance is a function of DRDO technology, our production base, our armed forces joining to take up indigenous products. All three are synergising well to make it happen. As far as DRDO is concerned, we are going to deliver LCA. If it comes into production, it means Rs 40,000 crore in the next 10 years. We want India to be ammunition import independent. We are working hard towards that. This will run in tens of thousands of crores. We are making big headway in radars. Our aim is that all future missile systems should have Indian radars. Many of these major steps are happening, as performance of our systems is seen to be better than imported weapons, we are confidence of being more suitable and acceptable. With that 75 per cent self reliance index is definitely achievable. More than that will not be economically viable. Currently the self reliance index is more than 50 per cent."
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

So three big goals are:
- LCA in production
- Ammuniton import free India
- Radar systems for all missile systems

Self Reliance Index from 50% to 75%.

Time frame?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

By 2030 I guess.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

SagarG, From his interview he is aware of his customer and nation's needs and the capability of his resources. Can we come up with a strategy map of what he is saying?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

ramana wrote:Can we come up with a strategy map of what he is saying?
Saar can you explain a bit more what you want to do ???
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by NRao »

ramana wrote:SagarG, From his interview he is aware of his customer and nation's needs and the capability of his resources. Can we come up with a strategy map of what he is saying?
To build a good one you will need more dots, especially from across the border. However, even without those dots the effort would be worth it.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

NRao, Since you get it why not team with SagarG and see what comes up? It will do us all a lot of good.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

Do what ??? Can I have a bit more explanation !!!!
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

Come up with the strategy map!
Only if you want to.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »


The awards and papers presented tell a very vital story.

A lto is happening without the limelight.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

Both product maps and strategy maps are possible. A strategy map is actually better in that it will tell what the organization intends to achieve over the long term, but more than these, the projects Shri Chander has focused on will really do wonders. The LCA & Arjun programs are the favorites of DRDO baiters, note how silently they slunk away after the Akash became successful. If these two click, then a lot of the carping will no longer have a leg to stand on.
Perhaps BR should have an archive of successful projects completed, production orders and feedback. That in itself will tell the whole story.

Vested interests continue to attack a frail Kalam for not having achieved the 70% indigenization figure and dutifully forget to mention the 53% already achieved, which is remarkable given India's imports have been booming and even so, our indigenous system development and production has kept pace.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Sagar G »

ramana wrote:Come up with the strategy map!
Only if you want to.
If someone is willing to guide I will help with whatever I can.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

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Post by kshirin »

[quote="Karan M"]Perhaps BR should have an archive of successful projects completed, production orders and feedback. That in itself will tell the whole story.

Vested interests continue to attack a frail Kalam for not having achieved the 70% indigenization figure and dutifully forget to mention the 53% already achieved, which is remarkable given India's imports have been booming and even so, our indigenous system development and production has kept pace.[/quote]


I would be deeply interested in a BR archive of successful indigenous projects.

Question: could defence industrialisation spark a high tech revolution in India, upgrading our competitiveness and doing away with CADs? Or will they remain isolated from the main economy? India needs to find a route to have spin on effects of defence technologies, to spur a manufacturing revolution.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

A handbook from DRDO shows their proficiency with proximity fuzes for artillery since 1966

Proximity Fuzes


Even the 75/24 gun had it.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Austin »

Defence Minister AK Antony comes down hard on proposal for 49% FDI
Whether to allow more Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in defence has created a rift between two senior members of the cabinet. Defence Minister AK Antony has objected stridently to Commerce Minister Anand Sharma's proposal to increase foreign investment in the defence sector from the current limit of 26% to 49%.

In a note to Mr Sharma, the Defence Minister has argued India "cannot afford to be dependent on foreign companies and vulnerable to policies of their countries of origin". He also says "Allowing foreign companies to set up manufacturing/ assembly facilities here would be a retrograde step as it will stymie the growth of indigenous design and development."

The Commerce Minister had written to Mr Antony in May, asking for the limit on foreign investment to be raised to 79 per cent; he revised this to 49 per cent in a subsequent note.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

Again partial book

Reminiscences of a Defense Scientist


The later chapters from the contents appear very interesting.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kshirin »

Austin wrote:Defence Minister AK Antony comes down hard on proposal for 49% FDI
Whether to allow more Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in defence has created a rift between two senior members of the cabinet. Defence Minister AK Antony has objected stridently to Commerce Minister Anand Sharma's proposal to increase foreign investment in the defence sector from the current limit of 26% to 49%.

In a note to Mr Sharma, the Defence Minister has argued India "cannot afford to be dependent on foreign companies and vulnerable to policies of their countries of origin". He also says "Allowing foreign companies to set up manufacturing/ assembly facilities here would be a retrograde step as it will stymie the growth of indigenous design and development."

The Commerce Minister had written to Mr Antony in May, asking for the limit on foreign investment to be raised to 79 per cent; he revised this to 49 per cent in a subsequent note.
Well, the above is reassuring as I just saw this:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 884749.cms

Defence units in special economic zones may get 100% FDI nod
By Dilasha Seth, ET Bureau | 3 Jul, 2013, 04.00AM IST
FDI is likely to be allowed in SEZs. If not 100%, 74% may be allowed," said a government official.
ET SPECIAL:
NEW DELHI: The government may allow up to 100% foreign direct investment in defence units located in special economic zones (SEZs) on a case-to-case basis in order to boost exports.

"Higher FDI is likely to be allowed in SEZs. If not 100%, 74% may be allowed," said a government official. "For all major defence requirements we have to go buy from outside. Why can't we make them here?" the official asked, adding that the government is look at the matter afresh and factoring in the domestic demand as well.

Commerce and industry ministry Anand Sharma has been batting for an increase in the FDI limit for the sector to 74% from 26% while the Arvind Mayaram committee has proposed an increase in the limit to 49%.

Manufacturers, including Pipavav, Cisco Systems and others have written to the minister, asking for a higher FDI limit in SEZs, the official said.
Foreign players are eyeing these zones due to the duty concessions and the single-window clearance mechanism. The SEZ policy allows 100% FDI in sectors excluding defence, atomic substances, narcotics and hazardous chemicals, distillation and brewing of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes etc.
The government is likely to be very selective while raising the FDI limit, the official said, adding that a strong case is being made to boost manufacturing of defence equipment.
The idea is to allow public-private partnerships with the central government and even large state-owned firms, the official added. Foreign players also want defence offsets to be met through SEZ exports.

Under the offsets policy, the foreign suppliers with deals worth over 300 crore have to purchase or plough back at least 30% of the value of the deal in the defence, homeland security or civilian aerospace sectors.

The defence ministry is also planning to write to the commerce ministry to allow defence-specific SEZs for higher security arrangements, a person familiar with the matter said. But the SEZ Act's Rule 53, which deals with positive net foreign exchange, can become more stringent, the person added.
Under the rule, "supply of goods to any project or purpose in respect of which the ministry of finance, by a notification, permits the import of such goods at zero customs duty" is considered an export net foreign exchange plus. The government may consider tightening it to "supply of goods to Indian defence forces" instead of "any project or purpose".

The defence-specific SEZs will help address security concerns, an official said, adding that all units in these zones will be approved for meeting the requirements of the sector. SEZs allow duty-free import/domestic purchase of goods and provide 100% I-T exemption on export income for the manufacturing units for first five years.



FDI should only be allowed to come in through a JV with strict TOT obligations. South Korea did this by insisting on building an indigenous advanced jet trainer the T 50 and other aircraft components under the F16 offsets programme. Otherwise we will kill even those few incipient indigenous defence production projects which are on the drawing board and soon to be launched.
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Post by Karan M »

Ramana, reminiscences is not such an information packed book, unfortunately. Its more of one man's journey through the system than a definitive account of the systems developed, than what its index seems to suggest. But I may need to re-read it to see if my memory has eroded.
Last edited by Karan M on 04 Jul 2013 07:13, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

kshirin wrote:I would be deeply interested in a BR archive of successful indigenous projects.
Folks here can contribute (I would) provided it was a permanent archive and not something that can be randomly dropped. In the past individual BR members (and even admins have blogged/started wikis) but this is a better solution. BR pages themselves are pretty outdated in some cases.
Wikipedia is often bogged down in edit vandalism by Pakistanis.
Question: could defence industrialisation spark a high tech revolution in India, upgrading our competitiveness and doing away with CADs? Or will they remain isolated from the main economy? India needs to find a route to have spin on effects of defence technologies, to spur a manufacturing revolution.
Whats CADs?
Yes, defence industrialization can definitely spark a manufacturing and hitech revolution in the country. IMO, its deliberately been kept away at a lower level, thanks to a combination of lethargy/incompetence (babu-giri dominating thinking), leftist/peacenik hosannas (stifling mass manufacturing of weaponry), politics (left unions want DPSUs to be the sole manufacturers) and plain and simple corruption (each time a big ticket program succeeds, vendors abroad lose tens of thousands of crores, and much of this money has found its way to a single political party).
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

Ramana, you are right, it does have pretty interesting information. Though the gentleman in question retired in 1982, even so he does catalogue some successful programs thereafter. Time permitting, I will scan some pages and post it on BR.
He catalogs the genesis of the Ajanta EW system (frontline on all our Naval ships in the late 80's to 90's), the development of the first SPJ for the AF (which was apparently a DLRL program transferred to ASIEO, now DARE) which went into production, ELINT programs for the AF etc.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Avarachan »

Karan M wrote:
kshirin wrote:I would be deeply interested in a BR archive of successful indigenous projects.
Folks here can contribute (I would) provided it was a permanent archive and not something that can be randomly dropped. In the past individual BR members (and even admins have blogged/started wikis) but this is a better solution. BR pages themselves are pretty outdated in some cases.
Wikipedia is often bogged down in edit vandalism by Pakistanis.
I wish BR would start its own wiki--hosted on its own servers--which would not be open for editing by the general public. Citizendium.org is a model which might be relevant to BR.
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Why_Citizendium%3F

Karan M, by the way, I'm still waiting for your email. :)
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

My apologies - I didnt visit that thread after the rather odious behaviour by a couple of posters, and i had far too much work on my table than to reply. May I know your email again? Please leave the @ out to avoid spam bots

BTW, there is this started by a BR Admin:

http://bharatrakshak.wikia.com/wiki/Bharat-rakshak_Wiki

But the number of ads make it less attractive than BR itself. Other issues (mainly time) limited our contribution.

A sample page of interesting information on the Fabulous Fulcrum:
http://bharatrakshak.wikia.com/wiki/MiG-29

A very limited stab at DRDO radar systems in service. Though it does show the sheer diversity in terms of systems being developed by LRDE and whats remarkable is that many of these are either already in production or in advanced prototype/evaluation stage.
http://bharatrakshak.wikia.com/wiki/DRDO_systems
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Avarachan »

It's my BRF username ".97" at the Google service. Thanks for the links!
ramana
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

KaranM,
He was our neighbor in the early years though we didn't know what he did.
Karan M
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Karan M »

Ramana, he certainly did a lot to be proud of. Thanks for bringing the gentleman to my attention. His tome was lying amongst several others, and i had only done a cursory scan, and now it appears to be packed with information about how these people laid the foundation for EW programs in India, which is paying dividends.
kshirin
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kshirin »

Karan M, I would be grateful if BR would create this archive. It seems that policy makers are eternally ready to throw out the baby with the bathwater and it is useful that the capabilities built up should be publicised and known and the 100% FDI policy not used to destroy the green shoots of Indian industry. India is one of the last huge defence markets, all others 'xept China are declining, and China is under embargoes, though someone told me Thales is supplying lots of good stuff to them. So India is the last big catch. Destroy Indian industry, and you can ravage the market till we are left with nothing, literally.
About the manufacturing revolution to be seeded by defence high-tech, recently a DPSU turned up its nose at the opportunity to export 40 high tech high value machinery pieces to a certain country ostensibly because these are under export embargoes because some parts are foreign supplied. But these items have been exported! This is the kind of lethargy which will ensure India never sees a broad based manufacturing revolution.
We have created a high tech forum to discuss only these issues at IDSA. When the page is ready will inform BR.
kshirin
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by kshirin »

Karan M - sorry, CADs I meant current account deficits.

Lalmohan, am referencing your post in another thread (PAK FA) about a lot of positives happening. Is the following one of them? Without a high-tech domestic manufacturing sector, we are not going to get far. First, the FTAs, which would have hurt our auto, milk and pharma sectors. Our industry associations managed to keep those at bay. Then, news about 100% FDI in telecom and defence, which could wipe out domestic manufacturing. Now, news that PMA (preferential market access) has been put on hold. The US had no compunctions over banning Chinese telecom gear on the grounds of security.

PMO Puts On Hold Policy to Push Domestic Manufacturing
NEW DELHI | JUL 05, 2013
The government today put on hold the preferential market access (PMA) policy that provided for sourcing of sensitive telecom and electronic equipments and technology from domestic manufacturers over security concerns.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting in Prime Minister's Office that was attended by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chaterji, Telecom Secretary M F Farooqui and top bureaucrats of different ministries.

The policy has been put in abeyance till further order on security grounds, sources toldPTI.

The PMA policy makes it mandatory for the government to procure a certain percentage of its requirements from domestic manufacturers.

Sources said it was felt that encouraging indigenous manufacturing at the cost of new and better products would lead to distortions in the market.

A moratorium on implementation of the policy has now been imposed till adequate assessment of manufacturing capability for products that qualify for domestic value addition is made.

The Cabinet had in February last year approved the policy keeping in view security issues and threat of cyber espionage. It was envisaged to push manufacturing capabilities in the country to reduce dependence on imports, especially in the strategic fields like defence and telecom.

PMA policy had seen opposition from various foreign trade associations, including industry body Information Technology Industry (ITI) Council which represents major foreign technology companies like Alcatel Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson and Motorola.

Among others, strong objections to the policy have come from US-based groups, where the government has recently limited the sourcing of telecom equipment from Chinese firms on security grounds.

Expressing concerns over the PMA policy, a bipartisan group of 45 American lawmakers in October last year asked the US Trade Representative to take steps against it, saying that it would have detrimental impact on high-tech US exports to India. They held that the policy was in violation of the World Trade Organization rules.

Indian government has said repeatedly that the policy was in compliance with WTO norms and the policy applies to the equipment having security implications.

Meanwhile, domestic manufacturers body TSDMA has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention for pushing the PMA policy. It alleged that "vested interests at the behest of foreign manufacturers are trying to challenge the policy and lobbying hard, perhaps with the aim to paralyse government's efforts to protect the national security interest".

India's telecom industry relies heavily on imports to meet its requirements.

According to telecom regulator Trai, only 12-13 per cent of all the local products, made with the aid of foreign vendors in 2009-10, were used in the sector. However, purely India-made products formed just 3 per cent of the market.

The policy is seen as a key step to push domestic production of electronics equipment.

The country imports electronics items worth about USD 40 billion, according to ELCINA. The National Electronics Policy forecasts such imports to touch a humongous USD 300 billion by 2020 if efforts are not made to produce hi-tech products in India
http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=802910


Indian telecom gear makers write to PM on delay in PMA policy
Last Updated: Friday, July 05, 2013, 17:07

New Delhi: Domestic telecom equipment makers have sought Prime Minister's intervention to help expedite the notification on Preferential Market Access policy that aims at boosting indigenous production.

"We are seriously concerned that despite Cabinet approval of PMA, which happened almost 16 months back...The final notification for implementing PMA on security consideration has not yet been released," Telecom Systems Design and Manufacturers Association said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The TSDMA letter was signed by its members including Shyam Telecom, Tejas Networks, Matrix Comsec, Vihaan Networks, Inventum Technologies and Pulse Engineering.

TSDMA said that current telecom systems are highly sophisticated, using complex chips with millions of elements along with long software codes.

"In such systems, any post-facto security testing/ screening/audit is highly ineffective, since it is very easy ti implant spyware/malware in hardware and software, which is impossible to detect but can easily intercept sensitive information or cause catastrophic damage to critical equipment," TSDMA said.

Keeping in view security issues and threat of cyber espionage, Cabinet on February 2, 2012 approved PMA policy which calls for using indigenously manufactured product to mitigate threat of cyber espionage in segments that can have security implications.

For procurement purposes, the policy qualifies only those electronic products that have at least 25 per cent of the components produced in India. This share should gradually increase to 45 per cent in the fifth year from the notification of the policy.

Telecom regulator Trai has also recommended increase in the use of domestically produced equipment in telecom networks as they are prone to security threats.

The PMA policy has received sharp criticism from foreign companies and trade associations. Even Indian GSM telecom services industry body COAI has called for the review of the policy.

On the other hand, domestic players have been pushing for its implementation.

"We believe that certain vested interests at the behest of foreign manufacturers are trying to challenge the policy and lobbying hard, perhaps with the aim to paralyse the government's efforts to protect the national security interest," TSDMA said.

Department of Telecom has issued draft notification for the PMA but is yet to come out with the final version.

PTI
http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/ ... 79315.html
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Shrinivasan »

kshirin wrote:The long awaited Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap, ...
It is a pity that we have to see it on a Israeli Website!!! was it ever officaly published apart from some noise by people like Ajai Shukla?
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