Defense News

A whopping 35,513 personnel (5% of the combined strength) of the Central Armed Police Forces comprising BSF (15990), CRPF (11406), CISF (3225), AR (2198), ITBP (1333) and SSB (1321) have opted for voluntary retirement in last two years for personal and domestic reasons. The alarming rise in voluntary retirements probably shows the centre's inability to address even minor issues raised by the members of the CAPF.

Long-delayed aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, which was contracted for in 2004, will be inducted on Saturday into Indian Navy by Defence Minister AK Antony at Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk (Russia). On his four-day visit to Russia, Antony will also co-chair the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu, on Monday in Moscow.

Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya was commissioned into the Indian Navy at a Russian shipyard on Saturday, ending a five-year delay to the $2.33 billion project. The 44,570-tonne carrier, which will operate supersonic MiG-29K fighters from its deck, is the largest and the most expensive warship to be inducted by India.

After allegations of bribery, India has decided to cancel the Rs 3,700 crore deal with AgustaWestland to supply twelve AW-101 helicopters to the Indian Air Force, Reuters on Tuesday reported. Italian investigators had alleged that the UK-based firm bribed former air chief SP Tyagi and paid middlemen over Rs 375 crore in kickbacks while the deal was being set up.

With the appointment of Paresh Saxena as the first inspector general (IG) of its Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Bihar has become the sixth state in the country to have the much-awaited state ATS, which became operational on Thursday. The Anti-Terrorism Squad, which was first set up in Maharashtra in 1990, will have 344 personnel in total in Bihar.

India's first indigenous Aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which was formally launched in August this year, is being built at public sector Cochin Shipyard Limited and would be commissioned by 2017, chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi said on Saturday. Joshi assured that utmost priority was being given to coastal security after the 26/11 terror attack.

In wake of fifth anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, DIG (then DCP) Rajyavardhan Sinha, who led the team into Taj Hotel, along with three constables who had accompanied him, has been proposed for gallantry award. Sinha was recommended for gallantry awards in 2009 also, but he turned it down saying it was his duty and he deserved no special award.

For the first time in the history of BSF Day Parade, the 48th Border Security Force Day celebrated in Delhi on Sunday witnessed mahila contigent marching with their male counterparts ever since their induction in 2008. Lok Sabha speaker Meera Kumar, who was the chief guest at the event, applauded BSF for bringing the much-needed change.

After the Maharashtra government expressed its inability to maintain the decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Defence Ministry on Tuesday initiated the process to auction it. "I am personally very sad as the ship will be scrapped...," said Shekhar Sinha, chief of Western Naval command. The last date for bidding is Dec-14.

Marking the end of nearly five decades of remarkable operational service with the Indian Air Force, four MiG-21 FLs, India's first supersonic jet flew for the one last time on Wednesday from the Kalaikunda Airbase. A parade along with the release of a coffee-table book and a commemorative postal stamp by Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne marked the occasion.

After being in the making for 30 years, the home-grown Tejas light combat aircraft finally got its initial operational clearance Friday. However, the multi-role supersonic fighter, which can currently fire only short-range missiles, will take at least another 18-months to become capable of firing long-range missiles and integral guns.

India signed a Rs 4,000-crore deal with the US on Friday, under which US will supply six C-130J Super Hercules Special Operations aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The proposal was cleared on Dec-20 by the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by PM Manmohan Singh. India already has acquired the first lot of six aircrafts worth Rs 5,500 crore.

Boosting surveillance capabilities of the Indian Army, the government has cleared the procurement of around 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israel at a cost of around Rs.1,200 crore. The proposal, which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, will bolster the Israeli-origin Heron and Searcher fleet of the Indian Air Force, which already has over 40 such vehicles.

Even after 14 years in making, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) is still struggling to deliver intermediate jet trainer (IJT) to IAF, forcing the pilots to use unsafe and obsolete aircrafts for training purposes. While HAL has promised the initial operational clearance for its Sitara IJT by Jun-2014, IAF remains skeptical given the trainer has missed deadlines five times since 2007.

Air Marshal Arup Raha (59) on Tuesday took over as the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, succeeding Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne. Raha, who has held various command, staff and instructional appointments in his 39-year-old career, is expected to have a tenure of three years as IAF chief. Raha has also served as air attache at Indian embassy in Ukraine.

According to sources, India has cancelled the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal with British manufacturer AgustaWestland, due to the "violation of the pre-contract integrity pact". CBI has alleged that former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi was among those who accepted bribes from Finmeccanica, a company that owns AgustaWestland. However, AgustaWestland has denied any wrongdoing.