TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL ARMS TRANSFERS, 2023
- The report is released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) (an independent international institute)
- Key highlights
- Export
- USA is the largest arms exporter and its share of total global arms exports rose to 42%.
- France, for the first time, was the second biggest arms exporter, just ahead of Russia.
- Import
- India was the world’s top arms importer.
- Its arms imports increased by 4.7% between 2014–18 and 2019–23.
- Russia remained India’s main arms supplier (accounting for 36% of its arms imports).
- Ukraine emerged as the largest European arms importer in 2019–23.
- India was the world’s top arms importer.
- Export
- Tags :
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- total global arms exports
INDIA’S FIFTH-GENERATION ADVANCED MEDIUM COMBAT AIRCRAFT (AMCA)
- Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the project for the design and development of India’s fifth-generation multirole fighter jet, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
- Globally there are four fifth-generation aircraft – F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning-II from the USA; J-20 of China and Su-57 from Russia.
- About AMCA
- It is a medium weight, multi role, twin engine fighter aircraft.
- Nodal agency for executing the programme and designing: Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- ADA is a Society under the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence.
- Manufacturing agency: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
- Key features:
- Advanced stealth features such as radar absorbing material to avoid detection by enemy radar.
- Stealth mission enables Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD), Destruction of enemy air defence (DEAD) and precision strike.
- Internal weapons bay: For carrying up to four long-range air-to-air missiles and multiple precision-guided munitions with a payload of 1,500 kg.
- Capability to swing roles: From an air-to-air role to air-to-ground.
- Tags :
- Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
- stealth
FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR FACILITIES FOR MANUFACTURING OF AMMUNITION AND MISSILES
- First private sector facilities for the manufacture of ammunition and missiles opened in Kanpur (UP).
- It is opened in the Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) of UP.
- the other defence corridor is in Tamil Nadu.
- The Defence Industry sector was opened up to 100% for Indian private sector participation in 2001.
- Need for privatisation of the Defence sector:
- India is third largest military spender (after US and China) and the world's largest arms importer, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Report.
- The share of the defence budget can be reduced which stands at 13.04% of the total government expenditure.
- Surplus production will boost defence exports and would help to achieve the set target of 35000 crore of exports by 2024-25.
- Concerns: security concerns like protection of sensitive data at the hands of private companies; selling weapons to customers who are not aligned with India’s national interest; etc.
Related News: SAMAR (System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating) certification
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- Tags :
- Defence Industrial Corridors
- indigenous Defence Production
VERY SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM (VSHORADS) MISSILE
- DRDO successfully flight tested VSHORADS from a ground-based portable launcher from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.
- About VSHORADS missile
- The indigenously developed missile is a MANPADS (man-portable air defence system).
- Developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners.
- Consist many novel technologies including miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics.
- Propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor and is meant for neutralizing low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
- Tags :
- VSHORADS missile
- indigenously developed missile
VAJRA SENTINEL SYSTEM
- Defence Ministry signs ₹200 crore contract for anti-drone (Vajra sentinel system) under Indian Defence Exhibition (iDEX) initiative.
- Vajra sentinel system
- It is a modern solution designed to detect, track, and neutralize drones at extraordinary ranges.
- It offers soft kills by jamming and hard kills by interceptor drones.
- Hard-kill space weapons include Kinetic Energy Weapons (KEWs), while soft-kill space weapons include electronic-warfare measures.
- Operational range of 10 km and a hard-kill reach of 5-6 km.
- Tags :
- Vajra sentinel system
- anti-drone
INS JATAYU
- Naval Detachment Minicoy has been commissioned in Indian Navy as INS Jatayu.
- Minicoy is southernmost island of Lakshadweep.
- About INS Jatayu
- India's second naval base in Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti.
- Significance: Facilitate Indian Navy’s operational effort towards Anti-Piracy and Anti-Narcotics Operations in Western Arabian Sea.
- It will also augment Indian Navy’s capability as the first responder in the India Ocean region and augment connectivity with the mainland.
- Tags :
- INS Jatayu
- naval base
JUICE JACKING
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) warned users against charging mobile phones using public ports amidst the rising incidents of juice jacking.
- About juice jacking
- It is a form of cyberattack where hackers load malware with public USB charging stations to maliciously access electronic devices.
- It can lock a device, export personal data and passwords to the cyber criminals.
- These kinds of attacks are mainly reported from public spaces such as airports, hotels, and shopping centres.
- Tags :
- cyberattack
- Cyberattack
- JUICE JACKING
EXERCISES IN NEWS
- Dharma Guardian: 5th edition of Joint Military Exercise ‘DHARMA GUARDIAN’ between the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self Defence Force commenced in Rajasthan.
- It is an annual exercise and conducted alternatively in India and Japan.
- Exercise Cutlass Express: Indian navy participated in U.S. Naval Forces led multinational maritime Exercise Cutlass Express in Seychelles.
- It is a cornerstone of maritime security and cooperation in the strategic waters of the East African coast and the Western Indian Ocean.
- Exercise Samudra Laksamana: It is a bilateral Naval Exercise between India and Malasiya.
- Sea Defenders-2024: ‘Sea Defenders-2024’ is a maritime security exercise between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) & United States Coast Guard (USCG), which recently culminated at Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
- Bharat Shakti: Tri-Services Firing and Manoeuvre Exercise – Bharat Shakti – was demonstrated in Pokharan, Rajasthan.
- `Bharat Shakti will display integrated operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces to counter threats across land, air, sea, cyber, and space
- IMT TRILAT- 2024: India Mozambique Tanzania (IMT) Tri Lateral (TRILAT) is a joint maritime exercise.
- First edition of IMT TRILAT exercise was conducted on Oct 2022.
- Exercise Lamitiye 2024: It is a Joint Military Exercise between Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces.
- Exercise Tiger Triumph – 2024: It is a bilateral tri-Service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise between India and USA.
- Tags :
- Naval Exercise
- Joint Military Exercise
