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NEWS & EVENTS

  • Race to Renew India Submarine Force Amid Rising China Threat

    While the operational urgency cannot be undermined, there is a need for the Indian Navy to fight its wars with Indian-made submarines,” said K.V. Kuber

  • Sorry, Russia. Indian Air Force is unlikely to go in for the MiG-35 fighter jet; here’s why: MiG-35 is Russia’s most advanced 4++ generation fighter jet – and it wants to sell it to India!

    Colonel (Retd) KV Kuber, Independent Consultant Defence and Aerospace, who believes that as far as fighter jets are concerned, India should look at the upgrade package for the Sukhoi-30 MKI fleet rather than go for a new warplane altogether. “There is no point introducing a new platform for the IAF. For twin-engine fighter aircraft, we are already getting the Rafales. We already have the bouquet of fighter aircraft, we have the Jaguars, Mirage 2000s, Sukhoi 30 MKIs. MiG-35 had been part of the MMRCA bid, but did not qualify. Russia may indeed have improved upon it, but the fact is that India doesn’t need a new type of aircraft to understand and absorb into its defence ecosystem,” Kuber tells FE Online. “Going ahead we should either acquire more Rafales or definitely go in for the upgrade package of Sukhoi 30-MKIs,” he says. Kuber is also of the view that MiG-35 is still an evolving platform and the Russian Air Force is also yet to get it. Kuber also pushes for the Make in India plan for fighter jets. “Our focus should be on Make in India. The strategic partnership model for the single engine fighter aircraft is being finalised. Ten years from now, our own private defence industry would have enough knowledge to look at partnering firms for twin-engine fighter jets. We should focus on that, rather than acquire a new platform which would take many years to come,” he concludes.
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Colonel (retd) KV Kuber, who adds that the Indian Army needs all terrain vehicles, drones and better rifles as well. “Bullet-proof helmets are just the beginning, we need light-wight advanced bullet-proof jackets. The ones that are in use right now are outdated and more than that so heavy that they are cumbersome to wear. This is specially true for Jammu and Kashmir, where operations involve chasing terrorists,” Kuber tells FE Online. “Also, with indigenisation and Make in India in focus, the idea should be to Make in India, using indigenous components,” he adds.

Colonel (Retd) KV Kuber sees greater and more precise intelligence sharing by the US in the days ahead. “Declaration of Syed Salahauddin as a global terrorist has sent a direct message to Pakistan sponsored terrorism, and I hope they will learn. The only exports they have is terror. Additionally, the statement on greater cooperation in tackling radical terrorism means is that in the days ahead, we can look forward to greater intelligence inputs from the US,” Kuber, an independent consultant on Defence and Aerospace tells FE Online. “If India conducts more surgical strikes, then there may even be a scenario where US helps in terms of technology etc,” he adds.

The bridge…is a great strategic shift in the thinking in the Indian defence establishment regarding infrastructure development in the borders with China,” says defence analyst K.V. Kuber.

 

 

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