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GS Paper: Indigenization Of Technology

  • Agni Prime Missile Successfully Tested

    agni prime

    Central Idea: India successfully tested the new-generation Agni-Prime ballistic missile with a strike range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres.

    About Agni Prime Missile

    • Stages: Agni-P is a two-stage, surface-to-surface, road-mobile, and solid-fueled missile.
    • Canister-Launch System: Agni-P is launched via a canister, providing operational flexibility and ease of transport.
    • Advanced Systems: Agni-P incorporates new propulsion systems, composite rocket motor casings, and advanced navigation and guidance systems.

    History and Development

    • Development Timeline: Beginning in 2016, DRDO has been developing Agni-P as a successor to enhance accuracy and reliability.
    • Indo-Pacific Strategy: Agni-P is part of India’s strategy to counter China’s naval capabilities and achieve parity in anti-access/area denial.
    • International Implications: Agni-P’s development positions India in the regional power dynamics and could impact arms control treaties.

    Missile Capabilities

    • Manoeuvrability and Accuracy: Agni-P features a manoeuvrable reentry vehicle (MaRV) for precise delivery of warheads to multiple locations.
    • Transportability: The missile is stored in a hermetically sealed tandem twin canister launcher, allowing for swift transportation through road and rail.
    • Weight Reduction: Composite materials are utilized in both stages of Agni-P to reduce weight and enhance performance.

    Strategic Importance

    • Counterforce Capability: Agni-P aims to deter neighbourhood enemy forces, given its limited range.
    • Enhanced Deterrence: The missile strengthens India’s deterrence capabilities and contributes to national security.
    • Regional Power Dynamics: Agni-P’s development is part of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, impacting regional power dynamics.

    Back2Basics: Agni Missile Series

    • Agni I: It is a Medium Range Ballistic Missile with a Range of 700-800 km.
    • Agni II: It is also a Medium Range Ballistic Missile with a Range more than 2000 km.
    • Agni III: It is also an Inter-Medium Range Ballistic Missile with Range of more than 2,500 Km
    • Agni IV: It is also an Inter-Medium Range Ballistic Missile with Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.
    • Agni-V: Currently it is the longest of Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.
    • Agni- VI: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of ICBM 11,000–12,000 km.

  • Varunastra: Indigenous Heavy Weight Torpedo

    varunastra

    Central Idea

    • Test-firing achievement: The indigenously designed and developed heavy weight torpedo (HWT) Varunastra was successfully test-fired by the Indian Navy, targeting an undersea target with a live warhead.

    Varunastra: Feature Details

    • Advanced features: Varunastra is a ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo equipped with low drift navigational systems, acoustic homing, advanced acoustic countermeasures, autonomous guidance algorithms, an insensitive munitions warhead, and a GPS-based recovery aid for practice torpedoes.
    • Designed and developed by NSTL: Varunastra was designed and developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) based in Vizag under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
    • Manufacturing by BDL: Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) is responsible for the manufacturing of Varunastra.

    Technical Specifications and Capabilities

    • Speed, depth, and range: Varunastra boasts a maximum speed of 40 knots and a maximum operating depth of 600 meters. It has long-range and multi-manoeuvering capabilities.
    • Acoustic homing and tracking: The torpedo features acoustic homing with a wide look angle, allowing it to track silent targets effectively.
    • Advanced guidance and navigational systems: Varunastra incorporates autonomous advanced guidance algorithms and drift navigational systems, enabling precise targeting and long-endurance operations.

    Significance of the test fire

    • Mainstay of anti-submarine warfare: Varunastra is set to become the primary anti-submarine torpedo for all naval warships, replacing older torpedoes capable of firing HWT.
    • Enhanced anti-submarine warfare: The induction of Varunastra as the mainstay anti-submarine torpedo strengthens the Indian Navy’s capabilities in countering underwater threats.
    • Self-reliance and indigenous development: The successful development and deployment of Varunastra highlight India’s progress in indigenous defence technologies and reduce dependence on imports.

  • ONDC will help small retail survive against large E-Com firms: Union Minister

    ondc

    Central idea: The article discusses the Indian government’s plan to launch the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to support small retailers and businesses against large tech-based e-commerce firms.

    About ONDC

    • The ONDC is a private non-profit Section 8 company established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Government of India.
    • It aims to develop open e-commerce by creating a set of specifications designed to foster open interchange and connections between shoppers, technology platforms, and retailers.
    • It was incorporated on December 31, 2021, with an initial investment from Quality Council of India and Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited).

    What exactly is ONDC?

    • The ONDC is not an application, an intermediary, or software but a set of specifications.
    • The ONDC seeks to provide an open-source platform for digital commerce that will enable small retailers and businesses to compete with large e-commerce firms by providing them with access to a wider customer base and reducing the costs of doing business.

    What does one mean by ‘Open-sourcing’?

    • Free for all: An open-source project means that anybody is free to use, study, modify and distribute the project for any purpose.
    • Open licensing: These permissions are enforced through an open-source licence easing adoption and facilitating collaboration.

    What processes are expecting to be open-sourced with this project?

    • Several operational aspects including onboarding of sellers, vendor discovery, price discovery and product cataloguing could be made open source on the lines of Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
    • If mandated, this could be problematic for larger e-commerce companies, which have proprietary processes and technology deployed for these segments of operations.

    What does the DPIIT intend from the project?

    • ONDC is expected to-
    1. Digitize the entire value chain,
    2. Standardize operations,
    3. Promote inclusion of suppliers,
    4. Derive efficiencies in logistics and
    5. Enhance value for stakeholders and consumers

    Countering ‘Digital Monopoly’

    • Digital monopolies refer to a scenario wherein e-commerce giants or Big Tech companies tend to dominate and flout competition law pertaining to monopoly.
    • The Giants have built their own proprietary platforms for operations.
    • In March, India moved to shake up digital monopolies in the country’s $ 1+ trillion retail market by making public a draft of a code of conduct — Draft Ecommerce Policy, reported Bloomberg.
    • The government sought to help local start-ups and reduce the dominance of giants such as Amazon and Walmart-Flipkart.
    • The rules sought to define the cross-border flow of user data after taking into account complaints by small retailers.

    Processes in the ONDC

    • Sellers will be onboarded through open networks. Other open-source processes will include those such as vendor and price discovery; and product cataloging.
    • The format will be similar to the one which is used in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
    • Mega e-commerce companies have proprietary processes and technology for these operations.
    • Marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket and Grofers will need to register on the ONDC platform to be created by DPIIT and QCI.
    • The task of implementing DPIIT’s ONDC project has been assigned to the Quality Council of India (QCI).

    Why such a move by the govt?

    • This COVID pandemic has made every business to go digital.
    • India is a country with 700 million internet users of whom large crunch of population are active buyers on e-coms.
    • There are 9 platforms in the world which are billion user platform and all are private. This is the monopoly which the govt aims to hit.
    • No country would ever want a few (foreign) companies to control their domestic e-commerce ecosystem.
    • Countries like US are struggling to control their monopoly over the e-commerce giants leaving no space for Indian legislations to control these overseas companies.
    • In India Amazon, Walmart, Uber are controlling larger crunch of share in the market leaving very less scope for domestic companies to cope up with.

    Scope for ONDCs success

    • Over last 50 years India is dealing with Big Tech companies with responsibility and pragmatic manner. Now it is also coming with new policies to control them.
    • The drafting panel has extraordinary persons like Mr. Nandan Nilekani and others who were in Aadhar, NPCI, MyGov, Retail industry and these make it inclusive and innovative.
    • India has successfully executed various public digital platforms like JAM Trinity, Aadhar linked projects. India for sure can handle its digital ecosystem better in e-coms too.
    • Open-sourcing will benefit society at large as did the UPI.

    Issues that can be raised

    • Monopolies: Draft E-Commerce policy can raise resistance from companies like Amazon, Flipkart, and Walmart etc.
    • EODB concerns: They may raise hues over operability and ease of doing business.
    • Compliance burden: MSMEs have already raised the growing compliance burden for e-commerce.

    Other challenges

    • Every platform has its own challenges so would the ONDC may have.
    • While UPI was ruled out (BHIM being the first) people were reluctant in using it due to transaction failures.
    • With subsequent improvements and openness people and businesses are using it in every walks of life. So it would work with ONDC.

    Conclusion

    • Once adopted, ONDC will make sure consumer and seller interest will be protected as the UPI did.
    • Best is yet to come and we are in 4th industrial revolution where the Govt should strengthen itself accordingly and make businesses inclusive and restrict monopolies.

     

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  • India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

    Digital

    Context

    • Public infrastructure has been a cornerstone of human progress. The monopolisation of public infrastructure, which plagued previous generations, has manifested itself in the centralised nature of today’s digital infrastructure. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can fulfil this need, though it faces several challenges.

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    What is the issue?

    • There is a disturbing trend of the weaponization of data and technology or Digital Colonisation (Hicks, 2019) resulting in a loss of agency, sovereignty and privacy.
    • Therefore, proactively deliberating on how to build good DPI is key to avoiding such challenges.

    What Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is and what it does?

    • Three foundational sets DPIs mediate the flow of people, money and information.
    • First, the flow of people through a digital ID System.
    • Second, the flow of money through a real-time fast payment system.
    • Third, the flow of personal information through a consent-based data sharing system to actualise the benefits of DPIs and to empower the citizen with a real ability to control data.
    • These three sets become the foundation for developing an effective DPI ecosystem.

    DPI in India

    • India, first country to develop all three foundational DPIs: India through India Stack became the first country to develop all three foundational DPIs digital identity (Aadhar), real-time fast payment (UPI) and a platform to safely share personal data without compromising privacy (Account Aggregator built on the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture or DEPA)
    • Techno-legal regulatory frameworks in India: Techno-legal regulatory frameworks are used to achieve policy objectives through public-technology design.
    • For example: India’s DEPA offers technological tools for people to invoke the rights made available to them under applicable privacy laws. Framed differently, this techno-legal governance regime embeds data protection principles into a public-technology stack.
    • DPI most feasible model: DPI has emerged as the most feasible model due to its low cost, interoperability and scalable design, and because of its safeguards against monopolies and digital colonisation.

    Digital

    Do you know “India Stack”?

    • India Stack is a set of (application programming interface) APIs that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery.
    • The Open API team at iSPIRT has been a pro-bono partner in the development, evolution, and evangelization of these APIs and systems.

    How DPIs constitute the backbone of a country’s digital infrastructure?

    • Facilitate seamless public service delivery: These layers interface with each other to create an ecosystem that facilitates seamless public service delivery and allows businesses to design novel solutions on top of the DPI layers.
    • Enables the creation of Open Networks as not seen before: India is now developing such open networks for credit (Open Credit Enablement Network), commerce (Open Network for Digital Commerce), Open Health Services Network (UHI) and many more.
    • Generate network effects: When DPIs are integrated, they can generate network effects to create these open networks for various sectors.

    Digital

    For India’s DPI success to become a worldwide revolution, three types of institutions must be built

    • An independent DPI steward institution: It is important to have a governance structure that is agile and responsive. A multiparty governance process through independent DPI institutions will be accountable to a broad range of stakeholders rather than be controlled by a single entity or group. This can build trust and confidence in DPI. India has created the Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), adopted by nine nations and with already more than 76 million active users.
    • Need to develop global standards through a multilateral dialogue led by India: If standards originating from developed nations were transplanted to an emerging economies’ context without deferring to their developmental concerns, smaller countries would simply be captive to dominant technology players. Additionally, without these standards, Big Tech would likely engage in regulatory arbitrage to concentrate power.
    • Sustainable financing models: Finally, we need to develop sustainable financing models for developing DPI for the world. Currently backed by philanthropic funding, such models are at risk of becoming a tool of philanthropic competition and positioning.

    Notes for answer writing

    • In the twenty-first-century, technological innovation has created a tempest of ideological, geographical and economic implications that pose new challenges.
    • The monopolisation of public infrastructure, which plagued previous generations, has manifested itself in the centralised nature of today’s digital infrastructure.
    • It is increasingly evident that the world needs a third type of public infrastructure, following modes of transport such as ports and roads, and lines of communication such as telegraph or telecom but with open, democratic principles built in.
    • Built on top of public infrastructure, democratic countries with largely free markets have fostered public and private innovation and, therefore, generated considerable value creation in societies.
    • However, like in the case of physical infrastructure, it is important that DPIs not succumb to monopolisation, authoritarianism and digital colonisation.

    Digital

    Conclusion

    • The world needs a new playbook for digital infrastructure that mediates the flow of people, money and information. This will facilitate countries looking to digitally empower their citizens. They can then rapidly build platforms that address the specific needs of people, while ensuring people are able to trust and use the platform – without fear of exclusion or exploitation.

    Mains question

    Q. What Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is and what it does? What can be done for India’s DPI success to become a worldwide revolution?

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  • What is VSHORAD Missile System?

    vshorad

    The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is set to procure the Very Short Range Air Defence System or VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system.

    VSHORAD Missile System

    • Meant to kill low altitude aerial threats at short ranges, VSHORADS is a man portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
    • It is designed and developed indigenously by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners.
    • The missile is propelled by a dual thrust solid motor—incorporates many novel technologies including miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, which were successfully proven during the tests conducted last year.
    • The DRDO has designed the missile and its launcher in a way to ensure easy portability.

    Unique features

    • Being man portable and lightweight compared to the other missile systems in the Army’s armoury, it can be deployed in the mountains close to the LAC at a short notice.
    • Others like the Akash Short Range Surface to Air Missile System are heavier with a theatre air defence umbrella.
    • They are perceived to be the best option for mountain warfare since they can be deployed quickly in rugged terrain.

    Significance of the missile

    • The development comes amid the ongoing military standoff with China at the LAC in eastern Ladakh and reports of air violations by China along the LAC last year.
    • India has been in talks with Russia since 2018 to procure the Igla-S air defence missiles at a cost of $1.5 billion under the VSHORAD programme in a bid to replace the Russian Igla-M systems.

     

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  • Cotton textiles: India was/is/ and will be a leader in sustainable production

    cotton

    Context

    • When we look back at Indian handlooms, what is certain is that the craft world has changed, not in the slow-paced gradual way of changes in the past, but much faster than before. India can be a world leader in the sustainable production of cotton textiles.

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    cotton

    Background: Indian handlooms

    • Supplier from the ancient times: The weavers of India have supplied the markets of the world with cotton cloth since at least the first century of the Common Era.
    • Fine varieties of cotton were the source of wealth: In pre-industrial times, the many varieties of Indian cotton cloth bafta, mulmul, mashru, jamdani, moree, percale, nainsukh, chintz, etc were the source of India’s fabled wealth.
    • Spun by hand: Until colonial times, the yarn for handloom weaving in India had been spun by hand.
    • Invention of spinning machines: With the invention of spinning machinery in Britain and the import of machine-spun cotton yarn, this occupation vanished.

    cotton

    Impact of colonial policies on Indian handlooms

    • Economic policies dictated by British: Since India was a British colony, the British dictated its economic policies.
    • Raw material exported while machine made fabric imported: Machine-woven cotton fabrics began to be imported, while raw cotton was shipped out to supply British industry.
    • Variety of cotton from India was not suitable for machinery, so they forced uniformity: Though Indian varieties of cotton produced the finest fabrics the world has yet seen, the famous Dhaka muslins, they were unsuited to the newly invented textile machinery, while American cotton varieties that have a longer, stronger staple, were more suited to machine processing. The machines needed a uniform kind of cotton, so the hundreds of varieties of Indian cotton which had been bred over centuries now had to become uniform. Diversity, until then valued, became a handicap.
    • By 1947 uniform production established and variety lost: By 1947, mass production was well established, and India’s own spinning and weaving mills took over the role of Lancashire. American cotton varieties and their hybrids gradually replaced native ones, so now, native varieties grow only in a few pockets

    What did this mean for Indian cotton farmers?

    • New practices changed the nature of production from sustainable to commercial: Cotton in India is grown largely by small farmers, and the new practices have changed the nature of farm practices from sustainable, family-based agriculture to intensive commercial farming with severe and tragic consequences.
    • Seeds from companies were expensive: Seeds come from large multinationals, rather than the farmer’s own stock, and are expensive.
    • Desi varieties of seeds were rainfed lost rapidly: While the desi varieties were rain-fed, the American varieties need irrigation, which increases humidity. Humidity encourages pests and fungi.
    • Cost of cultivation increased with use of fertilizers: A cocktail of chemicals fertiliser, pesticide and fungicide is used which adds to the cost of cultivation, but does not guarantee a good harvest.
    • Debt increased farmers misery: The farmer runs up huge debts hoping for a good crop, but India’s weather is variable, groundwater is fast depleting. If the crop fails, the risks are entirely the farmer’s. The distress of the cotton farmer has even led to suicides. The introduction of genetically-modified seeds has led to more severe problems.

    Relationship between energy shift and the cotton production

    • Renewable energy in 21st century: Just as energy from fossil fuels ushered in the era of mass production in the 19th century, it will be clean, renewable energy that will take the small-scale environmental Indian industries to the top of the heap in the 21st century.
    • Emphasis for low energy manufacturing: As fossil fuels deplete, earlier notions of efficiency will change, and low-energy manufacturing processes will gain value.
    • Handwoven fabrics will gain importance again: At the same time, markets are becoming saturated with look-alike products from factory-style mass production, and there are more customers for the individualised products dispersed production can offer. Small-batch handwoven fabrics will become desirable in the changing markets.

    cotton

    Interesting: Malkha a sustainable fabric

    • Malkha is pure cotton cloth made directly from raw cotton in the village close to cotton fields and combines traditional Indian principles of cloth making with modern small-scale technology.
    • Malkha is energy efficient, avoids baling and unbaling of cotton by heavy machinery and unnecessary transport.
    • It provides an alternative to the mass production of cotton yarn.
    • Malkha has also added natural dyeing of yarn to make its fabrics even more sustainable.

    Conclusion

    • The world is looking for green industries. Over the next 25 years, as independent India turns 100, handloom weaving located close to cotton fields can make it a world leader in sustainable production.

    Mains question

    Q. The weavers of India have supplied the markets of the world with cotton cloth since at least the first century of the Common Era. In this context Discuss the impact of British policies on Indian handloom.

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  • Making the Indigenous Defence Industry Self-Reliant and Globally Competitive

    Defence

    Context

    • Defence-Expo 2022 held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in October drew attention to a major policy initiative, the need for India to acquire the appropriate degree of “atma nirbharata” (self-reliance) in the defence sector and the arduous path ahead.

    What is the present status of defence supplies in India?

    • High dependency on foreign supply: Even as India aspires to become a $5-trillion economy, it is evident that it faces many national security inadequacies. The high dependency index on foreign suppliers (traditionally the former USSR now Russia) for major military inventory items is stark.
    • Risk of National vulnerability: This dependency induces a macro national vulnerability and dilutes India’s quest for meaningful and credible strategic autonomy.
    • Undermining national interest: Furthermore, the current gaps in combat capacity expose the chinks in the Indian ability to safeguard core national security interests. The Galwan setback apropos China is illustrative.

    Defence

    Do you know the following examples of Indigenous defence production?

    • INS Vikrant: The commissioning of the indigenously-designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
    • SLBM Missiles: The recent test fired SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) from the INS Arihant is indigenously bulit.
    • LCH Prachand: The induction of the made in India Prachand LCH (light combat helicopter) is significant leap.
    • Kalashnikov-type light weapon: The conclusion of a deal with Russia to manufacture a Kalashnikov-type light weapon/small arms in India.
    • 155mm artillery Gun: The 155-mm artillery guns being designed and manufactured in the country.

    Current scenario of India’s Defence export

    • Rising defence export: India’s defence exports have grown eight times in the last five years.
    • Exporting the defence material to 75 nations: India is exporting defence materials and equipment to more than 75 countries of the world. In 2021-22, defence exports from India reached $1.59 billion (about Rs 13,000 crore).
    • Target of $5 billion export: The government has now set a target of $5 billion (Rs 40,000 crore).” This is an ambitious target and will demand mission-mode resolve to be realised.

    Why our defence industry is not competitive at global stage?

    • Import of critical components: India does not yet have the domestic competence to fully design and manufacture any significant combat weapon/platform and is dependent on the foreign supplier for the critical components that lie at the core of the combat index of the equipment in question.
    • Partial methods of indigenous manufacturing: While it is commendable that India is now going to manufacture the C295 transport aircraft in a collaboration with AirBus, France, the reality is that the engine, avionics, landing gear, etc, will come from abroad and the integration will be done by the Indian entity.
    • Soft defence export: While India now claims that it will soon become a major arms exporter, the composition of such inventory leans towards the “soft” category (clothing, helmets, surveillance equipment).
    • No major defence manufacturing hub: India missed the industrial design and manufacturing bus, a national competence demonstrated by nations like South Korea and China, over the last five decades. Technological advances have made the design and manufacture of the semiconductor chip the new currency of national prosperity and military power.

    Ways to make India’s defence industry globally competitive?

    • Increasing the investment in R&D is necessary: At the heart of this challenge is the grim reality that historically, India has not invested enough in the national research and development (R&D) effort. As per data collated by the World Bank, India has been able to allocate only 0.66 per cent of GDP (2018) towards R&D, while the world average is 2.63 per cent.
    • Matching with the Global players in R&D: The comparable individual R&D allocation (per cent of GDP) for some other nations is as follows: Israel 5.44; USA 3.45; Japan 3.26; Germany 3.14; China 2.4; and Turkey 1.09.
    • Making the R&D prior national issue: Providing a sustained fillip to the national R&D effort across the board (state, corporate and academia) remains critical if India is to emerge as a credible military power and one would identify this as a high-priority issue for the national security apex the CCS (cabinet committee on security).

    defence

    Read this news Defence- Expo 2022

    • India’s flagship exhibition on land, naval and homeland security systems.
    • Defence-Expo 2022 was the 12th edition, held in Gandhinagar, Gujrat
    • Largest participation with 75 countries so far.
    • A milestone under Atmanirbhar Bharat policy.

    Conclusion

    • The push to achieve self-reliance in defence is commendable. India must step up R&D to achieve competence in design, manufacture of combat weapons/platforms. Meaningful indigenisation and credible “atma nirbharta” calls for sustained funding support, fortitude and an ecosystem that will nurture this effort.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the current state of indigenous defence production in India? Why Indian defence industry is not Globally competitive?

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  • Arihant SLBM launch: Enhancing India’s underwater capability

    SLBM

    Context

    • On October 14, India joined a select group of nations when it announced the successful launch of an SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile). The other six nations that have demonstrated similar underwater capability include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council Russia, the UK, France and China. In August 2016, North Korea claimed a successful launch of an SLBM.

    Features of K-15 SLBM

    • The code names K-15 or B-05, is an Indian submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with a range of 750 kilometres (466 mi) that was designed for retaliatory nuclear strikes. It belongs to the K Missile family and forms a part of India’s nuclear triad.
    • The K-15 is a two-stage submarine-launched ballistic missile which uses a gas booster to eject out of its launch platform and rise up to the surface of water. A solid rocket motor is fired after the missile reaches a fixed altitude. The missile has a range of around 750 kilometres (466 mi).

    SLBM

    About INS Arihant

    • Launched in 2009 and Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant is India’s first indigenous nuclear powered ballistic missile.
    • It is capable submarine built under the secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, which was initiated in the 1990s.
    • INS Arihant and its class of submarines are classified as ‘SSBN’, which is the hull classification symbol for nuclear powered ballistic missile carrying submarines.
    • While the Navy operates the vessel, the operations of the SLBMs from the SSBN are under the purview of India’s Strategic Forces Command, which is part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority.

    SLBM

    What is the Significance of SLBM for India?

    • Making India’s strategic profile strong: This achievement is significant in the context of India’s strategic profile. The navy, DRDO and other agencies who have enabled this success should be commended.
    • Enhancing Underwater deterrence: A credible underwater deterrent is perceived as being invulnerable to detection and hence nations with the capacity can deliver a retaliatory second strike this enhances their deterrence capabilities.
    • Showcasing the precision and high accuracy: While the press release is sparse in providing technical details or confirming the range of the SLBM, its assertion that the missile impacted the target area “with very high accuracy” is, nevertheless, instructive.
    • Familiarity and capability with SLMB : The crew of the INS Arihant and the entire HR (human resource) comprising the pyramid from the SFC (strategic forces command) going right up to the national command authority with the Prime Minister at the apex have acquired the necessary proficiency to launch an SLBM should the exigency arise.
    • Demonstration of competence: India can be justifiably proud of having acquired and demonstrated this level of competence, but this achievement needs to be located objectively. An SSBN (a nuclear-propelled submarine armed with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile) is deemed to be the ultimate deterrent and this profile of macro-lethality and zero error credibility is predicated on the robustness of the “boat” and the efficacy of the missile.
    • Validates SSBN programme: The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme, a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability. A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India’s policy to have ‘Credible Minimum Deterrence that underpins its ‘No First Use’ commitment.

    SLBM

    What is the deterrence?

    • Deterrence, military strategy under which one power uses the threat of reprisal effectively to preclude an attack from an adversary power. With the advent of nuclear weapons, the term deterrence largely has been applied to the basic strategy of the nuclear powers and of the major alliance systems.

    How the SLBM will secure deterrence against the enemy?

    • Tackling to rising Chinese capability: It merits recall that China became nuclear weapon capable in 1964 and carried out its first SLBM test (the J-1 with a range of 1700 km) in 1982. Over the years, the PLA Navy had its own techno-strategic challenges with nuclear-propelled submarines and was able to test a 9,000 km missile only in 2018. It is understood that a fully armed Chinese SSBN that would be deemed to be operational to undertake a credible deterrence patrol is scheduled for mid-2025.
    • Nuclear deterrence is necessary: Acquiring the optimum degree of nuclear deterrence is imperative for India, given its distinctive spectrum of security and strategic challenges. India has made slow but steady progress in its missile programme, nuclear weapon capability, the nuclear submarine and more recently the building of an aircraft carrier

    Conclusion

    • India’s restraint in relation to announcements and claims about strategic capability burnishes deterrence in a quiet but effective manner. Walking softly, while wielding a big stick is desirable as a national trait.

    Mains Question

    Q. How the launch of K-15 SLBM will enhance the security dynamics of India? Discuss the India’s underwater capability to maintain deterrence and security at the same time?

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  • Aatmanirbhar in defence production: Where does India stand?

    India ranks fourth among 12 Indo-Pacific nations in self-reliant arms production capabilities, according to a study released this month by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

    Study on Defence production

    • China tops the list, Japan is second, South Korea is in third place, and Pakistan is at number 8.
    • The study, which measures self-reliance until 2020, is based on three indicators of self-reliance in each country:
    1. Arms procurement — imports, licensed and domestic production as a proportion of the government’s total procurement of major conventional arms;
    2. Arms industry — the study presents the five largest arms companies in each country, where data are available, ranked by sales of arms and military services in 2020 to both domestic and export customers;
    3. Uncrewed maritime vehicles, the sea equivalent of drones — covering both uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), meant to provide a qualitative understanding of how countries are engaging domestic research institutes and firms to produce such cutting edge systems.

    How has China progressed?

    • China was the world’s fifth largest arms importer in 2016-20.
    • Its self-reliance policies, and its high economic growth in that period meant that the Chinese arms industry now increasingly fulfils the requirements of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
    • Its high volume of imports in absolute terms accounts for only 8 per cent of total procurement for the period, the lowest share for any of the 12 governments studied in this report.

    Why is India still lagging behind?

    • India is ranked as the second-largest importer of arms for its armed forces in 2016-20.
    • India is highly dependent on imports of complete foreign major arms, including many produced under licence or as components for its domestic production.
    • Of India’s total volume of procurement in 2016–20, 84 per cent was of foreign origin.
    • Domestic arms companies provide only 16 per cent of its total procurement.

    Steps taken by the Centre to boost defence production

    • Licensing relaxation: Measures announced to boost exports since 2014 include simplified defence industrial licensing, relaxation of export controls and grant of no-objection certificates.
    • Lines of Credit: Specific incentives were introduced under the foreign trade policy and the Ministry of External Affairs has facilitated Lines of Credit for countries to import defence product.
    • Policy boost: The Defence Ministry has also issued a draft Defence Production & Export Promotion Policy 2020.
    • Budgetary allocation: In addition, a percentage of the capital outlay of the defence budget has been reserved for procurement from domestic industry.
    • Defence Industrial Corridors: The government has also announced 2 dedicated Corridors in the States of TN and UP to act as clusters of defence manufacturing that leverage existing infrastructure, and human capital.
    • Long-term vision: The vision of the government is to achieve a turnover of $25 bn including export of $5 bn in Aerospace and Defence goods and services by 2025.
    • Push for self-reliance: The govt has identified the Defence and Aerospace sector as a focus area for the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ or Self-Reliant India initiative.

    Issues retarding defence indigenization

    • Excess reliance on Public Sector: India has four companies (Indian ordnance factories, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)) among the top 100 biggest arms producers of the world.
    • Policy delays: In the past few years, the government has approved over 200 defence acquisition worth Rs 4 trillion, but most are still in relatively early stages of processing.
    • Lack of Critical Technologies: Poor design capability in critical technologies, inadequate investment in R&D and the inability to manufacture major subsystems and components hamper the indigenous manufacturing.
    • Long gestation: The creation of a manufacturing base is capital and technology-intensive and has a long gestation period. By that time newer technologies make products outdated.
    • ‘Unease’ in doing business: An issue related to stringent labour laws, compliance burden and lack of skills, affects the development of indigenous manufacturing in defence.
    • Multiple jurisdictions: Overlapping jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Industrial Promotion impair India’s capability of defence manufacturing.
    • Lack of quality: The higher indigenization in few cases is largely attributed to the low-end technology.
    • FDI Policy: The earlier FDI limit of 49% was not enough to enthuse global manufacturing houses to set up bases in India.
    • R&D Lacunae: A lip service to technology funding by making token allocations is an adequate commentary on our lack of seriousness in the area of Research and Development.
    • Lack of skills: There is a lack of engineering and research capability in our institutions. It again leads us back to the need for a stronger industry-academia interface.

    Way forward

    • Reducing import dependence: India was the world’s second-largest arms importer from 2014-18, ceding the long-held tag as the largest importer to Saudi Arabia, says 2019 SIPRI report.
    • Security Imperative: Indigenization in defence is critical to national security also. It keeps intact the technological expertise and encourages spin-off technologies and innovation that often stem from it.
    • Economic boost: Indigenization in defence can help create a large industry which also includes small manufacturers.
    • Employment generation: Defence manufacturing will lead to the generation of satellite industries that in turn will pave the way for a generation of employment opportunities.

     

     

     

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  • Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand inducted into IAF

    lch

    The indigenous Light Combat Helicopter LCH-Prachand was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

    LCH- Prachand

    • The LCH has been designed as a twin-engine, dedicated combat helicopter of 5.8-ton class, thus categorized as light.
    • It features a narrow fuselage and tandem — one behind the other — configuration for pilot and co-pilot. The co-pilot is also the Weapon Systems Operator (WSO).
    • While LCH inherits many features of the ALH-Dhruv, it mainly differs in tandem cockpit configuration, making it sleeker.
    • It also has many more state-of-art systems that make it a dedicated attack helicopter.

    Features, the significance of LCH

    • LCH has the maximum take-off weight of 5.8 tonnes, a maximum speed of 268 kilometers per hour, range of 550 kilometers.
    • It has endurance of over three hours and service ceiling the maximum density altitude to which it can fly — of 6.5 kilometres.
    • LCH is powered by two French-origin Shakti engines manufactured by the HAL.

    Combat capabilities

    • The helicopter uses radar-absorbing material to lower radar signature and has a significantly crash-proof structure and landing gear.
    • A pressurised cabin offers protection from nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) contingencies.
    • With these features, the LCH has the capabilities of combat roles such as destruction of enemy air defence, counter-insurgency warfare, combat search and rescue, anti-tank, and counter surface force operations.

    Why need indigenous LCH?

    • It was during the 1999 Kargil war that the need was first felt for a homegrown lightweight assault helicopter that could hold precision strikes in all Indian battlefield scenarios.
    • This meant a craft that could operate in very hot deserts and also in very cold high altitudes, in counter-insurgency scenarios to full-scale battle conditions.
    • India has been operating sub 3 ton category French-origin legacy helicopters, Chetak and Cheetah, made in India by the HAL.

     

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