From Tejas To Agni-5, 2016 Was A Good Year For India¡¯s Defence Sector

2016 was a good year for Indian defence. Some major acquisitions were made, while some important milestones were reached by indigenous defence products. This gave India the ability to project its dominance as an emerging superpower.

Agni 5

DRDO

The 5,500 km range missile was tested for the fourth time successfully. Launched in the same configuration as the Army will use it ¨C from a hermetically sealed canister ¨C the missile brings the entire country of China within India¡¯s nuclear range. The missile is road and rail mobile and can be launched within minutes thanks to its solid motors. Two more tests of the missile will follow ¨C both by Strategic Forces Command, after which it will be inducted.

HAL Tejas

BCCL

The Indian Air Force finally commissioned the LCA Tejas with the 45 Sqn based in Bengaluru this year. The light fighter had a successful, if a little long, flight test program and proved its mettle at the Bahrain Airshow. An advanced design, the Tejas has been constructed out of composite materials and will soon have the ability to refuel in-flight.

Rustom-2/TAPAS-201 UAV

DRDO

India¡¯s home-made long endurance UAV flew for the first time in 2016. The UAV will give Indian forces the ability to snoop on the enemy from high altitudes and get real-time battlefield information. At a later date, TAPAS can be armed with air to ground missiles that will let it attack the enemy once it has been spotted.

S-400 Triumf

Reuters

India signed a deal to acquire the S-400 Triumf anti-air missile with Russia in 2016. The missile system has a maximum range of 400 kms and can even target stealth aircraft. India will get 5 systems to keep an eye on the borders with China and Pakistan. Till the time India builds its own missile shield, the S-400 can also act as an anti-missile system.

Rafale

BCCL

After protracted negotiations, India and France finally signed a deal for 36 Rafale fighters in 2016. The twin-engined fighter is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, though what role the Indian Air Force will use it in remains to be seen. A further order may also be on the cards as the MMRCA program was intended for 126 fighters.

HTT-40

BCCL

An indigenous development, the basic trainer is meant to train rookie pilots of the Indian Air Force, and it flew for the first time in 2016. The HTT-40 will be used for basic flight training of flight cadets with an instructor seated in the back. There are even plans to have a weaponised variant of the plane and make it a value-for-money proposition for export to smaller countries.

INS Arihant

The Hindu

India¡¯s first home-made nuclear submarine, the INS Arihant was quietly commissioned into the Indian Navy this year. Capable of carrying either 12 K-15 missiles of 750 km range or 4 K-4 missiles of 3,500 km range, the Arihant will undertake deterrent patrols as India¡¯s second strike. The second boat of the Arihant-class, the Aridhaman, is also under construction in Vishakhapatnam.