close

Technology

COVER STORYDefence Industry & TechnologyMILITARYTechnology

Raksha Mantri launches web-based project monitoring portal for Military Engineer Services

by admin on

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched Web Based Project Monitoring Portal (WBPMP) for Military Engineer Services (MES) at New Delhi on 20th October 2021. The portal conceptualized in accordance with the Digital India Mission of the Union Government, has been developed by Bhaskar acharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-G).

The newly launched unified portal is the first project management-Governance to be implemented by the MES. It will enable real time monitoring of projects from its inception to completion. All stakeholders not only from MES but also Armed Forces users can gain access to the project information. This is one among many initiatives of MES for the scientific management of this organisation.

Raksha Mantri appreciated the initiative that has several advantages in monitoring the MES projects and congratulated it for going digital.

Taking forward the Digital India Mission, MES is also in process of implementing nine other e-Governance applications in an endeavor to increase productivity, build transparency and improve efficiency towards infrastructural development for the Army. These include Product Approval Portal, AWMP Scrutiny & Status Application, E-Measurement Book, Budget Management Portal, Work Estimation Application, Billing and Construction Account Management, Cashbook Management and Accounting System, Contractor and Consultant Enlistment Portal & E-Deviation. These applications are expected to be developed by the end of this year and also to be amalgamated into singular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) by mid of next year.

MES has also embraced State of the Art technologies in its projects such as the construction of high-rise residential accommodations, construction of state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospitals, provisioning of several run-way infrastructures, construction of specialised marine structures, central engineering services such as the water & sewage treatment plants etc.

Chief of Defence Staff& Secretary-Department of Military Affairs General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj M Naravane, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhuri, Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Air Marshal BR Krishna, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Satish Namdeo Ghormade,E-in-C of MES Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh and Director General of Indian Coast Guard Krishnaswamy Natarajanwere also present at the launching ceremony for the WBPMP.

read more
Civil AviationCOVER STORYDefence Industry & TechnologyDronesTechnology

Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia flags off the Doon Drone Mela 2021 in Uttarakhand

by admin on

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia along with the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, General (Retd.) Dr. V.K. Singh flagged off the Doon Drone Mela 2021 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.Shri Scindia flagged off the event with a paragliding demonstration and also interacted with the drone companies exhibiting their prototypes at the Doon Drone Mela.

On the occasion, Shri Scindia said, “We recognise the immense opportunities which usage of drones bring in. The Government of India is working towards enabling the same with a liberalized drone policy and the launch of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. We insist that the Uttarakhand Government works towards developing Dehradun as an Aerosports and Drone Hub of India,” said Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia.”

Shri Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, MoCA along with other senior officials of the MoCA were also present at the launch. Moreover, the other attendees of the program included students and personnel from the Local Police Force, State Disaster Response Force, Wildlife Institute of India, UPES – University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, IMS Unison University, Information Technology Development Agency, ITDA Dehradun, and various dignitaries from the Indian Drone Industry.

The day marked the demonstration of the Drone & Aerosports Demonstrations that included a paragliding demonstration by the Border Security Force, a Paramotor demonstration by Harsh Sachan, and an agriculture spraying drone demonstration by IoTechWorld Aviation & Dhaksha. Furthermore, the event also included an emergency search & response drone demonstration with an indigenously 3D-printed drone by the Drone Application and Research Centre (DARC) & State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). It was followed by a brief survey drone demonstration by the Aarav Unmanned Systems (AUS) under the SVAMITVA Scheme along with a training drone demonstration by Sqn Ldr Varsha Kukreti (Retd.).

read more
COVER STORYDefence ExpoDefence Industry & TechnologyTechnology

DefExpo-2022 preparations at Kevadia, Gujarat

by admin on

Defence Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh reviewed the DefExpo-2022 preparations at Kevadia, Gujarat

Said, all efforts will be made to increase domestic & international participation

Our aim is to ‘Make in India, Make for the World’: Raksha Mantri

Expresses confidence that India will soon become global defence manufacturing hub

The event to be held in Gandhinagar between March 10-13, 2022.

Defence Minister-level Conclave, Hybrid events, live demonstrations & business seminars being planned
Aim is to achieve self-reliance in defence & increase exports. To make India a major destination of land, naval, air & homeland security systems and defence engineering

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani jointly reviewed the preparations of DefExpo-2022, at Kevadia, Gujarat on September 02, 2021. The 12th edition of DefExpo, which is India’s flagship event showcasing the land, naval, air as well as homeland security systems, will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between March 10-13, 2022.

During the meeting, Shri Rajnath Singh and senior officials of Ministry of Defence & Gujarat Government noted that the previous edition of DefExpo, which was held at Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow in February 2020, was a tremendous success due to the seamless jointmanship between Government of India and the State Government. It was agreed that as DefExpo-2022 is coinciding with the 75th year of Independence, being celebrated as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the event needs more active participation and synchronised efforts at all levels.

Expressing satisfaction at the ongoing preparations, the Raksha Mantri urged all the stakeholders to ensure maximum participation in the upcoming event. He hoped that not just domestic but international representation will be much greater at DefExpo-2022 than its previous edition. Reiterating the resolve of the Government to ‘Make in India, Make for the World’, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that India will soon become a global manufacturing hub. “We are taking big strides towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as envisioned by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. We will soon achieve self-reliance in defence. Our aim is to reduce dependency on imports and increase defence exports,” he said.
On the occasion, an MoU was signed between Ministry of Defence and Gujarat Government for organising DefExpo-2022, in the presence of Shri Rajnath Singh. The DefExpo-2022 will be a hybrid business event, with the exhibition planned at the Helipad Exhibition Centre and seminars at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre. A live demonstration of weapons & defence platforms is also being planned at the Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad.

Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Raj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Industries & Mines, Gujarat Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Joint Secretary (Aerospace) Shri Chandraker Bharti, Industries Commissioner and Chairman iNDEXTb Dr Rahul B Gupta were among those present in the review meeting.

The aim of DefExpo-2022 is to build upon the vision to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence and reach USD five billion defence exports target by 2024. The objective is to make India a major destination of land, naval, air & homeland security systems and defence engineering. Keeping with future warfare in mind, the event aims to recognise the impact of disruptive technologies on conflicts and its consequent impact on the equipment and platforms required.

The DefExpo-2022 will be organised keeping with the COVID-19 protocols and aims to ensure maximum international and domestic participation. The events planned include:
• A conclave at the level of Defence Minister to accelerate decision making process.
• A hybrid system for attendees to join the events virtually and participate in seminars, hold B2B meetings, view products and exchange ideas/business propositions, etc.
• Live demonstrations by the Services, Defence Public Sector Undertakings and industry to showcase land, naval, air and homeland security systems.
• Business seminars by both international and Indian industry chambers to capture the intellectual capital of renowned subject matter experts.
• The Gujarat Government aims to utilise the opportunity to further its aerospace & defence vision and seek foreign investments.

The DefExpo, the premier event in the international aerospace and defence calendar, has witnessed year-on-year growth, both in the quantity and quality of participation. The DefExpo 2020 had the exhibition expanse of over 75,000 square metres, with participation of more than 1,000 exhibitors. The event also witnessed participation of 70 nations with presence of Defence Ministers of 40 different countries. Two hundred partnerships were forged during the event that provided tremendous boost and visibility to the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. Over 12 lakh people visited the event, with a unique tent city accommodation being another feature.

In February 2021, India was the first country to conduct a hybrid aerospace exhibition, Aero India-2021 at Bengaluru, in compliance with strict COVID-19 protocols. The event, under the aegis of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, had witnessed tremendous global response.

read more
COVER STORYDefence Industry & TechnologyTechnology

Defence Acquisition Council headed by Raksha Mantri approves proposals of value Rs.13,165 cr.

by admin on

Strengthening India’s Defence Capabilities

In a significant move towards modernizing India’s armed forces, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, has approved capital acquisition proposals amounting to ₹13,165 crore. This decision underscores India’s commitment to enhancing its defence preparedness while promoting indigenous manufacturing under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

Key Approvals

The DAC’s latest approvals include several crucial procurements aimed at bolstering the operational capabilities of the Indian Army and Navy. Some of the major acquisitions include:

  • 25 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mark III – Procured from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at an estimated cost of ₹3,850 crore. These helicopters will significantly improve the Army’s lift capability and operational readiness.
  • Rocket Ammunition Procurement – The council has sanctioned the purchase of Terminally Guided Munition (TGM) and HEPF/RHE Rocket Ammunition under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, amounting to ₹4,962 crore. This move aims to boost indigenous design and development of advanced weaponry.
  • Additional Defence Proposals – Other approvals worth ₹4,353 crore include modernization initiatives and amendments to the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, ensuring streamlined procurement processes and efficiency.

Focus on Indigenous Defence Manufacturing

A remarkable 87% of the total approved procurement will be sourced from domestic manufacturers, reinforcing India’s push for self-reliance in defence production. This decision aligns with the government’s vision of reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and fostering innovation within the Indian defence sector.

Conclusion

The DAC’s latest approvals mark a significant step in strengthening India’s defence capabilities while supporting indigenous industries. With a focus on modernization, efficiency, and self-reliance, these acquisitions will play a crucial role in ensuring the operational readiness of the Indian Armed Forces.

read more