Navy looks for indigenous copter variants

• To meet its long-pending requirement of Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH), the Navy is looking to procure variants of the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) modified for ship-based operations.
• The tender for 111 NUH was earlier being processed through Strategic Partnership (SP) route of the procedure included by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the third positive indigenisation list.

First deal

• November 2018 - Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 111 NUH under the SP model, the first deal to be processed under the ambitious model meant to promote domestic private sector participating in defence manufacturing.
• February 2019 - Subsequently, the Request for Expression of Interest (REoI) to Original Equipment Manufacturers and Strategic Partners were issued.
• The process has since been held up as HAL jumped into the fray proposing a wheeled landing gear variant of ALH with adaptations.

Detailed report

• The Navy has issued its broad requirements to HAL in January for acquisition of 60 utility helicopters for maritime operations as per Buy-Indian IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) route of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020.
• In the first major helicopter induction, the Navy is set to induct the first batch of three MH-60R Multi-Role Helicopters, 24 of which were contracted from the US, this June.
• These are a replacement of the Sea King 42/42A helicopters which have been phased out in the 1990s.
• However, a contract to procure six Ka-31 early warning helicopters which was in advanced stages as well as the case for six more P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft have been deferred by the MoD during the review of all direct import deals, officials stated.
• The NUH will replace the ageing Chetak fleet in service in urgent need of replacement.
• In addition to the Chetak, the Navy operates Russian Kamov 28/31s which have been upgraded, shore based ALH Dhruvs and ageing Sea Kings and six Sikorsky UH-3Hs.

Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) MK III helicopter:

• Indigenously designed and developed
• A twin engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter in the 5.5 ton weight class.
• The basic Helicopter is produced in skid version and wheeled version.
• Built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd
• State-of-the-art flying machines and constitute a major step in our quest for “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.
• Certification of the utility military variant was completed in 2002 and that of the civil variant was completed in 2004.
• ALH MK III helicopters - array of systems previously seen only on heavier, multi-role helicopters of the Indian Navy.
• The helicopter also has a host of advanced avionics, making it truly an all-weather aircraft.

Defence Acquisition Council

• The composition of the DAC is as follows:
  • Defence Minister: Chairman
  • Minister of State for Defence: Member
  • Chief of Army Staff: Member
  • Chief of Naval Staff: Member
  • Chief of Air Staff: Member
  • Defence Secretary: Member
  • Secretary Defence Research & Development: Member
  • Secretary Defence Production: Member
  • Chief of Integrated Staff Committees HQ IDS: Member
  • Director General (Acquisition): Member
  • Dy. Chief of Integrated Defence: Staff Member Secretary
• Objective - to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces in terms of capabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimally utilizing the allocated budgetary resources.
• Functions:
  • in-principle approval of 15 Year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan for Defence Forces;
  • accord of Acceptance of Necessity to acquisition proposals;
  • categorization of the acquisition proposals relating to ‘Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’ and ‘Make’;
  • issues relating to Single vendor clearance;
  • decision regarding ‘offset’ provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above Rs. 300 crores;
  • decisions regarding Transfer of Technology under ‘Buy & Make’ category of acquisition proposals; and
  • Field Trial evaluation.

Current developments in indigenisation of the defence sector:

• INS Vikrant: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier 1 (IAC 1).
• Tejas aircraft: DRDO is trying to develop an indigenous Kaveri engine for the aircraft.
• Project 75: Indian navy’s submarine program dealt with France, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Spain, and Japan to build six advanced stealth submarines.
• INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS vela, S53,54,55 are constructed by Mazagaon Dock Ltd in Mumbai.
• First indigenous Long-range artillery gun, “Dhanush”.
• Arihant: India’s first indigenous nuclear submarine by BARC and DRDO
• Agni V: The ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile)
• The Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher was developed by RDE, Pune.
• Supersonic cruise missile Brahmos was developed by a joint venture with Russia.
• Arjun tank: the third-generation main battle tank developed DRDO and produced by Indian Ordnance Factories.

Challenges to India’s indigenisation plan

• Deficiency in defence planning
• Lack of institutional capacity for timely policymaking
• Lack of infrastructure for increasing production and logistic support deficit.
• The absence of a dispute settlement body to resolve issues hinders the process.
• Land acquisition restrictions

Way forward:

• The above-mentioned challenges faced by the indigenisation of the Indian defence plan need to be addressed by emphasising the ‘Make in India’ plan.
• There needs a permanent arbitration cell to deal with disputes and objections which may otherwise hold up the process for a long time.
• The infrastructure for in-house design and testing needs to be enhanced, and added software support of artificial intelligence and cyber security should be provided.

Exam Track

Prelims Takeaway

• ALH
• DAC
• DRDO Make Initiative Indigeneous defence equipments

Mains Track

Q. India has been spending around 4% of its GDP on defence. However, it is insufficient in the light of current ongoing developmnents and uncertainties in the exports from major defence suppliers. Discuss how India’s Make in India initiative can help resolve these uncertainties.