The Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have been reaching out to countries including the US, France, Russia and others in an effort to urge them to deliver earlier than the scheduled date

“While Israel is expected to send a new air defence system Iron Dome for deployment in border areas, US-based BAE Systems are expected to ship in Howitzers, more ammunition from Russia and the US.”

Though China has deployed S-400 along the border to protect against Indian missiles, during his recent visit to Moscow, defence minister Rajnath Singh had urged his counterpart to expedite the delivery of the equipment India is buying from there.

The US is already helping with intelligence inputs to India and has also asked India its latest needs in view of the tension.

Under the draft DPP shared publicly in March this year, India has now the option to lease critical military equipment from a friendly nation. A new clause has been introduced under which equipment including warships, transport aircraft can be leased.

While India has already acquired 155MM Excalibur artillery ammunition from the US, which has the capability to hit targets almost 50 km away, there is a plan to acquire more PGMs (precision-guided munitions). This can also be fired at extended ranges. In India, this is being used for M-777 ultra-light Howitzers which have been made in the US by the BAE Systems and are locally here in India. The Indian Army will have seven regiments of the M-777 Ultra-Light Howitzers which are expected to be deployed along the borders with China and Pakistan. The army will be using the Excalibur ammunition in the K-9 Vajra 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled tracked howitzer too. This 47-ton K-9 Vajra is a modified version of the Samsung-Techwin K-9 155 mm/52-caliber and is now being made in India in a venture with L&T.

Financial Powers

In case there is an attack the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has delegated financial powers to the Service Headquarters and also emergency powers have been given to the Vice Chiefs of respective Service HQs. According to the MoD “this power will enable in expediting the procurements of weapon systems and ammunition.”

This has been acquired for the units which are deployed along the Line of Control with Pakistan where artillery firing is a regular feature and this ammunition once-fired has the capability to be busted in the air using different fuses.

India-US

To further strengthen India-US Military ties, on Monday two US senators introduced legislations seeking joint research and development in the military sector with India. And have urged the Pentagon to focus on areas including Air Launched Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Intelligence Surveillance, Lightweight Small Arms Technologies, and Targeting and Reconnaissance.

Both countries are already focusing on deepening their military ties and India has been looking to the US to buy state of the military equipment. Both countries are involved in various joint as well as tri-service exercises.

India-France

French Defence Minister Florence Parly has written to defence minister Rajnath Singh expressing condolences on the recent death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley.

She has also expressed readiness to meet him in Delhi to follow up on the discussions between the two countries.