French Defense Minister Gérard Longuet announced that the French and Indian armies would be the holding a joint exercise, Shakti.
Gaping holes in MMRCA elimination decision
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The process leading up to the decision by the Indian Ministry of Defense to issue invitations to eliminate four of the six companies in the contest to win the Indian Air Force tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) has large holes in its standard of diligence.
Coast Guard MRMR tender cancelled
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This move, last week, came after flight trials were held in February to evaluate the performance of two aircraft, the Russian Beriev Be-200 and the Canadian Bombardier Q-400.
Indian Navy saves Chinese ship from pirates
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According to naval sources, pirates were attempting to hijack the Panama-flagged MV (Merchant Vessel) Full City, owned and crewed by Chinese nationals, 40 nautical miles (over 830 kilometers) west of the Indian Naval base of Karwar.
Stricken MMRCA vendors not walking away yet
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The spurned vendors and countries failing to receive invitations by the Indian Ministry of Defense to extend the validity of their commercial bids for the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), which expired on Thursday, have issued cautious responses indicating that they do not consider the matter closed and that there is, still, much left to be discussed.
EF, Rafale to extend MMRCA bids’ validity to year-end
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The Indian Ministry of Defense has asked the European Eurofighter Typhoon consortium and the French Dassault to extend the validity of their commercial bids for the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender till December 31, 2011. StratPost reported the formation of an effective shortlist for the tender,…
US ambassador to India resigns
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According to a release issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi, “US Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer today
announced his resignation from the post of Ambassador to the Republic of India, to be effective at the pleasure of the President. Ambassador Roemer is expected to leave India in June.”
India selects EF, Rafale for MMRCA shortlist
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StratPost can also confirm that according to the IAF and the ministry, the other aircraft in the fray, the US Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, the US Lockheed Martin Corporation’s F-16, the Russian MiG-35 and the Swedish SAAB’s Gripen did not pass the technical evaluation conducted by the IAF.
Vivek Lall leading new RIL tech venture
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Lall, who joined Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) two weeks back, is reporting directly to the Chairman and Managing Director, Mukesh Ambani. His brief is to stand up the new venture, which will focus on technologies like advanced material sciences and advanced communications technologies, that are likely to have a bouquet of applications in the homeland security, aerospace and defense sectors.
MMRCA vendors to resubmit offset plans by next week
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Less than a month before the expiry of the commercial bids for the Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), the Ministry of Defense has asked the six vendors to resubmit their proposals for technical offsets within ten days.
Swiss look for more, better fighters
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Significantly, the Swiss Air Force is now also looking for additional capabilities in the aircraft like an AESA radar and is planning to increase the order size from 22 to 36.
The Long Road to the MMRCA Shortlist
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With the commercial bids of the MMRCA-6 vendors scheduled to expire by the end of this month and the ministry under pressure to move on the tender process, StratPost looks at the outstanding issues that still need to be worked out before the announcement of a shortlist.
Board fails HAL No. 2
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The Director, Finance of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), D Shivmurti was asked to leave abruptly, last month, after being denied an extension of his appointment by the Public Enterprises Selection Board.
Images: Pirate Hunter INS Cankarso
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StratPost recently got a chance to visit the INS Cankarso, a Car Nicobar-class Water Jet Fast Attack Craft. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers [GRSE], the vessel was commissioned in June last year.
Indian Navy picks Korean Kangnam’s mine hunters
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The navy and the defense ministry have identified South Korea’s Kangnam Corporation to be L1 [Lowest bidding and technically qualified] for the procurement of eight such vessels.
