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India Most Vulnerable to

Cyber Attacks
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CONTENTS
Cyber Warfare
Urgent need to boost India’s resilience in the cyber domain
05 CYBER WARFARE: Emerging Trends in Technology and
Cyber Risks
07 CYBER WARFARE: Cyber Threats in India
09 CYBER WARFARE: India's Defensive and Offensive
Cyber Capabilities
11 CYBER WARFAE: Strategic and Policy Frameworks for
Cyber Security
13 FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES: Cutting Edge Technologies
for the Future Battlefield Maj Gen Ravi Arora
18 UKRAINE WAR: Can China Broker Peace Between
Russia and Ukraine
19 GEOPOLITICS: China, Iran and Russia Creating a New
World Order Dr D Bhalla, IAS
21 UNMANNED SYSTEMS: Increasing Role of Drones for
Civil and Defence Uses Kunal Kaushik
23 PAKISTAN: Pakistan Losing "Strategic Depth”
DR D Bhalla, IAS
25 PAKISTAN: Pakistan's Current and Future Scenarios
Maj Gen Deepak K Mehta
28 DEFENCE RESEARCH: DRDO News
40 HUMAN RESOURCES: China is trying to recruit Gorkhas
from Nepal
42 DEFENCE DIPLOMACY: Port Calls, Visits and Dialogues
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
05
30 India, Russia Cut Deal On Payment Delays, Defense
Production
31 China Military 'ready To Fight' After Drills Near Taiwan
33 Is America Postured For A Fight In The Indo-pacific?
34 Lawmakers War-game Conflict With China, Hoping To Deter
One
35 Pentagon: Yes, We Are Still Lagging Behind China's
Hypersonics
37 The Failure Of Russia's Missile War In Ukraine
38 Military Must Train To Fight When Comms Break Down: U.S.
Experts
39 Drones, Planes Need New Weapons And Sensors: Special Ops
Official
44 DEFENCE DIPLOMACY: Defence Minsiters Bilateral Talks at
SCO Summit 2023
46 MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES: Glimpses from Joint
International Exercises
48 CEREMONIAL: Battle Honours and Raising Day Anniversaries
3

EDITORIAL
Maj Gen Ravi Arora
Cyber Security is of Paramount Urgency
W ith a popula on of 1.4 billion
people, India is the world's largest
and most diverse democracy. As
such, to keep the Indian people secure within
cyberspace and all other domains is of
paramount importance. If India's cybersecurity
is endangered, that sets an alarming precedent
for the ability of cyber-related threats to
undermine democra c processes, na onal
resilience, and e-governance of states around
the world. Conversely, if the crea vity and
cyber exper se of the Indian people can be
channeled into developing India's
cybersecurity capabili es, that in
turn may serve as an aspira onal
precedent for other states.
Beyond the immediate
context of a healthy democra c
discourse, cybersecurity has vast
implica ons across all other fields
of na onal resilience. India is
currently undergoing efforts to
digi se its economy and
infrastructure. Ini a ves such as
Digital India (DI) aspire to link all
Indian ci zens into the cyber
domain. Consequently, the
number of users to be
safeguarded by securi sa on of
the cyber domain is rising rapidly.
To become an economically developed digital
na on, India must therefore also adopt a holis c
approach in tackling challenges to its
cybersecurity. Moreover, when it comes to
India's geopoli cal strategic posture, the cyber
domain provides much surface area for
malicious foreign actors to a ack India.
The urgency of boos ng the resilience of
India in the cyber domain is moun ng. The
sobering return of great power compe on to
the forefront of interna onal rela ons
discourse only exacerbates the threats posed
by revisionist powers such as Russia and China
in the cyber domain. Cyberspace has become
an arena for unwelcome foreign influence on
democra c processes and social discourse in
liberal democracies. 'Big Data' companies and
their corresponding social media pla orms
now serve as drivers and forums of social and
4
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
poli cal discourse in modern democracies.
Social media pla orms' alloca on of users into
consumer avatars based on their online
footprints is o en exploited by companies
themselves, bad-faith domes c, and foreign
actors who seek to radicalise online discourse,
thereby deepening communi es' sense of
disillusionment and aliena on. The Cambridge
Analy ca controversy around the Brexit
referendum, or the role of Russia-adjacent
social media accounts in the rising prominence
of populism in liberal democracies both
illustrate the magnitude of poten al dangers in
cyberspace.
Conversely, in the private sphere,
individuals and companies are facing the ever-
increasing threat of ransomware a acks,
adding up to increasing financial damage each
year. To make ma ers worse, a significant
propor on of cyber-a acks goes unreported,
thereby preven ng authori es from gaining
comprehensive oversight on the security of the
cyber sphere.
Innova ons in quantum compu ng and
developments in ar ficial intelligence (AI) have
furthered the poten al to enhance the
effec veness of ethically ques onable
prac ces. Quantum computers for instance
may undermine the security of the encryp on
infrastructure that is meant to protect users'
privacy. In liberal democracies therefore, no
large-scale implementa on of quantum
computers shall take place un l corresponding
quantum encryp on prac ces are first
available. Revisionist powers, and China in
par cular, have no such commitment to
privacy however, se ng a worrying precedent
in social engineering. AI in turn may enhance
both the Chinese social credit system's
effec veness, as well as private corpora ons'
ques onable handling of users' data.
All the above risk areas have the poten al
both to enable India's economic and socio-
poli cal growth, as well as to undermine these
processes. In order to secure a safe and
innova ve society for the Indian
people, cybersecurity must be
kept as a top priority. For
example, transi oning from an
agriculture and produc on-
based economy to a service
based one requires a secure set
of financial ins tu ons, along
with their corresponding
financial infrastructure.
The role of an ac ve state
apparatus in the Digital Age also
relies heavily on the na on's cyber
infrastructure. Large areas of the
healthcare, educa on, welfare,
and administra on infrastructures
are outsourced into cyberspace.
Consequently, should the cybersecurity of these
domains be endangered, the state's ability to
respond to crises, conduct developmental
schemes, or simply deliver government services
is undermined.
To safeguard 1.4 billion Indian people's
data, privacy, democra c processes, and
enterprises in the cyber domain is therefore of
p a ra m o u n t u r g e n c y. H e r e a r e a fe w
recommenda ons for Indian policymakers,
with respect to what ac ons across the various
strategic sectors would contribute to India's
cyber resilience:
• Expand exis ng legisla on pertaining to
the cyber domain.
• Develop ability to respond to cyber-a acks
at large scale.
• Conduct cybersecurity assessments of
vulnerabili es in the Indian military.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

CYBER WARFARE
Emerging Trends in
Technology and Cyber Risks
T he Internet has transformed our world.
In a single generation, it has
revolutionized the way we innovate,
communicate, and share information on a
global scale, catalyzing unprecedented
advancements in human prosperity, equality,
and connectivity. Upon this Internet backbone
we have built a flourishing digital ecosystem,
combining systems and technologies with our
economies, our societies, and ourselves.
In doing so, the digital ecosystem has come
to reflect the values of its architects and its
u s e r s . Te c h n o l o g i e s h a v e p r o m o t e d
democracy, free speech, innovation, and
equality. But they also have been misused to
enable transnational repression and digital
authoritarianism; steal data and intellectual
property; distribute disinformation; disrupt
critical infrastructure; proliferate online
harassment, exploitation, and abuse; enable
criminals and foster violent extremism; and
threaten peace and stability. People and
technology are increasingly linked, further
enabling the very best, as well as the worst, of
humanity.
In this decisive decade, we have grand
ambitions for the further values-driven
development of our digital ecosystem. We are
building a smart grid, powered by distributed
renewable electricity and balanced with
intelligent systems, that promises a bright and
resilient future of energy abundance. We
envision a maturing "Internet of Things" (IoT),
In any given 60-second window, the following malicious activity is happening.
comprising everything from consumer goods
to digitized industrial controls to constellations state-backed attacks and prevent criminal systemic consequences.
of satellites, that will increase efficiency and plots around the world. But the underlying
safety while providing game-changing insights structural dynamics of the digital ecosystem Emerging Trends
into our environment and economy. We are frustrate their efforts. Its components remain A digitally-enabled future is emerging, but
laying the foundations for real-time global prone to disruption, vulnerable to exploitation, also creating both new opportunities for
collaboration leveraging vast amounts of data and are often co-opted by malicious actors. further advancement and new challenges to
and computing power that will unlock We must make fundamental changes to overcome. Malicious actors threaten our
scientific discoveries and other public goods of the underlying dynamics of the digital progress toward a digital ecosystem that is
which we cannot yet conceive. ecosystem, shifting the advantage to its inclusive, equitable, promotes prosperity, and
Achieving this vision of a prosperous, defenders and perpetually frustrating the aligns with our democratic values.
connected future will depend upon the forces that would threaten it. Our goal is a The world is entering a new phase of
cybersecurity and resilience of its underlying defensible, resilient digital ecosystem where it deepening digital dependencies. Driven by
technologies and systems. We have learned is costlier to attack systems than defend them, emerging technologies and ever more complex
hard lessons and made significant progress in where sensitive or private information is and interdependent systems, dramatic shifts in
the collaborative defense of our digital secure and protected, and where neither the coming decade will unlock new
ecosystem. Every day, cyber defenders foil incidents nor errors cascade into catastrophic, possibilities for human flourishing and

5
 CYBER WARFARE
prosperity while also multiplying the systemic
risks posed by insecure systems.
Software and systems are growing more
complex, providing value to companies and
consumers but also increasing our collective
insecurity. Too often, we are layering new
functionality and technology onto already
intricate and brittle systems at the expense of
security and resilience. The widespread
introduction of artificial intelligence systems-
which can act in ways unexpected to even their
own creators-is heightening the complexity
and risk associated with many of our most
important technological systems.
The Internet continues to connect
individuals, businesses, communities, and
countries on shared platforms that enable
scaled business solutions and international
exchange. But this accelerating global inter-
connectivity also introduces risks. An attack on
one organization, sector, or state can rapidly
spill over to other sectors and regions, as
happened during Russia's 2017 "NotPetya"
cyber-attack on Ukraine, which spread across
Europe, Asia, and the Americas, causing
billions of dollars in damage. The potential cost
of attacks like this will only grow as
interdependencies increase.
Digital technologies increasingly touch the
most sensitive aspects of our lives, providing
convenience, but also creating new, often
unforeseen risks. The COVID-19 pandemic has
pushed us to live ever more deeply in a digital
world. As our lives become intertwined with
video and audio streaming, wearable devices,
and biometric technologies, the quantity and
intimacy of personal data collection is growing
exponentially. Theft of that data is also growing
rapidly, and opening up novel vectors for
malicious actors to surveil, manipulate, and
blackmail individuals.
Next-generation interconnectivity is
collapsing the boundary between the digital and
physical worlds, and exposing some of our most
essential systems to disruption. Our factories,
power grids, and water treatment facilities,
among other essential infrastructure, are
increasingly shedding old analog control
systems and rapidly bringing online digital
operational technology (OT). Advanced wireless
technologies, IoT, and space-based assets-
including those enabling positioning ,
navigation, and timing for civilian and military
uses, environmental and weather monitoring,
and everyday Internet-based activities from
banking to telemedicine – will accelerate this
trend, moving many of our essential systems
online and making cyberattacks inherently more
destructive and impactful to our daily lives.
Malicious Actors
Malicious cyber activity has evolved from
6
“ Driven by emerging
technologies and ever
more complex and
interdependent systems,
dramatic shifts in the
coming decade will
unlock new possibilities
for human flourishing
and prosperity while
also multiplying the
“ 2022 brutal and unprovoked invasion of
systemic risks posed by
insecure systems.
nuisance defacement, to espionage and
intellectual property theft, to damaging
attacks against critical infrastructure, to
ransomware attacks and cyber-enabled
influence campaigns designed to undermine
public trust in the foundation of our
democracy. Once available only to a small
number of well-resourced countries, offensive
hacking tools and services, including foreign
commercial spyware, are now widely
accessible. These tools and services empower
countries that previously lacked the ability to
harm U.S. interests in cyberspace and enable a
growing threat from organized criminal
syndicates.
The governments of China, Russia, Iran,
North Korea, and other autocratic states with
revisionist intent are aggressively using
advanced cyber capabilities to pursue
objectives that run counter to our interests and
broadly accepted international norms. Their
reckless disregard for the rule of law and
human rights in cyberspace is threatening U.S.
national security and economic prosperity.
China now presents the broadest, most
active, and most persistent threat to both
government and private sector networks and is
the only country with both the intent to
reshape the international order and,
increasingly, the economic, diplomatic,
military, and technological power to do so.
Over the last ten years, it has expanded cyber
operations beyond intellectual property theft
to become our most advanced strategic
competitor with the capacity to threaten U.S.
interests and dominate emerging technologies
critical to global development. Having
successfully harnessed the Internet as the
backbone of its surveillance state and
influence capabilities, the PRC is exporting its
vision of digital authoritarianism, striving to
shape the global Internet in its image and
imperiling human rights beyond its borders.
For more than two decades, the Russian
government has used its cyber capabilities to
destabilize its neighbors and interfere in the
domestic politics of democracies around the
world. Russia remains a persistent cyber threat
as it refines its cyber espionage, attack, influence,
and disinformation capabilities to coerce
sovereign countries, harbor transnational
criminal actors, weaken U.S. alliances and
partnerships, and subvert the rules-based
international system. Like its 2017 "NotPetya"
attack, Russia's cyberattacks in support of its
Ukraine have resulted in irresponsible spillover
impacts onto civilian critical infrastructure in
other European countries.
The governments of Iran and North Korea
are similarly growing in their sophistication
and willingness to conduct malicious activity in
cyberspace. Iran has used cyber capabilities to
threaten U.S. allies in the Middle East and
elsewhere, while the DPRK conducts cyber
activities to generate revenue through criminal
enterprises, such as through the theft of
cryptocurrency, ransomware, and the
deployment of surreptitious information
technology (IT) workers for the purposes of
fueling its nuclear ambitions. Further
maturation of these capabilities could have
significant impacts on U.S., allied, and partner
interests.
T h e c y b e r o p e rat i o n s o f c r i m i n a l
syndicates now represent a threat to the
national security, public safety, and economic
prosperity of the United States and its allies
and partners. Ransomware incidents have
disrupted critical services and businesses
across the country and around the world, from
energy pipelines and food companies, to
schools and hospitals. Total economic losses
from ransomware attacks continue to climb,
reaching billions of U.S. dollars annually.
Criminal syndicates often operate out of states
that do not cooperate with U.S. law
enforcement and frequently encourage,
harbor, or tolerate such activities. These and
other malicious cyber activities continue to
threaten Americans across society, including
disproportionately affecting those without the
resources necessary to protect themselves,
recover, or seek recourse.
Adapted from National Cybersecurity
Strategy, The White House, Mar 2023

CYBER WARFARE
Cyber Threats in India
I ndia faces cyber threats at an already major
and still growing scale. In December 2022,
The Tribune reported that cyber-attacks in
India tripled over the past three years. It
elaborated that the Indian Computer
E m e rge n c y Re s p o n s e Te a m ( C E RT- I n )
reportedly handled as many as 1,402,809
cyber-attacks in 2021 alone. With nearly
700,000 cyber-attacks having been reported by
CERT-In by June 2022, The Print went on to
label 2022 as "its worst year of cyberattacks",
implying that 2023 would likely showcase a
further increase. This worrying trend has
considerable implications for various strategic
sectors. Worse still, while CERT-In's capacity to
respond to cyber-attacks is considerable, it lags
behind the estimated 18 million instances of
cyber-attacks in the first quarter of 2022 alone.
According to Google's Vice President-
Engineering for Privacy, Safety and Security,
Royal Hansen this amounted to around
200,000 cyber-attacks every single day during
the same period.
NPR reported in December 2022, that
"cyberattacks on hospitals thwart[ed] India's
push to digitize health care". In November
2022, Chinese and Hong Kong-based cyber
criminals held data of the All India Institute of
Medical Science (AIIMS) for ransom, causing
considerable disruptions to the institution's
operating capacity. CERT-In diagnosed that five
servers of the medical institution were
compromised, with nearly 1.3 TB of data
having been affected by the attacks. This came
at a time when India was undergoing large-
scale digitisation efforts, with the central
government's aspiration being to issue a digital
health ID for every Indian citizen. Cybercrime
poses comparable disruptions to other sectors
of public administration in India, with e-Sign, e-
Governance, and other services already having
entered a developed stage of their
implementation.
Government agencies are not safe from
cyber-attacks either. Mint reported, based on a
study of the cybersecurity firm CloudSek, that
2022 saw a 95 per cent year-on-year increase in
cyber-attacks on government agencies. This
increase cemented India as the single most-
targeted country in terms of cyber-attacks on
government agencies. CloudSek also found that
India, the US, Indonesia, and China together
accounted for 45 per cent of all cyber-attacks
targeted at governments globally in 2022.
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
Cybersecurity firm CloudSek said that 2022 saw a 95 per cent increase in cyber-attacks on govt agencies
Meanwhile, the share of government-targeted
cybercrime aimed at China fell to 4.5 per cent in
2022, from 13.1 per cent in 2021. The AI-focused
cyber threat prediction firm also established
that in addition to foreign powers, grassroots
hacktivism also posed a considerable threat to
India, particularly the Malaysia-based group
Dragon Force, and the Khalifa Cyber Crew. Both
organisations proclaim an agenda of targeting
India's cyber landscape citing discrimination
against Muslim communities in the country.
Overall, hacktivism groups were found by
CloudSek to be responsible for 9 per cent, while
ransomware groups for 6 per cent of cyber-
attacks perpetrated on government agencies.
While hard to confirm, this indicates a relatively
higher degree of engagement in cyber-attacks
by government-adjacent organisations both
globally and in terms of cyber-attacks
perpetrated against India specifically.
Banks in India are not immune from cyber-
attacks either, pointing at cybercrime
endangering the financial infrastructure of the
country as well. It is estimated that between
June 2018 and March 2022 248 data breaches
were successfully carried out against various
Indian banks, 41 of which were against banks in
the public sector.
The cyber threat level faced by India is
considerable and appears to be growing still, as
the above section illustrated. In addition, it is
shown that a proportionately significant chunk
of malicious cyber activity against India is
targeted at the public sector. At a time when
initiatives such as the Digital India (DI) flagship
programme aim to extend the cyber sphere to
all 1.4 billion Indian citizens, such threats pose
considerable obstacles to the DI's vision to
empower citizens to become digitally literate,
as well as secure online. For example, as The
Week illustrates: "In February 2021, [...] SITA,
the Geneva-based air transport data giant
which serves more than 90 per cent of the
world's airlines, informed Air India that hackers
stole the personal data of 4.5 million
passengers." The very infrastructure of India
faces the risk of disruption by grassroots cyber
organisations pursuing political agendas as
well as by foreign powers (chiefly, China) that
seek to expand their rivalry with India into the
cyber domain. In short, there is much and more
to be concerned about when it comes to the
cybersecurity of the Indian people. The
following section provides a landscape of the
various institutional outlets India has so far
dedicated to addressing the cyber threat faced
by the country.
India's Cyber Landscape: Facts and Figures
Having illustrated the cyber threats faced
by India, it is also key to enumerate the various
initiatives and bodies in place to mitigate these
threats. The digital world is changing at a rapid
pace. With this, the need for cybersecurity has
never been more pressing. The Indian
government has made cybersecurity one of its
top priorities, with a vision to make India a
"cyber- smart" nation by 2023. Steps are being
taken by the government to make sure that
businesses are prepared for cyber-related
changes by enforcing a comprehensive plan
called the National Cyber Security Strategy
(NCSS). The NCSS is designed to help
businesses and citizens alike avoid becoming
victims of cybercrime and prevent vicious
attacks on their connections, including attacks
from countries that are seeking to steal
7
 CYBER WARFARE
At least five servers at the AIIMS were infected by a cyber attack in Nov 2022
intellectual property or other sensitive
information. The NCSS has four central
objectives:
• Improving India's cyber security
infrastructure.
• Supporting research into protecting
against cyber threats
• E n c o u ra g i n g t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f
operational capabilities
• Promoting awareness among citizens
about cybersecurity issues.
The Ministry of Electronics & Information
Technology (MeitY) is the nodal government
body responsible for all aspects of
digitalisation and cybersecurity in India as well
as for addressing issues revolving around the
wider context of technological innovation. It
was formed as one of the Union ministries on 1
January 2017, under the MeitY designation.
The MeitY develops policies for technology and
telecommunications as well as for the
protection of data security, privacy, and
intellectual property rights.
The Government of India has launched
several initiatives under the MeitY umbrella.
These are various schemes and services to
improve the cybersecurity landscape in the
country.
These initiatives aim to protect critical
infrastructure and other key assets from cyber-
attacks, to combat cybercrime, and to promote
digital literacy and access to digital services.
The most significant ones are listed below:
• National Cyber Coordination Centre
(NCCC): for monitoring and responding to
cyber threats.
• National Critical Information Infrastructure
Protection Centre (NCIIPC): for protecting
critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.
• Cyber Security for MSMEs scheme:
provides training and raises awareness of
8
threats to small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) and their employees.
• Indian Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT-In): CERT-In is India's national
nodal agency for responding to cyber security
threats.
• National Cyber Safety and Security
Standards (NCSSS): for developing and
implementing standards for cyber security in
India.
• Digital India (DI): for transforming India
into a digitally empowered society and
knowledge economy. It includes a range of
initiatives to improve access to digital services
and to promote digital literacy.
• India Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):
for coordinating, integrating, and strengthening
the fight against cybercrime in India.
In the wake of the recent rise in cybercrime,
India has launched a new initiative to combat
the issue. India Cyber Crime Coordination
Centre (I4C) is a national effort to combat cyber-
crime and its associated threats. The I4C is a
multi-agency centre that coordinates with other
government departments and law enforcement
agencies to identify and respond to new threats,
as well as to help prevent them from happening
in the first place.
The Digital India (DI) programme is the
flagship initiative launched by the Government
of India in 2015 with the goal of transforming
India into a digitally empowered society and
knowledge economy. The framework aims to
ensure that government services are made
avail- able to citizens electronically and that
citizens can access these services through a
computer or mobile device. The DI programme
includes several subsidiary initiatives aimed at
improving digital infrastructure, promoting e-
governance, and increasing digital literacy.
Some of the major initiatives that help the
citizens of India to be digitally literate and more
cyber aware include:
• BharatNet: This initiative aims to connect
all Gram Panchayats (village councils) in the
country with high-speed internet through a
fibre-optic network.
• Digital Locker: This initiative provides
citizens with a digital locker to store important
documents and certificates electronically.
• e-Sign: This initiative allows citizens to sign
documents electronically, making it easier for
them to access government services.
• e-Governance: The programme aims to
increase the use of technology in government
processes to improve transparency, efficiency,
and accountability.
• Digital India Portal: A one stop solution for
all government services
• Skill India: The programme aims to train
and upskill citizens to meet the demands of the
digital economy.
The DI programme has made significant
progress in areas such as e-governance, digital
infrastructure, and digital literacy. The Digital
India budget for 2023 has been made public
and it shows that cybersecurity projects will be
one of the biggest parts of the plan. In its 2023
budget, DIC allocated $300 million for
cybersecurity projects in 2022-2023 with an
emphasis on training and education; $500
million for research into artificial intelligence
and machine learning; $300 million for
creation of a national data centre; and $200
million for improving internet connectivity in
rural areas. The smart city project of Digital
India has benefited more than 100 cities
throughout the country from 2019-23. The
number of people using 'Digi Locker' in India is
expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2023.
However, there are still challenges to be
addressed, such as ensuring that all citizens
have access to digital services and addressing
issues of data privacy and security. Even after
several programmes, India continues to face a
significant number of cyber threats especially
following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian
government also recognizes the need for a
strong legal framework to tackle cybercrime.
The Information Technology (IT) Act was
enacted by the government in 2000, providing
avenues for a range of legal measures to tackle
cybercrime and protect personal data.
Cybersecurity is one of the key concerns of
the G20 as well, given that increasing reliance
on technology and the internet has made the
world more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. India
is presently holding the Presidency of the G20
from December 1, 2022, to November 30,
2023. India is actively participating in the G20's
efforts to improve global cybersecurity.
Contd on page 16

CYBER WARFARE
India's Defensive and
Offensive Cyber Capabilities
C yberspace has become a staging ground
for state-sponsored conflicts, often
rising to levels of national security
concern. Some prime examples include the
2007 Estonia cyber-attack, the 2008 Georgia
cyber-attack, the 2010 Stuxnet attack on Iran,
and the 2015 NitroZeus operation, among
others. However, more recently, the alleged
2016 Russian cyber interference in US
presidential elections, the 2017 Ukraine Power
Grid Cyber Attack, the 2017 NotPetya Malware
Attack, led to a ripple of concern across the
globe about the possibility of hostile militaries
inflicting significant damage to other states by
targeting their cyberspace.
The 2020 cyber-attack on the Kudamkulam
Nuclear Power Plant and other cyber-attacks
on India by its adversaries in the region
demonstrate that there is a high likelihood that
as modern warfare evolves, disputes between
states will always include attacks on critical
infrastructure connected to cyberspace. To
that end, before addressing Indian cyber
capabilities in detail, the wider nebula of cyber
capabilities in general terms must be
disentangled.
Defining Cyber Capabilities
Capabilities are generally defined as the
ability to affect a desired impact. In the context
of cyber operations, having a capability means
possessing the resources, skills, knowledge,
operational concepts and procedures to be
able to reach a desired effect in cyberspace.
Capabilities constitute the building blocks and
foundation of operations in cyberspace. Thus,
any policy instrument that can manifest a
desired effect in cyberspace may be duly
considered a cyber capability. Such capabilities
may be of a defensive or an offensive nature.
Offensive cyber operations are
characterised by US and UK military doctrine as
effects (i.e. capabilities) that seek to project
power through the application of force in or
through cyberspace to achieve (military)
objectives. These operations may have a direct
real-world impact in the physical and social
layer as they seek to disrupt, manipulate, and
deny opponents. Defensive capabilities, on the
other hand, are passive or active measures
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
The six-tiered labelling system for the Cyber Arms Watch Report 2022
seeking to preserve the ability to use
cyberspace with the purpose of enabling one's
own freedom of action. These may include
vulnerability assessment and risk management
as well as considering possible responsive
measures in line with operational needs. The
HCSS Cyber Arms Watch seeks to create a cyber
transparency index that offers a comparison
between the stated and perceived cyber
capabilities of countries. In rating countries
capabilities with a six-tiered system, the delta
between the Declared Capabilities Rating
(DCR) and the Perceived Capabilities Rating
(PCR) forms the basis for a country's cyber
transparency, which is measured in the Cyber
Transparency Index (CTI).
Assessing India's Cyber Capabilities
In the latest (May, 2022) edition of the
HCSS Cyber Arms Watch, India is rated with a
DCR of level 1, and a PCR of level 3 (see table
above), resulting in an untransparent cyber
transparency rating. Officially, while
cyberspace and offensive cyber capabilities are
identified and mentioned in doctrinal
documents on information warfare, there is a
lack of clarity in the available data. As such, as
of yet, the nature and extent of India's cyber
capabilities cannot be reliably determined.
India's Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) has
reportedly become operational in August
2021, indicating that the Indian government is
intent on further developing cyber capabilities.
Beyond this, however, it is difficult to
differentiate aspirational cyber capabilities
from capabilities that are already (being)
established in India due to a lack of reliable and
trans- parent information, particularly from
government and interconnected circles.
The perceived rating of India's cyber
capabilities, on the other hand, lies much higher,
at level 3. Nonetheless, there remains a
discrepancy among different observers and
experts, while most are hopeful of India's
potential to develop cyber capabilities, there
remains much scepticism as to how effective
India's current and near-future capabilities are.
Equally, there are many doubts about the actual
level of commitment of the Indian government
towards cyber as a strategic domain and
towards constructing and expanding its cyber
capabilities. As such, many institutes tend to
rank India conservatively: the Belfer Center's
National Cyber Power Index (2020) ranks India
as the 21st most comprehensive cyber power,
and its offensive capabilities 28th out of 30. The
Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), on the other
hand, ranks cyber powers in a 3-tiered system
based on relative strength of countries across 7
categories:
• Strategy and doctrine.
• Governance, command, and control.
• Core cyber intelligence capability.
• Cyber empowerment and dependence.
• Cyber security and resilience.
• Global leadership in cyberspace affairs.
• Offensive cyber capabilities.
Tier 1 Cyber Powers (currently only the US)
9
 CYBER WARFARE
possess world-leading strengths in all
categories, Tier 2 Cyber Powers possess world-
leading strengths in some categories, whereas
Tier 3 Cyber Powers have (potential) strengths in
certain categories, while possessing significant
weaknesses in others. The IISS considers India a
Tier 3 Cyber Power – identifying the potential of
India's strong digital economy, strong start-up
and private sector initiative, as well as India's
visibility in cyber diplomacy. Nonetheless, the
above studies remark only modest progress in
the spheres of policy and doctrine. Through
leveraging its digital infrastructure and industry
and adopting a whole-of-society approach, India
could transition from a solid regional power into
a comparably strong global player.
While India enjoys a good deal of
cooperation with the US on cybersecurity,
expanding capabilities of its own will prove to
be instrumental in solidifying India's position in
the regional and global balances of power. A
lack of clear vision on cyber space and building
India's cyber capabilities is deemed a major
impeding factor on India's progress as an up-
and-coming cyber power. While developments
and progress are in the works across the Indian
political sphere, India's cybersecurity
responses are somewhat lacking, indicating a
potentially low ability or resolve to respond to
cyber threats. India fares quite well against
Pakistan, where it has been conducting low-
medium intensity offensive cyber operations
(both attacks and counterattacks) for several
years now. Against the looming cyber threat of
China, however, India seems to be either
unwilling or unable to respond in kind.
The government banned 59 mobile apps, mainly Chinese, on 29 June 2020, terming them prejudicial
to sovereignty, integrity, defence of the country.
10
A computer at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, was infected with malware in Oct 2019
Whereas the People's Liberation Army (PLA)
h a s m a d e s i g n i f i ca nt refo r m s a n d i s
successfully integrating the whole spectrum of
electronic and information warfare, including
cyber space; the Indian army and defence
agencies are quite behind. After repeated
breaches gathering sensitive data and some
disruptive attacks between 2010- 2018, India
only mustered a limited response, primarily in
trying to reduce its vulnerabilities.
And yet, India's effort to prevent Chinese
technological domination, through banning
apps and the 'Make in India' campaign was only
marginally effective. While restraint is prudent
given the difficulty of attributability and
c e r ta i nt y i n c y b e r- atta c ks , d efe n s i ve
capabilities in cyberspace will always remain
less efficient and flawed given that there are
always unknown vulnerabilities in digital
systems. In essence, defence is always failing,
necessitating offensive countermeasures to
edify deterrence and make it credible.
Nevertheless, one should be careful when
employing offensive cyber capabilities, even if
one can accurately identify the hostile target
for retribution – offensive manoeuvres can
have a high potential for collateral damage,
along with a chance for further escalation. And
if one is unsure as to which actors are
responsible for attacks on India's cyber
infrastructure, employing purely offensive
means is outright dangerous; with the
pervasiveness of proxies and botnets, the odds
are that without clearly being able to attribute
the attack to a (known) hostile actor, the wrong
entity may be targeted. Thus, simply building
up offensive cyber capabilities, while useful, is
not optimal. A whole-of-society effort is
needed, encompassing both preparedness and
vigilance from the civilian sector, as well as
cyber diplomacy to determine a clear set of
norms and rules of engagement. India has
many factors it could leverage to secure a
leading role in this transformative process, not
only its start-up culture and digital-industrial
potential, but equally its global position vis-à-
vis the other great powers. Through strategy,
India could endeavour to connect other cyber
powers and form a network of international
cyber cooperation, or, at the very least, a
framework of understanding.
Based on The Hague Centre for Strategic
Studies paper "Defending the Digital Domain
The effort to build a cyber resilient India" Feb
2023.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

CYBER WARFAE
Strategic and Policy Frame-
works for Cyber Security
O n the policy front, India made
significant moves with the
introduction of the country's first-
ever National Cyber Security Policy (NCSP) in
2013. Touted as an "evolving task" catering to
the entire spectrum of ICT providers and users,
the NSCP was created as an "umbrella
framework" to guide all sectors-government
and non-government entities and small,
medium, and large enterprises (SMEs)-with
designing relevant and appropriate internal
cybersecurity strategies.69 The policy outlines
effective strategies to protect networks,
information, and information systems. For
example, test infrastructure, malware
monitoring and cleaning facilities, and the
introduction of a 24/7 National Critical
Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
(NCIIPC) to tackle cybersecurity threats in Critical Information Infrastructure
strategic areas like space, nuclear, and air
control. It also lays emphasis on fiscally
incentivizing businesses to adopt best
practices in cyber resilience infrastructure
“ Over the past few
years and in the wake of
cyber capabilities, and Part 3 with cyberspace
synergies. It details 21 key areas to "ensure a
safe, secure, trusted, resilient, and vibrant
building, and on developing indigenous cyberspace for India's prosperity." This
technology solutions by supporting the the pandemic, India has includes a renewed focus on robustly
creation of a trained workforce of around enhancing and building resilience
500,000 cybersecurity professionals. pushed for the rapid infrastructure in the wake of new cybersecurity
The NSCP aimed to reach its objectives and cyber warfare threats by trans- national
using the following strategies:
digitisation of critical actors and doubling down on strengthening
• Creating a secure cyber ecosystem.
• Creating an assurance framework.
industries, social spaces, threat detection and responses to new
technologies like Advanced Persistent Threat
• Encouraging open standards. payments, and Vectors.
• Strengthening the regulatory framework. According to the draft NCSS, there is a need
• Creating mechanisms for security threat transactions. As a result, for Critical Information Infrastructure
early warning, vulnerability management and
response to security threats.
it has increased the risk Protection, Small and Medium Businesses
security, and Sectoral Preparedness. As the
• Securing e-governance services.
• Protection and resilience of critical
of threat exposure in “ Union Government emphasises doubling
down on its crucial 'Make in India' and 'Digital
Information Infrastructure. cyberspace. India' efforts, it is expanding its digital footprint
• Promotion of research & development in thanks to the large-scale digitisation of public
cybersecurity. cybersecurity strategy. The Data Security services. Over the past few years and in the
• Reducing supply chain risks. Council of India (DSCI) prepared and submitted wake of the pandemic, India has pushed for the
• Human resource development. a comprehensive draft National Cyber Security rapid digitisation of critical industries, social
• Creating cybersecurity awareness. Strategy (NCSS) to the Union Government in spaces, payments, and transactions. As a
• Developing effective public-private 2020,73 and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) result, it has increased the risk of threat
partnerships. has announced that it is currently reviewing exposure in cyberspace. For example, a
m) Information sharing and cooperation. the proposed strategy for implementation. November 2022 cyber-attack against the AIIMS
To tackle some of the gaps in the NCSP, The proposed NCSS for India includes three compromised the sensitive data of 30-40
however, the Government announced its sets of actions: Part 1 deals with securing million patients, reigniting public debate about
intentions of introducing a new national India's cyberspace, Part 2 with strengthening building adequate cyber resilience and

11
 CYBER WARFARE
India's Institutional Cybersecurity landscape
response infrastructure in the nation.
The proposed NCSS asserts that national
cybersecurity efforts would be insufficient
unless state-level (quasi-federal) efforts are
undertaken. Additionally, the draft strategy
calls for the Union to strengthen its cyber
s e c u r i t y s t r u c t u re , i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n d
governance, as well as separate budgetary
allocations for cybersecurity. To strengthen
India's strategic and commercial interests, the
draft Strategy suggests that end products of
cyber security research, innovation, and
technology development should be
commercialised. Moreover, it has reiterated
the importance of developing cyber security
capability and skill development to serve
India's digital well-being. To systematise data
security, the proposed NCSS recommends
strengthening audit and assurance functions,
reinforcing Incident/Crisis Management, and
improving data governance in India due to the
scale, pace, and complexity of cyber security.
Further, the NCSS is categorical about the
positive use of advanced technologies such as
5G, wireless, cloud, mobility, IoT, AI/ML,
12
robotics, AR/VR, hardware/semiconductor,
HPC and Quantum Computing, DLT, UAV, SDI,
and material science, stating that these
advancements will play a significant role in
shaping India's cyber security in the long run.
Lastly, the proposed strategy calls for the
synergising of India's internet infrastructure,
technical standards, cyber insurance, cyber
diplomacy, digital forensics technologies,
methods, and legal procedures to advance
India's interests in safe, secure, and open
cyberspace. It also aims to position and brand
India as a leading global cyber security force,
both on domestic and global platforms.
It is worth noting that in addition to the
legal, policy, and strategic frameworks
elucidated above, the Government of India has
formed ancillary bodies like NCIIPC, the NCCC,
and the Online Cyber Crime Portal to
streamline cyber threat detection,
coordination, and communication efforts. To
support the work being done by these bodies,
the following initiatives have also been set up:
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative. The
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative was created to
spread awareness about cybercrimes and build
capacity among frontline IT officials and Chief
Information Security Officers in government
departments to adequately defend digital and
tech infrastructures and tackle potential
cyberattacks.
Cyber Swachhta Kendra. The Cyber
Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and
Malware Analysis Centre) is an initiative set up
by MeitY under NCPS, operated by CERT-In. Its
main goal is to detect botnet infec- tions in the
country and to inform and enable the cleaning
and securing of end-user systems to prevent
the spread and development of further
infections.
Lessons From India's Cybersecurity
Frameworks
As discussed above, India has made
significant strides in passing laws and creating
policies towards its goals of creating a Digital
India with a resilient and secure cyberspace for
i t s c i t i ze n s . H o weve r, t h e re a re st i l l
improvements that can be made, particularly
with respect to resilience infrastructure,
response capabilities, user surveillance, data
protection, and privacy. Defence expert Lt. Col.
Sanjiv Tomar, has expressed a need for the
creation of a cyber command as a "parallel
hierarchical structure […] prudent to address
the jurisdiction issues right at the beginning of
policy implementation." The implementation
of existing public-private partnerships also
needs to be strengthened to ensure that SMEs
and organisations can be protected from
potential attacks. Several experts have pointed
out a need to strengthen the National Cyber
Coordination Centre (NCCC) and redraft the
policy to account for and recognize the
complexity of cyber incidents and rapidly
evolving technological innovations.
At the end of the day, India suffers from the
same problem as the US, the EU, and every
other state or regional actor trying to create
regulations in cyberspace - no one can
accurately predict the scale and speed at which
new viruses, malware, and other threat
technologies emerge and evolve.
Consequently, lawmakers, defence experts,
and cyber professionals in the country are
working to constantly and consistently revise
existing frameworks to ensure that systems
and users can keep themselves safe from
malicious actors in cyberspace.
Based on The Hague Centre for Strategic
Studies paper "Defending the Digital Domain
The effort to build a cyber resilient India" Feb
2023.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Cutting Edge Technologies
for the Future Battlefield
Maj Gen Ravi Arora

I n future conflict, across all operating

domains, the Indian Armed Forces should
be able to project power and defend
against developing threats. Beyond 2030, they
s h o u l d d o m i n at i n g t i m e , s p a c e , a n d
complexity across all operating domains.
So far, the Armed Forces and DRDO have
focussed on technical advances to enhance
operational effectiveness. However, the
strategic environment is changing fast.
Globalization of technology now allows
potential adversaries access to cutting-edge
science and technology research and the best
science and technology talent.
Adopting scientific and technical advances
rapidly into transformational warfighting
capabilities requires collaborative
development across doctrine, organization,
training, materiel, leadership, personnel,
facilities, and policy. There is a need to have Networks in the Battlefield
periodic future-concept modeling and
simulation, to inform decision-makers on was issued by HQ IDS covering the period 2012- • Unmanned Systems
future technologies and force design. 2027. It was revised in 2018. It listed out 19 key • Weapon Guidance
technological requirements. (Listed The Technology Information, Forecasting
Recent Initiatives alphabetically here) and Assessment Council (TIFAC) under the
Several initiatives have been taken in • Adaptive Antenna Signatures Ministry of Science & Technology came out
recent years. Relevant outcomes from these • Adaptive Warheads with 'Technology Vision 2035,' identifying the
initiatives can be incorporated in future policy. • Advanced Weapon Systems - PGMs, air-to- challenges ahead and how they can be dealt
• Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX). air weapons, Hard Kill Weapons with through technological interventions while
• Defence AI Council (DAIC) • Artificial Intelligence and Robotics realizing the dream of a developed India by the
• Defence AI Project Agency (DAIPA) • Battlefield Transparency year 2035. It gave details of 12 sectors and
• 'Buy and Make (Indian)' and 'Buy (Global - • Chemical, Biological, Radiological and technologies that in some cases exist but need
Manufacture in India)' category in DAP. Nuclear (CBRN) Defence to be deployed.
• 25 per cent of defence R&D budget • Command and Control Architecture On the Defence side there is a need to carry
earmarked for industry. • Communication Systems out a de novo review in view of rapid changes in
• Nine thrust areas identified for focused • Digital Systems warfighting which have taken place.
research, namely Platforms, Weapon System, " Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) Weapons
Strategic Systems, Sensors & Communication • Electronic Warfare Future Requirements
Systems, Space, Cyber Security, Artificial • Information Dominance Several emerging technologies are
Intelligence & Robotics, Material &Devices and • Miniaturization expected to have a significant impact on the
Soldier Support. • Nano Technology / Micro Electro- battlefield of the future. Some of these
• Technology Development Fund (TDF) Mechanical Systems (MESM) include:
Scheme • SAGW Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine
• Sensor Fusion. Learning (ML): AI and ML are expected to be
Technology Perspective and Capability • Sensors increasingly used to improve decision-making,
Roadmap • Smart Radios ta rget i d e nt i f i cat i o n , a n d b att l ef i e l d
Ea r l i e r, i n 2 0 1 3 , t h e ' Te c h n o l o g y • Space-Based Radars awareness. They could also be used to develop
Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) • Stealth autonomous weapons, which could make

13
 FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Networked layers
warfare more efficient and less reliant on
human decision-making.
Autonomous Systems: Unmanned aerial
and ground vehicles, as well as underwater
drones, are expected to become more
prevalent on the battlefield. These systems
could be used for reconnaissance, surveillance,
and other military tasks, and could greatly
enhance the capabilities of military forces.
Directed Energy Weapons (DEW): Lasers
and microwave weapons are expected to
become more powerful and more widely used
in warfare. These weapons could be used to
disable or destroy targets at a distance, and
could greatly enhance the capabilities of
military forces.
Q u a n t u m Te c h n o l o g y : Q u a n t u m
computing, quantum communication and
quantum encryption are expected to play a
major role in future warfare. They could be
used to develop more powerful and secure
communication systems, as well as to improve
intelligence gathering and analysis.
Cybersecurity: As more military systems
become connected to the internet, protecting
them from cyberattacks will become
14 IMR
increasingly important.
Emerging technologies such as
blockchain and quantum-
resistant cryptography are
expected to play a key role in
securing military networks and
systems.
Ro b o t i c s a n d D ro n e s :
Ro b o t i c s a n d d ro n e s a re
ex p e c te d to p l ay a m o re
p ro m i n e nt ro l e i n f u t u re
warfare, they could be used for
reconnaissance, surveillance,
and other military tasks
including search and rescue,
reconnaissance, and explosive
ordnance disposal.
Augmented and Virtual
Reality (AR/VR): AR/VR are
likely to be used for training,
simulation, and for enhancing
the situational awareness of
soldiers on the battlefield.
H y p e rs o n i c We a p o n s :
These are missiles that travel at
speeds above Mach 5 and can
eva d e t ra d i t i o n a l m i s s i l e
defense systems.
Space-based Assets:
Satellites are being used for a
variety of military purposes,
including communication,
navigation, and intelligence
gathering.
Autonomous systems
India has been actively
working on developing autonomous systems
and Robotics for defence purposes.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The
D e fe n c e Re s e a rc h a n d D e v e l o p m e n t
Organisation (DRDO) has been developing
various UAS for reconnaissance, surveillance,
and target acquisition. DRDO's unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) Rustom-2 can be used for
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR) missions.
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs).
DRDO has been developing UGVs for a variety
of tasks, including explosive ordnance disposal
and reconnaissance. DRDO's UGV named
Daksh is capable of handling Improvised
Explosive Devices (IEDs). A Minefield
Breaching System (MBS) has also been
developed, which can be used to clear
minefields and other explosive hazards.
Autonomous Naval Systems. Autonomous
surface and underwater vehicles for naval
applications such as mine countermeasures,
anti-submarine warfare, and surveillance are
under development. Indian Navy has
developed an Autonomous Underwater
Vehicle named AUV-62.
Autonomous Weapon Systems. DRDO has
been working on autonomous weapon
systems for use in air, land and naval defence.
These systems are intended to improve
decision-making and target identification.
Humanoid Robots. DRDO is also
researching the development of humanoid
robots for military and civilian applications.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and ML technologies are being used to
improve decision-making, target identification
and tracking, predictive maintenance and
cybersecurity.
AI-based Decision Support Systems. The
Indian armed forces are using AI-based
decision support systems to improve
situational awareness and decision-making on
the battlefield. The Indian Army has developed
an AI-based decision support system called the
Tactical Control and Analysis System (TCAS).
ML-based Target Identification and
Tracking. DRDO has been working on
developing ML-based systems for target
identification and tracking, for use in air and
missile defence. DRDO has developed an ML-
based system for tracking and identifying
aircraft and missiles, called the Integrated Air
Command and Control System (IACCS).
AI-based Predictive Maintenance. India's
armed forces are using AI-based predictive
maintenance systems to improve the
maintenance of weapons and equipment. The
Indian Navy has developed an AI-based
predictive maintenance system called the
Automatic Maintenance Management System
(AMMS).
AI-based Cyber Security. AI and ML has
been in use to improve cybersecurity, including
intrusion detection and response, and threat
intelligence.
AI-based Autonomous Systems. DRDO is
been researching the use of AI to improve the
autonomy and decision-making capabilities of
unmanned systems, including UAVs and UGVs.
Hypersonic Weapons
I n d i a i s a c t i v e l y r e s e a rc h i n g a n d
developing hypersonic weapons technology,
including the Hypersonic Technology
Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV), the BrahMos-
II missile, and the Hypersonic Air-breathing
Weapon Concept (HAWC). India has also
successfully tested a hypersonic scramjet
engine, which is a key technology for
hypersonic propulsion.
HSTDV can be used to test and validate
hypersonic propulsion technologies. BrahMos-
II is an upgraded version of BrahMos
supersonic cruise missile, designed to be able
to travel at hypersonic speeds. HAWC will be a

The government has given its approval to the National Quantum Mission which will cost over Rs 6000 cr
new class of missile that can travel at
hypersonic speeds and carry conventional or
nuclear payloads.
India has successfully tested a hypersonic
scramjet engine. This technology will be used
to power the HSTDV and the HAWC.
Directed Energy Weapons
I n d i a i s a c t i v e l y r e s e a rc h i n g a n d
developing directed energy weapons (DEW),
such as high-energy laser systems and
microwave weapons, for use in air and missile
defense, electronic warfare, and
communications.
High-energy Laser Systems. DRDO has
been researching and developing high-energy
laser systems to disable or destroy incoming
missiles and aircraft. DRDO is also working on
microwave weapons for use in electronic
warfare.
Laser-based Communication System. The
Department of Space has been developing a
laser-based communication system that uses a
beam of laser light to transmit data through the
atmosphere.
Solid-state Laser Technology. DRDO is also
working on solid-state laser technology for use
in high-energy laser systems.
Space-based Assets
India has been developing a variety of
space-based assets for military use, including
communication, navigation and reconnaissance
satellites, military satellite launch vehicles and
space-based early warning systems.
Communication Satellites. Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed a
number of communication satellites that can
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
be used for military and civilian purposes.
Navigation Satellites. ISRO has developed
a regional satellite navigation system called
NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation)
which provides accurate positioning and
timing information for military and civilian use.
Reconnaissance Satellites. ISRO has
developed a number of reconnaissance
satellites that can be used for intelligence
gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance.
These include the Cartosat series of satellites
which provide high-resolution imagery.
Military Satellite Launch Vehicles. The
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
(GSLV) are used to launch military and civilian
satellites into orbit.
Space-based Early Warning Systems.
Space-based early warning systems is being
developed to detect and track incoming
ballistic missiles, and other potential threats to
Indian airspace.
Quantum Communication and Quantum
Computing
In summary, India is actively researching
and developing Quantum communication and
Quantum computing technology for defence
applications, with a focus on Quantum key
distribution, quantum computing, quantum
random number generator, and quantum
communication network. DRDO and Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of
Science (IISc) have been leading the
development of these technologies.
QKD uses the principles of quantum
mechanics to generate and distribute
cryptographic keys, making it extremely
difficult to hack.
DRDO has been researching the use of
quantum computing for cryptography,
simulation and optimization. A quantum
ra n d o m n u m b e r ge n e rato r h a s b e e n
developed that can be used for cryptographic
applications, such as key generation and
encryption. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are also
actively researching and developing quantum
computing technology.
Quantum communication network. DRDO
is also researching the development of a
quantum communication network that would
be able to transmit information securely using
quantum cryptography.
Critical Technologies for Next-gen Fighter
Aircraft
Several critical technologies are required
for military aerospace and next-gen fighter
aircraft. These include:
Stealth technology by reduce the radar
cross-section of an aircraft to make it more
difficult to detect by radar. This can be achieved
through the use of advanced materials and
shaping techniques.
Avionics systems that can integrate and
process a large amount of data from various
sensors, including radar, infrared, and
electronic warfare systems, to improve
situational awareness and decision-making.
Supersonic and hypersonic propulsion that
enable aircraft to fly at supersonic or
hypersonic speeds, greatly increasing their
speed and range, as well as their ability to
evade enemy defences.
Directed energy weapons like laser and
microwave weapons that can be used to
disable or destroy enemy aircraft, missiles and
other targets.
The use of advanced materials, such as
composites, that can withstand high
temperatures and stresses, as well as
structures that can withstand high-g
manoeuvres are critical for next-generation
fighter aircraft.
Critical Technologies for Next-gen Armoured
Fighting Vehicles
Some critical technologies for next
generation armoured fighting vehicles include:
Active protection systems (APS) which
detect and intercept incoming projectiles
before they can hit the vehicle.
Advanced armour materials, such as
ceramic and composite materials, that can
provide better protection against high-
powered weapons.
E lect ric d rive systems a n d hyb rid
powertrains to improve mobility and reduce
dependence on fossil fuels.
15
 FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Advanced sensors and networking systems
to improve situational awareness and
communication among vehicles and with
command and control centres.
Autonomous capabilities such as
autonomy and artificial intelligence to improve
decision-making and reduce the risk to crew
members.
Stealth technology to reduce the vehicle's
detectability by enemy sensors.
Laser weapons, directed energy weapons,
to provide longer range and more precise
firepower.
Critical Technologies for Next-gen Submarines
Next-gen submarines require some critical
technologies as follows:
Advanced stealth technology to reduce the
submarine's detectability by enemy sensors.
This includes quieting systems for the
propulsion, electrical and mechanical systems,
as well as hull coatings and designs that
minimize the submarine's acoustic, magnetic
and electromagnetic signatures.
AIP (air-independent propulsion) systems
that allow the submarine to operate for
extended periods without surfacing. This can
include fuel cells, closed-cycle diesel engines,
or Stirling engines.
Advanced sensors, including sonar
systems, for improved underwater detection
and classification of other vessels and
submarines.
Integrated communications and
networking systems to improve the
s u b m a r i n e ' s c o m m a n d , c o n t ro l , a n d
information-sharing capabilities.
Hybrid electric drive propulsion system
that allows extended low-speed operations
and silent running, as well as increased range
and endurance.
In the case of next-gen frigates and
destroyers, additional technologies, as follows,
are required:
Advanced propulsion systems, such as gas
turbine or integrated electric drive, to improve
the ship's speed, range, and manoeuvrability.
Advanced sensors, including radar, sonar
and electronic warfare systems, for improved
situational awareness and threat detection.
Integrated communications and
networking systems to improve the ship's
command, control, and information-sharing
capabilities.
Advanced armour materials and active
protection systems to improve the ship's
survivability against incoming projectiles.
Complexities Involved in Development of
Aeroengines
The development and manufacture of
aeroengines is a complex and challenging
16
process that involves a number of technical,
logistical, and financial complexities. Some of
the major complexities involved in this process
include:
Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
Techniques. Aeroengines are made from a
variety of materials, including metals,
ceramics, and composites, which must be
engineered and manufactured to exacting
tolerances to withstand the high
t e m p e ra t u r e s , p r e s s u r e s , a n d l o a d s
encountered in flight.
Complex Design and Engineering.
Aeroengines are highly complex systems that
require advanced design and engineering
techniques to optimize performance,
efficiency, and reliability. This includes the use
of computational fluid dynamics, finite
element analysis, and other advanced
simulation tools to model and optimize the
engine's performance.
High Development and Manufacturing
Costs. Developing and manufacturing
aeroengines is an extremely costly process,
involving significant investments in research
and development, engineering, testing, and
production facilities.
Way Ahead
India is a significant player in the defence
and aerospace industries, with a strong focus
on developing advanced technologies. The
country has a robust domestic defence
industry, which produces a wide range of
military equipment and weapons systems,
including tanks, fighter jets, and warships.
India also has a growing aerospace industry,
with several major companies and research
institutions including DRDO working on
developing new technologies in areas such as
satellite launch vehicles, unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs), and hypersonic vehicles.
Additionally, India has a strong tradition of
scientific research, including in areas such as
aerodynamics, propulsion, and materials
science, which it is leveraging to develop
advanced technologies for defence and
aerospace applications.
To further enhance its capabilities and
catch up with the world leaders in advanced
technologies, India should increase investment
in research and development; encourage
collaboration and partnerships between its
defence and aerospace companies, research
institutions, and international partners; create
a conducive policy environment (funding, tax
incentives, and other benefits); increase
indigenization with a focus on building
capabilities in design, development, and
production of defence equipment; and
emphasize on education and training (science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Cyber Threats in India
Contd from page 7
To accomplish its goals, the G20 has
created a few committees that address specific
issues within their jurisdiction. These
committees include one dedicated specifically
to online safety issues (the "Online Safety
Working Group"). This working group brings
together experts from around the world so
that they can develop strategies for protecting
people against online threats like cyberbullying
or cyberstalking; sharing best practices for
dealing with these problems and encouraging
cooperation between government agencies.
Cyber resilience is a key component of any
information security strategy. In India, the still
developing levels of digital literacy among the
population can make it difficult to address this
issue from a policy perspective. The first step in
addressing cyber resilience is improving
awareness and education for which, the Indian
government has implemented a Stay Safe
Online Campaign. This process can be
enhanced through training programmes that
target specific groups. Examples include
women or youth engagement, which is done
by an information security education and
awareness portal aimed at cyber capacity
building through Cytrain. Similar initiatives are
targeted at officers from States and Union
Territories, as well as from central police
organisations or the Central Armed Police
Force itself. The next step is encouraging
businesses to take responsibility for their own
cyber defences by providing them with
guidelines on how to protect themselves
against threats. India still appears to be taking
these first steps; however, several key
initiatives already show great promise. Most
notably, Cyber Swachhta Kendra is a public-
private partnership between the government
and the private sector to promote cyber
hygiene. It also provides information and tools
to secure systems across both sectors. This
centre is being operated by CERT-In under
Section 70B of the Information Technology Act
of 2000.
Finally, there is still a need for investments in
infrastructure to increase connectivity between
organisations and access to resources such as
cloud storage further. This would allow both
companies and individuals to share information
in real-time without having to worry about
whether they are connecting over insecure
networks or using outdated technology that
cannot keep up with modern threats.
Based on The Hague Centre for Strategic
Studies paper "Defending the Digital Domain
The effort to build a cyber resilient India" Feb
2023
 Every Formation and Unit Must Have This Book
to Remember the Fallen Heroes

IN MEMORIAM
THE FALLEN AIR WARRIORS Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, releasing In Memroiam: The Fallen Air Warriors along with the author
Air Marshal Bharat Kumar (left) and Lt Gen PK Singh, Director United Service Institution of India (right) on 15 December 2016

Foreword by
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of the Air Staff
About the Book
This work is a chronicle of all aircrew killed either in accidents or
during operations in the aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Details of air
warriors from Army and Navy who died in IAF aircraft also find their place
in this work. The chronicle includes the names of those Indian air warriors
who perished while on deputation with other agencies like Indian Navy,
Foreword
Message by
Marshal of the Air Force
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Aviation Research Centre, Helicopter
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
Arjan Singh, DFC Chief of the Air Staff Corporation of India and while serving with Royal Air Force or when
undergoing flying courses abroad. This book has recorded all casualties
that occurred right from the inception of the Indian Air Force, 8 October
Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, PVSM, AVSM 1932, till 31 December 2012 – a span for the period of the first 80 years of
the Indian Air Force.
176pp, hardcover, illus. Inland Rs 795 Overseas $35 (post free).

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 UKRAINE WAR
Can China Broker Peace
Between Russia and Ukraine
An IMR Report

Chinese president Xi Jinping has met or

called his Russian counterpart numerous times
since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
but his first call to Ukraine’s Volodymyr
Zelenskyy came in April 2023, after a Chinese
envoy angered Europe by questioning the
sovereignty of post-Soviet states. In Europe,
the call to the Ukrainian leader was viewed by
many as an attempt to contain the fallout from
remarks by the ambassador to France, when he
questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty over Crimea.
After Vladimir Putin ordered last year’s
invasion, Xi faced growing criticism in the West
for maintaining a close relationship with the
Russian president. The US has warned Beijing
not to supply Moscow with weapons.
In February, China released a 12-point
position paper on the war, but this was
attacked in the West for failing to condemn the
invasion and containing more veiled criticism
of Nato than Russia.
In the hour-long conversation between the
presidents in April, the first since the war
started, China also said it would dispatch a
special envoy to shuttle between the warring
parties, its strongest step yet towards trying to
act as mediator in the conflict.
The person chosen is Li Hui, a veteran
diplomat and former ambassador to Moscow
who is special representative of the Chinese
government on Eurasian affairs.
Lee Hui, landed in Kiev on 16 May. He was
senior most Chinese official to visit Ukraine
since the war started. The visit of Ambassador
Li Hui came as Russia intensified its war efforts
in the Ukrainian capital. Li Hui was also to visit
Russia, Poland, France and Germany.
Is China even in a position to be a
mediator? Specially because China and Russia
are "no limits partners."
President Xi Jinping has stayed tightlipped
regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While the
world has been imposing sanctions on Moscow,
Xi has not condemned the Russian aggression.
On the one hand, China has been trying to sell a
neutral image. But on the other hand, it is talking
up Russia's false narrative about the war. And
there have been over 20 high level interactions
between China and Russia. Xi Jinping has had
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping spoke for the
first time since the war in April 2023
several phone calls with Vladimir Putin. He even
visited Moscow in March.
After a year into the war, not only has China
invited criticism from the West, it has also
challenged China's credibility as a potential
peace broker.
How can China be an honest mediator if it
already has a bias? Will it ever go against its
strategic ally, Russia? Ukraine knows it well,
and yet it has welcomed the Chinese envoy.
President Zelensky himself has been
making trips to European countries. He has
met the British prime minister Rishi Sonak.
Earlier, he was in Paris, and Germany, and
before that in Rome. France has promised to
trade and equip Ukrainian battalions with
armored vehicles and light tanks. Germany,
meanwhile, announced a military aid package
worth $2.9 billion, almost doubling its
commitment since the war started. But this
might not be the only motive for Zelensky's
trips, considering that he has welcomed Li Hui.
Zelensky could be open to China's peace
plan, and he may be trying to sell it to the West.
Because peace cannot be brokered without
the West's blessings, be it direct or indirect.
The EU Commission president, Sola
Wanderlayan spoke about China's influence. As
far as Russia is concerned, she said that it was
very good that President Xi spoke to President
Zelensky, because President Xi has, without any
doubt, influence on President Putin.
As a member of the Security Council of the
United Nations, China also has a specific
responsibility to do, like everybody else, the
utmost that Russia stops the aggression. This is of
utmost importance for China. Brokering peace is a
low cost venture that can yield high returns. It is an
incentive to showcase its diplomatic strength,
especially after its recent success in mediating
between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
China does not really care about who wins
the war. It just wants to win the tag of a
peacemaker. Its closeness with Russia may
actually help end the war. China is, after all, one
of Russia's few remaining international
partners. It has given vital diplomatic and
economic support to Russia since the invasion.
China has not recognized the aggressor in
the war. It keeps on blaming the US and the
NATO over. Any kind of meaningful help would
require China to recognize Ukraine's
perspective. But will that be possible?

18
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

GEOPOLITICS
China, Iran and Russia
Creating a New World Order
Dr D Bhalla, IAS

A new world order is emerging - a new

axis of world powers with common
grievances and one common enemy.
No prizes for guessing which one. The United
States of America, a country which has for
decades tried to shape the world and establish
its preeminence in almost every facet of power,
be it military, economy, technology, culture or
morality. For that matter, it is America the
world looks up to – all thanks to its global
influence networks and, of course, the
American PR machinery. But things are
changing. America's Global Empire is
crumbling. The hegemony of Western nations
is dying.

The New Alliance

A new alliance is looking to replace it – an
alliance led by three countries Russia, China
and Iran – the three most sanctioned countries
in the world.
They seem to have formed a rather
informal alliance of convenience – a loose
alliance of sorts – which the West is calling a
Troika of tyranny and a Triad of bullies.
What have they done to deserve such titles
and can they really reshape the prevailing
World Order? Or will they, instead, push the
world into further disorder and above
everything else, where does India fit in this
new axis? Does India have any reason to
worry?
Look at some recent developments ever
since Russia invaded Ukraine. The three
countries have come closer. China is
uncomfortable with the war but it still provides
Russia with a diplomatic umbrella. It is also
helping Moscow economically by rejecting the
G7's price cap on oil.
Iran is still buying Russian oil and sending
weapons in return. For the last one year, Iran
has sent countless Kamikaze drones and it
might just send ballistic missiles in the future.
These deals are being accompanied by
state visits leaders and officials from all three
countries have been frequently flown to each
other's capitals. In July 2022, the Russian
president went to Tehran. He met his
counterpart and discussed strengthening
Russian president Putin, Chinese president Xi Jinping and former Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani
countries.
“ America the world
looks up to – all thanks
Syria is another good example another
good example of the Iranian and Russian
interests coming together. For years now, both
to its global influence sides have been trying to keep Bashar al-Assad
in power. Their only aim is to counter American
networks and, of course, interests in Syria. Russia still maintains a
military presence in Syria – an indication that it
the American PR is not leaving the country anytime soon.
Russian and Iranian cooperation in Syria is
machinery. But things murky the deep. Russia continues to provide a
are changing. America's decisive cover to Syrian and Iranian-backed
ground forces in Syria.
Global Empire is
“ Around New Year's Eve, Chinese president
Xi Jinping and Russia's Putin released
crumbling. statements saying the ties are at their historic
best. Putin said he was expecting a state visit
bilateral ties. Contrary to expectations Iran from Xi Jinping soon.
didn't downplay this visit. In fact, it rolled out
the red carpet for Vladimir Putin the Iranian oil China–Iran
minister personally went to greet Putin. China's love affair with Iran is getting
In November, a group of Russian security intense by the day. China and Iran signed a
officials visited Iran. Their aim was to find ways comprehensive strategic partnership deal – a
to counter Western pressure on both deal that has given China its deepest ever

19
 GEOPOLITICS
foothold in Iran – with many Iranians even
saying that the deal has literally sold Iran to
China. But the Islamic Republic's leadership
does not see it that way, because in return Iran
was made a permanent member of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) a
body led by China. It is the largest regional
organization in terms of world population,
global GDP and geographic scope. Iran's
membership in this body does little for the
region.
With Iran on their side, their ambitions of
countering the West get greater legitimacy and
support. For Iran, this membership helps it
battle the economic isolation from the West.
Hence, it is a win-win deal of sorts. In
December 2022, China's Vice Premier flew
down to Iran and Iran's president visited China
in February 2023. The Chinese president gave
him a red carpet welcome followed by a guard
of honor by the Chinese military. The
arrangements were grand to say the least.
This was the first state visit by an Iranian
leader to China in almost two decades. The
Iranian president went to Beijing with a huge
entourage of ministers – the biggest Iranian
delegation to Beijing ever included six
members of his cabinet.
China's mouthpiece Global Times said that
the visit was proof that an anti-Western front
was growing. It said, "China's deepening
cooperation with Iran also has an anti-
hegemony and anti-bullying feature. Both
China and Iran uphold independent foreign
policies, firmly defend the principle of non-
interference in internal affairs on international
occasions. If anyone feels targeted in this
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is welcomed by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, 14 Feb 2023
20
On July 19, 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran, where he met with his Iranian and
Turkish counterparts as well as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
process then they should first reflect on
whether they are too selfish."
Such statements and developments
indicate the consolidation of an anti-Western
axis and the rise of a new world order.
American media has been talking about how
China, Iran and Russia had joined hands against
the West and how Washington will have to take
on all three at the same time. Some smaller
nations agree with their vision, namely
Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cambodia, Myanmar
and the most important of them all North
Korea, which of late, has been flexing its
ballistic muscles way too much.
China, Russia and Iran want to unite all like-
minded countries behind them and use them as
a solid front to counter Western hegemony.
One can expect to see them blaming the West
for their ills on global forums and using their vote
at the UN Security Council or the UN General
Assembly to thwart the multilateral system.
Should India Worry?
The big question is – where will all this
leave India? Will India be collateral damage in
this game plan? India has historic ties with
Russia. India and Iran also share a cordial
relationship. China is obviously an exception. It
never fails to provoke India, yet New Delhi and
Beijing have managed to not let the tensions
flare up dramatically.
Should India worry about this Alliance?
This triad has one rotten apple – China. Other
members of this Alliance – both present and
future – would not square off against India.
Russia and Iran will not join in an anti-India
alliance. In fact, this alliance is not even about
India. It is about the West – it's monopoly, it's
dominance, its brazen lectures and its selfish
wars.
Russia, China and Iran may have their own
ulterior motives, they may have their own
differences with the West but their plan might
find takers simply because way too many
countries are fed up with the West treating the
world like their playground, waging wars at
whim, imposing sanctions at whim, preaching
to others at whim. Their superpower status
may have crumbled but their sense of
entitlement clearly has not and this sense of
entitlement is exactly what is uniting others
against them.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

UNMANNED SYSTEMS
Increasing Role of Drones
for Civil and Defence Uses
Kunal Kaushik

T he drone sector is a very, very promising

sector for India. This sector has become
more visible after the prime minister
handed over the indigenously designed,
developed, manufactured Intelligence-
Suveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) and logistic
drone to the Indian Army on 19 Nov 2021. In
addition, Indian companies were able to
develop supply swarm drones for the Indian
Army. These are niche areas where Indian
private sector has come forward and supplied
these technologies to India. Former army chief
Gen NN Naravne said that drones are going to
be as important for future wars as tanks were in
the last century.

Enabling Rules and Policy Initiatives

In 2014, for the first time, drone operations
were banned in India after they realized that
Indian companies were developing drones and
using them for various activities in India.
Thereafter, in 2018, the first draft Drone
Regulations 2021 came. These were formalized
on 12 April 2021. These rules were very
restrictive compared to the global aviation
drone aviation rules. The Indian government
stepped in again, reviewed these drone rules.
Within four months of issuing the first rules,
the Government came up with the new drone
rules, which were very enabling.
After 25 April 2021, government has taken
several policy initiatives to stimulate the Indian
drone manufacturing and services industry.
These include productive linked incentive
schemes, banning the import of small drones,
and also initiatives to divide the airspace in
three parts. Opening up the airspace was a
challenge. There were apprehensions. The
entire Indian airspace was divided into red,
green and red, yellow and green segments.
Green segment is the largest segment. It
indicates where drones can operate with given
conditions, but unrestricted below 400 ft. This
was a major change in the thinking and the
policy initiatives by the government of India.
In February 2022, the government came up
India is encouraging drone applications in transportation, logistic, defence, mining,
infrastructure sector and more
with the Kisan Drone Scheme and the prime
minister came up with a slogan that every
Indian should have a mobile in one hand a
drone in his field. The impetus given by the
government has to be leveraged.
These policy initiatives need to be
supported by technology initiatives. The
Government of India also set up a target of
making India a global drone hub by 2030. It is a
very aspirational programme.
Industry Perspective
The National Drone Policy requires to be
constantly tweaked. It will require setting out
guidelines, both for the indigenous platforms,
externally imported platforms, the limits
drones can be used and the type of sensors
that can be applied by those companies that
are going to look at having drone systems as a
mainstay of some of their transportation
activities.
Drone policy, per se, is a very progressive,
but the challenge lies in deciphering what is
given in the policy and implementing it in the
field.
Indian drone industry is becoming
competitive. They need clarity on some of the
issues in the drone policy. The policy covers
certification. Standards are an evolving field. In
export of drones, there are gray areas on which
drones can be exported. They need clarity on
the online approval mechanism, the timelines
and what can be exported without needing the
government approval.
The policy has to take into account that
indigenous manufacturers, who are designing
indigenous components, are given preference
in the procurement. The Requerst for
Proposals (RFP) have to ensure that Indian
Designed Developed Manufactured (IDDM)
components are included in the RFP and
Qualitative Requirements (QR). That will also
ensure that domestic companies are forced to
innovate and develop indigenous components.
As of now, we depend on some critical
components on foreign original equipment

21
 UNMANNED SYSTEMS
manufacturers (OEM). The standard operating
procedures (SOP) for R&D funding earmarked
for the private sector should be finalized.
Currently, that same funding is being used for
less important programs like Technology
Development Fund (TDF) and Innovation for
Defence Excellence (IDEX). If these challenges
are addressed, domestic industry will be able
to scale up its production.
Military Applications
During no war, no peace, intelligence
gathering, tracking, reconnaissance of certain
specific areas, drone take the human pilot out
of the machine. Technology can be used to
full advantage without high risks. When you
take the human out of the machine, the
system also becomes autonomous. If the
a u t o n o m o u s sy s t e m c a n g e t h a c ke d
somebody else can start controlling it. That is
why indigenous system and Atmanirbharta
becomes important.
Drones are going to be the primary force
projection devices. There has to be an
ecosystems with manufacturing and drone
supply system.
The Tapas (Tactical Airborne Platform for
Aerial Surveillance) system is able to hover for
about 18 hours at heights ranging from 12,000
to 19,000 ft and is able to give very good clarity
of the images. DRDO is also developing the
Archer, which will be the combatized version.
Right now DRDO is developing the aerial
platforms, and at the same time developing
payloads for communication and ISR. Many of
the assemblies and sub-assemblies are
imported. These will best get tested in a
battlefield with technology versus technology
in a contested battlespace. You can test the
autonomous capability when you have
complete mastery and control.
TAPAS is only one category of drone. There
are other important categories with their own
dedicated roles – Nano, Micro. Mini, HALE,
MALE, and near space systems or underwater
drones. Smaller ones can close-in with the
enemy and continue to report and fly back,
most of the time without being detected.
The Chinese had been using drones much
before India got into the act. With the Indian
side also using drones, we have a complete
picture of where the enemy is. Besides
reconnaissance, drones are also lifting
anything from 5 to 40 kgs of payload over a
distance of 5 to 20 km. The load is limited but in
mountains a drone can travel over a distance,
in about half to one hour, whereas a mule will
take 5 to 8 hours to cover that same.
In every operation of war, drones can be
used. From an infantry battalion for special
22
operations, for supplying ammunition,
logistics, reconnaissance, and also help out in
construction, sending construction material to
inaccessible places even actually winching
certain material, crevasse crossing, pulling out
the avalanche victims and so on. The higher
wind conditions, the low temperature and the
oxygen rarity in mountains imposes limitation.
Drones being very small, slow moving, can
also become static and their flight paths cannot
be predicted. It becomes a huge challenge in
the air defense involvement. DRDO has gone
into the domain of radar detection and the
laser neutralization in addition to RF jamming.
DRDO has developed the D-4 drone system,
which is counter drones. It was unveiled during
Aero India 2023 show. To neutralize drones,
you have to detect, identify and kill a drone. For
that you have to go for the RF, the acoustics.
DRDO has transferred technologies of the
counter-drone system to five companies, but
more advanced technologies, and R & D is
needed to address some of the technology
gaps.
For the Indian private sector IDEX has
played a major role in promoting drone and
counter drone systems.
The strategic dimensions of drones
As the conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, and more recently, the Ukraine War
has shown, drones can play havoc with
advancing mechanized and tank columns.
In our context, China continues to expand
its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) network
and usage in areas close to the Line of Actual
Control (LAC) since the standoff began in
eastern Ladakh in May 2020. There has been a
significant increase in their use for a variety of
tasks from intelligence, surveillance and target
acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR)
capabilities and logistics support.
Drones have become weapons of choice in
the proxy war. No matter which way
conventional wars go, state and the non-state
actors have merged because the state only
supports the non-state actors and deniability is
easy. BSF has been receiving information and
countering many drone drops of weapons and
rugs that take place in Punjab from Pakistan
and also across the LoC.
Drones being autonomous can also
contribute to deniability. Iran has started
manufacturing drones of the kind which can do
anything in large quantities. They are being
used for assassinations and kamakazi drones
for suicide attacks. Combatized drones have a
role in proxy war, no war no peace situations,
for minor tactical operations, to strategic
applications.
A Must For All
Professional Officers
And Libraries
“Excellent coverage of
contemporary issues
in Air Defence”
• Air Defence Against UAVs • Manned and Unmanned Teaming
• Ballistic Missile Defence • Stealth and Counter Stealth
• Air Defence Weapons: Future Kill Options • Electronic Counter
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Integrated AD Systems Concept • Air Defence Battle
Management Systems • Simulation in Ground Based AD Training
• Air and AD Campaign of the Gulf War 1991 • The WZ10 vs
AH 64E Debate • Air Attack - Air Defence Cause Effect
Authored by a Scholar-General
The author, Lt Gen (Dr) VK Saxena, PhD
was the Director General Army
Air Defence Corps of the Indian Army
and a UN and NLSIU scholar.
“This book fills a long standing void of a quality
reference material in the ever-evolving domain of
Ground Based Air Defence. The author, in his selection
of topics, has covered the entire continuum of issues
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Defence Quarterly, 4/2014
“A thoroughly professional work that provides an
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 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

PAKISTAN
Pakistan Losing
“Strategic Depth”
DR D Bhalla, IAS

F or years now, Pakistan has tried to gain

strategic depth against India by using its
ties with Afghanistan. But times are
changing. Dramatic incidents took place in May
2023.
On 15 May, a letter surfaced saying that the
Taliban has picked a new ambassador for its
embassy in New Delhi. The letter which
emerged on the internet said that the Taliban's
fo re i g n m i n i st r y re p l a c e d i t s A fg h a n
Ambassador in New Delhi. Farid Mamonzai was
appointed as the Afghan ambassador in New
Delhi by Hamid Karzai Hamid Karzai. According
to this letter Qadir Shah was to replace
Mamunzai as Afghanistan's new Ambassador in
India under the Taliban-led Afghanistan.
While New Delhi kept mum on this
development citing it as a domestic issue, a few
hours later another headline hit the internet. It
said Afghanistan Embassy officially denounced
Taliban's replacement for the ambassador to
India, meaning there would be no change of
leadership in the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. Pakistan and Afghan security forces (above) have exchanged fire on the Durand Line on many occasions
Farid Mamonzai would continue to be
Afghanistan's Ambassador. help the people of Afghanistan during crises – India but with the deepening ties between New
The previous letter was later declared null from sending 27 tons of emergency relief Delhi and Kabul the plan is, perhaps, failing and
and void. It has been called baseless. Shah, who assistance during an earthquake that killed with that so is its quest for strategic depth.
had declared to be the new Ambassador, has thousands of people to sending Covid-19
b e e n h e l d re s p o n s i b l e fo r s p re a d i n g vaccines, from delivering 20,000 metric tons of Strategic Depth
misinformation, running baseless campaigns wheat to the Afghan people, to supplying The concept of strategic depth is a complex
and fabricating information on an unsigned batches of medical supplies. India has never and a debated topic. Pakistan has historically
letter. missed an opportunity to provide relief to considered Afghanistan as providing strategic
What else did this letter say? It appreciated Afghanistan. depth due to several reasons. Here are five
the position of the Indian government. It In the past, India has been Afghanistan's main factors that have influenced Pakistan's
valued New Delhi's support in the interests of biggest regional donor. It has built over 200 perspective:
the Afghan people. It also acknowledged schools in Afghanistan, sponsored thousands Security Buffer: Afghanistan acts as a
India's help in uplifting the humanitarian of scholarships and hosted Afghan students. natural geographic buffer between Pakistan and
situation in Afghanistan. There was a special Even now, India continues to stand in solidarity India. With Afghanistan serving as a friendly or
mention of New Delhi for the supply of Covid- with the people of Afghanistan and respect its neutral state, Pakistan feels it has an additional
19 vaccines, medicines and food items. neighbor, with whom it shares old ties. layer of security against potential Indian
While status quo has been maintained on The Taliban-led Afghanistan has time and aggression. This strategic depth is seen as crucial
the appointment of the Ambassador, India and again appreciated India's efforts. New Delhi and for Pakistan's national security interests.
its engagement with Afghanistan and what it Kabul continue with their engagements. Proxy Influence: Pakistan has used
has been like in the last two years since the Pakistan might have a problem with these Afghanistan as a base to exert influence and
Taliban took over, came to the fore. strengthening ties and it will be watching these support proxy groups during times of regional
India's engagement with Afghanistan has developments very closely because, for years, conflicts. By maintaining a friendly
been more of humanitarian than political. Pakistan has been trying to use Afghanistan as a government or supporting sympathetic
India has not recognized the Taliban regime in pawn to serve its own political purpose – the factions in Afghanistan, Pakistan can project
Kabul but it also has never missed a chance to purpose of enabling its security tensions with power and extend its influence beyond its

23
 PAKISTAN
borders, particularly against India.
Refuge for Militants: Afghanistan's vast
and rugged terrain provides a sanctuary for
militant groups that have historically targeted
Pakistan, such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
( T T P ) . By m a i n ta i n i n g a p re s e n c e i n
Afghanistan, Pakistan aims to prevent these
militants from regrouping or finding safe
havens that could threaten its internal security.
Trade and Economic Opportunities:
Afghanistan shares a long and porous border
with Pakistan, making it an important trade
and transit route. Pakistan views Afghanistan
as a potential economic partner, with
opportunities for trade, investment, and
access to Central Asian markets. By fostering
stability in Afghanistan, Pakistan hopes to
enhance regional economic integration and
boost its own economic prospects.
Ethnic and Historical Ties: Pakistan shares
ethnic and cultural ties with certain segments
of the Afghan population, particularly the
Pashtuns who inhabit both sides of the border.
This shared heritage fosters a sense of kinship
and leads to cultural, social, and economic
interactions between the two countries.
Pakistan considers a stable Afghanistan as
conducive to its own domestic stability, given
the potential impact of Afghan turmoil on its
Pashtun-majority regions.
Relations Soured
While the relationship between the Afghan
Taliban and Pakistan has generally been
characterized by support and cooperation, after
www.imrmedia.in
Volume 14, No 5, May 2023
EDITORIAL
Chief Editor: Maj Gen RK Arora, rk.arora@imrmedia.in
Editor: Maj Gen Dr GD Bakshi, SM, VSM, Retd
geedee@imrmedia.in
Associate Editors
Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, Retd
Maj Gen Deepak K. Mehta, Retd.
Kunal Kaushik
24
the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, their
relationship has been strained for many reasons.
Pakistan and the Taliban do still maintain a degree
of cooperation and shared interests. However,
the post-Taliban takeover dynamics have
introduced new complexities and strains in their
relationship, due to several factors.
Haqqani Network Influence: The Haqqani
Network, a powerful faction within the Afghan
Taliban known for its close ties with Pakistan's
intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI), has played a significant role in the
Taliban's military successes. However, the
Haqqani Network's growing prominence
within the Taliban and its influence over
decision-making have raised concerns for
Pakistan. The group's dominance has led to
perceptions of Pakistani influence and control
over the Taliban, which the Taliban leadership
has sought to downplay.
Independent Decision-Making: The
Taliban's leadership has attempted to project
an image of independence and autonomy from
external actors, including Pakistan. They want
to be seen as a legitimate Afghan force rather
than a proxy of any country. The Taliban's
desire to establish their own political identity
and govern Afghanistan without external
interference has created tensions in their
relationship with Pakistan, which is seen as
attempting to exert influence over their
decision-making.
Border Security Challenges: The border
region between Afghanistan and Pakistan has
long been plagued by security challenges,
Senior Research Fellows
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including cross-border militant movements
and smuggling. After the Taliban takeover,
there have been concerns about the spillover
of violence and instability into Pakistan.
Pakistan has taken steps to enhance border
security, including the construction of a fence
along the border, to prevent illegal crossings
and the movement of militants. However,
these measures have caused friction with the
Taliban, who view them as restricting their
ability to freely move across the border.
Pakistan's Balancing Act: Pakistan faces a
delicate balancing act in its relationship with
the Taliban. While it has historically supported
the Afghan Taliban as a means to exert
influence in Afghanistan and counter Indian
influence, Pakistan is also under international
pressure to ensure stability and prevent the
use of Afghan territory for terrorist activities.
Pakistan seeks to maintain a degree of
influence over the Taliban while simulta-
neously demonstrating its commitment to
international counter-terrorism efforts. This
balancing act can lead to tensions and
complexities in their relationship.
Regional Dynamics: The Taliban's control
of Afghanistan has significant implications for
regional stability and the interests of
neighboring countries, including Pakistan.
Other regional actors, such as Iran, Russia, and
China, are also engaging with the Taliban and
have their own interests and concerns.
Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban must
navigate these complex regional dynamics,
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 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

PAKISTAN
Pakistan’s Current and
Future Scenarios
Maj Gen Deepak K Mehta

O n 10 May, all Indian troops along the

border were put on high alert they
were asked to be ready for any
unprovoked military incident, an incident that
could potentially spark off a wider conflict.
In Pakistan, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court (CJP) a known pro-Imran Khan
judge, declared that Imran Khan's arrest was
illegal and unconstitutional. When former
prime minister Imran Khan had been brought
to the court surrounded by a heavy security
cover and minutes into the hearing, the bench
hearing the case deemed his arrest was just
void. The judge also criticized the National
Accountability Bureau (NAB) for arresting the
former prime minister of Pakistan from the
premises of the Islamabad High Court.
Just 72 hours after he was put behind bars,
Imran Khan was out on bail. Bail was granted by
the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust
case a day after the Supreme Court called his
arrest invalid and unlawful. Earlier the high
court had upheld his arrest but a three-
member Supreme Court bench ordered his
release and the court was left with no choice
but to abide by the top court's orders.
The High Court granted the former prime
minister a two-week bail in all the cases
registered in Islamabad courts. The judges
further barred the authorities from arresting
Imran Khan in any case registered after 9 May
till 17 May.
Immediately after the court order Imran
Khan attacked the country's Army Chief saying
that he was the one man who was maligning
the entire Army. He said that Pakistan was a
Banana Republic, the Judiciary was the only
hope, there was no rule of law, it was a
complete law of the jungle, might is right, you
can be picked up and one man in the country
decides whatever happens.
Immediately after the court order a team
of Lahore police left for Islamabad to arrest
Imran Khan. There are 12 cases of terrorism
against him in Lahore, 14 cases have been
registered against him elsewhere and by all
means the authorities will try to go after him.
The Army is against him, the police is
against him and the government is against him.
Hours after former premier Imran Khan was shot during a protest march, protestors gather in Peshawar,
Pakistan, on November 3, 2022.
What does the future hold for the former
prime minister? It only a matter of time before
he is put behind bars again.
Pakistan Imploding
Pakistan is imploding with the public in
virtual rebellion against the Pakistan army
because they believe that it is the army that is
orchestrating the trouble which began with the
arrest of Imran Khan.
The president of Pakistan, Arif Ali, is pro-
imran Khan but the Prime Minister and the
Army Chief Gen Asim Munir are his deadly
sworn enemies. At least 10 people were said to
have died in the protests and over 200
policemen injured. All schools across Pakistan
were shut. The streets turned into a battle
zone. There was complete anarchy on the
streets in Pakistan and army garrisons in
Pakistan were under attack by its own people.
The attacks were limited to a few cities
such as Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore, but
could engulf the whole of Pakistan. If they do,
there is a big possibility that the Pakistani
Army, on the back foot, could attempt to ease
t h e p re s s u re b y e m p l o y i n g a c l a s s i c
diversionary military tactic against the Indian
state, which is why India was on high alert
along the entire Western Front. Additional
forces have been deployed on the ground and
drones pressed into service for aerial
surveillance across the border areas.
There was a spurt in terror activities along
the border in April-May, including attacks in
the border areas, drone and balloon sightings
in Jammu and Samba.
Back in Pakistan, the people waged what
could only be described as an open rebellion
against the strongest institution in Pakistan
which is the army. The Lahore Corps
Commander's home was burnt down. There
were attacks on Army Headquarters in Lahore.
Meanwhile, there were also reports that said
that voices within the army were not
completely convinced about the manner in
which the Army had been caught completely
off guard in trying to bring about the downfall
of Imran Khan.
Some quarters in Pakistan were pushing for
some hard-line steps but there were also those
within the Pakistani Army who urged for more
restraint. In fact, they refused to fire on their
own people and these voices apparently
belonging to the Army corps commanders.

25
 PAKISTAN
PTI supporters attacked and damaged the historic Corps' Commander’s House – originally known as
Jinnah House – on 9 May 2023
There were fears that dissenters could rise
against the current Army chief. The anger was
directed against Lt Gen Asim Munir, the Army
Chief.
Whenever a new Army Chief has taken
charge in Pakistan the remaining generals have
generally fallen in line, but this time around
that was not the case. Last year, a couple of
superseded generals resigned from their
position. The senior General, such as Faz
Hamid, the former chief of the ISI and also a
known Imran Khan loyalist, resigned as the
corps commander of Peshawar corps
immediately after Gen Asim Munir assumed
the top job. But despite his retirement, Fez
Hamid still commands a huge level of loyalty
within the army. Could the generals who were
loyal to him now oppose any future steps that
the army takes against the PTI supporters?
Trouble within the Pakistani army does not
end there. There is more proof of this
eclecticism between the Pakistani army. In
November 2022, the Army held a corps
commanders conference, which reportedly
witnessed a clear split in the opinions of the
country's top military generals. They were
apparently divided over the political situation
in the country and also the Army's role in
resolving what was happening at that moment.
Have the fissures within the Pakistani army
widened further? Could the generals who favor
Imran Khan stage a mutiny against the Army's
leadership in Pakistan? These questions are
not far-fetched because the Army has a history
of dissent in Pakistan although such news is
generally suppressed within the country.
Then we have Lt Gen Shahid Aziz, a
trenchant critic of Gen Parvez Musharraf and
also the botched Kargil War of 1999. He joined
26
the al-Qaeda accusing the army of fighting its
own brethren and also siding with the United
States.
In 2014, rogue naval officers were accused
of helping Al-Qaeda seize control of a Pakistani
warship to stage an attack on the United States
Fleet. How many more such rogue officers are
hiding within the Pakistani army ranks and how
many of them are in fact willing to put their
weight behind Imran Khan? The big question of
course is this - With the Pakistani army clearly
on the back foot due to the anger that has been
demonstrated by the people and the judiciary
d e c l a r i n g I m ra n K h a n ' s a r re st t o b e
unconstitutional, will the Pakistani army resort
to some unwanted adventurism.
Whatever game plan that the Pakistani
generals are up to, the fact remains that the
Indian Army is really well prepared for it.
Pakistan is losing support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be
going on a state visit to the US in the summer to
re i n fo rc e a c o m p re h e n s i ve st ra te g i c
partnership. It was not always like that. For a
long time, the Americans kept India in play but
also kept India in check and to do that they kept
promoting Pakistan.
When India was developing missiles in the
1990s, the Americans imposed sanctions on
ISRO, on DRDO and others but the Pakistanis
continued with the AQ Khan network. George
W Bush, Sr and then for a brief period, Bill
Clinton also looked the other way.
T h e t u r n i n g p o i n t wa s t h e Ka rg i l
misadventure from the Pakistani side in 1999.
Until then they were given a lot of leeway and a
lot of money. That money source is drying up.
Pakistan is now dependent on the Chinese, but
the Chinese money is very very tricky to get. It
is a debt trap and they will not think twice
before pulling the rug from under the
Pakistani's feet. Chinese power companies
operating in Pakistan plunged the country into
darkness when they did not get payment for
their bills.
The Pakistani state invested a lot on the
Taliban, who now have a country to run. The
Taliban are showing them that they have a
mind of their own. That poses a serious
security challenge. In recent weeks there have
been cases of gunfire at the border between
Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Pakistan government can barely run its
country. The economy is on the brink of
collapse, the source of money is drying up.
Pakistan was for the longest time dependent
on Muslim Uma brotherhood in West Asia. On
the other hand, India, in the last few years, has
strengthened its relationship with Arab states -
UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, all are not going to
support Pakistan on Kashmir. Turkey did, but
India sent aid after the Turkish earthquake to
neutralize all of the pockets of support that the
Pakistani regime had.
Imran Khan remains a very popular leader.
This is like the perfect storm that Pakistan is
going through. India does not don't want the
state to collapse because geography cannot be
changed. Tension in India's neighborhood can
spill over.
Where is Pakistan going?
Pakistan is going deeper into the China
Club and that is the new challenge for the
West. At the same time, they do not want to
give money to the Pakistani Generals. The
world wants to make sure that Pakistan does
not become another North Korea. It also does
not become another Afghanistan.
The world is very late in realizing how much
of a threat Pakistan poses. There is no such
thing as a good terrorist and a bad terrorist.
The kind of money and weapons the
Americans have pumped into Pakistan is
insane. Now they are doing the same thing
with Ukraine. Even Pakistan is supplying a lot of
ammunition to Ukraine.
It is a very flawed mindset that because you
do not share a border with Pakistan it does not
pose a threat to you. This is so flawed because
9/11 happened to the US and it did not happen
from a country that was bordering them.
Pakistan has been a volatile country ever
since its inception. Going forward it is
unpredictable what will happen but it is likely
that it will be a volatile situation. It may break
up. The fault lines are really beginning to show.
 23
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 DEFENCE RESEARCH
DRDO News
An IMR Report

L&T gets order to build

prototype of DRDO's
light tank
With the Indian Army on a major drive to
equip itself adequately on the Sino-Indian
border, the Defence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO) and Larsen & Toubro
(L&T) have joined hands to develop an
indigenous light tank that is optimised for the
extreme cold and high altitude of Ladakh and
Arunachal Pradesh.
Having co-designed an indigenous, 25-tonne,
light tank, the DRDO has placed a development
order on L&T to build the first prototype.
Meanwhile, the Defence Acquisition
Council (DAC) - the Ministry of Defence's
(MoD's) apex body for capital purchases - has
granted an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or
in-principle agreement, for seven light tank
regiments, each equipped with 45 tanks.
The AoN requires L&T - the MoD's
development partner - to build one regiment of
light tanks, while the MoD acquires the other six
regiments under the "Make" procedure.
The light tank will have a hull, co-developed
by DRDO and L&T, that will house an 800
horsepower (HP) engine optimised for high
altitudes. The engine will be provided by German
firm MTU, which is a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce.
Mounted on this hull will be a 105-
millimetre gun turret, procured ready-built
from Belgian firm, John Cockerill.
It is intended to marry the DRDO's
expertise in tank design, created while
developing the Arjun tank, with the heavy
engineering capability of L&T, which is already
building the K-9 Vajra self-propelled artillery
gun system for the army.
The indigenous light tank was initially
planned to be built on the chassis of the K-9
Vajra. This, however, was ruled out because the
Army placed a weight limit of 25 tonnes on the
light tank, while the Vajra's heavy chassis
would take its weight to at least 34-35 tonnes.
Maiden test trial of Air
Droppable Container successful
DRDO and Indian Navy conducted the
successful maiden test trial of 'ADC-150' from
India successfully tests sea-based BMD interceptor missile on 22 April
IL 38SD aircraft off the coast of Goa on April 27,
2023. 'ADC-150' is an indigenously designed
and developed Air Droppable Container with
150 kg payload capacity. The trial was
conducted to enhance the naval operational
logistics capabilities by providing quick
response to meet the requirement of critical
engineering stores to ships (under distress),
which are deployed more than 2,000 kms from
the coast. It reduces the requirement of ships
to come close to the coast to collect spares and
stores.
Three DRDO laboratories - Naval Science &
Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam;
Aerial Delivery Research & Development
Establishment (ADRDE), Agra and Aeronautical
Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
- have been involved in the development of
ADC-150 container. The crucial flight clearance
certification was given by Regional Center for
Military Airworthiness (RCMA), Kanpur
headed by Centre for Military Airworthiness &
Certification (CEMILAC), Bengaluru.
Successful Trial of BMD
Interceptor from Naval
Platform
DRDO and Indian Navy successfully
conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based
endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the
coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal on April 21,
2023. The purpose of the trial was to engage
and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat
thereby elevating India into the elite club of
Nations having Naval BMD capability.
Prior to this, DRDO has successfully
demonstrated land-based BMD system with
capability to neutralize ballistic missile threats,
emerging from adversaries.
Design Validation Trial of
Vertical Shaft based
Underground
Ammunition Storage
Structure
Centre of Fire, Explosive and Environment
Safety (CFEES), a Delhi-based laboratory of
D e fe n c e Re s e a rc h a n d D e v e l o p m e n t
Organisation (DRDO) has designed and
developed a Vertical Shaft based Underground
Ammunition Storage Facility. It enables
upward vertical dissipation of blast effects
considerably reducing the blast effect on
surrounding utilities.
The Design Validation Trial of this
Underground Ammunition Storage Structure

28

was successfully conducted on April 30, 2023.
The instrumented blast trial was carried out in
presence of the Armed Forces by detonating
5,000 kgs of TNT in one of the chambers of the
underground facility.
The Armed Forces find it difficult to stock
ammunition as required by them due to non-
availability of adequate land as large safety
distances are required for ammunition storage
structures. The safety distances considerably
reduce, when ammunition is stored
underground. Based on the results of the
instrumented trials, the safety distance has
been established up to 120 Metric Ton (40
Metric Ton Net Explosive Content) ammunition
storage per chamber. The unique design
developed has an additional advantage of
reducing Safety Distances and Cost by 50 per
cent as compared to current designs. The
design also ensures higher safety of
ammunition stored from any kind of aerial
attack or sabotage.
International Conference
on 'Optimising Human
Capital
A four-day International Conference on
'Optimising Human Capital of Armed Forces:
Psychological Perspective' organised by
Defence Institute of Psychological Research
(DIPR), a Delhi-based laboratory of Defence
Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) was organised in Delhi on April 22-25,
2023. The conference deliberated on recent
advances, emerging trends and challenges of
psychology with respect to human capital of
the Armed Forces upon world over. The
conference had participation from the three
Services, DRDO labs and academia.
Major themes of the conference included
emerging trends in personality assessment,
leadership, psychological testing and neuro-
cognitive assessment, psychological warfare &
psychological functions under hi-tech and
extreme environments. Luminaries of
psychology from Indian and international
academia and research institutions with
speakers from USA, UK and Australia
participated.
During the inaugural function, Chief Guest,
M e m b e r N I T I A ay o g D r V K S a ra s w a t
appreciated the contributions of DIPR and said
that the technology continues to evolve rapidly
and needs to be integrated effectively. He
stated that cognitive warfare and cognitive
domain operations are emerging as one of the
significant new dimensions and will play a
decisive role in future warfare. He emphasised
that in the current era of techno-centric
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
warfare, psychology will play a vital role in
creating optimum man-machine interface.
Secretary Department of Defence R&D and
Chairman DRDO and Chief Patron of the
conference Dr Samir V Kamat, through his
message, emphasised on the importance of
research in the relevant domains for
strengthening research efforts at DIPR for the
Indian Armed Forces.
National Conference on
Condition Monitoring
A two-day National Conference on
Condition Monitoring (NCCM 2023) was
organised by Naval Science and Technological
Laboratory (NSTL), a premier laboratory of
DRDO in association with Condition
Monitoring Society of India in Visakhapatnam
on April 27-28, 2023. The objective was to
bring together practitioners and experts of
Condition Monitoring and spread the message
of effectively implementing related practices in
the industry for enhanced productivity and
increased availability.
The conference deliberated on various
themes such as 'vibration-based diagnostics',
'wear debris analysis', 'Artificial
Intelligence/Machine Learning in Condition
Monitoring' and 'Sensors and Signal Processing
for Condition Monitoring'.
About 30 papers were presented in the
conference apart from expert invited talk by Dr
Tarapada Pyne, Chief Knowledge Officer &
Director, Center for Reliability and Diagnostics,
Mumbai; Dr Rajiv Tiwari, Professor, IIT-
Guwahati; Dr Edwin Vijay Kumar, Professor,
GVP College of Engg.; Dr Rana Dutta,
Consultant, CBM & TPM; Shri Ganti Subba Rao,
Cat IV - Vibration Analyst and Dr Kamalkishore
Uke, Sr Principal Scientist, CMERI, Durgapur.
In his address, the DRDO Chairman urged
the engineers to adapt to the fast-changing
technologies and build in more intelligence
into the health monitoring systems of
machines and structures. He stated that
Condition Monitoring is not for luxury and it's a
necessity. He called upon the eminent scholars
and practitioners to bring out a roadmap for
evolving Conference Monitoring according to
the recent technological advancements.
India Becomes 6th
Country Globally To
Begin Quantum
Technology Mission
The Indian government has given its
approval to the National Quantum Mission
Dr Samir Kamat, Secretary Defence Research &
Development & Chairman DRDO
(NQM), which aims to nurture and scale up
scientific and industrial research and
development in quantum technology. The
NQM will involve a cost of Rs 6,003.65 crore
from 2023-24 to 2030-31. India will be the sixth
country to have a dedicated quantum mission
after the US, Austria, Finland, France, and
China.
The NQM is expected to accelerate
quantum technology-led economic growth
and nurture the ecosystem in India. The
mission targets developing intermediate scale
quantum computers with 50-1000 physical
qubits in eight years, and it will also support the
development of satellite-based secure
quantum communications, long-distance
secure quantum communications with other
countries, inter-city quantum key distribution,
multi-node quantum networks,
magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic
systems, atomic clocks, quantum materials,
single photon sources/detectors, entangled
photon sources, and more.
Four thematic hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up
in top academic and national research and
development institutes on the domains of
quantum computing, quantum
communication, quantum sensing and
metrology, and quantum materials and
devices.
The NQM is expected to benefit the
communication, health, financial, and energy
sectors, as well as drug design and space
applications. It will also provide a huge boost to
national priorities like Digital India, Make in
India, Skill India, Stand-up India, Start-up India,
Self-Reliant India, and Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG).
29
 All content © 2023, SIGHTLINE Media Group

India, Russia Cut Deal On Payment

Delays, Defense Production
BY VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

NEW DELHI — India and Russia have

agreed to resolve delayed payments related
to defense contracts, while also formalizing
a plan for the local production of Russian
equipment and spare parts.
The planned resolution comes as India
and China are caught up in a territorial
dispute near their borders, and as the West
implements sanctions on Moscow amid
Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
As a result of the economic restrictions,
India has been unable to make payments to
Russia since April 2019. India has
attempted to install an alternative rupee-
ruble payment to cover the costs, but
Russia declined the proposal. The amount

due totals about $3 billion as of April 2023, a
government source told Defense News on
the condition of anonymity because the
individual was not authorized to speak to
the press.
Now, the two governments have
achieved a breakthrough, according to
sources with knowledge of the agreement,
which was made April 28 during bilateral
talks involving Indian Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart
Sergei Shoigu.
Under the new plan, India's Defence
Ministry will make payments through
Russia's financial messaging system. The
Financial Messaging System of the Bank of
Russia, or SPFS, is an alternative to the
Swift system, which supports international
financial transfers; several governments
have limited Russia’s ability to use Swift.
Indian banks designated by the
government are to make pending payments
for signed defense contracts between India
and the Russian arms export agency
Rosoboronexport. If the Russian ruble
transactions are blocked, the trade
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, left, speaks with his Russian counterpart Sergei
Shoigu before the start of a meeting for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit
in New Delhi, India, on April 28, 2023.
settlement will instead involve Indian
rupees.
Local production
Russia also agreed to support India’s
defense industry through the economic
initiative Make in India, according to a
statement from the Indian Defence
Ministry.
“The two Ministers discussed wide-
ranging issues of bilateral defence
cooperation, including military-to-military
ties as well as industrial partnership,” the
ministry said. “They also discussed the
Russian defence industry’s participation in
the ‘Make in India' initiative and ways to
provide further impetus to it.”
Russian Embassy spokesman Dimitry
Manish Swarup/AP
Solodov did not respond to multiple
requests for comment.
However, sources - speaking to Defense
News on the condition of anonymity
because they were not authorized to speak
to the press - said Russian original
equipment manufacturers are to set up joint
ventures with private defense enterprises
in India to locally produce spare parts,
systems and subassembly material, as well
as to perform maintenance, repair,
overhaul and upgrade work in order to keep
Russian equipment operational for India's
military.
Indian workers set up the venue for a
Make in India showcase in Mumbai on Feb.
11, 2016. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty
Images)

30

Under the plan, those Russian
manufacturers “can retain up to 49% equity
holding” in the private Indian businesses, a
source noted.
“Under this initiative, Russian OEMs will
also build weapons and military equipment
in India with a minimum of 50%/60%
indigenous content,” the source said.
The variation in percentage is due to
differing requirements under the Make in
India effort. The category “Buy and Make
Indian” requires 50%, while “Buy Indian”
requires 60% given the foreign designs
involved.
Currently, India’s military inventory is
made up of 60% of Russian-made systems, a
government source said, adding that for the
last three to four years, Russia has failed to
supply almost 40% of the spare parts on
order for India.
“I have no doubt that Indian companies,
including a large number of our small-scale
enterprises, can manufacture spares,
assemblies and subassemblies,” Amit
Cowshish, a former financial adviser at
India's MoD, told Defense News.
State-run defense entities that could
seek joint ventures with Russian original
equipment manufacturers include
Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd.; Advanced
Weapons and Equipment India Ltd.; Bharat
Electronics Ltd.; Bharat Dynamics Ltd.;
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.; Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd.; India Optel Ltd.; and
China Military ‘Ready To Fight’
After Drills Near Taiwan
BY HUIZHONG WU
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China’s military declared
April 10 it is “ready to fight” after completing
three days of large-scale combat exercises
around Taiwan that simulated sealing off
the island in response to the Taiwanese
president’s trip to the U.S.
The “combat readiness patrols” named
Joint Sword were meant as a warning to self-
governing Taiwan, which China claims as its
own, China’s military said earlier.
“The theater’s troops are ready to fight at
all times and can fight at any time to
resolutely smash any form of ‘Taiwan
independence’ and foreign interference
attempts,” it said April 10.
The exercises were similar to ones
conducted by China last August, when it
launched missile strikes on targets in the
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
Munitions India Ltd.
Private defense firms include: Ananth
Technologies; Bharat Forge; Indesys
Equipments; MKU Ltd.; and PTC Industries.
Likewise, Russian manufacturers that
could participate include: Uralvagonzavod;
Tecmash; Bazalt; Tactical Missiles Corp.;
NPO Mashinostroyenia; United Aircraft
Corp.; Russian Helicopters; Oboronprom;
Almaz-Antey; United Engine Corp.; United
Shipbuilding Corp.; Zvezdochka Ship
Repair Center; Admiralty Shipyards;
Aerospace Equipment Corp.; and Urals
Optical and Mechanical Plant.
Practical plans?
But Cowshish said he doubts this
bilateral arrangement is feasible given the
need for varying degrees of cooperation,
which is unlikely to take place.
Alternatively, he explained, Indian
companies could develop products with
indigenous designs or in technical
collaboration with countries that have both
used Russian-origin equipment and have
developed stronger technical capabilities
than India.
Ruslan Pukhov, who leads the Moscow-
based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and
Technologies think tank, noted Russia has
managed to continue limited supplies to
India despite the lack of payments. But
unless the latest payment plan works soon,
Russian supplies to India may come to a
seas around Taiwan in retaliation for then-
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, but
have been smaller and less disruptive.
Military experts say the exercises serve
both as intimidation and as an opportunity
for Chinese troops to practice sealing off
Taiwan by blocking sea and air traffic, an
important strategic option the Chinese
military might pursue in the event it uses
military force to take Taiwan.
The Chinese actions follow President
Tsai Ing-wen’s delicate mission to shore up
Taiwan’s dwindling diplomatic alliances in
Central America and boost its U.S. support,
a trip capped with a sensitive meeting with
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in
California. A U.S. congressional delegation
also met with Tsai over the weekend in
Taiwan after she returned.
China responded immediately to the
halt, he told Defense News.
A destroyed Russian tank covered by
snow stands in a forest in the Kharkiv
region of Ukraine on Jan. 14, 2023. (Evgeniy
Maloletka/AP)
Furthermore, retired Indian Air Force
squadron leader and independent Russian
military affairs expert Viajinder Thakur
said the Make in India deal may not work as
expected.
“Russian OEMs likely don’t have the
bandwidth to help India localize [the]
manufacture of spares, as the Russian
military-industrial complex, or MIC, is
working on a war footing for its own
requirements,” Thakur told Defense News.
"But India may not need the help of Russian
OEMs. Under the arrangement, Indian
companies can obtain the specification and
drawings from Russia to facilitate local
manufacture. Indian MIC needs to similarly
work on a war footing. There is no other
solution.”
Thakur added there can be little doubt
the flow of Russian spares to India will
remain constrained as long as Moscow is at
war.
“Also, Russia’s ability to supply spare
parts as well as manufacturing capability is
likely to be constrained by Western
sanctions,” Thakur said. “Long term, India’s
best option is to localize production of
Russian equipment spares.”
McCarthy meeting by imposing a travel ban
and financial sanctions against those
associated with Tsai's U.S. trip and with
increased military activity through the
weekend.
“China wants to use any increase of
diplomatic interactions between the U.S.
and Taiwan as an excuse to train its
military,” said Kuo Yu-jen, a defense studies
expert and director of the Institute for
National Policy Research in Taiwan.
Beijing says contact between foreign
officials and the island's democratic
government encourages Taiwanese who
want formal independence, a step China's
ruling Communist Party says would lead to
war. The sides split in 1949 after a civil war,
and the Communist Party says the island is
obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if
necessary.
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 SIGHTLINE

After Pelosi visited Taiwan, China

conducted missiles strikes on targets in the
seas around Taiwan, while also sending
warships and war planes over the median
line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired
missiles over the island itself which landed
in Japan's exclusive economic zone, in a
significant escalation.
The live-fire exercises disrupted flights
and shipping in one of the busiest shipping
lanes for global trade. This time, shipping
and maritime traffic have largely continued
as normal, Kuo said.
The exercises this time have focused
more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting
200 flights by Chinese warplanes in the past
three days. Chinese state broadcaster

AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

CCTV, citing the People’s Liberation Army,
said the exercises are “simulating the joint
sealing off” of Taiwan as well as “waves of
simulated strikes” at important targets on
the island.
On April 10, the PLA said its Shandong
aircraft carrier was taking part in the
exercises encircling Taiwan for the first
time. It showed a video of a fighter jet taking
off the deck of the ship in a post on Weibo,
the social media platform.
The appearance of the Shandong aircraft
carrier in the Pacific Ocean suggests that it
could be used to prevent foreign militaries
from coming to help Taiwan, said Han Gan-
ming, a research fellow at the government-
backed Institute for National Defense and
Security Research.
“In the future if there’s a similar military
maneuver, then Taiwan will have to face it
alone,” Han said.
Between 6 a.m. April 7 and 6 a.m. April
10, a total of 70 planes were detected and
half crossed the median of the Taiwan
Strait, an unofficial boundary once tacitly
accepted by both sides, according to
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.
Among the planes that crossed the median
were eight J-16 fighter jets, four J-1 fighters,
eight Su-30 fighters and reconnaissance
planes. Taiwan also tracked J-15 fighter
jets, which are paired with the Shandong
aircraft carrier.
Later April 10 morning, Taiwan’s
defense ministry reported another 59 flights
by bombers, as well as multiple fighter jets.
That followed a full day between April 5
and 6 in which eight warships and 71 planes
were detected near Taiwan, according to
the island's Defense Ministry. It said in a
statement that it was approaching the
situation from the perspective of “not
escalating conflict, and not causing
disputes.”
Taiwan said it monitored the Chinese
moves through its land-based missile
systems, as well as from its own navy
An outdoor screen depicts a Chinese fighter jet pilot giving a thumbs up in the recently
concluded Joint Sword exercise around Taiwan during the evening news broadcast in Beijing,
Monday, April 10, 2023. China's military declared Monday it is "ready to fight" after
completing three days of large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan that simulated sealing
off the island in response to the Taiwanese president's trip to the U.S. last week.
“ China’s military
harassment of
n a v i g a t e t h e w a t e r s o f f Ta i w a n ’s
northeastern coast.
Meanwhile, to the south in the South
China Sea, the U.S. 7th Fleet said its missile
Taiwan has destroyer USS Milius sailed by Mischief Reef
in a freedom of navigation operation. China
intensi ed in recent has built an artificial island on the sea feature
to stake its claim to the disputed territory.
years with planes or China said the U.S. “illegally
ships sent toward the trespassed” into waters near the reef
without the permission of the Chinese
island on a near-daily government, according to a statement from
the Chinese military’s southern command.
basis, with the Outside of the military maneuvers, Kuo
said he was worried about the
numbers rising in announcements from Fujian’s Maritime
reaction to sensitive Safety Administration from last week,
when it said it would conduct “on-site
activities. The inspections” of cargo ships and working
vessels in the Taiwan Strait as part of a
military activity has “ patrol exercise.
“First they’ll target ships traveling
increased a notch between the Strait, then they will target any
since Pelosi’s visit. international ship,” he said. “Gradually this
will become the de facto new status quo.”
vessels. One of the U.S. representatives who
China’s military harassment of Taiwan attended the meeting with Tsai the U.S. must
has intensified in recent years with planes take seriously the threat China poses to
or ships sent toward the island on a near- Taiwan. Republican Mike Gallagher,
daily basis, with the numbers rising in chairman of the U.S. House Select
reaction to sensitive activities. The military Committee on China, told The Associated
activity has increased a notch since Pelosi’s Press that he plans to lead his committee in
visit, with Chinese PLA fighter jets regularly working to shore up the island government's
flying over the middle boundary line. defenses, encouraging Congress to expedite
Experts say PLA navy vessels regularly military aid to Taiwan.

32

Is America Postured For A Fight
In The Indo-Pacific?
BY DUSTIN WALKER
The Biden administration promised 2023
would be “the most transformative year”
for U.S. force posture in the Indo-Pacific
region in a generation. With a trio of major
political announcements and a proposed
budget boost, 2023 is off to a strong start.
But there is no time for a scenic overlook of
recent accomplishments. To achieve the
transformative effect needed to bolster
deterrence against China, the Biden
administration needs to keep its foot on the
gas.
In January, the United States and Japan
agreed to keep the U.S. 3rd Marine Division
in Okinawa (instead of Guam) and to
replace it with the new 12th Marine Littoral
Regiment in 2025. The two countries also
agreed to share ammunition storage at
Kadena Air Base.
In February, the United States and the
Philippines agreed to designate four new
sites as part of the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, which
provides access for U.S. forces.
In March, the United States agreed as
part of the AUKUS security partnership to
increased U.S. submarine port visits to
Australia and to rotate up to four Virginia-
class submarines by as early as 2027.
Also in March, the Pentagon’s budget
request included $2.3 billion for military
construction west of the international date
line — a $400 million increase from the
prior year.
So far so good. But overcoming a
decade-long “say-do” gap on Indo-Pacific
posture and keeping pace with a rapidly
evolving Chinese military threat will
require sustained urgency matched by
robust investment.
Building on recent political momentum
is critical. With Japan, we need ambitious
defense diplomacy to secure new access
for U.S. forces and to make shared use of
bases, ports, airfields and other facilities
the rule, not the exception. And after years
of legal and political challenges, the U.S.
and the Philippines need to make up for lost
time and maximize the potential of EDCA
sites through accelerated investment and
expanded combined training and operations.
Seaman Semajia Marshal heaves a
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
SIGHTLINE
An MV-22 Osprey flies by the aircraft carrier Nimitz in the South China Sea on
Feb. 11, 2023.
mooring line on the Ticonderoga-class
guided-missile cruiser Antietam near the
Philippines. (MC2 William McCann/U.S.
Navy)
More posture dollars should be focused
directly on achieving a more distributed
and resilient posture. Most investment in
the Indo-Pacific is dedicated to maintaining
existing facilities or executing legacy
posture initiatives, some of questionable
relevance to the current or future threat.
That investment is also geographically
concentrated. West of the international
date line, the Pentagon plans to spend 75%
of fiscal 2024 military construction funds in
Japan and Guam — up from 66% the
previous year. Going forward, more
investment is needed in the second island
chain, Oceania and Southeast Asia.
Beyond politics and budgets, achieving
a “transformative” effect on Indo-Pacific
posture requires actually moving forces.
The Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia”
was matched with two additional
destroyers and fifth-generation fighters in
Japan; an additional submarine and
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
battery in Guam; and rotational littoral
combat ships in Singapore, among other
moves. The Biden administration needs to
demonstrate similar follow-through, and
Mc2 Justin McTaggart/U.S. Navy
there’s plenty of options to do so.
The Air Force has operated fifth-
generation aircraft for nearly two decades,
but it has no plan to permanently station its
most advanced fighters in the Indo-Pacific.
The Air Force has promised to maintain a
continuous fighter presence at Kadena Air
Base in Japan, including fifth-generation
aircraft, as it withdraws and retires F-15C/D
aircraft. Beyond that, it has offered no
specifics. Basing F-35As at Misawa Air Base
in Japan would be a strong next step.
The Multi-Domain Task Force is central
to the Army’s contribution toward joint
operations in the Indo-Pacific. But while it
has based MDTFs in Washington state and
Hawaii, the Army does not yet plan to
station an MDTF west of the international
date line. The Army chief of staff recently
hinted this may change. The Biden
administration should ensure it does,
including by prioritizing access for an
MDTF in defense diplomacy with Japan.
The Navy has long pledged to send its
most advanced ships and aircraft to the
Indo-Pacific. However, of the Navy’s 20
commissioned Virginia-class submarines
— critical to the U.S. military’s advantage
over China — the Navy has sent 14 to
Atlantic ports and just six to Pacific ports.
And none of the Navy’s most advanced
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 SIGHTLINE

attack boats are homeported west of the
international date line. While keeping pace
with Russia’s submarine threat is critical,
the Biden administration should rebalance
that laydown by stationing Virginia-class
submarines in Guam and San Diego,
California.
The Biden administration should also
accelerate investment in the logistics
network that is essential for credible
deterrence and effective warfighting. Fuel
storage and distribution is critical,
especially with the planned closure of Red
Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. But the
Pentagon is kicking the fuel can down the
road. The Defense Logistics Agency plans
to spend at least $360 million over the five-
year Future Years Defense Program in
projects for fuel facilities and storage west
of the international date line. But it has
requested no funding for those projects in
next two fiscal years, and punted most
projects to FY27 and FY28. Working with
Congress, the Biden administration should
accelerate these projects as able.
The weaknesses of U.S. force posture in
the Indo-Pacific have contributed to the
erosion of credible deterrence. But with
sustained diplomatic urgency, robust
investment and more advanced
capabilities, a transformation of U.S. force
posture can help restore and preserve
credible deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
Dustin Walker is a nonresident fellow at
the American Enterprise Institute think
tank. He was previously a professional staff
member on the Senate Armed Services
Committee and an adviser to Sen. John
McCain, R-Ariz.

Lawmakers War-game Conflict

With China, Hoping To Deter One
BY ELLEN KNICKMEYER, AP

It’s April 22, 2027, and 72 hours into a first-

strike Chinese attack on Taiwan and the
U.S. military response. Already, the toll on
all sides is staggering.
It was a war game, but one with a
serious purpose and high-profile players:
members of the House select committee on
China. The conflict unfolded on Risk board
game-style tabletop maps and markers
under a giant gold chandelier in the House
Ways and Means Committee room.
The exercise explored American
diplomatic, economic and military options
if the United States and China were to reach
the brink of war over Taiwan, a self-ruled
island that Beijing claims as its own. The
exercise played out one night mid-April. It

was part of the committee’s in-depth review
of U.S. policies toward China as lawmakers,
especially in the Republican-led House,
focus on tensions with President Xi
Jinping’s government.
In the war game, Beijing’s missiles and
rockets cascade down on Taiwan and on
U.S. forces as far away as Japan and Guam.
Initial casualties include hundreds,
possibly thousands, of U.S. troops.
Taiwan’s and China’s losses are even higher.
D i s c o u r a g i n g l y f o r Wa s h i n g t o n ,
alarmed and alienated allies in the war
game leave Americans to fight almost
entirely alone in support of Taiwan.
And forget about a U.S. hotline call to Xi
or one of his top generals to calm things
down — not happening, at least not under
this role-playing scenario.
The war game wasn’t about planning a
war, lawmakers said. It was about figuring
(Ellen Knickmeyer/AP
Lawmakers in a new House select committee on China from left, Rep. Jake Auchincloss,
D-Mass., Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., committee Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.,
and Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., gather for a tabletop war game exercise in the House Ways
and Means Committee room on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in Washington.
out how to strengthen U.S. deterrence, to improve the prospect of peace and stability
keep a war involving the U.S., China and across the Taiwan Strait,” Gallagher said.
Taiwan from ever starting. In reality, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the
Ideally, the members of Congress would c o m m i t t e e ’s t o p D e m o c r a t , t o l d
walk out of the war game with two lawmakers, “we cannot have a situation
convictions, the committee chairman, Rep. where we are faced with what we are going
Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., told colleagues at to be facing tonight.”
the outset: “One is a sense of urgency.” The “only way to do that is to deter
The second: “A sense ... that there are aggression and to prevent a conflict from
meaningful things we can do in this arising,” said Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.
Congress through legislative action to The U.S. doesn’t formally recognize the

34

Taiwan government but is Taipei’s most
vital provider of weapons and other
security assistance. Xi has directed his
military to be ready to reclaim Taiwan in
2027, by force if necessary.
Asked about lawmakers’ war game, Liu
Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese
Embassy, said China wants peaceful
reunification with Taiwan but reserves “the
option of taking all necessary measures.”
“The U.S. side’s so-called ‘war game’ is
meant to support and embolden ‘Taiwan
independence’ separatists and further fuel
tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which we
firmly oppose,” Liu said.
In the war game, lawmakers played the
blue team, in the role of National Security
Council advisers. Their directive from their
(imaginary) president: Deter a Chinese
takeover of Taiwan if possible, defeat it if
not.
Experts for the Center for a New
American Security think tank, whose
research includes war-gaming possible
conflicts using realistic scenarios and
unclassified information, played the red
team.
In the exercise, it all kicks off with
opposition lawmakers in Taiwan talking
about independence.
With the think tank’s defense program
director Stacie Pettyjohn narrating, angry
Chinese officials respond by heaping
u n a c c e p t a b l e d e m a n d s o n Ta i w a n .
Meanwhile, China’s military moves
invasion-capable forces into position. Steps
such as bringing in blood supplies for
treating troops suggest this is no ordinary
military exercise.
Ultimately, China imposes a de facto
blockade on Taiwan, intolerable for an
island that produces more than 60 percent
of the world’s semiconductors, as well as
other high-tech gear.
While the U.S. military readies for a
possible fight, U.S. presidential advisers —
Pentagon: Yes, We Are Still Lagging
Behind China’s Hypersonics
BY GEOFF ZIEZULEWICZ
House Armed Services Committee
members level tough questions at a Navy
admiral on the U.S. ability to match China's
missile capabilities in coming years.
House Armed Services Committee
members grilled Pentagon leaders April 18
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
SIGHTLINE
House committee members who are
surrounding and studying the wooden
tables with the map and troop markers
spread out — assemble.
They lob questions at a retired general,
Mike Holmes, playing the role of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff chairman, before deciding
courses of action.
What are the economic consequences if
the U.S. goes maximalist on financial
punishments, one lawmaker asks.
“Catastrophic” is the response, for both
the United States and China. China will hit
back at the U.S. economy as well.
“Who’s going to tell the president that he
has to say to the American people, ‘Say
goodbye to your iPhones?”’ Rep. Ashley
Hinson, R-Iowa, asks.
Do American leaders have any way to
communicate with their Chinese
counterparts, lawmakers ask. No, China’s
leaders have a history of shunning U.S.
hotline calls, and that’s a problem, the
exercise leaders tell them.
In the war game, U.S. officials are left
trying to pass messages to their Chinese
counterparts through China-based
American business leaders, whose Dell,
Apple, HP and other product operations
China all subsequently seizes as one of its
first moves in the attack.
Are potential military targets in China
“near major metropolitan areas that are
going to include millions and millions of
people?” asks Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.
Has Taiwan done all it can to try to calm
the situation? All it can and will, lawmakers
are told.
“It’s not clear to me we’ve exhausted all
our diplomatic options,” Gallagher notes.
Then, on paper, U.S. and Chinese
satellites, space weapons, drones,
submarines, ground forces, warships,
fighter squadrons, cyber warriors,
communications experts, bankers,
Treasury officials and diplomats all go to
on why the U.S. military continues to lag
behind China in developing hypersonic
missiles and defenses that can counter the
next-generation ordnance.
One of the leaked Pentagon intelligence
documents, obtained by Navy Times, shows
that Beijing tested a hypersonic missile this
year that could hit targets beyond Japan
war.
At the end, before the lessons-learned
part, the war-game operators reveal the toll
of the first wave of fighting. Lawmakers
study the tabletop map, wincing as they
hear of particularly hard setbacks among
U.S. successes.
U.S. stockpiles of very long-range
missiles? Gone.
Global financial markets? Shaking.
U.S. allies? As it turns out, China’s
diplomats did their advance work to keep
American allies on the sidelines. And
anyway, it seems the all-out U.S. economic
measures against China’s economy have
put allies off. They’re sitting this one out.
In the “hot-wash” debrief at the end,
lawmakers point to a few key military
weaknesses that the war game highlighted.
“Running out of long-missiles is bad,”
said Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.
But the most glaring shortfalls appeared
in diplomacy and in nonmilitary planning.
Becca Wasser, a think tank senior fellow
who role-played a convincingly menacing
Chinese official, pointed to lawmakers’
recurring frustration in the war game at the
lack of direct, immediate leader-to-leader
crisis communication. It’s something
Beijing and Washington in the real world
have never managed to consistently make
happen.
“In peacetime, we should have those
lines of communication,” Wasser said.
The exercise also underscored the risks
of neglecting to put together a package of
well-thought out economic penalties, and
of failing to build consensus among allies,
lawmakers said.
“As we get closer to 2027, they’re going
to be trying to isolate us,” Rep. Rob
Wittman, R-Va., said of Xi’s government.
Holmes, in the role of Joint Chiefs
chairman, reassured lawmakers, after the
first three days of fighting.
“We survived,” he said.
and the U.S. territory of Guam, where U.S.
forces are based, and carry a “high
probability” of besting American ballistic
missile defenses.
It’s the latest reminder that despite
billions of dollars spent, and a defense
budget that keeps growing, the U.S. still
trails China’s progress developing key
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c u t t i n g - e d g e w e a p o n r y, r a i s i n g
uncomfortable questions about how
America would fare in a shooting war in the
Pacific.
Beijing’s February test saw the DF-27
cover 2,100 kilometers, or 1,300 miles, in
just 12 minutes, according to the leaked
records. Past Defense Department
assessments have warned of even longer
DF-27 ranges.
“Their progress is undeniable,” Rep.
Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said at the hearing.
“By contrast, our progress has been slow
and has lacked urgency.”
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command leader
Adm. John Aquilino admitted the Pentagon
is behind Beijing on hypersonic weapons
and the systems to defend against them,
agreeing that progress “needs to go faster.”
The man charged with potentially leading a
war against the ascendant power called the
velocity of China’s nuclear breakout
“concerning,” but said direct conflict is not
inevitable.
While the Defense Department has
declined to confirm the authenticity of the
leaked records, such systems could negate
a U.S. aircraft carrier’s ability to even get
into a Pacific fight for fear of getting sunk,

raising questions about whether carriers
could help defend against a Chinese
invasion of Taiwan.
The leak is not the first warning about
China’s burgeoning hypersonic power, but
it’s the latest indication that the United
States has fallen behind on this technology.
The Air Force reported in March that a
recent U.S. hypersonic weapon test “was
not a success.”
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the
committee’s ranking member, noted that
hypersonic funding has lagged through
administrations on both sides of the aisle,
even as money is now being poured into the
effort.
The defense officials declined to
comment when Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.,
asked whether China has surpassed the
United States in the hypersonic race, saying
they could only talk about that in a
classified briefing.
“Well, it’s been sort of unclassified
without our consent,” Gates said, holding
up a printed page that appeared to be from
the leaked Pentagon intelligence records
showing a Chinese hypersonic traveling
2,100 kilometers in 12 minutes.
Gaetz noted that Aquilino testified
before the Senate Armed Services
Committee last year that the U.S. was
falling behind.
Defense Department
A 2021 Defense Department assessment of China's capabilities shows its DF-27 hypersonic
missile being able to strike U.S. forces in Guam and beyond.
“dollars
Espite billions of
spent, and a
“We need a capability in the near term
that we do not have,” Gaetz said. “What this
leak shows is that China has it, and we
don’t.”
defense budget that While condemning the leaks, for which
the FBI arrested Air National Guardsman
keeps growing, the Jack Teixeira last week, the Florida
U.S. still trails Republican asked whether more people
should be held accountable for the sorry
China’s progress state of American hypersonics.
“Who’s going to be punished more, the
developing key knucklehead who leaked this information,
cutting-edge or the generals and admirals and so-called
experts who have sat before this committee
weaponry, raising and the Senate for decades saying that
these capabilities that we were funding
uncomfortable with gajillions of dollars were going to
questions about how sufficiently deter China?” Gaetz said. He
also questioned the wisdom of building U.S.
America would fare aircraft carriers for the last 30 years that
in a shooting war in
“ may never enter battle because they are
unable to defend against the Chinese
the Paci c. hypersonic threat.

36
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

SIGHTLINE

The Failure Of Russia’s Missile

War In Ukraine
BY IAN WILLIAMS

Since February 2022, Russia has fired

thousands of missiles and loitering
munitions at Ukraine’s cities, infrastructure
and military forces. These attacks have
killed and maimed thousands of Ukrainian
civilians and military personnel.
Despite the heavy toll of Russia’s
missile war on Ukraine, the attacks have, in
the aggregate, failed to produce the kind of
decisive strategic effects Moscow likely
expected would bring about Ukrainian
capitulation. My recently released report,
Putin’s Missile War, attributes Russia’s
underperformance to incompetency within
its military and to Ukraine’s skillful use of
air defenses and passive measures like
dispersion and deception.
Although our understanding of what

has transpired in the air war over Ukraine
remains incomplete, some things are
becoming clearer. More than a year into the
war, the Ukrainian military’s command-
and-control apparatus remains intact.
Ukraine’s air force and air defenses
continue to frustrate Russian air and
missile operations. Western weaponry
continues to flow to the front lines, and the
morale of the Ukrainian people remains
steadfast despite enormous hardships.
As we enter spring, Ukraine’s electric
grid remains fragile, but functional. And
while Discord leaks indicate Ukraine is
running low on air defense interceptors,
new Western air defense systems continue
to arrive to mitigate a future shortfall.
Meanwhile, Russian missile attacks
against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure are
becoming less frequent. Pre-war Russian
missile stocks are largely diminished, and
Moscow is likely now reliant on smaller
numbers of newly produced missiles.
The results of Russia’s long-range strike
campaign in Ukraine contrasts with those
waged by the United States and coalition
military forces during Operation Desert
Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In
those wars, U.S. cruise missiles and other
precision-guided munitions played a
pivotal role in fracturing Iraq’s military
from its political leadership, suppressing
enemy air defenses and achieving coalition
air supremacy.
Russia’s inability to achieve similar
strategic effects with its early air campaigns
Damaged radar, a vehicle and equipment are seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside
Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
gave Ukraine the time and breathing room
to disperse and reconstitute its forces. And
Russia’s continued inability to achieve air
superiority and significantly disrupt
Ukrainian logistics has permitted the
Ukrainian Armed Forces to prosecute
aggressive counteroffensives with
increasingly sophisticated weaponry.
In a successful strike campaign, one
would expect a belligerent to become less
dependent on stand-off strike assets over
time as it wore down its adversary’s air
force and air defenses. Yet Russia has
experienced the opposite. Its failure to
achieve air superiority in the early phases
has caused an increasing dependence on
missiles and other stand-off weapons, such
as one-way attack drones, to strike targets
anywhere beyond the front lines. In this
way, Russia has become a victim of the kind
of anti-access/area denial strategies it has
sought to develop over many years.
In the broadest sense, one cannot
separate Russia’s haphazard missile
campaign against Ukraine from wider
strategic failures that have plagued nearly
all aspects of Moscow’s war effort. Yet some
unique factors have contributed to the
underperformance of Russian missile
forces. Russia’s intelligence and targeting
Sergei Grits/AP
capabilities have been too slow and
inflexible to keep pace with the dynamic,
fast-changing battlespace.
Russia also underestimated the scale of
strike operations needed to accomplish its
initial war goals. Effective Ukrainian air
defenses too have limited the number of
Russian missiles successfully reaching
their targets. Although the impact of
Ukrainian air defenses is difficult to
independently confirm, the general trend
lines suggest the force is growing more
efficient and capable of thinning out
Russian missile and drone salvos.
At the start of the conflict, for instance,
Ukraine was intercepting no more than 10%
of incoming Russian cruise missiles. By
early fall, Ukraine was claiming to intercept
around half of Russian cruise missile
salvos. By the end of 2022, after the arrival
of longer-range Western air defenses like
NASAMS and IRIS-T, Ukraine regularly
claims to intercept 75%-80% of cruise
missile salvos.
Russia’s missile strikes against Ukraine
have nevertheless taken a tragic toll. Since
failing to reach its initial military objectives,
Russia has focused its missile attacks on
Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and
industry, including the electric grid and

37
 SIGHTLINE

transportation infrastructure. sufficiency. blunders in a future war. Still, Ukraine’s

In the longer term, the damage Russian
missiles have inflicted will likely weigh
down Ukraine’s economic recovery and
make additional foreign assistance critical
to rebuilding. The continued provision of
air defenses now will mitigate these future
costs and reinforce a sense of security that
could encourage Ukrainian refugees to
return home. Such refugee repatriations
will be important to Ukraine’s post-war
economic recovery and future self-
In its struggle against Russian missile
attacks, Ukraine has shown that Russian
missiles are dangerous but not unstoppable.
Even under harrowing circumstances,
Ukraine has defeated advanced Russian
cruise missiles with high-tech counters such
as active air defenses and low-tech practices
such as dispersion, mobility, deception, and
camouflage.
One cannot assume Russia or others
would repeat the same operational
experience illustrates that air and missile
defense works, and when combined with
passive measures like dispersion and
deception, can mitigate even numerous and
advanced missile threats from a near-peer
adversary.
I a n Wi l l i a m s i s a f e l l o w i n t h e
International Security Program at the
Center for Strategic and International
Studies and deputy director of the Missile
Defense Project.

Military Must Train To Fight When

Comms Break Down: U.S. Experts
BY STEPHEN LOSEY

WASHINGTON — The United States’

adversaries will likely target the
communications abilities vital to multi-
domain operations in a future war, and
military commanders will have to be ready
to operate during such disruptions, experts
said April 26.
The U.S. military’s ability to fight a
network-integrated war, in which it can use
vast arrays of sensors, satellites and

Senior Airman Isaac Johnson/Air Force

communications nodes to deliver large
amounts of integrated firepower, is one of
its key advantages, said Andrew Metrick, a
defense fellow at the Center for a New
American Security think tank.
But potential adversaries such as China
and Russia have zeroed in on that as a key
ability they would need to take out or
disrupt in a fight against the U.S., Metrick
said during a panel for the C4ISRNET
Conference.
“We should take it as a given that in
places, our communications are going to
break and fail,” Metrick said. “When your
adversary is as focused and as capable as
[China] appears to be, you should not take it
as a given that you will have the same
degree of comms freedom that you had
when that domain was not being tested.”
Adversaries’ advancements in jamming
and electronic warfare capabilities have
made it necessary for the military to look at
a “decentralized” approach to some
operations, said Matt Farmer, an analyst for
the operational level doctrine division at
the Army’s Combined Arms Doctrine
Directorate.
The strong networking and
communications systems of the American
armed forces can provide a significant
Long-range precision fires such as those fired by the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System,
or HIMARS, are a critical element of multidomain operations. But adversaries are likely to
disrupt the communication networks multidomain operations rely upon, experts say,
making it necessary for units to be able to operate semi-independently.
advantage during war, Farmer said – but the “How we think about how those units
way the military fights can’t always depend are able to still maneuver and generate
on those communication lines remaining up. effects in a degraded environment is
“We know that the battlefield, now and crucial,” Metrick said.
in the next five to seven years, we’re going In addition to developing resilient
to be experiencing this degraded communications systems that can
communications environment,” Farmer withstand enemy attacks, Metrick said, the
said. “We have to be able to operate when Defense Department needs to create
you don’t have perfect communications or “nodal,” almost self-contained systems.
perfect information.” These units need to be able to operate
If a unit cannot act autonomously, and largely on their own across battlefield
its effectiveness on the battlefield depends domains, while only having sporadic, low-
on talking to a command post to get quality contact back to command posts, he
permission to fire weapons or coordinate said, though he acknowledged doing that
with other forces, Metrick said, that will be difficult.
operational concept will collapse. Metrick said the war in Ukraine has

38

shown how important it is to have a flexible
networking construct, though he cautioned
not all lessons would apply in a potential
U.S. war in the Indo-Pacific region.
Ukraine has taken advantage of
resources such as Starlink satellites and
Drones, Planes Need New Weapons
And Sensors: Special Ops Official
BY TODD SOUTH
TAMPA, Fla. — More options and less strain
on humans are key to modernizing fixed-wing
systems for U.S. Special Operations
Command, according to the program
executive officer in charge of the effort.
Those themes extend to both piloted
and uncrewed airframes, such as MC-130J
Commando II and AC-130J Ghostrider
aircraft as well as MQ-1C Gray Eagle
drones, Air Force Col. Ken Kuebler told an
a u d i e n c e M a y 9 a t t h e S O F We e k
conference in Florida.
In terms of drones, Kuebler said he’s
focused on reducing the need for human
support. Despite the “unmanned” aspect of
drone technology, it is a “manpower-
intensive platform,” he explained. For
example, a single MQ-9 requires up to 200
personnel when accounting for all support
from maintenance to flying.
Finding technology to help with that is
paramount, he said.
And given the gunships that have served
the special operations community for
decades are still in demand, they’ve got
their own challenges. Special Operations
Command saw the last AC-130W retire in
2022, and the organization is nearly done
upgrading older AC-130Js across the 30
currently in the fleet, he said.
The next steps include making the
“gunship the premier platform for U.S. Air
Force Special Operations Command,”
Kuebler said, which requires finding ways
to make the aircraft runway-independent
and amphibious. “It’s a really hard
engineering problem,” he added.
The command is currently studying the
impact of operating at sea on maintenance
and support equipment, including the effect
of water on airframes and how to
incorporate floating support for aircraft.
Kuebler anticipates a float capability
demonstration will take place within the
next two to three years.
And like the drone family, the colonel
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
SIGHTLINE
ground terminals to help manage command
and control. Kyiv’s forces also have used a
variety of small drones to beat back
Russia’s invasion, he said.
“ I t ’s v e r y m u c h a b o o t s t r a p p e d
approach [in Ukraine], but it’s effective,”
An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship taxis on Kadena Air Base in Japan on March 29, 2021.
wants more remote gunship autonomy in
the platform, meaning automated systems
to take care of extraneous tasks and watch
the skies so crew members can focus on
more essential mission requirements.
Kuebler’s office awarded a contract for the
Armed Overwatch program in August 2022,
Defense News previously reported, with the
organization selecting L3Harris Technologies
and Air Tractor as the winners for the plane
portion, once called the AT-802U Sky Warden
but later renamed the OA-1K.
That contract could produce as many as
75 Sky Warden single-engine turboprop
planes in a deal worth up to $3 billion. The
program adds a strike capability and gives
the plane intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance assets as it replaces the
legacy U-28A Draco and MC-12W Liberty
aircraft, Defense News reported.
For the strike portion, the command
saw BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill
Weapon System undergo testing.
The OA-1K’s armament will include
2.75-inch laser-guided rockets as part of the
precision kill weapon system, AGM-114
Metrick said. “In a lot of ways, you can glean
things about the importance of tactical
flexibility, about agility, and about the
unique combinations of capabilities that
produce asymmetric effects from the
Ukraine example.”
U.S. Defense Department
missiles and the GBU-12 Paveway bomb,
according to slides Kuebler showed.
The turboprop plane’s ISR assets will
include full-motion video and Link 16
communications, among other features.
The key is for the plane to have a modular
design; Kuebler wants to have the ability to
swap out new tech in the same size package
for a variety of missions, from close air
support to sensing and electronic warfare.
That combination compresses those
features into a smaller aircraft that can fly
low and support small teams in more
austere and remote locations such as
Africa, which lacks the robust logistical
footprint on which special operators
depended during recent wars in U.S.
Central Command’s area of responsibility.
Looking over the modernization
horizon, Special Operations Command has
teamed with the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency on the X-Plane
program, which aims to give fixed-wing
platforms a vertical-takeoff-and-landing
capability and the ability to exceed 400
knots (460 mph).
39
 HUMAN RESOURCES
China is trying to recruit
Gorkhas from Nepal
An IMR Report

C hina is looking to recruit Gorkha soldiers

from Nepal to make them part of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA). By
doing to China is trying to open a new front
with India. Reports say that China is trying to
walk down this path and exploring options.
Beijing may reach out to the communist
Government of Nepal to allow Nepalese
youths into the PLA and if that happens China
will only be the third country to recruit Gorkha
soldiers after United Kingdom and India which
are the first two.
The Gorkhas have been serving in the
British army since 1815. After India's
independence, the Indian Army retained six
regiments of the Gorkha soldiers and, today,
there are seven Gorkha regiments in India with
around 40,000 soldiers. Of these 40,000, ten
thousand soldiers are estimated to be of
Nepalese origin.
After the 1962 war with India, the PLA
reached out to Nepal to recruit Gorkha soldiers, Soldiers of 5 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army
but Kathmandu refused. Will it agree this time?
It will not be a surprise if Kathmandu agrees. joining the Indian Army now will not have these between Nepal and China. Chinese funds are
One of the reasons is the existing tensions with perks. Like their Indian counterparts, they too flowing into Nepal. The Nepalese government
the Indian army. Nepal is also unhappy with the will not be offered a pension. said recently that China was releasing Rs 80
pay being offered by the British army. Months after the Agnipath scheme was billion rupees meant for various infra projects
In June 2022, India approved the announced, Nepal's then defense minister and in Nepal.
Agneepath scheme for recruitment in the Deputy Prime Minister Bheem Raval told the Why does China want Gorkha soldiers? Are
Indian Army. It changed the recruitment Nepalese Parliament that the scheme violated there not enough PLA troops. The PLA, in fact,
process for the Indian Armed Forces by paving the Tripartite Treaty. has the world's largest number of active
the way for recruiting talent at a young age and The memorandum of agreement on military personnel. But how many of these
retiring three-fourth of the batch every four recruitment of Gorkha troops was signed on personnel are combat ready? How many of
years. The new scheme has no provision for the 1 May 1947 between India and Nepal. them have battlefield experience?
pension and this did not fit well with the youth Raval called for the cancellation of the treaty. There are serious questions about the
in Nepal. So far, the Indian Army was a lucrative This year not a single Nepalese youth has PLA's capabilities. The Gorkha soldiers, on the
career option for the Nepalese youths. The joined the Army. The question is whether China other hand, had proven their metal. They have
Indian army paid them 2.5 times of what the is exploiting this very situation. fought wars for India - in the 1947-48 war, 1962
Nepalese Army pays. There was pension on top In the case of the British Army the Gorkha war, 1965 or 1971.
of that and job security. They also had the soldiers are not treated as equals. They are In 2020 news broke that China had funded
option to settle in India. paid lesser than their British counterparts. In a study to understand what drives the
There are some 126,000 Gorkha fact, they also do not receive the same pension Nepalese youth into joining the Indian Army.
pensioners of the Indian army in Nepal. They as their peers. recruiting Gorkhas also gives China the chance
bring to Nepal around $620 million dollars in The situation back home in Nepal is to intrude into the Nepali society. China would
remuneration, which is three percent of changing. Today, Nepal is led by a communist also like to decrease Nepal's dependence on
Nepal's GDP and more than Nepal's defence government, a communist prime minister, India at a time when ties between New Delhi
budget. But the Nepalese youth who will be Pushpa Kamal. He has opened key trade routes and Kathmandu are not at their historic best.

40
 Pain-staking four years of research
Invaluable addition to libraries and for all aviators

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (centre) flanked by Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and the author
Air Mshl Bharat Kumar, releasing the book “A History of Military Aviation in India 1901-1947” on 28 Sep 2021 at Air HQ.

A ‘Must Have’ for all

630pp, Hardbound, Illustrated, Rs 1950
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The Beginning: A History of Military Aviation
in India 1901-1947
Foreword by
Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, PVSM, AVSM, VM
The Advent of Military Aviation in India • Indian Aviators in the First World War • The Royal Air Force in India •
Operations in the North West Frontier • Birth Pangs of the Indian Air Force • First Innings of the Tigers of No. 1
Squadron, IAF • Indian Coastal Defence Expansion of Indian Air Force from 1 to 10 Squadrons • Japanese
Invasion of India and the Role Played by the Indian Air Force • The Reconstitution of the Indian Air Force•

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 DEFENCE DIPLOMACY
Port Calls, Visits
and Dialogues
Indian Naval Ships Visit
Da Nang, Vietnam
As part of Indian Navy's deployment to
ASEAN countries, INS Delhi and Satpura, visited
Da Nang, Vietnam on 19 May 23. During the
visit, personnel from both the navies engaged
in a wide range of professional interactions,
deck visits, social interactions and sports
fixtures, to further strengthen their bonds of
friendship. Earlier, both ships participated in
the inaugural edition of the ASEAN - India
Maritime Exercise (AIME) aimed at promoting
maritime cooperation, enhancing trust and
confidence between ASEAN navies and Indian
Navy. The ships also exercised with the
Vietnam People's Navy at sea to share best
practices and enhance interoperability.
8th India-Thailand
Defence Dialogue
The Eighth India-Thailand Defence
Dialogue was held in Bangkok on April 20,
2023. The meeting was co-chaired by Special
Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Nivedita Shukla
Verma and Thai Deputy Permanent Secretary
INS Delhi and INS Satpura, visited Sihanoukville, Cambodia on 14 May 2023
42
INS Delhi and Satpura visited Da Nang, Vietnam on 19 May 23
for Defence General Nuchit Sribunsong. The
co-chairs identified means to enhance existing
areas of collaboration, especially in the field of
defence industry, maritime security and
multinational cooperation. Thailand expressed
confidence in the capability of Indian defence
industry. The two chairs also articulated steps
in the direction of emerging areas of
cooperation and issues pertaining to global
commons. India & Thailand bilateral defence
engagements have included Defence Dialogue
meeting, military-to-military exchanges, high-
level visits, capacity building and training
programmes and bilateral exercises.
Indo-Thai Coordinated
Patrol (CORPAT)
The 35th edition of India-Thailand
Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT)
between the Indian Navy and the Royal Thai
Navy was conducted on 3-10 May 2023. INS
Kesari, an indigenously built LST (L) and HTMS
Saiburi, a Chao Phraya Class Frigate, along with
Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies
participated in the CORPAT along the IMBL in
the Andaman Sea.
The Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy
have been undertaking CORPAT bi-annually
since 2005 along the International Maritime
Boundary Line (IMBL) to reinforce maritime
linkages between the two countries and with
an aim of keeping this vital part of the Indian
Ocean safe and secure for international trade.
CORPAT builds up understanding and
interoperability between navies and facilitates
instituting measures to prevent and suppress
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

unlawful activities like Illegal Unreported

Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking,
piracy and armed robbery. It further helps
e n h a n c e t h e o p e rat i o n a l sy n e rg y b y
exchanging information for the prevention of
smuggling, and illegal immigration and for the
conduct of Search and Rescue (SAR) operations
at sea.

Bangladesh Army
Chief's Visit
General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of
Army Staff, Bangladesh Army visited India on
27-29 April 2023. During the visit, he is
meeting India's senior military and civilian
leadership where he will discuss avenues for
e n h a n c i n g I n d i a - B a n g l a d e s h d efe n c e
relations.
The active engagement between India and
Bangladesh on the defence side includes high- The Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy have been undertaking CORPAT bi-annually since 2005
level exchanges at the level of Service Chiefs,
conduct of the inaugural Annual Defence Air Staff, Defence Secretary and the Foreign Peacekeeping Operations and Training
Dialogues by the Defence Secretaries, Tri- Secretary to discuss various issues pertaining Cooperation between Centre for United
services and Service-specific Staff Talks. to enhancing and strengthening Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK), India and
Exchange visits of Bangladesh Mukti Jodhas interoperability, training, anti-terrorism Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support
and Indian war veterans take place every year collaboration and overall bilateral cooperation Operations Training (BIPSOT), Bangladesh was
in December to mark the Victory Day as part of the comprehensive strategic signed between both Armies during the visit.
celebrations in Dhaka and Kolkata. partnership between the two nations. The visiting Bangladesh Army Chief was the
General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed called on He was also briefed on the Indian Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade at
General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff indigenous defence equipment manufacturing Officers Training Academy, Chennai on 29 April
and General Manoj Pande, the Chief of the eco-system by the Department of Defence 2023.
Army Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Production (DDP) and the Army Design Bureau.
Naval Staff, Air Marshal AP Singh, Vice Chief of An ''Implementing Arrangement'' for UN
An ‘’Implementing Arrangement’’ for UN Peacekeeping Operations and Training was signed between
Indian and Armies during the visit of Bangaldesh Army chief, General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed

TECHNOLOGY
ENABLED
SENSOR-DECISION-
SHOOTER SUPERIORITY

Seminar & Exhibition

DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi
30 June 2023

43
 DEFENCE DIPLOMACY
Defence Minsiters Bilateral
Talks at SCO Summit 2023
An IMR Report
Defence Minister Holds
Bilateral Talks on the
Sidelines
India as the Chair of Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) in 2023 hosted the SCO
Defence Ministers' Meeting on 28 April 2023 in
New Delhi. SCO is an intergovernmental
organization established in 2001. The SCO
membership includes Kazakhstan, China,
Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan besides India. Two observer
countries – Belarus and Iran – also participated
in the SCO Defence Ministers Meeting on 28
April 2023.
The theme of India's Chairmanship of SCO
in 2023 was 'SECURE-SCO.'
Minister Rajnath Singh elaborated on the
concept of SECURE, which was introduced by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the SCO
summit in Qingdao, China, in 2018. The
acronym 'SECURE' is made up of 'S' for Security
of citizens, 'E' for Economic development for
all, 'C' for Connecting the region, 'U' for Uniting
the people, 'R' for Respect for Sovereignty and
Integrity, and 'E' for Environmental protection.
Defence Minsiter Rajnath Singh chaired
the SCO Defence Ministers Meeting on 28
April, 2023. Defence Ministers of China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan participated. Defence Minister of
Pakistan participated virtually. The Ministers
will discuss matters related to regional peace
and security, counter terrorism efforts within
SCO and an effective multilateralism.
Defence Minsiter Rajnath Singh held
bilateral meetings with the participating
Defence Ministers on 27 and 28 April, 2023
where bilateral defence related issues and
other matters of mutual interest were
discussed.
Under its Chairmanship, in 2023, India
organised two defence related activities to
enhance interoperability amongst SCO
member states. The first being a workshop on
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
44
and the second was a seminar of SCO countries
defence think-tanks on the issue of Armed
Forces contributing to Military medicine,
Healthcare and Pandemics.
Bilateral Talks with
Chinese Defence
Minister
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met State
Councillor and Minister of National Defence of
China General Li Shangfu in New Delhi on April 27,
2023. The two ministers discussed developments
in the India-China border areas as well as bilateral
relations. The Defence Minister categorically
conveyed that development of relations between
India and China was premised on prevalence of
peace and tranquillity at the borders. He added
that all issues at the LAC need to be resolved in
accordance with existing bilateral agreements
and commitments. He reiterated that violation of
existing agreements has eroded the entire basis
of bilateral relations and disengagement at the
border will logically be followed with de-
escalation.
Bilateral Talks with
Russian Defence
Minister
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a
bilateral meeting with the Minister of Defence
of Russia Army General Sergei K Shoigu on the
sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting
in New Delhi on April 28, 2023.
The meeting focused on various aspects of
the bilateral strategic ties amid a geo-political
upheaval triggered by Russia's ongoing
invasion of Ukraine. They deliberated on
various aspects of bilateral cooperation as well
as regional developments.
The two ministers also discussed military-
to - m i l i ta r y t i e s a s we l l a s i n d u st r i a l
partnership. They also discussed the Russian
defence industry’s participation in the ‘Make in
India’ initiative and ways to provide further
enhance Moscow's effort.
They acknowledged the unique, long-
lasting and time-tested relationship between
India and Russia.
Bilateral Talks with
Iranian Defence Minister
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a
bilateral meeting with Iran's Minister of
Defence and Armed Forces Logistics Brigadier
General Mohammed Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani in
New Delhi on April 27, 2023.
Bilateral Talks with
Defence Ministers of
Kazakhstan and
Tajikistan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held
separate bilateral meetings with Minister of
Defence of Kazakhstan Colonel General Ruslan
Zhaxylykov and Minister of Defence of
Tajikistan Colonel General Sherali Mirzo in New
Delhi on April 27, 2023.
Bilateral Talks with
Defence Ministers of
Uzbekistan, Belarus,
Kyrgystan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held
bilateral meetings with Minister of Defence of
Uzbekistan Lieutenant General Bakhodir
Kurbanov, Minister of Defence of Belarus
Lieutenant General Victor Khrenin and
Minister of Defence of Kyrgyzstan Lieutenant
General Bekbolotov B Asankalievich on the
sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting
in New Delhi on April 28, 2023.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

India hosted the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting on 28 April 2023 in New Delhi

Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Russian counterpart Gen Sergei K Shoigu Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu

Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Iranian counterpart Brig Gen Ashtiyani Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Tajik counterpart Col Gen Sherali Mirzo

Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Kazak counterpart Col Gen Zhaxylykov Defence minister’s bilateral talks with Kyrgyz counterpart Lt Gen Asankalievich

45
 MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES
Glimpses from Joint
International Exercises
India-US Exercise COPE
INDIA-2023
The sixth edition of Cope India-2023, an air
exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and
United States Air Force (USAF), was conducted
from 10 to 24 Apr 2023 at Air Force Stations
Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra. The exercise
involved participation of frontline IAF aircraft
like Rafale, Tejas, Su-30MKI, Jaguar, C-17 and C-
130. The USAF in turn had fielded the F-15
'Strike Eagle' fighter, C-130, MC-130J, C-17 and
the B1B, strategic bomber aircraft. Aircrew
from the Japanese Air Self Defence Force also
participated as observers. This joint exercise
provided valuable opportunity for the
participants of all countries to exchange ideas
and imbibe best practices through
interactions, exchanges & combined missions.
India-Greece Exercise
INIOCHOS-23
The Indian Air Force (IAF) participated in
Exercise INIOCHOS-23, a multi-national air
exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force. The
exercise was conducted at the Andravida Air
Base in Greece from 24 Apr 2023 to 4 May
2023. The IAF participated with four Su-30 MKI
and two C-17 aircraft.
The objective of the exercise was to
enhance international cooperation, synergy
and interoperability amongst the participating
air forces. The exercise was conducted in a
realistic combat scenario involving multiple
types of air and surface assets. It will also
enable the participating contingents to engage
in professional interactions, providing valuable
insight into each other's best practices.
Multilateral Air Exercise
ORION in France
An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent
participated in Exercise Orion at Mont-de-
Marsan, an Air Force base of the French Air and
Space Force (FASF). The exercise was
46
conducted from 17 April to 5 May 2023, with
the IAF Contingent comprising four Rafale, two
C-17, two ll-78 aircraft and 165 air warriors.
This was the first overseas exercise for the IAF's
Rafale aircraft.
Besides the IAF and the FASF, Air Forces
from Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands,
United Kingdom, Spain and United States of
America also flew in this multilateral exercise.
Shivangi Singh, the Indian Air Force's first
woman Rafale pilot was part of the Indian team
that participated in Exercise Orion.
Orion is reportedly the largest ever
multinational exercise being carried out by the
French defence forces which have involved
their Army, Navy and Air Force along with their
allies the US and the UK.
India-UK Exercise AJEYA
WARRIOR 2023
The seventh edition of joint military
exercise Ajeya Warrior 23 between India and
the United Kingdom is being conducted at
Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom from 27 April
to 11 May 2023. Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a
biennial training event with the United
Kingdom which is conducted alternatively in
the United Kingdom and India, the last edition
was held at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand in October
2021.
Soldiers of the 2 Royal Gorkha Rifles from
the United Kingdom and Indian Army soldiers
from the Bihar Regiment participated in the
exercise. The Indian Army contingent arrived
by an IAF C-17 aircraft with indigenous
weapons and equipment. The aim of the
exercise was to build positive military relations,
imbibe each other's best practices and
promote the ability to operate together while
undertaking company-level sub-conventional
o p e rat i o n s i n u r b a n a n d s e m i - u r b a n
environments under UN mandate, in addition
to developing inter-operability, bonhomie,
camaraderie, and friendship between the two
armies.
The exercise involved a Command Post
Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and
Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX).
ASEAN-India Maritime
Exercise AIME-2023
Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Delhi
participated in the Inaugural ASEAN India
Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) off Singapore
on 2-8 May 2023.
The Harbour Phase of the exercise was
held at Changi Naval Base and the Sea Phase in
the South China Sea. AIME 2023 provided an
opportunity for Indian Navy and ASEAN navies
to work together closely and conduct seamless
operations in the maritime domain.
INS Delhi, India's first indigenously-built
guided missile destroyer and INS Satpura are
fitted with state-of-the art weapons and
sensors. The ships, during their port call at
Singapore, also participated in International
Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23) and
International Maritime Security Conference
(IMSC) being hosted by Singapore.
India-Indonesia Exercise
SAMUDRA SHAKTI - 23
The 4th edition of India-Indonesia Bilateral
exercise Samudra Shakti-23 was held from 14-
19 May 23 off Batam, Indonesia. INS Kavaratti,
indigenously designed & built ASW Corvette,
an Indian Navy Dornier Maritime Patrol aircraft
and Chetak helicopter also participated. The
Indonesian Navy was represented by KRI
Sultan Iskandar Muda, CN 235 Maritime Patrol
Aircraft and AS565 Panther Helicopter.
The Harbour Phase will comprise cross
deck visits, professional interactions, subject
matter expert exchanges, and sports fixtures.
During the Sea Phase, weapon firing,
helicopter operations, anti-submarine warfare
and air defence exercises and boarding
operations were carried out.
Exercise Samudra Shakti was aimed at
enhancing interoperability, jointness and
mutual cooperation between both the navies.
 Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023

Ex COPE INDIA was held at AF stations Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra. Ex Orion was held at Mont-de-Marsan, a French Air Force base

IAF Contingent had four Rafales in Exercise Orion in France Two IAF C17 Globemasters participated in Ex INIOCHOS-23 in Greece

Four IAF Su-30MKI fighters participated in Ex INIOCHOS-23 in Greece

Ex INIOCHOS-23 was hosted by the Hellenic Air Force at Andravida Air Base

Bihar Regt soldiers and UK’s 2 Gorkha Rifles took part in Ex Ajeya Warrior 23 An Indonesian Panther helo landing on INS Kavaratti during Ex Samudra Shakti

47

CEREMONIAL
Battle Honours and
Raising Day Anniversaries
Best wishes from IMR for anniversaries in June 2023
1 June
Guards Regimental Centre
Army Education Corps Day
612 (I) Mechanised Air Defence Brigade
614 (I) Mechanised Air Defence Brigade
616 (I) Mechanised Air Defence Brigade
401 Light Air Defence Regiment
405 Light Air Defence Regiment
11 Field Regiment
659 Recce & Observation Squadron
660 Recce & Observation Squadron
4 Corps Army Aviation Base
15 Recce & Observation Flight
3 Recce & Observation Flight
502 CAMS (Engineers)
11 Guards
27 Madras
16 Grenadiers
14 Maratha Light Infantry
15 Maratha Light Infantry
19 Maratha Light Infantry (Kolhapur)
7 Maratha Light Infantry
27 Rajput
2 Mahar
4 Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry
17 Jat
11 Sikh
22 Grenadiers
IN MEMORIAM
THE FALLEN AIR WARRIORS
Message by
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha,
Marshal of the Air Force
Arjan Singh, DFC
Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, PVSM, AVSM
176pp, hardcover, illus. Inland Rs 795 (post free).
48
Indian Military Review, Volume 14, May 2023
21 Sikh 22 June
8 Sikh Light Infantry 252 Bomb Disposal Company
11 Sikh Light Infantry
10 Dogra 23 June
12 Garhwal Rifles 3 Jat
16 Kumaon 5/5 Gorkha Rifles (Mogaung Day)
10 Bihar
11 Bihar 25 June
20 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Mechanised Infantry (Recce & Support)
Wheeled
7 June
5/8 Gorkha Rifles (Tanbingon) 26 June
9 Bihar (Jappar Day) 661 Recce & Observation Squadron
16 Sikh Light Infantry
15 June
Assam Regimental Centre 28 June
2 Engineer Regiment (Bishenpur Day) 17 Rajputana Rifles (Sawai Man) (Ledigali Day)
1 Assam 2/3 Gorkha Rifles Pirknthi (Uri Day)
19 June 29 June
Madras Regimental Centre 2 Guards (1 Grenadiers) (Gurais Day)
419 Assault Engineer Squadron 29 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Jammu &
Kashmir Light Infantry
20 June
651 Engineer Plant Unit 30 June
812 Combat Engineering Training Camp 815 Combat Engineering Training Camp
813 Combat Engineering Training Camp
Every Formation and Unit Must Have This Book
to Remember the Fallen Heroes
“Accidents happen but no one wants them. All aircrew at some time or the other
have had near misses and a vast majority have lived to tell their story. This book is a
tribute to all those of our comrades who were not so fortunate but should never be
forgotten. Their memory must live on. Air Marshal Bharat Kumar has done yeoman
service towards that end and, with great commitment and perseverance, has
produced a book that should be a collector's item for the units to which the fallen
belonged and their friends and families.”
Air Marshal Vinod Patney, SYSM, PVSM, AVSM, VrC
Foreword Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
Chief of the Air Staff
Send your orders to
IMR Media Pvt Ltd
8A Ashok Marg, Silokhra, Gurgaon 122001, India,
Mob: 09582649663, Email: subscriptions@imrmedia.in
A ‘Must Have’ for Every Formation and Unit
Book on 1965 War commissioned by the IAF

The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle was released by the Vice President,
the Defence Minister and the Service Chiefs on 1 September.

Foreword by
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha
Chief of the Air Staff
The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle describes the First
Air War between India and Pakistan. Commencing from
an analysis of the two air forces and their concept of
operations, every significant aerial and ground
engagement has been covered in detail. These include
Pakistani raids on Pathankot and Kalaikunda, Indian
ventures into Sargodha, Badin and Peshawar as well as
various aerial engagements. These stories are based
on the narratives of the air warriors involved in the
operations or records maintained on a daily basis in the
squadron diaries by various units during the period of
the War.
Pakistani disastrous para drops near Pathankot,
Adampur and Halwara in the West and Gauhati in the
East have been covered in detail. The travails narrated
by seven air warriors, who became POWs have also
been included.
Finally, the author has dissected the entire air war
and has put down his own conclusions – probably the
first such attempt by an Indian author.
320pp, hardcover, illustrated. Rs 1800 (Speedpost charges incl)

Order online at https://rzp.io/l/aQRw5OL or Buy your copy from

IMR Media Pvt Ltd

8A Ashok Marg, Salokhra, South City 1 Enclave, Gurgaon 122001, India
Mob: 09582649663, Email: subscriptions@idyb.com