CHINESE WARSHIP LIKELY TO VISIT INDIA
Senior defense officials in India say a Chinese warship is likely to visit the Indian port of Kochi on its return from conducting anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. China has a Type 052 destroyer, a Type 054 frigate and a supply ship on rotating anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden. The scheduled visit comes amid a relative warming of relations between the two Asian powers and signals a thaw in defense ties that were temporarily frozen in 2010-2011 after China began issuing Indians from Kashmir unique visas stapled to separate pieces of paper. After holding a pair of unprecedented joint army exercises in 2007 and 2008, it has been four years without any joint military drills, though the two have pledged to hold the third sometime this year. (India Today, April 8, 2013)
INDIA MULLS MORE CHANGES TO DEFENSE ACQUISITION
In the wake of a constant drumbeat of corruption scandals over the procurement of military hardware, India is considering revisions to its defense acquisition regime. Possible short term adjustments include preferential bidding for domestic defense contractors, as well as amendments to offset guidelines (India requires that foreign arms sellers “offset” their sale with investments in Indian firms). Foreign vendors have found it difficult to meet the 30% offset requirement under the current Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP). The amendment giving preference to indigenous Indian defense contractors has been heavily criticized. While it ostensibly aims to promote growth in the domestic defense industry, experts warn that India’s indigenous defense industry lacks the maturity to meet India’s growing defense needs – a reality highlighted by the fact that India is now the largest importer of arms worldwide. (AIN Online, April 5, 2013)
PAK DELEGATION IN SRI LANKA
A visit to Sri Lanka last week by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Jilal Jilani, concluded with both sides pledging to increase cooperation and expand bilateral relations in a number of sectors, including trade, education, culture, and defense. Jilani met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa while in Colombo and both countries agreed to continue cooperation in counterterrorism efforts, combating transnational crime, and expand joint training of defense personnel. (Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense, April 6, 2013)
INDIA’S FIRST MILITARY UNIVERSITY
Next month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Indian National Defense University (INDU), the country’s first Military University. Located in Delhi, the new university will follow the structure of existing university frameworks in India such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and Management (IIMs & IITs) and will accommodate international officials and students as well as Indian security leaders, civilians, and defense officials for training and courses. (Silicon India, April 8, 2013)
EXPLAINING INDIA'S VOTE ON ARMS TRADE TREATY
In an op-ed published through the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, Gurmeet Kanwal explains the reasoning behind India’s abstention regarding the recent UN vote on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Kanwal explains that India’s grievances regarding the treaty stem from two major concerns: that the treaty does very little to curtail the flow of weapons to extremist groups and non-state actors, and that it does not ensure a balance of obligations between countries that export arms and ones that import them. India, he said, faces national security threats from non-state actors and extremist groups that utilize weapons obtained from Pakistan and China through Myanmar. Moreover, India’s status as a major weapons importer grants it very little protection under the ATT, which codifies responsibilities for weapons exporters that could make it harder for India to obtain weapons from external sources. Kanwal concludes that while India does not accept the manner in which the ATT approaches the regulation of the arms trade, India will surely adhere to the principles and provisions outlined in it. (Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, April 8, 2013)