India 5th most powerful nation, says govt index

NEW DELHI: India is the fifth most powerful country in the world, says the latest national security index (NSI) designed by the country's foremost security and economic experts. A part of India's National Security Annual Review 2010, which will be officially released by foreign ministerSM Krishna on April 19, the NSI 2010 placed India fifth in the hierarchy of top 50 nations identified on the basis of their GDP. 

According to Foundation for National Security Research director Satish Kumar, who edited the national security review, the NSI is based on an assessment of defence capability, economic strength, effective population, technological capability and energy security of the top 50 countries. The US is at the top of the list on the basis of these criteria followed by China, Japan and Russia. 

South Korea emerged as the sixth most powerful nation followed by Norway, Germany, France and UK. 

While India ranked third in the case of population and fourth in terms of defence capabilities, it was at the 34th position in technology and 33rd in energy security. Only US, China and Russia are ranked higher than India in defence capability. In economic strength, India ranked seventh. 

Out of the five criteria, maximum weightage was given to defence capabilities at 30%. Economic strength, technology and effective population had weightage of 20% each. Energy security had the remaining 10%. The national security annual review governing body, which comprises a host of experts, is headed by former foreign secretary M K Rasgotra. 

On the likelihood of people raising eyebrows over India's extremely high rank, the NSI report said the strategic community in India will still take time to get used to India being such a powerful country. "Of course, the variable that helps India most is the size of its skilled working population. But that variable helps China to a great deal,'' it said. 

China ranked first in the assessment of effective population which was calculated on the basis of three variables -- size of population between 15 and 64, size of population educated up to secondary level and above and human development index based on UNDP reports. The US is at the second position in effective population category. 

Norway's high position was attributed to its number one position in the field of energy security. The NSI said some of the most powerful countries in the world were not necessarily energy self-reliant. The weight given to various indicators in arriving at the above conclusions was based on judgment. According to the annual security review, a group of experts went over the indicators and their opinions were collated to arrive at the relative weightage given to indicators.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-5th-most-powerful-nation-says-govt-index/articleshow/7967651.cms

We will never bully our neighbours: China

BEIJING: China has assured its neighbours it will never play the bully. The government released a key defense policy document on Thursday promising to build trust with neighbouring countries in the military sphere. 

China is pursuing "an effective way to maintain national security and development, and safeguard regional peace and stability," the document said. 

"At present and in future, no matter how developed China is, China will never seek hegemony or pursue expansionist policies," Defence Ministry spokesmanGeng Yansheng said. "China's armed forces adopt a peaceful, cooperative and constructive approach in participating in international military affairs," he said. 

The document comes within days of the People's Liberation Army testing its integrated air defence capability under the scenario of a massive air strike. The tests that included surface-to-air missiles aimed at bringing compatibility among various kinds of missile systems, official reports said. 

Beijing also voiced concern over attempts by other countries to contain its growing power in the Asian region. Beijing is particularly peeved at what it regards as growing influence of the United States in Asia resulting in higher levels of friction in the region. 

"Suspicion about China, interference and countering moves against China from the outside are on the increase," the Chinese government said in a key military policy document released on Thursday. It expressed worries about the United States trying to enhance its influence in Asia resulting in growing friction in the region. 

China reiterated its earlier warnings about "fierce" regional competition and an increasingly "volatile" security scenario in Asia. 

"Major powers are stepping up the realignment of their security and military strategies, accelerating military reform and vigorously developing new ... military technologies." 

The document comes in the wake of sharp differences between Beijing and Tokyo over ownership of an island, and worldwide apprehension over large scale investments made by the Chinese militaryin its weapons modernization program. 

China's official defence spending rose 12.7 per cent this year to about 601 billion Yuan ($91.5 billion), the second highest in the world behind the United States. But military observers say this figure does not include a wide range of investments made on infrastructure and other strategic areas by different agencies of the government including the People's Liberation Army.

India world's No. 1 arms importer

NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest arms importer in the world, overtaking even China, claims a report by a Swedish think-tank. 

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), in its report to be released on Monday, said India accounted for 9% of allinternational arms imports between 2006-2010, making it the world`s largest weapons importer. 

China was relegated to second place, notching 6% of global arms imports, Siemon Wezeman of Sipri told international news agencies. The US remains the largest arms exporter, followed by Russia and Germany, as per the report. 

This is not the first time that India has topped such an international list. As reported by TOI earlier, US Congressional Research Service's reports on conventional arms transfers placed India right at the top in 2004 and 2005, with agreements worth $5.7 billion and $5.4 billion respectively. 

China, however, hides more than what it reveals. Beijing`s military expenditure figures as well as its acquisition of advanced weapon systems and platforms remain shrouded behind a thick iron curtain, which global monitors cannot penetrate easily. 

Unlike India, China has rapidly built a robust domestic defence-industrial base (DIB) over the last couple of decades, which often also revels in reverse-engineering top-of-the-line weapon systems developed by other countries. 

"China does spend staggering amounts in importing weapons from countries like Russia, often displacing even India as Russia`s largest defence customer,`` said an Indian defence official. 

If India`s defence budget for the coming fiscal is pegged at $36 billion, China is "officially`` going to spend $91.5 billion. Experts, however, reckon that it will spend almost twice the amount on its 2.5-million strong People`s Liberation Army. 

But all this does not take away from the fact that India has certainly cranked up the modernization of its armed forces since the 1999 Kargil conflict, inking arms deals worth over $50 billion since then, the majority of them with foreign armament majors from Russia, Israel, France, UK and now, increasingly the US, as tracked by TOI. 

With limited private sector participation, coupled with DRDO, eight defence PSUs and 39 ordnance factories largely failing to deliver, India remains saddled with a poor DIB. So, with the armed forces continuing to import almost 70% of their requirements from abroad, India will remain a big time arms importer for the foreseeable future. 

There are several mega defence projects in the pipeline, which will see also tie-ups with foreign companies for technology transfer for indigenous production. The gigantic $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, for instance, is in the final lap now, with commercial negotiations slated to soon begin with the eventual winner among the six aviation majors in contention. 

Two major deals on the verge of being inked are the over $2.1 billion deal for the Mirage-2000 fighter upgrade with France and the $4.1-billion one for 10 C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft with the US. India, incidentally, is likely to order another six C-17s after the first 10. 

Then, the armed forces are looking to induct over 600 helicopters, ranging from VVIP and heavy-lift to attack and light utility ones, many of them from abroad, for well over Rs 20,000 crore. 

Navy, in turn, is all worked up about launching its Project-75India to acquire six new-generation stealth submarines as soon as possible. The submarines, equipped with tube-launched missiles for land-attack capabilities and air-independent propulsion (AIP) to enhance operational capabilities, will be built in a project worth over Rs 50,000 crore. 

The "granny`` of all defence projects will be the joint Indo-Russian project to develop the Sukhoi T-50 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. With IAF looking to induct 250 to 300 of these stealth fighters from 2020 onwards, India will eventually spend over $35 billion on this project alone.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-worlds-No-1-arms-importer/articleshow/7697182.cms

China has five airbases, extensive rail-road networks in Tibet: Antony

NEW DELHI: Apart from nuclear missile bases in Qinghai province which clearly target India, Chinahas built five fully-operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000 km of roads in Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). 

People's Liberation Army is also rapidly upgrading several other airstrips in TAR as well as south China, to add to the five airbases from where Chinese Sukhoi-27UBK and Sukhoi-30MKKfighters have practised operations in recent times. 

Moreover, with extensive road-rail links in TAR,PLA can amass upwards of two divisions (30,000 soldiers) at their "launch pads'' along the border in just 20 days now compared to the over 90 days it took earlier. 

All this is not strikingly new but, soon after Beijing hiked its annual military budget to $91.5 billion, mounting concern over China's massive build-up of military infrastructure was reflected in Lok Sabha on Monday. 

Cutting across party lines, 19 MPs came together to quiz defence minister A K Antony on whether the UPA government was taking "cognizance'' of the "increased Chinese military activities'' along the 4,057-km LAC. 

Antony, in a written reply, said "necessary steps'' were being taken in consonance with India's national security concerns. "Military capacity enhancement and modernisation of armed forces is a dynamic process, which takes into account the cumulative challenges envisaged by the nation,'' he said. 

"The total road network in TAR is assessed at 58,000 km in 2010. Extension of Qinghai TibetRailway to Xigaze is in progress. Another railway line from Kashgar to Hotan in Xinjiang Uighur Autonmous Region is under construction,'' he said, adding the five TAR airfields were Gongar, Pangta, Linchi, Hoping and Gar Gunsa. 

India is now, albeit belatedly, trying to strategically counter China. Just last week, for instance, saw two new Sukhoi-30MKIs touch down at Chabua airbase in Assam, the second airbase in North-East after Tezpur to house the multi-role fighters. Both airbases will have two Sukhoi squadrons (each has 16 to 18 jets) each. 

The Army, on its part, has raised two new mountain infantry divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers. While the 56 Division has its HQ in Zakama (Nagaland) under the Dimapur-based 3 Corps, the 71 Division at Missamari (Assam) falls in the operational command of the Tezpur-based 4 Corps. 

IAF is also upgrading eastern sector ALGs (advanced landing grounds) like Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Ziro and Vijaynagar as well as several helipads in Arunachal. This comes after the reactivation of western sector ALGs like Daulat Beg Oldi, Fukche and Nyama in eastern Ladakh.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/China-has-five-airbases-extensive-rail-road-networks-in-Tibet-Antony/articleshow/7648434.cms

IAF aircraft to join evacuation operations from Libya

NEW DELHI: As Libya swiftly descended into civil war, India decided to use an Il-76 transport aircraft of the IAF to ferry stranded citizens. From Thursday, the "Gajraj" aircraft will ferry people between Sirde in Libya and Cairo. 

A wide-bodied aircraft has also been requisitioned by Air India to ferry people out of Sebha, sources said. 

Sirde and Sebha are two towns with 2,000-strong concentrations of Indians each. 

Officials acknowledged that India had been slow to start evacuation, but was currently taking out about 1,000 people every day and promised to complete the process by next week. 

Even as China seemed on the verge of completing evacuation operations in Libya, having already pulled out over 32,000 of its nationals from the country, India only had a little over 6,000 evacuees to show for its efforts till Wednesday evening. The Chinese figure of 32,000 evacuees, mostly being doled out by official news agencies, however, seemed to have stirred a debate with foreign secretary Nirupama Rao herself saying that there was "no clarity'' over the number of Chinese evacuees. 

"Incidentally, no real clarity about nos. of Chinese evacuees so far,'' said Rao in a tweet on Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day, she tweeted, "India has chartered ships and aircraft. Please believe me when I say this. I will not comment on the Chinese statistics.'' 

Close to 12,000 Indians though are still stranded in the country, many of them in the interiors who are finding it increasingly difficult to reach Tripoli from where evacuation flights are operating. 

A ship, MV Scotia Prince, carrying 1,188 Indians docked in Alexandria on Wednesday night. After their papers are processed, they will travel back to India on EgyptAir flights. The ship will turn around to go back to Benghazi, reaching on March 5 to pick up another 1,100 Indians. 

A second ship may be put into service in a more sensitive part of Libya where some Indians are stuck. 

Officials said Indian companies were actually sending their managers back into Libya to help bring back their employees. This is very different from companies from other countries who are leaving their Asian employees behind. 

Three flights -- two Boeing 747s and one Airbus-330 -- brought back 1,045 Indians from Tripoli early Wednesday. Another three flights have left for Tripoli and are expected to ferry back 1,002 people. Three daily flights to Tripoli will continue over the coming days and these may be stepped up, said the foreign ministry. 

Separately, a chartered flight carrying 78 Indians from Sirde (Libya) reached Larnaca ( Cyprus) on Tuesday evening. These people will be booked on commercial flights to India. 

So far 126 Indians have left Libya in small numbers on their own, in coordination with Indian missions in and around Libya, the MEA said. As many as 267 Indians have, by now, crossed over to Salloum ( Egypt) by the land route and the Indian embassy in Cairo has already facilitated the return of some 180 of them in batches, to Mumbai by regular Gulf Air flights, it said. 

Also, close to 1,400 people persons have reached Djerba in Algeria, where the Indian embassy staff from Tunis have put them up in hotels. 

Read more: IAF aircraft to join evacuation operations from Libya - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IAF-aircraft-to-join-evacuation-operations-from-Libya/articleshow/7613076.cms#ixzz1FVRo3IoH

Exporters tell govt to curb yarn price rise

Indicating a major rise in garment prices, both in the domestic and international markets, apparel exporters have sought the government's intervention to control a sudden spurt in the prices of cotton and cotton yarn in the past two months.

Like onion, the prices of these raw materials used by apparel makers have skyrocketed making their operations unviable. And any price hike of the finished products at the retail end could kill demand, say apparel exporters.

Cotton yarn prices in India have gone up by over 40 per cent in the last 45 days from Rs 45,000 a tonne to Rs 60,000 a tonne due to hoarding by speculators. This has created an artificial shortage in the market. "We need raw material security for the growth of this sector. Raw material prices have gone out of hand and it would affect employment and export targets. We don't want a blanket ban on cotton yarn exports but the government must devise some mechanism to control the abnormal price rise," said Premal Udani, chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).

Looking for the right cut Getting out of control Apparel exporters have sought the government's intervention to curb a spurt in the prices of cotton and cotton yarn in the past two months Cotton yarn prices in India have gone up by as much as 40 per cent in the last 45 days from Rs 45,000 a tonne to Rs 60,000 a tonne due to hoarding by the speculators. This has further led to an artificial shortage of the staple fibre in the market AEPC'S expectations Centre must continue the cap of 720 mn kg on export of cotton yarn till next season Govt must remove import duty on cotton yarn alongwith a realistic drawback rate for the garment sector & a special incentive package to achieve an export target of $11 bn for fin yr 2011 & 10% growth thereafter Govt must expand the textile upgradation fund scheme for the benefit for a large number of players in the sector

AEPC is the apex body of around 8,800 apparel makers in India who collectively exported garments and made ups worth $10.5 billion last year. Over 12 million people are directly and indirectly employed by this sector.

"Due to a recent move by the Centre to cap cotton yarn exports, apparel exports in the month of December surged to over $1 billion, indicating the revival of the sector. But the sudden rise in cotton and yarn prices has put up new challenges," Udani said. Exporters said that the domestic garment retail market is also bearing the brunt of this price rise and sales are fast depleting due to the rise in input costs. "If raw material prices are not controlled urgently, garment prices in shopfloors would go up in the next few months and this would affect the common man.

Besides, we will also fail to grab growing opportunities in apparel exports as some of the business from China is expected to shift to India due to a rise in labour cost there," said Udani.

He said even if 10 per cent of China's $115 billion apparel export business shifts to India, it would double India's export volumes. So, in the larger interests of the country the government must prevent massive import of cotton and cotton yarn to China by Indian traders at the cost of the domestic industry.

It has asked the Centre to continue the existing cap of 720 million kg on export of cotton yarn till the next cotton season as well as to remove import duty on cotton yarn. It has urged the government for a realistic drawback rate for the garment sector and a special incentive package from the commerce ministry to achieve the export target of $11 billion for financial year 2011 and 10 per cent growth thereafter.

AEPC has also asked the Centre to expand the textile upgradation fund scheme for the benefit for a large number of players in the sector as well as to route the funds under rural employment guarantee scheme via the sector to provide gainful training and employment to unskilled labourers in rural India.

Source:-http://businesstoday.intoday.in/bt/story/exporters-tell-govt-to-curb-yarn-price-rise/1/13403.html

Coal fired powergen down but not out

According to Roman Portuzek, director of the Ministry of Industry & Trade’s Electrical Power Engineering Department, coal will continue to be a “necessary part” of the Czech Republic’s heat and power sector to at least 2050.

Speaking at the keynote address of the COAL-GEN Europe 2011 conference and exhibition, which kicked off today, Mr. Portuzek reaffirmed that coal would remain an important fuel source for the country.

This is despite plans to cut the country’s energy intensity by two-thirds, as well as emissions, especially nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxides (SOx) by 2050, primarily through an increase in its nuclear power base.

The Czech Republic, however, has a relatively unusual generation mix in that large-scale combined heat and power (CHP) plants represent a third of the country’s installed capacity and provide around 20 per cent of the electricity supply. The majority of these CHP plants are fuelled by coal.

It is also the third biggest electricity exporter in Europe, behind France and Germany, and Mr. Portuzek was keen to emphasize that it was important that it remained so.

Studies conducted by the Ministry of Industry & Trade clearly showed that is the CHP plant sector was reduced the Czech Republic would become an importer of electricity. Thus the country is likely to invest in high efficiency, coal fired CHP production.

Mr. Karel Krizek, director of Central Engineering at CEZ Group, echoed the sentiment that coal would continue to have an important role to play in generating power.

CEZ, which is a major utility in the Central and Eastern European region, currently has a 74 per cent share in the Czech power generation market and supplies 44 per cent of the electricity in the country.

As of 2009, 55 per cent of its generation assets were either black coal or lignite fired power plants, primarily powered by coal from its own mine.

However, Mr. Krizek confirmed that CEZ had plans to half its carbon emissions - from 0.63 tCO2/MWh in 2009 to 0.32 tCO2/MWh by 2025 - by replacing the majority of its black coal fired power plants with other fuels such as gas, renewable sand nuclear, and upgrading many of its existing lignite units with new high efficiency technology.

The third keynote speaker, Dr. Ira Jaroslav, director of Business Development of Skoda Power, now part of Doosan Power Systems, made it clear that “coal was here to stay” in Europe despite the impact of the recent economic downturn on new build coal.

He highlighted the changing market and acknowledged that it was essential that coal had to become cleaner and more efficient.

In the longer term he said carbon capture and storage (CCS) was key but still required greater clarity on legislation, and that in the short to medium-term improving the performance of existing plants was the right pathway to follow.

Dr. John Topper, managing director of the IEA Clean Coal Centre, completed the keynote line-up, giving a more global view of coal fired power generation and the approach to its decarbonisation.

Citing the IEA World Energy Outlook, published late last year, he said that in the period 2008-2035 emerging economies would dominate the growth in demand for all fuels, with the demand for coal in the OECD actually falling.

Conversely the coal demand in China would escalate – 600 GW of new capacity which exceeds the current combined capacity of the US, Europe and Japan.

He also highlighted the significant impact improving plant efficiency can have on reducing carbon emissions.

“It would be possible to achieve a 1.35-1.7 billion tonnes/annum of CO2 reduction by moving to current state-of-the-art pulversied coal plants. This represents 5 per cent of global anthropogenic emissions, which is highly significant.”

However, he acknowledged that deep cuts in carbon emissions would only be achieved with CCS. A point also made by Dr. Jaroslav.

He also highlighted China’s growing experience with CCS, especially in coal gasification, and said that greater international collaboration on R&D and technology transfer would be critical to moving CCS from demo to commercial-scale.

Source:-http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/articledisplay/0544928853/articles/powergenworldwide/coal-generation/coal-generation-equipment/2011/02/coal-fired_power_generation.html

Govt plans to invite bids for Cheyuur project by Jul

The government plans to invite bids for a 4,000MW coal-based power project at Cheyuur in Tamil Nadu by July in the hope of restarting its so-called ultra mega power project (UMPP) scheme, which has been weighed down by ecological concerns and local resistance.

Power secretary P. Umashankar said environmental studies for the Cheyuur project are expected to be completed by April. “We expect to start the award process by June-July,” he said.

The project will rely on imported coal, whose price, including freight charges, are prone to fluctuations. It will thus be crucial for companies to secure coal supplies to bid for the project, as movement in international coal prices would impact input cost.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government wants to set up 16 UMPPs, or power projects that produce at least 4,000MW each, to meet the needs of the world’s second fastest growing major economy after China. India has a power generation capacity of 169,000MW and expects to add 62,374MW by 2012.

Nine UMPPs were originally planned, but only four have been awarded—at Mundra in Gujarat, Sasan in Madhya Pradesh, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Tilaiya in Jharkhand. Two projects, at Girye in Maharashtra and Tadri in Karnataka, had to be abandoned due to local resistance. The bidding process of two others, located near coal mines at Bedabahal in Orissa and Surguja in Chhattisgarh, has been delayed.

Power Finance Corp. Ltd, the nodal agency for awarding UMPPs, extended the deadline for companies to respond to the request for qualification (RFQ) for the Orissa project for a fifth time on 31 January. The new deadline for submission of RFQ applications for the Orissa project is 31 March, and 8 March for the Chhattisgarh project.

“The RFQ deadline for the Orissa project has already been extended till 31 March. We are working with the MoEF (ministry of environment and forests) to find a solution,” said Umashankar.

The power ministry is working with MoEF on a compromise that would allow coal mining to fuel the Orissa project—in an exception to the government’s so-called “no go” policy for coal miners.

In June 2009, MoEF and coal ministry announced “go” and “no-go” areas for coal miners to protect best quality forests.

Mint reported on 26 November that MoEF is ready for a compromise to allow coal mining to fuel the Orissa UMPP.

UMPPs follow a competitive tariff-based bidding in which a special purpose vehicle (SPV) is set up to reduce risk perception and increase investor confidence. This SPV takes care of regulatory requirements such as land acquisition and environmental clearances and transfers these to the winning bidder. Each project requires an investment of around R

s.

20,000 crore.

“After the award of the first three projects, the whole process has taken enormously long,” said Anish De, chief executive at Mercados EMI Asia, an energy consulting firm. “The drive which was there for the earlier UMPP award process needs to be brought back.”

Source: Govt plans to invite bids for Cheyuur project by Jul - Home - livemint.com

India's Simhapuru targets S.African coal

CAPE TOWN: India's Simhapuri Energy , a unit of the Madhucon Group , wants to buy new or existing collieries in South Africa from where it aimed to export a minimum of 5 million tonnes within five years, an official said on Tuesday. 

Indian companies are buying coal assets in top five global exporter South Africa as it moves to secure resources for a growing economy and to feed coal into new power plants. 

"We want to invest in coal and are looking at some acquisitions. From South Africa we are targeting a minimum of five milion tonnes of coal for export within five years," Nama Krishnaiah, director of Simhapuri Energy, told Reuters on the sidelines of an African mining conference. 

Displacing Europe, India and China are emerging as the two main destinations for coal from South Africa, which last year shipped some 63 million tonnes of thermal coal. 

Maducon Group has interests in the construction, coal and sugar industries, with Madhucon Projects listed in Bombay. 

Krishnaiah said the company, which recently opened offices in Johannesburg, was in discussions with unnamed junior miners, as well as applying directly to the Department of Mineral Resources for mining licenses. 

"At this moment we are targeting some brownfield projects that have mining licenses, but we are looking at greenfield (developments) also," said Krishnaiah, adding that Zimbabwe's coal fields were also attractive. 

He said the company, which was developing a 1,920 megawatt power plant near India's Krishnapatnam port, was financially strong and had capital to purchase coals assets. 

The company already owns coal mines in Indonesia.

Source: India's Simhapuru targets S.African coal - The Economic Times

Delays hit homegrown Awacs as Pak races ahead

NEW DELHI: India's indigenous Awacs (airborne warning and control systems) or "eyes in the sky" project has been hit by delays even as Pakistan is fast closing the technological gap in this arena with China's active help. 

Moreover, IAF's proposal to acquire two more Israeli Phalcon Awacs, after the first three were contracted under the $1.1-billion contract inked in March 2004, is yet to gather full steam. "There is in principle approval for two more Phalcon Awacs but negotiations are still in progress," said a top defence ministry source. 

Awacs or AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) systems can detect incoming hostile cruise missiles and aircraft much before ground-based radars, as also act as potent force-multipliers by directing air defence fighters during combat operations with enemy jets. They can also track troop build-ups far away in enemy territory. 

The critical requirement for Awacs had led the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to clear the Rs 1,800-crore indigenous project in October 2004, barely six months after the Phalcon deal. 

The CCS had then set a time-frame of seven years for development of the homegrown mini- Awacs, under which AEW&C systems developed by DRDO are being mounted on three Embraer-145 jets obtained from Brazil for $210 million. 

But these AEW&C planes are nowhere near even beginning their flight trials. The project completion date has now being extended to April 2014, which itself is set to be revised. "The aircraft and mission system availability is now scheduled for this year, with the integrated system availability pushed back to 2013," said a MoD source. 

Once operational, these aircraft are slated to have a normal radar range of 250 km and a 375-km extended one, with a 240-degree coverage and five-hour endurance time. 

The Phalcon Awacs, with a detection range over 400 km, too, have suffered from technical glitches. Under the complex project, the Israeli 360° Phalcon early-warning radar and communication suite has been mounted on Russian IL-76 heavy-lift military aircraft. 

The first Phalcon Awacs was originally scheduled for delivery in December 2007, with the second and third ones following in September 2008 and March 2009. But the first arrived only in May 2009 and the second in March 2010, with the third yet to be delivered. Awacs are a crucial element in the plan underway to set up five nodes of IACCS (integrated air command and control system) across the country.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delays-hit-homegrown-AWACS-Pakistan-races-ahead-with-China-help/articleshow/7446009.cms

Study says India most vulnerable to tiger skin, parts trade

NAGPUR: From 40,000 tigers hundred years ago, today India is down to just 1,411. No wonder. Latest study by Traffic International, the wildlife trade network in 11 of the 13 tiger range countries, reveals that India is most vulnerable when it comes to tiger skin and body parts trade.

The study 'Reduced to skin and bones', an analysis of tiger seizures from 11 tiger range countries in a decade (2000-2010), reveals that in addition to habitat loss and degradation, human encroachment, excessive poaching of key prey species and illegal trade in tiger parts were greatly contributing to the rapid decline of tigers in the wild.


"The study included all seizure information available from January 2000 to April 30, 2010. No data were recorded from Cambodia and Bhutan and hence these countries were omitted," said Samir Sinha, head, Traffic India. A total of 481 seizures were analysed, suggesting a minimum of 1,069 (annual average 104.2) and maximum of 1,220 (annual average 118.9) tigers killed for their parts and derivatives. The vast majority of these seizures took place in India (276), followed by China (40), Nepal (39), Indonesia (36) and Vietnam (28).


"Owing to the illicit nature of the trade, it must be assumed that the 1069-1220 tigers implicated in this analysis are fewer than the actual number of tigers killed and their parts trafficked around the world," the study says. Parts seized in tiger range countries were most commonly in the form of skins (480), bones and skeletons (1253.53 kg), dead individuals (197) and claws (1,313).

Source :- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Study-says-India-most-vulnerable-to-tiger-skin-parts-trade/articleshow/7331229.cms