Experts Speak - SP's Aviation

News Releases

Passenger Drone new platform for terror?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch
Intelligence reports of Pakistani terrorists using drones for terrorist attacks against India have been on for past two years. It may be recalled that in January 2015, a drone crashed on the White House grounds, raising questions about safe use commercial...
Spectrum Woes ignoring military requirements
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch
Developing India requires loads of money and spectrum sure is lot of money. As per media 469,000 crore (US $70 billion) worth upcoming spectrum sale around March 2016 is likely to hit Bharti...
C4I2SR is this getting adequate attention?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch
The increasing importance C4I2SR is unquestionable. Battlefield requirements have changed with long range precision weapons, increased lethality and high mobility, Space and cyberspace have added new dimensions.
Technology Vision 2035 what about defence?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch
The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) under the Ministry of Science & Technology has come out with 'Technology Vision 2035,' identifying the challenges ahead and how they can be dealt with through technological...
Pakistan no change in terror proliferation
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch
With reference to Pakistani involvement in the terrorist strike on Pathankot IAF base on January 1, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that there is no reason to doubt Pakistani cooperation in the probe. However, the news from Islamabad is that a team constituted by Pakistan to investigate the said terrorist attack has concluded...
Terrorist Attack at Pathankot
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latest terrorist attack at Pathankot has emerged as a major challenge to his initiative to revive dialogue with Pakistan.
Modi’s Lahore Surprise future portends?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The surprise sprung by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his hitherto unannounced visit to Lahore was received with shock an awe at home first reports coming in that Modi will be hosted by Nawaz Sharif...
MoD “bad” is putting it mildly
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Media recently ran a headline titled ‘The ministry of defence is a bad organization with no accountability’: Gen V P Malik’, publishing an interview with the former Army Chief.
Critical Skies anyone bothered?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Close on the warning last year by the BJP MP Maj Gen BC Khanduri led Parliamentary Committee for Defence...
Abe’s Visit special strategic partnership goes more special
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The strategic significance of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India comes not because it is in the following year as Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Japan, but also since Japan is a vital anchor for India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and both India and Japan...
Indo-Russian Bonds remain strong
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Russia later in the month to attend the annual India-Russia Summit.
Boeing and TASL to form a Joint Venture
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey
Joint ventures (JV) between foreign and Indian companies are not a new phenomenon for the industrial sector in India. Despite its insular nature, the Indian defence and aerospace industry entered into agreements for licensed production of military aircraft and weapons systems for which elaborate facilities were created within the country.
Airstrikes on ISIS
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The world must acknowledge that ISIS may have 14th century ideology but it has access to technology and weaponry of the current century.
Nishant Dumped Finally – when will we privatise?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Yet another failed crash landing of DRDO’s Nishant UAV shows the dismal state of the governmental defence-industrial complex. To meet the Army’s needs for intelligence gathering over enemy territory, as also for reconnaissance, training, surveillance...
PM Modi’s UK Visit
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
With 1.4 million Indian origin Britons ready to welcome PM Modi and the need for PM David Cameron to woo them, the stage was already set for a successful UK visit by Modi.
FDI in Defence ease of business?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
On November 10, the government announced a host of measures to ease business along with FDI reforms in 15 sectors including defence, stating that FDI bids worth up to 49% of equity will now progress through the so-called "automatic route".
FDI in the Indian Defence Industry
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
The major global investors seeking to make large investments in the defence sector, are unlikely to find the change to be a significant departure from the past.
UCAV Race in Subcontinent
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Pakistan's army spokesman announced on September 7 that Pakistan’s indigenous Burraq armed drone was used to hit a terrorist compound in Shawai Valley killing three high profile targets.
The Indian Air Force Turns 83
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
On October 08, 2015, the IAF turned 83, an occasion that was celebrated with enthusiasm and pride in all its units and establishments across the nation.
A National War Memorial in India
By Lt General V.K. Kapoor (Retd)
The clamour for a national war memorial from the armed forces and even non government bodies has been fairly loud in the past decade or so. This is especially noteworthy because in the past 67 years since independence, the Indian Armed forces have been constantly involved in military operations either at the international border...
Indian Navy’s Rotary Wing in Doldrums?
By Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd.)
With the dwindling inventory of Multi Role Helicopters, Indian Navy is now hard pressed to bridge the capability gaps in deployment and tasking helicopters, even for newly commissioned ships.
New Tri-Service Commands how effective will they be?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
As per media reports, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on August 19 has directed HQ IDS to "work out and fine-tune" the "basic structures" for the Cyber, Aerospace and Special Operations Commands.
Hacker-quadcopter new threats emerging
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
As if the threat of terrorist attacks using drones was not enough, a new threat of hacking and cyber attacks through drones...
New DPP what should be its contours?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The country, most prominently the private defence manufacturers await the new DPP with baited breath. The 10-member committee appointed by MoD was to submit its report on July 31.
Mammoth Order for Aircraft by IndiGo
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
IndiGo Airlines has always enjoyed a cherished relationship with Airbus and stands out for large orders for airliners with the original equipment manufacturer.
HeliNa helicopter version arrives
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
At first glance, the name HeliNa appears synonymous with Helena - the devious Greek queen mother in the ongoing TV serial Chakravarty Ashok Samrat.
Skill Development and Armed Forces
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
NR Narayan Murthy recently said, “Is there one invention from India that has become a household name in the globe? No such contribution in the last 60 years.”
Permanent Chairman COSC a myth of toothless wonder
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The media has quoted MoD sources stating on July 21 that the proposal to create the new post of a Permanent Chairman of the COSC was at "an advanced stage of planning"...
Aero India 2015 What to expect
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
The long awaited tenth edition of the prestigious biennial event Aero India International Airshow to be held at Air Force Station Yelahanka from February 18 to 22, 2015, is finally upon us.
Obama The Chief Guest
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
After the successful high-profile visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in September last year, acceptance of his invitation by the American President to be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade...
Expectations from Obama’s Visit
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
There is excitement in the air about the impending visit of President Obama later this month. He will spend about two and a half hours as chief guest at the Republic Day parade on 26 January, breaking laid down security protocol for a US President limited to 20 minutes...
The AirAsia Disaster
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)
In all probability, the pilot of Flight QZ8501 too has blundered into a violent thunderstorm and lost control of the aircraft
Agenda for the new Raksha Mantri
By Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd)
If there is one lesson we should have learnt during our 67 years as a sovereign republic, it is that security shortcomings, both internal and external, have repeatedly served to distract our attention and divert scarce resources away from the pursuit of development.