Indian Army News & Discussions

[indiatech]

India a major power of the 21st century, Sarkozy tells PM

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that India is a major power of the 21st century.

Manmohan Singh is the Chief Guest of Honour at the French National Day celebrations,

Sarkozy went on to say that India is one of the greatest democracies in the world and that India's involvement is essential in all global matters.

During the G8 summit France had backed India for a place at UN Security Council. Under Sarkozy, the Indo-French ties have seen a major improvement.

India and France had also signed nuclear trade treaty last year.

US President Barack Obama had said during G8 summit that it would be "wrongheaded" to think that global challenges can be met in the absence of "major powers" like India.

"One thing I think is absolutely true is that for us to think we can somehow deal with some of the global challenges in the absence of major powers -- like China, India, and Brazil -- seems to me wrongheaded," said Barack Obama, President, US.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh witnessed the French National Day celebrations witnessing an impressive parade in which a contingent of Indian soldiers also marched to the soul stirring music of 'Saare Jahan Se Achchha'.

Singh became the first Indian leader to be the Chief Guest at the French celebrations, reflecting the closeness of ties between the two countries.

Sarkozy was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day last year and his invitation to Singh is a gesture of reciprocation.

France does not have the custom of inviting foreign heads of government or state to be the Chief Guest and only on few occasions this honour is bestowed on foreign leaders.

The event, during which the military parade opened with a detachment of 400 soldiers from the three defence services of India, bore a striking resemblance to the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.

The Indian soldiers paraded down the 1.5-km stretch of Champs Elysees, along with French soldiers to the sound of Indian martial music played by a 90-member military band. (With PTI inputs )

 

[ouiouiouiouiouioui]

good for india and france

---------- Post added at 05:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

it is a very important celebration of france..and inviting india itself is very prestigious...perhaps a 400 years olds regiment taking part itself signifies indian attempts to make a conglomerate and focus of france india relations

 

[xebex]

Video and news report by France24. Cheers!

France 24 | Indian military leads France's national day parade | France 24

 

[sancho]

what you guys think ??? it has something to do with MRCA ??? or french offers in mrca ?

I mean how come all this love and care all of sudden. i mean french are always distant from us - except when we show them some money.

I think it is a return gesture for invatation to our national day parade, but of course also to show their good defence products.
Imo France has the potential to be a stratigic partner for India as Russia is. They can offer nearly everything that Russia offers (Tanks, fighters, helicopter, ships, subs, carriers, space cooperations, nuclear powerplants, for political reasons...), but they must understand that they are also nearly in the same situation like Russia now. Economy is weak, most of the world buys US arms, because they are better in some fields, are way cheaper and of course under pressure of them. There are not many potent options left for France, so if they want us to help and provide them such a big deal, it should be on a partnership level and not buyer/seller like before.

I would love to see closer relation of the Berlin, Paris, Moscow, Delhi axis. Together it could be a great benefit for all in political, economical and also arms development reasons.

 

[Gabbar]

Indian Army, Navy and Air Force contingents march during the Bastille Day Parade in Paris

Indian Navy contingent stand guard prior to the start of the military parade on the Champs-Elysees during the Bastille Day's celebrations, in Paris.

Indian troops at France's Bastille Day military parade, a proud 400-strong detachment marched down the Champs Elysees under the eyes of PM Manmohan Singh.

An soldier adjusts the collar of another soldier prior to the start of the military parade.

 

[Makardhwaj]

Paris: As the Indian troops, resplendent with their elegant uniforms and gleaming sabres swept down the Champs Elysees with flair and precision, the hearts of many of their compatriots swelled with pride.

With their turbans, cummerbunds and puttees the soldiers' garb may have recalled the style of the British Raj, but it was London's long-time rival Paris which honoured the Indian army with its first parade on foreign soil.

Across India, millions followed the troops' flawless descent of the famous tree-lined avenue on television, while in the French capital expatriates and tourists alike were delighted with the display of martial prowess.

"It's a honour for the Indian community to see our army march with the French army on the Champs Elysees," said 55-year-old Kistna, who has lived in France for 20 years but never seen such a Bastille Day spectacle.

Deepak Rajput, 29, came into the city from the suburbs where he has lived for five years to celebrate July 14 for the first time. He draped himself in a French tricolour flag "to celebrate the friendship between our countries".

"It's the first time that the Indian army has marched outside our country," he said, cheering alongside his fellow Indian immigrant 27-year-old Abhishek Sabharwal as the 400-strong contingent went by.

"It's a matter of great pride for us, especially to see how well things are going between our countries," said 34-year-old Rachna.

Cold commercial and diplomatic calculations may have lain behind President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to invite the Indian army and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Paris for France's national day.

France is keen to sell India 12 billion dollars worth of jet fighters, and is negotiating to supply technology to India's civilian nuclear programme.

But for most of the Indians present at the festival, the parade was also an occasion for an emerging global giant to show its pride in its status and the new ease it has in mixing with the former great powers as an equal.

"I was born here, and I've never seen that. I came especially with all my family to see the Indian army march. It was obvious that we had to be here," said 26-year-old Khadiza, decked out in a pink sari dress.

Several tens of thousands of tourists from around the world joined tens of thousands more French for the parade, and some Indian visitors were a little disappointed not to be able to get too close to the action.

"It's a very special day for me. It's very nice to see the Indian army. It's the first time for me, but I thought I would be closer," said 30-year-old Priyadarshi, an Indian who teaches at France's top engineering school.

Singh's presence alongside Sarkozy and leaders from Germany and Cambodia on the viewing stand at the Place de la Concorde, where a French paratrooper landed bearing an Indian flag, was also a source of pride.

Proud Indians see army march in Paris

 

[blain2]

When there is an existing thread for the topic, use that. No need to open up different threads to discuss the same.

Thank you

 

[xebex]

 

[Joshi]

 

[xebex]

 

[BATMAN]

Indian Army bought faulty ammunition: AuditorNew Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Indian Army flouted norms by placing a repeat order for artillery shells that had been found defective a decade ago, India’s audit watchdog says.
“Krasnopol ammunition costing Rs.375 crore ($76 million) was accepted without necessary trial evaluation. The ammunition proved unsuccessful subsequently,” the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in his report released Friday.

“The same ammunition procured earlier in 1999 at the cost of Rs.151 crore was also found unfit for use after seven years against the shelf life of 15 years. Such procurement of defective quality ammunition adversely impacts operational preparedness of the army,” the report added.

Krasnopol shells are fired from the army’s 155 mm howitzers that are used in both offensive and defensive roles.

The defective ammunition had found mention in earlier CAG reports too, but the Indian Army went ahead to buy it in 1999 due to the “operational urgency” of the Kargil conflict that year. The shells were found to have limitations of range, angle and precision in high altitudes.

“During 2006, when confirmatory firing was carried out to assess the performance of the ammunition held in stock, all the six rounds fired blind. The confirmatory firing showed that the ammunition had degraded within half its shelf life of 15 years,” the CAG report pointed out.

The manufacturer was asked to rectify the defects but this was yet to be done as of September 2008.

A repeat order for the ammunition was placed in 2002 without any trial evaluation, the CAG noted.

“Though the initial procurement of 1,000 shells in 2000 might have been on grounds of operational urgency, the subsequent procurement of another 2,000 shells in 2002 without any trial evaluation was incorrect and against procurement norms,” the audit report said.

“As a result, the same limitation of the ammunition in high altitude persisted in the second consignment also. Thus, 3,000 rounds of ammunition worth Rs.526 crore remain unavailable for use,” the report pointed out.

 

[nukeduke]

Indian Army bought faulty ammunition: AuditorNew Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Indian Army flouted norms by placing a repeat order for artillery shells that had been found defective a decade ago, India’s audit watchdog says.
“Krasnopol ammunition costing Rs.375 crore ($76 million) was accepted without necessary trial evaluation. The ammunition proved unsuccessful subsequently,” the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in his report released Friday....

There is no defect in the shells. The shells are designed to be used in the plains using the laser designated targeting from some source. What the IA is trying to do is convert and arty shell into Brahmos cruise missile and obviously it will not work. Simple Physics here made into too much of drama. What the CAG needs along with IA is a lesson in some basic physics 101.

 

[A1Kaid]

Any thoughts?

 

[A1Kaid]

CNN -IBN News Report


Report discusses the French-Indian arms deal, fighter jets, Airbus refuellers, light air craft...

 

[Gabbar]

Mods please mearge these threads!!!

http://www.defence.pk/forums/india-defence/29550-indian-troops-fly-france-national-day-parade-2.html