[🇧🇩] Monitoring the development of Indian Armed Forces & its impact on national security of Bangladesh

[Krishna with Flute]

US approves sale of anti-submarine warfare Sonobuoys to India

the Defence Security Cooperation Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defence.

en.prothomalo.com

US approves sale of anti-submarine warfare Sonobuoys to India
ANI Washington
Published: 24 Aug 2024, 11: 45

The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has approved a possible foreign military sale of anti-submarine warfare Sonobuoys and related equipment to India at an estimated cost of USD 52.8 million.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification, notifying Congress of this possible sale today, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a release.

Notably, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defence.

"The Government of India has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys; AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys; technical and publications and data documentation; US Government and contractor engineering and technical support; and other related elements of logistics and program services and support. The estimated total cost is USD 52.8 million," the agency stated.

This proposed sale will support US' foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to strengthen the United States-India strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defence partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions.

The proposed sale will also improve India's capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations from its MH-60R helicopters. India will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

The agency further added that the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor(s) will be Sparton Corporation, located in De Leon Springs, FL, or Undersea Sensor Systems Inc. (USSI), located in Columbia City, IN, or a combination of both. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, it added.​

This is very important to boost the maritime security of India.

 

[Saif]

This is very important to boost the maritime security of India.

Why don't you buy it from Russia? For India, Russia is more dependable than the USA.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Why don't you buy it from Russia? For India, Russia is more dependable than the USA.

This is a one sort buy unlike aircraft where a long term sustainable supply is necessary. We shall buy it whosoever provides best quality.

 

[Saif]

India conducts 3 trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System

VSHORADS is a manually-portable air defence missile system designed and developed indigenously which has the capability to meet the needs of army, navy and air force, it said in a statement

www.thedailystar.net

India conducts 3 trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System

Photo: Collected

India has successfully conducted three successive flight-trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) from Chandipur off the coast of the Bay of Bengal in eastern state of Odisha, the defence ministry announced today.

VSHORADS is a manually-portable air defence missile system designed and developed indigenously which has the capability to meet the needs of army, navy and air force, it said in a statement.

During all the three flight-tests carried out by Defence Research and Development Organisation against high-speed targets flying at low altitude, the missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets having reduced thermal signature mimicking low-flying drones at different flying conditions.

The flight-tests were carried out in final deployment configuration where in two field operators carried out weapon readiness, target acquisition and missile firing, according to the statement.

The flight data captured by various range instruments like Telemetry, Electro-Optical Tracking System and Radar deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, confirmed the pin-point accuracy and established the capability of VSHORADS missile system in neutralising drones along with other classes of aerial threats, said the statement.​

 

[Bilal9]

During all the three flight-tests carried out by Defence Research and Development Organisation against high-speed targets flying at low altitude, the missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets having reduced thermal signature mimicking low-flying drones at different flying conditions.

Any other outcome would have been unthinkable!

 

[Saif]

India has established three new military garrisons near the Bangladesh border in strategic locations, including Chopra (West Bengal), Bamuni (Assam), and Kishanganj (Bihar). This move is part of a broader military strategy to bolster surveillance and rapid-response capabilities, particularly to protect the Siliguri Corridor, a key and vulnerable geopolitical area. The garrisons are a response to emerging regional security threats and shifting regional dynamics.

• Locations: The garrisons are located at Bamuni (near Dhubri, Assam), Kishanganj (Bihar), and Chopra (North Dinajpur, West Bengal). The Chopra base is very close to the border, a mere kilometer from Tetulia in Bangladesh.
• Strategic purpose: The new bases enhance India's surveillance and rapid-response capacity along the Indo-Bangladesh border. They are particularly focused on securing the Siliguri Corridor, a narrow strip of land that connects mainland India to its northeastern states.
• Regional context: The military build-up is seen as a pre-emptive measure in response to shifting regional alliances and security concerns, such as the changing relationship with Bangladesh and China's growing presence in the region.
• Specific details: The Bamunigaon base in Dhubri is known as the Lachit Borphukan Military Station. The Chopra base's proximity allows it to monitor military activity in northern Bangladesh and provides a forward operating point for reinforcing the Siliguri Corridor.

 

[Saif]

India fortifies Chicken’s Neck: 3 new garrisons set up on Bangladesh border

India has fortified its eastern border by establishing three new military garrisons along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier to secure the strategic Siliguri Corridor amid shifting regional alliances. This move aims to enhance surveillance and rapid response capabilities in a sensitive area connecting...

www.indiatoday.in

India fortifies Chicken's Neck: 3 new garrisons set up on Bangladesh border
India has fortified its eastern border by establishing three new military garrisons along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier to secure the strategic Siliguri Corridor amid shifting regional alliances. This move aims to enhance surveillance and rapid response capabilities in a sensitive area connecting mainland India to its northeast states.

India sets up three new garrisons on Bangladesh border, bolstering chicken’s neck.

India has strengthened its eastern frontier by setting up three new fully operational military garrisons along the Indo-Bangladesh border, at Bamuni (near Dhubri), Kishanganj, and Chopra, to secure the strategic Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”.

According to top intelligence sources, the move is part of a broader plan to plug tactical gaps, enhance surveillance, and boost rapid-response capabilities in one of India’s most sensitive regions.

The Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide strip in North Bengal, connects the rest of India with its seven northeastern states and lies sandwiched between Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China.

INDIA ON GUARD AS DHAKA REORIENTS POLICY

The development comes amid reports of increased engagement between Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Pakistan’s military establishment, including a recent meeting with Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, reportedly to discuss connectivity and defence cooperation.

Since Yunus took charge following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Bangladesh’s policy direction has undergone a marked shift, with overtures to China for investments and a reset of ties with Pakistan. Intelligence assessments describe this as part of a strategic attempt to “reshape the power balance” in the eastern neighbourhood, potentially affecting the security of the Siliguri Corridor.

‘CHICKEN’S NECK IS OUR STRONGEST LINK’

Contrary to perceptions of vulnerability, senior Indian military officials have emphasised that the region is India’s “strongest defence corridor.”

An Army source said, “The Siliguri corridor is under multi-layered security cover. The new garrisons will enhance our quick mobility, logistics, and real-time intelligence integration.”

Earlier, the Indian Army Chief had remarked, “As far as the Chicken’s Neck is concerned, I see it from a different perspective. It is our strongest region because our entire force deployed in West Bengal, Sikkim and the Northeast can be mobilised there together.”

TRISHAKTI CORPS LEADS SECURITY OF THE CORRIDOR

The Trishakti Corps (33 Corps), headquartered at Sukna near Siliguri, oversees the corridor’s defence. The formation routinely conducts combat and live-fire exercises, including with T-90 tanks, to maintain readiness in high-altitude and riverine terrain.

The corridor’s aerial security is bolstered by the Rafale fighter jets deployed at the Hashimara Airbase in West Bengal, alongside MiG variants and a BrahMos missile regiment, ensuring both offensive and deterrence capability.

LAYERED AIR DEFENCE NETWORK

India has also deployed an advanced triad of air defence systems in the region, the S-400 surface-to-air missiles sourced from Russia, the MRSAM system developed jointly by DRDO and Israel, and the indigenous Aakash missile system. Together, they provide overlapping coverage against aerial and missile threats from the east and northeast.

The S-400 system in the region is specifically meant to deter incursions by Chinese or hostile aircraft into Indian airspace. The Defence Ministry has also recently approved Rs 8,160 crore for two additional regiments of the Akash-Advanced system, featuring new seeker technology and 360-degree engagement capability.

BHAIRAV BATTALIONS AND ASHNI PLATOONS

Following Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army has enhanced its drone warfare capability, creating Ashni platoons with FPV and kamikaze drones, and Bhairav battalions equipped for precision strikes.

Officials said these units are designed for rapid deployment and close integration with ground combat teams.

INDIA’S EVOLVING STRATEGY

With China’s growing footprint in Bangladesh through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Dhaka’s new overtures to Beijing and Islamabad, Indian agencies view the developments as a potential challenge to regional stability.

“India is alert and has factored in every emerging dynamic,” said a senior military planner. “We are not reacting; we are reinforcing.”

The government’s recent infrastructure and deployment drive, from Rafale squadrons to BrahMos regiments, reflects a deliberate shift from deterrence to dominance in the east.​