DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US-Based Defence Major Lockheed Martin Looks At Increasing Investment In India

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: US-Based Defence Major Lockheed Martin Looks At Increasing Investment In India 

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources ET
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - VISAKHAPATNAM January 11, 2016: US-based defence major Lockheed Martin today said it is encouraged about the recent liberalisation of India's FDI policy in the sector and is looking at increasing investments in the country. 

Phil Shaw, chief executive, Lockheed Martin India, said the 'Make in India' initiative of the government would help in boosting manufacturing in the country. 

"I think the opening of FDI in defence is encouraging and I think we will be able to do a lot more... We started in Hyderabad, we are looking at other parts of the country as well to invest," Shaw said at the CII Partnership Summit. 

During his visit to the US in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met top Chief Executives including, Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO Marillyn Hewson. 

The company already has manufacturing facilities near Hyderabad. 

Shaw said that the company would be working with local partners as "we move forward here in India". 

"We are an defence and aerospace company based out of the US... We are in India for a number of years now and for the last few years we begun manufacturing here," he said. 

Talking about 'Make in India', he said the programme focuses on what more foreign companies can do in India. 

Talking about 'Make in India', he said the programme focuses on what more foreign companies can do in India. 

He said that although the company has manufacturing facility in India "but that is kind of scratching the surface of what we could do here". 

Headquartered in US, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 1.26 lakh people worldwide. 

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources ET
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DTN News - SPECIAL REPORT: Google Apologises For Narendra Modi 'Top 10 Criminals' Search Results

DTN News - SPECIAL REPORT: Google Apologises For Narendra Modi 'Top 10 Criminals' Search Results

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Defense News

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 4, 2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image featured in top 10 criminals of the world in Google search engine on Wednesday. Though the internet giant issued a statement, apologising for 'any confusion or misunderstanding', but the image continued to appear in the search till late in the night.

"These results trouble us and are not reflective of the opinions of Google. Sometimes, the way images are described on the internet can yield surprising results to specific queries. We apologise for any confusion or misunderstanding this has caused. We're continually working to improve our algorithms to prevent unexpected results like this," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

Google said that results to the query "top 10 criminals in india" was due to a British daily which had an image of Modi and erroneous metadata.

It said that in this case, the image search results were drawn from multiple news articles with images of Modi, covering the prime minister's statements with regard to politicians with criminal backgrounds, but added that the news articles do not link Modi to criminal activity, and the words just appeared in close proximity to each other.

PM Modi's image appeared along with those of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, Hafiz Sayeed, and Ayman al-Zawahiri among others. 

Related Image on Narendra Modi;

Related News on Narendra Modi;

- Jamaat-e-Islami chief announces Rs 1bn for anyone who 'arrests' Modi

- Barack Obama pens PM Modi's profile for Time magazine

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DTN News - INDIA NEWS: Narendra Modi ~ India’s Reformer-In-Chief

DTN News - INDIA NEWS: Narendra Modi ~ India’s Reformer-In-Chief
*The 100 Most Influential People - Times

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 16, 2015: As a boy, Narendra Modi helped his father sell tea to support their family. Today, he’s the leader of the world’s largest democracy, and his life story—from poverty to Prime Minister—reflects the dynamism and potential of India’s rise.

Determined to help more Indians follow in his path, he’s laid out an ambitious vision to reduce extreme poverty, improve education, empower women and girls and unleash India’s true economic potential while confronting climate change. Like India, he transcends the ancient and the modern—a devotee of yoga who connects with Indian citizens on Twitter and imagines a “digital India.”

When he came to Washington, Narendra and I visited the memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We reflected on the teachings of King and Gandhi and how the diversity of backgrounds and faiths in our countries is a strength we have to protect. Prime Minister Modi recognizes that more than 1 billion Indians living and succeeding together can be an inspiring model for the world.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Dassault Aviation "Confident" of Talks With India on The Sale of 126 Rafales

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Dassault Aviation  "Confident" of Talks With India on The Sale of 126 Rafales

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 15, 2015: French defence company Dassault Aviation on Friday said it was "very confident" that three years of talks with India on the sale of 126 Rafales worth 12 billion euros would result in a deal.

Eric Trappier, chief executive of Dassault Aviation which manufactures Rafale, in an interview with BFM television, said talks were slow as India wanted some of the jets manufactured at home in a bid to boost defence manufacturing, meaning the details of every nut and bolt had to be agreed upon.

The negotiations have got into trouble recently, leading to delay in finalisation of the contract for supply of 126 fighter planes.

In addition to recent visit to New Delhi of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said  he was confident about the outcome of talks to sell 126 Rafale fighter jets to India in a multi-billion-dollar deal that has been stalled for months.

Fabius is the first of a string of Western politicians due in New Delhi over the next few weeks for talks with the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are drawn in part by the prospect of defence deals, as the new administration considers opening the industry to foreign investment.

"The discussion is developing in a very positive way and ... we are very confident in the final outcome," Fabius told reporters in the Indian capital.

An Indian defence ministry official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, was more cautious.

"I don't think the deal will be signed very soon. There are many intractable issues to be resolved," he told Reuters, while declining to elaborate.

Modi, in office for just over a month, has vowed to get India's economy out of the doldrums by cutting red tape to revive infrastructure projects - including in the defence industry.

The previous government was widely derided for failing to follow through on promises and for letting major projects become bogged down.

India chose French company Dassault Aviation's Rafale in 2012 over other international jet manufacturers, but disagreements over cost and work-sharing have slowed talks, while India's weak economy has stretched government finances.

No final contract has been signed and rivals including Britain still hold out hope the deal will fall through.

"It is fair that for complex matters it takes some time, but there is a difference between some time and too long," Fabius said, talking about deals in general.

"The notion of efficiency - which is very important if I understand correctly, in the new government approach - is completely shared by us," he added before talks with minister Arun Jaitley, who holds both the finance and defence portfolios.

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DTN News - EGYPT DEFENSE NEWS: Egypt Opts For The Rafale

DTN News - EGYPT DEFENSE NEWS: Egypt Opts For The Rafale
*France is to sell 24 Rafale fighter jets to Egypt along with a naval frigate and missiles in a deal worth more than €5 billion, President François Hollande said Thursday, the first time a foreign buyer has been found for the French-built warplanes

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Dassault Aviation & France 24
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 13, 2015: French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will travel to Cairo Monday to sign the final agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Hollande said in a statement issued by his office.

“The Rafale fighter jet has won its first export contract,” Hollande said, confirming a report in French daily Le Monde published earlier Thursday that said a deal had been agreed.

“The Egyptian authorities have just let me know their intention of acquiring 24 Rafale planes, a multi-mission frigate as well as related equipment,” he added.

These last two items are believed to be a FREMM warship, currently used by the French and Italian navies, and a number of short and medium-range missiles built by MBDA.

The deal follows years of failed attempts by France to export the Rafale, described as one of the most effective and sophisticated fighter jets in the world, but also one of the most expensive.

A potential deal to sell the multipurpose warplanes to Brazil  fell through in 2013 when the country chose jets made by Sweden’s Saab instead.

And although manufacturer Dassault Aviation, which launched the Rafale more than a decade ago, has been in exclusive negotiations with India for the last three years, a final deal has yet to be signed.

The French government has reduced its order for the planes to 26 Rafale jets over the next five years, down from 11 a year so far, putting Dassault under further pressure to find a foreign buyer.

Credit facility

A potential deal with Egypt was first muted in November last year during Sisi’s state visit to Paris, according to Le Monde, where discussions were held about replacing Egypt's fleet of 18 Mirage jets, also built by Dassault.

Though funding issues were believed to be a concern, French business daily Les Echos reported earlier this month that the two countries were discussing using a credit facility – arranged by French credit insurer COFACE and involving some of France’s biggest banks – to finance as much as 50 percent of the sale.

France has a history of military hardware deals with Egypt: as well as being the first foreign buyer of the Mirage jet in 1981, Cairo signed a contract last year to buy four French-built naval frigates in a deal worth €1 billion.

Concerns over the rise of jihadist groups in neighbouring Libya and in Egypt’s Sinai province have also seen the countries establish closer ties in recent years.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Dassault Aviation & France 24
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Is China Ready To Use Military Might in Southeast Asia

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Is China Ready To Use Military Might in Southeast Asia 

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth - DTN Defense News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 11, 2014: China's Harbin (112) guided missile destroyer takes part in a week-long China-Russia "Joint Sea-2014" navy exercise at the East China Sea off Shanghai, China. 

In an annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said China is developing and testing new types of missiles, expanding the reach of its navy and upgrading its air force. China is also investing in military capabilities in cyberspace, space and electronic warfare.

The report said China’s military modernization was driven primarily by potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait, but also by its expanding interests and influence abroad, and increased tensions in the East China and South China seas. In November, China conducted its largest naval exercise to date in the Philippine Sea.

China has been engaged in territorial disputes with several of its neighbors, including U.S. allies Japan and the Philippines. China is currently locked in a tense, offshore standoff with the Vietnam.

In a long-standing U.S. criticism of China’s military expansion over the past two decades, the Pentagon criticized China’s lack of openness about its strategy, which it said has caused concerns in Asia.

“Absent greater transparency from China and a change in its behavior, these concerns will likely intensify as the PLA’s military modernization program progresses,” the report said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army.


China’s government in March announced a 12.2 percent increase in military spending to $132 billion. That followed last year’s 10.7 percent increase to $114 billion, giving China the second-highest defense budget for any nation behind the U.S., which spent $600.4 billion on its military last year.

Several Asian nations are arming up, their wary eyes fixed squarely on one country: a resurgent China that’s boldly asserting its territorial claims all along the East Asian coast. 

The scramble to spend more defense dollars comes amid spats with China over contested reefs and waters. 

Other Asian countries such as India and South Korea are quickly modernizing their forces, although their disputes with China have stayed largely at the diplomatic level. 

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DTN News - MYANMAR DEFENSE NEWS: Myanmar Acquiring License From China To Produce Its Own Xiaolong / JF-17 Fighters

Defense News: DTN News - MYANMAR DEFENSE NEWS: Myanmar Acquiring License From China To Produce Its Own Xiaolong / JF-17 Fighters

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth 
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 25, 2014: The Government of Myanmar is planning to acquire technologies from China and Pakistan to build JF-17 multirole combat aircraft at its own aircraft factory to boost its Air Force.

If JF-17 production is carried out in Myanmar it may induce an arms race with neighbouring countries who would in turn acquire sufficient air defence capabilities of their own. The Royal Thai Air Force already operates 12 Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen’s whilst the Bangladesh Air Force is planning to acquire combat aircraft from China and Russia.

At present the Myanmar Air Force is composed of 23,000 personnel. It is primarily responsible for the air defence of Myanmar and counter insurgency operations in support of the ground forces.

There are 10 operational air bases in Myanmar where its inventory of up to 32 MiG-29B and MiG-29SE’s are stationed along with 25 older F-7M, 21 Nanchang A-5C and a mix of 16 Chinese and Serbian jet trainers used for ground attack roles besides providing pilot training. The air force is also equipped with 9 Mi-35 attack helicopters over 90 transport and utility helicopters. In recent times it acquired Chinese 11 Sky 02A UAV’s to perform basic surveillance missions. Another 24 has been built in-country as Yellow Cat A2. The fixed wing transportation fleet consists of 4 Shaanxi Y-8, 2 Fokker F-27, 2 ATR-72, 2 Harbin Y-12 and 5 Pilatus PC-6. Maritime surveillance is conducted by 5 unarmed Britten-Norman Islander aircraft transferred by India.

The force is plagued by serviceability issues due to lack of spare parts and trained manpower however introduction of JF-17 would mean that Myanmar Air Force will be investing in such areas to mitigate its short comings.

Author Tony David from Jane’s notes that “In both new fixed-wing and rotary-wing capabilities, regional analysts note that a lack of pilot experience and weaknesses in maintenance and ground-to-air links still limit the operational effectiveness of the [Myanmar Air Force],”

The JF-17 is a light weight single engine multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by China and Pakistan. It can be armed with a variety of bombs and missiles including PL-5EII, PL-9C and PL-12 AAMs, C-802A anti-ship missiles, general purpose bombs, laser guided munitions and countermeasures on its 7 hard points (four underwing, 2 wingtip, 1 under fuselage). The aircraft’s standard set of armaments are supplemented by a 23 mm GSh-23-2 twin barrel cannon or 30 mm version of the same.

The avionics suite includes DEEC electronic warfare suite, NRIET KLJ-7 multi-mode fire control radar, night vision goggles compatible with glass cockpit, helmet mounted sights (HMS) and externally mounted pods such as KG-300G self-protection radar jamming pod and WMD-7 day/night targeting pod.

A Russian RD-93 powers the JF-17 to a maximum speed of Mach 1.6. The combat radius of the aircraft is 1,352 km, ferry range being 3,482 km and service ceiling 16,920 m. The thrust to weight ratio on the aircraft is 0.95. Its maximum takeoff weight is 12,383 kg.
The standard export price for the JF-17 Block I is $20 million and Block 2 being $25 million.
Pakistan Air Force is the lone operator of the JF-17 with 54 aircraft operational including 6 prototypes.

The JF-17 was offered to the Bangladesh Air Force on numerous occasions but it was declined in favour of more sophisticated multi-role combat aircraft from China and Russia.

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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: IAF May Deploy Additional Sukhoi Squadron At Chabua Base In Assam

Defense News: DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: IAF May Deploy Additional Sukhoi Squadron At Chabua Base In Assam

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources India TV News

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2013: An additional squadron of advanced combat aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI is likely to be stationed at the Indian Air Force’s eastern-most station in view of the strategic importance of the base.   

Sharing the news here, Wing Commander Gaurav Mani Tripathy told journalists yesterday on the eve of the 81st Air Force Day that the Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighter plane squadron is used to patrol the skies in the region.  

With the Mig-21 era coming to an end at the station - the last squadron moved out in 2009 - Tripathy said that the base underwent a major renovation and expansion of facilities in preparation for the induction of the Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, which arrived in February 2011.

Speaking about the Su-30MKI, Tripathy said the aircraft was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) under licence from Russia’s Sukhoi.

He said that the heavy, all-weather, long-range Indian variant of the fighter plane was more advanced than the basic SU-30MK and more capable than those used by China (SU30MKK/MK2) and Malaysia (SU-30MKM).  

Talking about the Chabua base, he said, “The station has served as a major supply point for troops deployed in Arunachal Pradesh with various transport aircraft and helicopters operating from here.”

The Chabua base was built in 1939 and used throughout World War II by Allied Forces against invading Japanese forces.

As an IAF base, Chabua took on a training role as MiG-21s were based here for the instruction of young fighter pilots, Tripathy said.

On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the IAF, the station is set to achieve all tasks in peace or in war, in line with the IAF’s credo of ‘People First, Mission Always’, the Wing Commander added.

“Over the years, the transport and helicopter fleets have emerged as the lifelines for both our troops at forward posts, as well as the civilian population in remote areas and in times of natural disasters,” he added.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources India TV News
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Indian PM Manmohan Singh's $ 5 Billion Shopping List For C-130 J Hercules Aircrafts, Apache Attack + Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopters And More

Defense News: DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Indian PM Manmohan Singh's $ 5 Billion Shopping List For C-130 J Hercules Aircrafts, Apache Attack + Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopters And More

 Sources: K. V. Seth - DTN News and  Sudhi Ranjan Sen
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 28, 2013:  India is set to buy American defence equipment worth five billion US dollars and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who left for the United States today, is carrying a long shopping list.

Among the hardware that India is looking to purchase are six additional C-130 J Hercules Medium Lift Aircraft, 22 Apache Attack Helicopters, 15 Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopters and about 140 M-777 ultra-light towed Howitzers. Contracts for all of these are expected to be signed before the current financial year is over.

The US-made Apache Attack helicopters will replace India's ageing fleet of Russian-made M-35 helicopters and will cost India about $1.4 billion.

Although the US lost the $15 billion tender for the supply of Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft or MMRC to France in 2011, it has in the last decade sold weapons systems worth $8 billion to India and is poised to edge out Russia and Israel as New Delhi's biggest defence equipment suppliers.

The US has recently proposed co-producing aircraft like the C-130 J Hercules and the number of joint military exercises that India has carried out with the US in the last 10 years too now exceeds those with traditional defence partners like Russia, UK and France.

It was perhaps this apparent closeness that provoked Victor Komaradin, who headed a Russian delegation at Aero-India 2013, to observe that "although Russia has virtually created Indian Defence industries in the 1960's and 70's, little attention is being given to the Russian contribution in building India's defence capabilities."

The big purchase order also underscores the fact that despite claiming to be a regional power, India still imports about 70 per cent of all its weapons and equipment.

According to a March 2013 report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute - an independent research body that specialises in conflict and arms sales - New Delhi replaced Beijing as the world's top arms importer accounting for 12 per cent of global arms transfers between 2008 and 2012. China accounted for about six per cent.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth - DTN News and  Sudhi Ranjan Sen
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Indigenously Built Aircraft Carrier

Defense News: DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Indigenously Built Aircraft Carrier

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith 
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 12, 2013: India has launched an indigenously built aircraft carrier, joining a small group of countries capable of building such a warship.The project is part of India's efforts to enhance its naval capabilities amid a growing regional rivalry with the other Asian giant, China.

Standing in front of the 37,500 ton warship decorated with flags and buntings in the southern city of Kochi on Monday, Defense Minister A.K. Antony called it a “red letter day [a day of special significance] for the nation.”

There was an outpouring of national pride at the carrier's launch. India's biggest warship has been designed and built locally, making it the fifth country after Britain, France, Russia and the United States to do so.

The aircraft carrier is not yet operational. It will be fitted with advanced weaponry and undergo extensive sea trials before being put into service sometime around 2018. 

But defense analysts point out that New Delhi has beaten its regional rival, China, in building an indigenous aircraft carrier.

Uday Bhaskar, former director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, said it is the first time India has embarked on such an ambitious project. “For a country that does not have any significant indigenous capability, we don't make a main battle tank, we don't make an artillery gun, we don't even make a personal weapon. Forget about trainer aircraft and jet aircraft. So against this backdrop, to come to a point where you are able to design a carrier, and bring it from keel to launch is, for India, a technological and industrial accomplishment of considerable significance,” said Bhaskar.

Defense Minister Antony said India needs a strong navy to defend itself and will press ahead with developing its maritime capabilities.

Vikrant's launch comes just two days after India announced that its first indigenously built nuclear submarine was ready for war trials. That was described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a “giant stride” for the nation.

India's efforts to boost its naval capabilities come amid a growing rivalry with regional power, China.  One of the critical areas where they are competing for influence is the Indian Ocean region, a busy sea lane. 

Rahul Bedi in New Delhi is a defense expert with Jane's Defense Weekly. He said an aircraft carrier will help India project its power in the Indian Ocean, which he calls a potential zone of conflict between major powers. “The navy is one of the principal riders and game changers in this whole region. So this will significantly add punch to the Indian navy in the Indian Ocean region, which is going to be a zone of competition for many, many years to come,” he said. India has one aircraft carrier in operation, and Russia is due to deliver another one later this year. 

 The launch of INS Vikrant has raised hackles in China, with Chinese defence experts saying the aircraft carrier would have great significance for India as it would allow the Indian Navy to wade into the Pacific Ocean - which Beijing considers as its backyard.

"This bears great significance to Indian Navy. It makes India only the fifth country after the US, Russia, Britain and France to have such capabilities," senior captain Zhang Junshe, vice-president of China's Naval Research Institute, told the state-run CCTV on Monday.

The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya, the refitted carrier from Russia joining INS Viraat, which is already in service even though Vikrant was expected to be operational by 2018, he said.

"Which means by the end of this year India will become the only country in Asia to have two aircraft carriers. This will enhance the overall capabilities especially the power projection capabilities of the Indian Navy," Zhang said.

Ruling out any race for more carriers in the region, Zhang defended India and China having more carriers since they have vast coasts and huge populations and the importance of defending the sea lanes far from home due to dependence on external trade.

Last year China has launched its first aircraft carrier, Lioning. Its hull was imported from Ukraine and refurbished in China.

China also subsequently launched J-15 aircraft to operate from its deck. The ship with over 50,000 tonnes displacement will have about 30 aircraft on its deck.

China is reportedly building two more aircraft carriers but their schedules are not known yet.

Zhang earlier told the state-run China Daily that with Vikrant, the Indian Navy will be more capable of patrolling distant oceans.

"India's first self-made carrier, along with reinforced naval strength, will further disrupt the military balance in South Asia," he said.

India is very likely to quicken its pace to steer eastward to the Pacific, where the US and China are competing to dominate.

The launch of the Vikrant as well as the first nuclear submarine Arihant also aroused the curiosity and concerns among analysts from different state-run thinktanks in China.

"The new indigenous carrier will further strengthen India's naval power and also add some bargaining chips with the world's major military vendors such as Russia," Wang Daguang, a researcher of military equipment based in Beijing said.

Song Xiaojun, a military commentator in Beijing, said the Vikrant uses technology from the 1980s and thus serves as an experiment for the Indian Navy to set technical standards for future vessels.

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