India to showcase defence, security industrial expertise at Bridex 2009

FOR those who are keen to see up-close and personal the various state-of-the-art defence and security equipment and systems, then make a date to go to Jerudong to visit the Second Brunei International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Bridex 2009).

The event, considered as one of the region's premier defence and security events, is scheduled to be held from August 12 to 15. Organised by Royal Brunei Technical Services (RBTS) with the full support of the Ministry of Defence (MinDef), Bridex 2009 will see top defence companies from all over the world showcasing their high-tech products and expertise that range from command and control systems and software, data and intelligence systems, missiles and weapon systems right up to warships and aircrafts.

The staging of the exhibition is also expected to serve as a platform for the exhibitors to display the operational capability of their equipment to the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), Royal Customs and Excise, Immigration and National Registration and other government enforcement agencies.

Ministry of Defence, India

One of the major exhibitors at Bridex 2009 is the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of India. The ministry is the major coordinating body for India's defence production and research and development (R&D).

The ministry consists of three main departments: the Department of Defence; the Department of Defence Production and Supplies; and the Department of Defence R&D.

The Department of Defence Production was set up in 1962, in order to create a self-reliant and self-sufficient indigenous defence production base for the country's armed forces and law enforcement agencies.

In November, 1965, Department of Defence Supplies was created to forge linkages between the civil industries and defence production units.

To streamline operations, the two departments were merged in December 1984 into the Department of Defence Production and Supplies. And it was in 2004 that the department was renamed as Department of Defence Production.

Prior to independence in 1947 India's defence industrial capacity amounted to 16 ordnance factories.

Today, India now has 39 ordnance factories. In addition to this, India has eight defence-focused public-sector undertakings (PSUs) comprising Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL), Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani).

HAL was established in October 1964 with the merger of Hindustan Aircraft Limited and Aeronautics India Limited. The company is engaged in the design, development, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines and their accessories.

Since its inception, HAL has evolved into a large aeronautics complex and has comprehensive experience and know-how in the design, manufacture and overhaul of combat aircraft, trainers, helicopters, transport aircraft, engines, avionics and system equipment.

Having diversified into the field of industrial and marine gas turbine business and real-time software business, the company has exports to more than 20 countries.

Among the company's products are the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT-36).

The Dhruv is a multi role multi-mission helicopter in the five-tonne category capable of meeting the applications of army, air force, navy, coast guard and civil operators. The IJT-36 has been developed by HAL as a replacement to the Kiran jet trainer.

HAL was also involved in producing a total of 140 Su-30MKI combat aircraft under licence agreement with Russia's Irkut Research and Production Association (IAPO) in addition to 50 aircraft supplied from Russia.

HAL is also involved in upgrading the Indian Air Force's existing aircraft inventory such as the Jaguar and Mig-27Ms.

Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) specialises in the design, development and manufacture of sophisticated electronics equipment components for the use of the defence services, paramilitary organisations and Indian governmental users such as All India Radio, Doordarshan, Department of Telecommunications, Police, wireless departments and Meteorological Department, among others.

BEL also supplies infrastructural requirements for radio and TV broadcasting stations such as studio equipment, transmitters, satellite and uplinks.

BEL also provides expertise in the modernisation of airports through supply of primary/secondary surveillance radars to Airports Authority of India. BEL also produces equipment for the civil sectors that includes integrated fish finder and navigation guidance system, solar traffic signals, mother boards for computer, electronic voting machine (EVM) and satellite communication network for the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), which was established in May 1964, manufactures general purpose machines and special purpose machines ranging from extra heavy duty machines, computer numerically controlled boring machines (CNC machines), CNC bevel generating system, heavy and large size fabrication facility, welding robots to transmission and axles, hydraulic control values, cylinders and pumps, diesel engines, railway coaches, rail buses, railway wagons, earth moving machinery and tracked military vehicles like armoured recovery vehicles, self propelled gun, tanks and other military vehicles like heavy recovery vehicles, bridge laying tank, truck-based mobile bridge system, mounted gun system on truck chassis and rocket launcher system.

Established in 1960, the Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) is India's major defence shipyard. The shipbuilding company has the capacity to build warships of up to 6,000DWT and merchant ships up to 27,000DWT. Its product range includes submarines, missile boats, destroyers, frigates and corvettes for the Indian Navy and patrol vessels for the Coast Guard. (ALA)

The Brunei Times