Indian Army News and Discussion

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here,it seems that the indian army is so impressed by the performance of the brahmos missile ,that they have decided to induct the missile sooner than expected.the missile is claimed to have a near zero circular error probability,also india is working on a scramjet engine for the brahmos missile ,capable of propelling it to a speed of mach8.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=30f9fd02-b1d4-499d-b37e-b0d61ee7a7d2

With all the four test firings going without blemish, Army is planning to induct the Brahmos supersonic land attack cruise missile months ahead of schedule.
The first missile sub-group to be equipped with Brahmos has already become operational and in the first order, Army will get 12 launchers comprising four mobile autonomous launchers, according to DRDO sources in New Delhi.
Army is planning to induct the Brahmos, which will be heralded by President APJ Abdul Kalam, during the middle of the year.
The proposed early induction of the supersonic cruise missile will come even as American satellite images showed that Pakistan was in the process of deploying its next generation Shaheen II missiles which have the range to hit any part of India.
Brahmos Chief Executive A Sivathanu Pillai termed it as a missile with no equivalent in the world and said all its four tests -- two in Pokhran and two at the interim test range at Chandipur -- validated all the technical parameters. The missile has a range of 290 kms.
"It is ready for induction and upgrades can be carried out even after its becomes operational with the Army," he said. Army had signed an agreement in March 2006 which stipulated that the land version of the missile would be delivered to it by the middle of next year.
In the last two tests, Army personnel fired the missile independent of scientists from their own complex, sources said.
The land attack version of the Brahmos uses thermal sensors which gives the missile a capability to be ready for firing within two minutes, unlike, the existing short-range surface-to-surface Prithvi missile that require a 20-minute preparation time.
When the first sub-group becomes operational, it will give the Army the punch to fire 12 missiles at 12 different targets simultaneously within 30 seconds.
During tests, DRDO sources said the land attack cruise missile (LACM) had demonstrated zero circular error probability, marking it a weapon of almost pinpoint precision.
According to DRDO officials, efforts are on to imbibe the scramjet technology into the missile to increase its speed to almost Mach eight, which is eight times the speed of sound.
With the induction of the Brahmos missile, Army will now be equipped with four types of missiles ranging from LACM, short range Prithvi, 700 km range Agni to medium range 2,000 km Agni II missile, leading to the possibility of the Army going in for a separate missile division.

 

[eckherl]

hey guys,great news here,the indian army has recieved 14 additional arjun mark1 main battle tanks.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/13/stories/2007051301111000.htm

Fourteen Arjun main battle tanks delivered to the Army

Special Correspondent
They are to be put on reliability analysis in deserts

In 2000, Army had placed orders for 124 Arjun tanks
"Accuracy of weapon system proved beyond doubt"

[SIZE=-2]PHOTO: K. V. SRINIVASAN [/SIZE]

INDIGENOUS: Demonstration of the main battle tank Arjun at Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment at Avadi near Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: The first batch of 14 Arjun MBTs (Main Battle Tanks), the Defence Research and Development Organisation's flagship weapons system, has been delivered to the Army and they are to be put on reliability analysis in Rajasthan deserts this June.
Talking to reporters, who visited the Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) of the DRDO here on Saturday, S. Sundaresh, Director, said that in 2000 the Army had placed orders for 124 Arjun tanks, enough to equip two regiments.
Rs. 50-cr. facility

The CVRDE established a Rs. 50-crore facility here to complete delivery of the entire consignment to the Army by July 2009. "We, however, are keen to get orders for another batch of at least 124 MBTs to put the facility to its optimum use," said R. Jayakumar, Additional Director, CVRDE.
Earlier, Mr. Sundaresh said Arjun underwent exhaustive field trials before the Army placed the orders. Thermal imaging for nigh-time warfare, high acceleration, mobility and hydro gas suspension were some of the significant features of the totally indigenous Arjun, comparable to all tanks of its class in the world.
Factory's progress

Highlighting the performance of the factory, Mr. Sundaresh said noteworthy progress had been made in armoured patrol car, armoured recovery vehicle, self-propelled medium artillery gun and bridge layer tanks. Scientists were working on missile firing capability, advance air defence gun, automatic target tracking and stealth technology such as unmanned drones, which detect and clear mines.
Mr. Jayakumar said Arjun was the most tested battle tank in the world, as it had clocked 70,000 km, in addition to about 10,000 trial firings. Major General H.M. Singh, Additional Director in charge of trial and evaluation, said last year's user field trial report had certified that the accuracy and consistency of the weapon system was proved beyond doubt. R. Shankar, Director of Combat Vehicles, DRDO headquarters at New Delhi, said a total of 27 tanks — 15 pre-production and 12 prototype — were produced with a budget outlay of a "paltry" Rs. 300 crore. Arjun was the cheapest tank in its class, he said, adding the CVRDE was ready to supply the system to friendly nations if the Government takes a policy decision.

Gosh - are they just gonna keep using it as a test bed or will they eventually start mass producing them. It amazes me that they are fielding Russian design philosophy tanks and their test beds are more western designed.

 

[Rish]

Gosh - are they just gonna keep using it as a test bed or will they eventually start mass producing them. It amazes me that they are fielding Russian design philosophy tanks and their test beds are more western designed.

Doesnt it seem a little odd that the tanks been tested so long and not yet fielded? sounds kind of like the army has a phobia of indian made weapons. sure there have been problems but im sure they've been fixed considering how long the development times been.

 

[aaaditya]

in a recent statment to the members of the parliament ,the indian defence minister mr a.k .anthony had assured them that once all the defects are rectifies ,the indian army may consider ordering more of the arjun tanks,the final user cum comparative trials against the russian t90 is to be conducted in june 2007.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here ,the indian defence research and development organisation has developed special gas masks and a decontamination vehicle to protect soldiers and civilians from a nuclear,chemical and biological attack fallout.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/142551.php/DRDO-develops-anti-nuclear-mask

Bangalore, May 19: In a significant development, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has indigenously developed state-of-the-art equipments to face any eventualities arising out of modern warfare like that of nuclear or chemical weapons.

The Chief Controller of Life Sciences Research and Human Resources, DRDO, Dr Selvamurthy said that the defence services have already begun the use of masks and modern equipments.

"DRDO has nine life science labs across the country and they have indigenously developed nuclear, biological and chemical defence masks, and other 35 products to face any threat arising out of chemical and nuclear wars. They have also developed bio warfare agents, field diagnostic kits to fight biological eventualities like that of typhoid, dengue, malaria, anthrax or any other viruses," he said.

The scientific arm of Indian Defence Services has also developed a de-contamination vehicle to sanitise air, ground and water.

"These labs have also developed chemical warfare detection system, portable chromatograph, to protect both civil and defence society. A de-contamination vehicle has also been developed to decontaminate air, ground and water," he said.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,interesting news here,usa has expressed interest in upgrading indian army's russian equipment like the t72 main battle tanks and bmp infantry combat vehicles,what do you this is the feasibility of such an upgrade?

here check out this link and article:

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=482050


With the reliability of India's Soviet-era military hardware becoming a key issue for the armed forces top brass, Western armaments firms are eyeing the possibility of gaining a foothold in the market for refurbishing such equipment to extend their service life.
In a break from the past, even US defence majors like Raytheon have expressed their interest in bidding for programmes to upgrade Soviet and Russian equipment like the Indian Army's large fleet of T-72 tanks and BMP armoured vehicles.
"We have upgraded the US Army's Bradley armoured vehicles and Abrams tanks and we could use the same technology and know-how to refurbish Soviet gear like the T-72 tanks and BMPs," Walt Doran, president of Raytheon Asia, told PTI at the Paris Air Show.
Israeli firms have already established a strong presence in programmes to upgrade India's Soviet-origin equipment, including MiG-series combat jets, artillery guns and other hardware.
But this is the first time that US firms have shown an interest in refurbishing Russian equipment, which forms almost 75 per cent of the arsenal of the Indian armed forces.

Lee Cooper, vice president of Raytheon Technical Services, an arm that specializes in upgrading and improving military equipment, indicated that the expertise gained by the company in refurbishing the gear of the US Marines deployed for the war against terror could be put to use in a potential programme to upgrade the Indian Army's hardware.

"India has a lot of equipment deployed and there are different generations of equipment but our experience could come in handy," Cooper said.
Besides the land-based equipment, US firms have also shown interest in refurbishing the Indian Navy's Soviet and Russian-origin warships, especially in view of the maritime force's plans to focus on network-centric operations.
"It would be a challenge for us to work with the Russian ships and gear but the technological problems can be overcome. The key factor is integrating everything so that the older systems can be used in the future growth path of the Indian Navy," said Jack Costello of Raytheon's Network Centric Systems. Raytheon has already had "detailed discussions" with the Indian Navy on its plans to establish network-centric systems, company officials said.

 

[eckherl]

Doesn`t Russia have some good upgrades that they presented to you, especially for the BMPs, also don`t you have Israeli defense contractors that have expressed interest in this also.

 

[eckherl]

Any reason why the PzH2000 is not in the race? Too expensive?

Is it really true that this bad boy can engage moving ships.

 

[Waylander]

The MONARC system is dead (They say paused) and our new F125 frigates get normal modern OTO 127mm instead.

But the normal PzH2000 is indeed capable of performing coastal battery missions.
This has been done during tests in norway and the result was very impressing.
Even the first salvo of a PzH2000 battery had very high hit possibility.
And a salvo of bomblets or SMARt ammo defenitely causes some headache for a ship and should result in a mission kill.

 

[eckherl]

The MONARC system is dead (They say paused) and our new F125 frigates get normal modern OTO 127mm instead.

But the normal PzH2000 is indeed capable of performing coastal battery missions.
This has been done during tests in norway and the result was very impressing.
Even the first salvo of a PzH2000 battery had very high hit possibility.
And a salvo of bomblets or SMARt ammo defenitely causes some headache for a ship and should result in a mission kill.

It looks like the PZH2000 is in a league of it`s own at the present moment, I about fell out of my chair when I recieved the picture of the gun turret sitting on a ship and mounted for firing.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here ,it seems that thanks to the private defence industry(mahindra and mahindra automobiles limited),india is likely to get its own humvee clone known as the mahindra axe,however mahindra axe is to be powered by an indigenously designed 300hp engine while the humvee is claimed to be powered by a 150hp engine.indian army has a requirement for 15000-18000 vehicles

here check out this link and article:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/MM_blazes_into_Humvee_club_with_Axe/articleshow/2190055.cms

NEW DELHI: Call it the ultimate car seva. India is all set to get its first high mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicle or the Humvee, christened Mahindra Axe. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is the key driver of the homegrown Humvee project, which will dot India’s armyscape shortly, and civilian space down the line. Sources told ET that M&M tested the indigenous Humvee last fortnight at Faridabad.

The Humvee was first built in the 80s by American Motors for defence purposes and a civilian variant, the Hummer, came into being in the 90s. In 1998, the Hummer brand name was sold to General Motors, and while the US auto major markets and sells the brand, the Humvee is still manufactured by American Motors.

There are variants the world over for Humvee like the Greek and Russian Kornet or the Toyota-crafted Megacruiser, but none so far from the subcontinent.

The US Army used the Humvee to the hilt during the Gulf War as it can be used as a light tactical vehicle for command and control, special purpose shelter carriers, and special purpose weapons platforms throughout all areas of the modern-day battlefield. The Humvee was launched as a 150 horsepower (HP) multi-utility vehicle, but sources claimed that M&M has just tested a 300-400 HP engine.

But when ET pressed the company for details of the engine capacity, executives were tight-lipped. “We have designed a vehicle called the Mahindra Axe for the Indian Army as per their specifications. In due course, we will look at homologating it and getting a civilian variant of this high-powered vehicle.

This is an IPR of M&M and even the engine is indigenously developed. Two prototypes have been developed for Army testing,” said Mahindra Defence Systems CEO Khutub A Hai. Sources said that the Axe will have both open and hard-top versions, capable of mounting artillery. The Mahindra Axe has been developed by a team of designers, which includes some from abroad, Mr Hai said. “We have also imported some components from abroad.”

Meanwhile, General Motors has no plans to launch its Hummer in the country. “We have no plans to get the Hummer in India and we are concentrating on developing the Chevrolet brand,” said General Motors India vice-president-marketing & sales Ankush Arora.

Auto analyst Murad Ali Baig, too, confirmed the M&M foray into the semi-amphibian Humvee. “Yes, Mahindra’s plans for a vehicle like the Humvee are on track. I believe they will look at developing a softer variant for civilian purposes. This kind of a vehicle is very heavy, consumes a large amount of fuel and is largely for off-road applications. It will have a very niche market when launched,” he said.

The commercial Hummer vends in American showrooms from $30,000 to $55,000, depending on the variant — roughly between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 22 lakh. For the commercial Axe, expect prices on similar lines. As for the Humvee, the basic model sports a $60,000 tag, which can go up to $1,50,000 for some of the specialty versions. Ho hum? Well, that’s the story so far.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here,indian army is to induct a large quantity of mini uav's.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/story...1f49dcfc86&&Headline=Army+to+induct+mini-UAVs

The army plans to induct mini-unmanned aerial vehicles in large numbers to give more teeth to forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations in mountainous Jammu and Kashmir and thickly forested northeast.
A proposal to buy 100 to 200 mini-UAVs has been finalised by the army and an international tender is likely to be floated within a month, official sources here said.
The army has about 200 UAVs, mostly the Searcher 1, Searcher 2 and Heron supplied by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), but security experts feel mini-UAVs will give troops an edge in operations against militants.
The mini-UAVs are compact and lightweight systems designed for use in military and homeland security missions. They are smaller than regular UAVs and some models can even by launched by hand and do not require open space for take-offs.
"Mini-UAVs are operation and terrain specific and will be a major force multiplier in anti-insurgency operations," a top army official said.
Simultaneous with their induction into the army, the mini-UAVs will also be provided to paramilitary forces for use in operations against Naxalities in central India, officials said.
The procurement of these aircraft assumes significance in the wake of reports of the larger UAVs not proving very effective in operations against Maoist rebels.

 

[nero]

hey guys,great news here,indian army is to induct a large quantity of mini uav's.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/story...1f49dcfc86&&Headline=Army+to+induct+mini-UAVs

The army plans to induct mini-unmanned aerial vehicles in large numbers to give more teeth to forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations in mountainous Jammu and Kashmir and thickly forested northeast.
A proposal to buy 100 to 200 mini-UAVs has been finalised by the army and an international tender is likely to be floated within a month, official sources here said.
The army has about 200 UAVs, mostly the Searcher 1, Searcher 2 and Heron supplied by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), but security experts feel mini-UAVs will give troops an edge in operations against militants.
The mini-UAVs are compact and lightweight systems designed for use in military and homeland security missions. They are smaller than regular UAVs and some models can even by launched by hand and do not require open space for take-offs.
"Mini-UAVs are operation and terrain specific and will be a major force multiplier in anti-insurgency operations," a top army official said.
Simultaneous with their induction into the army, the mini-UAVs will also be provided to paramilitary forces for use in operations against Naxalities in central India, officials said.
The procurement of these aircraft assumes significance in the wake of reports of the larger UAVs not proving very effective in operations against Maoist rebels.

.
Admin: Text deleted. Please refrain from this kind of input. It serves to inflame debate and is unhelpful to continue and maintain mature dialogue. I'm sure you can appreciate this if the shoe was on the other foot.

pakistani shoulder-fired portable SAMs will take care of those mini-UAVs

anyway maoist & other insurgent groups have acquired shouldered-fired SAMS, which r smuggled through the porous bangladesh border.

i think the separist groups will be rejoicing after hearing this news.


.

1st Warning Issued against Rule 15 of the Forum Guidelines

 

[swerve]

.
more shooting practice for the anza-II

pakistani shoulder-fired portable SAMs will take care of those mini-UAVs

anyway maoist & other insurgent groups have acquired shouldered-fired SAMS, which r smuggled through the porous bangladesh border.

i think the separist groups will be rejoicing after hearing this news.

.

Really?

One of the great values of small, cheap UAVs is that the poor buggers on the ground have the unenviable choice of being watched, & having their movements reported all the time, or firing off a SAM at the eye in the sky - a SAM which probably costs more than the UAV. And tells someone at the other end that there are people down there with SAMs.

BTW, I advise you to read rule 15.

http://defencetalk.com/forums/rules.php

 

[sashikanth]

An interview with General J.J.Singh, chief of army staff!

I couldnit get the link here as i have not yet completed 15posts.Hence i posted the entire interview here.The interview is frm defence world, and the important thing is that it gives details of indian army operations straight from the horse's mouth!!!!





Interview with General JJ Singh, Chief of Army Staff




General J.J. Singh,
Chief of Army Staff



Q. What is your vision for modernising the Indian Army in the first decades of the 21st century, as also priorities in the Army's modernisation plans over the next two 5-years plans?

JJS: My vision for the Army envisages an optimally equipped and weaponised force, with the capability to operate effectively in a joint services environment in the entire spectrum of conflict, in a regional context.
The main focus of our modernisation is to absorb emerging teclnologies to keep pace with the 'Revolution in Military Affairs'. We are laying special focus on revamping our surveillance and intelligence gathering systems and to integrate the same into our decision making. Moreover as the future battle field is likely to be fluid and fast paced, requiring quicker response, we are revamping our communication systems to achieve true networking. In addition our Mechanised Forces, Artillery and Air Defence components are being modernised to retain conventional deterrence.
Our long term modernisation plans aims to modernise our Army through specific milestones to induct cutting edge tecnologies to make the Indian Army tight, rapidly deployable, more lethal at extended ranges and have requisite space based information and surveillance capabilities. In addition, the priority areas for the next two five year plans, would be to upgrade our systems in respect of fire power, strategic and tactical mobility, air defence and the aviation arm, while simultaneously creating logistic infrastructure to support our field forces in all operational contingencies.
I am convinced that the winner on the future battlefield will be an army which is adept at handling hi-tech force multipliers and has effective night fighting capabilities. We are focusing on these aspects very deliberately.

Q. The Indian Army remains majority committed in counter insurgency and anti-militant operations in the north and northeast. What further inputs in terms of smart weaponary and systems can be provided to the forces on the ground for greater effectivity?

JJS: Yes, it is a fact that we are currently involved in counter insurgency operations in the North and North East of our country. Our plans for modernisation cater for provision of state of the art surveillance systems to locate and identify targets as also improved sighting systems and weapons for close quarter battle to ensure greater accuracy in engagements, and provision of means for better mobility. All these equipment are being provided to our troops for enhanced efficiency to effectively conduct operations in a counter insurgency environment.

Q. The Army's sterling role post-8 October 2005 earthquake in J&K was magnificent. However, there was sparse publicity given on this to the public at large, both in the country and abroad. How can the PR aspect be energised to give the Army its due?

JJS: First and foremost I believe that our work and results should speak for us. Post the earthquake in J&K, despite our own losses, the Army undertook extensive relief and rescue operations. Contrary to what you say, I think the masses in J&K and media recognised our effort. Infact there has been distinct change in attitude towards the Army amongst the people in J&K who see us as more people friendly. The media branded us as 'smelling of roses' and the people of the affected areas called us 'farishtas'.
The Army believes in doing its duty to the nation and I am sure given the maturity and objectivity of our media, our efforts are suitably recognised. In this case I am more than satisfied with the response in the media, as there was extensive coverage about our efforts wherein we were feted as the saviours of the people.

Q. What are your views on the 'Right to Information Act'? Can there at least be access to records pertaining to the wars after Independence, including the ongoing face off in the Siachen Glacier?

JJS: The Right to Information Act 05 (RTI 05) has been implemented in the Army. We have taken up a case with the MOD to exclude the Armed Forces from purview of RTI 05 as has been done for other CPOs and we await the Government's decision on it. Till this comes, we are following the said Act in letter and spirit. The decision of granting access to war records is one of national security on which only the Government can take a considered decision.

Q. The Government of India is exploring contours of defence cooperation with the United States including co-production, joint design and development as also provision of new generation weaponry. Would you like to review the Army's "wish-list" in such cooperation?

JJS: Our defence cooperation with the US is an adjunct to our continuing and enhanced engagement with it. The past two years have seen maximum progress in this field between the two countries and we have been able to establish a comprehensive institutional framework of dialogue on defence, covering policy level dialogue, military to military exchanges and technical cooperation in production and defence supplies. As the level of cooperation matures progressively, it is but natural that it would extend to procurement of state of the art equipment in fields where our indigenous technology is found wanting and in keeping with the prevailing situation and government policy on the subject. This cooperation will firstly manifest itself in hi-tech weapons and equipment for the special forces which will be procured from the USA through the foreign military sales (FMS) route.

Q. Traditions in Indian Army are a very major source of inspiration. Many of the Army's senior most and highest decorated Infantry battalions were extracted to form the new "Mechanised Infantry Regiment" which is still resented if not formally expressed. Is it not possible to resurrect the original battalions in some of these Regiments by re-designating some younger and less tradition-rich units?

JJS: Conversion of infantry battalions to 'Mechanised' is a long drawn process involving host of activities like conversion training, training on equipment and tactics, in peace, field and exercises. To undo the previous conversion would be a retrograde step as some of these units have been in Mechanised Infantry for more than 25 years. These converted units carry forward their historical affiliations/traditions. Converting younger units in Mechanised Infantry units is not considered cost effective.

 

[speed651]

Why more people think that India should select AH-64D? On the contrary, I believe that AH-64D is a disaster of India Army.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Why more people think that India should select AH-64D? On the contrary, I believe that AH-64D is a disaster of India Army.

speed651.

when posting in future please attempt to provide some considered response why replying.

Anyone can make a throw away response, but it helps to demonstrate your own logic and capability by at least making an attempt to justify your statements.

In future, make the effort to support your statements.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here ,indian army is to induct indigenously designed mine protected vehicle known as aditya,the requirement is for 1400 vehicles ,however initially about 250 vehciles will be acquired.

here check out this link and article:

http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=2_8_2007&ItemID=26&cat=21

Mhow, MP, Aug 1: The Indian Army will induct mine-proof vehicle (MPV) ‘Aditya—developed by Andhra Pradesh-based Medak ordinance factory in November.
The army has put its requirement of number of ‘Aditya’ at 1,400.
However, an order of 250 ‘Aditya’ has been placed and will be completed by November.
The factory’s Joint General Manager B P Babu said the US “has also shown interest in purchasing the mine-proof vehicle.” However, the Centre has denied to provide it because of strategic reasons.
The MPV ‘Aditya’ was put on display during Army Chief General J J Singh’s recent visit and the convention of infantry commanders here.
‘‘As a part of a MoU signed with IMA, Israel, and with its cooperation, the factory has started producing 20 ‘Aditya’ MPVs per month,” Babu said.
The ‘Aditya,’ which can withstand an explosion of TNT, has 7.62 mmMAG remote-controlled weapons installed above the seat of the driver.
The MPV can carry 12 troopers, including two drivers, and can storm into an enemy’s camp.

 

[aaaditya]

hey guys,great news here,indian army is to induct manportable hand held lasers for the counter insurgency operations in jammu and kashmir,these lasers have already been tested and have a range from 50-500 metres,they can also be attached to the existing small arms .

here check out this link and article:

http://www.idrw.org/2007/08/17/indian_army_to_induct_portable_laser_weapons.html

Soldiers engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast will soon have a new weapon to help them take on militants -- portable non-lethal laser dazzlers that can stun and blind their opponents.

"Two versions of the portable non-lethal dazzlers (PNLD), including a hand-held laser dazzler, are set to be inducted into the Indian armed forces for use in counter-insurgency operations. This will make the 21st century soldier a technology-driven jawan," a top defence source told a news agency.

The laser dazzlers, which can be mounted on existing weapons used by the soldiers, were tested in Kashmir in October last year and will be inducted into the army possibly by next year, sources said. They could be used against militants operating in the hinterland of Kashmir and against those infiltrating into the state across the Line of Control (LoC).

The Defence Research and Development Organisation's Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC) in Delhi has developed two variants of the PNLD suitable for counter-insurgency operations. The hand-held and weapon-mounted versions of the PNLD have a maximum range of 50 meters and 500 meters respectively, the sources said.

Both variants are completely non-lethal directed-energy weapons employing intense visible light and produce randomly a flickering green laser output that is sufficient to cause temporary blindness or disorientation. The dazzlers also have an in-built safety interlock to prevent misuse and the weapons do not cause permanent blindness, the sources said.

 

[funtz]

On the topic of UAV's and the Indian Army, their primary purpose in anti insurgency operation is to provide the forces with real time coverage of the operational theatre increasing the awareness of any armed force which is invaluable in the terrain most of the armed forces have to operate in.

The sheer size of the terrain most of the terrorist and militant organizations that operate in India the sheer number of UAV’s that must be provided to the different armed forces of India presents a challenge as most of the international UAV's are sold at very international prices.

The uav projects of HAL like the Lakshya projects deal with a very important needs, however for a operational theatres like Kashmir, Bihar, zharkhand, Madhya Pradesh etc., where there is a real need for cheaper alternatives which can fly at medium altitudes and provide real time coverage of the area is great. The Israeli uav BirdEye 500 Backpackable UAV is a perfect example.

Projects of these kinds require low developmental and operating costs, with a ease of deployment that is unmatched, the bigger advantage that is here in India is that many independent projects have been carried out in Indian engineering institutions, like the IIT'S etc.

A quick google search about uav + India will show you some results
When I was in college completing my engineering I had interacted with my junior batches that were involved with this project and found out that the construction + development costs were already very reasonable-in the bracket of less than Rs 1,00,000 , which on mass production can be reduced to very low levels.

The tactical advantage these uav’s present to the frequent anti terrorist search missions that the have to be carried out in different scenarios and surroundings by the Indian armed forces, paramilitary and police organizations is invaluable.

The Low cost of such uav’s (especially if produced Domestically) and the ease of operating them will help a lot as even a loss of these uav’s will not stop the forces from using them.