India posts DAs to several new nations.

Dateline 11 Apr

India has begun to post military and defence attaches to several new countries, in a big move to expand strategic ties with key regions across the globe and also push arms exports.

15 - 16 Army, Navy and Air Force attaches are being posted to countries like Poland, Armenia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and the Philippines after "some rationalisation" by cutting down on the number of military officials posted at large missions in Russia, the UK and France.

Some of them have already joined their new posts. In the next phase, 10 entirely new defence wings will be created in different countries, with a particular focus on nations to which arms can be exported.

A special area of interest is Africa, which is in line with the stepped-up military outreach to the to the continent where China has made huge strategic inroads. Apart from the ongoing combat exercises, military exchanges and training programs with African countries. India is now trying to export indigenou Tejas fighters, Pinaka multi-launch rocket systems, missiles and Akash air defence systems to African Countries.

Among other African countries like Tanzania, Mozambique and Ivory Coast, the small but strategically located Djibouti will also get an Indian defence attache now.

The former Soviet republic of Armeniahas also emerged as a major arms exports destination, with deals inked for Pinaka rockets, Akash missiles, ammunition and the like, a few of them coming even during its clash with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. A defence attache is especially posted to Armenia for the first time.

With an eye on China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, including the South China Sea, Indais has also been steadily stepping up military ties with Asean countries. This led to the $375 million contract for three anti-ship coastal batteries of the BrahMos missiles being inked with the Philippines in Jan 2022.

India wants this first-ever BrahMos export order  to pave the way for more such deals with the Philippines as well as other Asean countries like Indonesia and Vietnam.

India is also trying to export the single engine-Tejas fighter to countries like the Philippines, Nigeria, Argentina and Egypt. India's bid to sell it to Malaysia, however, had failed last year with the Royal Malaysian Air Force picking South Korean supersonic fighter KAI FA-50 made by Korean Aerospace Industries.

Courtesy. Rajat Pandit @timesgroup.com

Tailpiece.

Got up a half past 5, to be in time for Sanil's Sanchayanam, that began at 7.

The elaborate ceremony took about two hours to finish. Sanil's charred bones were collected and put into a receptacle, which was placed at a spot got readied for the purpose.

Aravi maman, Radha mami, Rajan maman, Aniyan had come from Kottayam, Kala from Kayamkulam and Kannan, from Ernakulam had attended the function.

By evening, after all the guests had departed, the house wore an empty look.

Thundershowers followed by a long power interruption. Luckily, it was restored a trifle after we'd hit the sack.