In the first major transfer of frontline military hardware from the US, India is set to receive the first of the ANTPQ-36/37 weapon-locating radars tomorrow. The equipment is expected to tilt the balance of artillery duels across the Line of Control in India’s favour.Besides adding a significant punch to India’s firepower, the radars are a symbol of the growing Indo-US strategic relationship. In fact, ever since the first Defence Policy Group was set up after successful parleys between then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and his US counterpart Strobe Talbott, the radars have served as a test case for the fledgling strategic relationship. Trishul back on track: Ministry New Delhi: After facing several setbacks in the short-range surface-to-air Trishul missile, the Defence Ministry claimed the programme was back on track. In an official release, the Ministry claimed ‘‘there is no proposal of downgrading the Trishul missile project’’. Admitting that there were ‘‘technical problems,’’ the Ministry claimed the ‘‘problems have been analysed and the requisite modifications effected in various guidance and sub-systems and in the composition of the propellant’’. According to officials, four Trishul missiles were launched in full combat configuration from a combat vehicle between June 22 and 25, this year. _ ENS New Delhi evinced an interest in the radars at the first meeting of the Defence Policy Group, set up to facilitate technology transfers as well as plan greater military-to-military cooperation between the two countries.South Block sources said the radars were originally expected to arrive on Wednesday but the US military cargo aircraft carrying them developed a snag delaying its delivery by a day. The US agreed to sell 12 radars to India for about $ 180 million. Earlier, the US Army also agreed to loan a few radars to the Indian Army for training and a team of Indian artillery officers went to the US to familiarise themselves with the radar.During the Kargil war, Indian gunners sorely felt the need for weapon locating radars and were at a considerable disadvantage as the Pakistanis used their radars to deadly effect. In fact, the Indian Army has been clamouring for these radars for years and Kargil revealed a major handicap in Indian defence as well as strike capabilities. While the Indian Army needs 40 radars, 12 will be from the US and the rest will be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. In the absence of the technology, the Indian Army was looking at a Ukrainian radar before the US offered the ANTPQ-36 radars, say Army officers, will be a tremendous advantage in a tactical battle scenario and will prove effective in mountainous terrain where it is difficult to locate the source of artillery fire. During artillery exchanges in the Kargil conflict, Indian gunners had to constantly ‘‘shoot and scoot’’ to prevent Pakistani radars from homing in on their positions. Now armed with these radars, Indian gunners will be able to tilt the balance in their favour.
