Two Indian students assaulted in Melbourne

Asian Defense News: Melbourne ~ Even as Indian and Australian flags go side by side on their national day on Tuesday, two Indian students were allegedly assaulted by a group of thugs here.
Eight persons, described as being of Asian appearance, have been arrested after several hours of the incident and were being questioned, police said in a statement.
The accused had allegedly made comments to the duo before one of the student was pushed to the ground and kicked at about 10.20 pm (local time) last night in central Melbourne.
The 18-year-old Indian man suffered a wound on his left ear from what appeared to be an edged weapon, police said, adding the 22-year-old student was also punched to the ground and suffered minor abrasions to the forearm.
Police confirmed the two victims were Indian students but were unable to say whether the comments made were racial.
The 18-year-old was taken to St Vincents Hospital with lacerations to the left ear, while the other student did not required hospital treatment, an AAP report said.
The attack comes just weeks after an Indian student Nitin Garg was stabbed to death in a park in Yarraville in Melbourne’s inner-west.
Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 11:07:22 Source: Agencies

Taiwan, China to offer 385 charter flights for New Year

Asian Defense News: Taiwanese and Chinese airlines will operate 385 charter flights during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said Tuesday.
In February, Chinese airlines will offer 287 round-trip flights to Taiwan, while Taiwanese airlines will provide 98 round-trip flights to China, CAA said.
The 10-day Chinese New Year holidays begin February 14.Due to the high frequency of flights, some are forced to operate in the early morning hours, the Central News Agency said.
The charter flights are in addition to 270 regular cross-strait flights per week, which were introduced on August 31 when Taiwan dropped its six-decade ban on air links with China.
There are some half a million Taiwanese working in China, either opening factories or working in high-tech companies.
The Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese all over the world.

Indonesia delays deadline for single bank ownership

* No new deadline for single bank ownership rule
* Govt to study impact on four state-owned banks
* Policy forced Temasek to sell BII stake, Bank Niaga merger
* Analysts say govt could lower stake in top lender Mandiri
By Telly Nathalia and Neil Chatterjee

Asian Defense News: JAKARTA, Jan 26 - Indonesia will delay an end-2010 deadline requiring investors to own only a single bank in Southeast Asia's largest economy, giving the government more time to work out what to do with its major stakes in four banks.
Analysts said it was unclear exactly what would happen to the government's stakes, but any asset sales could attract strong interest to get exposure to a fast-growing economy that investors hope could reach investment-grade status in a few years.
The policy from the central bank requires all banks that share a major shareholder to merge, divest or create a single holding company.
The government owns controlling stakes in four major banks, including 66 percent of Indonesia's top lender Bank Mandiri , 56 percent of Bank Rakyat Indonesia >, 76 percent of PT Bank Negara Indonesia and 73 percent of the recently listed PT Bank Tabungan Negara .
"There has been no indication of the Indonesia government selling its stake in the banks. Mandiri has indicated that government ownership will be reduced to below 60 percent, to qualify for a lower tax rate. We do not know whether it will be through divestment or a new share issue," said Salman Ali, head of Indonesia research at Citi Securities in Jakarta.
The policy, originally set for 2008 but pushed back several times already, forced Singapore state fund Temasek [TEM.UL] to sell a stake in one of its two banks in Indonesia, and could bring about management changes at state-owned banks, government officials have said.
Said Didu, secretary of the state enterprises ministry, did not give a new deadline for the policy, which aims to consolidate the banking sector and help improve transparency.
MERGERS UNLIKELY
The policy led to the 2008 merger of Bank Niaga and PT Bank Lippo Tbk to form CIMB Niaga .
Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, an analyst with Indonesian broker Danareksa, said it would be difficult for any potential further mergers to win shareholder approval.
Didu said the government had to tread carefully over the state-owned banks, because decisions could affect the banking system and the economy.
"We need to draft and do deep research about it, about its impact for state-owned banks," Didu told Reuters on Tuesday.
Singapore's state investor Temasek, which still owns 68 percent of Indonesia's PT Bank Danamon , sold its majority stake in Bank International Indonesia to Malaysia's Maybank in 2008 because of the policy.
Temasek profited from the deal, but investors have since been pouring into Indonesian markets in the past year to get exposure to Southeast Asia's strongest growth, a surge in the stock market <.JKSE> and a buoyant rupiah currency.
Fitch Ratings gave the country a vote of confidence on Monday, upgrading its sovereign rating [ID:nSGE60O0EV]. And private equity group CVC Partners joined retail firm Matahari Putra Prima in a joint venture buying Matahari's department store chain arm for $773 million on Monday.[ID:nSGE60O0J0]
Indonesia's stock market jumped over 80 percent and bonds posted equity-like returns last year as investors bought into the prospect that relatively stable politics and healthy economic growth could push the country to investment-grade status in a few years, alongside BRIC nations Brazil, Russia, India and China.

India, China border personnel meet to mark Republic Day

Asian Defense News: Leh: It was a scene of bonhomie as the border personnel of India and China met to mark the Republic Day in Chushul belt along the LAC in Ladakh, putting behind the tension over recent incursions by the PLA in the area.
Both sides also agreed on different measures to maintain peace, stability and to work for development of the region.
The Chinese delegation was received by the leader of Indian delegation Brigadier Y K Joshi.
After the reception, the Indian national flag was hoisted and both the Chinese and Indian delegations saluted the tricolour.
According to a Northern Command spokesperson, in the formal meeting held in atmosphere of mutual trust and camaraderie, greetings were exchanged by both the sides amid agreements to join hands in contributing to peace, stability and development of the region in consonance with border peace and tranquility agreements.
Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 17:22:19 Source: Agencies

Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire

Asian Defense News: New Delhi: Even as India celebrated its 61st Republic Day, Pakistan violated a ceasefire near the International border in Jammu twice on Tuesday.
Pakistan allegedly fired on two posts in Kanachak and Akhnoor in the wee hours of the morning.
A private television report said it was the 15th cease-fire violation by Pakistan in just one month.
Tuesday's first violation came around 2.30 a.m. when intermittent firing was reported in Kanachak area near the international border. The Alfa Machal post was allegedly targetted from across the border.
The second violation was on the Akhnoor sector's Tent Post, when two rockets were reporedly fired by Pakistani Rangers at about 2:45 a.m. from the Pakistan side.
"There was firing at around 2 a.m. in the morning today, and continued for a few hours," the channel quoted Jammu and Kashmir police chief Kuldeep Khoda, as saying.
"The intensity was initially huge, later on it died down a bit. We are watching the situation, our forces are there, they are very alert, our patrolling parties and the BSF are there supportnig them. And things are well under control right now," he added.
A red alert has been sounded in the Akhnoor sector in response to the cease-fire violation.

Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 18:38:16 By: Rizwan Khan

Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' in R-Day Parade

Asian Defense News: Bangalore: Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' will be seen during the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26.
Official sources here today said ''the prestigious ''TEJAS'' will be seen in the Republic Day Parade for the first time in New Delhi.''
The two-seater indigenous LCA made its maiden flight at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport here on November 26, 2009.
The successful flight flew at an altitude of nine km and attained Mach 0.85. The prototype was flown by Group Captain Ritu Raj Tyagi of the National Flight Test Centre with Project Director (Flight Test) Air Commodore Rohit Varma in the rear.
The IAF is reported to have a requirement for 200 single-seat and 20 two-seat conversion trainers, while the Indian Navy may order up to 40 single-seaters to replace its Sea Harrier FRS.51 and Harrier T.60.
The LCA naval variant is expected to take to the skies by 2009. Recent developments suggest that the aircraft will be inducted into the Indian Air Force by end of 2010 or early 2011.
During its sea level flight trials off Goa during December 2009, Tejas notched a speed of over 1,350 km per hour, thus becoming the first supersonic fighter being manufactured indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

India developing Next Generation Fighter Aircraft

Asian Defense News: Recently when Requirements of MCA now re-named to NGFA (Next Generation Fighter Aircraft) by Indian Air force was made public in section of media , IAF clear dedicates what it wants for NGFA and seems to leave very little room for developers ADE and other DRDO labs .
IAF seems will not compromise on the aircrafts capabilities from the start.
For years NGFA was rumored to be a strike aircraft with secondary role of Air defence capabilities.
Now IAF wants a fully multirole Aircraft with almost all the technology which only a 5th Generation Aircraft like Pak-Fa which India is partnered with Russia for its development will have, India’s contribution to Pak-Fa is limited to sub-system of it avionics and its core software very similar work which was done with Sukhoi-Su30 MKI.
Other then Avionics which can be further developed from Tejas MK-II platform they are tones of other things which NGFA will need to make it truly a 5TH Generation Aircraft .
IAF seems to be clear that it wants most of the Avionics and Engine for NGFA to be indigenous, Specially the AESA Radar; it seems IAF will not settle for AESA which has been developed by LRDE for Tejas Mk-II, it want to be more sophisticated than the Current AESA technology what LDRE is working on and better Avionics and Self-defence systems for the aircraft which will take lot of time unless similar Pak-Fa Avionics package is chosen.
The Kaveri-Snecma Engine based on core of M-88 has been seen has the possible engine which will power NGFA, Details of this engine is still not clear and what level of Technology French will bring is also crucial, GTRE failed to develop current Kaveri engine in time to power Tejas Combat aircraft .
The new engine should be based on consultation with IAF to avoid future disappointments and should be ready in time to power NGFA which will have a tech demonstrator, three prototype vehicles and two production jets. No intermediate Engine has been sought, Kaveri-II have to be ready in time for NGFA to make its first flight.
Stealthy Airframe Requirements seems to have thrown out any DRDO’s plans of having Aircraft with low Stealth characters, it wants Stealthy Airframe from the start and Current level of technology in India does not have such high end materials, composites and radar observing airframe materials and paints.
Wind-tunnel model which was displayed at Aero India 2009 of MCA will need designs changes to meet IAF’s demand of full Stealthy Airframe, while wind tunnel model seemed like Aircraft with Stealth features but not fully stealth aircraft.
Time frame set by ADA is again over ambitious. ADA plans to have the first test flight of the NGFA by 7-8 years, once go head is given which may come by end of 2010, this is simply not possible since most of the technology required for it is still not in pipeline, since various Labs will be working on it any delays by any Lab will affect the schedule flight plan and again it will look similar way which LCA was made to go.
Consultancy and joint development of various systems should be considered to meet the deadline for NGFA’s first flight; Aircraft should be developed with possible export market in mind. To give air forces around the world a cheap and high technology 5TH Generation fighter this can compete with American and Chinese aircrafts in future. Note: Vinayak shetti is a free lance journalist and also admin of www.lca-tejas.org