India to buy Rafale Marine Jet from France

DAC Approval for Rafale: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared proposals to procure 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets and three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy.

Rafale Marine Fighter Jets

Naval Variant: Rafale Marine fighters are the naval version of the Rafale jets, with the Indian Air Force operating 36 of them.

Advanced Multirole Fighters: Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafales are advanced twin-engine, multirole fighter jets equipped with modern sensors, radar, and the latest weapon systems.

India-Specific Enhancements: The jets feature India-specific enhancements and have the capability to carry out various missions.

Differences in Marine Version: The naval variant has foldable wings, a longer airframe for carrier landings, a tail hook for arrested landing, and reinforced landing gear suitable for aircraft carriers’ conditions.

Expanded Weapon Capabilities: Rafale Marine jets can carry a wider range of weapons, including anti-ship and air-to-surface missiles, and have specialized radar for maritime operations.

Current Fleet and Need for Additional Fighters

MiG-29Ks: The Indian Navy currently operates MiG-29Ks from INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, which are carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft.

Procurement Requirement: With some MiG-29Ks expected to retire in a decade and the Navy having two operational carriers, additional deck-based fighters were needed to meet operational requirements until the indigenous Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) is developed.

Criteria and Selection: Only Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale-M met the Navy’s criteria, with Rafale-M having an advantage due to common spares and support with the Indian Air Force’s Rafale jets.

Export and Usage of Rafale Jets

Importance for France: The Rafale is a key component of France’s nuclear deterrence capabilities.

Orders and Deliveries: France has ordered a total of 192 Rafales, with 153 already delivered by the end of 2022.

Future Orders: Plans for a further order of 30 fighters and additional Rafales to offset those sold to Greece and Croatia are in the pipeline.

Flight and Operational Hours: The aircraft has accumulated a total of 405,000 flight hours, including 63,500 operational hours flown by French pilots since 2007.

AT-1 Bonds

Subscription disappointment: Against an issue size of 10,000 crore, investors responded relatively poorly to State Bank of India’s (SBI) additional tier-1 (AT-1) bond issuance, raising only 3,101 crore.

Impact on Market confidence: It is anticipated that the underwhelming reaction will depress market confidence and make fundraising more difficult for other PSU banks, possibly causing delays in their fundraising plans.

How do AT1 Bonds work?

Definition: Basel-III-compliant AT-1 bonds, also known as Additional Tier-1 bonds, are perpetual, unsecured bonds issued by banks to bolster their core capital bases.

Instruments that are Complex Hybrid: AT-1 bonds are intricate financial instruments best suited for institutions and experienced investors who can evaluate their terms and decide whether the higher rates offset the increased risks.

Face Value: Each AT-1 bond typically carries a face value of ₹10 lakh.

Acquisition Routes: Retail investors can acquire these bonds through initial private placement offers by banks or by purchasing already-traded AT-1 bonds in the secondary market based on broker recommendations.

Key Features and Importance of AT1 Bonds

Perpetual Nature: AT-1 bonds do not have a maturity date. Instead, they include call options that allow banks to redeem them after a specific period, usually five or ten years. Banks can choose to pay only interest indefinitely without redeeming the bonds.

Flexibility in Interest Payments: Banks issuing AT-1 bonds can skip interest payouts or even reduce the bonds’ face value if their capital ratios fall below certain thresholds specified in the offer terms.

Regulatory Intervention: If a bank faces financial distress, the RBI has the authority to ask the bank to cancel its outstanding AT-1 bonds without consulting the investors. 

New Scorpene Class Submarines for Navy

Procurement Announcement: The three additional Scorpene submarines will be procured under the Buy (Indian) category. The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai will build the submarines.

Scorpene Submarines and Project-75

Project-75: MDL is already building six Scorpene class submarines under Project-75, with technology transfer from the French defense firm.

Commissioned Submarines: Five out of the six Scorpene submarines have been commissioned, with the final one expected to be commissioned early next year.

Delays and Challenges: Project-75 faced significant delays, as the first submarine was originally scheduled for delivery in 2012.

Need for Additional Submarines

Addressing Delays and Fleet Strength: The procurement of three additional submarines is necessary to compensate for the delayed deliveries under Project-75 and strengthen India’s submarine fleet.

Current Fleet Status: The Indian Navy currently operates 16 conventional submarines, but it needs a minimum of 18 submarines to carry out its full spectrum of operations.

Refit Challenges: Around 30% of submarines are under refit at any given time, further reducing the number of operational submarines.

Employment Opportunities: Procuring additional submarines with higher indigenous content will create employment opportunities and enhance MDL’s submarine construction capabilities.

Capabilities of Scorpene Submarines

Attack Submarines: Scorpene submarines are designed as conventional attack submarines to target and sink enemy naval vessels.

Weapons and Surveillance: They can launch a variety of torpedoes and missiles, equipped with surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems.

Specifications: Scorpene submarines are approximately 220 feet long, with a height of about 40 feet. They have a top speed of 11 knots when surfaced and 20 knots when submerged.

Diesel-Electric Propulsion: These submarines use diesel-electric propulsion systems, providing an endurance of around 50 days.

Comparison with Nuclear Submarines

India’s Current Nuclear Submarines: India currently operates two nuclear-powered submarines (SSBMs) of the Arihant class.

Endurance and Speed: Nuclear submarines have theoretically unlimited endurance and can operate for up to 30 years without refuelling. They can also achieve higher speeds.

Cost and Expertise: Nuclear submarines are expensive and require specialized expertise to operate.

Advancements in Conventional Submarines: Diesel-electric technology has significantly improved the range and stealth of conventional submarines.

Air Independent Propulsion (AIP): Retrofitting Scorpene submarines with AIP systems will enhance their endurance and stealth capabilities.

Age of Consent for Data Protection

Increasing the powers of the Central Government: The impending data protection Bill in India may give the Centre the power to decrease the legal age of consent for using Internet services from 18 to 13 without parental agreement.

Exemptions for Specific Companies: If a particular company can process data in a “verifiably safe” manner, the Bill may exempt that company from further duties to protect children’s privacy.

Why in news?

Departure from Previous Bill: This marks a departure from the previous data protection Bill, where the age threshold was hard-coded at 18 years.

Aligning with global laws: The change aligns with data protection regulations in the Western world, such as the EU and US.

Journey of a Clause: Changing Definition of a Child

Justice BN Srikrishna Committee Report: The committee’s 2018 report recommended seeking parental consent for individuals under 18 years but suggested that the age of consent could be reduced if amendments were made.

Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019: The PDP Bill, 2019 retained the recommendation and defined a child as an individual under the age of 18.

Joint Committee of Parliament Recommendations: The Joint Committee proposed reducing the age of consent to 13/14/16 years in its final recommendations in late 2021.

Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022: The draft Bill defined children as those under 18 years of age, leading to dissatisfaction among social media companies.

Final Change: The data protection Bill headed to Parliament’s Monsoon session reportedly changed the definition of a child to an individual who has not completed the age of eighteen years or a lower age notified by the Central Government.

Global Definitions of Children for Data Regulations

EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): The age of consent is set at 16 but allows member states to lower it to as low as 13. Specific protections for children’s personal data exist.

USA’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): Children are defined as under 13 years, and parental consent is required for processing their personal data.

Australia’s Privacy Act, 1988: The Act protects personal information regardless of age but requires organizations to assess an individual’s capacity to consent on a case-by-case basis.

China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL): Entities handling personal data of individuals under 14 years must obtain parental consent, and children’s data is categorized as sensitive.

EV Tires: A lesser-known Pollution Headache

Meeting EVs’ Needs: Tire manufacturers strive to develop the perfect tire that balances performance and durability for electric vehicles (EVs).

Weight and Torque Considerations: EVs’ increased weight and torque require sturdier tires to handle the load and efficiently transfer power to the road.

Leading Manufacturers’ Efforts: Tire companies are improving designs and developing chemical formulas to meet the demands of EVs.

Environmental Impact of Tires

Beyond Tailpipe Emissions: Tires significantly contribute to environmental degradation beyond exhaust emissions.

Tire Wear and Particle Shedding: Worn tires release tiny particles, which can become airborne or settle on soil, posing risks to air and land quality.

Microplastic Pollution: Tire particles entering waterways contribute to the growing problem of microplastic pollution.

VOCs and Smog: Tires contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that react in the atmosphere, contributing to smog formation and air pollution.

Tire Emissions and Electric Vehicles

Surpassing Tailpipe Emissions: Tire particulate pollution has exceeded emissions from vehicle tailpipes.

EVs’ Weight Impact: EVs’ additional weight results in higher tire wear emissions compared to traditional vehicles.

Tesla Model Y vs. Kia Niro: A study showed that the Tesla Model Y exhibited 26% greater tire wear emissions than the Kia Niro.

Environmental Hazards and Solutions

Water Pollution and Microplastics: Tire particulate pollution contributes to water pollution and the accumulation of microplastics.

Health Hazards and 6PPD: The chemical 6PPD in tires poses risks to aquatic life, edible plants, and human health.

Balancing Climate Goals and Tire Emissions: Addressing tire emissions is crucial when transitioning to electric vehicles to mitigate overall pollution levels.

Reducing Car Use vs. Economic Activity: Balancing environmental concerns and economic activity while reducing car usage is essential for sustainable mobility.

Market Mechanisms and Individual Actions

Incentivizing Innovation: Market mechanisms can encourage tire companies to invest in developing low-emission tire formulations.

VOC Toxicity Variations: Stricter industry standards are needed to regulate volatile organic compound (VOC) toxicity levels in tires.

Individual Actions for Tire Wear Reduction: Responsible driving habits can reduce tire wear and particulate emissions.

Maximizing Lifespan: Using tires to their full lifespan minimizes particulate emissions during the initial usage period.