The Indian Army took another leap in technology empowerment with the launch of Indian Army web portal on internet on Thursday. The web portal is hosted on NIC server at domain www.indianarmy.nic.in.

The newly launched web portal has been developed on the state of the art technology available. It is built on a strong platform to thwart any hacking/defacing attempts, a government release said.

The design also features a fresh look and offers various options like search, user interactivity, latest events, feedback, secured login, decentralised data update, space for all the arms/services of the Indian Army etc.

Meanwhile, defence minister AK Antony presented Raksha Mantri's Awards for excellence to defence PSUs and ordnance factories for research and development.

He exhorted public sector enterprises to continue their adjustment process and improve their competitive edge to survive.

He said the armed forces will have to reduce dependence on imported arms and for this Indian ordnance factories should take effective steps to achieve self-reliance. For this, he said the defence PSUs, ordnance factories, DRDO and the armed forces must follow an integrated approach towards indigenisation efforts.
     
The institutional recipients of the defence minister's awards for excellence for the year 2007-08 included: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (excellence in performance - trophy); BEML Ltd  (best performance in exports - trophy); Bharat Electronics Ltd, Hyderabad (best performing division among DPSUs - trophy); Ammunition Factory, Khadki, Pune (best performing factory of OFB - trophy); Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai (best performing shipyard - trophy).

Group / individual awards of Rs1,00,000 each for import substitution were given to: Bharat Electronics Limited, Ghaziabad for Engineering and realization of Rohini Radar D & E model in collaboration with LRDE (design agency); and Garden Reach shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, Kolkata for Indigenisation of centrifugal pumps of Russian origin for warships/submarines in Indian Navy.

Awards for design efforts were given to:

MILCOM SBU unit of BEL, Bangalore for design and development of STARS V- Mk II 5W / 25W radio sets and its various accessories; and Ordnance Factory, Dehu Road, Maharashtra for development of modified igniter NP- Type II Mk-1 for 455 litre container bombs for Air Force. 

Innovation awards were given to:
 
Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai for Innovative approach in overhaul of propulsion motor and their mounts of German origin submarines of Indian Navy without resorting to usual practice of cutting pressure hull which is usual practice at OEM and also world over; and CRL, BEL, Bangalore for development of hand-held computer, part of the Shakti-Tactical Network project for artillery of Indian Army.