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At the "Bharat Drone Varta" seminar organized by FICCI, Vumlunmang Vualnam, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, reaffirmed India's goal of becoming a global drone hub by 2030. The seminar, themed "Driving India's Drone Indigenization," highlighted the importance of domestic drone production and technology development. Vualnam acknowledged the positive impact of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in boosting the drone sector and called for industry recommendations to...

Wing Commander Abhinav Sharma, dismissed from the Indian Air Force following the accidental firing of a Brahmos missile into Pakistan in March 2022, claims "blatant gaps and ambiguities" in missile handling procedures led to the incident. Sharma asserts that he was not consulted before the launch and that the operations officer proceeded without his input. ad The incident, which caused significant diplomatic tension between India and Pakistan, was attributed to a technical malfunction by the...

In a move to bolster its defence capabilities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning a significant expansion of its airfield infrastructure. The Ministry of Defence and the IAF are in advanced talks to take over three existing airstrips in Uttarakhand and construct a new one in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley. This initiative aims to counter China's rapid infrastructure development in the region and enhance India's surveillance and response...

In a bid to bolster its naval prowess, the Indian Navy is intensifying efforts to enhance the stealth capabilities of its warships. The focus is on minimizing the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of exposed weapons and sensor systems, making vessels less detectable by enemy radar. This initiative is a key component of the Navy's broader strategy to integrate advanced stealth features into its warships, particularly those being developed under the "Made in India" campaign. ad The Navy is urging its...

The development of a powerful new engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mk2 is critical to the success of India's ambitious 5th generation fighter jet program, according to former Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria. In a recent interview with News9 Plus, he emphasized the urgency of prioritizing the engine's development to avoid potential delays that could hinder the program's overall progress. ad The AMCA program received a significant boost...

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to embark on a major fleet modernization program, gradually phasing out its older Su-30MKI fighter jets starting in 2045. This transition, as outlined by former Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria in a recent interview with News9 Plus, will see the induction of the indigenously developed Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mk II, a 5.5 generation stealth fighter. ad The Su-30MKI, a workhorse of the IAF since its induction in 2001, has been instrumental in...

NEW DELHI – India's ambitious nuclear attack submarine program has taken a significant leap forward with the recent Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval for the construction of two new SSNs. Reports from Times of India indicate these submarines will displace nearly 10,000 tons, making them substantially larger and potentially more capable than previously estimated. This places them in the same league as the US Navy's formidable Virginia-class Block V submarines and significantly...

The departure of Angela Merkel as German Chancellor in 2021 signaled a significant shift in Germany's defence export policies, paving the way for ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to re-emerge as a leading contender in India's ambitious P75I submarine project. Under Merkel's 16-year leadership, TKMS faced considerable hurdles in its pursuit of the Indian contract. Despite being a frontrunner, stringent export controls and demanding technology transfer requirements imposed by the Indian...

In a move likely prompted by India's growing arsenal of loitering suicide drones, China has upgraded its Type 15 light tanks with prominent anti-drone "cope cages." This development, first observed during a high-altitude combat exercise in the PLA's Western Theater Command on October 6, 2024, highlights the increasing importance of drone defence in modern warfare. ad The Type 15, designed for mountainous and jungle terrain like that found along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, is...

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is actively pursuing the development of anti-drone capabilities using its fleet of attack helicopters, including the Boeing AH-64 Apache and the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand. This initiative comes in response to the growing threat of armed drones and remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) in modern warfare, as evidenced by their prominent role in recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. ad Drones often evade traditional air...

The Indian Navy's highly anticipated decision on Project 75(I), a critical program to build six new submarines, is expected to be a key point of discussion during upcoming visits from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez later this month. Both countries are vying for this lucrative contract, adding a significant layer of strategic importance to their diplomatic visits. Chancellor Scholz, accompanied by a large delegation including Defence Minister Boris...

Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of the Rafale fighter jet, is facing scrutiny over its upgrade programs, with experts raising concerns about high costs and protracted timelines. This comes in the wake of Dassault's recent statement that replacing the Rafale's current RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with India's indigenous Uttam AESA could take up to eight years. ad This announcement has rekindled memories of the drawn-out Mirage-2000 upgrade program, which...

The Indian Army is significantly enhancing its anti-drone capabilities in response to the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) on modern battlefields. A recent Request for Information (RFI) reveals the army's intent to acquire advanced High-Power Microwave (HPM) systems, a cutting-edge technology designed to neutralize small drones. This move comes as countries like Turkey, China, the UK, and Russia increasingly utilize small drones in military operations. ad HPM systems offer a...

NEW DELHI – In a major boost to its defence capabilities, India is set to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from U.S.-based General Atomics, following approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The deal, expected to be finalized by the end of 2024, will see the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force receive these advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) between 2027 and 2030. ad The MQ-9B platform is renowned for its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities...

In a significant boost to India's indigenous defence manufacturing ambitions, France has pledged its support for the development of a powerful 110kN engine destined for the nation's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program. This collaborative effort will see France provide crucial technical expertise and support in the complex process of designing and building the advanced engine, which is expected to significantly enhance the AMCA's long-range strike capabilities. ad The partnership...

India is poised to enter the elite club of nations capable of manufacturing indigenous fighter jet engines, a significant advancement for its defence industry. Currently, this complex technology is mastered only by the permanent members of the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US. As India seeks to develop a cutting-edge engine for its next-generation fighter jets, it is fielding offers from several global defence giants, including France's Safran, the UK's...

India's pursuit of self-reliance in defence technology is gaining momentum with the Tejas Mk2 fighter jet program. Prabhulla Chandran VK, director of avionics and weapons systems at the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), has revealed that the Tejas Mk2 is projected to achieve an impressive 90% indigenous content by the time it enters production in 2031. ad This ambitious goal will be achieved in stages. The first Tejas Mk2 prototype, slated to take flight in 2026, will already feature...

In a significant move to bolster its naval capabilities and counter China's growing presence in the Indo-Pacific, India has approved the construction of two indigenously designed nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). This decision, made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks a major step forward in India's quest for strategic deterrence. ad The project, estimated to cost Rs 45,000 crore, will see the submarines built at the Ship...

In a significant move to enhance its military prowess, India has approved the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from US-based General Atomics. The deal, worth an estimated $3 billion, was greenlit by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. This acquisition marks a major step in bolstering India's defence capabilities and deterring potential adversaries in the region. ad The Predator drones, armed with Hellfire missiles, GBU-39B...

The Indian Navy's ambitious Project 75 India (P-75(I)) to acquire six advanced diesel-electric submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) has hit a snag. Both leading contenders, Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Spain's Navantia, have failed to fully meet the Navy's stringent requirements for AIP technology during field evaluation trials, according to sources within the defence establishment. ad The AIP system, which allows submarines to operate submerged for extended...