Defence News

The DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) is looking for industrial partners to help commercialize its laser-induced sensing technology for biological agent identification. The Laser Science and Technology Center (LASTEC) of the DRDO developed this technology, which has the potential to revolutionize biowarfare detection and homeland security. The DRDO emphasizes laser technology's versatility, emphasizing its potential uses in homeland security, defence, environmental sciences, and medical sciences. In the current atmosphere of increased bio-terrorist threats, the organization sees this technology as a critical tool for protecting both military and civilian personnel from biological, chemical, and explosive agents. The...

In order to work with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and incorporate its cutting-edge weaponry into the fighter jets Tejas Mk1A and Mk2, MBDA UK is actively seeking opportunities for collaboration. Through this partnership, India's domestic fighter aircraft capabilities would be combined with the state-of-the-art missile technology from MBDA. MBDA, which has previously offered India with its ASRAAM and Meteor air-to-air missiles, is now preparing to introduce its SPEAR and Brimstone missiles of the next generation. With these missiles, the Tejas fighter jets would be able to carry out more accurate precision strikes. SPEAR is a next-generation surface attack weapon that is fired from the air and is designed for use against advanced...

The Department of Defence Production's flagship program, Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), signed its 300th contract on Friday. The contract is related to the design and development of advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which are necessary for the next generation of wireless transmitters in defence applications, such as electronics warfare jammers and radars. The Defence Ministry in a statement said that currently, almost all GaN components are imported being a sensitive and cutting-edge technology whose export is controlled and restricted by many countries. It states that the plan is to use entirely domestic GaN technology to design, develop, and produce GaN defence component parts in India. This would greatly...

With the use of indigenous weaponry and air-to-air refueling methods, the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) recently shown its strength in long-range marine strike operations. This exercise demonstrated the command's preparedness to protect India's maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific area, which is strategically significant. The commander-in-chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN), Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, personally oversaw a maritime strike mission using Su-30 MKI fighter jets from the squadron known as the "Tiger Sharks." The Andaman and Nicobar Islands' capital city of Port Blair served as the mission's starting point. Throughout the mission, the Su-30 MKI fighter jets used indigenous weapons, demonstrating India's...

According to The Australia Today, three supporters of Khalistan who attempted to kill well-known radio personality Harnek Singh of Auckland, who has spoken out against the organization's ideology, received sentences. While Sukhpreet Singh, 44, was found guilty of being an accessory, 27-year-old Sarvjeet Sidhu pleaded guilty to attempted murder. According to The Australia Today, which cited NZ Herald, the third person, a 48-year-old Auckland resident with interim name suppression, organized the attack and harbored anger toward Harnek Singh for his outspoken opposition to the separatist cause. During Trial, Judge Mark Woolford underscored the criticality of community protection and the importance of implementing a robust deterrent...

The 52-year-old Indian national Nikhil Gupta was extradited to the United States in mid-November, just days before he was formally charged in a New York court, from a maximum-security jail in Prague. The extradition is related to a purported plot by an Indian officer to kill Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. On June 30, 2023, Gupta was taken into custody by Czech officials at the airport in Prague. According to reports, he traveled and conducted business in the Czech Republic. However, Czech National Drug Authority were alerted of Gupta's alleged past involvement in drug trafficking. Following Gupta's arrest, Czech officials notified the Indian embassy in Prague of the situation at hand. Gupta's past was initially unknown...

The US and its Five Eyes allies—Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—have taken a more restrictive approach to Indian intelligence agents despite developing closer strategic ties with India. This change in strategy is related to the ongoing investigation into claims that an Indian official was part of a conspiracy to kill a Sikh separatist. The US government has officially applauded India's commitment to look into the problem, but it has also increased limitations on RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officials being deployed to Indian embassies in the Five Eyes nations. This action is in response to worries about possible inconsistencies between Indian intelligence operations and the interests of the host...

The world's largest thorium reserves are located in India, and with the establishment of the first thorium-based nuclear plant, "Bhavni," at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, there is hope for increased exploitation of this resource, as Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh told Parliament earlier this year. The minister stated, "It will be completely indigenous and the first of its kind." Kalpakkam is already home to the experimental thorium plant known as "Kamini." It is predicted that there are two lakh tonnes of radioactive thorium deposits along the Keralan coast. The state's electricity utility has applied to the Center for approval to establish a nuclear power plant using thorium on land at an NTPC unit close to the coast of...

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to undergo an overhaul of its fleet of Soviet-origin Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters, which have been grounded for years due to lack of overhaul. The overhaul will be carried out at No.3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) in Chandigarh, with assistance from Russia. The contract is expected to be finalized within three months, with the overhaul expected to be completed within a year of signing. The decision to overhaul the helicopters within India is a significant step towards enhancing the IAF's heavy-lift capabilities, which are crucial for transporting troops, equipment, and cargo in challenging environments, including high-altitude regions. The overhaul process will involve a comprehensive assessment of each...

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari stated that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will no longer require attack helicopter imports since the Prachand Combat chopper made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be adequate to suit its needs for any kind of mission. There are presently 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the IAF's fleet. The Union Defence Ministry has given its approval to a plan to buy 156 Prachand Combat helicopters. Ninety of these will be used by the Indian Army, and sixty-six by the IAF. The Prachand, also known as the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), is the result of two decades of R&D. It developed in response to the demand for indigenous attack helicopters following the Kargil War in 1999. Air Chief...

Officials reported on Friday that an unidentified terrorist was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama area. According to reports, a gun battle erupted at New Colony in the Arihal section of the district on Thursday after security forces conducted an anti-militancy operation in the orchards there. While the operation continued, one terrorist was shot and killed, said officials. The terrorist's identify and organization connection were not immediately established, they said. With inputs from PTI

According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, work is being done to close gaps in a 60-kilometer region along India's two main borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan, which would be fully secured within the next two years. Shah was addressing after saluting a ceremonial march of the Border Security Force (BSF) on the occasion of its 59th Raising Day festivities here. The minister stated that in the nine years since taking office, the Narendra Modi administration has sealed and fortified gaps along roughly 560 kilometers of the borders between Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. He stated that all gaps in these two borders on India's western and eastern flanks are being filled, with only roughly 60 kilometers of work remaining. "We will...

On Friday, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the government is making every effort to repatriate eight former naval servicemen from Qatar who were given death sentences by a Qatari court. At a press conference, Admiral Kumar stated, "We are working closely to ensure that their interests are looked after." He said, "The Indian government is making every effort to ensure their return." The Indian nationals were sentenced to death on October 26 by the Court of First Instance in Qatar. India promised to investigate all legal possibilities in the matter and called the verdict "deeply" disturbing. A higher court in Qatar has already accepted the plea, and an appeal against the death penalty has already been filed. The legal team...