Category: Defence

Bengaluru | In a major boost to India’s growing unmanned aviation capabilities, the Indian Air Force’s elite Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) has successfully trained its first dedicated drone test team. The milestone was marked at a valedictory function held on December 19 at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru. The ceremony saw officers completing two specialised courses being honoured — the maiden Test Course (Unmanned Aerial Systems), focused exclusively on drone and unmanned platform testing, and the 25th Production Test Pilots Course. Officers who excelled…

Read More

New Delhi | The National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Sainik Schools, long regarded as the primary feeder institutions for grooming officers for the Indian Armed Forces, are failing to deliver the expected results despite massive public spending, a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed. Presented in Parliament, the CAG report highlights that although enrolment levels in NCC units and Sainik Schools remain high, the actual number of candidates who eventually join the Indian Army as officers is far lower than anticipated. The findings raise serious…

Read More

New Delhi | In a significant step towards strengthening India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and reducing reliance on imports, India Optel Limited (IOL) has signed a strategic agreement with France’s Safran Electronics & Defense to manufacture high-precision defence systems in India. The systems will be deployed across artillery, air defence and missile platforms of the Indian Armed Forces. The agreement was formally signed on December 22 by IOL Chairman and Managing Director Tushar Tripathi and Alexandre Ziegler, Head of Safran’s Global Defense Business Unit, in the presence of Defence Production Secretary…

Read More

Al Hamra (UAE) | The armed forces of India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are currently engaged in Exercise Desert Cyclone–II in Al Hamra, sharpening their preparedness for urban warfare operations amid realistic desert conditions. The joint military exercise has reached a crucial phase, with troops from both nations undertaking intensive training in built-up areas to enhance interoperability and operational synergy. Running from December 18 to December 30, 2025, Desert Cyclone–II is the second edition of the bilateral exercise. The first edition was conducted in 2024 at the Mahajan…

Read More

New Delhi | As 2025 draws to a close, India’s armed forces may receive a significant strategic boost with the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) set to hold its final meeting of the year on December 26. The high-level meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is expected to take crucial decisions on the emergency procurement of missiles, precision-guided munitions and advanced radar systems—moves that could further strengthen India’s defence posture amid ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan. Officials indicated that the meeting will revisit several Emergency Procurement (EP) proposals that…

Read More

New Delhi: India has unveiled a ground breaking indigenous stealth cruise missile system known as the LRP2GM, or Long Range Powered Precision Guided Munition. Developed by JSR Dynamics, this advanced weapon was recently showcased to the Indian Navy as a versatile precision strike platform, according to a report by Defence Blog. Capable of ground- and ship-launched operations, it represents a significant step forward in India’s self-reliant defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The LRP2GM falls into the lightweight ~400 kg class, with an all-up weight ranging from 360 to 390…

Read More

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s economic resilience during his address to the Indian diaspora in Muscat, Oman, on 18 December 2025. Speaking at the Maitri Parv program, he emphasised that India remains the fastest-growing major economy amid a global slowdown. Recent data showed India’s growth exceeding 8 per cent, even as leading global economies grapple with headwinds. Modi pointed out that while the world’s largest economies struggle for modest gains of a few per cent, India sustains high growth rates. This performance underscores the nation’s capabilities and…

Read More

New Delhi: India’s private space sector has achieved a remarkable funding milestone, securing $150 million so far in the current financial year, the highest since the government permitted private participation in 2020. This surge, announced by IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka at the India Economic Forum in New Delhi, underscores the rapid maturation of the ecosystem. The figure was reached earlier in the week, with projections indicating totals will exceed $200 million by March 2026, more than double the previous fiscal’s inflows.​ Investor enthusiasm has intensified, propelled by policy reforms that…

Read More

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Air Force Commanders’ Conclave, where he lauded the Indian Air Force’s performance during Operation Sindoor. He highlighted India’s “high-impact, short-duration” operational capability, demonstrated effectively by the armed forces in this decisive action. Singh urged commanders to extract valuable lessons from the operation and remain prepared for future challenges. Operation Sindoor commenced early on 7 May, targeting multiple terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Indian Air Force executed strikes with courage, speed, and precision, destroying terror camps. This swift response effectively…

Read More

New Delhi: India’s pursuit of sixth-generation aerial superiority represents a profound strategic recalibration, moving decisively from platform-centric development to a technology-led paradigm. As global air forces evolve beyond fifth-generation capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has issued a clarion call through its Research Centre Imarat (RCI). In December 2025, RCI launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting Indian private firms and deep-tech start-ups to collaborate on quantum avionic sensors, signalling New Delhi’s ambition to dominate the skies of the 2040s. This pivot comes at a time when the…

Read More