Category: Defence

New Delhi : Navratna defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has strengthened its order book with fresh contracts worth ₹569 crore, received after its previous disclosure on December 29, 2025. The latest inflow signals a strong finish to the third quarter of FY26 and reflects sustained demand for indigenous defence and electronic solutions. In a regulatory filing, BEL said the new orders cover a wide spectrum of products and services, including advanced communication systems, medical electronics, fire detection and suppression solutions, equipment upgrades, spares, and associated services. The diversified nature…

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New Delhi: The Indian Army is on the verge of achieving a historic breakthrough in artillery warfare, with plans underway to induct the world’s first ramjet-powered 155 mm artillery shells. This cutting-edge development marks a major leap in India’s military modernisation and firmly reinforces the country’s push towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence technology. Developed through a close collaboration between IIT-Madras and the Indian Army, the innovative shell is expected to extend the range of existing 155 mm artillery ammunition by 30 to 50 per cent without compromising destructive capability. Once…

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New Delhi: As India steps into 2026, its defence sector stands on the threshold of a historic transformation. What began as an ambitious policy vision under Atmanirbhar Bharat has evolved into a measurable, system-wide shift—one marked by indigenous manufacturing breakthroughs, record-high budgetary support, accelerated weapon inductions, and a decisive push toward becoming a global defence exporter. The year is not merely about new platforms entering service; it represents a structural realignment of India’s military-industrial ecosystem. From advanced fighter aircraft and stealth submarines to next-generation missiles and space-enabled warfare systems, 2026…

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Lucknow: The year 2025 will be remembered as a defining moment in modern global defence history—a year when geopolitics hardened, military budgets shattered records, technology reshaped battlefields, and long-simmering conflicts pushed the world closer to a permanent state of strategic tension. From Eastern Europe to the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, nations recalibrated their security priorities in response to a volatile international order where deterrence, rather than diplomacy, increasingly dictated policy. Global military spending surged to an unprecedented $2.7 trillion, reflecting not only ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza but…

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New Delhi | India and the United States have finalised a landmark government-to-government defence agreement worth approximately US$4 billion for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from American defence major General Atomics. The deal, one of the largest in the history of India–US defence cooperation, is set to significantly enhance India’s intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision-strike capabilities across land and maritime domains. The agreement, cleared by India’s Cabinet Committee on Security and formally signed in October 2024, includes not only the drones and associated weapons but…

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New Delhi | In a major boost to indigenous defence manufacturing, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has signed a contract with L&T Precision Engineering & Systems for the supply of six Rail-Less Helicopter Traversing Systems (RLHTS). The systems will be installed onboard the Coast Guard’s Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) currently under construction in India. The agreement was signed on Friday at the Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of senior officials. The contract was formalised by the Principal Director (Air Acquisition) of the Indian Coast Guard…

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New Delhi | A latest Pentagon assessment on China’s military power has confirmed that China has supplied 36 J-10C multirole fighter jets to Pakistan since 2020, validating long-standing Indian intelligence assessments on Beijing’s expanding defence footprint in South Asia. The disclosure forms part of the 2025 China Military Power Report, a congressionally mandated document submitted to the US Congress in December 2025. According to the report, 20 J-10C aircraft had been delivered to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by May 2025, with the remaining jets scheduled for induction by early…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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