Category: Defence

H-125 final assembly line is a milestone in India-France strategic partnership: Raksha Mantri “Govt is committed to achieving self-reliance in critical tech & manufacturing high-end products through mutually beneficial partnerships” Mumbai: Prime Minister  Narendra Modi and French President  Emmanuel Macron, virtually inaugurated, from Mumbai, Tata Advanced Systems Final Assembly Line of the Airbus H-125 Light Utility Helicopter, located at Vemagal, Karnataka. Raksha Mantri  Rajnath Singh, French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin, Union Minister of Civil Aviation  KR Naidu and Minister for Large & Medium Industries,…

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New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is undertaking sustained aerial firefighting operations in the Northeastern region of the country, responding to active forest fires in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. At Walong, Arunachal Pradesh, IAF helicopters have successfully extinguished a major wildfire. A total of 139,800 litres of water was dropped during multiple sorties to contain and eliminate the blaze in the affected area. Simultaneously, firefighting operations are continuing over Dzukou Valley in Nagaland. The IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopters are undertaking water-bucketing missions, drawing water from Padumpokhiri Lake, Dimapur, to…

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ASEAN is a central pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, shared security is the foundation of regional prosperity:  Rajnath Singh RM invites ASEAN partners to benefit from India’s defence technology ecosystem matured due to self-reliance efforts Delhi: On the sidelines of the MILAN 2026 Naval exercise, Raksha Mantri  Rajnath Singh held an interaction with visiting Navy Chiefs and Naval delegations from nine ASEAN member states in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on February 19, 2026. The meeting underscored India’s commitment to its ‘Act East Policy’ and the vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement…

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New Delhi: India is reportedly in advanced discussions with France to procure 31 additional carrier-capable Rafale Marine fighter jets for the Indian Navy, according to French media reports. The move comes alongside New Delhi’s massive 114-aircraft Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program for the Indian Air Force, potentially cementing the Rafale platform as the backbone of India’s future combat aviation fleet. A report in the French publication La Tribune stated that India has formally conveyed its interest in expanding its naval Rafale fleet. The development follows the Defence Acquisition Council’s recent…

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New Delhi/Bengaluru |  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday inaugurated a new missile integration facility at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Bengaluru and flagged off the combat systems of the third and fourth regiments of the Akash missile system. During the event, the Defence Minister also formally unveiled the Mountain Fire Control Radar, designed specifically for deployment in high-altitude and mountainous terrains. Strengthening India’s Air Defence Describing the development as a major step towards strengthening India’s air defence capabilities, Singh said indigenous air defence and anti-drone systems had proven their…

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New Delhi | Amid growing speculation over India’s potential acquisition of 114 additional Rafale fighter jets, France is set to deepen its defence partnership with New Delhi, with a key focus on the joint production of the advanced HAMMER missile system in India. French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin will meet India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on February 17 in Bengaluru. The two leaders will co-chair the sixth India–France Annual Defence Dialogue, where discussions are expected to include extending the bilateral defence cooperation agreement for another ten years and signing a Memorandum…

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New Delhi: In a major blow to transnational maritime crime, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully busted an international oil smuggling racket through a meticulously planned sea-air coordinated operation conducted on 05–06 February 2026. The operation led to the interception of three suspect vessels involved in the illegal transfer of oil and oil-based cargo originating from conflict-affected regions. The operation was initiated following the detection of suspicious maritime activity by the Indian Coast Guard’s technology-enabled surveillance systems. A motor tanker operating within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) raised red…

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Salalah | The Indian Navy’s sail training ship INS Sudarshini has successfully completed the first port call of its landmark trans-oceanic expedition Lokayan 26 at Salalah, Oman, on February 5, 2026, marking an important step in strengthening India–Oman maritime ties. The ten-month global voyage aims to showcase India’s maritime heritage while promoting the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the belief that the world is one family—through naval diplomacy and cultural outreach. During the port visit, the Commanding Officer of INS Sudarshini held interactions with Captain Mohammad Al Ghailani, Southern Naval Area Commander of…

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New Delhi | Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral discussions with the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias, in New Delhi on Monday, reaffirming the growing India–Greece Strategic Partnership built on shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect. During the meeting, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation between their indigenous defence industries, aligning India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative with Greece’s defence modernisation programme under Agenda 2030. A Joint Declaration of Intent was signed to enhance defence industrial collaboration, marking the beginning of a…

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New Delhi | In a major development for India’s indigenous defence capabilities, the Ministry of Defence has shortlisted three industry consortia for the development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter programme. The AMCA is expected to form the backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the coming decades. According to Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the selection was made after evaluating seven industry consortia that participated in the pre-qualification phase. The assessment was based on technical expertise, financial strength, and advanced aerospace manufacturing…

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