Asianet Newsable

Indian Army Fires Hellfire Missiles From Apache In First-Ever Pokhran Exercise (WATCH)

Anish Kumar — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:28:31 +0530

An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fired AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at ground targets during live field firing exercise ‘Brahmastra’ at Rajasthan's Pokhran ranges on Thursday. It was for the first time the American-built gunship has conducted such an exercise in India since its induction into the Indian Army five years ago.

The Apache successfully engaged targets with Hellfire missiles and other onboard weapon systems at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges, in what the Army described as a demonstration of rapid target acquisition and precision strike capability in support of ground troops.

Indian Army’s Apache attack helicopter fires Hellfire missiles just few kilometres away from Pakistan in Rajasthan’s Pokhran. The helicopter was inducted into the force in 2020 and it was for the first time that Hellfire missiles were fired in the field. pic.twitter.com/COrBVdFwGC

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) April 9, 2026

The exercise marked a significant operational milestone for the Army Aviation Corps, establishing the Apache's live combat readiness in the Indian theatre.

The two-day exercise was designed to demonstrate how attack helicopters can operate in direct support of ground troops in contested environments — including conditions involving small arms fire, man-portable air defence systems, and drone threats.

Also Read: Game-Changer At Sea: INS Taragiri Joins Indian Navy With Advanced Weapons And Stealth Tech

The Apache entered service with the Indian Army in 2020 under a government-to-government deal with the United States, and is deployed primarily in anti-armour and close support roles along the northern and western sectors.

An Indian Army official said advanced sensors, fire control systems, and real-time data links enabled faster decision cycles during the exercises, allowing battlefield intelligence to be converted into immediate strikes.

The Army characterised the Apache as extending the reach and lethality of ground forces, while the Prachand was presented as evidence of India's growing self-reliance in combat aviation.

The demonstrations reflect a broader doctrinal shift within the Indian Army towards tighter integration of air and land assets — an approach that has gained renewed urgency following conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, where coordination between rotary-wing aviation and ground forces has proved tactically decisive.

A day earlier, on Wednesday, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi flew aboard the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's facility in Bengaluru — a sortie that carried its own institutional weight, signalling the Army leadership's backing for the indigenous platform at a time when HAL is seeking further orders from both the Army and the Navy.

The Prachand, developed by HAL and inducted in 2022, is optimised for high-altitude operations — a capability of particular relevance given the continuing military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Also Read: From Drones to Munitions: Sagar Defence Enters Explosives and Ammunition Manufacturing Space

Game-Changer At Sea: INS Taragiri Joins Indian Navy With Advanced Weapons And Stealth Tech

Anish Kumar — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:28:12 +0530

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday commissioned the fourth platform of the Project 17A class – INS Taragiri into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. A master-class in modern naval shipbuilding, this latest stealth frigate, with a displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes, has been designed by the Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, with the support of MSMEs, for multi-role operations.

“It utilizes advanced stealth technology to achieve a significantly reduced radar signature, providing a lethal edge in contested environments,” Indian Navy PRO Captain Vivek Madhwal said.

With over 75% indigenous content and built in significantly reduced timelines, INS Taragiri exemplifies India’s shipbuilding prowess and strong public-private collaboration.

Rajnath Singh on INS Taragiri

In his address, Rajnath Singh described INS Taragiri as not merely a warship but a symbol of India’s growing technological prowess, self-reliance, and formidable naval power.

“This ship is capable of high-speed transit and can remain deployed at sea for extended periods. It is equipped with systems designed to monitor enemy movements, ensure its own security, and if necessary, deliver an immediate response.”

“It features modern radar, sonar, and missile systems, such as BrahMos and surface-to-air missiles, which further augment its operational prowess. From high-intensity combat to maritime security, anti-piracy operations, coastal surveillance, and humanitarian missions, it fits perfectly into every role, making it a unique naval platform,” he said.

Rajnath Singh asserted that India, with a coastline stretching over 11,000 kilometers, is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and it cannot view its development in isolation from the ocean.

He added that approximately 95 percent of the country’s trade is conducted via maritime routes, and energy security is dependent on the sea, which makes building a strong and capable Navy not merely an option, but an absolute necessity.

Highlighting the immense significance of the maritime domain in the evolving security landscape, the defence minister stated that the Indian Navy maintains a round-the-clock presence across the Indian Ocean region amidst the global uncertainties.

“The vast expanse of the ocean contains numerous sensitive points, where our Navy has consistently maintained an active presence to ensure the smooth flow of goods. Whenever tensions flare, the Indian Navy steps-in to guarantee the security of commercial vessels and oil tankers. It is not only safeguarding India's national interests, but is also prepared to take every necessary measure to protect our citizens and trade routes across the globe. It is this capability that firmly establishes India as a responsible and formidable maritime power,” he said.

“We must not limit ourselves to safeguarding our coastlines; we must also ensure the security of critical sea lanes, choke points, and digital infrastructure that are inextricably linked to our national interests.”

“The Indian Navy is proactively engaged in all these security endeavors. This approach prepares us for future challenges. Whenever India constructs and deploys advanced vessels such as INS Taragiri, it serves as a guarantee of peace and prosperity for the entire region,” he said.

Rajnath Singh also pointed out that whenever a crisis arises, be it evacuation operations or humanitarian assistance, the Indian Navy invariably stands at the forefront, serving as a symbol of India's core values and unwavering commitment.

“INS Taragiri will further augment the strength, values, and commitment of our Navy,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi highlighted INS Taragiri’s rich legacy, recalling the erstwhile Leander-class frigate commissioned in 1980, which played a pioneering role in advancing India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and operational innovation.

Reflecting on the evolving maritime security environment, he underscored the growing complexities of the Indian Ocean Region, shaped by dynamic geopolitics, emerging technologies, and non-traditional threats.

Big Defence Boost: India Signs Rs 858 Crore Deals For Air Defence Missiles And Navy Aircraft Maintenance

Anish Kumar — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:31:27 +0530

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts, worth a total of Rs 858 crore, for the procurement of Tunguska Air Defence Missile System and Inspection (Depot Level) of P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft.

Tunguska Air Defence Missile System

The contract for the procurement of Tunguska Air Defence Missile Systems, valued at Rs 445 crore, for the Indian Army, was signed with JSC Rosoboronexport, Russia in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

These cutting-edge missiles will enhance India’s multilayered air defence capabilities against aerial threats including aircraft drones and cruise missiles.

The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts, worth a total of Rs 858 crore, for the procurement of Tunguska Air Defence Missile System and Inspection (Depot Level) of P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. pic.twitter.com/sUVy2WKKyL

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) March 27, 2026

The agreement will further strengthen the Indo-Russian strategic defence partnership.

Inspection of P8I Aircraft

The contract for the Inspection (Depot Level) of P8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft for Indian Navy under Buy Indian category with 100% Indigenous Content, valued at Rs 413 crore, was signed with Boeing India Defense Private Ltd, a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of Boeing, in the presence of senior officials of the Ministry of Defence.

“This contract will ensure Depot level maintenance of P8I fleet at in-country MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility, which is in line with Government of India’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India.”

Record Defence Boost As India Clears Rs 2.38 Lakh Crore Military Upgrades

Anish Kumar — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:18:12 +0530

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for a fresh set of procurement proposals collectively valued at around Rs 2.38 lakh crore -- pushing the total AoN sanctioned in the current financial year to a record Rs 6.73 lakh crore across 55 proposals.

It is the highest AoN quantum accorded in any single financial year, an official in the defence ministry said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh-headed DAC clears proposals worth Rs 2.38 lakh crore to augment defence capabilitiesThe proposals included:— For the Indian Army:— the Air Defence Tracked System, Armoured Piercing Tank Ammunition, High Capacity Radio Relay, Dhanush Gun System… pic.twitter.com/Qmz6nuIMRK

— Anish Singh (@anishsingh21) March 27, 2026

The DAC clearances span the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Coast Guard, and cut across air defence, artillery, communications, transport aviation, strike drones, maritime patrol, and engine sustainment -- a breadth that signals an accelerating capital modernisation cycle.

Indian Army

The Army secured AoN for five systems. The Air Defence Tracked System will integrate real-time air defence control and reporting capability, a critical gap the service has been trying to plug amid the proliferation of cruise missiles and loitering munitions in regional theatres.

The Dhanush Gun System -- an indigenous 155mm/45-calibre howitzer -- will extend artillery reach across all terrains, adding lethality and precision at longer ranges.

The Armoured Piercing Tank Ammunition clearance will sharpen the anti-armour punch of the Army's tank fleet at a time when peer-adversary armour modernization remains a live concern. Rounding out the Army basket are the High Capacity Radio Relay, aimed at hardening tactical communications against jamming and interception, and the Runway Independent Aerial Surveillance System, which will give ground units persistent ISR coverage without dependence on airfield infrastructure -- operationally relevant across the Ladakh frontier and the north-eastern highlands.

Indian Air Force The IAF won approvals across four proposals. The Medium Transport Aircraft programme -- a long-anticipated replacement for the ageing An-32 and Il-76 fleets -- will address strategic, tactical and operational airlift requirements for all three services.

Procurement of five additional S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile batteries will thicken the layered air defence architecture protecting vital areas against ballistic and cruise threats; the IAF already operates three squadrons under a 2018 contract with Russia.

The remaining two squadrons of S-400 will arrive at the end of this year.

The Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft approval marks a significant doctrinal shift, authorizing the IAF to pursue armed UAV platforms capable of offensive counter-air operations and stealth ISR -- a capability gap sharpened by lessons from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Finally, AoN for the overhaul of Su-30MKI aero engine aggregates will extend the service life of the IAF's largest combat aircraft fleet.

Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard received clearance for Heavy Duty Air Cushion Vehicles, to be deployed on multipurpose coastal missions including high-speed patrol, reconnaissance, search-and-rescue, and logistics support in shallow and littoral waters.

Record Fiscal Footprint

Capital procurement contracts signed during 2025-26 now stand at Rs 2.28 lakh crore across 503 proposals.

India Signs Rs 1,950 Crore Deal For Indigenous Mountain Radars To Boost Air Defence Power

Anish Kumar — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:23:17 +0530

New Delhi: In a significant stride toward realising India’s vision of self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday inked a capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of two state-of-the-art Mountain Radars, along with associated equipment and requisite infrastructure, for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The contract is valued at approximately ₹1,950 crore.

Advancing Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence

The contract has been concluded under the Buy (Indian – Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured), or IDDM, category — the highest priority classification under the Defence Acquisition Procedure.

“This designation underscores the government’s firm commitment to promoting domestic defence industrial capacity and reducing strategic dependence on foreign suppliers,” an official said.

The Mountain Radar system has been indigenously conceptualised, designed, and developed by the Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a premier laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

BEL, a Navratna defence public sector undertaking, will be responsible for the serial production, integration, and delivery of the systems.

Strategic and Operational Significance

Designed specifically for deployment in challenging high-altitude and mountainous terrain, the Mountain Radar is engineered to provide robust, all-weather air surveillance and threat detection capabilities along India’s sensitive borders.

Upon successful installation and commissioning, these radars will significantly enhance the IAF’s situational awareness, strengthen the country’s integrated air defence network, and contribute directly to national security.

The induction of these systems is expected to fill a critical operational gap in India’s radar coverage across difficult geographic corridors, where conventional surveillance infrastructure faces inherent limitations.

Deepening the Defence Industrial Ecosystem

“The contract represents a tangible outcome of the Government of India’s Make in India initiative in the defence sector, reinforcing its policy of prioritising indigenously developed platforms and systems.”

“The collaboration between DRDO’s research establishment and BEL’s manufacturing expertise exemplifies the model of public sector synergy that the government seeks to replicate across defence acquisition programmes.”

Lessons From Operation Sindoor: Defence Ministry Floats RFI For Next-Gen Air Defence Gun To Counter Drone Swarms

Anish Kumar — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:09:09 +0530

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has floated a request for information (RFI) for the procurement of next-generation air defence gun system (ADG-NG) and ammunition for the Indian Army, designed to counter evolving aerial threats, including drones, aircraft, and missiles.

The next-generation air defence gun system (ADG-NG) and ammunition must have indigenous content of at least 50%, with emphasis on local manufacturing and technology transfer.

The move comes at a time when the threat landscape has fundamentally shifted from conventional fighter jets and helicopters to electrically operated drones with very low radar cross-section and infrared signatures.

The RFI explicitly references Operation Sindoor, noting that adversaries on the Western Front employed drones and swarm drones for both surveillance and strikes against civil and defence installations.

Why does Indian Army want to procure ADG-NG system?

The Army intends to procure these gun systems to ensure timely detection, tracking and cost-effective neutralization thereby protecting the Vulnerable Areas and Vulnerable Points (VAs/VPs) from critical damage.

Envisioned as a vehicle-mounted or towed gun platform, the next-generation air defence gun can autonomously detect, track, and engage a wide range of aerial and ground threats – day or night – using an integrated Electro-Optical Fire Control System (EOFCS).

The system must provide terminal all-weather air defence protection, capable of engaging a broad spectrum of threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters (including hovering), remotely piloted aircraft and drones, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions, and RAM (Rocket, Artillery & Mortar) threats at ranges of 4000 meters or more, with a target engagement speed of 500 m/s.

The gun should have a rate of fire of at least 300 rounds per minute with effective engagement height of 2500 meters or more.

As per the RFI, micro-light aircraft, para-motors, paragliders, and aero models have also been listed as targets.

The power supply options must include onboard generator, batteries, or mains, with silent operation capabilities. The system should be upgradeable, modular, and capable of integration with existing radars and navigation systems.

On the ammunition front, the Indian Army requires the gun to fire both smart programmable rounds – pre-fragmented and proximity-fused – and standard High Explosive rounds with tracers.

All rounds must feature self-destruction capability. The autoloader system must allow reloading by no more than two personnel, and ammunition must carry a shelf life of at least 10 years.

The RFI also sought specific detection, recognition, and identification (DRI) ranges for targets including a DJI Mavic Pro 3 drone, a Cheetah helicopter, and a Rafale fighter jet.

Vendors have been asked to submit detailed technical and product information by June 11.

India Declares End Of Naxalism After 50 Years: How Development And Security Changed The Red Corridor

Anish Kumar — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:59:24 +0530

New Delhi: India formally announced the end of the Naxal menace on March 31 — a chapter of violent Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) that had haunted the country's tribal heartland for over five decades.

What began as an agrarian uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal in 1967 and evolved into one of Asia's most persistent insurgencies has been brought to its knees not merely by superior firepower, but by an unprecedented fusion of security operations, infrastructure investment, and grassroots welfare delivery that reached the most remote forest clearings of Bastar and beyond.

The transformation did not happen overnight. Beginning in 2014, successive governments pursued a doctrine that treated LWE not only as a law-and-order problem but as a symptom of developmental exclusion.

The strategy's success is now written in hard numbers across health, education, finance, infrastructure, and democratic participation.

Healing the Heartland: Healthcare Reaches the Forest

For generations, tribal communities in Chhattisgarh's Sukma and Bijapur districts lacked access to even basic medical care. That changed decisively with the construction of a 240-bed Super Specialty Hospital in Jagdalpur — a facility that would not look out of place in any state capital.

Complementing it, two brand-new Field Hospitals were erected in Bijapur and Sukma, taking quality care directly into conflict zones.

Six additional field hospitals were upgraded, raising the total network of frontline medical infrastructure to unprecedented levels.

The impact has been measurable in lives. Since 2017, these facilities have collectively treated over 67,500 patients, many of whom previously had no alternative but forest healers or a multi-day journey to distant towns.

Simultaneously, the state's community health architecture deepened its roots. The Mitanin Programme — Chhattisgarh's flagship community health scheme — empowered over 70,000 grassroots health workers, more than 80 per cent of them drawn from marginalised or tribal backgrounds.

In urban pockets, women-led Mahila Arogya Samitis tackled food security (74.1%), sanitation (70.8%), and gender-based violence (60.8%).

Over 12,927 special health camps served 7,66,585 beneficiaries, making healthcare a lived reality rather than a distant promise.

Banking the Unbanked: Financial Inclusion at Scale

If roads are the veins of development, financial inclusion is its lifeblood. In LWE-affected regions, exclusion from formal banking had long kept communities dependent on money-lenders and outside middlemen — fertile ground for Naxal recruitment.

Since 2014, that reality has been systematically dismantled. The Department of Posts alone opened 6,025 new post offices with full banking services, carrying the state's financial reach into the most isolated hamlets.

A further 1,804 bank branches became operational, supported by 1,321 new ATMs.

Most crucially, 75,000 banking correspondents — local agents who carry financial services door-to-door — were activated across the region, ensuring that even villagers unable to travel to a branch could access savings, insurance, and government transfers.

Knowledge as Liberation: Schools in the Jungle

Education has long been the Naxal movement's most effective recruiting tool — or rather, its absence has been.

The government's response has been to build at a pace that has no precedent in the region's history.

Since 2014, a total of 9,303 schools have been constructed in LWE-affected areas. Of 258 Eklavya Model Residential Schools sanctioned for tribal children, 179 are now fully operational, offering hostel facilities and quality education to students who previously walked hours to reach a classroom.

Eleven Kendriya Vidyalayas and six Navodaya Vidyalayas have also been established, anchoring high-quality central government schooling in former stronghold districts.

Government Schemes: Welfare Finds Its Address

The most politically significant shift may be the most prosaic: welfare schemes are finally reaching their intended beneficiaries.

PM Awas Yojana housing beneficiaries in LWE districts surged from 92,847 in 2024 to 2,54,045 in 2025 — a near-tripling in a single year.

MGNREGA enrolment climbed from 8,19,983 to 9,87,204 over the same period, a direct signal that the state administration is now present and functional in areas it once could not safely enter.

Connecting the Corridor: Roads, Towers, and Rail

Perhaps nothing symbolises the transformation more vividly than the infrastructure now threading through what was once the "Red Corridor."

Over 17,500 kilometres of roads have been built in Maoist-affected areas, ending the geographic isolation that Naxals had carefully cultivated as a shield.

Nine thousand mobile towers have been installed, with 2,343 upgraded to 4G, connecting communities to commerce, information, and emergency services.

Rail connectivity — once unthinkable in South Bastar — is advancing rapidly. A 95-kilometre rail line between Dallirajhara and Raoghat is complete; a 140-kilometre stretch between Raoghat and Jagdalpur is developed; and a survey for a further 180-kilometre line from Dantewada to Munuguru in Telangana is underway, knitting the region permanently into the national mainstream.

Democracy's Return: Ballots Replace Bullets

The most eloquent verdict on India's decade of counter-insurgency has been delivered not by security forces but by tribal voters.

In Bastar, voter turnout climbed from 66.04% in 2019 to 68.29% in 2024 — a 2.25 percentage point increase in a region where Naxals had for years enforced election boycotts at gunpoint.

Similar gains were recorded in Kanker (up 1.81%), Rajnandgaon (1.22%), and Mahasamund (0.37%).

Balod district became India's first child-marriage-free district under the "Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat" initiative in 2025; Surajpur declared 75 village panchayats free from child marriage.

Active implementation of the Forest Rights Act has secured individual and community land titles for tribal families, giving them genuine stakes in the democratic system.

India's Naxal chapter is closing because the state chose to fight on two fronts simultaneously — with security forces in the forest and with development in the village.

The lesson encoded in those 17,500 kilometres of road, in the 240-bed hospital in Jagdalpur, in the 75,000 banking correspondents, and in the rising voter turnout of Bastar is simple and hard-won: lasting peace is not declared — it is built, school by school, road by road, and vote by vote.

India Did Not Help Israeli Jets In Iran Strike: PIB Fact Check Busts Pak Propaganda Channel's Naliya Airbase Claim

Divya Danu — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:25:26 +0530

The Government of India has clarified that a viral claim about the Indian Air Force supporting Israeli jets is completely false. PIB Fact Check has said that reports claiming India helped Israeli aircraft during a strike on Iran are fake and misleading.

Some social media accounts claimed that Israeli jets received refuelling and logistic support from the Indian Air Force’s Naliya airbase in Gujarat. The claim suggested that this support was given during a recent Israeli strike on Iran's Chabahar port.

Pakistani propaganda accounts are claiming that the Indian Air Force’s Naliya airbase in Gujarat provided refueling and logistic support to Israeli jets in a recent Israeli strike on Iran’s Chabahar port. #PIBFactCheck: ❌ This claim is #FAKE. This narrative is part… pic.twitter.com/b4nNuWIAjI

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 8, 2026

The post also mentioned that the airbase is located in Gujarat’s Kutch district, near the Sir Creek border area.

Government response and clarification

PIB Fact Check strongly rejected the claim. It said that the information being shared online is false and part of a planned attempt to spread confusion.

Officials described it as a case of disinformation aimed at creating tension.

The government also pointed out that such claims are being spread by certain propaganda accounts on social media platforms.

Warning against misinformation

Authorities have urged people not to share unverified information. They said that spreading such false news can create panic and harm public trust.

People have been advised to rely only on official sources for information related to the Indian Air Force.

For accurate updates, the government asked users to follow Indian Air Force official channels.

How to report fake news

The government has also shared ways to report misleading content. Citizens can report such posts through WhatsApp or email to the fact-check team.

Officials said that public cooperation is important to stop the spread of fake news.

The latest clarification makes it clear that India did not provide any support to Israeli jets in the reported strike. The government has called on people to stay alert and avoid sharing rumours.

India Commissions INS Aridhaman, Completing Historic Nuclear Submarine Triad Expansion

Anish Kumar — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:37:41 +0530

New Delhi: India on Friday commissioned its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman, enhancing the country's sea-based nuclear deterrence. The commissioning ceremony took place in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi at Visakhapatnam.

INS Aridhaman had completed successful final sea trials in late 2025.

INS Aridhaman, whose name translates to “Perpetually Victorious,” is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and the third of the Indian Navy's Arihant-class.

It is designated S4 Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarine and displaces approximately 7,000 tonnes.

The vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam.

INS Aridhaman will join the existing INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, giving the Indian Navy three operational Arihant-class SSBNs at sea for the first time and expanding the submarine component of the nuclear triad.

A More Capable Submarine

INS Aridhaman represents a major step forward over its predecessors in both size and firepower.

Featuring an enlarged hull compared to INS Arihant, the submarine has an overall length of about 130 metres, a beam of 11 metres, and a draft of approximately 9.5 to 10 metres.

The submarine's displacement is consistently given as about 6,000 tonnes on the surface and approximately 7,000 tonnes submerged, with a complement of roughly 95 to 100 crew members.

The vessel carries a significantly larger missile payload than earlier boats.

Unlike INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, which feature four missile tubes, as per the reports, Aridhaman is equipped with eight vertical launch tubes, enabling it to carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km, or a combination of longer-range K-4 missiles with a range of 3,500 km.

Years in the Making

The submarine was laid down around 2017–18, launched on November 21, 2021, and has been undergoing harbour acceptance and sea trials since 2022, with final weapon and reactor checks completed by mid-2025.

Strategic Implications

INS Aridhaman commissioning comes at a time of heightened maritime competition in the Indo-Pacific.

Her induction will mark the operationalization of three SSBNs, providing continuous at-sea deterrence and bolstering the credibility of India's no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

From Drones to Munitions: Sagar Defence Enters Explosives and Ammunition Manufacturing Space

Anish Kumar — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:08:55 +0530

New Delhi: Aiming to reduce import dependency, leading defence tech startup Sagar Defence Engineering said on Tuesday that it has been granted an industrial license to manufacture explosives and ammunition at its facilities in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

The development marks a pivotal shift in the company's journey from autonomous systems developer to a full-spectrum defence manufacturer.

Established itself as a key innovator in India's defence ecosystem, Sagar Defence Engineering currently builds next-generation unmanned and autonomous platforms across maritime surface, sub-surface, aerial and terrestrial domains.

The company currently has portfolio that include autonomous weaponized boat swarms, autonomous underwater vessels, and unmanned aerial vehicles deployed for national security operations.

With the newly acquired license, the startup plans to integrate explosives and ammunition manufacturing with its existing strengths in autonomous systems over the next two years.

Sagar Defence Engineering Founder Nikunj Parashar said: “The expansion will be anchored by a dedicated new facility at Juvvaladine Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh, designed to significantly scale up production capacity.”

India's requirement of explosives and ammunition

India's ammunition market is projected to grow from USD 2.66 billion in 2026 to USD 4.44 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate of 10.8%.

State-owned defence company Munitions India Limited (MIL) has got its highest-ever budget allocation of ₹745.45 crore in FY2025 to modernize infrastructure and expand production capacity.

On the private sector front, Bharat Forge is now setting up a dedicated explosives manufacturing facility to move beyond shell casings toward fully assembled, ready-to-fire ammunition.

Adani Group has invested ₹7,000 crore in the ammunition market, with its 500-acre Kanpur facility currently producing 150 million rounds annually and targeting a scale-up to 500 million rounds per year.

In December 2025, the Ministry of Defence announced that it has been able to indigenize production of 154 out of 175 ammunition variants, which works out to 88 per cent, required by the Indian Army.

India Mandates 20-Point Security Testing for Military Drones to Root Out Chinese Hardware

Anish Kumar — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:07:54 +0530

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has unveiled a comprehensive security vulnerability testing framework for drones procured by Indian armed forces, making it mandatory for vendors to clear a 20-point evaluation before their systems can advance through the defence acquisition pipeline.

The move directly addresses a growing concern in the Indian defence establishment -- drones carrying “Made in India” labels while housing hardware or firmware of Chinese origin, effectively functioning as Trojan horses within the armed forces' inventory.

Last year, an Indian drone operating near the eastern sector of the border with China veered into Chinese-controlled territory.

As per the report, the China’s PLA took control of the UAV, operated it briefly, and then returned it. The drone is believed to be of Israeli origin with an encrypted data link -- yet the PLA still managed to seize control, raising serious questions about existing encryption measures.

Finalized in consultation with all three service headquarters and key government stakeholders, the framework targets seven principal threat vectors -- interception of communication links between drones and ground control stations, GPS jamming and spoofing, control hijacking via compromised firmware, data exfiltration, internet-connected data egress, malicious firmware updates pushed by foreign entities, and expanded data collection through networked peripherals.

Also Read: Land Ports Left Behind: The Infrastructure Gap Costing Bangladesh Its Trade Advantage

The 20-Test Regime

Vendors will have to clear ten hardware validation checks and ten software penetration tests.

Hardware tests cover integrated circuit analysis, tamper resistance, secure boot verification, PCB layer inspection, inter-board communication encryption, and design traceability.

Software tests examine cryptographic key uniqueness, operating system memory protections, trusted execution environment integrity, TLS data transit security, firmware pinning, and anti-rollback verification, among others.

Eight components are designated critical -- the electronic speed controller, flight controller, FC firmware, transmission unit, INS/GPS module, sensors, ground data terminal, and ground control station software.

The framework currently applies to all low, slow, and small (LSS) drone categories -- nano, micro, and small platforms such as quadcopters and hexacopters and is explicitly positioned as a precursor to a broader regime covering MALE and HALE platforms.

Also Read: Supreme Court Grants Full Pension To Women SSC Officers Denied Permanent Commission

Testing and Compliance

Testing must be conducted by NABL-accredited or internationally recognised laboratories within India.

The Quality Council of India is currently the only agency capable of running the full test matrix; the Directorate General of Quality Assurance is separately establishing a dedicated facility at Secunderabad.

Vendors who falsify component documentation face immediate suspension or debarment.

The Department of Defence Production will maintain a centralised database of validated vendors, with cleared models exempt from repeat testing unless modifications are made.

The framework acknowledges that domestic chip-level manufacturing remains a long-term goal.

Notably, MeITy's CHIMS software -- previously used to verify hardware bills of materials was discontinued in November 2024, leaving supply chain traceability as an unresolved gap.

Supreme Court Grants Full Pension To Women SSC Officers Denied Permanent Commission

Anish Kumar — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:26:13 +0530

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that women short service commission officers (SSCOs) denied Permanent Commission (PC) across the Indian armed forces will be entitled to full pension benefits, flagging systemic bias in how their service records were assessed. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, with Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh, held that these officers would be deemed to have completed the 20 years of service required for pension eligibility, even if released earlier.

The ruling came on multiple petitions, including one by Wing Commander Sucheta Edan, challenging PC denials following the 2019 policy changes and subsequent Armed Forces Tribunal orders.

SC on Annual Confidential Reports

The court found that Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of women officers were routinely assessed with the prior assumption that they would never be granted PC -- a presumption that, the bench said, fundamentally corrupted their performance evaluations and undermined their eligibility when the PC avenue was eventually opened to them.

“Since the avenue for PC was offered to them much later, this presumption undermines the entire assessment of their suitability for any career progression undertaken prior to that,” Chief Justice Kant observed, adding that unequal access to criteria appointments had placed women SSCOs at a measurable disadvantage against their male counterparts.

The court further noted that where the evaluative framework lacked the rigour applied to male officers, it had inevitably distorted service records, comparative merit, and career trajectories.

Under the Short Service Commission scheme, officers are initially commissioned for 10 years, extendable to 14. Those not granted PC exit service at the end of their tenure, ordinarily without full pension and with no access to senior command roles.

Operation Sindoor: How India’s Precision Strike Followed The Pahalgam Massacre

Anish Kumar — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:29:36 +0530

On April 22, 2025, terrorists struck the tourist town of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 civilians — Hindu tourists and a Muslim pony handler in an attack that was not random.

The victims were chosen by religion. The location, a beloved holiday destination, was chosen for visibility. The perpetrators belonged to The Resistance Force, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating with the backing of the Pakistani state.

India's response, launched on May 7, was Operation Sindoor. It was a long time coming.

A Doctrine Forged Over Time

India has absorbed decades of cross-border terrorism. For much of that period, its responses were measured in diplomatic statements rather than military action, a restraint born partly of strategic caution, and partly of the belief that the international community would eventually hold Pakistan to account. That belief proved difficult to sustain.

The turning point came gradually. The 2016 surgical strikes after Uri signalled that India was willing to act across the Line of Control. The 2019 Balakot airstrikes after Pulwama pushed that threshold further. With each operation, India signalled that the rules of engagement had quietly changed.

Operation Sindoor is the clearest expression of that change yet. It reflects a doctrine built on three principles — precision over scale, speed over prolonged engagement, and intelligence-led targeting over broad offensive action and it applied them at a scale neither of its predecessors had attempted.

The Operation

In the early hours of May 7, Indian forces struck nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting infrastructure belonging to both Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Drones, loitering munitions, and standoff weapons were the tools of choice — selected not just for their accuracy, but for their ability to keep Indian personnel out of harm's way.

India's rules of engagement were deliberate and clearly communicated from the outset: no Pakistani military installations, no civilian infrastructure. The message was precise: this was punishment directed at terrorism, not a provocation directed at Pakistan as a state. Within 88 hours, the stated objectives had been achieved and a ceasefire agreed upon.

Also Read: J&K's Sanasar Valley sees tourist surge, locals expect busy season

Strategic Messaging

Military operations of this kind carry meaning beyond the physical damage they inflict. Operation Sindoor spoke to several audiences at once.

To Indian citizens grieving the Pahalgam dead, it affirmed that their government would respond with more than words. To the international community, it reinforced India's argument — long made but inconsistently heard that cross-border terrorism has an address, and that address is in Rawalpindi. And to Pakistan and the networks it shelters, it delivered a message that diplomatic channels had failed to: that the costs of continued sponsorship were rising.

That India managed to frame all of this as a counter-terrorism operation rather than an act of interstate aggression was itself a significant diplomatic achievement and a deliberate one.

The Risks That Cannot Be Overlooked

It would be misleading to present Operation Sindoor as an uncomplicated success. Two nuclear-armed states exchanged fire. The margin between a limited punitive strike and a broader conflict is narrower than strategists would like to admit, and during those 88 hours, the world had reason to be concerned.

Strategic stability was maintained but it was not inevitable. That restraint held on both sides is as much a part of this operation's success as the precision of the strikes themselves. It should not be taken for granted in any future reckoning.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: 15 civilians killed, 43 injured in Pakistan firing along Poonch sector

Conclusion

Operation Sindoor marks a genuine shift in India's security posture — one that has been building for nearly a decade and has now been stated plainly. India is willing to act, it is capable of acting with precision, and it has demonstrated that it can do so without triggering the wider escalation its critics feared.

Whether this produces lasting deterrence is a harder question. The infrastructure of terrorism is not dismantled by strikes alone. The deeper challenge of compelling Pakistan to dismantle the networks it has long regarded as strategic assets remains unresolved, and no military operation, however well-executed, can substitute for that reckoning.

Operation Sindoor delivered justice for the victims of Pahalgam. Whether it delivers lasting security will depend on what comes next — in Islamabad, in Washington, and in the corridors of an international community that has too often looked the other way.

Shaurya Squadron: Indian Army to Pair Tanks With Attack, Surveillance Drones

Anish Kumar — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:38:16 +0530

After the infantry and artillery wings, the armoured regiments of the Indian Army are now moving to establish dedicated drone units, named “Shaurya Squadron,” aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of tanks on the battlefield.

This comes following similar moves by the infantry (Ashni Platoon) and artillery (Shaktibaan Regiment).

What Is the Shaurya Squadron?

The Shaurya Squadron is a company-level drone unit embedded within armoured regiments—meaning it operates alongside the tanks on the front line rather than from a higher command level.

A standard armoured company fields roughly a dozen tanks and over a hundred soldiers. Placing drone units at this level gives tank commanders faster access to surveillance, targeting, and strike capabilities.

Each squadron will field three types of aerial systems: surveillance drones, attack drones, and loitering munitions (kamikaze drones). The unit's stated mission is to see farther, strike deeper, and maintain a continuous battlefield presence.

Each Shaurya Squadron will have around 20–25 specially trained personnel.

Also Read: Sea Dragon 2026: India Deploys P-8I in Guam Amid Rising Indo-Pacific Undersea Tensions

Why Now?

The move reflects lessons drawn from recent conflicts—the Russia-Ukraine war, Operation Sindoor, and the Gaza conflict—all of which have demonstrated that tanks, artillery, and infantry alone cannot decide modern battles.

Drones have become central to reconnaissance, targeting, and precision strikes.

Tank-Drone Integration

Once drones are paired with tank formations, ground commanders will receive real-time intelligence on enemy positions, movement, and weapons systems, making armoured operations both safer and more effective.

Drones will also scout ahead of tank columns, reducing exposure to ambushes and anti-tank threats.

Sources in the Indian Army said the squadrons will handle both surveillance and offensive roles.

“First-Person View (FPV) drones capable of striking enemy tanks and logistics infrastructure are among the planned assets. Officials note, however, that the concept is still in its early stages and will be scaled gradually.”

Also Read: Big Defence Leap: India To Get World’s First Autonomous Maritime Shipyard In Andhra Pradesh

First Field Trial

The White Tiger Division (under Southern Command), or the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, has already raised a Shaurya Squadron and put it through realistic combat conditions during Exercise Amogh Jwala at the Babina firing range last week.

"The Shaurya Squadron demonstrated its ability to deliver real-time reconnaissance combined with swift and precise strike responses," an Army official said.

Scale of the Armoured Fleet

The Indian Army currently operates 67 armoured units, including the President's Body Guard, with a fleet of approximately 5,000 tanks, comprising the T-90 Bhishma, T-72 Ajeya, and Arjun Mk1A.

Inside Exercise Dweep Shakti: How India Tested Rapid Response And Maritime Defence Strength

Anish Kumar — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:39:58 +0530

New Delhi: India’s tri-service has conducted a high-intensity exercise “Dweep Shakti” along the coastal and island defence operations from March 24 to 28, validating integrated capability for rapid response.

In seamless synergy, Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force executed coordinated amphibious assaults, maritime dominance operations and complex beach landing drills employing Next-Generation equipment and drones, reaffirming precision, jointness and mission-ready interoperability.

“The exercise also refined integrated tactics, techniques and procedures, reinforcing the armed forces’ growing multi-domain capability and steadfast commitment to securing India’s maritime frontiers and island territories,” a defence official said.

Deployment of Army, Navy and Air assets across the islands, along with activation of key operational and support mechanisms in coordination with local civil administration of Andaman & Nicobar, formed a vital component of the exercise.

Officials on Exercise Dweep Shakti 2026

According to the officials, ‘Exercise Dweep Shakti 2026’ demonstrated a high level of operational preparedness and robust military capability of the armed forces in safeguarding India’s maritime interests and ensuring security of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), witnessed the exercise and commended participating troops from various formations for their professionalism and successful conduct of operations.

“Such exercises continue to strengthen defence preparedness while reinforcing commitment towards maintaining peace and security in the region.”

Fortifying India's 'Chicken Neck': Why Strengthening This 22-km Stretch Could Change War Readiness

Anish Kumar — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:20:29 +0530

New Delhi: There is a stretch of terrain in northern West Bengal that has kept Indian defence planners occupied for decades. The Siliguri Corridor, 22 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, is the sole overland connection between India's eight northeastern states and the mainland. Cut it for long enough, and what follows is a strategic, economic, and humanitarian crisis occurring simultaneously.

Kishanganj: The Strategic Gateway

Kishanganj sits at the western approach to this corridor. What happens in Kishanganj shapes what options India has in a crisis. Which is precisely why the infrastructure investment required here is not regional development work. It is national security planning with a geographic anchor.

The first requirement is road redundancy. The corridor's existing network offers limited alternatives when primary routes are disrupted. A major flood, a damaged bridge, a sustained standoff, any of these creates a chokepoint on a route that currently has few bypasses.

Constructing strategic alternate road networks within the Kishanganj zone and through the corridor proper gives the system the resilience it currently lacks. A single route is a single point of failure. Two or three routes, even if some carry lower capacity, reduce that failure from a crisis to a manageable disruption.

Forward Military Presence: Speed Over Distance

Forward military positioning is the second element. Rapid-deployment units based at permanent forward posts near Kishanganj can respond to a developing corridor scenario in hours rather than the days it takes to move forces from distant bases.

The Indian Army's Integrated Battle Groups concept, developed primarily around the China and Pakistan threat axes, envisions agile, forward-positioned capabilities that represent the kind of responsive military architecture the corridor's western approach requires.

Adapting that framework to anchor a credible fast-response presence in the Kishanganj zone would extend its logic to a vulnerability that has, so far, received less structured attention.

The Overlooked Threat: Utility Infrastructure

But there is a dimension of corridor defence that rarely surfaces in public discussion. Utility infrastructure: power lines, communication cables, fuel pipelines. These run through the corridor zone and are as operationally critical as any road or railway. And considerably more vulnerable. An underground utility corridor, built to dual civil-military specifications, protects these arteries from aerial action, sabotage, and natural disaster. An army that cannot communicate, cannot fuel its vehicles, and cannot power its equipment is operationally paralysed regardless of numbers. The utility layer is not incidental infrastructure. It is part of the defensive architecture.

India's defence budget for 2024-25 reached Rs 6.21 lakh crore, reflecting a sustained national commitment to security investment. A corridor-specific allocation within that framework for alternate road networks, forward basing, and utility hardening is not an exceptional ask. It is proportionate attention to one of the country's most documented strategic vulnerabilities.

Deterrence vs Escalation: Setting the Record Straight

The argument that fortification escalates regional tensions gets the logic backwards. A corridor with visible weaknesses invites pressure because adversaries see leverage. A corridor with demonstrated redundancy and visible military readiness communicates something different: that disrupting it carries a high cost and low probability of durable effect. Deterrence is not aggression. It is what makes aggression less likely.

The Chicken's Neck will not get wider. Twenty-two kilometres is twenty-two kilometres, and no infrastructure programme changes the underlying geography. But what is built around that geography, the bypasses, the forward posts, the hardened utilities, determines whether it remains a vulnerability defined by its narrowness or becomes a defensible, redundant position.

India has the capacity. What the corridor needs is the intent to match.

GE Aerospace Signs Depot Contract With Indian Air Force For LCA Tejas Engine

Shweta Kumari — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:47:50 +0530

New Delhi: US major GE Aerospace on Monday announced a contract with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to establish an in-country depot facility for the F404 -IN20 engines that power IAF’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas fleet.

The facility will be set up by the IAF with technical inputs from GE Aerospace and is expected to help India’s indigenous defense sustainment effort.

Once operational, the facility will eliminate the need to depend on the overseas repair centers, significantly improving turnaround times. The depot facility will be owned, operated, and maintained by the Indian Air Force with GE Aerospace providing technical inputs, training, support staff, and the supply of necessary spares and specialized equipment. “This collaboration marks the next step in the four decade-long partnership between GE Aerospace and the IAF,” the company said.

"Our commitment to supporting India’s armed forces continues to guide our collaboration and partnership in expanding local sustainment capabilities of the Tejas fleet," said Rita Flaherty, Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Defense & Systems at GE Aerospace.

"Through the upcoming depot facility, we will support the availability of the F404-IN20 engines for the Indian Air Force, ensuring they have ready access to cutting-edge technology to power their defense needs.”

“GE Aerospace is committed to developing India’s aerospace ecosystem, spanning design, development, manufacturing, and sustainment for both commercial and military aviation. For example, 150 engineers have passed out of the company’s local two-year Edison Engineering Development Program which develops engineering leaders.”

“Several skilling initiatives over ten years have helped train over 5000 people with core manufacturing skills at the company’s Pune factory.”

In September 2025, the GE Aerospace Foundation, in partnership with United Way, launched Next Engineers at Bengaluru, the four-year college and career readiness program that will help 4000 young engineering aspirants.

Other than the Tejas, GE Aerospace engines also power the Indian Navy's P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and MH60R helicopters, as well as the Indian Air Force’s AH-64 Apache helicopters, while LM2500 marine gas turbines provide the power for the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and the P-17 Shivalik Class frigates.

Defence Ministry Seeks AI-Powered Simulators to Train Indian Army’s T-90 Tank Gunners

Anish Kumar — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:01:06 +0530

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has floated a request for information (RFI) to procure around 50 Basic Gunnery Simulators (BGS) for the Indian Army’s Tank T-90 fleet training. The simulators will train T-90 gunners without putting them on a live range.

As per the RFI, the equipment should be robust enough to meet military grade ruggedness in design to withstand terrain, climatic variations and should enable training of basic and advanced gunnery skills of the Tank T-90 Gunner.

The simulators should be capable of replicating live firing conditions, including AI-generated enemy threats of escalating difficulty.

What the simulator must do

A gunner must be able to practise the full firing sequence, including spotting, identifying, tracking, ranging, aiming and firing for the main 125mm gun, the 7.62mm co-axial machine gun, the INVAR missile and smoke grenade launchers, all from inside a replica of the T-90's gunner station.

The replication must be faithful -- autoloader conveyor, brow-pad recoil, lighting, and the physical jolt of a 125mm round going off.

The fire control system simulation must cover the TISAS/TIFCS suite in normal, manual and emergency modes, with ballistic solutions for HE, HEAT and APFSDS ammunition.

“Recoil and muzzle flash will be CGI-rendered; the audio must reproduce engine noise, autoloader cycling, incoming fire and general battlefield sounds,” the RFI stated.

AI-driven training

The RFI puts artificial intelligence (AI) at the centre of the training design. Enemy forces in the simulator must grow harder to engage with each successive exercise, or as set by the instructor.

Vendors are asked whether their software can run single-player and multiplayer combat missions set in terrain matching actual ground along India's western and northern borders – the international boundary, line of control and line of actual control.

The AI must also assess the trainee automatically, flagging errors in technique and feeding corrections back into the training loop without the instructor stepping in.

A conventional instructor console will handle malfunction injection, scenario programming, performance recording and replay, with an external display for waiting crew members to watch ongoing engagements.

Size, weight and endurance

The simulator must fit inside an Ashok Leyland Stallion lorry – roughly 5.2m by 2.4m footprint, height just under 4m and weigh no more than around 6.5 tonnes. It must work in temperatures from -10°C to 45°C, run 12 to 16 hours a day, and carry 30 minutes of UPS backup.

The required service life is 15 years, with a condition that the vendor give two years' notice before shutting down the production line so the government can stock up on spares.

IAF ‘Vayu Baan’: Helicopter-Dropped Drone That Can Hit Targets 80 Km Away, Carries Warheads

Anish Kumar — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:37:55 +0530

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the design and development of ‘Vayu Baan’, a helicopter-dropped targeting drone, marking a significant step in indigenizing aerial strike capabilities. As per the RFP, a total of 10 drone units are required, along with two airborne control stations, two ground control stations, and associated payloads and spares.

The RFP has been issued by the Indian Air Force’s Regional Aerospace Innovation Division-Gandhinagar (RAID-GN).

Let’s know about Vayu Baan in details

Conceived as an air-launched loitering munition and surveillance platform, the Vayu Baan is designed to significantly enhance the offensive punch of rotary-wing assets.

The drone will be engineered to be dropped from a helicopter hatch or door, fall to a safe distance, and then autonomously deploy wings for guided flight, operable by both the airborne launch platform and a ground control station.

The RFP mandates a minimum control range of 10 kilometres from the launching platform, with autonomous range exceeding 50 kilometres at 30 minutes endurance, or 80 kilometres at 15 minutes.

The system must operate between 150 feet and 8,000 feet altitude, supporting both launch and operational envelopes.

The system should have a payload capacity of 500 to 1,000 grammes, with interchangeable mountings for three payload types -- an EO/IR (Electro-Optical/Infra-Red) sensor suite for surveillance and target identification, a minimum 500-gramme warhead for strike missions, and provision for integration with 57mm and 80mm rockets -- though the rockets themselves are not a deliverable under the contract.

The system must also demonstrate GNSS-denied navigation capability, AI-based target identification, real-time telemetry, and configurable strike profiles.

As per the RFP, the project must be completed in all respects with full delivery and installation within 12 Months from the effective date of contract signing.

IAF’s Big Upgrade: MiG-29s to Get Deadly ASRAAM Edge Over China, Pakistan

Anish Kumar — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 13:30:01 +0530

New Delhi: After successfully integrating the advanced ASRAAM missile on its indigenous LCA Tejas and British-origin Jaguar fighters, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now planning to equip its Russian-origin MiG-29 UPG fleet with the European within-visual-range-capable air-to-air missile system.

Developed by European defence major MBDA, the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) is primarily a within-visual-range (WVR) air dominance missile with a strike range exceeding 25 km.

In this context, the Ministry of Defence issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on March 25 for the integration and certification of ASRAAM on the MiG-29 UPG. The proposal also includes associated equipment such as launchers, tools, testing systems, and crew training.

Currently, the IAF operates more than 55 MiG-29 aircraft, including eight trainer variants.

The integration of ASRAAM will replace the legacy R-73 missile—a 1980s-era infrared-guided weapon with a range of 10 to 15 km—with a far more advanced fourth-generation missile.

ASRAAM has already been selected as the next-generation close-combat missile to replace the R-73 across multiple IAF platforms.

In August 2021, MBDA and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed a licensing agreement to establish a Final Assembly, Integration, and Test (FAIT) facility at BDL’s Hyderabad complex. This facility will also support maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations.

All About ASRAAM

ASRAAM is a highly agile, heat-seeking air-to-air missile designed for close combat and dogfighting scenarios within visual range. It is known for its exceptional maneuverability and “fire-and-forget” capability.

The missile can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 3 and strike targets at distances beyond 25 km. It can sustain up to 50g of maneuverability, enabled by advanced body-lift technology and tail control fins.

ASRAAM entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1998.

Its fire-and-forget capability allows it to guide itself to the target after launch, eliminating the need for further pilot input. It is also optimized for high-G engagements against fast-moving fighter aircraft.

The missile measures 2.9 metres in length, has a diameter of 166 mm, and weighs approximately 88 kg. It carries a high-explosive blast fragmentation warhead, equipped with both impact and laser proximity fuses.

How It Stacks Up: China’s PL-10 and Pakistan’s PL-10E

India’s adversaries, China and Pakistan, have deployed or are deploying comparable within-visual-range missiles—the PL-10 and its export variant, the PL-10E—making ASRAAM’s integration a significant capability upgrade for the IAF.

China’s PL-10 entered service in 2015 after development began in 2004, with design approval in 2010 and production starting in 2013.

It was developed as a short-range infrared-guided missile for next-generation Chinese fighter aircraft, including the J-10C, J-16, and the fifth-generation J-20.

The PL-10 has a reported maximum range of around 20 km, though some estimates suggest it can reach up to 30 km under specific conditions.

With a top speed of Mach 4, the PL-10 is faster in peak velocity compared to ASRAAM. However, ASRAAM compensates with a larger rocket motor (166 mm versus approximately 160 mm for the PL-10), providing better sustained speed and extended engagement range.

Pakistan became the first export customer for the PL-10E, integrating it onto its JF-17 Block III fighters starting in 2021 as part of a broader defence partnership with China.